CSFF: The God Hater, Day 1

I’m jumping back into the blog tour this month with a great book by Bill Myers, The God Hater. No, no, no.  Bill Myers is not a God-hater. That’s the name of the book.

In fact, after reading a bit about him on his website, I’d say that Bill Myers is exactly the opposite. It must have taken a great amount of love, not to mention trust, for him to completely change his career path in order to follow God’s call. But he did, and the world of Christian media is the better for it.

Who else remembers watching McGee and Me as a kid? And I spent many a morning carpool listening to Adventures in Odyssey, in which he was also involved. Classic.

Read more about Bill Myers and his work on his website and blog, and check out his Facebook page, too.

And now, the book! A philosophy professor who is also an extremely vocal atheist is commissioned to help keep a computer-generated world from dissolving into anarchy. But the philosophical models he introduces to the population ultimately fail, and he is forced to admit that a system of law given from the outside is the only solution. Complicated by corporate espionage, a damaging virus and a legal system gone awry, this artificial world needs a savior, and the professor may be the only one who can fill that role. Stay tuned over the next couple of days for more on The God Hater.

And don’t forget to visit the rest of the tour:

Noah Arsenault - Red Bissell - Thomas Clayton Booher - Keanan Brand - Kathy Brasby - Rachel Briard - Beckie Burnham - Morgan L. Busse - Carol Bruce Collett - Valerie Comer - Karri Compton - CSFF Blog Tour - April Erwin - Amber French - Andrea Graham - Tori Greene - Katie Hart - Ryan Heart - Joleen Howell - Bruce Hennigan - Becky Jesse - Cris Jesse - Becca Johnson - Jason Joyner - Carol Keen - Emily LaVigne - Shannon McDermott - Matt Mikalatos - Rebecca LuElla Miller - Mirtika MollyBuuklvr81 - John W. Otte - Sarah Sawyer - Chawna Schroeder - Andrea Schultz - Tammy Shelnut - Kathleen Smith - James Somers - Donna Swanson - Jessica Thomas - Steve Trower - Fred Warren - Dona Watson - Nicole White - Dave Wilson

Disclaimer: In conjunction with the CSFF Blog Tour I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.

Sweetness

On our way to a Super Bowl gathering with family and friends (Go Packers!) Veronica fell asleep in the car. This is not unusual, especially in the afternoon. Jacinta, however, was not tired. At one point during the drive, I peeked in the rear view mirror to see Jacinta reaching for her sleepy older sister.

 

Awww, how sweet, right? She just wanted to reach out and touch her sister in a show of solidarity, of affection, of sweetness.

At least, that’s what I wanted to believe.

 

It didn’t take long for her real objective to surface.

I’m happy to say that despite brutal assault, the bow managed to escape capture.

A Sundae Story

We’ve been working on potty training with Veronica. We started a couple of months ago because we were (and still are) having ammonia issues with our cloth diapers and she kept getting these awful rashes. Keeping her in underwear helped it to clear up, and it sparked an interest in the potty for her. It was kind of a slow start with lots of accidents, but once she figured out what it felt like to have to go pee, she got the hang of it. We still have the occasional accident, but as long as we keep reminding her to pay attention she does most of her pee on the potty. Woo!

She would, however, avoid doing number two on the toilet at all costs. She would just wait until we put a diaper on her for bedtime or to go out. Then she would do her business.

Finally last week we had a breakthrough. We timed a trip to the bathroom just right, and Veronica did her number two on the potty! To celebrate, she got a special treat.

 

A tasty sundae a la Paul. Do you think she looks excited?

 

I can’t imagine why.

The green ice cream is pistachio by the way. She picked that out at the grocery store one day.

“I want the green one!”

Definitely my daughter.

 

Jacinta thought she deserved a sundae, too.

 

Sorry, sweetie. You are very cute, but you do not get to partake of that particular treat just yet.

 

So we are still working on consistency, but I feel like potty training has finally crossed into the land of possibility. And probability. And eventuality.

Which is better than fantasy-land.

Pineapple Meringue Pie

I saw this recipe last week on Tasty Kitchen, and just had to make it. It took a few days before I had enough time, and during those days my taste buds were in an agony of anticipation. It looked so good!

Finally on Tuesday I was able to put it together. I had some pie crust dough frozen in the oven which saved some time. (Oven??? Of course I meant freezer. Oy.) Instead of crushed pineapple, I used some fresh pineapple that I had on hand and just pulsed it through the food processor to get it to the right consistency. And even though I had never made a meringue pie before, the instructions – and my Kitchen-Aid – made it very easy.

You have to try this pie! It is simply delicious.

Here’s the step-by-step tutorial on Tasty Kitchen.

And the recipe, Grandma Inez’s Pineapple Pie, courtesy of Perry’s Plate. Whose pie pictures are much prettier than mine.

Go. Eat. Enjoy!

Sleep, Revisited

You may remember a post from a while back about Veronica’s sleeping habits. Whether bedtime or naptime, we have found her in a variety of strange places and positions, and now almost a year later…nothing has changed.

 

Around when Veronica turned two, we moved her from the crib into a bed. She had learned how to consistently climb out of the crib, and aside from the fact that it enabled her to continually come out of her room if she didn’t feel like sleeping, it also presented the opportunity for falling accidents. So – goodbye, Crib!

 

Of course, with the bed came all new occasions for Paul and I to chuckle as we peeked in on Veronica every night before bed. It’s bigger than the crib, so there’s more room for animals to cuddle with – or fall asleep on – as the need arises.

But perhaps the best new ability gained by sleeping in a bed is the opportunity to fall asleep outside of it.

 

So close.

 

Not so close.

 

Not close at all. In fact, another foot to the left and she would have been out of the room all together.

 

Like this, a sight that greeted us early one morning. The morning, in fact, when Paul and I decided we had to start leaving our door open at night. The better to hear you, little girl.

Though Veronica has managed some interesting bedtime antics, the strangest sleeping places of all come not at bed time, but during the day when Veronica just can’t escape fatigue any longer.

 

Like with Daddy on the couch.

 

Or the floor.

 

Whilst reading.

 

Or watching a favorite movie.

 

I don’t even know how this happens. But this is not the only time it has. Or the only kitchen.

And you know the old adage about how we hurt the ones we love the most? Adage, or song. One of those.

 

Well, it’s true. Sorry, Dora.

 

“¡Ayúdame!”

 

“No, seriously.”

 

“Help me.”

To the Side

Jacinta loves drinking from a cup. I’m sure it makes her feel like a big girl. Also, she gets very thirsty.

 

It’s cute watching her with the cup because she definitely doesn’t want to miss what’s going on around her.

So she holds the cup a little to the side when she drinks.

 

Like this.

 

“Whatcha lookin’ at?”

 

Just lookin’ at you, cutie pie.

When Veronica’s Away…

Jacinta will play!

 

Being that Lion is Veronica’s favorite toy and best friend, Jacinta rarely gets the opportunity to play with him. Or even touch him.

 

So when Veronica was at Omi’s house the other day, Jacinta snatched the opportunity.

Although it took her a moment to relinquish her fingers in order to pick him up.

 

Then Lion was caught!

 

He was no match for Jacinta’s wiles.

 

“That’s right.”

And Veronica was none the wiser.