From Me To You

• Have you ever thought about the way some writers say, “and she smiled”? Probably not. Most likely you were so into the book you didn’t notice what jumped out at me when I was reading one evening. Granted, I’m usually as passing by-ish as most when reading something as recurring as someone smiling in a book, but suddenly, “and she gave him a smile” made me stop left-ing and right-ing to stare at the off-white wall across from me. “Just like that!” I thought, “She gave her smile away like a weeeettle gift... mmm.”

• If you think about it (and that’s what I was doing), we are constantly giving our smiles away. I mean it is cheap, easy and fast after all! Just like the advertisements for mustard bottles. But unlike mustard, everyone likes smiles. You don’t have to know the whoever it is personally or even ask their name! You can brighten anyone’s day with a smile: someone at the store, the mailman, the old lady you pass on your walk or a little green man you were SURE you saw, but no one else did because either they really didn’t see him or every out there has a mutual agreement not to say anything if they do.

• If you really want to make someone smile merely grin to yourself, remembering something funny that happened earlier, while standing still in the middle of a room. Whoever is watching might ask if you’re feeling quite sane or they might pounce on your unsuspecting self instead; either way, I’ll bet you a whole dime they smiled while doing it.

• I tend to smile rather dazedly to myself while doing the dishes. This can earn me a wet dish towel snap on the behind or dirty water flicked in my face, but it’s all good. At least I was smiling before the inevitable occurred and, of course, they’re smiling now that the inevitable has come to pass.

• Whether you’re happy or not, busy or not, hurting or not, brighten someone else’s unhappiness, business or pain with a smile. I guarantee it will brighten and uplift you, too! If not... try poking the person till they turn in frustration and ask, “WHAT!?” Then say, “Oh, nothing...

• ...I just luff you.”

• :)

• Now I will tell you about my Monday.

• I smiled:

• ... when Mom and I were sitting on a park bench together solving the worlds problems in the sun that shone yesterday afternoon. Why did I smile? Well, you see, as we were preparing to continue our walk home a lady walked by and suddenly said: “It’s best to take advantage of these days while they last!” and smiling broadly she kept marching along. Before she got much farther, however, Mom and I returned the smile and heartily agreed.

• ... when we saw the cutest little dog and stopped to pet it, learning that its name was, Bounce. (And aptly named it was, too: being one of the most friendly dogs I’d ever pet on a walk, but thankfully not big enough to over friendly us.)

• ... when the little owner of Bounce, who was on top of the play set at the park, said, “hey? hey? hey? hey?” till we looked up and to our surprise asked, “Will you be my friend?”, we were greatly to be envied with the possession of her friendship.

• :)

• Speaking of Mondays:

• Yesterday was a Monday. They’re my least favorite day of the week for some reason, despite all the smiles I experienced this past Monday. I suppose the excitement of a Sunday kinda-sorta leaves a Monday desolate of love. Do you think they feel left out or in the way? I mean, how would YOU like to be a Monday? I suspect you just said no. How sad.

• But think, I bet Tuesdays adore Mondays, because without them Tuesdays would have to be right after Sundays. I must remember to appreciate Mondays like Tuesdays do. At least Tuesdays have the “love your neighbor as yourself” rule down pat.
• Let’s all remember to love like a Tuesday, ok?

• Here's from me to you for reading through all of that... a smile! :)

