Like most of the eastern half of the country we had a huge snow storm about a week ago. The weather men were calling it a blizzard and the worst snow storm since 1978. (Actually, it might have been worse than the blizzard of '78, because we had more inches this storm. We just didn't have the same amount of wind so the drifts weren't as bad. I don't really know what criteria is used to judge the worst blizzard ever, but I can tell you it was a snow storm like I'd never seen before.)

Like most of the eastern half of Cincinnati, I went to Meijer just as the snow started to fall because we need toilet paper and maple syrup -- I think even the Survivor contestants aren't required to go three days without t.p. and maple syrup, are they?

Like most of the eastern half of our neighborhood, our road was covered in ice and sludge, so we decided to just stay home for a couple of days. It was nice! We watched a movie, ate popcorn, played the Wii, drank sippable chocolate -- a good, all-American snow day!

Here's a pic of the boys in the front yard. It's hard to see the yardstick, but they measured 10 inches. That's a lot of snow.

It's a big day for any mom when she leaves the kids with a sitter and spends an entire day with grown-ups. I had such a day today. The staff at my husband's church (and their spouses!) were invited to visit the Creation Museum for a private tour and an exclusive lunch with its founder: Ken Hamm. (I'll write about all I learned from him in another post.)

Through a $27 million facility that includes a planetarium, multi-sensory theater, 18 videos, thousands of informative signs, and beautiful robotic displays, the museum tells the 7 C's of God's Eternal Plan. These 7 C's are a comprehensive, easy to understand explanation of God's workings from the beginning of the world to its end.


The displays throughout the museum were breath-taking. Below is a picture we took in the Garden of Eden room. In this particular display, Adam is naming all of the animals. It was amazing!


They also had a room dedicated to Noah's Ark where you felt like you were walking into the construction of the ark. Incredible! There was also an entire room dedicated to dinosaurs that was fascinating! Through these displays, visitors come to understand how all of the science confirms the Truth of the Bible.

The museum is designed to be family friendly. There are strollers available for rent and every bathroom has changing stations. I think most, if not all, of the exhibits would be appropriate for gradeschool kids. Some are so dynamic that they might frighten preschoolers. (My 3 year-old would freak out in the multi-sensory theater, but older kids would love it!) To make it easier for younger families, they've provided a "Bypass Route" that takes you past some of the potentially frightening exhibits. In the warmer months, outdoor walking trails through the Botanical Gardens will give little one's some room to run.

The museum is located in Northern Kentucky off I-275, near I-75, only a day's drive for 2/3 of the United States. Adult admission is about $20, kids 5-12 are $10, and kids under 5 are free. The planetarium is an additional $7. Snack bars and a restaurant are available on-site. In my opinion, it's worth the drive and the expense.

Or, better yet, get a sitter and go with your grown-up friends! That's a good day!

Yesterday I was pulling laundry out of the dryer and saw this:


That is a pair of earbud headphones that had apparently been in someone's pockets. Since I found them in the dryer, they had already been through the washer and a complete drying cycle. I was pretty sure this was going to be a tragedy.

Why were these earbud headphones so special? They were the really cool kind that have a microphone in them, so you can plug them into your phone and receive calls while you listen to music playing on your phone. What made this pair of earbud headphones so extraordinary? They had come with my husband's new iPhone, for which he'd been pining for months. The new iPhone he just received three days ago. The new iPhone that he calls his new friend and ranks as one of his top four most important things.

And now I had washed them.

See, I hate doing laundry. I find it one of my most mundane tasks. And it always needs to be done. Ugh. So I'll admit that I don't go the extra mile and do things like check the pockets, turn socks right side out, or iron. I'd prefer to just get the laundry done as quickly as I can, even if I haven't done such a great job.

However, Colossians 3:23-24 says:

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving."

I guess that even means laundry. What a hard lesson to learn!

P.S.: The earbuds still work! Who knew those things were washing machine-proof?