Small Town Girl

My Cup Runneth Over...

2011-11-23T05:13:00.000-08:00

My cup runneth over and many blessings we share

the love of a family and many friends who do care.

The food on this table, the love in this home

bring back many hearts from wherever they roam.

The soldiers, Marines and others overseas

working hard on this day protecting our peace.

A nation founded on God and knowledge of His provision

and knowing this foundation never needs revision.

Freedom to worship the God in whom we do love

Giving us this country straight from above.

So let's stop to remember all that we have

and honor those who have paved the path.

Never forget why we gather today together

to be grateful to God not on just one day but forever.

Mindi White

Blessings to you and yours for a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Tickle Tickle

2011-11-17T07:45:00.000-08:00

A sick three year old has been attached to me this week. A sick three year old with very curly hair. When she sits on my lap while I'm on the computer her hair is sticking straight up and it tickles my nose. Just thought you should know. Hope your week is going better! Mindi

Thank You

2011-11-11T08:58:00.000-08:00

Thank you to all of you hard -working and retired veterans who bravely protected and are protecting our country in peacetimes and wartimes.

These two photos are a few Marines taking a test my husband was giving them.

To all Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard members we thank you for your service and protection. And to your families, a big thank you for the sacrifices you have made and are making. Happy Veteran's Day

New Blessings

2011-11-10T08:01:00.000-08:00

Sometimes on this blog I feel like telling you about our recent family activities, a funny anecdote or story or the latest thing I've done with the house. But I always feel like telling you about the latest and greatest things I've found online. Whether it be Pinterest or a blog I just found or a magazine I just discovered I feel it is one of my "jobs" to share with you the things the Lord has shared with me. "What?" you may ask. "How is God sharing things with her"? Well I'm glad you asked, let me tell you.

As a believer in Jesus Christ and acceptor of His death on the cross as payment for my sins, I follow Him in every aspect of my life. I don't always do a good job of 'following'. But I do believe that He speaks to me through many venues. He may do this by bringing someone into my life, having someone share a thought, word or hug at just the right time, allowing a difficulty to help me further turn to Him in times of need, and by daily leading me to things of Him. I am happy to report that He has done that for me this morning. Allow me to elaborate...

Yesterday my mom and Grandma and I had to visit my cousin in the hospital on life support suffering with pneumonia. She is only thirty-one. We had a difficult evening of visiting, crying and trying to comfort her distraught family. I came home devastated and upset, heading to bed. I did not sleep well, thinking of her and tossing and turning and remembering how she looked in the bed, struggling to remain coherent. I woke this morning with my eyes puffy, breakfast to be made, lunches to be made, children to be dressed and readied for their school days. I had a moment between schools to sit here and pray and then check some emails for my cousin's latest progress. I clicked on one of the familiar blogs I follow to try and get my mind on something else and found a few new reasons for joy. Please check out Time Warp Wife and Praise and Coffee online magazine. They are both uplifting, joy filled sites that have given me hope and joy for this new day. Blessings for your new day, Mindi

"My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me." in red, NIV

Stone Gable Giveaway

2011-11-08T07:09:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! Go check out Yvonne at Stone Gable today! She is hosting an amazing giveaway by French Basketeer. A gorgeous orange basket (could be used for anything, even like a purse!) is filled with wonderful goodies and Yvonne added one of her own velvet pumpkins to the giveaway... "swoon". Just click on the above link for Stone Gable and Yvonne will tell you the rest! Blessings for a great day!

Be Patient... Christmas WILL Get Here!

2011-11-07T09:01:00.000-08:00

Are you ready for Christmas? I know, I know, 2 weeks before Thanksgiving and I'm asking you that? Some of my blogging friends are in full Christmas swing already! Liz over at Savvy Seasons

has a tree up and decorated already! Click on the link ( above) to check out her cute whimsical tree and beautiful home! She's like me... she loves the seasons!

Bug and I had on HGTV a few nights before Halloween and saw our first Christmas commercial of the year! Before Halloween? It seems that each year we are forced into Christmas earlier and earlier! Now, I love Christmastime as much as the next girl but things for me must be kept in their proper season! I can't even shop for Christmas before Thanksgiving! The down side is that if I did my shopping say, all year long I would be done by the time the holidays rolled around and I could enjoy them. But see, for me part of 'enjoying the holidays' is the shopping during the season with the stores decorated and Christmas music playing and carrying a red Starbucks cup!

I love Thanksgiving. It's probably one of my favorite holidays. All about food, no gifts to worry about, a great parade and family. I feel like I'm doing Thanksgiving a disservice if I jump to Christmas before enjoying all Thanksgiving has to offer. Like pumpkin anything, still decorating with oranges and browns instead of reds and greens, changing leaves, and the remnants of fall weather before the bitter Christmas is known for.

Now, once Thanksgiving is over, the instant it's over, I'm all about Christmas!!! In fact I can't wait to start! Thanksgiving night we have a tradition of watching A Christmas Story and Elf and then the next day (yes, black Friday) we go Christmas shopping. Oh, by the way, when I say 'we' I mean my mom, my grandma and myself. NOT my dad or Hubby. Hubby would hang himself in the accessories department of Target if he had to go with us. I always drive and I put in my Christmas CDs and off we go!

