What's in the Bible? DVD 5 Trailer

THE STORY

Daddy

It's after mid-night, which means it is now Sunday morning. Father's Day to be exact. I can't sleep; partially because I have a lot on my mind, and partially because the neighbors are having a pool party- complete with loud music and obnoxious laughter. But, I'm starting to feel like maybe it's all a little orchestrated....a little Providential.

As is typical on sleepless nights, I wandered to the kitchen to log-on to facebook. In doing so, on this dawn of Father's Day, I began to see status updates take the form of tributes to Daddies everywhere; and profile pictures resembling someone's dad instead of themselves, oftentimes as a memorial. Naturally, I thought of my own dad, and joined in on the tributes. But, I realized that there is far more to say than a status update will allow. And, let's face it, a post is LONG overdue. So, it was an easy choice...a no brainer. The difficult part is deciding where to start, and perhaps even more difficult where/when to stop. There is much to say. Much, too much.

I think I'll start with the fact that I have NEVER, EVER doubted how much my Dad loves my mom and the three of us kids. When I really think about it, I wonder why that is. Is it because he told us? Is it because he showed us? Is it because he disciplined us, or taught us right from wrong? Is it because he taught, by example, what work looks like? Do I know that I was/am loved because he welcomed me to snuggle and cuddle as a kid? Or, is it strictly evident because of the way he loves my mom? Maybe it's the sweet way he calls me Shana-girl. Or, how he lights up when I walk in the door of his house after I haven't been 'home' in a while.



I don't know, maybe it has something to do with the way I always felt, and still feel safe, when I'm with him.....the assurance that no thunderstorm, or car trouble, (or whatever) would be too much for my daddy. Now, that I think about it, especially in those terms, maybe it was because he let me crawl in the bed with him & mom when I had a bad dream.



Or, maybe it was/is his patience; and the fact that I very rarely saw him lose his temper. Better yet, maybe it was because one of the few times he did lose his temper was in response to me talking back to my mom; and he simply told me that he would not stand for it. Yeah, that's definitely one of the reasons; and I appreciate that infinitely more now that I'm on the other side of Motherhood.

Speaking of being on the other side of Motherhood, maybe Daddy's love is even more evident now than it was then (if that is even possible) because of the way he loves my kids and the other grandkids. Could it be the way he always has time for a game of chess, or to pitch the ball to Bryce? Perhaps it is because he lets Sara Kate sleep with him when she spends the night...and he calls her his Bed Buddy. Maybe it's because he uses a bobcat to pile up a huge pile of leaves every year for the kids to jump in. Or, maybe it's easy to see when I look around my house and see the tangible things he made for me or my kids....with his own hands, by his own design, and always just the way we wanted or requested. No, I bet it's because he always has time for my projects...whether it's sewing purses from a pattern he made himself, or he & Mom helping me make 16 gallons of prailine popcorn, or the fact that he is an honorary member of the girls-only cookie club.

Now that I think about it...maybe it's more his quiet, soft handed leadership. The way that he values his faith without wearing it as a billboard. It's probably the fact that he treats people honestly and fairly, and that he consistently does the right thing. You know, acting out his faith, morals, and values instead of talking about them or boasting about them....certainly a Samaratin not a Pharisee.

Who knows? Perhaps it goes back to the beginning. Back to the experiences I've only heard about in story form, from mom or other relatives (cause Lord knows, he wouldn't tell them himself). Back to the way he loved my mom through illnesses that were capable of taking her life. Back to all the things he 'rigged' up to make things easier on her. Back to the way he helped her to regain her strength in walking by allowing her to "walk on his feet." Yes, I'm certain my assurance at the very least grew from there...got it's beginnings there; even though I was too little to see or understand them when they were happening. That certainly speaks to the power of love, doesn't it?

But, you & I both know that true assurance doesn't come from a one time experience. And, while those stories and remembrances certainly provided a great start; we know that Love is proven over time. It is a seed that is planted and grows. I think that's what amazes me most. Daddy is not an overly emotional or doting person. He certainly wasn't Mr. Romance to my mom; and my siblings and I weren't spoiled or anything. In truth, he actually worked an awful lot, and worked hard. A fact that I somehow think he regrets now. But, I wish he wouldn't. All of us 'got it'. We knew he was doing that for us...and because he loved us. Furthermore, he could also be a little hard on us at times, but it was always balanced with love. And, I personally am grateful for that, that he loved us enough to shape our character.

As I said earlier, the hard part is knowing where to stop and when to end. I could go on and on; providing at least a million more examples (just as I could do with examples of mom's love for us as well). Even now, I fully realize I'm leaving things out that left an indelible mark on my heart.... Like how he and mom were always available to talk to me when I needed it, like how he encouraged me to face my fears; and how he confessed that he too, had fears, like mine.

Yes, my assurance comes from all those things and a zillion more just as important!

But, I think I'll end with a simple thank you!

Daddy,
Thank you for loving Mom, and thank you for loving your kids. Thank you for loving your grandkids. Thank you for loving us so much that we've never had any room for doubt. It is a honor and true privilege to be your daughter! You are the truest, most honest definition of the word Father!

I Love you,
Shana

100 Things

Apparently it is customary in the blog world to list 100 things about yourself around the anniversary of your 100th post. And, because I've been missing ye olde blog lately, and because I'm just over 100 posts and because I have nothing else to talk about, I thought I would play along. By the way, because I delight in sharing information that you couldn't care less about, this is my 102nd post. So, the following is everything that you never cared to know about me. And a quick disclaimer, if you are my Facebook "friend" then you've seen about 25 of these....but give a girl a break, I'm still adding 75 more incredibly random, mundane & trivial facts about me.




1. I suppose the basics are that I am a daughter, sister, friend, aunt, wife, and mother. (Listed chronologically, 'cause I'm weird like that)


2. I am a sinner, saved by the unfathomable grace of God.


3. I am what they call "HIGH strung"


4. However, luckily I am also LOW Maintenance.


5. Personally, I'm just glad I'm not both high strung and high maintenance....or Brad would be one tired fella.


6. I married the most laid back person on the planet.......this has been a lifesaver.


7. Obviously, I have common sense (see #6).


8. I am a Mama's and a Daddy's girl. Always have been, always will be.


9. There has always been something in my personality that can NOT allow me to ONLY say, I'm a mama's girl or JUST say I'm a daddy's girl..... I always have to say both, 'cuz that's just the truth...and that's how I roll.


