IT'S OVER!

You will never guess what we did this weekend. Alyssa and I went camping with her girl scout troop! It was a mom-and-me campout...in tents....not cabins...in November...in tents. We are all very dirty and very tired but I think all the girls had a good time. It was actually quite warm, even at night so we were fine sleeping in sweats and our sleeping bags. Of course we got home this afternoon and Blake told us we smelled. Well of course we smell. We are rugged outdoors women.


The sleeping situation almost had us spending the night in the car though. We got to the state park campground in the morning and set up all the tents (10 in all) first thing. We set up the tent they gave us with the other mom/daughter sharing it and we couldn't find the rain tarp. Okay, no big deal, we will find it later (never did). Eat lunch, work on badges and then go on a nature walk. At the end of the hike through the woods, we start to feel raindrops. Yup. It started to rain. Oh, not a big gushing "open up the clouds" rain but enough to get sleeping bags wet if you don't hurry. So we all run to our tent and throw all of our stuff in someone else's tent before it got wet. While it continues to rain, 4 moms (3 of which have never camped in tents before-including me) tear down our old tarp-less tent and put up a new tarp-included tent...in the rain....and now mud....with no previous experience. We didn't do half bad though.


After a wet soggy dinner, we sent the girls to organize the sleeping bags in our tent. Back they run to the campfire. Apparently, Alyssa's sleeping bag is wet. And not just a little wet, it has a puddle in the middle of it. We never did figure out where the leak was. Okay, we can still deal with this. Put the soggy sleeping bag in the car, move everything else to yet another tent that luckily had room for us. Ask another mother who just happened to have an extra sleeping bag if we could use it. Problem solved. Or so you would think. After a moonlight hike and smores we went back to the tent to start to get ready for bed and guess what. The other sleeping bag is wet. We just thought only one was ruined before. Nope, both are. Take wet sleeping bag and let it join its brother in the car while we break down and cry. Not really but I had had enough at about this point and so had my sleepy daughter. Luckily, our leader had yet another extra sleeping bag. Oh yes, almost forgot, our pillows got wet the first time too.


We finally had a dry night and Alyssa slept pretty well. Unfortunately, I was sleeping on an acorn, listening to someone snore and hearing things walk in the woods most of the night. Needless to say, I am tired today. Luckily, it is only a two day work week.

I guess God was trying to tell me that I shouldn't go camping. But over all, we had a good time and it was nice to spend time with my daughter. I got lots of hugs and unsolicited "I love yous". That right there makes it worth while.

Okay, I just realized that I never posted pictures of my trick-or-treaters. I knew you couldn't live without seeing them. I had a spa girl and a musketeer (note: I actually made Andrew's costume, okay, not the hat. Impressed? I know I was.)






This is all you get from me for today because I woke up out of a sound sleep this morning at 4 a.m. with a HUGE headache and I still have it. At least I don't feel like taking a chainsaw and removing my head anymore...I'm just at a dull ache.

Oh, dear Christian College....

Guess where we went this weekend? It was ACU's homecoming so I took some pictures to walk some of you down memory lane.

Like father, like son

I'm going to try to post a video so please let this work. They play this song every morning on my radio station at work and I LOVE IT.

Prayers of the Stressed

Lord, help me to relax about insignificant details beginning tomorrow at 7:41:23 a.m.

Help me to consider people's feelings, even if most of them are hypersensitive.

Help me to take responsibility for my own actions, even though they're usually not my fault.

Help me to not try to run everything. But, if You need some help, please feel free to ask!

Help me to be more laid back and help me to do it exactly right.

Help me to take things more seriously, especially laughter, parties and dancing.

Give me patience, and I mean right NOW!

Help me not be a perfectionist. (Did I spell that correctly?)

Help me to finish everything I sta

Help me to keep my mind on one th - Look a bird! - ing at a time.

Help me to do only what I can, and trust you for the rest. And would you mind putting that in writing?

Keep me open to others' ideas, WRONG though they may be.

Help me be less independent, but let me do it my way.

