Happy Sweet 16 to the twins!

 Happy birthday, Allen and Lizzie!  My how time flies. 

 This year their birthday fell on a busy Wednesday.  Lizzie and I did not get home from guitar lesson until almost 7 o'clock...so we invited Meemaw and  Grandad over for cake and ice cream...no dinner.

 We found the Cherry Chocolate Chip and the Vanilla ice creams at Trader Joes.  The soy yogurt is really...

...homemade chocolate ice cream made from coconut milk.  Lizzie and Maggie made it.  Yummy!  Rich chocolate flavor.

 Lizzie and Maggie made their birthday cake...lemon poppyseed.  A twin favorite.

 This morning Maggie and Allen brought in two large bowls of honey...the first this season. 

 The honey is delicious...and a great color!

 The next few pictures are for our homesick Anna.  She loves Africa and her time there...but she's still homesick.  So that is our prayer for her this week. 

Our porch is falling apart on all four sides.  Not good!  We don't know what is causing it.  The insurance man came out as well as two builders...but we still don't know what is causing it.  One theory is that the wood shrunk since this was the first wood that the feds required to be arsenic-free.  Another theory is that the lack of arsenic made the screws corrode.  Who knows!

 Ranger the cat has a pet salamander.

 And these are Allen's chickens.  They are already much bigger with all their feathers.

 Have to include a few pictures of painting.  Here's Lizzie,

 and Daddy...wait!  wrong picture.

 Here's Daddy.  So you see, Anna, we are getting some painting done!  And you can also see that Daddy no longer needs crutches...just the boot...which is now speckled with white paint.

 Maggie and Lizzie are still working on the perfect gluten-free bread recipe.  They use many different flours and ingredients.  I like the sorghum flour...mainly because one cup has 95 grams of calcium! 

On Wednesday, I took Maggie, Lizzie and Ruthie to the acupuncturist.  Lizzie took these beautiful flowers for Dr. Hebron.  They are from my rhododendron bush that is in full bloom.  I took the first picture in the elevator.  Lately we have been standing in the elevator talking...and usually a minute passes before we realize the elevator isn't moving...because we forget to press the floor button! 

BTW ~ Lizzie and Ruthie go to the acupuncturist for sinus congestion caused by allergies...and it works wonderfully!  Thank you Dr. Hebron!  PTL

 Last week I bought these from the Pine View Amish grocery in Mechanicsville.  The left is dehydrated green beans (that are now gone) and the sunflower seeds are honey roasted.  Delicious!

 I snapped this picture of Lizzie going to babysit Clara.  She took puzzles, a baby animal book, and playdough.  She's all prepared!

 Sarah made lemon chicken for us on Tuesday.  It was as pretty as it was delicious.  I especially liked the capers. Thanks, Sarah.

 Lizzie experimented with a banana cake recipe.  I really liked this cake!

Last week when Banjo Man came to dinner, he brought his Mom.  We loved her!  She is as down to earth as her son.  We thoroughly enjoyed having her and hope she comes often. 

When Banjo Man came this week he brought this wonderful western ceramic from his mother!  She did all the painting on it.  I love it!  This picture does not do it justice...the colors are magnificent.  Thanks, Banjo Mom!

Today we are homebound waiting for Allen's fingerlings to appear by Fedex.  He has 25 baby tilapia due to arrive before 4:30 pm.  The fish were supposed to arrive yesterday, so we are disappointed that we had to give up our bowling trip today to wait for the long-delayed fish.  We ordered the fish more than a month ago...so I hope we aren't waiting around for another delay!

The nights are still cool (50s) so we are holding off on putting up the pool.  Grandaddy's inground pool is still 70 degrees...before last night's rain.  This is unusual for us.

We miss you, Anna, but it keeps us praying for you.  Here are a few verses for comfort.  I know you aren't being afflicted, but they are still comforting, since He is the God of all comfort:   

Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation. ~ 2 Cor 1:3-7

Many blessings ~ Kathie