The Elevenfold Cord

Bahamas Expedition...

2011-06-16T20:37:00.000-07:00

After a short nap (nine days to be exact) the world travelers woke up, and decided that it was time to write a long awaited for blog post. For those of you that didn't know, our gracious Grandmother took Nic and I (Matthew) on an eight day cruise to the Bahamas. It was quite an experience for the both of us. We enjoyed seeing new places and people.

Following are a few pictures...

We visited the Islands of Nassau, Saint Thomas and Saint Maarten. Can you find them on the map?

Early, early, early in the morning (6:00am)...We took a bus from our hometown to San Francisco.

The view outside the plane window. It was my first flight so I sat by the window! *grin*

Leaving our hotel room in Fort Lauderdale, Fl...Heading towards the "Oasis of the Seas".

The "Oasis of the Seas". It was HUGE!

For more info...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MS_Oasis_of_the_Seas

We were protected by the one and only, Coast Guard.

Our Room. Basic but functional.

Our awesome steward, "Omar". He was cool!

The Center of the Ship...All of the trees you see in the center courtyard are real.

Grandma on the carousel; she's young at heart.

Nic the next "Lance". *cough*

The ship had many entertaining shows, one of them being, "Hairspray". It was incredibly good! I was hoping for Les Misérables, but oh-well.

*The Beast Below*

We arrived at Nassau... It was really humid (Remember, we are from California)!

The scenery was gorgeous.

The Streets of Nassau. Nic is actually wearing shorts.

We found a cemetery!!! (It's a family tradition)

Can you read it?

Hey Thomas, we arrived at St. Thomas.

Iguanas are everywhere there, like cats here.

112 steps...My legs were killing me after we climbed them. I guess I should be doing P90X with Anton.

The streets of St. Thomas. People drive on the wrong side of the road and Stop signs are only suggestions. Scary!

BEAUTIFUL!!

We arrived at St. Maarten. Unfortunately it was raining cats and iguanas soooo we didn't explore much, but we did get extremely wet.

After the cruise was over we saw the sights of Florida on an air boat.

The group was on the lookout for alligators or crocodiles. Not sure which.

Aha! We found one!!!(Not sure if it's an alligator or crocodile)

Last but not least we killed time at a local shopping mall - Florida's biggest mall, "Sawgrass Mills Mall". It looked like the malls in California.

I will end with one of the lovely sunsets from our cruise.

After flying 9 hours we arrived in California (we circled above SF for 3 hours before we could land)! There's no place like home. There's no place like home. There's no place like home.

It was a good trip! All three of us had a great time and would do it again in a heartbeat!

Thank you Grandma!!!

Until next time. ~Matthew

At the bonfire, out in the sticks country backwoods, homegrown hicks...

2011-04-29T23:10:00.000-07:00

Until next time! ~ Matthew

Thomas and Lindsey's wedding!!!

2011-03-26T21:47:00.000-07:00

Until next time. ~ Matthew

Three Little Lambs...

2011-02-14T16:40:00.000-08:00

Well it's that time of year when we start getting baby lambs. So far we have three; however there is another sheep that is probably pregnant. Hope you enjoy the pictures! :)

They are all very cute right now! However, they grow fast and eat lots of grass.

Until next time. ~Matthew & Mumsie

What We've Been Up To.....

2011-02-03T12:08:00.000-08:00

Okay I guess October 13, 2010 is pretty pathetic for our last update. :) However, in our defense Thomas and Lindsey's wedding preparations have taken a majority of our time. Because of the great gap between our last post (October), I will quickly fill you guys in, on what we've been up to.

Christmas!!! We set up our tree and watched a movie. Can you guess what we were watching?

As usual our Christmas cookies.....

What I got Dad for Christmas....remember, "That which holds the image of an Angel becomes itself an Angel. " What ever you do...Don't Blink! Good luck!

A dance was held by the Chamberlain family....Lindsey and Kevin look like they are having a good time!

We went to a couple museums for Mom's birthday, one of them was the Wells Fargo Museum in Sacramento. (Thomas didn't get the memo to look at the camera:)

The other museum was the Museum Of Medical History, which was quite fascinating.

Nick just couldn't resist.....

The Doctor Who party took place. Tiffany made Tardis cake, which was very good!

The boys helped Ben move his newly bought cabinets.

Our family went to Natural Bridges, located in Santa Cruz, with the Schroeders' and Buciaks'. (They are taking a picture of themselves not of me, just to be clear on that :)

Mr. Schroeder and Mr. Buciak having a one-on-one. YEAH! Other guys that wear capris!!!

*Chariots Of Fire Song Playing* Lindsey, Rachel, Anthony and Jonathan going on a run along the beach.

This is what the weather at our house has been like lately. Isn't the sun beautiful?!

Well I guess that wraps this up. Hopefully next time our posts won't be sooo far apart. :) Until next time. ~ Matthew

In case you were wondering

2010-10-13T15:19:00.001-07:00

spider
Originally uploaded by Hec at 19

Friends and family,

Thomas has discovered that the Crown Princess (his home away from land) charges for Internet access BY THE MINUTE!! Therefore, he will not submit another entry until he comes home. We apologize for the inconvenience.

We thought we would take advantage of Thomas' absence to post a photo of this lovely spider that Mr. H found at his firehouse.

The Management

NYC

2010-10-06T17:52:00.000-07:00

Thomas has officially taken over the blog for the next 10 days. Not saying it was so hard of a takeover (due to the lack of posts in the last couple of weeks/months), but I have it none the less. The purpose of this blog for the week and a half to follow, is to keep you up to date on my travels on the eastern seaboard of the United States and Canada. Grandma R has so graciously taken me on a cruise to the previously mentioned locations. I will try to update this nightly with mainly pictures and not so much text. Enjoy!

Grandma waiting for the plane. We had to meet the bus in Mo-town at 3am which took us to San Francisco where the plane departed at 0730ish...

I'm doing the same thing, but taking advantage of the internet SFO provided...

Planes need big slabs of concrete to get in the air...

5 hours 30 minutes later, we made it to NYC. That's Long Beach to be exact...

After a bus ride to downtown, we got out hotel room. 17 stories up overlooking 42nd Street!...

This poor country boy ain't never seen so many shiny buttons in one spot before. Kinda made me want to push 'em all...

Everybody has seen the movies or commercials depicting a busy NYC sidewalk. Well, the aren't lying...

Grandma made friends with the lion at the toof store...

The Chrysler Building!! We have a view of it from our room... This is a view from the sidewalk...

Gma walking through the revolving door at the Chrysler Building. Everybody has revolving doors here!...

Grand Central Station with the C-Building behind...

A little-known not-so-busy portion of Grand Central Station...

I thought these newsstands were so legitimate! Had to get a picture...

As we were walking around, we came across two ambulances parked on the side of the road while the crews were chatting nearby. I had to stop and talk to them for a second. They told me that the city of New York has 1.3 million calls a year. I thought our county had a lot at 4,000ish!

All of them were very nice (and they had Brooklyn accents!!), they let me take a picture with them. Came out a little fuzzy... darn!

Gma and I hadn't had a real meal all day, so I was given the task of finding a restaurant. My phone failed me, so we walked around until we found a place (which ended up being right across the street from out hotel)...

Our hotel's sign with the Chrysler Building behind. We came up to the room and Gma passed out on the bed right away! She must be tired...

We are taking a more detailed tour of NYC tomorrow, with more photo ops! Goodnight California (and other states that are reading)...

Random History

2010-08-17T13:31:00.000-07:00

Family, friends, loved ones, pets of loved ones and strangers...

I have found myself with a couple of hours to kill, so my wonderful brother (Matthew) suggested that I write a blog post. No blog post is complete without pictures, and the only snapshots that I have are from awhile back. They are in no particular order... enjoy!

Since Matthew was the brains behind this post, he gets the spot of honor as the first picture. Doesn't that homemade pizza look absolutely delicious? More onions Matthew, more onions!!

I can't remember the occasion, but we had a pirate party with just the family a couple years back. I think Sara makes the cutest little scallywag ever!

Through rain, sleet, snow or hail... the ambulance driver must go to work! You do notice that I have my all important pillow and sleeping bag though, right? Brrrr.....

After a hard day of playing in the snow, people do random acts of relaxation.

Moab, Utah. One of the best places in the US after the greatest ride I've ever been on.

Teddy Roosevelt once said: "Speak softly and carry a big stick". The Hectors say: "Speak softly and ride on a big gun".

Question: How many heads of romaine does it take to make lettuce juice for eleven people? Anton knows (who drinks lettuce juice anyway?).

Our family is decked out with all the bells and whistles... well... at least the bells.

Now Ben, is that any way to treat a lady? Or, are you trying to save her?

Salt Lake, Utah. Not the best place to be if you have any sense of smell at all.

Yum! Camping food flambe! And camping fuel flambe!

The view is amazing from 11,000 feet up! Now those are mountains...

So does this mean that he has Nic's heart? Do a cardiac massage Joe!!

My baby sister has grown up sooooo much in the last couple of years!! She was (is) adorable!!

When one has as many kids as Mom does, extreme measures have to be taken when making dinner.

More post-snow relaxation.

And in the snow fun!

I think Ben looks a little like Little Joe from Bonanza here. Or maybe Hoss?

Now, I will leave you with a picture that you have to guess what it is. I will give you a hint. It is not a flamingo. Good luck.