Help me slow down and not rush through what I do. And hurry up about it!

Amen

One of my After-School Care teachers is quitting in two weeks! AAUUGGHH. Anyone want to come work for me 3 afternoons a week? I'm really nice.

We have survived the first two weeks of school! Only 34 more to go. Kids are both enjoying school but I'm not liking this year. I started crying the Sunday before school started and haven't seemed to stop yet. I don't like my kids getting older. I think it all stems from the Sunday that we did the bible class promotion and I realized that I don't have anybody in the preschool hall anymore. And now Andrew has to wear a uniform everyday so he looks all grown up. Did I mention that I'm not liking this year? At least I have a sympathetic ear. Our PE teacher at school has a girl in Alyssa's class and a boy in Andrew's and she is in the exact same emotional wreckage boat that I am. We both went around the first week of school with red eyes.

Our family did get to have fun this weekend though. A couple from church asked us to go with them on their boat on Saturday. Weather was great and we even got the kids to ride in the innertube behind the boat. I would have done it too, you know, but I forgot to wear my swimming suit. Blake rode the daredevil innertube ride and ended up getting flipped out. I wish I had captured it with my camera since he did about 3 cartwheels over the water before he finally landed. The kids just about fell over laughing. I laughed, was concerned for about 3 seconds until I saw him pop up in the water, then kept laughing. Though he realized today that he isn't 20 anymore and is a little sore.

Trip Highlights

Ally's favorite part: the ocean beach

Blake's favorite part: Alki

Andrew's favorite part: the Mariners game (shocking, huh?)

My favorite part: yes. all. thank you.

Best quote: "The biggest difference between Texas and Washington is that it rains all the time in Texas but not in Seattle." (said by Andrew during the first week....he did change his tune by the second week.)

Best food: tie between casino seafood and dad's salmon!

Worst part of trip: tie between the awful turbulance-filled flight back and having to leave on that awful turbulance-filled flight back in the first place (did I mention we had turbulance?)

Biggest job that didn't get done: Andrew trying to fill up the Sound with rocks.....and the ocean....and any other body of water that needs rocks thrown in it.

Number of items I realized I left: 46 and counting or so it seems.

Number of items I realized I took from mom's house (with permission): 1046 or so it seems.

Number of items I realized I took accidentally: 1 (sorry Tracy, I'll send your DVD back as soon as I can)

Biggest revelation: 9 kitties in one house may be a FEW too many. (but it sure is fun)

Best part about being home: my kitty has forgiven me even if they did spoil him at the kitty hotel. Proof: his favorite place to sleep is my kitchen counter, eeewwww. No kitties allowed where I prepare food.

We are back from our trip and had a great time. Kinda bummed about getting back into our boring routine but I guess vacations can't last forever. I'll post pictures as soon as I get the 400 or so photos off my camera.

Just had to tell you about our night really quick though. We were sitting around tonight doing nothing when the phone rang and a friend from church offered us 4 free Rangers tickets. Of course it was 6 and the game started at 7:30 but we decided to go ahead since we had no plans anyway. We even got a parking pass in the "good" parking area. Turns out the tickets were behind home plate, row 17 from the field, looking straight down the third base line. And it was only 80 out tonight. The little boy was in heaven and even Ally enjoyed it. (And we actually stayed for the end of the game....twice in 10 days.....wow.) All in all, a good family night.

(Oh, if I don't post for a while, blogger is trying to keep me out. It took me five times to log on and I was about to give up.)

This was the view from my back door today. If you look hard enough, you can see the neighbor's car. I didn't think I would ever say this, but PLEASE STOP RAINING.

Why, oh why, can I not find the time to blog this summer? It's not like I'm working 40 hour weeks for the next few months. Let's see if we can figure this out....

1. VBS. Running the kids to and from everyday this week while trying to get a little work thrown in to boot.

2. Kitty. Shots to be exact (since I can't find his adoption papers and all shots need to be current for him to go to kitty camp in a few weeks). He moped around the house for 3 whole days with me feeling guilty the whole time. Never did figure out if it was because of the shots or if he was just mad at me. Either way, I seem to have been forgiven now.