The day after shopping can find me decorating for Christmas and begging Hubby to put up the tree and Christmas lights on the outside. He sets up the tree and the girls get to work hanging ornaments (as high as they can reach) while I de-fall the house and then begin the rest of the decorating. I have had my fall decorations up since the middle of September. I feel like my Christmas decorations get jipped since they're only up for 1.2 months! But I will be waiting, enjoying Thanksgiving and looking forward to the day after!

Disneyland in the Fall!

2011-10-27T07:28:00.000-07:00

Disneyland in the fall is so much fun! We love to head over to Big Thunder Ranch to have some harvest celebrating! They have a barbeque filled with country vittles, a pumpkin patch and carving lessons, a petting zoo (even their well-loved animals are dressed for the occasion!) and a Scaredy-Crow Shack decorated for the season! Don't 'cha know I love vintage Halloween decorations! Of course, after petting the animals there's a washin' up station! The kiddos (big ones too!) can sit and make a craft and color a picture. Woody and Jessie roam the area welcoming everyone! After eating barbeque you can decorate sugar cookies in the shape of pumpkins, bats and cats! Everyone gets exhausted from all the fun! But before you know it we're rearin' to go again, ride some rides and go to Main Street USA to look in all those great windows! Have a fun and happy weekend!

Fake Family

2011-10-25T06:52:00.000-07:00

I just got done reading a fabulous blog entry titled Fake Family by Jen Hatmaker. It was beyond fabulous and I highly recommend you go right now (ok, after you read me) and enjoy it too. I'm not going to tell you anything about it but am going to share my own fake family who lives inside my head...

Fake family eats every meal together at the kitchen table and Sunday meals after church at the dining room table

Real family (the real Hubby, Mom, and two kids) eat sometimes at the kitchen table but sometimes in front of the TV using the coffee table as the dining table and Sunday after church? Oh, Mom flat out refuses to cook then so we are forced to eat out. And I don't even remember the last time we ate in the dining room.

Fake family's two girls are impeccably dressed for the occasion whether it be for school, church or play and there is nary a hair out of place.

Real family's two girls are dressed. Period. If Bethany has clothes on with underwear underneath it is a successful day. As for the hair. Oh. My. Heavens. Bethany has naturally curly (like, in ringlets) hair with a mind of it's own. She also hates (by hates, I mean screams bloody murder) me doing her hair. Some days I just leave it. Hey, the teeth are brushed.

Fake family's house is decorated like a model home and Mom does things to it all day. Like, cleaning and stuff.

Real family's home is a hodgepodge of dishes, laundry and homework papers, Disney characters, Play-Doh, and dog toys, mail, magazines (see the model home referenced above) and i-pods. Please excuse the mess. The children are making memories.

Fake family's time together is spent in museums, parks and educational pursuits.

Real family's time together is spent running errands to keep our heads above water, eating out in the backyard and calling it the park and hoping the kids buy it, an occasional bike ride around the neighborhood, on the porch drinking wine with the neighbors, sitting the kids in front of cartoons so Mom and Dad can have a conversation and going to a movie and being thrilled when the three-year-old falls asleep so then we can too. Yes, we now pay for sleep.

Fake family likes how things look. Real family likes how things feel.

Not sure if you know any fake families? I do. They're all over facebook. This is me, real mom, signing off and asking you to, you know, keep it real.

What's in a Name?

2011-10-18T06:43:00.000-07:00

I've been trying out (in my head anyways) a few new names for this blog of mine and have finally settled on Small Town Girl. I live in a small town (no more than ten thousand folks live here) and have since I was nine years old. I've moved around a lot but have always known that this was home.

I love a small town. I love the sense of peace I get from living here. I go to my local market (yep, it's called the Market because it's not a grocery store although they have everything I've ever needed in a pinch!) and run into people I know all the time. Getting the mail at our post office requires more than a quick stop because you must make time to visit everyone you see. And going to eat at one of our six restaurants? Yep, it's a lesson in visiting and catching up with all the neighbors! But I wouldn't have it any other way.

The other night we heard a siren from either a firetruck or an ambulance. We don't get those a lot around here. We all hold our breath, say a quick prayer and hope everyone will be o.k. because the chances are very high that we will know the person who is having the emergency. While we pray for the well-being of our neighbors I also have to confess that we've been praying for a few businesses to cease being in business! We recently got a Smoke Shop here (that's what small town people say when a new anything opens up... "we're getting a such and such...") and we don't have the economy to support it nor do we need a Smoke Shop here. We live in California with strict anti-smoking laws so I'm assuming (o.k., and praying) this shop will close soon.

We also have an unreasonable number of bars in our town. I just counted four. Four. Our main street drives right by one of them and every time we pass Hubby and I make a count of the cars in the parking lot. Last Saturday night at about 8:30pm we drove by and saw no cars in their lot. We were thrilled. Now, mind you, we don't want any bad financial distress to fall on any of our neighbors but we just don't want the bars to make it! Living out about a half-an-hour from the nearest medium-sized city we have a dangerous two-lane highway to travel back and forth on. One (or four) less bars is a safety plus!

Some of the great things we do have here is 1) the best pizza place (best tasting pizza and friendliest atmosphere) 2) small town parades and festivals 3) we are family oriented 4) we have award-winning schools 5) while we may have four bars we also have five churches! 6) we have a very low crime rate and violent crime here is almost non-existent.