Mid West meets Far West

2010-07-19T20:03:00.000-07:00

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Friends,
The wedding ceremony is complete. The California reception was held with 229 guests in attendance. It was a great success, except for the hot spell that kept everyone in the pool during the afternoon. We were all so busy that I didn't pick up a camera very much.

The next day we went to church and after that we took our Illinois visitors to the beach. Sadly, Thomas had to work and was not with us. He was missed. Please enjoy these shots of the day.

Mrs. H used to be responsible for dressing Ben, but now that job belongs to Mrs. H.

That is the look of impending doom.

He will recover.

What is Ben looking for?

What did he find?

It's a sand crab!

Everybody had a grand time.

be safe,
Hec @ 19

Not everything that floats has a sail

2010-07-12T09:10:00.000-07:00

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Friends,
In addition to a fine complement of lakes, California is home to any number of rivers that are suitable for gold panning, irrigating crops, sustaining fish and having fun!! Though not as large as rivers in other parts of the country, many of our rivers descend sharply enough to create rapids. The H family joined forces with the S family recently to exploit the somewhat mild white water of the Stanislaus River. It is the perfect choice for families that want to have a few thrills without risking life and limb.

We made a deal with the inflatable. It carries us in the river, we carry it in the parking lot.

The S family brought their armada of inflatable kayaks.

Mr. S and Thomas do a lung capacity test. This test also determines a person's resistance to passing out.

PFD's are equivalent to your car's seat belts and air bags.

Here comes the flotilla!! This was the only spot on the river that was calm enough and large enough for me to get the camera out of its water proof pouch. Please check the S family blog for more photos of this intrepid voyage.

Hmmm, I can sense that these people have evil intentions.

The first volley of shots are fired!! Sara is up a creek without a paddle and makes a tempting target.

Becky and Thomas swoop in to defend their sister! Bedlam ensues!! As usual, the camera guy is off limits to attack.

Thomas: "Hey Becky, will it take an oar to complete this journey?"
Becky: "No Thomas, it should only take half an oar, more oar less."

16 sunburns and 32 tired arms later, we made it to our destination, safe and sound. We are smiling because we had a good time. I am smiling because the camera survived.

be safe,
Hec @ 19

Yet another peek at firehouse life

2010-07-07T15:09:00.001-07:00

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Friends,
It's been a long time since you've seen a post about firehouse life. Station 18 recently moved into their brand new building, so this seemed like a good reason to delve back into the topic. The new station was built on the same lot that the old station occupied. That means that Engine 18 and Truck 6 along with the crews had to relocate to neighboring stations while demolition and construction occurred. This blog will show a little of the moving process and what new Station 18 looks like. If you want to see what old Station 18 looked like, click here.

What a beauty!! This is Oakland's newest and finest firehouse. It is located at the corner of 50th Avenue & Bancroft Avenue. If you go for a visit, be sure to go during daylight as things tend to get a little scary after dark in this neighborhood.

Here we are back at Station 29. We see the Engine crew loading up their belongings as they prepare to move back to their new/old home. The same thing is happening at Station 23 as the Truck crew moves out.

Kitchen utensils, beds, TV's, workout equipment and a host of miscellaneous items will all be crammed into the stake side truck for the seventeen block journey to the new Station.

Old mattresses go into the new station.

Firefighters expend a lot of mental energy into getting to the right place in the least amount of time possible. Instead of a folded up map in the glove compartment, we have big ones framed and attached to the wall. Don't give us directions to your house, just give us the address, we'll do the rest.

Not everything coming into the station is old. The city sprung for three new office chairs and eight more for the dining room table.

This gadget is something new. It monitors the air in the apparatus bay for Carbon Monoxide and Nitrogen Dioxide. Those noxious gases were never a problem when horses pulled the rigs.

This is how our gear is stored when we are off duty. There is a locker upstairs for our uniforms and bedding.

An automatic door is another new feature not found in our older firehouses. This is one of many items that are mandated in a public building. The door is locked at all times, a paradox if there ever was one.

Another mandate is that every public building will contain art. This is what art looks like.

My job on this day is to set up the kitchen. I loaded the dishwasher and hit the button. Nothing happened. It seems that the machine was stuffed into its spot, but not hooked up. The contractor made a call and we had a working machine later in the day.

The gentleman on the right is Captain Enrique Padilla. He is the senior officer at Station 18 and has thirty years on the job. He has waited a long time for this day. Eduardo (center) is a fine Christian man and an excellent artist. He did not do the mosaic in the earlier photo. The fella on the left is Engineer Wojtkiewicz (why-cab-itch). His nickname is White Cabbage.

Hey home school moms, what do you think???

The silverware organizer does not fit in any of the drawers in the kitchen. This facial expression is used under these circumstances. We see this expression a lot in the fire service.

Tim is preparing bed side night stands. Some assembly is required. He did not read the directions, I would have been disappointed if he had.

Everything that goes into stocking a kitchen is paid for by the firefighters. The pots and pans, the dishes, the carving knives, the soap and yes, the food. How much food does it take to run a firehouse?

A LOT!!!

All work and no play makes Lieutenant Nick a dull boy. The mop bucket will never be this clean again so this is his only chance to use it as a chariot. Michael is only too happy to provide the horsepower, so long as the cart goes before the horse.

Wipeout!! It's all fun and games until somebody gets hurt.

It has been a long hard day. Now we will sit together and eat. We will ponder what we have accomplished, share our observations, our suggestions and we will find something to laugh about. Most importantly, we will begin to discover the nuances of our new firehouse and remember the building that stood here before. We will remember how much we hated the old one and how much we loved it. Each of us will think about the many firefighters that came and went before us, a few are still remembered but most have long been forgotten. The first people that occupied the old building had to hand crank their engines in order to start them, but the job was the same and their relationships to each other were the same as they are now. This is a new chapter in a very old and cherished book.

be safe,
Hec @ 18

Introducing...

2010-06-29T21:41:00.000-07:00

...the newest member of our family, Jasmine, who has recently joined the ranks of the Hector menagerie. She is just two months old and was one of eight puppies.

Today was her first full day at home and she enjoyed herself, slept, ate and slept again. Night times alone are hard when you are used to sleeping with so many siblings, but adjustments will come. She knows how to use her "puppy dog eyes" to melt the hearts of every member in this family.

I do believe she's a keeper! Welcome Jasmine!!

Until next time,
~ Mumsie and Matthew

Life in a post-wedding world

2010-06-18T07:23:00.000-07:00

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Friends,

Life is returning to normal. The sailboat was really mad because we didn't take it to Illinois, so we made amends by going to Union Valley Reservoir just as soon as we could.

This unique plant was there to greet us. They are known to come up through the snow and we were surprised to see one in June. Can anyone tell us its name?

Nic is learning to Captain the boat this year, so he was given the responsibility of shouting out the orders on this adventure. One of his first commands was to "hoist the Rebel Battle flag!".

Jonathan was First Mate. He does not answer to the name Gilligan. Please notice the perfect knot that Jonathan has tied to the dock cleat.

Long pants and flannel?? This was our coldest sailing trip ever. No one got into the water.

We brought two vehicles with differing departure times on this venture. While some sailed, others ate.

The camping was just as cold as the sailing. We promised Tiffany that California was a warm place. Boys in shorts, girls in blankets. What are we to deduce from this photo?

How does this thing go up?

Most camping fatalities are the result of dehydration. We won't be having any of that on this trip.

The clouds parted in the afternoon, things warmed up just enough to make for a pleasant outing.
Tiffany and Jonathan watch as the inflatable comes along side.

Y is for yacht.

The boat is beached, her sails are furled. They tell me that the cat is a boy, which I can accept, but why is the boat a girl?

Cooking chicken on an open fire, the oak at our feet used to be the tree in our front yard. How we miss that tree!

This is what chicken rolled in Cheez-it crumbs looks like.

This is how Ben feels about it. Some of the others liked it.

Thomas likes to keep his teeth clean, even if there is no sink. What's that in the tree?

Thomas finally gave in and adjusted his attire to match the weather.

Tiff and Sara take Ben for a ride. Chivalry is dead.

If you set the camera correctly, an afternoon jaunt can be made to look like a romantic moonlit voyage.

It may be unknown as to how many angels will fit on the head of a pin, but we know how many Hectors will fit in one chair.

Is Thomas deep in thought? Will the seedling survive? Do red sweatpants go with a blue hoody?

Green corn husks make for a smoky fire. There is a chair in this photo, but you can't see it because it's camouflaged.

The corn husks have all burned away, let us warm our bones by the fire.

We are warmer now, and ready for bed.

Nic was giving rides early next morning. There was quite a bit of sailing done on the second day, but the winds were so fierce out of the Northeast that all hands were busy and the cameras stayed below deck.

While we were packing up, Sara found the bubble wand.

The winds will power a sailboat and they will float a soapy bubble. The wind is just one small part of God's magnificent creation. We use it as a tool and as a toy. Be sure to remember who creates the wind when you feel it against your face.

be safe,
Hec @ 19

A new beginning.....

2010-06-03T21:46:00.000-07:00

For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh. ~ Ephesians 5:31

http://asimplerenaissance.blogspot.com/

BFH

Recovery mode

2010-05-22T07:57:00.000-07:00

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Friends,
We are slowly beginning to recover from the wedding. Here's a little bit of what we've been up to since that big day. By the way, these shots are not in chronological order.