3. Bathing said kitty. Dumb idea.

4. Vacation coming soon!! Suitcases? Clothes to wear? Things to do on the plane? Cameras ready for tons of pictures? House organized? Pets taken care of? And the list seems to go on and on.....

5. Who's dumb idea was it to have a garage sale 2 days before we leave on vacation?!? All my vacation funds are going to be in quarters this year.

6. Yearly summer cleaning and room organization (read: get rid of old toys)

7. Trying to out-swim the flood waters. I think I saw an ark yesterday. Hey, when Texas ends a drought.....we really END THE DROUGHT!!

8. Trying to keep the kids from killing each other out of boredom.

9. Summer = lazy!!

Happy Father's Day!

Fathers are Wonderful People

Fathers are wonderful people
Too little understood,
And we do not sing their praises
As often as we should...

For, somehow, Father seems to be
The man who pays the bills,
While Mother binds up little hurts
And nurses all our ills...

And Father struggles daily
To live up to "HIS IMAGE"
As protector and provider
And "hero of the scrimmage"...

And perhaps that is the reason
We sometimes get the notion,
That Fathers are not subject
To the thing we call emotion,

But if you look inside Dad's heart,
Where no one else can see
You'll find he's sentimental
And as "soft" as he can be...

But he's so busy every day
In the grueling race of life,
He leaves the sentimental stuff
To his partner and his wife...

But Fathers are just WONDERFUL
In a million different ways,
And they merit loving compliments
And accolade of praise,

For the only reason Dad aspires
To fortune and success
Is to make the family proud of him
And to bring them happiness...

And like OUR HEAVENLY FATHER,
He's a guardian and a guide,
Someone that we can count on
To be ALWAYS ON OUR SIDE.

~Helen Steiner Rice~

SUMMER!!

We are officially out for summer! The kids have an end-of-the-year party at Putt-Putt tomorrow for a few hours and then that's it. Can you tell that I'm excited. It has been a very long school year and I really need the break. I have to go into the office in June but it's only for 3 hours a morning, a few days each week. Not too bad. Now I just have to figure out how to keep 2 kids busy for the next 13 weeks so nobody drives me crazy and we don't kill each other.

It's All In The Genes

Oh dear!! Yesterday I was digging through my purse to find gum or something when out popped the following.......


Help me. I'm scared. I guess lots of things are hereditary. Don't worry.....your time is coming when you too will have Sweet 'n Low packets mysteriously find their way into your purse.

Baseball, baseball and more baseball

We started our baseball weekend off with a t-ball game. Andrew did great! It was nasty hot and after all the storms we have had, it was VERY humid. I ended up getting my first sunburn of the year (just on the top of my thighs from sitting out there. And yes, it looks very attractive.)

Then we celebrated Andrew's birthday at the ballpark. He got to invite 3 friends from school and we braved the WARM weather to watch the Rangers. (Our seats were in the shade so it was a little better.) Of course I hadn't realized that my little boy is fanatical about baseball but not every child is. So after one inning, we had one little boy total enthralled with the game and three who were whining that they were hungry. After a few innings we went down to center field where they have a kids "fun area". The boys got to bat a little and eat a little and even got tattoos. We didn't make it to the end of the game when we had had enough of wrangling wild boys so we left early. Actually it turned out alright. As we were heading out of the ballpark, dark clouds rolled in with thunder and lighting and rain. We made it to the car before it started to pour and heard on the radio that they were evacuating the upper levels anyway because of the lighting. Andrew was crushed to not see the end of the game so we will have to go again with just the family.

I think Alyssa and I are all baseball-ed out for the week. Andrew, on the other hand, is just getting started.

MEN are just Happier People.....

Your last name stays put.
The garage is all yours.
Wedding plans take care of themselves.
Chocolate is just another snack.
You can be President. OK - maybe Hillary will flirt with it this year but seriously . . .
You can never be pregnant.
You can wear a white T-shirt to a water park. You can wear NO shirt to a water park.
Car mechanics tell you the truth.