10. I usually can't remember how old I am.....almost always have to calculate it....this didn't start happening until I reached the 30s- wonder why that is????? Hmmm, maybe I'm trying to forget :)


11. My sister got the fashion and fru-fru gene of the family.....but I'm smart enough to solicit help from her and my friends.....


12. Apparently, I got the gene that enables me to talk about gross stuff (I'll spare you the details-but with my family 10 bucks says poop will enter the conversation at some point)


13. I'd like to say that I'm a loyal friend.


14. However, I know that there have been times when I have let my friends down.....and I still think back on those times with regret.......even though it's ancient history.


15. I am not quick witted, but I think I can be funny at times. By the way, Shelley got the humor gene too.


16. I TALK TOO much. PERIOD.


17. I used to be able to remember numbers, like phone numbers and addresses uncannily well.....now? not so much.


18. I am super transparent. For the most part, what you see is what you get.


19. I am a zit picker. There, I said it. See, super transparent and super gross...what a lovely combo


20. I graduated from college, but I didn't "go off" to college. However, I did study abroad in the UK for a semester. Up to that point in my life, that was probably one of the best experiences of my life. Now, husband and children trump it by far. But still, a good experience for me.


21. I sing all.the.time. (always have) and I usually have a song of some sort in my head. Today it was "Chicken Fried" by Zac Brown


22. To borrow from Tammy, I get mistaken for my best friend A LOT....and we have conspired to use this in our favor :)


23. My children act just like me and this is incredibly satisfying to my brother.....I think he uses the term sweet justice....... I have no idea what he may be referring too :)


24. I instant message a good bit, and almost every time I think, "wouldn't it be easier to call them?"


25. I'm one of those folks that needs for it to be really quiet when I sleep....this is unfortunate since my entire family (including the dog) snores


26. I'm addicted to other peoples opinions, and I rarely hang a picture or pick out a paint color without consulting the interior designing firm of T&T.....you know you are :)


27. I rarely watch TV, but I'm addicted to facebook and blogs.


28. Apparently, I am nosy...why else would I be addicted to facebook

29. I am tender hearted and cry easily....you will never cry alone if you're with me......

30. I can not stand to be misunderstood. And, most of the time will go to great lengths to ensure that what you think I'm conveying is, in fact, what I'm trying to convey. That can be exhausting.

31. I like for things to be equal or balanced, and tend to enjoy things that are exact. This can be a nightmare when decorating.

32. I have a few OCD tendencies, but they present themselves in a really strange way. It's not across the board and it's not all the time. But, whenever I have things that are multiple colors, I can't have 2 of the same color together.

33. I like to make lists for things, but I frequently lose the list. And, inevitably when I make a grocery list I leave it at home. This makes me very grouchy.

34. I am a worry wart, and always have been.

35. I used to be downright fearful, but God is working on me about that, and I'm pleased to say that it is a lot better than it was.

36. I am learning to play the guitar.

37. I would also love to learn sign language.

38. I am not very patient and tend to have a temper. In case, you're wondering, there's another less than desirable combo

39. I'm outgoing and extroverted. I think I'm fairly easy to talk to, but will rarely make the 'first move' or introduction.

40. I sometimes judge people prematurely, and oftentimes harshly. This is another area where God is working on me.

41. My favorite color is yellow....because it's bright & sunny.

42. I rarely, if ever, buy anything full price. It almost always must be on sale, or less than $20. This could be what is wrong with my wardrobe. :)

43. I try to be organized, and have achieved that in many areas. But, there are just as many (namely my desk) that are anything but organized.

44. I can be good naturedly sarcastic. I learned this from my dad, who is the King of facetiousness.

45. I love to laugh and hang out with friends.

46. I have Godly parents, a great family, and supportive and caring friends.

47. Obviously, I am blessed.

48. I just found out that it may no longer be in style to do 100 things around your 100th post, because, now I can't find any of the ones that I've read.

49. But, clearly, I'm sticking to it, because, Hello? I'm on number 49.

50. Apparently, I'm 'so yesterday'

51. I have perseverance :)

52. Not really, I'm just stubborn.

53. I have trouble falling asleep sometimes. Which is exactly the cause for this stupid post.

54. I enjoy sleeping late, and pray to the dear Lord above, that I'll be able to tomorrow (since it's 2am right now, and I can't go to sleep).

55. I tend to get on one subject and stay there...

56. I am a planner....this has been known to bite me in the tail.

57. If I could change anything about my physical appearance it would be my insanely, unnatural light complexion.


58. I did try to change it by laying out in the sun during my teenage years, and I was rewarded with a diagnosis of melanoma at the age of 25.


59. Now, I am a sun-o-phob. And, I take inordinate amounts of pleasure upon discovering a new sunblock with a SPF of 70.


60. I love to cuddle and snuggle.


61. I formed that habit while growing up, because I got in the bed with my daddy every morning before school to cuddle with him for a few short minutes.


62. Even to this day, if I spend the night with my parents, I will get in the bed and cuddle with them when I wake up.


63. I have been known to make my daddy get back in the bed so I could cuddle. And he did. Which is just one of the reasons why I'm a Daddy's girl. Obviously, we are wrapped around each other's fingers.


64. However, I am NOT the chosen one. (That would be my brother, the first born son) :)


65. In fact, I always wanted a playhouse when I was little....you know, one just like my brother had. I finally got it last year, when daddy built one for the kids and put my name on it too. I'll take what I can get.


66. I like to be crafty. I love to scrapbook and make cards.


67. However, I'm not very creative.... I just copy stuff.


68. When I was little, my sister hit me over the top of the head with an axe. Some say that this explains a lot.


69. I am claustrophobic.


70. I'm not afraid of heights, but that doesn't mean you'll ever catch me skydiving or bungee jumping.


71. I start thinking about what we are going to get the kids for Christmas by August or September....see #56.


72. I gave birth to a 9 lb 140z child in 40 minutes (not including labor) and Sara Kate who was still 8lbs even 3 weeks early, came without a single push. Pardon me, but I feel that is noteworthy.


73. Apparently, I've been known to brag (see #72)


74. My least favorite household chore is cleaning the shower.


75. There are some things that I probably won't understand this side of heaven.....most days I'm okay with that, other days it's a struggle.