So, yes, I am Small Town Girl. I do love big cities, but just to visit. No, I'm not really a 'girl' but it sounded better than 'woman'! I am blessed beyond measure to live here... welcome.

photo: "Trick-r-Treating is safe and fun here too!"

Give Me Some Accountability!!

2011-10-04T20:10:00.000-07:00

Time for some confessions. 'Cause I need me some accountability. I must figure out how to blog properly. I know you're wondering what that means so I'll tell you. I need to learn how to make my blog look like all the awesome ones I follow (see left side). I need to learn how to post pictures from my camera! I need to be able to pull things up from all over the internet and post them here. I do projects around my home I'd love to show you, I find and collect great ideas from the blog world that I want to share with you! I need to know how! So, during Hubby's next set of days off it is my mission to 'pick his brain' (he's very good on the computer!) and have him show me HOW! If you don't start seeing some of these changes put into place BUG ME!!! "Mindi, what's up, girl? Where are the pics of that great idea you have about framing a pumpkin, that recipe you tried and loved and the ideas for decorating your loft? Get with it, girl!" That's all you need to tell me, but do tell me!!! Give me a week before the accountability begins...

TIME FOR THIS BLOG TO TAKE OFF!!!!

I'm Baaack!!!!!

2011-09-30T12:12:00.000-07:00

After an eternity away from you I have decided to come back. I have been so busy with so much going on (see 'new adventure') that something had to give. Sadly, it was you. But if you'll forgive me I am back and back with a new name, a new layout and design and more 'new' coming!

Oh, and I have new habits and addictions to share with you! Normally I wouldn't share such things but in this case I must!

I am a newly found addicted fan of Pinterest! I love going on and 'pinning' all manner of things from glories of changing seasons to ideas for the house to recipes and the like. Anything and everything is available for you to 'pin' onto your boards and categorize and comment on. Once the girls are in bed I have to force myself to go to bed after an hour on Pinterest! Go to Pinterest.com to get a sampling and an invite to join. Once you request an invite it takes just a few days for you to be able to begin pinning away!

We had a great summer and hope yours was as well! Our vacation this year was a road trip to the east coast to see family and have adventures along the way. We had a blast, the girls were good given the hours they spent in the car and we made many many family memories. And....

I HAVE PICTURES!!!!

Left to right from top to bottom:

Hubby rowing a row boat in Central Park, NYC

Mom (me!) and my girls Central Park, NYC

Buglette inside a giant bubble Central Park, NYC

The girls with Grandpa catching a fish, Pennsylvania

The girls at Steel Stacks Bethlehem, PA

Daddy trying to make driving a little more interesting with a pillow pet on his head

The girls on the carousel at Silver Dollar City Branson, MO

Daddy and the girls crossing over the Colorado River just outside of CA

Have a blessed weekend and we'll talk soon!

Mindi

My Place to Yours: DE-STRESSING with Simple Pleasures ...

2011-09-26T07:48:00.000-07:00

My Place to Yours: DE-STRESSING with Simple Pleasures ...

Beautiful photos, Susan! I like to de-stress by putting on some spa-like music, lighting a candle and having either a glass of wine or a cup of tea! Works for me! Have a blessed day!

Ch ch ch changes...

2011-01-24T09:26:00.000-08:00

Hi. I know, it's been forever since we've talked. Like, before Christmas. Hopefully we're the kind of friends who can go awhile without talking and then pick up right where we left off. So much has happened I don't quite know where to begin. Let's just go in chronological order...

We were in escrow for a new home in our area a few weeks before Christmas. Escrow fell through due to our loan not going through. Have you ever looked and looked for a new house, finally found one, put the bid in, they accepted the bid, you got pre-qualified and opened escrow, thought and planned and dreamt about what to do with said house, began to pack just a little and then your loan fell through? Never happened to you? Well it did to me and it stunk. Then Christmas came and we had a great one, quiet here at our house on Christmas morning then quiet at my mom and dad's for dinner. The night before Savannah and I were in the program at church. I played Mary (or as the director told me, "an older Mary, she's looking back on Jesus' birth". Yes, that was a bit of a blow to my 37 year old ego) and Savannah read the story from the bible. Bethany couldn't get out of her two-year-old mind that her Mommy was Mary, the manger at the front of the church didn't have a baby in it and that her sister was up on stage instead of sitting with her. She literally talked for weeks about that night.

We were blessed in the gift giving/getting part of Christmas. I asked for new luggage and a new camera but told everyone instead of breaking up the requests and ended up with 2 new cameras and 2 new full sets of luggage. Oops! The girls made out like bandits also. We went to play in the snow about an hour away, saw a movie (Bethany's first and she did great!) and had a date night.

On New Year's day I finally sat down at the computer, after getting the previous house out of my mind and ok, out of my heart too, to look at more houses for sale in our area. I stumbled to the listing for the previous house and to my utter surprise saw that they lowered the price of the house by 50 grand! We spent that day gathering any and all money we could, put in a new offer and found out later that week that the house was ours! We had the quickest escrow known to man, about a week and 2 days, and now we are working with our fabulous general contractor to finish the inside. Whew. I'm excited, stressed and exhausted all at the same time.