The world is your urinal.
You never have to drive to another gas station restroom because this one is just too "icky".
You don't have to stop and think of which way to turn a nut on a bolt.
Same work, more pay.
Wrinkles add character. Graying hair adds attraction.
Wedding dress~$5000. Tux rental~$100.
People never stare at your chest when you're talking to them.
The occasional well-rendered belch is practically expected.
New shoes don't cut, blister, or mangle your feet.
One mood all the time.

Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds flat.
A five-day vacation requires only one suitcase.
You can open all your own jars.
If someone forgets to invite you, he or she can still be your friend.
Your underwear is $8.95 for a three-pack.
Three pairs of shoes are more than enough.
You almost never have strap problems in public.
You are unable to see wrinkles in your clothes.

Everything on your face stays its original color.
The same hairstyle lasts for years, maybe decades.
You only have to shave your face and neck.
You can play with toys all your life.
Your belly usually hides your big hips. OK - that one can apply to us too but it's NOT attractive . . . either way!
One wallet and one pair of shoes, one color for all seasons.
You can wear shorts no matter how your legs look.
You can "do" your nails with a pocket knife.
You have freedom of choice concerning growing a mustache.
You can do Christmas shopping for 25 relatives on December 24 in 25 minutes

Thought it was about time I caught everyone up on our busy lives. LTC was a few weekends ago so here are some Alyssa pictures from that. She did Bible Quiz, puppets (that's her puppet in the picture), and chorus. Long weekend and very cold but it was worth it.



And Andrew is playing T-ball now. We are suppose to have one game on Tuesdays, one on Saturdays and practice once a week but we keep getting thunderstorms on Tuesdays so now we have LOTS of makeup games to squeeze in. He is a natural at the game though and really loves it. I think we may have found his sport. The coach likes to put him at first since he can catch the ball when his team throw it and keeps his foot on the base.



Our school's talent show was a few weeks ago and both the kids were in it. Alyssa and a friend sang the last song from High School Musical and Andrew was in a hip-hop group. Very cute. They both did great and, in fact, were the last two acts of the show for the "big finale". On the last chorus of Alyssa's song, all the kids got on the stage and sang along. This was the first year for this and I think we are definately doing it again. I bought two copies of the show so I'll send one to mom so everyone up there can enjoy it.


Actually, the main reason I haven't been adding pictures to my blog is that I just now got around to figuring out how to download them from my new camera. I know, the camera is a few months old but better late than never. Really, I just ran out of memory card and didn't have a choice. So now you will get to see lots of my kids.


Alyssa just finished the school musical today so I will post those as soon as I get them on the computer. She didn't have a speaking part but had a few solos and did a GREAT job.

Soccer game last week, including sunburn:

Soccer game this week:

Welcome to Texas weather. BBBRRRRR!

IT'S SPRING BREAK!!!! 9 days of freedom!

Maybe I'll get out of my pajamas before noon each day.
Maybe I'll brush my hair before Wednesday.
Maybe I'll pick up one part of one room.
Maybe I'll put on a tinnnnny bit of makeup.
Maybe I'll do something productive.
Maybe I'll let the kids do something fun.
Maybe I'll make it to one soccer practice and cheer.
Maybe I'll pick up the phone if someone calls.
Maybe I'll do more with my day then read, watch mindless TV, and nap.
Maybe I'll wash a dish.
Maybe I'll even cook a meal.
Maybe I'll make my bed on two out of the nine days.
Maybe I'll wash a sock or two.
Maybe I'll feed the cat (okay, he follows me around looking sad if I don't so I guess I have to do that)
Maybe I'll feed the kids. (see above reasoning)
Maybe I'll enjoy my long-deserved break!
Maybe I will. Maybe I won't. It's my break and I'll do what I want. So there.

I want to play too.....

