Jeopardy!

Today Clell and Betty Barker, some GREAT friends of ours treated us to a visit to three tapings of Jeopardy! Clell and Betty entertain us when we come to LA and always have such interesting and fun things to do! Our friends drove clear across LA, during morning traffic time, no less, and picked us up at Josh and Janice. After the taping, we returned to Thousand Oaks where they treated us to a great steak! I don't know how we deserve such wonderful hospitality.

The taping of Jeopardy was quite a production. The set was beautiful! Our T.V. doesn't do it justice. Unfortunately, we were not allowed to take in a camera. (These pics were taken from a web site) I was once again impressed with the intelligence of the contestants. Something I have always wondered about was whether or not the contestants have any afore knowledge of the questions. Well, they don't. A new champion emerged during the first game and she remained the champion throughout the three tapings winning around $50,000. The shows will be aired April 16-18. There was a shot of the audience. We were sitting in the second row. I was wearing an emrald gree paisley top and brown jacket! Maybe we'll be seen for perhaps a "nano-second".

It was suggested by the host during a break, that on the showing dates we invite friends over and "just happen to watch the show". Of course the plan would be to "fail to mention" we were at the taping of the show. We could impress them with our knowledge of the answers and perhaps place some bets on the final question! Oh, well, we probably will have forgotten the answers by then!

"Please tell that lady in the second row with the green top and brown jacket to quit yelling out the answers and give the contestants a chance!"

If Phil had not had enough excitment for the day, after we returned, he went with Josh to a LA Clippers' game!

Grandpa, Gramps, Grammy and Gamma

We had a great time visiting with Kaylee's other grandparents on Sunday. This is their first grandchild and the first great-grandchild on both sides of their family! We go WAY back with the Bests. I attended high school with Debi, Dale's dad was my pastor just as I left for Pasadena College. The following year Dale entered PC and played on the basketball team with Phil! After we graduated, we would see them at Homecoming at even sit by them and update each other on our "kids!". Little did we know we would eventually SHARE a grandchild! Incidently, we don't, as yet see any resemblance on our side. We think Kaylee looks like her daddy!

Heart2Heart Talks with Grandpa

Our "Yiddo Monkey" is Home!

We can't wait to get our hands on her and love her to pieces!

What's Not to Love Here?

Introducing!!!

Kaylee Nicole

Born: January 15, 2007

Proud parents:

Josh & Jana

Proud Gamma & Gampa:

Phil & Linda

And the winner is..........

I hope I don't get in trouble for posting this! These are my beautiful daughters. The one on the left is 36 weeks pregnant with a baby girl. The one on the right was 36 weeks pregnant with our 3-yr old twins when this was taken. I think they are both just gorgeous. I also thought this would help Jana put things into perspective when she gets too uncomfortable! We can't wait to meet our new baby grand daughter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday #3!!

Happy Birthday #3 to my two cutie patuties! Your Namma thinks you are great!


And so does Gampa!

Log On to "My Alaskan Adventure" to read about Eight of my Top Ten Culinary Memories!

Lotion Motion

Or why you don't take your eyes off a two-year old for even a minute! But what's not to love?

Menudo

"I am the living bread that comes down
from heaven.
If anyone eats of this bread they will live forever. This bread
is my flesh
which I will give for the life of the world.....I tell you the
truth, unless you
eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you
have no life in
you....so the one who feeds on me will live because of
me......Your forefathers
ate manna and died but he who feeds on this bread
will live forever...... The
spirit gives life. The flesh counts for nothing.
The words I have spoken to you
are spirit and they are life."

From this time many of his disciples
turned back and did not follow him.

"You do not want to leave, too, do you?" Jesus
asked the twelve.

Simon Peter answered him,
"Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe, and
know that you are the Holy One of God. From John
6:51-70

My New Years Eve was really different but ended up to be a real blessing! I started out being really bummed because our church cancelled services for the day due to weather conditions and ice on the entrances of the church building! I was looking forward to a great praise and worship time especially since I was sick and in Wichita last Sunday. Determined not to allow the situation to turn my Sunday into just another day, I focused extra hard on my devotions.

Side reading for the study I was doing led me to the sixth chapter of John where Jesus talked about "eating His flesh and drinking His blood". The entire passage came alive to me and it was obvious that was where God was speaking to me that morning. I determined to continue to focus on that passage for a few days.

In the evening we were invited to friend's house for "menudo". Menudo is a Mexican soup with main ingredients of tripe (cow's stomach) cow's tongue and pork from the feet of the pig. It is customarily eaten when suffering a hangover.

Along with our hosts were another favorite couple of ours and their granddaughter whom they are raising. Everyone, well almost, devoured the menudo while we visited. They shared two short movies with us made by an evangelist company and we ended the evening in a special prayer.

Without going into inappropriate detail, what was lifestyles represented in those five, before Jesus came into their lives, leaves little to embellish. I can say there was drug trafficking, abuse at early ages, alcoholism beginning before adolescence, violence and more. I thought about where New Years Eve would have found them just a few years early, I marveled at the miracles represented there. Such grace, such amazing grace! Anyone who could have witnessed the "before and afters" in these eternal makeovers could not deny the transforming power of Christ.

While our friend concluded in prayer my mind went back to the passage in John. I had been pondering it off and on during the day. "Wouldn't it be neat to share communion tomorrow with Phil, beginning a New Year's tradition of "taking on Christ"? I pondered. "I could make homemade bread each time as part of the tradition but what about some wine? Perhaps we could pick up some Sparkling Cider on the way home." Our host concluded in a wonderful prayer and we hugged and wished each other a "Happy New Year". As we left, we were handed two small bottles of Sparkling Cider!

A side note: Son, Pat and wife, Melissa had flown back to Anchorage the same day and were to drive the 3 hour trip to Kenai. I did not know the time they would be on the road. I did know they were driving the most dangerous road in North America, on New Year's Eve. I was impressed to pray for their safety between 9:30 and 10:30 p.m. and ask the others to pray, also. I was relieved to talk to them today and blessed by God's faithfulness when I learned that was the exact time they were traveling over the mountain pass of concern! God is so Good!

Happy Birthday, Rusty!

Early this morning I completed a biography for "J. Hudson Taylor, A Man In Christ". The book was recommended by my son-in-law, pictured above in a tower in Changsha. This is where the great man of faith prayed weekly in the nineteenth century. The quote under the picture is a favorite quote of Rusty's. The book, the photo and the quote fittingly resemble the man Rusty strives daily to be.

Rusty, as you complete your tenth year leading students all over the world and quitely and wisely being the type of man few people even aspire to be, may God bless you abundantly! We love you are so honored to be your parents-in-law!