Ben and Tiff were taken to Chicago to catch a plane to destinations unknown. The departure time was late, so we spent some time seeing the city. Here we see the newlyweds in front of "the Bean". Are they contemplating the bean or themselves?

Here we see all of the bean and most of the family. I was forced to drive around as there was no parking to be had for our 50 foot long RV and trailer.

Ben loves Chicago's elevated transit system, affectionately known as "the El" and he begged for someone to grab a photo. Thanks Mrs. H.!

Cody Winton and the rest of the Winton Family serenaded us at the E. family home.

We spent the night in a Target parking lot after dropping Ben & Tiff off. In the morning we went to a Chicago museum that contains a German U boat. Not a replica, not a fake, but a real live actual no foolin' U boat. The Germans had attempted to scuttle the boat to prevent it from falling into Allied hands, but they failed. It's a fascinating bit of history, especially if you are a war buff.

Jonathan will keep the free world safe from tyranny when he joins the Coast Guard.

When you and your buddies set out to blow up Liberty ships in the Atlantic, be sure you take along a few groceries.

The business end of a German killing machine and the Hectors.

On our way out we look for and failed to find a Main Exit. We therefore had a little fun with the Main Entrance before leaving.

It's easy to spot the hicks in a big city. They tend to reveal themselves.

No H. family RV trip would be complete without a little damage, and this trip has been no exception. We were driving down the road, minding our own business when the rear view mirror decided that it had reached the end of its journey. We didn't hit anything, it simply abandoned its post.

Sadly, the little mirror has not been our greatest tragedy on this trip. I can only blame myself and some very bad driving for what happened to Mr. R's brick pillar. If you think that's bad, wait till you see the side of the RV.

To paraphrase Maxwell Smart; "Hit it by THAT much!" Wendell, our RV mechanic said that he has a solution to this problem. We covered the gaping hole with a large sheet of Plexiglas and continued on. Have I ever mentioned that I have memorized my insurance agent's phone number, and that the receptionist knows my voice?

Ben and Tiffany left their reception in a borrowed shiny red Jeep. Ben had never driven a Jeep before. I explained to him that Jeeps are the most unstable vehicle on the road. That really got his attention. Less than a week later we happened upon this poor fellow and we grabbed a couple of shots to prove my point.

As Mr. D. is fond of saying; " Drive slow and steer fast." This unfortunate lad got it backward. He and I are a lot alike.

Back to the fun stuff: We aren't the only Californians in Illinois. Eva and Becky had a lot of fun at the annual Presbytery meeting.

Thomas decided to duck into a local greasy spoon for a quick bite. Then he asked the waiter for the bill. I quack me up!!

Chef Anthony helped in the kitchen and impressed our hostess.

Let's finish off with a few behind the scenes wedding photos.

be safe and stay married,

Hec @ land of Lincoln

The Big Day

2010-05-16T06:42:00.000-07:00

The night before the big day

2010-05-14T21:15:00.000-07:00

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Friends,
This was the big rehearsal. It was a splendid event. It is very late, we are very tired and tomorrow is a big day. Goodnight.

be safe,
Hec @ motel

Pre rehearsal rehearsal

2010-05-09T20:17:00.001-07:00

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Friends,

The wedding rehearsal is Friday. Today there was a spontaneous pre-rehearsal. Sometimes photos need no captioning and these photos are a perfect example of that. Enjoy.

be safe,
Hec @ church

2010-05-09T04:35:00.000-07:00

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Friends,

We made it to our destination!

Our destination, our objective, was to put Ben and Tiff together. Never again will they be apart for months at a time.

This is where the Lord will make it happen. For those that are coming, we can't wait to see you. For those that cannot attend, you will be in our hearts.

The blog may lag for a few days as the big event draws near. There will be much to do as we prepare, but don't worry, there is more to come.

be safe,
Hec @ Morton

Show me

2010-05-07T19:56:00.001-07:00

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Friends,

Today was an easy day. No damage, no crazy events, just a normal day.

You guessed it, we spent the night at a Kansas Walmart and hit the road early. By late morning we were in Missouri.

Kansas City was our destination and as soon as we got there, we found a statue. We are suckers for statues. Somebody worked really hard to build it, and other people worked even harder to inspire its creation, so we feel obligated to take a minute out of our comfy lives to receive the message that a statue has to offer.

In addition to a statue, we stumbled upon the Tenth District Federal Reserve Bank. We went inside to take the tour, but our camera was not welcome. They had a fleet of robotic fork lifts that were moving pallets of money from one place to another. They had a solid gold bar on display that was worth $519, 222.00 at the moment we were standing there. Tomorrow's value will be different, depending on gold prices.

The real reason we were in Kansas City was to see the National World War One Museum. We've been to a lot of Museums over the years, and this one may very well be the finest we've ever seen. We had the added pleasure of sharing it with the L. family of Excelsior Springs, MO.

We are real museum buffs. If you ever go to one with us, plan on being there a while. We look at everything!!

They brought out the big guns when they built this place.

It was Ben's idea to visit this particular museum. WW I is his favorite period in military history. Ordinarily I would have him jump in here to comment, but he's on the phone with Tiffany.

I (Thomas), however, am not on the phone with my future wife, so I can write the caption for my photo. One of my absolute favorite movies is Sergeant York with Gary Cooper. At the museum, they had a temporary display of the Oscar that Gary Cooper received for his performance in the production. I had to get a picture with that piece of history. And yes... some would say this is a picture of Oscar and the Grouch.

We took a break and had lunch in the RV. You can stuff a lot of people in the RV when they are little.

Once rested, it was back to the museum. Remember the tall spire in photo #4? It has an elevator in it. There is a great view to be had when you are 217 feet in the air.

The mighty view is equaled by a mighty wind. Laura's hair doesn't lie.

I stayed behind in order to get an unusual photo of the family. Matthew and Ben were distracted and unavailable for the shot.

Let's zoom in a little.

And a little more.

Can anyone tell me why we took this photo?

This is the base of the spire.

After a full day of museum crawling, we went back to the L. family home for a wonderful meal of chicken enchiladas with Spanish rice and salad, and equally wonderful fellowship.

WW I was so long ago that it is easy to strip away the human element from what occurred there. Please always remember that valiant soldiers surrendered their lives, their future, their personal dreams, plans and ambitions for the greater good of our nation and the world. They were real people and here are just a few of their names. They are gone, but what they accomplished endures. Be grateful.

Hec @ MO

Denver, Colorado Springs, Denver

2010-05-06T19:19:00.001-07:00

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Friends,

The last two days have been both the high point (so far) and the low point of our trip. Let's try to keep things in order as we lay out the story. When we left off, a beautiful sunset went to bed right along with us in an RV park that is very close to the Denver Airport. We were there because Thomas had to be dropped off early the next morning so he could fly home for a job interview.

Yes, you heard me right. Drive to Denver just to fly home. It's hard to explain.

After leaving Thomas, we headed for Colorado Springs to spend time with the C. family. Along the way, we ran into a traffic jam. The cause?? A Police escort for a family of geese that found their way onto the freeway. The geese were being gently coaxed to the nearest exit by nice ladies carrying blankets. The nice Police Officers kept their guns holstered. I thought only Californians behaved that way!!

Upon arriving at the C. family residence, I promptly introduced the RV to one of their trees. They didn't get along well at all!

While my boys helped Mr. C and his boys build a play set...

...I made temporary repairs to the RV window. Their are a few basic repair materials that we always travel with. They include duct tape, baling wire, zip ties and bungee cords. One or more of those vital resources have come in handy on every single trip we've taken. This particular repair also required cardboard, which I scrounged.

After dinner, Nic introduced his mother to the Stevie Nicks look. They are still refining their technique. Stay tuned...

The next morning it was time to retrieve Thomas. Arrivals go to a different area of the airport than departures do, so we were covering new territory. Guess what!!! Denver never intended that passengers be picked up in an eleven foot tall RV!! Airport police arrived 45 minutes later to close the approach to allow us to back out and take a different route. That other fellow in the photo made the same mistake that I did.

Thomas had time to walk to where we were stuck. I think some sort of rule was broken in the process.

Matthew offers a high five after we escaped the Denver trap. Did you know that you can't get a Denver omelet at the Denver Airport? There's something wrong with that!!

Now that the crisis is resolved, people go back to other forms of amusement.

Everyone knows that old McDonald has a farm, but did you know that he also has an entire town??

There is a place to send and receive letters, such as E, I and O.

You can buy a duck duck here.

There are other towns named for other people.

Every trip has one restaurant that is nominated as worst in the Nation. We found that place today.

Getting back to our high point (so far) of the trip, we would like to thank the C. family for their gracious hospitality and their cardboard. I wonder what tomorrow has in store for us?

be safe,
Hec @ large

Destination: 51510

2010-05-04T20:15:00.000-07:00

Friends,

We have to pull up stakes at 0400 AM tomorrow in order to get Thomas to the airport. I will add captions to this tomorrow.

The road is a weary place. As a result, wake up times have been sliding later and later with every morning. Jonathan wakes up happy.

This was our first Walmart stop. We always park in a remote corner of the parking lot which makes for a long walk to the store in the morning. The rule is: If we park in their lot, we buy some of their stuff. Nobody parks for free. The danger is in getting boxed in by other cars that arrive early in the morning. That almost happened to us this time.

We brought our fancy water treatment machine along with us. Ponce de Leon was on the wrong track.