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? not that I know of
2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? Ummmmm????? Weeks and weeks ago.
3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? yes-- until I see someone else's, then I like theirs better
4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? not my favorite but if I have to choose, then ham sliced THIN
5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? Yes!!
6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Definately
7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? Noooooooo! :)
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? yes
9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? only if I totally lost my mind and forgot that that is CRAZY!
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? healthy: wheaties, yummy: cocoa puffs
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? do they untie?
12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? no
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? tin roof sunday
14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? smile (or lack thereof)
15. RED OR PINK? red!
16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? my profile
17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? my family-they live way too far away
19. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING ? blue jeans and brown boots
20 WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? nachos at our school's talent show tonight
21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? my husband watching Grey's Anatomy, my son's action figures "fighting" and my daughter singing to herself
22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? red
23. FAVORITE SMELLS? fresh, clean babies, outside after the rain, fresh cut grass, vanilla
24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE ? a friend from work
25.PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? shhh--I stole it from my sister-in-law
26. HAIR COLOR? nice and easy #118A (or brown, if you want to be boring)
27. EYE COLOUR? blue
28. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? yes
29. FAVORITE FOOD? seafood
30.SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? happy ending, of course
31. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? How to lose a guy in 10 days on TV last week (becoming my favorite movie!)
32. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? pink fuzzy sweater
33. SUMMER OR WINTER . what about spring?
34. HUGS OR Kisses? hugs
35. FAVORITE DESSERT? chocolate anything
38. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING? something mindless that is taking too long and a new book called "How am I smart" about intelligence in kids
39. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? cat fur
40. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST? channel surfed for a while
41. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SOUND? kids laughing, acappella singing of "The Lord Bless You and Keep You"
42. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? beatles!
43. WHAT IS THE FURTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? Saudi Arabia when I was little
44. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? Ummmm??? no???
45. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Renton, WA

A New Me (Sort of)

Guess what?! I cut my hair off!!! I went in last week for a "trim" and just mentioned that the front was getting a bit heavy so my hair lady says, "Oh, let's texturize it." "Um. Okay.", I say as large chunks of hair start falling on the floor. This is the shortest that I've ever had my hair! She styled it too and Andrew's response was, "You look funny. It's puffy." Not a good confidence builder there. I get home and my dear loving husband's response was, "Well, it doesn't look too 80's." Humft.

It has taken me awhile to figure out what to do with it and whether or not I even like it but I think that I do. I have heard from more than one person that it is "sassy" (whatever that is suppose to mean). But I do like it now. For those of you who know me, I've got this great fear of being one of those women who get stuck with the same hairstyle that they had in high school. That's not me now! I feel so stylish. If I can ever get someone to take a picture of me, I'll let you see it.

Ok. Not liking this new "have to change" blogger thing. Why can't everyone just leave things alone!

Oh where, oh where, has my little frog gone?

What is this world coming to?!? I came home on Friday to find out that someone had taken my frog/mirror globe from my front porch. I loved my frog! He would make me smile every time I came home. Blake's feeling is "who would want it" but for those of you who have seen it, you know. He makes people smile. And I've never seen another one like him (especially one that was clearanced for $3.00) Maybe he'll still come home. I know he misses me. (P.S. My frog was soooo much cuter than this one!)

Helllloooooooo!

So, has everyone given up on me yet? We are still alive and kicking down here. Between work and cheer and scouts and basketball and LTC and homework and Bible Quiz and more work, life has been very busy! You can usually find us home on Thursday nights between 6:15 and 6:20 if anyone wants to call. (So don't tell, but I'm blogging at work right now....I promise I'll work extra hard this afternoon). Then to top everything off, the kids got sick last weekend and are just now getting back into the swing of things. Turns out they had the flu. Good thing we all got those flu shots. At least Blake and I didn't get it so we could just take care of the kids. I don't know about anywhere else, but they are closing schools down here since so many kids are out sick. We had some classes at almost half out. Okay, blogging at work is not WORKING! I keep getting interrupted and this is taking way too long so I guess I'll have to try again later. Imagine...people thinking I should work at work.

