30 April 2009

Happy 90th Birthday, Papa!

Last weekend, the McClure clan gathered at Uncle John & Auntie Marilyn's home in Newport Beach to celebrate our dear Papa turning 90 years old! What a blast!

In case you were curious, the namesake legacy goes

1. John Clarendon McClure... our great-great-grandfather
2. John Clarendon Englebright McClure... our great-grandfather who was baptized John Clarendon Englebright George Washington McClure -- no joke -- after the pastor kidded that his name wasn't long enough! - called Jack by friends and "Popup" by his grands
3. John Clarendon McClure II... our grandfather - called Bud by friends and "Papa" by his grands
4. John Clarendon McClure III... our father - called John by friends and "Poppy" by his kids and grands
5. John Clarendon McClure IV... our brother - called Bud by friends and "Pops" by his kids
6. John Clarendon McClure V... our nephew - called Johnny!

There are many other John men in the family, too, (like Uncle John and cousin John) which is why most have nicknames. Our John, aka "Snakebite" is called Jackie. Confusing, I know, but hopefully this cleared things up a bit.

(And, yes, I know that even though those McClure genes are incredibly strong -- check out those cousin clones -- I look a lot like my Grams. Truly, I'm thrilled to be like her in any way at all. She's quite a lady!)



Happy birthday to our dear Papa! We love you so much.

26 April 2009

25 April 2009

Funnies

Gotta love Tim Hawkins. The man is seriously funny. Enjoy!



23 April 2009

Convert All Your Sounds of Woe Into "Hey, Nonny Nonny!"

Happy 445th birthday to The Bard!




Here's what our card to Will says,

"Master William Shakespeare,

Happy birthday to thee. 'Tis past time for us to make merry in full measure, cuz. Dost thou wish to be feted? Be not unsatisfied with thy silver-threaded beard and moth-eaten cloak and partieth anon. Hither comest all thine admirers, cohorts, and toady vassals.

How now? 'Tis an affliction to acknowledge the harsh light of truth... Alas, ye shan't stir in thy fetid catacomb. Thy pen is dry. Thy sweet words are no more as a comet that has blazed the night sky with glorious wonder but now is cold and dark forevermore. Oh, hearts! Prithee, rejoice again!

Master Will, ye shall be jubilated in taverns with our countrymen tonight! We toast happy birthday to ye!"


Being avid Bardoloters, we visited Stratford-Upon-Avon, Shakespeare's hometown, in '04. Here are some of our favorite Stratford sites.


Me and kids (how cute are they?!?) at the Shakespeare home


The Swan Theatre


The River Avon


Michael & boys at the Royal Shakespeare

Off to the Second Star to the Right... and Straight on 'Til Morning

Direct from Pixie Hollow, meet the fairies Tinkerbell & Iridessa!



Dress up is so fun!

22 April 2009

Save His Footstool! Happy Earth Day.



"Heaven is my throne,
And earth is my footstool:
What house will ye build me?
Saith the Lord:
Or what is the place of my rest?"
Acts 7:49






The reason I fundamentally had a hard time getting on board with green ideas and making changes around my household is that I could/can hardly stomach either historic or current day politics of the green movement. (Don't even bother leaving any caustic comments calling me an extreme right-winger, because 1. it's my blog and I don't publish meanie remarks, and 2. I consider it a compliment anyway.) I don't get why Going Green (i.e. preserving the environment and conserving our natural resources) still gets lumped in with issues like social justice, feminism, pacifism, socialism, and civil liberties. That's like physical fitness lumping together with issues like spousal abuse, poverty, gun control, racism, and censorship.

For me, it comes down to this. I desire to honor my Creator by being a good steward to His Creation. That's it.





OK, enough of ideological questioning. Bo-ring! It might not seem like it, but making your home more green is not as hard as it seems. You don't have to go very far out of your way to make a big impact. Plus, when you save energy you often SAVE MONEY! Now, that speaks everybody's language!



Stumped about where to start? Here are Ten Steps to a Greener Haus:



1. Save money & energy. Change out your light bulbs.



2. Save more dough. Unplug any appliances with LED lights when they're not in use. Use a power bar instead of plugging them into the wall and just turn the whole thing off when you're done. Here's a super easy one: once cell phones are charged, unplug them!