76. We've been waiting 3 years to adopt a little girl from China. At this point, we're not sure it's going to happen. (see #75).


77. I am horrible at shutting doors and drawers. You can always tell when I've been in the kitchen because every cabinet door is open. This drives both my parents and my husband crazy.


78. My biggest pet peeve is for someone to say that they are going to do something and then not do it. I would rather them not say anything at all than to fail to follow through. Obviously, I'm not speaking about extenuating circumstances that prevent follow through.


79. With that being said, I try my best to follow through with my commitments. I don't or can't follow through all the time and that worries me sick. I also try my best to extend grace, so that it will be extended to me. Sometimes, I'm good at that; other times, I'm not.


80. I think parenting is the absolute hardest and the absolute most important thing that I will ever do.


81. I am both a Human Resources and General Management major.


82. This is ironic to me, because I don't enjoy managing (or being in charge) of anything or anybody. I can't take the pressure, and would much rather be an Indian than a chief.


83. However, In the few management jobs that I've held, I think I did fairly well in them.


84. There have been a very precious few times that I've said exactly what I wanted to say when it needed to be said. Most of the time, I think of something that would have been appropriate a good 2 days after it was needed. This is most frustrating.


85. I am a sentimental kind of girl, and I love family traditions. We have several that are near and dear to my heart. I consider it part of my heritage and want desperately to impart that heritage or legacy on to my children.


86. One of my favorite traditions is making a couple of thousand cookies every year at Christmas time with my aunts and my cousins. I would give my right arm to have my grandmother be able to be with us for just one of those weekends. She started that tradition without even knowing it.


87. I gave Brad an ultimatum that if he didn't ask me to marry him by the New Year (January '99) I was moving on to find the husband that I knew God had for me. (In my defense, we had been talking about marriage for 2 years and I already had my wedding dress that he went with me to get- not see, but purchase)


88. He asked me to marry him the day before New Year's Eve.


89. I'm not the only one that is strong-willed and stubborn. :)


90. I like to travel.


91. I tend to hold the arguement that if 1 is good, then 2 is better. This is not always the case.


92. Almost without fail, when I'm in a crowded room or movie theater, I plan an escape route should the unthinkable happen. I'm sure there is a name for this illness, but I don't know what it is. (#69 plays a role in this I think)


93. I see the danger in everything.


94. For this reason, I hold the record for the diving in the pool with my clothes to rescue a child (who may or MAY NOT have needed rescuing).


95. I'm not at all embarrased by #94 because I'd rather go in and not be needed than not go in. So, you can make fun of me all you want.....but your kids are safe if I'm around. :)


96. I also tackled my 3 year old niece and completely took her to the ground when I thought a wayward bottle rocket was going to explode near her. She looked at me like I was crazy, but she has no doubt that I'd save her if she needed it.


97. However, as mentioned before, God is working on my fear issues and I sure as heck don't want to pass fear onto my kids.


98. I am a work in progress.


99. I completley and utterly imperfect.


100. And, I'm okay with that!

Feel free to play along....for some reason, I love to read these things. I think I mentioned that I'm nosy. :)

The Lazy, I mean CRAZY Days of Summer

Our summer was anything but lazy. Although that truth is a reality that never ceases to baffle me. Every year, by the end of the school year, I always look forward to long summer days filled with nothing to do. And, every year I stand amazed at how quickly my calendar fills up with things to do and places to be. Not that these appointments are necessarily bad or dreaded, most of the things we did this summer were tons of fun. But, fun, my friend can also be tiring. Anyway, I've been so busy (and so addicted to FaceBook) that I haven't made the time to blog and post pictures of our "doings and goings". So here are the highlights of our summer, in a sort of shortened version.


To kick the summer off, we were able to be a part of our best friend's wedding vow renewal. It was one of the funnest and most special nights. And, we were privileged to be a part of it. There was a ceremony, and dinner, and dancing, and lots of kids having the time of their life. They were blessed and we were so happy for them. We love you, Hildebrand's.


That next week, another dear friend's son had surgery on his brain to insert a shunt. We would not hear of them going through that without friends there to support them. So, that meant a daytrip with some buddies to Birmingham. I am so pleased to say that Austin came through surgery wonderfully and has recovered perfectly as well. We are still praying for his follow up appoinment at the end of this month. But, we are believing God to continue what He has already started in the healing process of this sweet little man of God.



That weekend, we went on a weekend camping trip with our kids, parents, and nieces. The kids had the time of their life camping in the motor home. We camped on a lake and they fished all weekend, except for a few excursions out to play putt putt and also to see the world's largest tree house. That's the stuff memories are made of.

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The following weekend, my sister, Shelley had the kids with her for a week in Macon so that they could go to her VBS. Then, at the end of the month, we had VBS at our church. That about sums up June.



July literally got started with bang.......a BIG BANG This year, for the first time, we took the kids to a local community firework display. The kids thought the professionals did an awesome job (but I still think they like our annual fireworks too). We also had our annual cookout with the Hildebrand's and Godwins; and were so glad that Maci, Bayley, and Aunt Sissy could be there this year too. It is an annual tradition that we've done for at least 6 or 7 years. We always have some fireworks, lots of food, swimming, and Randall's Yoo-Hoo icecream. Needless to say, the kids always have so much fun, that, at times, my heart wants to explode with mushy-gushy happiness.

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We also got hooked on minor league baseball this year. We went to 2 Lookouts games. Bryce has been to a Braves game, but the smaller stadium at Bellsouth Park really allows an "up & coming" baseball player to see what is going on. Other than the fact that it was EXTREMELY hot, the kids loved it. We especially loved having Maci & Bayley with us. And, the fireworks at the end of the game were super cool as well. I'm thinking we just started another annual tradition in the Farmer household. Oh, and I would be completely remiss if I didn't share that Sara Kate was chosen to be in one of the "between inning" contests. She was given a Mayfield Dairy T-shirt and was asked to give the crowd her best "MOOOO". She played against 2 other adorable girls, but they were no match for little Miss Personality herself. When it was her turn, instead of mooing, she got all shy and just managed out a sweet little shrug and giggle, but the crowd went wild. When it came time for the judging, she won by a long shot, just for her shear cuteness.