“Groceree? Yes, Siree.” ~ my Dad

• Grocery shopping. Let’s just say that it’s not everyone’s favorite thing to do. Glamour, it certainly has not. I don’t mind it too much. Sometimes (in it’s own special way) buying yummy, “good-for-you” food can be interesting and somewhat of a challenge because of the huge market for “QUICK, EASY, TASTY!” items. But usually one can think of an activity one would rather be doing. Once in a blue moon, however, comes a bright spot. You might bump into someone you know, have a short exchange with a stranger or drop a glass jar with liquid in it – the last tending to the most excitement. Let me tell you about some of my shopping experiences...
• ONE
• It was a Wednesday afternoon, at Winco, in the fresh fruit section in apples. I selected a plastic bag (not that are any to choose from, the next on the roll being the only one available) and put a few apples into it.
• Now, when shopping at our Winco you sometimes might notice two or three fireman coming through with a huge cart and three or four things looking rather small in the bottom of it. The things they usually select are: large, frozen lasagna, four apples, a protein bar or two, a jar of peanut butter, a small package of ground hamburger, and some salsa for zest. Most of us buy random things that we’re running out of, I know. But consider that it’s 12 noon and the fireman are looking suspiciously hungry. So, I ask you, what kind of lunch would all that stuff jumbled together make? I strongly feel that some men do not know how to shop for food. *ducks* Now, now, I didn’t say ALL men, did I? If you’re one of those lucky males that doesn’t completely freeze when they walk into a grocery, clothes or household item stocking type of store, I congratulate you on this accomplishment! The triumph must have been made with much fear and trembling.
• *Please note that I’m just kidding. Most of the men in my life are amazing and would brave even a grocery store for me.
• Back to my story line. These particular firemen were in the apple section, too, as Mom and I debated over some relatively new "Honey Crisp" apples. We were trying to remember if we'd gotten them last week or not. And if we had, did we like them? "Well, let's get a whole bunch anyway," said Mom. "Have you ladies tried these apples?" We both jumped. It was one of the firemen was behind us. "We actually can't remember..." I answered rather lamely. "But you're buying them anyway?" he laughed. "But then trying something new can be good for you," he added.
• That was our smile of the day. Once in a while it's fun to talk to another shopper. I find it especially interesting when they're in the military, a policeman, or a fireman. They give so much to protect us, that I'm honored to meet them, even in the grocery store. :)
• TWO
• A week or two later Mom and I were at Trader Joe’s. Having not realized we’d be out so long before dinner, we hadn’t eaten for a while and were hungry. Therefore, imagine us, starving and shopping at the same time. It might have appeared to an observer that the joy of shopping was in us, because we’re buying so much food, but we were merely extremely hungry. Note to self: eat before shopping. It’s kind of like, “Always smile and say, ‘green’ when you see a kangaroo in Egypt,” ya know?
• As we’re checking out, the manager comes over to help the cashier bag the many needed bags. He was humming along to a song playing over the speakers that just didn’t thrill my soul. I mean, it wasn’t even catchy! Never-the-less, the manager tried to convince us what an awesome band it was. He told us he calls his wife when the band is playing on the radio, says, “Hey honey, I love you!” and holds the phone up to his player. “So, she likes them, too?” I asked, thinking that of course she did if I called her like that. “Oh, goodness, no! She hates them, “ he grinned. He said that’s called True Love. Then he had another gem of life for us: “Someday when you're a mom you’ll say, kids, this is what I used to hear when I was young – it’s music!” I shook my head, “No, I’ll say that The Guy At Trader Joe’s said this was music.”
• He laughed and said, “They really are a awful band... I mean it’s not even catchy!”
• THREE
• After pulling and shoving our cart out the door, Mom and I looked up. That was the dumbest thing we could have done. The scene before us was rather out of the ordinary: People rushing around like there’s no tomorrow; cars rushing around like there is and they're late for it; rain coming down like cats and dogs; the sun brightly blinding us; a 1½ inch ocean that HAD been a parking-lot dancing with the splashing drops from the sky and oddly enough the feeling that someone behind us needed to get by.
• At the time it we were still feeling September-ish and only had light jackets on. The only thing to be done was be brave... and run. Trader Joe’s, however, doesn’t have those “Put Your Cart Here” things, so after loading our waterlogged bags, I ran the cart back up to the store. Of course a huge UPS truck needed to go by just were I needed to cross. Being a pedestrian and not wanting to die, I stopped and waited. I thought I saw him wave at me to do, but who can see anything through rain and sun like that? I ran. Again, desperate to get to the DRY car or die in the attempt – life not being worth living if I didn’t get to said DRY car.
• 10 minutes later: the sun was shining, the birds chirping and the trees sparkling with water. Like nothing had happened! You see, we don’t get rain like that here in Washington. It only drizzles, drips, drops, trickles and sprinkles. So because of how short the downpour lasted and how brightly the sun shone through the whole deal , it made me wonder: did it really happen? But then I realized, yes, it must have: I’m peeeeeeeling my jacket off.
• FOUR
• 4.26 PM.
• Wild Oats.
• Mission: celery, broccoli, green beans and bread.
• The celery was close and easy to snitch. And broccoli only a bit farther down. Green beans tend to be in an entirely different section, however, making them a challenge to obtain. Carefully, stealthily I made my way through the dangers and obstacles.
• On came a fast moving cart with apparently no one making pushing it. “How funny!” was my first thought. But remembered what I‘d learned in “Prep for Grocery Shopping: Humor and Terror” not only to see the funny side of things, but what else they might be. Loaded, maybe? I.e. proceed with caution.
• Proceeding thusly I waited till said cart came nearer and nearer, only jumping aside at the last moment. Whizzzz! What was propelling it? Short. Small. Laughing. Blue eyes. Blonde hair. Maybe 5 years old. Suspicious to say the least.
• Thinking what I had just seen might be a distraction from real danger, I continued, wanting, against all odds, to finish my mission or die. I was blissfully ignorant of what was to come.
• Slinking along, I peered around every corner. All was well. Everything going as planned. And then I saw it. The only thing that ever stops me in my tracks.
• Sour Cream and Onion potatoes chips.
• I’m here to tell you that my mission teetered on the edge of my shopping basket. Precarious was not the word. Repeating that priceless quote: “Just keep swimming... just keeping swimming...” by Dory from Finding Nemo I managed to apply myself to walking past the chips. It worked swimmingly. Whew. The worst was over.
• And suddenly... there they were! The green beans! And the bread only two steps away. Oh yeah. Mission accomplished. I even had theme music (just like Kronk!): “Just Eat it!” by Weird Al. It had been running through my head all the while.

