Pie, Pie, Pie & a very large nephew!

My friends and I went out for a birthday girls night out and we're terribly frugal.   You see we went to Marie Callenders for dessert.  And heres the conundrum, one slice $4.99 or an entire pie for $6.99 AND our waiter was in a contest on how many pies he could sell!  Well, being the frugal women that we are and willing to help the competitive spirit of our waiter, we each bought an entire pie!

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

And what other wonders appear in my life, but a surprise visit from my nephew.   LOOK at him, He's huge!  Like 6'1" and 18 years old just graduated from high school.   Congratulations Jonathon!

Abby never left his side!  She adores him! 

June Wedding

My friend got married this weekend.  She looked beautiful.  And the day went off without a hitch, or should I say with a hitch....... Mr. & Mrs Bradley Boulton were hitched!  HAHAHA!
Anyway it was beautiful.  The Bridal shower I had a few days back was for Abby and I made this banner for her shower and WOULD YOU LOOK AT THAT!  She used it for her reception!

The dessert table was amazing......You could get all the whip cream you wanted!  You served yourself!

She even had cookie jars.  3 of them!  and who did I find with their hands in the cookie jar!!!

We all had a good time!

Congratulations Abby & Brad!

The Piano Man

This is what my middle child likes to do in his PJ's

And he is quite good!













And this is what my oldest likes to do in his PJ's......

 but I won't let him!

This is our Family timeline from our first year of a Classical Education!  Isn't it sooooo cool!

Can you see the change from BC to AD?  That's around Jesus' birth.  We studied about ancient history and the beginning of Christianity.  Our required reading was out of the New Testament.  We used Holy Scriptures for our school study!  And look what else, we even included Book of Mormon stories on our family timeline!  How happy am I....... off the Richter scale!

More painting and crafting at the Dichmann's

We love to paint!  Kirsi's brother, Matt was coming home from his 2 year mission.  We like to make posters to welcome the homesick missionaries when they get off the plane.  And so Abby and I got out the paints!

See the strawberries in the lower left!  Do you see remnants of our timeline on the wall behind the poster?  This is a great day for homeschooling!

And since we have been homeschooling we do many projects.  Here Kirsi is helping Michael paint his ancient Roman aqueduct.  I'm not sure who is having more fun, Kirsi or Michael.

Party at my House

A dear friend of mine is getting married and I volunteered to have a bridal shower at my house.  And then I started looking at my house differently..... What a mess!  It's been years since I've done anything new to the decor.  I saw many things that needed changing with my new eyes.  The first, my kitchen window.  It is a beautiful window, with an AMAZING view.

 However, during the summer the sun sets right into my kitchen.  During our first summer living here, we wore sunglasses while eating supper.  There are wooden blinds and hotel grade shades through out the house, but the kitchen window is too large and unique for any professional coverage.  You see there is an arch on the top.  Any way, I set out to make my own blind with velcro.  I did this 8 years ago.

It attaches with velcro and I hate it!  I have always hated it but it served it's purpose.  So now with the party approaching and the time of day that I choose to have the party forced me to do something different.

I saw these GREAT blinds at Smith & Noble, pretty pricey and the arch would have to go (be covered).  Maybe one day I can get those blinds, but the party is right around the corner.  I was looking for an easy way out.  I looked at duvet covers and sheet patterns, but I couldn't find what I was looking for until I hit the shower curtain section.

My friend the bride to be needed a shower curtain and her wedding theme is "Nature".  This is a bare tree and I added colourful pattern fabric leaves that I cut with my Cricut (well someone else's Cricut, I now own my own!!!)  When my bride friend left after the shower I put her new shower curtain in a box with the rest of her shower memorabilia.  I sure hope she likes it!  I did, while it was hanging in front of the blazing sun.

Now all I have is the brown back drop hanging.  I'm looking for another shower curtain!  Target has a nice selection.  I'll keep you posted!

Did we go anywhere?

We've been home from our adventures for over a month now.  We immediately got back into the swing of life.  So busy that, I'm thinking did we go to Egypt?

Once home I've started on a rampage of crafts.  Thanks to my discovery of the Cricut!  And a bevy of special occasions that simple needed some crafty attention.