Let's see.... what else? Sara Kate participated in her first music camp at church this summer. She had a lot of fun learning songs and doing silly dances. She is definitely a performer...no doubt about it. Bryce went the first day, but decided that it wasn't really for him. He has much too much energy to sit still for very long in the summer (unless ICarly is on- ha ha).


I also worked a wonderful Tres Dias weekend toward the end of July. It was such a wonderful experience for me, the rest of the team, and the candidates. I am simply amazed every single time I'm involved with Tres Dias. That weekend was definitely a blessing to me and I was honored to be a part of it.



After the Tres Dias weekend, we loaded up the motor home again and went to Myrtle Beach with my parents, the Godwin's, and the Hildebrand's. It was so wonderful to be able to go to the beach with friends, and the kids absolutely loved every minute of it. We all managed to have a good time, even though between the 3 campers, there were 5 flat tires; not to mention the torrential down pours that we had the pleasure of experiencing Each.And.Every.Day. But, seriously, between playing in the sand on the beach with your friends, and going to the aquarium with your family, or playing putt putt with your buddies, and shopping, and eating fresh seafood, we don't have too many complaints.

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That's been our summer in a nutshell......just add in a few nights at Granda's with the cousins, and a few sleepovers with friends, not to mention a pool party or a trip to the Discovery Museum here and there, and I think that about covers it. Do you see why I'm tired?

Let's Share Ideas

I know, I know, I've been absent for a while. And, yes, I've got several things to blog about (so watch for them in the near future) but this post has been brewing in my head for a week or so, and I just thought it was time to get it published.

It seems lately, that I've had a heightened burden for my children. I think this is due, in part, to the political climate of our nation. I can look back, and see what our great nation was founded on, but when I look ahead, I don't like where we are going. It can be very scary, and thinking about it absolutely always encompasses my children. What will the Nation be like for them? Will they be allowed to worship freely? Christianity is growing in other parts of the world, but in America, it is losing ground. Of course, I suppose that there is a whole other post about what we, as Christians, could - no SHOULD do about it, and I certainly wish I had even one or two of the answers for that question. But even if I did, I don't have a lot of control over the nation as a whole, but Brad & I do have control (for now) of our family and our children. We can be sure that they are prepared, that they believe, and that they know why they believe what they believe.

Anyway, with that being on my mind lately, I've tried to become more and more intentional about matters of the faith. In other words, I'm trying to really live out the portion of Deuteronomy where it talks about teaching your children constantly. Now, Bryce is 6 and Sara Kate is 4, so I'm not talking about any huge, heady, doctrinal stuff here. I'm just trying to think of ways that I can constantly talk about or teach them about Jesus.



This is where you come in....where the sharing comes in. This is where we can brainstorm together. I'm not a creative person, I need all the help I can get. And, I figured y'all might like some new ideas too. So, I'll share mine, if you'll share yours. Don't worry, this won't take long. :) Here goes:


One of the newer things that I've been doing is explaining songs to them. Both of my kids love music. They both fall asleep listening to music and they both love to listen to songs..and I'm not just talking about fun, kids songs; although we do love ourselves some VeggieTales. So, we'll get them a CD and before you know it, they are singing along. But, just like adults, so often they memorize the words but don't always get the metaphors and messages in the music. So, if we're driving down the road, and I've got a CD in, I will stop it and sort of 'set up' or explain the song to them (in very kid friendly terms) just to make sure they 'get' what they are singing about. By the way, we've really been digging Francesca Battistelli's new CD. There are a ton of catchy little melodies that the kids love, and almost every song is easily explained. Another example is Brandon Heath's "Give me your eyes". Bryce LOVES that song, but again, I wanted him to "get" it, so we've talked about it and about what it means. My explanations are simple (after all, it is me who is giving them, they can't be too complicated) and they are usually just one or two sentences. But hopefully, as they listen to it, or the next time it comes on the radio, it will cause them to think about it. Now, I'm not saying that I've seen any real "fruit" from my explaining endeavours, but again, I'm just trying to 'keep it constant' for them. Although, I will say, that now, when a song comes on, Sara Kate will often ask, "What does this song mean momma?" So, who knows, maybe it's getting in there somewhere.



I've already mentioned that we do Devotions by playing the "Mad/Sad/Glad game" and that we pray together as a family a specific way during our devotions. And, I've also mentioned that during Christmas, we do "The Jesse Tree" and and Advent Wreath. Along those same lines, I have gotten a book called Faith Launch, which gives you ways to launch the faith of your children by doing devotions. And, I love the concept, but I keep forgetting that you have to have specific materials (like object lessons) and of course, when I'm out I don't remember to get the materials. But, I plan to try that soon.

And, I suppose I don't really have to mention this one, but I will. I pray for our kids. Our minister of music taught a class on parenting a while back, and he had several hand outs on ways to pray for your kids. He also said that he prayed that God would give him a scripture promise for each of his kids. I have done that as well, and I pray that verse over them often.

That's all I've got. That's it. Nothing fancy or earth shattering here.....nothing deep or super spiritual. And, Lord knows, certainly nothing new. But, I'd sure love to have some new ideas....what do you do?

Travis Cottrell Live

OK, so several of you knew that a few of us from my Bible Study group went to see Travis Cottrell (Beth Moore's worship leader) in a live recording concert in Atlanta earlier this year. The concert was absolutely fabulous. I am not even kidding about that....Absolutely. Fabulous. And because I'm one of those people that upon finding, seeing, or hearing something good, I just have to share the love with all my friends. So, here it is:

You can go here and listen to song clips. It is not out until June 2nd. And, if I don't win one on a few blogs that I follow, I will FOR SURE be ordering one. By the way, you can already preorder now.

And, just for your viewing pleasure, check this out: (and yes, I'm a friend, indeed) :)

Easter

I know that Easter is over, but my crazy self can not blog out of chronological order. And, we had such a great little Easter that I can't entertain the thought of leaving it out.

To start the morning off, the Farmer family attended our first ever Sunrise Service. It was a lovely little service where we were privileged to get to see several people baptized. And, can I just say that being baptized on Easter Sunday at Sunrise is such a wonderful and memorable sentiment. How very special for them.

Brad said that when he was growing up, the boy scouts always helped with the sunrise services for their church; but I had never been to one, and neither had our kids. So, it was a neat experience. I think next year, (providing this feeble mind can remember) we might do our own "family sunrise service" at our house followed by a breakfast. I think that would be a cool tradition for a family to do together to really celebrate the meaning of Easter. However, I must say, our church really does have a wonderful place to watch the sunrise. Don't you agree?