The house is a new construction foreclosure so we are saving great money every month going from this mortgage to that one. God is good. The new house is a Mediterranean style 2-story and I've been running around trying to get all the inside stuff picked out. Appliances, backsplashes, sinks, faucets, doors, and lights are a few of the items I've had to make decisions for lately.

Which brings me to the other change that will be taking place. This is a really good, exciting one, though, and involves YOU too! My blog will be changing! I follow many decorating/home blogs in bloggerland and I'm changing my blog to be a bit more like those. I will have plenty of pictures of the new house befores and afters, decorating and yet still have stories and quips and pictures of my family. The new blog will have it all! It won't just be about our family life and my life as wife and mommy but will encompass much more.

Through all of these changes will you stay with me? You may not hear from you for a bit until it's all up and running, the new house and the new blog. But I am here. Going crazy. Excited, stressed and exhausted, crazy.

Dangerous Instincts

2010-12-06T09:11:00.000-08:00

This cannot continue. There simply must be an end somewhere. Please. Someone make it stop.

There are babies, babies, everywhere. There were four babies in church alone, yesterday. No, they weren't alone. But if they had been that would be just fine with Hubby and I. We would scoop them up and hold them to our chests, and breathe in that new baby smell. This is beginning to become a problem.

To top it off, over the Thanksgiving holiday we 'babysat' a friend's bunny. You would think that my two girls would be the ones oohing and ahhing all over said bunny but, no. The one carrying Mr. Bunny all over the house like a newborn, rubbing his ears till he fell asleep, and doing the oohing and ahhing was Hubby. Houston, we have a problem.

Then, back to church, there we are in our towards-the-back row trying to concentrate on praise and worship when we've got four little precious faces on their Mommy's shoulders either sleeping or looking around. It is becoming more than I can bear. It is more than I can bear. I cannot bear anymore children. I mean, I could but I don't think I really want to. I beared (is that a word?) 10 hours of labor with Savannah only to be whisked off for an emergency c-section. I beared many sleepless nights (still am sometimes) with baby Bethany who, for some reason, thought sleep would kill her. I am bearing through this same child's terrible twos. I have enough to bear.

But just seeing those babies and, I guess for Hubby, the baby bunny, brings out the maternal and paternal instincts. Some of us have them stronger than others. I don't think my mother still has hers or maybe they're just for her granddaughters. Mine are still there. Hubby has strong paternal instincts. Especially as the daddy to two daughters. It's so attractive, too. To see my big, strong cop and marine get all sweet over babies and a bunny is just so, uh, attractive. You get my drift. He can afford to do that, though. He isn't the one who has to go through pregnancy and then labor and then nursing and not sleeping. Although he was very helpful, at the end of the day there was only so much the guy could do.

So, unless God has other plans, we will not be having any more babies. I've decided, just now talking to you all, remembering not just the good but the bad and the ugly too. And yes, I think my mother would kill us if I became pregnant again. She'd eventually be thrilled but at first, uh, not so much. Pray for her.

Girls Day

2010-11-23T08:42:00.000-08:00

The girls and I will be heading to a Children's Museum today. Both of them are home with me all week and while I have lots to do 'round here I must stop and enjoy the joy of them today. We will have a 1.5 hour drive during which we will listen to some fun kid's music in the car, stop for a treat (maybe they'll let me get them a cookie at Starbucks instead of McDonald's!) we'll head to the museum and spend as much time as they want touching and playing with all of the exhibits. This museum has a big 'grocery store' the kids can shop in and ring up groceries in all day. I have no idea why this sounds like fun to my girls but they are looking forward to dressing up in the museum's dress-up section and hittin' the store. Oh wait, I sometimes I get dressed up and hit shops, maybe it's a genetic thing.

For lunch I am planning, wait for it, Chuck E. Cheese's. I told you it was a day for them. I know I am nuts. But see, I have a few shops I need to hit on the way home and I figure I can kinda' sneak them in if the girls are completely tuckered out, sugared up and on the low of that high. We live in an area just far enough away from everything that when I am somewhere I must make the trip count and figure out what else I need/want to do while I'm 'there'. Don't worry, I never want to stay there for too long (the noise and the traffic about do in this small-town girl) but I enjoy for a few hours.

Tomorrow is Christmas decorating, yep, with the girls home. I'll let you know how that goes!

Plus, I've asked for a new camera for Christmas so I will be posting pics soon, soon, soon! Hang in there with me...

Sick

2010-11-08T11:06:00.000-08:00

I'm sick today, and yesterday for that matter. I would say I'm "home sick" but I'm always home so that doesn't qualify. I had to drive to San Diego on Saturday for a leadership conference for church and on the way home I had a sneaking suspicion I was coming down with something. After stopping at Starbucks for the second time that day (and at 5:30pm I might add) I made it home.

Yesterday I was much worse. Fever, body aches, cold symptoms, check. Cranky husband who had to put in 'daddy duty' two days in a row, check. Now, I'm sitting on my couch, laptop in hand, hot tea on coffee table staring outside to the backyard. It's cold and windy out after raining this morning. I'm being a super great mom right now... Bethany is watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse in my bed after eating the 'bana' she just asked for (banana) and drinking her milk. I may just let her stay there as long as she wants.