• Credits:
• -Dad for the... creative... title (Why, oh why did I say I didn’t have a title yet?)
• -Mom for editing

yummy or not so yummy, that is the question

When making mac ‘n’ cheese on the stove always... no, never make boiled eggs at the same time. Why, you ask? Short answer: because. Long answer: because the eggs will fulfill the meaning of “hard boiled” all too un-moistfully; because the noodles will convey the vague idea impression of a slight crunch, making the eater wonder whether or not they had been taken off a leeetle too soon by a certain person, who was sure “they must be done by now” (she’d forgotten to set the timer); and finally because the cheesy sauce (the best and most important part) will appear to be bubbling comfortably, when all the while it’s actually burning calmly to the bottom of the pan: nice and brown and crisp-ily. What is the result? Many, many very hard to wash dishes and one sauce pan in particular that has a curious layer of brown crispy cheese on the bottom. How odd. Oh well. Moving on. Lesson of the day: either make boiled eggs OR mac ‘n’ cheese. One can either be efficient by trying to make many things at once OR one can make one thing *cough* edible. (Note: Hannah wishes you all to know that she can, in fact, put three or four dishes on the dinner table at once. She’s just sure that the problem was having three large pans with very hot liquid in them on the stove and a fourth of eggs in the sink graduating from warm to hot water in preparation to be boiled – all at the same time. For dinner usually something has been prepared and is now in the oven, something is served cold (like salad) and is by the sink waiting to be cut up, ONE think is on the stove and maybe there’s dessert (which has probably already been made). Or, and this is probably the more likely problem: Dickens is a very good writer and Books on Tape is a very good producer of books by said writer.

living history

• I enjoy history very much. That doesn’t necessarily mean I always have or that it was easy for me to memorize those thousand and one names, dates and places... but overall it was like reading the most amazing story, which still unfolding to this day. In one of my favorite Calvin and Hobbes comic strips Calvin says, “History is a force. Its unalterable tide sweeps all people and institutions along its unrelenting path. Everything and everyone serves history’s single purpose.” And when Hobbes wonders just what the purpose is Calvin replies, “Why, to produce me, of course! I’m the end result of history.” :)

• There’s always the none humorous sides as well, however, because it is sad reading about the wicked people, the horrible wars and the tragedies of our world. But what inspired me, despite this, was reading about the people that overcame. They were different. Deciding to be real men and women of God; challenging those around them. People like: John Newton, General Lee, Corrie and Betsy ten Boom, George Washington, Ronald Reagan, Paul of the Bible, Martin Luther, William Wilberforce, Abigail the wife of King David, General Stonewall Jackson and his wife ...just to mention a very few. Those were the people that made history one of my favorite school subjects along with writing and music. (Note: favorite history book was Bob Jones US History – a very well written, pleasant read.)

• On September 2^nd my family and I drove up to Fort Steven’s, Oregon to watch the Civil War reenactment that was scheduled there for Labor Day weekend. When I was younger and we still lived in Michigan, my Grandma and Grandpa took me to Fort Mackinac, where I believe the Fort was able to higher people to reenact every day. Don’t quote me on that last one, however, since the memory of a 8 year old will tend to be cluttered with the dazzling memories of entering another world. Having recollections of Fort Mackinac made being at Fort Stevens for a couple hours to see one again even more exciting!

• And was it like I thought it would be? I was imagining lots hoops skirts, guns, hats and bonnets, horses, beautiful antique furniture, confederate and union flags, drums and fifes, suspenders, bow ties, music, an Abe Lincoln, generals, curled and piled up hair, dishes tinkling, drop earrings and camp fires! It was just life that, too. I felt transported! Right into one of those history books I enjoyed and yet sometimes complained about. :)

• We arrived at Fort Steven’s in the afternoon, just in time to get seats for the 3 o’clock battle, which the confederates won. Go rebels! :) Afterward, the battle announcer mentioned that the cavalry would be stationed behind most of the camp to the back left. And of course that had to be seen. They were beautiful! Some were tired after fighting, but others were still awake enough to enjoy being pet. One had quite the sense of humor, too, trying to find the apples in the backpack I was wearing. :) The announcer had also said that the battlefield surgeon would be giving a talk on surgery back then at 4:30 so off we went, leaving the horses to eat the hay in peace.

