One of the simple pleasures in life is finding an easy way to make the family happy.  My family loves s'mores.  And I love to make them, and not in the microwave.  Roasting the marshmallows is all the fun.  If I can't roast them out side I use the fireplace.  What ever I have to do to keep them happy.  Oh, and this one is mine.  Yep, it's all about the family.

Day 18.  Several years ago I started a small collection of Nativity Sets.  I don't just pick any set I see.  It really has to peak my interest.  It really started when my mother-in-law got one for me.  It is from Mexico and made out of clay.  So I started looking at nativities from different cultures and made from different materials.  I don't have a lot, but they are all different.  These are just some of the wise men from them.  I have nativities made from olive wood, clay, ceramic, alabaster, and pewter.  I haven't found one made from onyx yet, I think that would be really cool. 

Day 17  Because of the water restrictions and the lack of rain, our flowers and lawn are barely surviving.  But, somehow, this little guy is hanging on.  I love to find life and beauty in unlikely places.  Even in the most devastating situations, life finds a way to keep going.  And, not just go on but to do it beautifully.  

Day 16.  Today we were given the opportunity to go pick some peaches at a friends house.  So, we went.   I wasn't sure what we would do with fresh peaches.  They don't have a long shelf life.  So on the way Stacy and I talked and decided to make jelly.  Which is good for me.  Several years ago I wanted to be healthier so I bought a very expensive juicer.  It has only been used a few times.  Not my best investment.  But, tonight, we juiced, and juiced, and juiced some more.  Still not enough to justify the price, but it sure eases the pain.  Now if I could just find some plums.  Mmmmm.

Who needs a shuttle?  Just take the space elevator.  Sometimes a change of perspective can help and sometimes it can mess you up.  This pic is actually side ways.  But I like it better this way.  And it shows that we do actually have clouds.  What if you could climb these cables up to the point where you could see above the clouds and out into space.  Ok, I know it's not possible, but what if you could.  Would you?  I think I would.

Will I take a picture for tomorrow?  Let's ask the crystal ball.  It's not really crystal, and it's not really a ball, but I didn't have a magic 8 ball.  I don't need any help deciding to take another picture anyway.  I know some of these pictures will be lame and some will be pretty good, but hopefully some will be just plain good.  They will all be fun to take.  So much like life.

Day 13  We got two little red eared sliders from a road side stand.  Honestly I didn't think they would live very long.  Now we have had them about six months.  I know they are not tortoises, they are turtles.  But, I still think of the story of the tortoise and the hare when I watch them, and the phrase "the slow and steady win the race".   These turtles are not slow, they get around pretty quickly.  But what really gets me is their persistance.  They will put their nose against the glass and swim as hard as they can.  I really thought that they would give up but here we are six months into this and they still try to push their way through the glass.  They just don't give up.  If these little turtles can do it, so can I.