And speaking of traditions, this year the ladies of the church "resurrected" one that they have enjoyed in the past. [and if you did not enjoy that lovely segue and holiday inspired pun, then you do not appreciate writing at it's finest......or corniest] And, while I did not participate because it meant having to be at church even earlier than just before sunrise, I still thought it was a sweet idea and the finished product was beautiful. Here is what the EMC ladies were doing way before sunrise.

After the sunrise service, the church gathered in the parish hall for breakfast together. We ended up being finished with breakfast WAY before time for regular church to start. So, several of us ended up sitting around the table playing rummy. Somewhere in the middle of our card game I commented that I could honestly say I had never played Rummy at church on Easter Sunday. We all got a kick out of it, but had a great time playing.

During the regular service, the Elementary Choir sang a song, and Bryce had a part in a "trio". This was the first time that he has had any sort of part and he was really excited. Honestly, I was shocked at him. During the weeks leading up to Easter, he would ask me to help him practice. He sang that song over and over. He did a fabulous job (all 3 of the boys did). I don't really have good pictures of that......my camera stinketh, and they turned out dark and too far away. But, they were so cute and did a great job.

After church, we went to mom & dad's to spend the day. Brad & I got to nap, while the kids hung out with their grandparents; and trust me when I say that fact alone was enough to make it the best day ever!! Sara Kate and GDaddy were getting some swing time in while mom & dad were catching some zzzzz's.

After we woke up, we let the kids dye eggs. Can I just say that there are a LOT more egg dying options around now than when I was a kid. Good grief, we had glitter and crayons and shrinky things with sports stuff on them and stickers. If I didn't get to participate, I might just be a little bitter.
After egg dying we had the proverbial egg hunt. This year, we decided to have the Hildebrand's and Godwin's over for a cook out, and they had gotten there just in time for the egg hunt. Just so you know, all of the kids have actual Easter baskets but at the time of the hunt they were filled with their Easter morning bounty.....otherwise known as enough sugar to give them enough energy to power the neighborhood. But, since their baskets were otherwise disposed, we made do with plastic bags. Here's a few pics of the kids on the hunt.

One of the reasons mom wanted the Godwin's and Hildebrand's to come is she had recently learned a new game while away on a fun retreat with my sister, and she viewed their coming as a prime opportunity to smoke them in a friendly game of spoons. Oh, yes, she secretly thought she would be crowned The Spoon Queen. However, little did she know that quiet little Gail had some mad spoon skills of her own. And, in fact, Gail was the spoon champion of the evening. Our kudos to you Gail. I would love to post of picture of our spoons game, but the game is rather cut throat and I wasn't about to try to get a picture of the madness....even after I was eliminated, I feared my picture taking might mess with someone's mojo and I would not be able to bear the responsibility of causing anyone to lose.....especially my mother, who would gladly beat me with a wet noodle for punishment.

See why I couldn't leave this one out? It was a picture perfect day. We got to celebrate the love of our Risen Lord with a SONrise service and a great church service, and we got to spend the rest of the day with loved ones. In my estimation, there is nothing greater in this world than those two things. The knowledge of a Saviour who is ALIVE and WITH US after loving us enough to offer himself up as an ultimate sacrifice to death. And, the love and blessing of friends and family. Nope, it don't get no better than that!!

The Misadventures of the Farmer Family

It has been an eventful month at the Farmer Household. Not that it is ever really calm or anything, but this past month has been a doozy.

It started with Bryce loosing two front teeth at once. I had known that one front tooth was loose and would be coming out soon. But, Bryce somehow managed to have both front teeth "pulled" out at once. He and his cousin were playing and he had something like a towel in his mouth pretending to be an animal. My niece, tugged on whatever was in his mouth and out popped both teeth. Thankfully, I wasn't there to witness this; but, my sister and parents said that he didn't miss a beat. Apparently, it didn't hurt a bit....maybe that second tooth was loose too. Who knows, but anyway, there is now a big, gaping hole in his smile; which (I must say) makes it about the cutest smile you've ever seen. See for yourself. In this particular picture, I think he is really trying to showcase his missing teeth because that's not his normal smile.
Then, we had parent observation again in Sara Kate's ballet class. It was really fun to watch and they have been learning their dance for the upcoming recital.

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

That very next day, Sara Kate decided to swallow a Stainless Steel ball. It was one of the balls that come in the Magnetix sets. She was already in her PJs, laying in the bed. I didn't even know she had it at all until she started choking and coughing. Once it was down, she had gagged so much that she threw up and it freaked me out because there was a lot of blood in it. So, off we went to the ER. A metal ball shows up wonderfully on an xray, and it was determined that it was down below her stomach and it would have to make a 'natural exit'. I so wish I could have gotten a copy of that xray to post. It was really cool. So cool, in fact that we had to really 'talk' and convince Sara Kate not to ever put anything except food in her mouth again. The doctor said that if it had been bigger, we could have been in serious trouble because it could have gotten stuck somewhere and obstructed her airway. So, we are very thankful, once again, for God's protection over her. This child is going to be the death of me.

The following week, Bryce went on the last field trip of his kindergarten year. The entire Kindergarten went to the zoo and then to the Riverpark for a picnic.

As if all that wasn't enough excitement, the very next day, while I was at ballet with Sara Kate, the school called and told Brad that Bryce had fallen on the playground and gashed his head open. Sure enough, we took him to the doctor and he received his first set of stitches. Honestly, I'm really surprised that we've made it this long, as he is almost seven and is wild as a buck. But, he was a complete trooper and did not even cry during the stitches. And, for that, a mother is thankful. They had some sort of deadening liquid that I held on his head for about 15 minutes before the lidocaine shots. When it was time to deaden it with the lidocaine, he said ouch at each stick, but that was about all. This mom would like to go give the creator/inventor of said miracle liquid a big fat, sloppy kiss right now, so it's a good thing, they're an anonymous soul. Here is his cut after they got it all cleaned up.

That same night they both had their first T Ball game of the season. And, if you're wondering, I did ask the doctor if he could still play. Bryce has played for several years now, but this is Sara Kate's first year. She is nothing if not cute. However, she is more the dancy, prancy, fancy kind of girl and it appears that she doesn't posses the natural athletic ability that her brother has. It took her several, several, several tries to even hit it off of the tee (but in her defense, almost all of our practices were rained out). Her brother on the other hand, did not have to use a tee at all last year. He's a natural, if I do say so myself.