Obviously, I'm still not feeling well. Oh, and I just noticed a ginger snap in the pot of my silk tree in the living room. I noticed it and walked on by. We had ginger snaps in this house about a week and half ago. Seriously, who are these people I'm living with? Here's hoping no cold/flu buggie finds you this season. And may all your store bought cookies stay out of tree pots.

It's Looking at Me, part deux

2010-11-04T10:33:00.000-07:00

We had a great time trick-or-treating with the girls. Savannah's best friend "since I was a baby" Kylee came too. We all piled into two golf carts and headed off in search of fun and candy. We drove, cold and uncomfortable with kids on every lap into the night. Some streets were busy busy. Some were spookily quiet and empty. We did them all. Bethany didn't want to say her much rehearsed line, "Trick or treat!" "Thank you, bye" in perfect two-year-old lingo, "she's so cute, I'll even give her parents, who taught this adorable child, some delicious chocolate" but she was there nonetheless to collect her share of the spoils. We saw pumpkins, spiders, webs, skeletons, witches and candy candy candy.

There were a few Haunted Houses. The older girls most certainly wanted to go in. Bethany and her Mama, not so much. But for candy, she obliged. Her Mama that is. On our second to last street, Hubby decided to stop at another scary house. "Go on up, I'll wait here with Bethany. Honey, take the girls up." The big girls were in front of me. From behind the big tree in the front yard stepped Michael Myers, calmly. I know it wasn't the real Mike Myers, right? But he had on a dark blue jumpsuit, boots and that awful white mask with the brown hair. He just stared. At me. I decided we needed to hurry. You know, it being a school night and all. "Hurry up girls."

Mike Myers just kept staring, yes, at me. "Girls, grab your candy, now." The girls, laughing at the other decorations and getting their candy and not even noticing the serial killer now stalking their mom. "Girls, move your rears, now". By now the candy giver was starting to gawk, the girls were finally paying attention and Hubby was cracking up watching all of this from the golf cart. And Mike Myers? Oh, he just stayed where he was but would slowly turn to keep staring at me, like eye-contact staring. Ghosts? Witches? Chain saws? No. Just a madman not moving but just staring at me. That'll do it.

I'm Being Obedient

2010-10-27T19:58:00.000-07:00

I must blog. I must do it often. Pioneer Woman says so. I'm supposed to blog even if I can't think of anything to tell you. She gave several suggestions. One was to tell you how I feel when I walk into my laundry room. Really? Oh. Ok. Well, I feel a bubble of nausea rise from my stomach. I feel like I may have the vapors. I may faint right there. I will hit my head on the door of the dryer which is still open and go to glory on my tile floor. Or at least dream. I may dream of the days when there were no washers and dryers. There were prairies and horse drawn wagons and farms. Because life was so much simpler there was no need for 17 t-shirts, 11 pairs of jeans, 22 pairs of socks and 14 'church' shirts to wash, dry and maybe even iron. And that's just Hubby's wardrobe. Mine and the girls' are worse, much worse. I mean, in those days a lady might have a work dress and apron, a casual dress and a church dress along with a few under garments. All to be washed in the ring washer (is that their name?) and dried on the line. Yes, more work than what we do now but they were only washing say, eight outfits at a time! Their hour of work then drying time sure beats my full day of laundry. I'll take that any day over mine facing me tomorrow. So, I blogged, and now you know how I feel when I walk into my laundry room. Aren't you glad I told you? You can live the rest of your life now with such important information.

Great Blogs I Just Love

2010-10-22T09:15:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! I just added a new feature to my blog, all the way down the bottom of the blog is a list of other blogs that I just can't get enough of. Of course, Confessions of a Pioneer Woman is on the list. She is so much fun and so talented, from her writing to her photos to her great sense of humor and wit! You know I love me some witty women!!

Also on my list is Sugar Pie Farmhouse. Aunt Ruthie is just as talented but in the decorating arts and her paragraphs about the Lord are so inspirational. I've made several of her pies and she always makes me feel good about homemaking being my Higher Calling.

I just 'found' Purple Chocolat Home while I was looking for fall decorating, I just love to see what everyone else does. It's a beautiful site with more great photos and talent. This author loves chocolate and purple and went to Paris and fell in love with the city of lights (hence the nod to the French word for chocolate!)

Between Naps on the Porch is a blog I have followed for awhile. Susan has a gorgeous screened in porch and uses her table there for all her tablescaping and all her posts on that as well as entertaining. She is wildly popular as well.

I want to remind all of you to click on what all of these ladies read as well and you will discover more great blogs too. It's how I found all the blogs I enjoy reading, when I can of course! There are so many great ideas to decorating to crafting to home ideas, the list is endless.

We have been getting ready for Halloween. Savannah took 3rd place in a recent costume contest dressed as an Indian Princess homemade costume I made her. Way to go, Bug!! Bethany is going as a puppy dog. I will be posting plenty of photos very soon. I know photos make a blog as you will see when you check out all the ones I listed below!

Zucchini Bread, YUM!