• Apparently we’ve all been greatly deceived by the phrase, “Bite the bullet” and how it’s portrayed in old cowboy movies. You’ve seen it: they give an injured person a bullet to bite on and a shot of whiskey, right? Well, “if you think about it,” the surgeon said, “the first thing you’d do, if you had something between your teeth and someone started cutting you up, would be to suck your breath in, right? And where would the bullet go?” And he nodded when we all winced and thought, “ugh, down the throat.” “You’d choke and die before they even got around to the job!” he informed us, rather unnecessarily. Also, giving whiskey to someone “under the knife” simply wasn’t done because it thins your blood. And when they’re performing an operation that last thing they want is blood everywhere – which is what would happen if it’s thinned. Isn’t that interesting? :D I’m really not all that interested in blood and guts and have a hard time seeing it, but it was fascinating to listen to anyway. But we didn’t stay there for too long either. I just had to go sit a spell with the friends I’d bumped into before the battle and who’d informed me when the reenactment was to be when I’d asked a couple weeks earlier. One simply must sit a spell with people who are so kind, mustn’t one? So the spell was sat, enjoyed very much by all, pictures were taken, goodbyes said and off we drove into the sunset.

• And now you’re probably wondering: what do you first few paragraphs have to do with your last many? Simply put: the reenactment was a time period out of one of my favorite subjects in school... right in front of me, living history!

political commentary through the ages

(credit goes to Grandpa for sending me this)

• Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress.
• But then I repeat myself.
• Mark Twain

• I contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a
• man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle.
• Winston Churchill

• A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on
• the support of Paul.
• George Bernard Shaw

• Democracy must be something more than two wolves and a sheep
• voting on what to have for dinner.
• James Bovard, Civil Libertarian (1994)

• Foreign aid might be defined as a transfer of money from poor
• people in rich countries to rich people in poor countries.
• Douglas Casey, Classmate of Bill Clinton at Georgetown University

• Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and
• car keys to teenage boys.
• P.J. O'Rourke, Civil Libertarian

• Government is the great fiction through which everybody
• endeavors to live at the expense of everybody else.
• Frederic Bastiat, French Economist (1801-1850)

• I don't make the jokes. I just watch the government and report
• the facts.
• Will Rogers

• In general, the art of government consists of taking as much money
• as possible from one party of the citizens to give to the other.
• Voltaire (1764)

• Just because you do not take an interest in politics doesn't mean
• politics won't take an interest in you!
• Pericles (430 B.C.)

• No man's life, liberty, or property is safe while the legislature
• is in session.
• Mark Twain (1866)

• Talk is cheap...except when Congress does it.
• Unknown

• The government is like a baby's alimentary canal, with a
• happy appetite at one end and no responsibility at the other.
• Ronald Reagan

• The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of the blessings.
• The inherent blessing of socialism is the equal sharing of misery.
• Winston Churchill

• The only difference between a tax man and a taxidermist is that
• the taxidermist leaves the skin.
• Mark Twain

• What this country needs are more unemployed politicians.
• Edward Langley, Artist (1928 - 1995)

• A government big enough to give you everything you want, is
• strong enough to take everything you have.
• Thomas Jefferson

of cleanliness and such

• Monday afternoon I suddenly felt very creative. Why? Let me tell you...

• I’ve heard of, and in some case seen, people that work and think better when their desks are “messily where one can find things”, as my Grandpa says. But when my desk is tidy, paper neatly stacked, craft items in their little containers, pens, markers and pencils in their jar ready for use and my lamp on I suddenly feel creative to my very finger tips! It’s rather like the feeling one gets when there’s a lovely smooth black pen sitting enticingly by 3 or 4 sheets of very white clean, lined paper. That’s when it just needs to be written on. It’s an amazing feeling to fill those pages with a thought you had while having devotions, a story or even school paper... but most of all a letter. A really and truly handwritten, old fashioned, snail mail letter. But I digress.

• All I meant to say was: “Hey Mom! I finally cleaned my desk up!”

• And then I hear, “That’s so great, dear! Don’t you feel more... creative now?”