3. Save money & buy fresh. Shop at the local farmers market.



4. Call your utility company and ask for an audit. Don't let the word "audit" scare you! We did it and are currently saving more than $250 every single month!



5. Turn off garden lights & garden fountains (or at least greatly reduce their functioning hours).



6. Don't be a drip! Turn off faucets completely, check all toilets for leaks.



7. Shop the Star. Look for the Energy star appliances that use up to 35% less energy. Oftentimes you get a tax credit for these products, too!



8. Wash full loads of dishes & laundry. Use the warm or cold cycle (instead of hot) and choose the quicker cycles. This can save a bundle on your bill and hundreds of gallons of water every week.



9. Keep the fridge at 37 and the freezer at 0.



10. And, last but not least, solar energy, baby! If you aren't ready or able to fork out the dough for photovoltaic solar panels (if you are - Call me!), try other solar products like solar garden fountains, garden lights, patio lights, attic fans, battery chargers. Just recharging gameboys and cell phones batteries with solar chargers alone saves a bundle!



What are some of your ideas?



Lord Jesus, thank You for this beautiful earth that You've entrusted to Your children. Thank You for the mountains and valleys, oceans and deserts, trees, grass, and flowers, and for every living creature that You have put upon it. Thank You for displaying Yourself so wondrously in every part of Your Creation. Open our hearts and minds to appreciate the splendor of all that You have made. Inspire us to be ever vigilant in our stewardship of it. And may all that we see, hear, touch, taste, and smell cause us to worship You with all our hearts, minds, and strength. In Jesus Name, Amen.

21 April 2009

Don't Sweat It



It's been HOT in SoCal!



Little known fact: apparently A/C's mate for life. That was news to me. So when our downstairs air conditioner died, it wasn't a singular event. Apparently Frosty was loved, and when he gasped his last cool breath, Friggey just up and died of grief.

Now we feel like this.



And if it doesn't cool off fast, we're going to hijack Kingston's beach house...



And, by the way, Frosty & Friggey's successors just better produce offspring before they "hear the Trane coming" because not only are A/C's faithful to the end, they also cost a hot penny more than a flock of camels.

18 April 2009

ReMission Accomplished!



Thursday at Dr. VanderMolen's office the doctor looked at Mother and said, "Well, I can tell you for certain that you are in remission."



HALLELUJAH!


It was, at first, disappointing to find out that the doctor still wants her to complete the entire, original treatment plan. That means seven more weeks of chemotherapy. That also means surgery, BUT instead of a mastectomy or lumpectomy that would require reconstructive surgery, now it'll be a minor, outpatient procedure! Six weeks of radiation follow the surgery. Not fun, but at the end of that, prayerfully she'll have kicked breast cancer permanently!

We are celebrating! And praising God for His wonderful healing of our beloved Maternal Person!


Mother with Bud and Penelope on Easter Sunday


17 April 2009

Seriously? College Planning? Already??? Nawwww!..



As Margot would say, "Ya, for sure, ya betcha!"

This weekend we're up in Santa Barbara for our first official Westmont College visit... as the PARENTS this time. We love SB, so we're in town often. We tromp around or at least drive through campus and wave at our favorite spots fairly regularly with the kids. This time it is For Realz, though.

Since Michael and I, brother Jon, Mother, Aunt Sherry, Uncle Nels, and Aunt Jean were all Warriors, and Granddaddy Ortlund was on the board for many years, it's not a new idea that the kids might carry on that legacy some day. But, I've got to admit that it was surreal to go to Chapel, take a tour of the campus, eat in the D.C., and then meet with an admissions counselor... for our daughter...

for COLLEGE!

*awed silence, whimper, sniffle*

Folks, I need a "Pause" button for my Marg, and really for all of my babies. I want to enjoy them for a few more minutes before they graduate, get married, and send their own little nuggets off to Westmont.

Just so you know, it's not like Marg or the other kids who will follow her to Westmo - um, I mean "college" have to go here. It's no biggie. No pressure. We want them to take a gander at schools all over California, and out of state, internationally too, I guess, and make the choice that's right for them individually. Really. Not a teensy tiny bit of pressure...

*snigger, snort, guffaw*

As Margot would say, "Ya, for sure, ya betcha!"




16 April 2009

Show Off That Pedicure! Go Barefoot!


