DSC_0038-01, originally uploaded by verners.

Last year we decided to begin taking our own annual school photo of the boys. The trigger is getting back the proofs from school – which usually are not that great. We got the boys school photos back a month ago, so we’re a little late, but today I got around to shooting this year’s photos. I pay the boys $1 per good photo and so the entire shoot only cost me $20. Not a bad price for such great memories.

Thanksgiving , originally uploaded by verners.

Put some Thanksgiving pictures up at flicker. Sorry for the long silence; it’s been a busy year. One of the New year’s resolutions will be to keep the blog up in 2009!

DSC_1221-01, originally uploaded by verners.

Our oldest had a birthday on Saturday.   I snuck some pictures during one of the parties at Grandma and Grandpa’s.  Oh to have so many people love you.

It was great fun for all.

Hop over to flickr to see more pictures of the boys.

Levi’s 3rd Grade school picture.

DSC_2443-02, originally uploaded by verners.

When I saw the boys school pictures this year I thought, “I can do better than that!” It looked like they’d spent all of 20 seconds to pose and shoot each of them. Crissy wasn’t impressed either, so we thought we’d try something new this year.

We got a $60 refund from the photographer and I purchased a backdrop from Amazon.com for about $36. We had a really fun time doing it, as you can see. I paid Luke a penny per picture which helped get us the shot. It was a lot cheaper and we’re happy with the result.

DSC_2463-02, originally uploaded by verners

Start ‘em young, originally uploaded by verners.

It’s probably never too early to get your kids thinking about global issues. Our youngest, Luke, has been really impacted by all of this talk around our house about the world. He often expresses deep concern for the children who are dying from starvation everyday. After some silence he’ll say something like, “Dad, we have to help them, those children who are dying. Let’s bring them food!”

And, I will usually explain to him that it’s not that easy to bring them food. That we need to send money, not food, and also help make the world the kind of place that won’t let people starve to death… He decided to wear his One shirt to church today to do just that.

Bike crash & he lived to tell about it, originally uploaded by verners.

Here, Luke is pictured after his first “major” biking accident at Walnut Grove Park. He was cutting over a dirt field to meet up with Mom and Dad when something went wrong and sent him flying face first into the earth below. There was a one-and-a-half foot mark the width of his face in the midst of the scene. He was crying himself into convulsions, spitting out a mouth full of dirt. His nostrils were completely filled with dirt and his two eyes were the only things visible.

So, really, as you can see he’s doing pretty well considering. One thing was clear though, helmets are great head protection only if you do not land face first.

It pays to have an assistant!, originally uploaded by verners.

It pays to have an assistant!

I got motivated this morning to take some pictures and so, as usual, I bribed the boys with a surprise if we got anything good. Levi was hired on as assistant and Luke the model. After dusting off the tripod, pulling out the umbrellas and firing off some test shots, I called the boys over and gave instructions. “O.k. boys, in order to get a surprise I need to get at least one picture worth keeping.” Levi, focused on the task at hand, smiled and nodded enthusiastically. Luke was skeptical and wanted to know more about the surprise before going to all the trouble to pose for the shot.

I handed Luke the blocks, and provided some simple instructions as to what I was looking for – blocks should not be in front of the face, look natural, no monkeying around, no silly smiles… Luke, who ironically just got his ears checked at his 5 year physical last week spent the better part of what seemed like 30 minutes (but actually was only 8 minutes) doing everything I had just instructed him not to. Levi, seeing the chances of a surprise dwindling was frantically giving instructions which Luke categorically disobeyed.

So, out of that experience came this little gem of a shot. Here Levi has just reset the blocks, sat Luke up straight and is in the process of straightening Luke’s head when the shot is fired. Which begs the question, should they get a surprise??? We did end up with a keeper.

When you have a minute, check out Cory’s new blog, HourChallenge.  He is blogging about his commitment to spend an hour each day to help in the fight to end extreme poverty.

Alana Schacht

1950-2007

Here are some things we need to remember about Alana.

Alana was created by God, made in God’s image and loved very much by God. She was a person of integrity as demonstrated by her faithfulness to her husband, her children and grandchildren, her sister and especially to her parents. Alana had strong moral convictions in regards to other people. She would not steal or cheat anyone. She never intentionally wanted to hurt anyone, or bring any kind of pain or suffering to anyone. Her relationships with others were simple and up front. Her life was shorter than anyone in those relationships with her expected it would be. And we all experienced the pain of her passing. And so today, in loving memory of her, we cast these ashes in to the sea. As we cast the ashes of her body into the great ocean of this world we know that her soul has already been cast into the great ocean of eternity. We are doing this together today in hopes that we might all remember her with positive and loving memories. As the great ocean receives these ashes, our prayer is that God will also receive her soul with great love, mercy and grace. Those of us who loved Alana will keep her in our hearts and minds for the remainder of our lives until we all join her in eternity. Until then we offer up this prayer for her in Jesus name, amen.

It is impossible to convey the depth and graciousness of these words without knowledge of the circumstances surrounding my aunt’s death. My father is a wise man, filled with grace, truth and the love of Christ.