Nic and Mrs. H are playing around with a flat iron. The rest of us are amused, but uninterested in the participating in the experiment.

Anthony is actively interested in increasing his command of the English language. Cross word puzzles help him with the process.

Looking outside the vehicle, we find ourselves facing the great Rocky Mountains. Our hats are off to the early pioneers that traversed this region on foot. They were made of sturdy stock that would be hard to find in this day and age. Our heater is running full blast and our toes are warm.

Ben is working, everyone else is goofing off.

This is the entrance to the tunnel that will take us under the Continental divide. Goodbye Pacific, hello Atlantic.

Thomas is so emotional, at least when a camera is aimed at him.

Pop Quiz: Nic is not upside down and the photo is not upside down, so what is going on here?

We came across a brown sign that caught our interest and broke our forward progress. Who could ignore Buffalo Bill?

Bill's grave overlooks the city of Denver. Anybody got a quarter?

Bill and his wife are the only people buried here. The gift shop does a brisk business. They cook buffalo burgers.

The RV always needs one thing or another. Nic needed some sort of cable to get the TV hooked up to the DVD player. Nic loves Best Buy, and they love him. I'm glad he has a small budget.

After three days on the road, we pulled into an RV park for a much needed round of showers. Hooking the RV into electricity is something of a minor luxury. Watching a beautiful sunset is an added perk.

A question for you: Ben is of the opinion that eight photos are just right, and more are too many. What are your thoughts?

be safe,
Hec on the road

Another day... another mile... or two... or three...

2010-05-03T20:59:00.000-07:00

At the beginning of each and every one of our trips, the posts on our blog are frequent. Usually once a day. At the end of the trip, you are lucky if you get one post to read in five or so days. If you are just tuning in you can probably tell we are in the beginning of our trip.

Day two! On Sunday night we pulled into a parking spot somewhere West of Ely, Nevada after we realized the tail lights on the trailer weren't operational. We were all serenaded to sleep at about 2330hrs by faint rap music which was being played from the local bar a block away. Dad wanted to get an early start the next morning, so at 0600hrs the slides went in with sleeping people hardly noticing. The light sleepers of the family (Mom and I) were up and ready in no time.

It is a Monday, so Ben does have work to do. It's hard for Dad and I to do what we do using cell phones.

Anthony and I were taking the signs literally!

A local train tunnel attracted our attention.

Some of the boys went further into the tunnel... then they came running out. Some say there were spiders the size of cows on the walls.

Since we were in the flat deserts of Nevada and Utah, Dad wanted the two new permit holders to try their hands at the wheel. Matthew went first.

Nic went second. Matthew isn't as freaked out as Anton was.

Mom is quick with the AAA tourist guide, and she found an interesting museum that was free. Anthony, Sara, Bex an I decided to use their sign as a limbo game.

Our family likes group shots in front of random items. A cabin.

This tractor they had on display is the exact type that Dad learned on when he was seven years old.

Who knows what Sara was sticking her hands into.

After we were done, Nic decided he wanted to call someone. Who knows who he was trying to call from Delta, Utah though...

One of our various stops was at a antique/thrift/all sorts of things store. They had everything from $6 playing cards, to a Samurai Sword.

We stopped at the JJWD Hardware store to fill up our propane tank. Ben found some upside down sunglasses for $1.69.

In between Southeast Utah and Southwest Colorado is one of the most beautiful places to visit (if you like dry and arid). We stopped at a vista point to look out over the cliffs. It was just a bit windy and cold.

Another group shot!

Nic got a little too close to the edge... good thing he has a lot of brothers.

Welcome to Green River, Utah. The town that had many random opportunities to take pictures! Ben discovered his long lost restaurant that looked like it closed 50 years ago.

Everyone needs a missile for their local park!

Think we'll survive?

Dad saved us all by disarming the device.

Nic found a large piece of watermelon to keep him occupied.

We can't go to the town of Green River and not get a picture next to the Green River! A rare picture of Dad and his kids.

A local diner was found right on the Green River. The younger five ate with us too... we didn't
leave them in the RV.

After Green River, Ben hopped into the driver's seat and drove another 100 miles to the town of Grand Junction, Colorado where we will be spending the night in the Wal-Mart parking lot... a Hector family tradition! I leave you now to head into the Wal-Mart bathroom to brush my teeth with the guys. Goodnight!

Rumble Score:
Dad 1
Ben 1
Thomas 0
Matthew 1
Nic 1

A journey of two thousand miles begins with......

2010-05-02T18:49:00.000-07:00

...asking someone to marry you.

Hello all of you Hector blog followers! We are off on the final chapter of the Elevenfold cord, one last piling into the RV with 11 people, and the beginning of a new set of journeys.

As is common during our trips, bets were taken on what time we would actually leave. Mom wanted to leave at 0800hrs, Dad didn't care (except he claims he wanted to get me to Tiffany as fast as possible), Thomas said 1030hrs, and I claimed around 1100, with a latest time of 1145hrs. We left at...........................1208hrs. Right on schedule.

After waving goodbye to our wonderful neighbors:

We stopped at our traditional spot to get a bon-voyage picture, and Sara wanted to try being a cheerleader!

Not much of significance happened on the first leg of the trip. Sara and I slept for a few hours, Nic read his book, and everyone else lounged around. We have seen the beautiful mountain vistas of the Sierra Nevada so often that no one even looked outside! (I even had to grab this photo from elsewhere on the net....)

After the decent into Reno, it was discovered that the Atlantis Buffet was closed until 1630hrs, and we had an hour to kill. That was spent looking for a mattress, none was found, which made Anton very happy:

There are two reasons for going to a casino, neither of them being gambling. One is the food, which we enjoyed so much that there were no photos, and the other is a ride on the glass elevator. We are much too poor to hit the amusement parks, and this is the next best thing!

Before hitting the road again, Dad took a moment to enjoy the scenery, that and we had accidentally locked him out of the RV:

Time on the road was spent getting our 38 pounds of tomatillos ready for traveling:

and looking for brown signs:

Right now we are traveling down Hwy 50, across the ruggedly beautiful land of rural Nevada. One additional loss during this trip will be the pictures of our trying to find internet connections in odd places. Droid phones are able to link our computers anywhere we are, and that will hopefully mean more frequent updates! Pray for safe travels during this trip, and the Lord's blessings on our journey. One last photo, for your enjoyment:

Later!

BFH

Rumble score:

Dad 0
Thomas 0
BFH 0

Fire and rain

2010-04-25T10:13:00.001-07:00

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Friends,

The last weekend in April is reserved for the annual H family bonfire. Let's start with a little history: The English term bonfire is attested from the 15th century, as banefire "bone-fire", originally of fires in which the bones of slaughtered animals were burned, allegedly a Gaelic tradition of the slaughter season in autumn.
Nowadays, we merely warm our bones by the fire, but we burned two days in the process. Please join me as we look at some highlights from this double day extravaganza.

Greetings, y'all! Families started arriving by midday Friday. Parking spots were claimed and tents were pitched.

It didn't take long for the fun and games to begin. The big fire isn't lit until dusk and there is plenty to do before then.

Foosball tournaments went on and on and on.

Bubbles were a new addition to the event. Thanks Casey!

Josh retreats, not wanting to undo Casey's work.

Mr. R is pretty passionate about food; his emotions come pouring out at a time like this.

This is not the bonfire. This is one of the two campfires we light for the purpose of cooking hot dogs. S'mores will come later.

Hot dogs and warm knuckles, throw in a little smoke inhalation and you have the makings of a great day!

Hey Ben, what are you thinking about? He didn't use the welding helmet this year, he's mellowing with age.

Every family brought a side dish. Nobody went hungry.

Mrs. H's pink bottle. It goes everywhere with her.

POP QUIZ: Mrs. H and Ben are talking about:
A) How to achieve world peace.
B) How great the bonfire is going to be.
C) May 15, 2010

Let me explain the curious title of this post. On all the previous bonfires the concern has been that conditions would be too dry to light the fire out of the fear that we might burn down the rest of the county. This has been a very wet spring and it rained Thursday. This year we were concerned that the pile would be too wet to light!

The fire started out slowly, we worried that it was going to sputter out, but Neighbor Bob has a few tricks up his sleeve. It eventually got going.

Whoosh! A year's worth of prunings, four stumps and two whole pine trees went up in flames.
****
By next morning the once mighty pile was small enough to serve as a foot stool. People stayed up very late the night before so the cool morning got off to a slow start. That gray and black shape on the right is the once mighty stump of the magnificent oak that graced our front yard. It did not burn much at all and will be the cornerstone of next year's bonfire.

Lots of rain guarantees that there will be plenty of muddy wet shoes.

Breakfast was served inside, as is the tradition.

The black powder gang took advantage of the shooting range. Mountains are pretty to look at, they stop bullets too.

Ben in motion increases the risk of bloodshed. These wounds were incurred on the hike.

Mr. O demonstrated his occupational skills by roping a Cow-asaki. Git along little doggy.

Friends held friends.

Friends held friends.

Friends held friends.

Some friends didn't want to be held.

This spring has been cool as well as wet. Not many people took advantage of the pool and nobody stayed in for very long.

Families wandered home as the day progressed. Mrs. H hugged everybody as they left.

No two bonfires have ever been the same, and this one was no different. The crowd was a little smaller than last year and we had to pull cars out of the mud, but everyone had a great time. We hope to see you at the next one, so mark your calendar.