All of this happened, in the first two weeks of April. We still have an Easter post to share, but I'm just a little weary from ALL THE CRAZY!! Hopefully, coming soon, I'll share with you our wonderful Easter.

The recipe tutorial you never knew you needed

My parents & I have been in the kitchen all day long making massive quantities of Praline Popcorn. I've posted about our popcorn before, but I never shared the recipe. It is super yummy, and is usually well received so I thought you might enjoy the recipe. Because it's not enough just to make 18 - 1 gallon bags of popcorn, I decided to take pictures along the way so that you could see the process step by step. Now, we were making that large amount for a specific reason, but for normal folks with more sanity than I possess, one batch will yield a little more than 2 full gallon bags.

First: The Recipe

Praline Popcorn

3 sticks of unsalted butter

1 c. of corn syrup

1 32 oz. bag of brown sugar

1 t. salt

2 t. vanilla

1 t. baking soda

9 qts. of popped popcorn

2 c. chopped pecans

2 c. dry roasted peanuts

Here's how to do it, along with a few things we've learned along the way.

The easiest way to get started is to pop the popcorn; and the best way to do that is to use an air popper. [There is no way to tell you how much unpopped popcorn will make 9 qts. of popped popcorn, because it depends on the brand of popcorn and the method in which it is popped - for

us, it's about 1 c. of unpopped corn]

Then we split the popped popcorn into two large metal bowls. We've found that if you warm the metal bowls and spray them slightly with non stick spray it will make it easier for you later. Next, add 1 cup of both types of nuts (pecans and peanuts) into each bowl. Set aside. You will pour a liquid candy coating over this popcorn, and it must be mixed in quickly before it hardens. So, be sure to have the popcorn and nuts ready.

Next, melt 3 sticks of unsalted butter in a 30 qt stock pot (or just a taller pot). Add one bag (32 oz) of brown sugar and 1 c. of corn syrup with 1 t. of salt. Stir continuously until it comes to a boil. After it comes to a boil reduce heat and let boil without stirring for 3 1/2 to 4 minutes. After the 3 1/2 minutes are up, add the vanilla (2 tsp) and baking soda (1 tsp). Stir well.

Then pour half of the mixture into each bowl of popcorn and nuts and mix well being sure all the popcorn is covered well with the candy mixture.

Then divide popcorn out onto some cooking sheets and bake on 225 for 15 minutes. When you take them out, loosen the corn with a spatula to break up the pieces and let cool.

Once cooled, It is ready to eat. But, you can also put it in freezer bags to freeze. It freezes well, but when you take it out of the freezer, place back on cookie sheets and back in the oven to heat and get crunchy again.

This is what it looks when crazy people make a ton of it. But it sure is yummy!

We all need our heads examined

Up until last week, I've always thought I had a pretty good handle of who my family (extended family included) is. In fact, I would describe us as a normal family who is down to earth with a good helping of common sense and decent dose of fun. We're certainly not flashy or even overly fashionable, but we have at least an average amount of style (some of us like Shelley & Mom have been blessed with more style than others). However, last week two significant occurrences happened that seriously make me question the sanity of the Lingerfelt/Farmer clan.

The first 'incident' was that my parents finally received their anxiously awaited for Snuggies. I can not even begin to tell you how shocked I was that they ordered these. They are just not the 'as seen on tv' kind of folks. Trust me, this incident alone has provided more comic relief to my siblings and I than any other of recent memory. And daddy can't say a thing, because he is the one that bestowed on us the lovely facetious/sarcastic gene that we have practically worn out from overuse these last few days. And before you go and feel sorry for them, just know that they are both as happy as little larks in their oversize bathrobes worn backwards. Upon viewing Dad in his newly acquired Snuggie, Scott said that he expected to be served communion immediately, so he dubbed Daddy the "Snuggie Monk." And, Shelley said that the reason they send the darn lights with them is because something is bound to get lost in that vast expanse they call "sleeves." Probably the funniest thing to me is that the snuggie is apparently insanely popular. My parent's snuggies were back ordered for 4 weeks. And, so was Beth Moore's . And, what's worse, much to Shelley's chagrin, is that you can even get them accessorized. Which, I'm sure even to Shelley's perfectly accessorized self is just wrong.....all wrong. But, without further ado, let me introduce you to the Snuggie Monk:

By the way, he may look all monk-ish there, but don't let the appearance fool you. You are looking at a man that can build and fix anything. Be watching for a post soon about what he built the kids for Christmas (I'm only 2 months behind). I'm going to devote a whole post to the Snuggie monk and his wares.



The next incident was what I saw in my own back yard upon a casual glance out the window. Apparently, my husband had a temporary lapse in good judgement and decided to wash the car wearing a bear head hat. I have absolutely no idea what possessed him to do this, but it got so much attention that our neighbor had to come over and say hello. So, just the other day, in my own back yard, to grown men were having a grown up conversation and one of them was wearing a bear head on his head. Mind you, this is the same hat that my then 4 year old son wore to his first dentist appointment.




What's more is that both of these things happened on the exact same day. I commented to a friend that I needed to go find a rock to hide under until all the insanity stopped. However, it just continued to rear it's ugly head. The very next day, I walked by our poor beagle and noticed that she looked especially bright and perky. Upon further inspection, I discovered that Sara Kate had gone all Mary-Kay on her and had given her some lovely pink rouge on her furry little cheeks. But one should never just don blush and forget the eyelids and Sara Kate would never break this cardinal make-up rule, so she also got above Gigi's eyes as well. I suppose with a Parisian name like Gigi, Sara Kate just assumed she would be a fashion forward kind of dog.


I know the actual make up is a little difficult to see in this picture, but I just had to show this picture because it looks like she's in prayer. And that prayer probably goes something like this, "Dear Lord, I have no idea what I did to deserve this cruel and unusual punishment, but I do hereby solemnly repent and swear to never, ever do it again, if you will make this little girl leave me alone. - Amen."


Again, the make up is sort of hard to see. But, have y'all ever tried to take a picture of a dog whose still in shell shock from all the beauty torture she just endured. I honestly, don't know how in the world Sara Kate got her to be still to get all of it on her, but make up was all over both of their faces.