Christmas Break

18 days of no school and no work. What is a girl to do?!?! Today I went to Sharla's and watched her kids while she had another proceedure. They were home by 12 which was a good thing since I had just started going through the cabinets in search of food for the kids. Aunt Michelle was having a brain freeze on what to feed an 18 month-old.

Sunday afternoon our family decided to fight the crowds and go to Toys R Us, just for the fun of it. Shelves were empty and aisles were full. We didn't buy a thing so it wasn't too bad since we didn't have to stand in line. Well, right next door to Toys R Us is a pet store. We decided to go in and let the kids look around since I needed gerbil food anyway. Who knew that it was pet adoption day? So guess what? I got a Christmas present! Isn't he cute. He is an older persian cat who was rescued and up for adoption. They were calling him Harvey but I don't think he looks like a Harvey. So for now, he is just kitty. Kitty is of the less active variety (which is what we wanted) and is very loving. I don't know if it is the breed but he doesn't meow. He kinda snorts instead. Very cute but he really needs a name if anyone has any ideas.

Want to see what you have been missing? This was taken on Saturday by one of her friends from church who had a camera phone. I told her I was going to post it and she said that was okay. Of course that may have been the morphine talking. Hopefully she will be home tomorrow. Then mom's work will really begin.

This song gets stuck in my head ALL THE TIME and has been running between my ears for the last 30 minutes. I absolutely love the words but I'd really like to hum something else now. Maybe posting it would help.


Listen to Our Hearts

How do you explain, how do you describe
A love that goes from east to west, and runs as deep as it is wide.
You know all our hopes, Lord, You know all our fears.
And words cannot express the love we feel but we long for You to hear.

Chorus:
So listen to our hearts, (O, Lord please listen)
hear our spirits sing (and hear us sing)
A song of praise that flows (a simple song of praise)
from those You have redeemed. (from those You have redeemed)
We will use the words we know to tell
You what an awesome God You are.
But words are not enough to tell You of our love,
so listen to our hearts.

If words could fall like rain from these lips of mine,
And if I had a thousand years, Lord, I would still run out of time.
If You listen to my heart, ev'ry beat will say:
"Thank You for the Life, Thank You for the Truth, Thank You for the Way."


Words and Music: Geoff Moore & Steven Curtis Chapman
©Peach Hill Songs

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Cooking, cooking, and more cooking. But I love it.

Said in the car driving back from Alyssa's volleyball game tonight.....

Alyssa: I'm trying to remember the motto for our team.

Andrew: Is it "peanut"?

Don't ask me how the mind of a 5 year old works. But we had a good laugh about it.

We are officially a "sports family" after this weekend. Andrew still is doing soccer every Saturday for the next few weeks. We are still working on teaching him to kick the ball down the field instead of just dribbling so close to his feet that it looks alot like dragging the ball. He informed me that if he kicks it too hard, the other team might get it. So instead they just keep kicking at his shins until they can get it away from him. Our team is getting alot better though. Still alot of fun to watch. We will sign him up for basketball next month. Now that will be interesting.

Alyssa had her first volleyball match on Friday night. They do a practice during the hour before the game, rotating between different coaches. She was a little lost at first and held on to her friend from school but by the time the game rolled around, she felt alot more comfortable. When it was game time, we still hadn't met everyone who was suppose to be on our team or even the coach. So the parents kinda figured out who was suppose to be there and then we waited, and waited, and waited for the coach to start. Problem: no coach. Come to find out he just never showed up and no one had a number to get ahold of him. Poor girls. Most had never played organized volleyball before and so they weren't sure what to do. So lucky Blake stepped up and ending up coaching for both games. Of course what he knows about the game could fit into a thimble but he did a good job anyway. I think the girls actually enjoyed it. Once a coach, always a coach apparently. He may end up doing it for the entire season. Of course now Andrew is wanting daddy to coach one of his teams.

Plus

Equals

It's good to be home

Our trip in five simple pictures.