UNO TOURNAMENT!!!!

We had the church-wide Uno Tournament today! It was so much fun. Too bad it's only once a year.
I got...what, 19th place or something? But not bad, and most of the people ahead of me were boys or littler kids (with parents to help them. No, I was not beaten by a bunch of little helpless kids! I'm better than that!), so there were still some nice prizes left when I went up to pick one. I found a very pretty wooden bowl, one that used to be part of a church pew! Someone took the ends of the bench, with crosses carved into them, and made them into bowls with the cross on the bottom. Apparently there's one as a prize every year, and they're usually 'fought' over by the women. :) I'm happy to have gotten one! I'll stick a few pictures up once I get them loaded on.

I had the little kids scared of me by the end of the first round. I'm Ruthless. I piled card after card on a little 5 yr. old and won the first round (Don't worry, she didn't cry! She ended up with only 3 points from that one, even though I had given her so many cards!), then won the second in just a few plays. After that, no one wanted to sit by me. =( And I lost the second two. =( =(
But I still won two. And a nice prize. =)

Bible study the other night was fun. I brought 50 pieces of our Secret Family Recipe Fudge, and 25 were gone in the first 15 minutes, wolfed down by 8 people! If THAT isn't a record, I don't know WHAT is! But, of course, they shouldn't have wolfed them down. The proper way to eat SFR Fudge is slowly, bite by delectable bite, savouring the flavour. O well. =)

Now I'm going to watch a short movie or two, and head for the hay. Toodleoo.

~Kiwi~

Picitatures (aka "pictures")

Double hibiscus bloom

A birthday card I made for my friend....Guess what her name is! =D

Sorry, but that's all I've got time for. We've got bible study tonight, and I need to go eat. As delicious  as the snacks I'm taking are (Secret Family Recipe Fudge and Dutch Apple Bread...Mmmmmmm...), I don't think anyone would approve of me eating ALL of it! 

Toodle-oo

~Kiwi~

P.S. I stuck up some more pictures on my photoblog! Check it out:
www.kiwi-and-her-pictures.blogspot.com

Maybe You Could Help--Monday

I need some help. Firstly with the titles. Which are boring. Secondly, last Autumn, when we first moved in, there were this little, nasty, black gnats all over my window. The holes in my screen are just big enough for the little buggers to get through. Well, with the warm weather and all, they are BACK!!!! And in full force, too! So, what do I do to keep them away? I'd appreciate it if y'all could tell me what to do about them. Fifteen blogger points to whoever can come up with something that works!


So this is what we've been doing this past week:

Monday and Tuesday: I believe we just did school. If I did anything else, it must not have been important!


Wednesday, I had Bible study at our friends house. It was also Avalon's birthday, so I did a Happy Birthday post for her. I think I'll have to mark down all my blogger-friends' birthdays, so I can do it for all of them.
We stood around afterwards, talking, and gazing at Noah's "Itouch....Udon't" as he checked to see who shared our birthdays. I don't think he checked mine. >:-[ We're working on a scoring system. Jumbo Shrimp had an Emperor born, but then two Kings died, canceling out the Emperor. I think she ended up in the 'negatives.'


Thursday I worked on a totally annoying painting that WILL NOT come out correctly. I've tried three times. The first one looked good in my head, but not on paper, so I took the element that DID look good and put it on the second sheet. It didn't look good. So then I tried a third time, and yet again it doesn't look right. I didn't give up, but it is set aside for a good, long while.
At 1:00, JS and Kirsten picked me up and we went ice skating! It was so much fun! It was homeschool skate afternoon, and I got to request which station was to be played, so I picked the Christian station with fewer commercials. We heard ITHOG and another song I haven't heard in forever: "My Deliverer" by the Ragamuffin Band. Love those two!
Skating was so much fun....I fell only once, and even then it was more of a slide than a fall....we danced the Virginia Reel on skates and played Crack-the-Whip. Friend of Narnia was there, and Kirsten, and Jumbo Shrimp.
I had a grand time, even though I now have a rawish spot on my ankle from the skate rubbing.