2010-10-14T17:21:00.000-07:00

I needed to clean out the freezer today, we just have a bunch of hodge-podge stuff in there, 1/2 bag of mini corn dogs, 1/2 bag of meatballs, frozen veggies, frozen strawberries, etc... So tonight we are having a 'clean the freezer dinner', just a mixture of all the items that need to be eaten. A few days ago my next door neighbor brought over zucchini from her garden along with yellow squash. I was so grateful because I had to leave my garden, in the prime of it's production I might add, to move here! So, instead of just weird dinner tonight from the freezer we'll be having zucchini bread with it!

The Best Zucchini Bread

3 cups of all purpose flour 3 eggs

1 tsp. salt 1 cup vegetable oil

1 tsp. baking soda 2 and 1/4 cups white sugar

1 tsp. baking powder 3 tsp. vanilla extract

3 tsps. cinnamon 2 cups grated zucchini

Preheat oven to 325. Sift dry ingredients together except sugar. Beat oil, eggs, vanilla and sugar together in large bowl. Add dry ingredients to wet and stir well. Stir in zucchini. Bake 2 loaves for 40-60 minutes until cake tester comes out clean. Cool for 20 minutes until your family enters kitchen and devours the entire loaf in one sitting, if you can get them to wait that long.

What I Miss

2010-10-13T20:27:00.000-07:00

I miss cleaning my house and it staying clean for a week, or longer...

I miss getting in my car and there not being books, wrappers, toys and trash in it...

I miss my waistline. It's still there somewhere... On that note, I miss that things are no longer where they used to be, you know, higher...

I miss my camera... my Buglette threw a fit and threw the camera. Bye bye camera.

I miss my first job, working with all of my friends, making a few bucks for fun money...

I miss money being 'just for fun'...

I miss my high school girlfriends; we are all too busy with our lives to see each other regularly...

I miss that if I saw all my high school girlfriends it wouldn't be the same...

I miss kissing Hubby after a high school football or soccer game when he was all sweaty and he wasn't Hubby...

I miss staring at my engagement ring and getting goosebumps...

I miss my little brother... he's no longer little and lives far, far away...

I miss the smell of my baby's head...

I miss feeling the butterflies of life in my abdomen...

I miss the cute little two-door car I had for so long...

I miss the movie theater...

I miss trying to decide what to do on Friday and Saturday nights...

I miss my dear friend after she left the state...

I miss laughing with said friend till someone had to run to the restroom...

I miss carbohydrates, sugar and eating without counting points...

I miss quiet dinners when Hubby and I could actually talk to each other...

But I'm grateful that life is exactly where it is right now...

Thanks for listening.

Thirteen in Eighteen

2010-10-10T20:39:00.001-07:00

Well. Yes. I am here. I think. No, no, I'm here. Yes. Here. I am right back where I started from. Literally, the same town I grew up in is now where we live, again. It's all very very good. I am happy to be home. We got to move right back into our same house, too. I have been forcing myself to come up with different places for things, you know, switch it up a bit. It's been going well. I knew we were moving back just one week before we actually pulled the three (yes, you read that right, 3, tres, three) moving trucks out of the driveway. But more on that later.

All of the moving had me recalling all of the moves we have made in our eighteen years of marriage. We counted thirteen total such events. Thirteen.

First, the week of our wedding I moved from my parent's home and my baby pink bedroom of many many years into my first home, ever. There wasn't much to move, a navy blue couch, a kitchen table and chairs, a few end tables, a bedroom set and various boxes and wedding gifts. It all went into a small little one bedroom house just outside Hubby's first duty station in the middle of the desert. We didn't live there (not even one night!) until we returned from our honeymoon.

The next most memorable move (there were 2 more in between the first and this one) was down to the beach town we would spend the next three years in. We lived on base. We loved it. I spent the first summer freezing in sweats and wondering where the heck the sun went. Then we adjusted, and fell in love with it. It's still a bit of a home away from home for us.

Another memorable move was to our first home we ever owned. We felt like we were royalty! We watched it be built. We wrote in drywall things like 'baby's room' and put our hands into wet cement. We lived there for three years but that will always be our house.

After leaving that house (yes, with baby in tow now) we were back in an apartment at the same small beach town as before, waiting for orders for Hubby to head off to war. As he prepared for war, we headed back to the town we are in now. We bought a house again, this time on a lake and once again felt like royalty. He returned from Iraq and sold that home on the water and bought the home we are in now. After three years here, we rented it out and moved to the last house we were in. Two years later, we are back and whew, I'm exhausted.

So, two months ago, we packed by just throwing things into boxes, loaded up a four bedroom plus loft home and, with help from my family and a few of our friends drove three large moving trucks of stuff and four vehicles following back to where we started from. Before moving this time I made Hubby promise that this was the last move. He agreed. You all are my witnesses.