Haus fam feet


Fact #1: In some developing nations, children must walk for miles to food, clean water and to seek medical help.
Fact #2: Cuts and sores on feet can lead to serious infection.
Fact #3: Often, children cannot attend school barefoot.
Fact #4: In Ethiopia, approximately one million people are suffering from Podoconiosis, a debilitating and disfiguring disease caused by walking barefoot in volcanic soil.
Fact #5: Podoconiosis is 100% preventable by wearing shoes.

Today, go barefoot on the way to the water cooler, walking to the mailbox, in an afternoon meeting or on your lunch break; go barefoot for the entire day or long enough to raise awareness. Attend a shoeless event in your area. Check this page for updates on times and specific locations. RSVP and pledge your support on Facebook: click HERE.

Make your money matter!
Buy TOMS Shoes and join the One for One movement!
For every pair you purchase,
TOMS will give a pair of shoes to a child in need.
One for One.
Purchase yours today!

Are you barefoot yet???

15 April 2009

13 April 2009

Blog Union 2009 - Chicago is My Kind of Town!



Remember how fun the Blog Union 2008 was?!? (Fiesta, Friday, Saturday, Sunday)



BU 09 is already cooking! Carey passed the torch onto Mrs. B. who is hosting BU 09 in Chicago!



Want to get in on the fun? First things first. In order to ensure that we have a fun a safe group in Chicago and not have any weirdos show up (except us, of course!), you need to join the meetup group and send in your info.

Requirements:
*You must be a blogger so we can see who you are :), or be grandfathered in from BU 08 or be an invited guest of an attending blogger
*You must have adopted from Ethiopia, OR officially be on the Ethiopian adoption wait list for a referral from an accredited agency.

Once accepted into the meetup group, you’ll get all the details and can officially RSVP. Easy!

So, if you haven't already, join the Meetup group... right now... Go!

FUN! So, who else is coming???

Chicago is my kind of town!

12 April 2009

10 April 2009

Sunday's Coming!



If you're near Orange County, please join us at Good Friday service!
Vineyard Newport Beach
Noon-1:00

Chris Lizotte & I will be leading worship.

09 April 2009

One Day Without Shoes

One week from today, on April 16th, our haushold is going barefoot. How about you?

08 April 2009

Join Team Ethiopia to Drill Freshwater Wells through Charity: Water



About a month ago, the Fabulous Mrs. Parker ("the other Lori") organized Team Ethiopia for Charity: Water. She's just that cool.

Right now, 1.1 billion people on the planet don't have access to safe, clean drinking water. That's one in six of us.

Charity: Water is changing those numbers! It's incredible. You can see photos from current projects and even check out GoogleEarth to see completed wells! Each $20 can give one person clean, safe drinking water for 20 years! And, 100% of your donation goes directly toward project costs.

Join Team Ethiopia by donating at this page! Otherwise, your donation will go towards Charity: Water's general donation fund. Pitch in a few bucks for fresh water in Ethiopia!

07 April 2009

Margie McClure Pink Ribbon Prayer Team Update - The Half Way Mark!



This week marked the half-way through chemotherapy point for Mother! Take THAT, breast cancer!

Mother's been doing pretty well, considering. I asked her if, so far, it was worse than she had imagined or not quite as bad. She said that her experience with chemo has actually been better than she had expected it to be! Told ya she was a tough broad. Still, even factoring in her sunny and unflinching nature, I can't tell you what an amazing blessing that is to hear!

Some promising news and the Grapevine:
Last week during an appointment with her oncologist, Dr. VanderMolen, he was baffled when he was unable to find the lump. He couldn't find it! WOW!

The Grapevine, though, has her already having had an MRI confirming her complete healing. Although the MRI part is not true, we simply don't know yet if she's been miraculously healed and is now cancer-free. She may be! But, lump or no lump, she has wisely chosen to follow Dr. V's recommendation that she finish the final 9 weeks before having an MRI to see how much progress is made in whooping cancer's butt. At the very least, though, her cancer has significantly shrunken. PRAISE THE LORD!

How you can pray:

  • That the Lord would be glorified

  • That she would be fully healed and remain cancer-free

  • That once she's done with chemotherapy, the MRI shows no need for surgery or radiation




"Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages,
teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom,
and
healing every sickness and every disease among the people."
Matthew 9:35 NKVJ



And just for my Maternal Person's enjoyment (although you're free to enjoy away)...