Geocaching

I don't know how I managed to get into this game. I really don't. What I can tell you is how enjoyable it is!
I first came across geocaching when Rob, a man in our church, started doing it and then a few more started to get interested. My first real taste of geocaching was when I was home this summer and we spent an afternoon with the Hackers. We found two geocaches that day.
My Dad bought his GPS this summer and we found his first one (hidden by the Hackers) on my last night at home.
What is geocaching? I don't think that I could describe it better than it is on the website so give that a look.

I decided to look into how many geocaches were in my area over here in America. I found rather a lot. I thought, 'What better way to explore my surroundings?' So I got myself a GPS and started searching!
I took the younger girls to find one on Friday evening. They LOVED it!! I'll definitely be taking them to find another tomorrow or Wednesday when they have no school.
I also looked out a few in NYC on Saturday. It was so difficult because there were so many people about..... I felt very conspicuous! But I managed to get five!
I can't wait to look for some more!

From Liechtenstein To Darlington

This is a little article about one of our recent signings at Darlo:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/paulfletcher/2008/09/from_liechtenstein_to_darlingt.html#037148

I think his last five fixtures are definitely interesting playing Macclesfield one week and Germany the next!

The Shack

I was recently lent a book to read. It is called The Shack by William P. Young.

Now apparently this book has caused quite a stir (just look at the sheer amount of customer reviews on amazon.com!) but I hadn't heard of it until it was loaned to me. When I took it to one of the girls' soccer practices two of the mums jumped on it and told me that they had heard rave reviews on it.

I can understand why this book has had such an effect on people because it challenges so much about modern Christianity. The problem is that it really does not challenge it in a biblical way. The book left me confused as to what it was really talking about and when I came to discuss it, I was really lost for words. I felt so muddled up about it and I knew that The Shack didn't sit right with me but I couldn't quite put my finger on it.

I was also given this critique to read on The Shack and found it extremely helpful. It raised all the points that were nagging at the back of my mind and couldn't put into words.

I think the most worrying part was when he creates the idea that Jesus is only one of many ways to get to God. Here's the thing:

Jesus is the only way to God.... He is not just the best way but the ONLY way!

No doubt I am glad that I read the book. It gives me a new understanding on what I believe but probably not in the way that the author intended. He has challenged me to look more to scripture than to other people and books for what I believe (He hardly mentions anything in Scripture at all in the book). I just hope that those who read the book will not take it as another Bible or a holy book. That would certainly be very dangerous!

Trash Cans and Big Bottoms

Last week Vinny bought a new bin for the kitchen. It is not just any bin, however, oh no! It is an Automatic Infrared Trash Can! Who'd have thought that we needed one of those! The girls had great fun with it when they came home from school on Friday - who needs expensive toys like a Wii or a Nintendo DS when you have an Automatic Infrared Trash Can??
I say all this but actually it is quite a handy thing. No hands required! The only problem is that I walk passed it and my bum sets off the infrared causing the bin to open! Now that is an incentive to lose weight if ever there was one! I think I'll just try and give it a wider berth in the future... it really isn't good for the morale!

Summer 2008

Such a long time since I've posted!! Ooops!!

I had a great summer, despite the fact that Darlo didn't get promoted!!

Spent most of the time in Rhode Island getting very burnt at the beach. It was so fun and it turns out that I love the water... except when there are jellyfish! We went crabbing which was great! I caught four - I'm an expert already!! :-)

The highlight of the summer was my two weeks at home. I surprised my Mum, Beth and so many others by arriving a week early (it was always planned that way! Aha!).

I had such a good time surprising them all!!

We had a week at Keswick - wonderful as always! We went to the meetings, sang lots of Stuart Townend songs (cos he was leading the worship!!), went geocaching, rowing, had two birthday parties (for Beth and Meg), had a girly day with face masks, popcorn & M&Ms and Cranford! and finally made beautiful music with Beth's Boom Whackers! We got the William Tell Overture down!!Beth and Meg blowing out the candles!

Our girly day!

Geocaching with the Hackers. Ben was our guide!

Castlerigg Stone Circle. With Ben and Bethan!Boom Whackers! So Keswick was fun but there was more!! At home we had a 'Pudding Party' Open House - lots and lots of desserts! Wonderful! I made a chocolate meringue pie! Glad it worked out cos it was the first time I made it!

Over that weekend I met two new little people who I've never met before:

Molly, the third little one next door.

and Jack, Lucy's little boy.
On Sunday afternoon I drove up to Glasgow and went to church there in the evening. Then Dad came up by train on Monday morning and we drove up to Grandpa's. Grandpa took Dad, me, and the Dunballochs to The Priory for high tea, then I watched the girls dance in the Inverness Tattoo.

We drove home again on Tuesday (stopping at the Ross's in Edinburgh where Mum met us - not totally sure why!). The rest of the week was filled with seeing people and being places. Sarah and I babysitted Jack, I had tea at the Hackers' new house.

Mum, Dad and I went to Betty's and we had the prayer meeting at our house because of all the work going on at the church! I even managed to visit the shrine....... no shirts! Still waiting, Dad!!

All in all, an amazing trip home! I think I got the only two weeks of nice weather that Britain had this summer! Saw many people and many places...... felt like I'd never been away!

Back in NY we were visited by an old nanny, Liz (great girl!!) and an old friend, Sophie! (I love ya!).

With Liz we were in Rhode Island..... we went to Six Flags New England and Mystic.

With Sophie I stayed in the city for the weekend. It was awesome! We went EVERYWHERE!! It was so great to have a good friend around!!

Well, that just about brings me bang up to date. The girls are back at school, Michella turned 6 yesterday........ We're all just trying to get back into a routine!