So, it seems that Bryce and I are are the only sane ones remaining. But, even if he does go all wacky like the rest of them, I believe I'll leave him alone. 'Cause look what he can do:


Yep, that's my 6 year old breaking a board.

Because I've really needed a laugh this week.......

.....and I thought you might like one too.  Enjoy!  Trust me, it's worth the wait if it takes a second to load.  If you have trouble, leave a comment and I'll send you the link.  

Advent at the Farmer's

Brad & I try to be very intentional on how we raise the kids. To be honest, more often than not we fail miserably. I could make a list a mile long of all the things that we need to improve on as parents. (Please don't ask me to do that 'cause I'll be buried in a mountain of guilt that will take me until this time next year to dig out of). Just trust me when I say that this is not a false humility.

But, during Advent/Christmas we have tried extra, extra hard to keep the focus on Christ. My parents did a great job of teaching us what the real meaning of Christmas is, but we were Baptists and the word advent was not in our vocabulary. When Brad & I started going to our current church (some 10-11 years ago) we began to learn that Advent just means waiting. And when we celebrate advent we are waiting for our Saviour, just like thousands of years ago, the world waited for Him.

I mentioned last year, that our church hosts an Advent festival each year, where families come an make their own advent wreath together as a church. Then, in our homes each night, we light the candle/candles and read a devotion that corresponds with the day. My children just absolutely fell in love with this. So, it became a tradition in our family too (and luckily at church too). I love how lighting the candles helps them count down and anticipate getting to finally light the white candle in the middle on Christmas. And, how our waiting on Christmas represents the world awaiting a Savior so many years ago.

But, I wanted to share something new that we started this year as well. I got the idea from a blog that I read quite a bit, but several of you may already know about it. This year, we started our own Jesse Tree. You start the First Day of Advent, and each night you read a devotion. The devotions are meant to sort of take you through the Old Testament and lead up to or end with The Savior's birth on Christmas Day. Several of the devotions are from Old Testament prophecies predicting Christ's birth. But they all kind of show God's ultimate plan and provision for us through Christ. In fact, the first devotion is about the stump of Jesse (hence the name Jesse Tree), and the first sentence of our particular devotions is, "God has a plan for everything."

The element that I like the most about the Jesse tree concept is that you get a small tree (it can be cut out of felt or paper, or an actual small Christmas tree or whatever) and each day of devotion has a corresponding ornament to represent the lesson of the day. So, for instance, the devotion that teaches about creation has an ornament of the world (or something representative). Again, the kids love this. And, I love that they are getting such a great foundation of the Old Testament and eventually (maybe their too young right now) getting that the events of the Old Testament happened exactly the way they did to provide the world with a Savior.

This was not a hard tradition to start. I used these devotions and used the symbols as guides when looking for ornaments. If I couldn't find one that was exactly like what was listed, I improvised. Or, I actually enlarged what was shown, printed it, cut it out and then colored it. Easy Peasy!! If you google Jesse Tree, you will find other books or resources, but I've been really happy with the content of the devotions that I'm using.

If you are interested, and have an questions, give me a holler and I'll send you some links that will help get you started. Or, start here

But, along these same lines, I must share with you what was said during our Jesse Tree/Advent devotion tonight. It is just too priceless not to.

Our devotion tonight was about Joseph, and how God sent an angel to talk to Joseph in a dream and tell him that Mary was going to have Jesus. At the end of each short devotion it has a 'talk about' section. Tonight's 'talk about' section said, "Name some ways that God speaks to us.". So, I asked the kids to tell us some ways that God speaks to us. Bryce immediately popped in and said this:

"The other night, when Daddy sent me to my room, when I really didn't do anything [mom interjects that he obviously DID do something]..... God told me that I was right."

Now tell me, how are we supposed to argue with God???? I have a smart, smart boy on my hands. But that's not all, when Sara Kate heard this she said (and I quote) "Wait a minute, my brain is telling me something here." - It was like she was processing the fact that what she just heard might help her get out of some things in the future. However, she's pretty good at dodging the bullet, she just blames her brain on everything, especially when she is getting in trouble.

We really do wish you all a very blessed Christmas! Celebrate guys, Christ's coming means Hope for the Nations. Take hold of it today!

Much love to all!

It's better late than Never, and I totally made up for my tardiness.

Brace yourself folks, this is gonna be one heckuva catch up post. So much has gone on since my last post, but I haven't been able to blog about it. The Thanksgiving/Christmas season is one of my favorite times of the year, but it is also, by far the busiest. In case you're wondering, the formula for a non-updated blog is: Busy season + little one with pneumonia and a then a stomach bug + babysitting a toddler. I can think of a few other variables that will give you the same result; but don't worry, I'm throwing in another one that will give us the desired outcome. It is called shear determination.

Ok, enough with the math analogy, I've just exhausted all my knowledge in that department. So let's see, where did I leave off. Oh, yes, just before Sara Kate turned 4. I guess I'll start with her fourth birthday party. It had to be a little smaller this year, because we had it at the Creative Discovery Museum.

Here, Sara Kate is taking her place of honor as her party guests sing Happy Birthday.

And, here she is about to dive in to that yummy birthday cake.

Here's what it looked like before.

After that celebration, it was time for Thanksgiving. I love Thanksgiving. We have so much to be thankful for. But, every year, without fail, I am most thankful for family. One of our Thanksgiving traditions is a massive leaf jumping extravaganza. Every year, G-Daddy blows up a ginormous pile of leaves and the kids go wild jumping in them. This year, I actually got pictures of the leaf pile assembly and Bryce & Sara Kate got in on the action too. I don't know exact measurements, but let me stress, this thing is huge. And the kids LOVE it! Check 'em out.

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Now, on to cookie weekend 2008. Every year my sister and I get to bake cookies with my mom, 2 aunts, and 2 cousins. It is probably ranks up there in the top 5 traditions. We start on a Friday morning, and work until supper time. Then we break and go out to eat and shop. Most of us spend the night at mom's house and we get started early Saturday morning. We always have the most fun, cutting up and being crazy. And, I must say we have a mac-daddy set up. Mom & Dad broke the glass top on their stove a few years ago, and they got a new oven/stove. But the old oven still works (they just can't use the glass top), so daddy always brings it in too. So, we have 2 ovens and 2 mixers. Not to mention, my dad always gets wrangled, wrestled, or sweet talked into helping us. This year he made an appearance in the accounting room, but we mostly used him for his chocolate melting skills and his mixing abilities. We won't mention the great "ball drop of '08) because he is just too valuable of a member to hold that against him. (see daddy, I told you your secret was safe with me). I can't tell you how much I love this weekend. This year we made over 2,716 cookies; all equally divided among the 7 of us. Most people don't believe me when I say we bake that many cookies, so here's proof.