I cut out flowers from tissue paper (no Cricut for these flowers).   I painted the boxes an opalescent white or metallic blue.  Then, with modge podge I applied the flowers, layering them.  These boxes turned out so cute!  I used them for May Day, to surprise my friends with little hand carved alabaster vases from Egypt in side the pretty boxes.

If it was not for Pompeii.....

Just when I think that I have my favorite place, I wake up and it's a new day!  Did you know that if Pompeii was not discovered we would only guess what ancient Rome was like, only guess!  It's true, all the knowledge that we have gained from daily life in Ancient Rome is from the discovery of Pompeii.  It is an AMAZING place.  (I think I have totally burnt out that word!)
                                                                              

First  I want to say that I thought that Pompeii was a small excavation.  Wrong, there are streets upon streets of homes and shops and even fast food shops.  A little history about Pompeii...... around 600 -500 BC Pompeii was extablished.  Pompeii is mentioned in Ancient Rome history with the various rulers of Rome.  However, in 79 AD the volcano Mount Vesuvius erupted, covering the city with ash and soot.  So much covered the area that people were buried alive right in the middle of their day, leaving behind evidence of they daily life preserved for nearly 2000 years.

 

Chris is standing at the entrance of the home of Caecilius and his family.  The textbook that Chris has been studying Latin from is called "Cambridge Latin Course".  And the entire first unit is about this family.  Chris was able to tell us about each room, it's purpose and about the family.   Cool, huh!

I took this picture with my camera inside the gate, so as to not see the bars.  This is one room of items that have been removed from each room during the excation, there are about 10 of these rooms.  Each vase, pedestal, chest, table, chair and body (plaster) has been catalogued and put out of reach of the tourists.  Most of the frescos, and mosiac floors have been removed and put into museums.  Do you see the shape of a man on the shelf?

There are a few casts of real humans and pets.  These remains were found but an archilogist, who while excavating realized what he was finding.  He decided to pour plaster into the next holes he discovered and once dry was able to see what position some of these people were in when they died.  There is one plaster that shows a broken skull.  It is speculated that that one was hit by dropping pumice from the exploding volcano. The people seemed to be in living positions when they were buried by the ash. Including a pregnant lady protecting her face.

This is a public toilet, imagine a large marble shelf with holes in them. The refuge (ahem) would drop into the ditch.  Enough said! This was an open room, where people sat side by side.

This is one street.  The road is lower for when it rains and the side walk is raised as to not step into the water.  There is a small area for the water to flow.  On the larger streets there are stepping stones to aid in crossing the street so as not to get your feet wet.

Pompeii is a large city about 1 square mile, with a population of about 15,000 people.  It is unbelievable how large it is and how much has been excavated.  There is still a large section covered.  The volcano is still active, and the residents of the surrounding area know that Mount Versivuis could erupt again.





I'm so glad we came to Pompeii.  We took a fast train from Rome to Naples, about 1 hour, (to cover 200kms)  but a great way to travel.  We are standing in the forum and behind us is the Volcano.

  And then back to the hotel again.  BUSTED!!! Look what I'm doing while posting on our blog......

Did I mention that the bakery is right across the street from our hotel?  Chris and I stayed home so I could work on the blog and Bob made a bakery run, alas the last one!  He tried to trick me that the bakery was sold out, but he knew better than to come back empty handed with creme on his nose!!!

Oh one last think...... There is a church by our Hotel.... and it is the strangest thing...... very strange.  
Let me try to explain,..... here is a photo....

The Crypt of the Capuchins.  So, I want to explain and show respect....   I will copy the brochure.   "In 1631, The Capuchin friars left the friary of St. Bonaventure and came to live in this church, of which only the church and cemetery remain.  The remains of the deceased friars were transported from the old friary and laid to rest.  The bones were arranged along the walls, and the friars began to bury their own dead here, as well as poor Romans.  Over the years, until 1870, further alterations transformed this burial place into the work of art we see today.  It's message is clear: death closes the gates of time, and opens those of eternity."  No cameras were allowed inside, this is a picture of a brochure.

There are 6 rooms with different scenes depicted...... all in human bones!   NO KIDDING!

So, Ciao, we're leaving in the AM for NY!!