Do not bother listening to your father if he tells you (for the umpteen millionth time) to wear your helmet, elbow pads and knee pads whenever you get on your Rip Stik. He is crazy and obviously does not know what he’s talking about. After all, he has never ridden a Rip Stik. He does not understand that you’ve been shredding one for almost 2 months. And that, at the age of 10, you are the Shaun White of Rip Stiking. There is no way in the world that you are going to fall off and hurt yourself.

Yeah. Whatever.

On the way to our destination, we passed this little white church just off the road in a small patch of woods and had to stop on the way back home.

There wasn’t a sign anywhere on the property so we know neither the name nor the denomination.

Notice the chimney on the rear of the roof. I guess that was their only heat.

The church is obviously no longer used as the front door was padlocked.

And vandals have already left their mark.

Can you say ‘outhouse’?

There was an equally small cemetery on the property.

And an interesting resident.

I’d love to know this little church’s story.

And came home at lunch to this…

A 10-year-old!

In shorts and a t-shirt, no less.

That’s our Eliana. She’s about as hot-blooded as they come.

And did I mention that she’s 10 today?!?

She’s absolutely a “10” in our book.

Happy Birthday, “baby” girl. We sure do love you!

“Where did you get that?”, I asked.

“I traded for it,” she said.

I didn’t like the sound of that. Mainly because she traded her school flash drive a few weeks ago for an o-o-o-o-o-l-d Nintendo Game Boy.

The Game Boy did work. And it even came with a game.

But it did not come with a charger. And between her and Zane, the battery was drained by the next day.

“What did you trade for it?”

“My bread at lunch,” she said. “It’s awful!”

I’d say she got the better end of THAT deal.

Could it be… Karys?

Why, yes!

Our little monkey is 7 years old today.

And she received a lot of birthday love from her best buds at school this morning.

So… Xīnnián kuàilè! or 新年快乐! (Chinese for Happy New Year!)

I’ve had Zane repeat this phrase about half a dozen times and I still can’t say it correctly.