That is my moms entry hallway, lined with bags and tins and tubs of cookies.....and that's not all.

I would have included some pictures of the actual bakers, but I have a large love of life and I fear that said life would be snuffed right out of me if my relatives pulled up the blog and found a picture of themselves [on the internet].

One last thing, the Farmer's have been helping a family friend out by babysitting a few times. And, I would just be remiss if I didn't show you this cut-E-pie. He & SK are kindred spirits in their love of dance

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

I think that pretty much gets us into the Christmas season. I have a couple of thoughts about Advent I want to share, but my compartmentalizing brain wouldn't let me post about advent before catching up Thanksgiving. And, you just can't put two major holidays in the same post......just wouldn't be right. So, when I get the next free minute, be watching for another post soon.

My Budding Ballerina

Last week was parent observation day in Sara Kate's ballet class. She started classes in August, and up until now we had no idea what she was learning. So, it was fun to get to see her in action.

It's funny, I fought ballet classes tooth & nail. I just thought she was more of a gymnastics kind of girl because she is.....um, less than graceful (as the video proves). But, dadgummit, she sure is cute. And, she LOVES it. I was really surprised at how much they can actually teach 3 year olds. The class has learned several ballet terms (don't ask me what they are.........I'm a LOT less than graceful) and at least learned what they look like, if they haven't mastered the skill yet.

This spring, she'll be in her very first recital. We can't wait.

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

My favorite part of the video is where she is doing a sashay across the room, and she says hey daddy and then trips twice..........as I said, "delicate flower" but she is stinkin' cute..............I'm thinking that'll take her a long way!

I WON, I WON

Y'all, I NEVER win anything. Never. Ever. But, I am super excited to say that the tide is changing, the leaf has turned over, my luck has changed, there's a new sheriff in town........or any other crazy way of saying: I WON! I actually WON!

A few days ago, I entered into a blog giveaway. I can't tell you how many I've entered since I started reading blogs. In fact, I actually had forgotten all about this. But, anyway, I can not tell you the amount of ridiculous hooping, hollering, and screaming that happened in the Farmer household when I saw my name on Big Mama's blog. This is right up there with having our bible study's contest entry posted on Beth Moore's blog.

So, seeing as how I just WON a gift certificate for some kids clothes........I gotta go shopping!!

One last thing: YIIIPPPPPEEEE (I haven't said that yet.)

A mind of her own

This is where we found Sara Kate the other night when we went to check on her. Sound asleep......on her toybox that GDaddy made her. If ever a child had a mind of their own, she does. You just never know what you're going to find when you check on Sara Kate.

And the Award goes to........

Me!

My friend, Cyndi blessed me with this little blogging award. I must say, I love the title "A perfect blend of friendship" because that truly is what most friendships are..... a blending of sorts, usually on several different levels. The award asks that you answer some questions, so here goes:

1. Do you have the same friends since childhood?

Not to be overly analytical here, but I do have the some of the same friends since childhood and I've also been blessed to acquire many more. But, I do enjoy a relationship with one friend in particular whom I have known since we were 4 or 5. Unfortunately, Misty is not a blogger (or a Facebook-er) so she probably won't see this and can't be tagged. But, we grew up in the same church and our mom's were/are friends. She lives in South Carolina now, and we don't get to see each other often; but everytime we pick up the phone to talk it is like we've never missed a beat. Also, Kellie and I have been friends since 2nd grade. And, she lives in the same city as I do, so we have NO excuse for not seeing each other often; but we do see each other some and we also always pick up where we left off. Much the same, Saundra and I have been friends since Jr. High and we manage to keep in touch as well.

Again, I've picked up several friends along the way that are also near and dear to my heart.


2. What do you value most about your friends?

I think I value our differences the most. In fact, most of my friends are very different than I am. I think that is what makes friendships so fun. Again, the word "blend" is so fitting. Every one brings their own personality to the table and you end up with the exact combination that makes your friendship special.

My friend for life (Brad) couldn't be more of a polar opposite.......but it works for us. Lord knows there could not be 2 people in the family that worry as much as I do......every last one of us would have ulcers. And, just to be fair, there could not be 2 people in the family that are as laid back as Brad, because Ohmyword.........I just about have a heart attack thinking about it.

I think I also value sharing in one another's lives too...... Just plain old laughing when they laugh, and crying when they cry, and the security that comes with knowing there are a handful of people who truly love you and care dearly about you.....warts and all.

3. Are your friends your sounding boards?

In a word...........YES! In fact, I've said to several of my close friends that I am addicted to their opinions. And, its true, if something is on my mind (good or bad or indifferent) I love to see what my friends think about it. In all honesty, I'm usually just trying to confirm that I'm not crazy sometimes. More often than not, Tammy and I joke that if we are speaking a different language than the rest of the world, at least we understand each other.

Bless their hearts, my friends have heard me vent and fume and gush and cry and rejoice and brag and every other emotion there is out there. I don't think I've left one out. And, not only do they still love me, but they wouldn't have it any other way.......(I think). At least, I wouldn't.


4. What is your favorite activity to share with your friends?

This one is easy. The short answer is just being together.......doing anything. I'm usually not very picky....... eating, shopping, talking, you know just about anything......taking our kids on little outings, eating (oh, did I mention that already). But, I do love going on weekend trips with my buddies......whether that is just Brad & I, or us and another couple, or just the girls........either way, it's all good.


And here is where I am supposed to tag 5 other folks. But, because I'm late to the "perfect blend" party and a couple of others have already posted and tagged and so forth.....I'm just going to say, if you'd like to post about your own personal Perfect Blend of Friendships, be my guest......or my tag-ee. I really enjoy reading them.

And, by the way, to all my friends out there (new and old) can I just take a moment to say how much you do mean to me. I love you. I value you. And, y'all make my world a much brighter, happier place. Now, I must go and find my sunglasses :)