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St. Patrick’s Day & Dublin, Ireland

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St. Patrick’s Cathedral Dublin, Ireland: June 13, 2011

I’ve always enjoyed all the “wearing of the green” and the leprechauns on St. Patrick’s Day. However, it wasn’t until our day in Dublin, Ireland June of 2011, that I felt a “spiritual conncetion” with Saint Patrick.  I had even read several times yet without absorbing much history of Saint Patrick to really know his story.

St. Patrick

He had been taken from  homeland in Wales (Great Britain) to be a slave in Ireland. He was approximately 16, and by his early 20s he had made it back to Wales. He then became a minister and returned to Ireland.

He writes that he “baptized thousands of people”. He ordained priests to lead the new Christian communities. He converted wealthy women, some of whom became nuns in the face of family opposition. He also dealt with the sons of kings, converting them too.

Carter, Nana, Haven, & Ammon (admiring the vaulted ceilings)
June 13, 2011: St. Patrick’s Cathedral Dublin, Ireland

My favorite building in Dublin, Ireland was St. Patrick’s Cathedral. It had such a warmth and “spirit” about it. It wasn’t like other cathedrals I have been in where it was like a museum instead of a place of worship. St. Patrick’s work was filled with love and giving, and his spirit seems to permeate his cathedral.

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Here comes Spring!

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First Mow of 2012

Wow, totally different from last year’s 1st mow (https://havensideals.wordpress.com/2011/03/25/mowing-time-already/) ! On Thursday, I wore shorts, kept a hat on, and had a t-shirt on. It was a good and warm day to cut the grass with a whapping 78 degrees. I also have a praise report that the lawn mower did great.

Our only, small cherry tree is so beautiful right now. We also have the red bud trees brightly budding as well. The coon hounds, Katie, Ferd, & Sissy had a great day Thursday out of their barn as well. They stayed on the mountain for about 4 hours then spent the afternoon lounging around outside the house.

Carter and I just got over some infections: Carter’s was viral, and I had a sinus coupled with a bladder infection. It’s hard to ask a 3 year old to explain how he feels, but I felt AWFUL  for about 4 days!  We could not believe that Carter did not “share” his virus with Ammon. It was a small miracle because it was a first for them.

I hope everyone is blessed with a great Friday.

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Dog Sledding: March 2, 2012

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Waiting to go out on the run.

Oh, it was cold! I think the high on Friday March 2, 2012 was only about 18 degrees or so. As we journeyed to the area of Leadville, Colorado, the thermometer had dipped to -2!

Ammon, dressed for the snow!

This was our morning to dogsled. When Sean and I went to Breckenridge in 2005, we dog sledded, but we also ran (mushed) with the team. However, we knew this time that neither Sean nor I could balance 4 people while mushing and the other folks staying in the basket. We chose this place because we did not have to run. Ammon and Carter got to sit in the basket the whole time, and they enjoyed it tremendously. The first time the guide stopped to allow the dogs to rest Carter called out, “Let’s do it again.”

As you can see from the photos, we also got to “hitch-up” the team, and then later we un-hitched them. Except for our faces being cold, we had a grand time.

Haven taking the dog, Tuxedo, to his place on the team.

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March 1, 2012: Haven’s ski and evening sleigh ride

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Sleigh ride and Dinner night

“Where is your Youtube video”, Mamaw (my mother) asked me last week. I replied, “No one will be videoing me, sniff, sniff!”  HOWEVER, I CAN SKI!

My first lesson was on Monday went fairly well. Jenny had devoted most of our private lesson to Carter and Ammon, and I made a mistake of wearing my ski boots all day. I also put on my skis a time or two. By the time it was my time for a lesson, I was already TIRED! Booooooooooo! I was having trouble making my “pizzas”, and my legs were wobbly.

The next lesson was the following Thursday. It snowed the whole morning I skied. Jenny and I were the first people on the slope, and I went immediately to the run. I had been awake and thinking since 5:00 a. m. (it was now 8:30), and I told Jenny, “If I fall, I fall!” The new, “controlled” snow was great.  I did, indeed, fall again on the learning slope, but it was the ONLY time until the Discovery Run that is a practice segment of Keystone’s beginning green run. When I finally got my balance and my pizza down real well, I really enjoyed the skiing.