NEXT STOP: Illinois!!!!!!!!!!!!! Stay tuned, there will be numerous posts in the next three weeks.

be safe,
Hec @ 19

No news is no news

2010-04-08T15:37:00.001-07:00

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Friends,

Once again, life is full of non-surprises, just day to day living. The only punctuation to the monotony would be Easter, arguably the most important event of the year. Thomas and I continue to keep our phones handy. The cameras built into them have changed the way we capture the little events that come our way. I will caption everything because Thomas is not here. He might, in fact, be using his camera at this very moment!

Easter eggs!! While not the focal point of Easter, it is still a fun family tradition. Three 18 packs!

Anthony is becoming quite the chef. He has the potential to make a name for himself in the culinary arts, not professionally mind you. He aspires to something else in a career.

Guac, guac, guac! We can eat a TON of this stuff! It tastes better than it sounds.

I wasn't there when Thomas took this shot. I not sure where they are. I think it's the Time Tunnel cafeteria.

Eggs taste better if you can see them clearly.

This thing is on TIGHT!

Anthony loosened it for me, but using a rag and making contorted faces always helps a tight lid come off.

Matthew: Taste tester.

This was taken in the Men's room at church. Every Sunday this step stool is placed in front of the sink. It must be there for a reason, so I use it without question.

What could these fine young men be waiting for?

Jessica's tacos, of course! Jessica is #1.

Hombres in Thomas' truck; let's roll!
Self portrait, taken on the bike trail.

Make sure your bike has access to plenty of cool clean water to prevent dehydration.

Nic feels that it is his patriotic duty to defend state's rights. I don't have the heart to tell him that he's fighting a losing battle, and besides, the stakes are rather low. Everybody goes home after even the fiercest battle.

War would be a lot safer if both sides used yellow caution tape.

3.14159265

3.14159265 x 4 +2= love

She may imply that she's kidding, but she's not kidding. The trouble is, others are watching.

Nic can take a simple project and find a way to twist it into something strangely complex and creative. **sniff**, I'm so proud!!

Red and brown, and I ain't talkin' about the eggs.

I suspect that these young men are up to no good. You can see it in their faces.

Incidentally, these photos are in no particular order. Let's segue to the city of Oakland. Here we see my toes at approximately 100 feet above terra firma. If you look closely, you will notice that four other people are in this image. The large gray rectangle with the small white rectangle is the back end of the ladder truck upon which I am perched. Yes, I have both hands on the camera and no hands on the ladder. That's because dropping the camera would make me extremely unpopular with the people down below. Fear not, I am wearing a ladder belt which is securely attached to the top rung. If I fall, it will be a short trip. My car is on the right side, second from the top. There are two small dogs in the white van.

Jason is the truck driver today. Here we see the same ladder that I was on, but at a very flat angle. This ladder is strong enough to stretch out parallel to the ground, even when extended all the way out. That's the equivalent of a seven story building lying on its side. Jason is checking the various components that make up the ladder, especially the ones that effect our safety. Take your time Jason. These monster rigs require two drivers and have two steering wheels, one at each end. Sticker price is over $700,000. There are seven of them in the city of Oakland.

Here comes Jason; his inspection is complete, the ladder is sound. Let's get back to the house.

This is good news.

Put a tiny dot of food coloring on the egg and blow with all your might. Let it dry and repeat the process with a different color. Stop when you get light headed.

I'm going to let Ben explain this one...

...it's worse than you think.

Fruit salad!! If the world's menu had to be stripped down to just one choice, I hope it would be this.

Thomas made biscuits, or beekees, as they are known in JB's world.

Forget that canned stuff.

Paaaat it!

And roooolll it!

And mark it with a "B"!

The ukulele's broken string was replaced by this fine fellow from Best Music Co. of Oakland, CA. After the repair he tuned the instrument and laid down a quick Hawaiian riff. That and a complete second set of strings cost a mere $10.

Why would anyone flock to something with a name like that? Laura won handily. I promise that Becky will get more coverage in the next blog post; this is only her second appearance in this one.

This was taken early in the morning. It doesn't usually do this in April.

Things were better by the afternoon.

The phone cameras have been a lot of fun. Thomas and I have no intention of setting them aside. We will probably get another one once Matthew, Nic and Anthony start driving. That's just around the corner. YOU'VE BEEN WARNED!!

be safe,
Hec @ 19

Wedding bells are ringing.......

2010-03-13T10:10:00.000-08:00

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Last week the girls and I attended Tiffany's shower in Illinois. Ben has a broad range of interests and he wanted to attend. Ben loves tea parties, but that's another story! However, to stick with proper decorum, he acquiesced and didn't crash it. So, his wonderful friends in his hometown decided to give him a shower of his own. This, of course, meant the fathers and sons would also attend, for most, their very first wedding shower. What great fun we had getting together. (Ben jumping in here. Some of the captions will be me, and some will be from Mom. Let's see if you can tell who did which!)

Thomas pins on Ben's boutonnière, that will be worn at the rehearsal. Is it wise to let someone who's job is to stick people with needles do this?!?

The ladies outdid themselves with beautiful teacups, incredible tea and fabulous food. Well done!

The young men first stayed near the front door, unsure of what they were doing. Once the food came out, they played along quite nicely. Fastest way to a man's heart.....

Ben pours the first cup of tea to start the festivities.

No one had any trouble enjoying the fabulous food, except Thomas, who wanted to make sure it wasn't poisoned, first.

Thomas digs in, Ben talks to one of his groomsmen, James, as Kaylee and Rachel look shifty.....

Sara and Kelsey practice CPR on a rabbit. Live, little bunny, LIVE!!!!

What is a party without a jump rope? Joshua looks very enthused!

Brian found an isolated corner to enjoy his food in peace.

The shower included a variety of games, like chess. Nothing like a little "war on a board" for a groom's shower.

The best part about a party? GIFTS! Free stuff, free stuff! Oh, right, and the people are nice too......

Ben opening his gifts, while his best man makes sure he writes down who gave what. Forget about being a paramedic, Thomas. You are just too cute as a secretary!

Do you know the muffin man?

Handmade potholders, absolutely beautiful!! Second only to homemade pots!

Tools for the man of the house! Ben is still very secure in his masculinity!

Tiff might try to steal this one.....

No home is complete without an apple peeler!

A ladle, nearly big enough to double as the bathtub....

Behold, a schizophrenic chair! Scroll down to see it switch personalities.......

Wait for it, wait for it.......

Boom! Now it is a stool! How cool is that?

Anthony and JT playing patty-cake. They are sooooo sweet!

Um....... I really don't know what this is all about.

Hat game, hat game! Everyone loves the hat game!

The blushing bride....I mean groom!

Mr. H and I have had 26 wonderful years together. There have been challenges and setbacks along the way, but the blessings have far outweighed the disappointments. We feel that we have gone full circle now and are so thankful to watch the process start all over again in our children.

Ben asked me to extend a heart-felt THANK YOU to our dear Patterson friends for honoring the Lord, Tiffany and him with this ancient tradition. He promises that he will live up to all our expectations.

There was one person who was greatly missed at this grand event. She knows exactly who she is!

with love,
Mrs. H

More from the half empty house

2010-03-06T20:24:00.000-08:00

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Friends,

We are still without Ben and the women. Thomas has worked the last two days and I worked yesterday. So how do you think Matthew, Nick, Anthony and Jonathan did all by themselves? They did great!! Let's take a look at the last two days.

Nana has been invited to lunch. She also does our Friday singing lessons. Let's throw some spicy shrimp on the barbi. The date on Jonathan's pictures is dd mm yy. His clock might be a little off.

Nick loaded these little beauties up with all kinds of peppers and cayenne. Aye Caramba!!

This was the day that the propane tank decided to go dry. Camp stove to the rescue!

Everything is ready for Nana's arrival.
***
Let's jump to Saturday morning.

Donuts made from scratch!! Don't play with your food Matthew.

Done to perfection. The foil makes clean up a snap.

Just like Krispy-Creme!!

The cats are glad I'm home. It's been a little chilly these past few days and a car hood is a great place to warm up.

Matthew and Anthony are working hard to expand the orchard. These nasty bushes serve no purpose and they have to go.

The back fence was in pretty bad shape, but it's looking better now. The sheep won't be visiting the neighbor anymore.

Lunch was left over lasagna. The rice noodles kinda busted up, but they still taste great.

The RV was past due for an oil change. Anthony is learning how it's done, much to Nicks amusement.

Texas tea.

Pizza for dinner, also from scratch.

Masters at work. Yum!!

These guys won't have any trouble leaving the nest. They are dialed in!!

Church clothes are prepared for tomorrow. Tonight's devotional reading was 1 Cor. 10:13 and Psalm 119: 1-16. They tie in very nicely with the reading from Galatians.

A little wood to keep things warm for the night, and we're off to bed.

Living without a big chunk of the family is okay for a while, and we manage as best we can (as this picture will attest). But we don't want to live this way permanently. Come home family!!

be safe,
Hec @ 19

Bachelor life

2010-03-05T09:41:00.001-08:00

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Friends,

Ben ran off to Illinois and he took all the women folk with him. Fear not, this is merely a temporary development. It does, however, leave our household to be be run by men. Things are different when the ladies are gone.
thanks to Matthew, our primary photographer for this post.

A busted stove is soon repaired when men are around. Tools arrive, parts fly in all directions. Problems are identified, strategies are formulated. Action is initiated, order is restored. TA-DAA! It only took two trips to the hardware store.

