tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19937427452997242402009-07-14T22:03:31.687-04:00Le BlabLa famille Billingtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18354785997446949179jilanbil@yahoo.caBlogger326125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1993742745299724240.post-52126354722655054272009-07-13T15:01:00.036-04:002009-07-14T22:03:31.831-04:00We are family (Part 1)What greater thing is therefor human souls than to feel that they are joined for life- to be with each other in silent unspeakable memories. ~George EliotSam sharing a story with my beautiful mom.My niece, Lydia with her brother, my only nephew on the Ernst side, JakeDad, my brother (Dan), and SamRich (my big brother) with his only daughter, NoelaniMy dad, as shoe-salesman, passing on an La famille Billingtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18354785997446949179jilanbil@yahoo.ca1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1993742745299724240.post-16977407014906496562009-07-10T16:48:00.017-04:002009-07-11T11:58:18.972-04:00He's Tops!Our 92 year-old grandpa flew into Indy (from Lincoln, Nebraska) last week to spend some time with the Ernsts'. He's one spry guy!Still likes to pull pranks...and embarrass my mom,can hold his own in a game of corn hole,plays pool like a pro and is as sharp as a tack.Grandpa with my brothers and meGrandpa with Mom and Dad Ernst and all the grand kidsGrandpa with his only daughter, my mom.Thanks La famille Billingtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18354785997446949179jilanbil@yahoo.ca4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1993742745299724240.post-19939642334389798942009-07-06T22:58:00.020-04:002009-07-06T23:39:26.990-04:00Too much goodness for one week!!Four days at the Indigo Hotel in Buffalo, NY (our amazing steal from Priceline)!Just being together in our very delicious hotel.where there were haikus on everything including the room key cards, the coasters, and the laundry bag.A visit to Niagara Falls State Park where we had fun watching Joel chase the birds that were cleaning up our picnic lunch.Hard to find words for this sight!!Times at theLa famille Billingtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18354785997446949179jilanbil@yahoo.ca4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1993742745299724240.post-7700604087935948762009-07-04T08:18:00.012-04:002009-07-04T10:16:52.715-04:00Another what-was-I-thinking experienceSmarty Marty had a partyNobody came.Smarty Marty had another partyJust the same.author forgottenSam had a party on Monday (the last day of school) for his class. It was from 9:00 to 1:30!!!! And to think that I agreed to all that. His teacher was not going to be at school that day and "none of the kids are going to go anyway, Mom."So they all came to our house. All 20 out of 22 of them! And La famille Billingtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18354785997446949179jilanbil@yahoo.ca1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1993742745299724240.post-71505647873187395032009-07-02T22:42:00.008-04:002009-07-02T23:27:58.787-04:00A Happy Father's DayYes, we celebrate Father's Day on the same Sunday as Americans do. It's just that I'm behind and trying to catch up.The kids and I made these circles filled with lists of things we like about Dad/Mark. They turned out pretty cute, if I do say so myself. Some of the phrases the kids wrote really amuse me.An all-church picnic was scheduled for after the morning service, but because of rain, we La famille Billingtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18354785997446949179jilanbil@yahoo.ca2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1993742745299724240.post-12625548965800216332009-07-02T14:23:00.007-04:002009-07-02T15:01:43.422-04:00Backtrackin'click on the collage to see it betterWe've been "on the road" since last Thursday so I'm going to take a few days here and catch up on my posts. The only way I can remember what has happened in the the last couple weeks is from my pictures! It's been a little hectic (in the days before we left Quebec) and unplanned and relaxing and spontaneous (in the days since leaving). We arrived in Indy last La famille Billingtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18354785997446949179jilanbil@yahoo.ca2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1993742745299724240.post-35059377922492909012009-06-26T23:14:00.003-04:002009-06-26T23:25:47.792-04:00In heavenIt was late. I was reading in bed when Mark came into the room, knelt on the floor next to me and said, "Since we can't be married in heaven, let's make sure we find each other and be friends. I want to a least be roommates."I smiled at such a sweet, albeit random thing to say. And I agreed with his proposal. And we shook on it.La famille Billingtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18354785997446949179jilanbil@yahoo.ca1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1993742745299724240.post-73645385935630231522009-06-25T22:54:00.015-04:002009-06-26T22:47:38.284-04:00Photo shoot in Quebec City Last week a friend asked me to take some pictures for her in Old Quebec. It was a nice time, made especially fun by some moments in particular. Here I