Patience is a Virtue

2010-08-25T19:37:00.000-07:00

Hey there. Are you there? Hello? Oh, hi. I guess you're there, it's me who's been MIA! Our family has undergone major change since August 3rd. We found out on July 26th that we needed to move because Hubby was getting active duty status with the Marine Corps. I had a week's notice about this move! The good thing is that Hubby will be stationed at a base near our hometown! And he's not going off to war this time! We got to move back to the small town I was raised in! We are here and in our 'old' house. We had a renter in it and he left just as we needed it! God is amazing! We are still getting settled; I hate moving and we calculated 13 moves in the 18 years we've been married. All I can say is, "whew", I'm exhausted. I am still unpacking many boxes and many to go. Patience needed. The funny thing is the real reason why I haven't been able to talk to you all. We live in an area considered 'rural' and thus we can't get internet service just yet. I am so frustrated but I must be patient. I head on over to mom and dad's to check email and this is first time I've blogged since the move. Patience needed. I have great pictures I have promised to post. Patience. Many adventures to fill you in on and all the craziness that is my family will be blogged soon. Patience. Stay with me. Have patience. I'm getting a lesson in that too.
'But the fruit of Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness and self-control' Galatians 6:22

I Promise to Take Pictures

2010-07-16T08:49:00.000-07:00

The babies are still asleep! It's summer, so I let them stay up late and they tear around this house doing Lord-knows-what whooping for joy that their mama has no control over them. It's quiet in my house right now; the kind of quiet that makes me want to sit and enjoy my cup of coffee, writin' to all of you. But I can't. I'm supposed to be getting ready to head south today. We are heading to San Diego for one night and 2 days. Hubby has to do some Marine Corps reserve thing down there and the girls and I are tagging along for a change of scenery. We'll go to the beach to run from waves, build sandcastles and get sand in unmentionable places. We are looking forward to it. We (the girls and I) are also going to the opening of a new shop in Escondido called Urban Barn. I am super-duper excited about this because I will be meeting Aunt Ruthie of Sugarpie Farmhouse, her famous blog! I am bringing my camera, I will be stalking her like some crazed fan. Oh wait, I am some crazed fan. My mom and I love love love her blog. She is a native Californian who moved to Branson, MO and now channels the farm wives that lived in that area a few decades ago. She blogs about the Lord too and decorates so cute and takes beautiful pictures. I will be trying to stand near her hoping by osmosis I can make my blog half as wonderful as hers!

I will takes photos. I will post them. I promise. Stay cool. Not figuratively, but literally. It's hot hot hot here.

Cows and Mamas are a lot Alike

2010-07-12T10:59:00.001-07:00

So my mom and dad asked if Hubby and I wanted to get away on a trip for awhile. Seriously? YES!!! Oh wait, that means my girls can't come. That means they will stay home with their Nana and Papa. They will eat without me, play without me and sleep without me, ok, I guess they do that anyways but still...

Hubby wants to go on a five-day cruise. That sounds nice. Five days and four nights of eating in peace and quiet, sleeping in peace and quiet, reading when I want to, taking a walk when I want to and just plain being with Hubby again as Hubby, not Daddy. But what if one of my babies needs me? What if someone gets hurt playing outside? Or they just miss me and can't get to me?? Or heaven forbid, someone gets sick? I will be hundreds of miles away on a ship for goodness sakes! It's not like there are cell phone towers in the middle of the ocean.

This all reminds me of the Pioneer Woman blog. http://thepioneer woman.com If you are not a reader well, you must become one. You just must. Ree is a red-headed, freckled mama of four married to the Marlboro man (her version of Hubby) and they live on and run a cattle ranch. She is originally from the city. Seriously. Her blog is a hoot and a holler and when I'm not cooking, cleaning or writing this or, okay, I admit, coloring or playing ball with one of my own babies I check out what Ree and the cowboy family is up to.

One of her posts talks about what happens when new calves are born. Marlboro man and the other cowboys must separate mama from baby so they can give the babies shots, brand them and check on their overall health. The mamas and the babies (no, not the Mamas and the Papas, the mamas and the babies...) are separated by one wood rail fence. The mamas stay at the fence trying to find their babies. The babies are lost without their mamas. Once that fence gate opens its' cow confusion. Mamas mooing for their babies and babies crying for their mamas. Looking at Ree's photos I really sympathize with her cows. " Excuse me, has anyone seen my calf? She's about yea tall, beautiful brown hair and eyes and is just the cutest ever... I'll be screaming over here for her if you find her."

It's sort of how I feel thinking about this cruise. I know Hubby and I need time together and I look forward to that aspect. But I know that by day three I will be done, starring at Hubby thinking, "Who's he and where are my babies?"

Independence Day

2010-07-02T14:35:00.000-07:00

It's Fourth of July weekend. I love Fourth of July, I always have. My parents did a great job of creating memories for us, especially on holidays. The 4th was no exception.

It began when we (my little brother and I) were small and we lived on a cul-de-sac in a new neighborhood with other young families. We created lifelong friends on that block. All the neighbors would join in the middle of the block for a big July 4th party. All the dads would bring out their grills, us kids would decorate our bikes and scooters for a parade, music would play, and when it was dark we did fireworks. Yep, you heard that right, fireworks right out in front of our homes. Those were the days before safety was not the most important thing and parents still allowed their kids to play out front. I even have pictures of about 10 of us kids piled into the back of a pickup truck for a ride! My girls have no concept of what a sparkler even is now and the back of our truck is strictly for objects.

After moving to the small town I grew up in, 4th of July became huge parties at the park overlooking the lake. We swam till dark, played games, ate, swam more and then everyone would scatter to find the best spot to see all the fireworks shoot over the lake. As I became a teen the 4th of July became even more fun... partying at the lake with my friends, watching the fireworks and staying out afterwards. My parents were a little naive...