The only thing better than making repairs in the kitchen is dragging the problem out to the ultimate man's lair, the garage. Want to make a garage more comfortable? Fill the shelves with copious amounts of hazardous materials. Be sure to stay upwind if this baby ever catches fire!! Can't you just feel the father-son bonding?

We planted apple trees. This is where we get back to our organic roots (no pun intended). Each tree gets a big dose of horse manure to get it off to a good start. Hey Ben; You're in charge of fencing!!

Shovels are handy for lots of jobs. The dog food starts out in the bucket with the red lid. The dog eats it. Later on, the dog leaves the reconstituted dog food on the slab in his pen. This new product is shoveled into the other bucket and moved to an obscure part of the property. It's a simple system, but no lady has EVER been expected to do this job. This is men's work!!

World domination, even when it is reduced to child's play, has long held the interest of the H boys.

What could be more manly than eating a quesaldilla for dinner on a table strewn with tools and stove parts? Some of us even ate together, but there was very little talking going on.

KP is an all hands affair. Duties are assigned and executed. No problemo.

The next order of business is devotions. Tonight's reading is Galatians 5: 16-26. This is a big meaty topic with lots of in your face concepts to grasp. Perfect for an all-guy event. Knitting helps to foster true masculine confidence. Anybody want to make something of it???? I didn't think so!

What better way to wind down the day than with a hearty milkshake? There was a choice of secret ingredients from which to chose. Yes, Nick took his enzymes.

The mood was light.

A display of weaponry is expected, and is barely noticed.

The end-of-the-day festivities brings everyone to the mega couch for a little work-out on the Wii. This is male bonding at its best. We don't even remember where the poker chips are kept.

Run Mario, run!!

Man is triumphant!! The household continues to function, even in the void left by our traveling wife, mother, daughters and sisters. But to tell you the truth, it just isn't the same. Come home women folk, and bring Ben with you!! We miss you!!

be safe,
Hec @ 19

Keeping things fresh

2010-02-21T09:49:00.001-08:00

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Friends,
It's a proven fact; If you don't update the blog regularly, readership falls off. The trouble is, there come moments in our household when nothing much is going on. This post reflects such a lull. Without an event to provide a theme, an alternative has to be found.

Thomas and I both got new phones at Christmas time and we have made liberal use of the cameras that are built into them. This post is a product of those two cameras.

Beware of any device that can cause trance like stares.

Taken last Saturday, this shot is of Ben as he rests part way into his 88.3 mile bicycle ride from home to Pastor's house.

Thomas crocheted this hat and gave it to Grandma.

Jonathan makes hash browns while Matthew whips up omelets for everyone. That was a GREAT breakfast!

We went to Grandma's for Valentine's day. This photo suggests that we weren't having a good time, and it is true that one important person was missing, but it really was an enjoyable day.

Mother Dear with her blank expression, and Nic with his favorite leather jacket waiting to give up some blood.

People make fun of my cheap glasses. They are especially tickled when I stack up two pair on my nose. I bought an expensive pair of bifocals once. They didn't last very long. Here is a pair of my Walgreen's cheapos. I was chasing a chicken when the glasses flew off my face and landed under foot. This is why I don't buy expensive glasses.

Mrs. H and I went on a very rare excursion without children. This is the back side of our local museum. We were delightfully surprised by what we found and promised ourselves that we would come back with the whole family.

This ancient bear skin was one of the curious exhibits.

Now wait a minute! I thought Miwok meant squirrel!!

This is what I see when I look down.

Have you ever wondered what the inside of an ambulance looked like while driving across the Bay Bridge to San Francisco? Well, now you know.

The skyline of San Francisco from the inside of an ambulance. This is really unimpressive after watching the Olympics and seeing the various shots of the skyline of Vancouver.

Anthony's hair got totally out of control!! Don't worry, it has been expertly shorn by his brother and he is back to his respectable self again.

We are searching for a place to hold the West Coast reception for Tiffany & Ben's wedding. This castle has some wonderful features, but the amenities (i.e. porta-potties) seemed a little inadequate for our guests.

Nick was right at home here.

How many bricks does it take to build a castle?

Ben is something of a clothes horse. Here he is, looking rather dapper as he descends the spiral staircase.

I seem to take a bunch of pictures while in an ambulance. Weird. This is a massive cloud with the sunset bouncing off. Lots of man-made distractions in this shot, but the cloud is truly amazing.

Waste not, want not.

Doesn't this look like the ultimate Hector vehicle? It only needs to be pulling a trailer full of motorcycles to complete the package.

Another "from an ambulance" shot. This is the local Cal Fire station with a light dusting of snow. The firefighters here are seasonal (they get a long vacation during Winter), so they rarely see it with the white fluffy stuff coming down.

Some times the clothes horse gets bucked off.

Fresh roadside, roadkill BBQ anyone?

A dear friend from the Lone Star State loaned us a star. You don't have to wear flannel to hold a star, but you can if you want to.

Is your mama a llama? Does your dress resemble the one in the book?

Gumbo!! Purple is Laura's color.

Sara's face is lit up because she is about to enjoy a rare treat.

Take five young men, five computers, a tangle of cables and one game. Add a little technical savvy and a rainy Saturday afternoon. The result is five interconnected computers and a technological triumph.

Jonathan loves Mexican food. He is a chip off the old block.

Brotherly and sisterly love.

Motherly and daughterly love.

Funny, we're twins in all but hair color.

Sara is practicing her grandma skills. She'll make a good abuela someday.

SUNSHIIINEE!!!!

No computers here, but still plenty of fun.

Christmas dinner to be. Dad was gone. Ben was gone. Carving was left to me.

My little sister is **sniff** growing up!! **sniff**

I couldn't resist this shot. There was a set of matching leather luggage in one of these bright red vehicles. Can you guess which one?

The clothes horse has once again been bucked from the saddle.

Having a camera in your pocket means that lots of little moments are captured that would have otherwise been lost. The quality does not compare to our big cameras, but what good is quality if it's sitting on the shelf?

be safe,
Thomas & Hec @ 19

One of His best miracles

2010-01-31T15:46:00.000-08:00

Friends,

Many of you have met our small flock of sheep. They are great creatures. They keep the weeds down, they amuse us, they are companions to the horse and yes, they feed our family. The sheep teach us important lessons about God's creation and stewardship. On Saturday, we were blessed with a new set of triplets!

This is Patty, she is our proud mother. She is very maternalistic and therefore quite attentive to her lambs. She is ordinarily our friendliest ewe but for the time being she stamps her feet when we get too close to her brood, warning us to keep our distance. Don't worry, her bleat is worse than her bite; we are not intimidated by her sheepish threats. You might be surprised to learn that not all ewes are good mothers. A lesser mom would abandon one of the three babies, but Patty cares for all of them. That does not guarantee that all three will survive.

A good rule of thumb for any new born lamb is to stay near the cafeteria.

We have sequestered Patty's new family for the first few days. This keeps Patty from becoming distracted by the lure of the pasture (her cafeteria) and it prevents the possibility of the babies being trampled by the other sheep. Maternalisim is not a communal trait in the barnyard. Patty is enjoying a diet of alfalfa, water and sheep salt. It won't take long for the lambs to become agile enough to avoid their father and aunts. Then we will let them rejoin the flock.

LUNCHTIME!!! As they grow we will have to supplement their diet with a bottle because Patty won't be able to produce enough milk for three hungry mouths. Interestingly, we have to begin bottle feeding them now. If we wait we won't be able to catch them so as to introduce them to the bottle (see the preceding paragraph).

We have a dear friend that has a thing for clouds. This photo, taken shortly after the lambs were born, is for her.

You will be glad to know that Ben got his oil changed and Anthony is at rest.

be safe,
Hec @ 19

Strong Man or Light Car?

2010-01-29T16:54:00.000-08:00

There are many ways that Ben tries to save money, from passing by Starbucks without stopping to changing his own oil in his car, which is on the agenda for tomorrow. He is quite frugal, and we all should learn from his penny pinching habits. But when you use your own brother as a jack?? That's where I draw the line...

That's one small step for homeschoolers

2010-01-07T20:28:00.001-08:00

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"Gort! Klaatu barada nikto!"

Or words to that effect. Hello friends!! Despite the lack of Ben, we cannot be dissuaded from having a little fun with our good friends, the S. family and the B. family. We decided to pay a visit to the Tech Museum in San Jose. We hadn't been there since the kids were very small; Thomas didn't remember much of it and Nic didn't remember it at all.

Mrs. H. and Mrs. S. lead the pack. The B. family arrived earlier and were waiting inside for us.

Visiting a museum sounds like fun, but going with friends makes it even better.

Three families can pretty much fill up an escalator. What do you call the half that goes down? Descendalator? Netherlator? Subjacentor?

This curious projector had the ability to sense obstacles. It held our attention for a long time and had a soothing effect on the tribe.

Morgan and Lindsey enjoy a lovely afternoon on Mars.

Your mission Nic, should you decide to accept it, is to hit the circle of green lights with your red beam. You only have the two joysticks to operate the thrusters on your jet pack.

Mission accomplished!! This message will not self destruct.

Some juxtapositions cannot be ignored, even if you don't believe them.

Beeeep! Mrs. H. goes on an extravehicular maneuver. Beeeep!

Anthony decided to join his mom.

Jonathan decided to join Anthony and his mom.

