Every year we anxiously await the pomegranate season. Then we anxiously await pomegranates to go on sale! And when they do, we make an investment in some serious and healthy family fun time. The only draw back to these amazing fruits is that they are really messy, and the glorious juice stains everything it touches.  So everyone gets on some old clothes, grabs a cutting board and a knife, and gets to work.

It’s a special treat for each person to get his/her own pomegranate.

I remember as a child my mother always put a pomegranate in each of our Christmas stockings, along with other fruits and nuts. We were as excited to get those as we were the candy, and we usually ate them for breakfast Christmas morning.

Pomegranates are to Fall and Winter what berries are to Spring and Summer.

I am seriously considering upholstering my dining room chairs in a pomegranate red. Then I would never have to worry about stains again.

Happy Fall, Everyone!

Last weekend, a bunch of us loaded up the van and went to Johnson Farms. It’s a local farm here in Belton with a ton of activities during the fall season. The kids had a blast!

First, they went on the large “Jumping Pillow”- very different from a trampoline.

There was also an older model firetruck put out to pasture which the kids were allowed to climb on, sit in, and otherwise explore. This  was every little boys’ dream to be sure.

And since it is a farm, they were plenty of chickens to catch, goats to feed, pig races to watch, horses, donkeys…..and a 3 day old litter of baby pigs! They couldn’t be handled though. Mama pig was not ready to share. I don’t blame her.

One of the favorite things was a pumpkin canon. The operator would load it up with a pumpkin or two and fire it off in the direction of the pond. The boys absolutely loved this, and it was a lot of fun seeing how far the pumpkins would fly. Some cleared the pond entirely and took out a few branches from trees on the opposite side!

The canon in action- I can’t believe I got this shot. I snapped it the instant I heard the bang. But, as you can see, the pumpkins were already tens of feet out of the barrel.

Last, but not least, I got to ride a camel with one of my sons. I have never ridden a camel and never dreamed I would even have a chance to ride a camel. I guess the most interesting things can happen anywhere!

Blessings,

Wuzza

It usually doesn’t work out every day, but at least a few times a week we try to sit down for a family Bible time. And sometimes the sitting down part doesn’t happen at all.

Sometimes boys just can not be still.

And did you know that among boys, wrestling is a dangerously contagious disease?

Or maybe it’s a genetic trait present only on the Y chromosome? I haven’t noticed this same phenomenon in girls.

I have observed, however, that there is one thing that seems to have the power to calm a boy.

The entire time this “All In” wrestling  match went on, one kid sat on the sofa subdued by the power……

of the feline. Look at the feline face up close again.

Completely calm in the face of mass chaos a few feet away from him. This is why God gave us domestic cats- to cause us to be able to successfully have family Bible time.

Unfortunately, I think that cats can only exert their calming influence on one individual at a time…..

Regardless of where you stand on medical intervention for infertility or abortion rights, this woman, Carolyn Savage, did the most selfless thing I can imagine a woman doing.  Please continue to pray for both families.

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/33031478/ns/health/