share some "outtakes". We stopped to take some shots at an outdoor café. About the time we were finished, this man came out to take our order. I explained that non, we were just snapping some pics. He said, "Of me??" and quickly put his arm aroundLa famille Billingtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18354785997446949179jilanbil@yahoo.ca2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1993742745299724240.post-19637996878174243612009-06-23T11:19:00.005-04:002009-06-23T18:37:56.780-04:00MalfunctioningI'm operating on little sleep and am quite loopy, and I have a feeling that I might get worse (after a crack-myself-up joke, Sam said to me, "Mom, okay, that's good. You can stop there.")We are preparing to leave to the States and trying to get a zillion things done before Thursday morning.So I shouldn't be blogging right now, but maybe taking a break from the laundry and thank you notes, will La famille Billingtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18354785997446949179jilanbil@yahoo.ca2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1993742745299724240.post-29433942609225788002009-06-19T16:25:00.009-04:002009-06-19T17:28:25.096-04:00Gardening Wednesday I went to breakfast with my friend, Noëlla. When we came back to our house, our landlord and his wife were trimming trees and bushes in our yard. Louisette had said the day before that she would bring me some plants and flowers to spruce up our place (I had done NOTHING yet this year). Noëlla had some other errands to run and a friend to visit, but she offered to come back in the La famille Billingtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18354785997446949179jilanbil@yahoo.ca0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1993742745299724240.post-74928759877465358172009-06-17T13:08:00.005-04:002009-06-17T14:45:56.572-04:00Signals of SummerThere are cetain things that signal the beginning of summer for me. Ways that I would know it's that time of the year without looking at my calendar.:: Wildflowers that can be found in the woods near the track where I run sometimes. Bringing a few home to put on our table is my reward after a good workout. Actually, I can't pass by these without picking them, whether I gave it my best or not.La famille Billingtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18354785997446949179jilanbil@yahoo.ca3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1993742745299724240.post-33333892970118554662009-06-16T13:36:00.007-04:002009-06-16T15:06:11.380-04:00Going once, going twiceLast Tuesday evening I took pictures a benefit auction for our Dix Mille Villages (Ten Thousand Villages) store here in the city. It was such a fun and encouraging evening.There was a powerful and passionate speech given by Chantale (one of my favorite people in the whole world). It is Chantale and her husband, Shane, who, with another couple, started the store in Quebec City almost two years La famille Billingtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18354785997446949179jilanbil@yahoo.ca0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1993742745299724240.post-34566405228825159792009-06-15T14:08:00.004-04:002009-06-15T14:25:43.292-04:00I love these peopleWhen we moved here eight years ago, we had no idea what a treasure our neighborhood and our neighbors would be to us.Early on we were welcomed by three families that were already friends, and they were nice enough to include us at their dinner parties and winter outings. We've remained close despite two of the families moving out of the neighborhood. Saturday night we had dinner together and La famille Billingtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18354785997446949179jilanbil@yahoo.ca2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1993742745299724240.post-1693663211052615042009-06-10T21:51:00.007-04:002009-06-11T15:46:51.173-04:00What I've been thinking aboutthe view from my sweet friend's back porch on Monday evening:: What is God's sovereign grace?Not grace to bar what is not blissNor flight from all distress but this:The grace that orders our trouble and painAnd then, in the darkness, is there to sustain.from a sermon by John PiperLa famille Billingtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18354785997446949179jilanbil@yahoo.ca0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1993742745299724240.post-51795781315104889842009-06-09T11:47:00.004-04:002009-06-11T08:13:34.315-04:00Actually....This morning I took Mark his eggs, toast, and coffee because he was already up working in his basement office (or unfondly referred to as "The Cave"). I stayed, talking for awhile (this, one of the reasons why Mark often makes the local coffee shop his office). Part of our conversation went like this:Mark (in response to a discussion we were having about Sam): I don't think that pride is one La famille Billingtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18354785997446949179jilanbil@yahoo.ca4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1993742745299724240.post-65766398098788720372009-06-08T09:15:00.004-04:002009-06-08T09:53:02.464-04:00The fruit of his labor La famille Billingtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18354785997446949179jilanbil@yahoo.ca7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1993742745299724240.post-68276575275616920962009-06-05T09:59:00.008-04:002009-06-09T11:46:03.077-04:00The Incredible (Un) Edible Egg White!In my quest for sources of protein for breakfast, I have found nothing that tops the EGG!One little egg packs 4-6 grams of protein. The problem is that yellow part in the middle which is where all the fat and cholesterol lie. So, I discard most of those little culprits (5 grams of fat and 58 calories) and make our morning eggs with almost all egg whites (with just one or two yolks thrown in to La famille Billingtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18354785997446949179jilanbil@yahoo.ca6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1993742745299724240.post-25199115632962421592009-06-04T07:28:00.001-04:002009-06-04T07:30:42.365-04:00Ingenuity?La famille Billingtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18354785997446949179jilanbil@yahoo.ca4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1993742745299724240.post-44821600794605789272009-06-02T15:59:00.017-04:002009-06-03T07:47:22.005-04:00Weekend to rememberI actually started this post a couple of hours ago and had in mind to tell the whole story of my weekend in vivid detail. Then I said to myself, "Who would really read all that?"And I've recently found a blog that I find interesting and fascinating called 22 Words. Every post is written in...yes, exactly 22 words. I'm definitely not able to do that this time, but I think I can successfully cutLa famille Billingtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18354785997446949179jilanbil@yahoo.ca5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1993742745299724240.post-10759851589153436412009-06-01T21:55:00.002-04:002009-06-01T22:07:17.075-04:00The answerWe chose... D) None of the above.Sam accompanied me (and missed 2 days of school) and we went on the Black Bear Triathlon Adventure together. Although I missed Mark and his encouragement, support, and all the fun we would have had together, Sam was an excellent pinch hitter. Tomorrow: the details of the Adventure.La famille Billingtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18354785997446949179jilanbil@yahoo.ca3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1993742745299724240.post-56594241795009393472009-05-29T20:17:00.002-04:002009-05-29T20:58:18.981-04:00Multiple ChoiceDue to Mark's back problems this week, we had a tough decision to make concerning our trip to Pennsylvania for my Triathlon Sprint, which we had really been looking forward to. These were our options:A. Forget the whole thing. It's one weekend in my life. It's not that important in the scheme of things. There will be other opportunities to try this. B. Go just as planned. Mark is miserableLa famille Billingtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18354785997446949179jilanbil@yahoo.ca1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1993742745299724240.post-32317855059691528622009-05-27T19:55:00.003-04:002009-05-27T20:02:46.410-04:00No self-esteem issues hereJ curled up next to me, put his face in my neck (which is a most wonderful, soft, comfortable sort of feeling that I wish to remember for the rest of my life) and said, "Say something nice." So I said, "You are a wonderful, fun little boy that I love having in my life." And without a moment's hesitation he answered back, "Yes, I am!"La famille Billingtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18354785997446949179jilanbil@yahoo.ca6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1993742745299724240.post-11413387103135836072009-05-26T18:45:00.004-04:002009-05-26T21:30:20.937-04:00A Letter HomeHello again from the Billingtons, First we want to thank all of you for your prayers for us (particularly in regards to Mark's back). We appreciate all your notes and emails and calls. I don't think we would have made it through that time without the support of all of you. We feel a little bad that the only news you have had from us recently has been about Mark's physical condition.La famille Billingtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18354785997446949179jilanbil@yahoo.ca4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1993742745299724240.post-92098317314138849932009-05-20T14:20:00.002-04:002009-05-20T14:28:03.389-04:00Sure-fire way (part I)Sure-fire way to get my kids to play with a certain toy. Put it in the "Give-away" box!!La famille Billingtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18354785997446949179jilanbil@yahoo.ca4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1993742745299724240.post-15232825149026500602009-05-19T08:36:00.020-04:002009-05-19T09:02:20.397-04:00Friday eveningWe took a walk down to the river. There was a little exploring, a little running, some delicious ice cream, some finding of sticks and the normal stuff that happens when boys find sticks, some photography (okay lots--to the tune of 200 pics), deep breaths of fresh air, and lots of chatter.On arriving home, I sat looking at the pictures I just took, and when I turned around to see what the boys La famille Billingtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18354785997446949179jilanbil@yahoo.ca3