Becky decided to join Jonathan, Anthony and her mom.

Sara decided to join Becky, Jonathan, Anthony and her mom.

Nic, the astro-nut, decided to join Sara, Becky, Jonathan, Anthony and his mom.

Laura decided to join Nic, Sara, Becky, Jonathan, Anthony and her mom.

Matthew decided to join Laura, Nic, Sara, Becky, Jonathan, Anthony and his mom. If I have to put up with the twelve days of Christmas song, you have to put up with me.

Sara got involved in a virtual wheel chair race at the moon base. She won, of course.

The million dollar machine performed flawlessly. The homeschooler running it needed a little help with his spelling.

As a general rule, don't shoot up at people looking down at you; it usually isn't flattering to your subjects. I seem to have gotten away with it this time. Perhaps it's because my subjects are so charming.

This device, a hold over from the original Tech Museum, was our favorite part of the trip. It sent billiard balls on a Rube Goldberg journey, up and down, back and forth, over and under. Boing, Klang, Whoosh!!

As you can see...

it held our attention...

for quite some time!

Before you jump to any conclusions about what a marvelous time we had, I think it only fair to inform you that the moms and dads unanimously agreed that San Jose's Tech Museum was a disappointment to us. I recommend that those of you looking for this sort of experience would be better served by going to the Exploratorium in San Francisco. That being said, a dull museum with good friends is a better day than a great museum by yourself. The H.'s and the S.'s would like to warmly thank the B,'s for taking us back to their home for a wonderful dinner after our excursion. It was the perfect cap to a pleasant day.

be safe,
Hec @ 19

Oh Tannenbaum

2009-12-19T14:24:00.000-08:00

Friends,
The annual pilgrimage has been made, a tree has been found, claimed, cut, moved, erected and decorated. Here are the details.

Trees don't come to you, you go to them. They hide among their friends. To find the right one it is best to search on foot.

We have traveled to the local Christmas tree farm. Like any commercial enterprise there are clauses, conditions, admonitions, rules and regulations.

We searched low...

we searched high.

Thomas was more interested in his new toy. That's okay because he got some nice shots.

I sometimes walk a little faster than the rest of my family.

There are LOTS of trees to be found, but only one is the right one.

The brisk air and beautiful scenery puts a spring in your step. That's Anthony.

That's Matthew, same story.

At last!! The right tree has been discovered. Nic does the dirty work. Thomas, Anthony and I document the event.

All you Jarheads say "Cheese!".

Laura is amused by our antics.

Just a few more swift strokes will complete the task.

Just a few more shots will record the event.

I can't remember if this was a life lesson, a sermonette or a prayer.

We had traveled far. The journey back would be arduous.

Left, left, left right left.

The sun was low in the sky by the time we got back to the truck and van (the van won't carry a tree, the truck won't carry our family) and completed the transaction.

A few days later, we brought the tree inside. Matthew is an expert at tree handling.

Oops. Measure twice, cut once.

Cut again.

The finished product, trimmed on both ends and decorated sparingly.

Memories are built one moment at a time. Some are better than others; this one was better than most. Remember why we do all of this.

be safe,
Hec @ 19

Announcing!!

2009-12-11T21:11:00.001-08:00

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Mr & Mrs H are pleased to announce the engagement of their son, Ben, to
Tiffany, the daughter of Pastor & Mrs McD of Illinois.
A May wedding is planned at Providence Church in Morton, Illinois.

Any parent will tell you, nothing has a bigger impact on a believing family than who the children marry. Mrs H and I are truly blessed that Tiffany has consented to marry our son. She comes from a fine family, one that we have grown very close to. Tiffany is bright, mature, talented and charming. She shares many of Ben's interests and all of his beliefs and values. She is an exceptional seamstress and a fine pianist. She has a beautiful singing voice, a sharp wit and a great memory for detail. We have enjoyed watching Ben blossom as he has prepared himself for Holy matrimony to a fine young lady.

To God be the Glory!!

2009-12-08T22:34:00.000-08:00

Here are some wrap up shots taken on the day after the storm. Seeing as how the last photo contest was so popular, let's do another one. All but one of these shots were taken by Matthew. Can you guess which one isn't Matthews?

The pond froze solid enough to bounce rocks off of its surface.

You can always count on an icicle to point the way to the center of the Earth.

Helpful hint: Don't do this if you want to stay warm and dry.

The oaks greet each other over the deck, framing the end of the day.

I promised to tell you about our mid-storm dinner. Mrs. H and her crew prepared lamb chops and potato pancakes (Grandma Ruth's recipe) by candle light and without running water. It was the finest meal I've ever eaten.

The next blog will be an important announcement from a senior member of the family. Stay tuned.

be safe,
Hec @ 19

Snow report

2009-12-07T18:18:00.000-08:00

Today was supposed to be spent down in Valley Springs homeschooling with some other families. A major snow storm changed all that. As usual, the electricity is out. We have powered a few of the necessities (like the Internet) with the RV's generator. PG&E says they will know by noon tomorrow when the power will be back on. That could be a day or two later, and their estimates are always optimistic.

The rain gauge doesn't understand snow, so Anthony braved the cold to put a ruler in our closest snow bank.

That green thing is a twelve inch ruler.

Tara came to the door to check on us. Is she suffering in the cold?

Nah, I never met a suffering dog that was in the mood for a game of chase the tail.

If counter clock wise doesn't work, try clock wise. That didn't work either.

Nic wanted toast. The wood stove works no matter what.

Brunch on the patio, anyone?

Photo contest: Can you figure this one out?

The storm finally broke, so the youngest four broke out the snow gear.

Hand delivered snowballs are much more accurate than the thrown variety.

Even Sara and Becky want a piece of Jonathan.

Jonathan evened the score.

The Ben-mobile isn't going anywhere.

The Indian Head is never prettier than when it sports a shock of white hair.

Being without electricity also means not having water, lights, refrigeration and a host of other modern day conveniences. But it doesn't mean you have to go without family activities, a good meal (more on that tomorrow) contentment and an appreciation for Gods abundance. The Hector's are home bound, and that suits me just fine.

be safe,
Hec @ 19

Thanksgiving day and it's traditions

2009-11-28T09:06:00.000-08:00

⁴ And in that day you will say:

“ Praise the LORD, call upon His name;
Declare His deeds among the peoples,
Make mention that His name is exalted.
⁵ Sing to the LORD,
For He has done excellent things;
This is known in all the earth.
⁶ Cry out and shout, O inhabitant of Zion,
For great is the Holy One of Israel in your midst!”

Isaiah 12:4-6

Thanksgiving day is steeped in tradition at our household. We do things a certain way because that's the way it was done last year and the year before that. Tradition dictates that we spend the day with the Dunfees and this year was no exception. In fact, some of them arrived Tuesday night to help prepare for the event. Here we see Kirsten helping Thomas make salsa. The Pilgrims had salsa, right?

Grandma Ruth had a tradition of making breakfast rolls for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. Ben carries on that tradition now, and Jonathan helps by grinding up a bunch of walnuts.

Matthew worked hard by making tacos for Wednesday's dinner. Corn or flour tortillas, take your pick.

***
Here we are at Thursday morning. Mrs. H and I were up early getting the turkey (one that we raised) into the oven. People filter into the kitchen and hover over Ben's excellent work until the breakfast bell is rung. Last night we rang the taco bell (sorry!).

Sara and Suzanna stay busy with a little crochet work.

Setting up the tables is always a BIG production. We try arranging them this way and that before settling for the same old arrangement we use every year.

The refrigerator is always overstuffed, and this year that resulted in Ben's coconut cream pie getting an extra ingredient.

Table decorations are carefully chosen and placed.

We decided to do assigned seating this year; we may be traditionalists but that doesn't mean we can't be innovative. Guess who sat here!

Aunt Debbie taught us the value of hors d'ourves. The whole table was crowded with stuff by the time we were done. I'm doing a taste test of the sweet gherkins. Nobody cared that dinner was late. Nice job, Mrs. H!!

Ben is the pie guy. Pecan, pumpkin, cherry, apricot and hard lemonade coconut cream!!

Ben was also tasked with mashing the potatoes. He used the "on the floor and furiously bob your head" method.

Perfect!!
***
We have to apologize. With all of the pictures that were taken, there are absolutely none of the dinner itself. We also missed half of the guests that graced us with their presence this year. Nana & Poppa, Marsha & Bob, the Van V's and the B's were all there, but we can't prove it!

Nobody picked up the camera again until the start of the traditional talent show.

The Dunfee sisters sang a wonderful rendition of Sisters.

Benjamin D. amazed us with his manual dexterity. He didn't drop a single lemon!

The H boys did a skit that gave pacifism a strangely humorous twist.

After the talent show the youngsters went outside for a traditional game of Capture the Flag. Nic can tie his shoes and talk on the phone at the same time, but only if he is wearing camo.

***
Friday morning found us polishing off the breakfast rolls.

The adventuresome members of our group decided to take a hike up to the top of the Indian Head after breakfast. There are several ways to get there, but our favorite path takes us up Fern Gully. These two photos reveal how the gully got it's name. Thanksgiving day was warm and sunny, but Friday was cold and damp. A light mist began to fall as we reached the head of the gully.

Forward, march!!

This amazing collection of mushrooms were found waiting for their picture to be taken. We obliged.

By the time we popped out of the gully a light rain was falling. This ledge provided just enough shelter for us to rest in a dry spot.