Friday was 'Jordan's Thirteenth birthday....turning thirteen on Friday the Thirteenth....:D Bad luck. He started the "seven years of insanity" period common to teenage boys. (not all, mind you. Just many. Don't get angry at me, Matt!) Also, the entire family entered the "seven years famine"........I'll leave y'all to figure that out..... ;D


Saturday it was warm and nice so (if I remember correctly) we got together with some friends. Ah, yes, we were out in the back yard, saying goodbye to Grandma and Grandpa G. when Monkey said "There's some people waving to us from the street!!" So I thought he meant just some of the kids that live back there. It was actually JS, Kirsten, and two other friends, Alena and Elizabeth. So we went back there and rode around. I would tell you the name of the street, 'cos it's kinda cool, but I googled it and the correct one came right up. Rats.
Monkey rode with us back there, but then we struck out on our own. Alena and Elizabeth's older bro showed up, which was good as I was having bike troubles. We had to put my chain on twice, and then Nathan got it to stay on. Now it just makes a slight grinding sound....and it's stuck in low gear. So I have to pedal really hard to go anywhere. It's tiring to do anything on it!
I want to get the Jolly Green Giant fixed.....(here's a link to a picture of a bike like it.....here's another....and this one's pretty close. My bike is brighter and has the handlebars like the last pic, only green. Anywho.)
Drat. I forgot to call the bike repair shop today. Again. There's always tomorrow.....


Sunday Mom and Dad were at membership classes at church from 1--4.
My Grandma M. was over for the weekend. She came on Sunday afternoon, and she left today. We played a few rounds of Rummy, Uno, and Checkers together.

Monday (the day this was supposed to be posted) I did an agonizing amount of schoolwork, and was finally released (thanks, Mom) and went to the park to hang out with JS and Kirsten. Know what's awesome? There were quite a few people there and......I heard not a swear word. Neat, isn't it?
And then yesterday evening Grandma and I took a walk together around the block. Our neighbors (the ones who's garage lights are on half the night and shine in my window and keep me awake) across the back lot were out and said 'hi.' Grandma thought that was so nice of them, because I said we hadn't met any of them. She also found several houses that she said (jokingly) she should buy, since they're so close by!
I don't think I've really taken the time to actually look at many of the houses in the neighborhood! There are some really nice, pretty ones that I never really noticed. I'll have to take another walk sometime soon.

Today, our friend Anna came over and we did facials. She's starting out in Mary Kay. It was cool and weird at the same time. I don't think I've ever put on eyeshadow and mascara before! Okay, maybe the eyeshadow, but not properly. We got a few good pics that I'll have to put on here.
And I went to the park again. It was sunny with a high of about 75. sweet.

Now, Soul Skittles wants me to make a big production out of this, so..... drum roll pu-lease........ Miss Skittles, I would like to present to you an over-sized check for....... FIVE (5) blogger points!!!! Yay!!! *streamers, balloons, and confetti!!* Three cheers for Skittles!!
She found the Song of the Day when no one else did! I thought it would be too obvious, but it wasn't. The song was Thrive by the Newsboys. Go see if you can find it. (but no points if you do now.)

In reply to the some of the comments left on my last post....

Judi: Yes, I should....I have a post started, but I just never get around to finishing it. I'll work on it! Yes, I've been on your blog lately, I've just been reeeeaaaally bad at commenting. Sorry! I'll head on over as soon as I get a chance.

JON MEYERS: Hi, nice to know you're still reading this! Sure, I'll write an obituary for it. What's it's name? Oh, and I saw a pic of Savannah on your sister's blog! She's so cute! I can't wait to see her in June!

Zoe: Shame on you for laughing at Everett's untimely demise! ;D Yeah, you should have heard Mom and Dad's reactions.