• The above ^ is something I wrote a couple months ago and just now found... under a pile of paper scraps, box and bags, pens and pencils. :) Yet again my desk looks like so:

Family Vacation to the Beach - pictures

• Pictures from the beach... right there -->

• I must have posted these pictures all over the internet, on every blog, profile and site.

• So if this is the first time you're seeing them, congratulations, you're probably doing something worthwhile. :)

• enjoy!
• Hannah

why chocolate really IS good for you

(credit to Grandpa for this) A good piece of chocolate has about 200 calories. As I enjoy two servings per night, and a few more on weekends, I consume 3,500 calories of chocolate in a week, which equals one pound of weight per week. Therefore... In the last 3 1/2 years, I have had a chocolate caloric intake of about 180 pounds. I weigh only 165 pounds, so without chocolate, I would have wasted away to nothing about three months ago! I owe my life to chocolate.

an ocean breeze

pictures from our family beach trip! There will be more coming soon! (Dad had to take the laptop with him on a business trip and since all the pictures were saved on that laptop during our vacation to give me more memory space on my camera I will have to wait till he gets back. And that's not even mentioning sorting and editing. ;)) On a side note, thanks to all of you who still read this blog, even though the owner really needs to get her act together and keep it up, sheesh. Blessings~ Hannah

hehe, haha!

A school teacher injured his back and had to wear a plaster cast around the upper part of his body. It fit under his shirt and was not noticeable at all. On the first day of the term, still with the cast under his shirt, he found himself assigned to the toughest students in school. Walking confidently into the rowdy classroom, he opened the window as wide as possible and then busied himself with desk work. When a strong breeze made his tie flap, he took the desk stapler and stapled the tie to his chest. Discipline was not a problem from that day forth.

funnies from Grandpa!

Every few days my Grandpa sends me 4 to 6 emails of funnies. Here's yesterday's. Enjoy! :)

I dialed a number and got the following recording: "I am not available right now, but thank you for caring enough to call. I am making some changes in my life. Please leave a message after the beep. If I do not return your call, you are one of the changes." ~~~~~ Aspire to inspire before you expire. ~~~~~ My wife and I had words, But I didn't get to use mine. ~~~~~ Frustration is trying to find your glasses without your glasses. ~~~~~ Blessed are those who can give without remembering and take without forgetting. ~~~~~ The irony of life is that, by the time you're old enough to know your way around, you're not going anywhere. ~~~~~ God made man before woman so as to give him time to think of an answer for her first question. ~~~~~ I was always taught to respect my elders, but it keeps getting harder to find one. ~~~~~ Every morning is the dawn of a new error.

I'm off....

... to Family Camp with my church, yay! :) No messages, emails, posts, pictures, etc till then. Hope you all survive without me? :D For now, if you hadn't noticed already, there are some new shots on my photography blog: www.hannahleephotography.blogspot.com. Sending love and prayers~

Solution to Save Gasoline

Bush wants us to cut the amount of gas we use. The best way to stop using so much gas is to deport 11 million illegal immigrants! That would be 11 million less people using our gas. The price of gas would come down. Bring our troops home from Iraq to guard the border. When they catch an illegal immigrant crossing the border, hand him a canteen, rifle and some ammo and ship him to Iraq. Tell him if he wants to come to America then he must serve a tour in the military. Give him a soldier's pay while he's there and tax him on it. After his tour, he will be allowed to become a citizen since he defended this country. He will also be registered to be taxed and be a legal patriot. This option will probably deter illegal immigration and provide a solution for the troops in Iraq and the aliens trying to make a better life for themselves. If they refuse to serve, ship them to Iraq anyway, without the canteen, rifle or ammo. Problem solved. If you think this is a good solution to both the problems, forward it to your friends. I just did.

a wedding

Pictures of Chelsea and Jonathan's - here and here. Enjoy! :)

a "real" post

• Not very good and also I'm not sure if I like it or not, so it's not feeling very loved right now. ;o)

ok, Katie, I made it so you can comment ;o)

pictures of the trip!

Thanks to everyone who had us to stay at your homes! We had such a blast to say the least. :)

• Ohio
• Michigan

goodbye!

Peter and I will be flying to Michigan and Ohio to visit relatives from June 26th - July 11th, yay! We don't know how much internet we'll get over there, though, so we'll be seein' ya'll. :) Pray that all goes well! ~Hannah

• Voices of Praise Spring Concert - June 6th, 2007 - Click here for choir pictures!

• P.S. Kaytra ~ this is a special note from me with love. So, if you're reading this, please join www.Facebook.com, you'll have heaps of fun there. :) Twas lovely seeing you again! I hope I see you again so you can sign my "snitched" year book. VoP forever! :-D

Click here to see some cute veggies. :)