We pressed on despite the rain and made it all the way to the top of the Indian Head!!

Congratulations to Sara, the youngest member of the expedition! This was her first time to the top.

We no sooner made it back to the house when the rain stopped and the clouds parted. We were soaked by then but satisfied with the experience. Cloud report!

Tired legs deserve a movie.

We have two more traditions to tell you about. The first one is the annual group shot. We have a lot of these going way, way back.

The other tradition is done right after the Thanksgiving dinner. Everyone at the table is asked to tell what they are thankful for. Many things are mentioned, but there are certain things that are always mentioned. Everyone agrees that the greatest thing to be thankful for is what God has done, that His Son died for our salvation and for His unfailing promises. We are all thankful for family and friends. Ben is especially thankful for what lies ahead, as are the rest of us.

As you stop to count your blessings, make sure you have plenty of time. The list is very long.

be safe,
Hec @ 19

Reformation 2009

2009-11-04T13:37:00.000-08:00

Listen up ye! Listen up ye! Pictures from this year's Reformation Celebration have been sorted, edited, and are now ready for your viewing pleasure! Captions are being penned by Sir Thomas de Flannel... read on!

The Hector family was in charge of the meal for the evening, but we never could have done it without the help of ready and willing volunteers. Looks like they are having a grand time with the green beans.

Head Chef Mom (a.k.a. Jean) works on frying up some cubed cow. Great job Mom!

One person we would especially like to thank is Angela... She went above and beyond, and was a huge help. Thanks Angela!!

Potato dumplings were on the menu. So were messy hands.

Jonathan arranging the finished product. See how clean and organized those counters look? That would change by the end of the night.

Another helper that went above and beyond. Thanks Ryn!!!

So is Rachel anticipating the food or the festivities?

Jennifer is certainly excited!

Before dinner, everyone gathered on the green-grassy-knoll.... actually it was more like a green-grassy-flat-spot.... for some Reformation games.

Brian was ready to help keep track of the winners.

A favorite from last year, so we had to bring it back, was "Hit The Person Off The Railroad Tie With A Pillow".

Is Paige admitting defeat??

Two reformers and a pair of authentic Reformation Glasses.

After the games, dinner was to be served. Bread is always the highlight of any meal.

Yes, even bread served by royalty.

Or Court-Jesters.

The reformers and glasses add a fourth member.

Four damsels guarded by two fearless crusaders in the background.

A lady and a cross worth fighting for.

Sir Nick of the Poofy Black Shirt clan!!

Two ladies, a cross and a pair of shades worth fighting for.

With dinner concluded, the tables were put away and dancing ensued. Eva and Sara love dancing.

Eva LOVES dancing.

Matthew apparently loves to sing.

How can you dance the Virginia Reel before there was a Virginia?

Last but not least, the cleanup.

Thank you to everyone who helped make the night!! We couldn't have done it without you!! Please join us again next year for an awesome afternoon of food, fellowship and fun!

It's Superman, it's a plane, no...

2009-10-19T16:03:00.000-07:00

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It's a bird!

I have been asked to put a bit of explanation in this post. Back story is very important, unless you are writing a mystery novel, which I am not, so I have no qualms about telling how things came to be as they were, as I might otherwise have. Now that we have that straight, I'd like to introduce you to Algernon Moncrief Nesia. Read the story, then think about it, you might get the name....

Algernon, or Algy, as he was known, happened to be a little song sparrow that managed to fly directly into the fence around our pool. No signs of damage, but the little guy had lost all of his faculties, and lay listlessly on the ground. I had Nic retrieve him for me, as I was shoe-less, and held I him for a bit. He did not seem to mind being held, and his eyes were nearly shut. After about an hour of me holding him, he regained his composure, and still seemed to like sitting on or near my hand. Once he was fully back to normal, he would fly about the house, landing on various perches, including my head, but would alway hop back on my finger when I put my hand near him.

After one night sleeping inside the house, he seemed to be better, and was trying try to fly out our windows, unsuccessfully. So, I got him back on my finger, on which he would still sit without restraint, and took him back outside. He made a short flight, sat on the ground, let me get him on my finger again, and then flew another short distance. After a couple repetitions, he finally flitted off into the trees, and I have not seen him since. Just like kids these days, you sweat and slave for their well being, and then they are just gone! They never call, they never write, just leaving us to worry.... *sigh* Take care Algy!

Perhaps you've heard

2009-10-14T20:02:00.000-07:00

Friends,

California made the national news on Tuesday after enduring a state-wide record breaking storm, the first of the winter season. We were full participants in the process and yet we lived to tell the tale. Photos by Matthew, Mrs. H. and yours truly.
The rain started out light and easy, no big deal.

But the rain didn't stop, it didn't stop, then it failed to stop. After that, it didn't stop some more. All told, we collected four inches of rain.

In addition to the rain, we got wind. It huffed and it puffed and it blew our tree down. We loved that tree. Anthony heard it go over and thought that it was thunder. This isn't the first oak that we've lost in a storm, in fact, this is the third one to go down in the ten years that we've lived here.

Our pond went from bone dry to nearly full in a single day. That has never happened before.

It was the perfect day for a toasty fire. Yes, that is oak in the wood stove. Can you sense the ironic tension that exists in this equation?

Thomas cut through the last bit of red tape that separates the EMT's from the Paramedics. He will be able to practice his new craft as soon as his card arrives in the mail. This has nothing to do with the storm, but it was the brightest spot in an other wise dreary day.

The power went out at 1:00 in the afternoon. It stayed out for twenty nine long hours. Matthew saw the art in our throw-back lighting system. He has a good eye.

Meanwhile, back at the tree... it was time to convert our beloved friend into wood stove fodder. Does my hearing protection compliment or clash with the saw?

Our neighbor Bob owns a splitter which he was kind enough to bring over.

Speaking of Bob, there he is now. We will be delivering a large load of wood to his house next week.

Once again, our Lord threw me a bone by sparing the boat from the ferocity of the falling oak. One well placed limb would have destroyed the valiant craft. photo by Mrs. H.

Our resident fire engine did not fare as well.

The Suburban picked up a few memory marks as well. Some think of it as damage, I call it accumulated character.

What better time to try on winter clothes than during a storm?

No power means no heat in the barn for our chicks. They get a spot near the wood stove under these circumstances.

Sara found a butterfly while dragging limbs to the burn pile. (Next year's bonfire is shaping up to be a doozey!)

One of the great catastrophes is the loss of our beloved tree swing. Friends, please submit your tree swing memories in the comment section.

It took a while to unbury the fire engine.

All in all, it could have been worse. Imagine what would have happened if the tree had fallen in the other direction. Nic's bedroom lies closest to the tree. A dented fire engine is better than a dented Nicholas.

Ben did duty as a limb dragger. The pile was much larger by the end of the day. The sheep love oak leaves and spent a lot of the day munching away at the pile. Think of it as an all you can eat salad bar.

We don't have to buy any fire wood next year. Bob estimates that the tree will yield three cords of wood.

Nic never fails to be Nic. He went up the pine to throw down a few limbs that got stuck up there. Melodrama has always been his strong suit.

Jean and I are the first generation in our families to be born with in-door plumbing and electricity. Both Jean's parents and mine know about hauling water and fire wood and using an out-door privy. My dad used to entertain my brothers and me with stories of having to chase snakes from the out house. We had to live for a single day as our parents did and it was quite a disruption to our comfy lives. As you count your blessings, don't forget the little stuff.

be safe,
Hec @ 19

Brother against brother

2009-10-04T18:26:00.000-07:00

Friends,
A sad, curious fact about the Civil War (the War between the States, for those of you below the Mason-Dixon) is that family members sometimes found themselves on opposite sides of the conflict. The H boys usually get along rather well, but this weekend's reenactment brought tensions to a boil as Thomas and Nick donned Confederate garb and Ben aligned himself with the Union.

Thomas and Nick are all smiles, seemingly oblivious to the carnage that is about to transpire.

What's this??? Ben in blue??? I know a certain someone that is going to have a LOT of questions!!

How can Mrs. H hold her composure at a time like this?!?! That's Mrs. H's brother behind her.

A skirmish has erupted, Thomas reaches for a powder charge!

The horror, the horror.

Sisters wait patiently at camp, eager for news about their brother's fate.

As the day wears on, Ben stands at attention, waiting to be pressed into action.

As the day wears on, Ben stands at attention some more, waiting to be pressed into action.

Ben is finally summoned to duty! He is shooting at his own kin!!

Undaunted, Thomas and Nick return fire! Family reunions will never be the same.

Fire!! The soldier on the right has been hit in the leg. Or maybe he is doing the Hokey-Pokey.

This is my favorite shot of the day.

I don't know what you call this thing, but it sure puts on a good show.

What's that?!?! Through the smoke... it looks like Nick has been hit!! Augh!!!

Oh wait, NOW I get it...
Did Ben feel so bad about killing his brothers that he decided to defect? Maybe it was because he has to keep a certain someone happy. Those Southerners wear the grooviest footwear!

Before heading home, we stopped off to watch a craftsman cast pewter buttons. He asked Matthew to lend a hand. Ben has decided to join the Army during the Viet Nam era.

When Tiffany came to visit, we were in the middle of a hot spell. She pointed out that California had been cloudless for the duration of her visit. This is what the sky looked like as we drove home, and these last two images are dedicated to her.

be safe,
Hec @ 19