A New Sunday Dress

Lydia looked so pretty in her new Sunday dress. I know it's weird timing for a new dress, but I saw this dress and couldn't pass it up for 15$. She has grown so tall over the last six months, that she's had only one Sunday dress for a while. I couldn't wait until Easter to give it to her. She looks so grown up like a princess in pig tails.

Yes camping! Yes bowling!

The idea of camping in the cold has never been something that I would want to do, but for some reason camping and scouts is a year round adventure. Last night Willy went camping with the young men and and their leaders. Willy always has a way that makes me laugh and worry.. Lets just say he doesn't always take my advice and act on it. So though I know he won't lose fingers and toes he may have an awfully uncomfortable night. He may decide that wearing wet clothes to bed will be okay and that wearing his tennis shoes instead of his boots will be best. I have to stand back and let him make his choices. I'm sure that he will laugh it all off when he gets home and I pray that he has an opportunity to see that his choices have consequences even the small ones.

Austin is an 11 year old scout but, he's not quiet old enough to go with the older scouts. So Austin and Bill invited his friend Joe and his father to go bowling. They bowled two games and then went to five guys for lunch. Bill enjoyed talking with Troy in fact so much that he mentioned it several times during the rest of the day. It must have been great because Bill isn't one to say it unless it's really fun. Austin had a great time and I hope Joe and Troy did too.

Willy arrived home about two in the afternoon. He had a lot of fun. He still had all his fingers and toes. He never put on his boots so he had cold toes. I don't know if he took my advice about changing into dry socks before he went to bed but that was up to him. He did get a little wet at night because he slept near the edge of the tent. He used the hand warmers in his socks and loved them. He learned some new knots, and did orienteering. A big thanks goes out to all the leaders who made this camp out possible. I'm glad he's home even if he isn't!!!!

Making shirts

A couple of days ago we received an order for t-shirts so today we woke up early to work on it. I took a couple of shots so that I could show how the process works. The actual printing of the shirt is not hard or that time consuming. The part that takes a lot of time is the making of the screens(the stencil) and registering (aligning) the screens so that each color is exactly lined up with the other colors to make the print. After running a few trial prints to ensure the print is right the printing goes rather smoothly. We easily completed 50 of the prints in about 2 hours. We have another set of shirts to make for this customer later today. Then Monday we will ship them to Idaho. It's fun to see the shirts we make on the streets. We get to let a little creative energy out making them.

Bill is adjusting the platen(the place the shirt goes to get the print) to ensure proper alignment and print placement.

A shirt is placed on the platen. The shirt is placed carefully so that the print will be straight and centered on the shirt. This placement takes a while to learn. I have placed shirts where the print is neither straight or centered. It get easier with time and practice.

The lightest color is printed first on this pattern. The ink is spread over the screen with a squeegee and then is pulled or pushed at a 90 degree angle so the ink passes through the cleared stencil area and on to the shirt.

Each color of a print is a separate screen(stencil). The more colors the more screens needed for the print. This print is a 3 color print. This is the second color.

Here is what the print looks like after the first two colors are printed. You can see the giraffe and the monkey.

On the third screen you can see the stencil without ink over it. The areas without the emulsion (pink ) on it is where the ink will pass through making the print on the shirt.

This is the completed print. Now there is one more important step setting the ink.

The printed shirt is carefully taken off of the platen and heated under a press the shirt must reach 325 degrees to cure the ink. Or the ink will smear or come off in the wash.
Now the shirt is finished only 49 more to go.

On a day when I make new screens I'll explain how we do that part of the process.

Project Finished at Last

This morning at about 1:00 Emily finished her science fair project. Yes it was due today. Emily has been working on it for some time. Thursday night we had to have take out because she had it spread all over the kitchen, using the stove and all of the counter space. It's been a project that started out to seem a simple set of experiments. Then the experiments wouldn't work and the project became frustrating. She came up with new experiments then finished one trial on each, then she found out she needed three tests runs for each experiments. Last night all she wanted was to be done, and never to see sugar substitutes again. This morning before she left for school I saw the her display board. She did a great job. It looked like all the work was so worth it.

4 Years and Counting

picture taken in 2007 in front of natural history museum
Today is our anniversary of moving to Virginia. After living our entire lives in the west,on this day 4 years ago we boarded an airplane. For the first time for our children, we landed at the Dulles airport to begin our adventure.

It's been wonderful for our children. Their attitudes and ideas have changed and they have had experiences that have broadened and enhanced their lives. They have made new friends. They have had wonderful leaders that have strengthened them.

Bill an I have grown rounder and closer together. We have learned to silk screen shirts and started a small business. Bill has taught early morning Seminary for almost three years. We have worked on various home improvement projects. And we enjoy our weekly date night.

We love to be together with our children. We have visited so many historical sites and museums. And have visited many of the sites in Washington DC. We all love the many trees and beautiful scenery. We love going to the Shenandoah national park and to the beaches of the Assateague island. We love that there is so much to do and see.



We have truly found wonderful people who help us and guide us, who serve with us and whom we serve. We have found generosity and friendship in and out of the church. We are grateful for the good friends our children have found to hang around with.It's truly the people who have helped us make Virginia home.

We have made many memories and will continue to enjoy our life here for any more years!! It's been a great 4 years!


Pictures taken 2008 Shenandoah National Park




Picture taken 2009 Bull run regional park

Picture taken 2010 Kirtland Ohio

Hear the world

Lydia and I went to the Audiologist today. She went into the sound proof booth and she raised her hand every time she heard the sound of the little birdie . She was so cute and in such a good mood. She kept looking at me through the window so happy and content to please the DR. When she was finished the doctor was so glad to tell us that her hearing was now normal. The surgery worked and she can hear the world like she should. What a blessing!!!!

Girls Pine Wood Derby Races

Yesterday afternoon Emily, Jessica, and I melted lead and poured it into a hollowed out area of a pine wood car. Pretty good for a group of women. They finished painting and detailing their cars for the big race.
For Young Women's they raced their cars. Emily is the great cheerleader for everyone. She yelled for everyone. Jessica has out grown these type of events and spent most of her time trying to do homework. She is at the point that she wants to put away childish games.



Cars ready to race.I think they had fun because their dad was there to help and support them.



Jessica's, Katherine Snyder's, Emily's. The cars looked Sweet each with their own style and flair.