Skittles: I'M NOT FURGETTIN' ANYTHING! *subtracts five points from Skittles' point thingy because of impatientness on Skittles' part* JK.

guitargirl: Thanks! I will, but it won't be entirely finished for about a year. It's a once-monthly ladies quilting bible study, and there are twelve blocks. You do the math.
No, I'm using the machine. Yeah, it's slightly lazy, but....
Yes, I'm turning 17 on Monday. My counter-that-you-cannot-find is up above this post, below the video. I moved it there so that it would be rather prominent....apparently not! :D

Alayne: I saw that you're following me. Thanks! Do you have a blog? Might I ask how you found me?

And that's all I have time for today. I'll be seeing y'all later. tomorrow, probably.
Have a good day, y'all!

~Kiwi da Fruit

PIE!

Here is the promised post about my love of PIE.

I like APPLE pie. I like Apple pie with French topping, a lattice top-crust, and just a normal top crust. Apple pie is good.

I like PECAN pie. I like Pecan pie smothered in homemade whipped cream. Pecan pie is good.

I like PEACH pie. I like Peach pie at Thanksgiving--or any time of year! Peach pie is good.

I like CHERRY pie. I like Cherry pie with a lattice top. Cherry pie is good.

I like KEY LIME pie. I like Key Lime pie with the sour lime slice on top. Key Lime pie is good.

I like LEMON MERINGUE pie. I like Lemon Meringue pie with the top slightly toasted. Lemon Meringue pie is good.

I like CHOCOLATE pie. I like Chocolate pie because it's almost like chocolate pudding on a pie crust. Chocolate pie is good.

I like BANANA CREAM pie. I like bananas only in Banana Cream pie. Banana Cream pie is good.

I like BLUEBERRY pie. I like Blueberry pie because is is purpely-blue and has blueberries in it. Blueberry pie is good.

I like CHEESECAKE*. I like Cheesecake with chocolate sauce or fruit on it. Cheesecake is good.

I like PUMPKIN pie. I like Pumpkin pie with whipped cream because I get it on Thanksgiving. Pumpkin pie is good.

I like RHUBARB pie. I like Rhubarb pie with lots of sugar. Rhubarb pie is good.

I like STRAWBERRY pie. I like Strawberry pie because I don't get it very often, so it's a treat. Strawberry pie is good.

I like almost ALL pie. I like almost All Pie because almost all pie is good. Raisin pie is not good. Therefore, I do not like it. Almost All pie is good.

*You may not count Cheesecake as pie, but Wikipedia does and I like it, so it is now Pie.

Thus concludes my list of pies I like. The pies on this list are ones I like. I like other pies than these, but this was all I thought of. Pie is good. If you don't like it, give it to me. Because I like pie.

Ooookay, on to another topic. Here are the afore-promised pictures taken at the botanical gardens in My-ville.

This is the one Mom decided to use, but she turned it black-and-white.
This is an interesting plant Dad decided to photograph. There's a whole bush of these little seedpods.

Sitting there, lookin' cool.

Peeking through the I'm-not-quite-sure-what-they're-called reeds.

Thus concludes the photo gallery for today.

I need to do a 'shout-out' to my mom, who is turning XX today! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM!! My grandparents are up here for her birthday. Grandpa's doing much better. He doesn't need crutches anymore, and the pain has greatly decreased. We're thankful for that. :-)

Last night was our bible study night. This week we, somehow, got caught in a predestination/election debate...again. It's not the same teacher (obviously) but I still have a very hard time following it all. Rapunzel started it with needing something clarified, and then someone else picked it up from there. The bible study part went into 2o minute overtime! Ooof! Across from me was Mom & Dad, and my new friend Noah. Dad was sitting there silently chuckling at Rapunzel, because the pastor, who is teaching this, was frustrating her. After 'Punzel was done discussing things with him, another lady started an in-depth topic. Several people were showing signs of wanting to finish the study and go on to snacks. I don't know what started it, but I was starting to be amused by watching other impatient people, and apparently Noah was, too, because he started almost-laughing, and then every time we looked at each other, I would feel this strong urge to start laughing. It was very hard not to start laughing out loud. That would have been very awkward. :-)

Ta-ta for now!

~Pie-loving Kiwifruit