The snow kept falling and falling, and we went up to the Discovery Run for the last 30 minutes of the lesson. There was a narrow turn at the very top of the run, and I fell all three times. LOL. Carter, Ammon, and I are ready to ski after Thanksgiving this year. Sean will take more snow boarding lessons as well.

Thursday evening sleigh ride was cold but AWESOME. Carter kept singing “Jingle Bells”. We rode out to a cabin , had a delicious dinner with a great singer (guitar and singing) as an entertainer, then had our sleigh ride back to our bus.

Ammon in the sleigh ride. I think it was about 12 degrees!

Carter in the sleigh ride

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Vail, Colorado 2-29-2012

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Such a quaint town!

The following 3 photographs were taken by Carter!

We four were only there for about 4 hours, but we enjoyed it. My favorite part was watching Carter and Ammon have a good time. They still had “Christmas trees” lit and all sorts of decorations. It was also a treat to have Carter take some pictures: It’s innate that Carter is a great photographer.

We ate at an Italian restaurant called Vendetta’s. The spaghetti was delicious, and Sean enjoyed his lasagna. Honestly, it tasted better than the majority of Italian restaurants we’ve eaten at in Italy (Venice, Rome, & Florence).  Goooo,Vendettas.

Ammon and Carter also enjoyed running in the streets and following the bear claws. It reminded Ammon of the puppy paws from the television show, Blue’s Clues.

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Carter and Ammon videos

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The little girl was tired by this time. She had been in her skis for over an hour, and that’s a long time for a 3 year old.

Ammon’s longest and best run:

Carter had been bored, taken off his skis, and chilled out for a while as we watched Ammon. I knew he needed the challenge because Carter was WAY OVER the little, tee-tiny, kiddie practice area. When he saw Ammon having having fun, he put his skis back on, listened to Instructor Jenny, and skied down the slope!

Carter’s longest and best run:

Ammon and Carter did great, and they are ready to snow ski again this coming fall.

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Snow Fort: February 28, 2012

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The Snow Fort: Dercum Mountain 2-28-2012

The place is Dercum Mountain, 11,640 ft. above sea level in Keystone,  Colorado. There is a Snow Fort, and we all enjoyed it!

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Ski School: February 27, 2012

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No one in our immediate family skis!

I wanted the family (Sean, Carter,Ammon, and me) to begin some winter activities that we could enjoy and share together for years to come.

Sean and I had tried to ski in 2005 with a group lesson in Breckenridge, Colorado. It didn’t work. However, I knew I wanted to try to ski again with a private instructor. It was fantastic.

Our instructor was a 23 year old professional skier named Jenny Lucas. She loves children, and it showed. Carter and Ammon skied a lot for her on Monday. Jenny said Carter’s best attribute was his sense of balance, and that Ammon’s best attribute was her willingness as a “go getter”. They both skied and skied in their learning area. At the end of the day, we felt that they would do better and better as the week went on.

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Keystone, Colorado: Winter Adventure Feb.27-March 2

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The “Snow Angels” LOL

We had a safe and eventful week in Keystone, Colorado. I plan to write more in the days ahead, but this photo seems to epitomize the trip: Happy children enjoying the snow and winter sports. Everyone have a great Sunday.

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Ash Wednesday

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Genesis 3:19. “By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.”

Luke 9: 23:  “Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”

Ash Wednesday

How bold Christians must be to wear ashes on their foreheads, and I love, appreciate, and admire those that will today!  By no means does an outward form of appearance show what is in the heart of a person, but it is one of the few times in the year that people in droves of numbers actually show that they are followers of Jesus Christ as they go out and about with an ash cross on their foreheads.

I will be at work with Sean then go home to make dinner for Carter and Ammon, so I will not have ashes on my forehead this year.  Maybe, just maybe we will be able to get them next year. I hope and pray so.