Keeping Up With the Hendricks

Saturday, October 19, 2013

Taking a Break from Facebook

So, this is the week that I started my Facebook break. At school we are eligible to earn "wellness money" by completing certain tasks. One year we tracked our steps. Last year we tracked exercise, diet, and sleep. This year we are repeating the exercise and diet components (at least 2.5 hours of exercise per week for a month, as well as tracking our eating for a month using an online tracker). The 3rd component is of our choosing.

We are to set one additional goal for ourselves, and I decided that I wanted to give up Facebook for one month and see what the break from social media does for my mental and spiritual wellness. I quit Facebook on Wednesday and by Friday I was already back on Twitter, giving it a third try. Perhaps my inability to get on Facebook will be the impetus needed for me to finally figure out this whole Twitter thing, not that I need one more thing to keep track of!

So, that's that. Here are a few photos from the week:

Hannah's Maily message. Love Sophie's exploding face, as well as Hannah's commentary on the loud screaming caused by Dad tickling Sophie.

Wednesday's dinner: half a spaghetti squash with an onion, tomato, and onion saute, topped with chicken and parmesan cheese

Charles was going to be a gangster for a dress-up/costume meeting Friday morning. Granny and Papa convinced him to go as a biker instead (no photos of this costume, however)

Hannah's very patterned outfit for dress day on Thursday

Complete with an arm full of hairbands (that she doesn't even wear)

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

T-Shirts and Signs

I love, love, LOVE the signs that I find around in various places. Here's a sampling:

In my closet at school, where they "work." That description!

Rules posted on the door to Sophie's room. If only she would follow Rule #3 herself!

And the rules posted on Hannah's door. She does a slightly better job with Rule #3.

We've been tie dying t-shirts like crazy lately, but one day the girls decided to decorate shirts using permanent markers instead. Unfortunately it smeared a little when I washed it.

Front and back

Charles has also gotten the girls into superheroes, so here's the latest of the cool superhero shirts:

Wonder Woman, of course!

And completely unrelated to any of the above, how do you like the jar of homemade cocoa I made to donate to the 4th grade "Snow Day" themed basket for the Harvest Hoedown auction this year? I'm quite proud of it myself!

Isn't the little snowman clip art cute?

Sunday, October 13, 2013

Hendricks Birthday Celebration

Yesterday we celebrated the September and October birthdays of Jared, Granny, and Zach in one big family celebration. Since the girls had parties with friends rather than family this year, they were also included among the honorees of this swanky soiree.

We gathered for a simple lunch of sandwiches, chips, chili, and potatoes, followed by October/Halloween themed cupcakes for dessert.

Sandwiches ready for fixing

Cupcakes for dessert

After eating, we opened gifts. The girls got all kinds of dolls (real and paper), as well as some cool UVA hoodies and winter hats from Mincers. The boys and Granny received t-shirts bought by Charles in Nashville, as well as some other items.

Granny reading one of her birthday cards. Did you know she planted the redwood forests?

Sophie sporting her pink UVA hoodie, complete with a pouch for storing Banky.

Showing off their paper dolls and paper doll pets.

We also enjoyed lots of crafts and other fun: carving and painting pumpkins, tie dying t-shirts, roasting marshmallows around the fire pit, and a scavenger hunt designed by the girls.

Carving and painting pumpkins

The finished masterpieces

Sophie did a good job of squirting her own dye this time

The scavenger hunt list (one of them) and the crew in action

I enjoyed the fire

Papa enjoyed a nap

To end the day we all went to eat at Southern Kitchen, where Charles and Sophie both enjoyed their beloved fried chicken and the boys enjoyed numerous potato sides.

Cool sign and cool vibe inside too

The Hendricks clan, one and all

It was a nice day spent with family. Happy birthday to all!

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Oyster Fry

Every October, the Brunk extended family gathers for a reunion known as the annual oyster fry. This is my Grandma Mary's family: descendents of hers and her two sisters, Evelyn and Maude. Aunt Evelyn is the only one of the three sisters left, and we're so glad to still have her around.

Those in attendance on Sunday speculated that this tradition began around 1970 or so and has continued ever since, always taking place at our mountain land. Isn't it beautiful?

The leaves were just starting to change. In another week or two we would have seen quite a spectacular array of color.

Grandpa and Cousin Dick always fry the oysters. Sadly, I didn't think to take a picture of them in action. (After I originally posted this, Barb sent me the picture below.)

Photo courtesy B. Gunden

Many of the younger generations don't appreciate oysters and so will bring their own meats to grill over the open fire. I tried one oyster this year and found it to be not too bad! Everyone brings side dishes and desserts to share, and it's a veritable feast for all who attend.

After singing a blessing and eating together, folks lounge in folding chairs around the fire, drinking coffee and catching up with one another. Often a walk to the dam helps relieve too full bellies, and this Sunday was no exception to that tradition. The views from the top of the dam (as above) are quite picturesque.

Some of the boys love to ride the 4-wheeler up and down the hollow. At one point they took a break from their riding to try to throw rocks from the top of the dam and have them land in the lake below. This is quite a long way, and they would use the strong winds on top of the dam to assist them in their efforts. I thought they'd never make it all the way to the water, but they did... quite a few times even!

My favorite people posed for a photo on top of the dam too. You can see how windy it is up there in this picture.

Some folks also participated in playing corn hole. We had an exceptionally warm day this year, as opposed to last year when it was cold and even a little dreary. One cousin showed off her gymnastics talents, and my girls preferred to be corn hole spectators when they weren't playing in the bed of the pick-up truck or taking 4-wheeler rides with their dad.