After getting married, Hubby and I created our own memories. He was in the Marine Corps so we would gather with friends and celebrate. Once we moved to Camp Pendleton the celebrating took place on the beach. Camp Pendleton would throw huge parties with sponsors, fireworks, food vendors and the like. Sometimes they were a little crazy. I just remember sitting in traffic for about an hour to get home even though we lived about a half-mile from the beach. We didn't have our girls yet so we could stay and have fun and not have to rush home. Ahh, those were the days...

Now, as a family, we have block parties (that's me trying recreate my childhood) and then sit on our balcony overlooking the valley and watch fireworks go off at all the different venues. Bethany goes to bed long before they pop. Of course, all the neighbors are over and the kids (I should say, 'girls', there's not a single boy in the bunch!) are so silly with candy and no rules and playing outside in the dark.

This weekend, take time to remember our freedom is not free and some are working in a dry, hot desert, thousands of miles away to protect what we so take for granted. Happy 4th of July!!!

Trowel and Error

2010-06-02T09:28:00.000-07:00

I'm sure I've told you that I garden. I've had a garden in every house we've ever lived in. From growing strawberries and tomatoes in pots when we lived in the hot hot desert of Twentynine Palms to bougainvillea vines climbing all over my house at the beach in San Clemente along with more strawberries and cucumbers, I have always had a garden.

It really began when I still lived at home and dad let me have a small section of the backyard for a strawberry patch. I was asking for a horse and I think this was his way of sedating me! I didn't know a thing about gardening but still those red berries thrived. I'm sure I asked advice from my green-thumbed grandmother who grew up in a time when a garden wasn't a fun activity but a necessity. As a kid I remember grandma and grandpa's garden; sunflowers taller than my dad's head, tomatoes red and large, bell peppers ready to be stuffed, even blackberries plump and sweet.

I must have gotten my love of gardening from my grandma. My mom doesn't garden, hum, I'm not sure why, but she doesn't. Maybe this thing skips generations. I am the only one out of four grand kids and two of her own daughters who gardens. I think maybe this world is just too busy and full. Maybe that's why I keep a garden. I have to escape the kids, the house, the hubby, the TV and the computer (no offense) to go out back and water, pull weeds and pluck vegis. It's the best excuse I can come up with.

I sometimes have good luck with my gardens and sometimes not. It is trial (trowel!) and error. I've read the books but still it's up to God and nature what comes up. I love that. Even if I do what all the books say, the garden has a mind of its' own. No 'book learnin' here!! It's up to the Lord to see what happens. I've had plenty of successful gardens, plump berries, red tomatoes, large cucumbers, sweet peppers and bright orange pumpkins. And I've had seasons when my garden just refused to cooperate. Two years in a row I fought little flat beetles on the undersides of my pumpkins. More times than I can count have I had plenty of squash blossoms but nooo squash! Plenty of strawberry flowers but no berries. And for some reason, that's o.k. with me. I take it all in stride and just try again next year.

Ever since I became a mommy gardening had new meaning. I love teaching my girls about the seasons, the seeds, the ways and reasons a garden grows or doesn't. It's really a show of God's promise to provide for us right there in the lettuce and melons. Savannah began by being in her bouncer seat while I watered to now pulling weeds herself. She and my grandma made our resident scarecrow, Mr. Tom. He stands there scaring away nothing, he's just too cute. Savannah always reminds me about our garden every early spring. The moment it's obvious the weather is changing she is upon me, "Mom, are we doing a garden this year?" Yes is always the answer.

Maybe it's time for her to have her own strawberry patch...

Happy Anniversary!

2010-05-26T08:52:00.000-07:00

Okay. If you're a prude or a male you may not want to read this! Today is the 100th anniversary of the bra! I, for one am very grateful that this unique device was created. I would be a sloppy mess without my bra. I would not want to walk, much less run without my bra. Well, I wouldn't want to do anything without a bra! It's such a supportive friend.

The history of the bra begins in the 1800s with it's first crude ancestors. Many women embraced the first bras as the bra embraced them. Chores were easier, less painful and clothing looked more tailored with these first bras. As the bra evolved, it became more like a corset and much more stifling. Remember in he movie Titanic when Rose's mother is tightening her corset... they had a great dialogue about a woman's position in those days; to marry wealthy and help provide for her family. As the corset tightens it becomes a great metaphor for Rose's life in a cage.

In the 40s and 50s women put themselves into very utilitarian bras. Large, many clips and definitely underwires were the rage and what was 'proper'. Many times, these bras gave a 'pointy' look. Hum...

In the 60s and 70s, as women fought for equality with men, their clothing showed the determination the wearer had to be taken seriously. Bra burning was a show of force to others that women were no longer going to fit into stereotypes set by generations before. I have a friend, who shall remain nameless, who never wore a bra until she was well into her 20s and married. She grew up in the 50s and 60s and embraced "hippie-dom" when it hit. I must admit, it does sound freeing!

Alas, I can never go without a bra. That's ok. My figure looks much better with my supportive friend. Bras have really evolved. Even I can get one now that's supportive as well as pretty and feminine. There are special shops I can go to for my size bra. Even my sports bras are better now than when they first came out. The sports bra first got popular during the women's game of the World Cup. The winning women's team, after running, kicking and sweating pulled off their team jerseys to reveal their snug-fitting yet modest sports bras. Women everywhere took a sigh of relief as we saw what to wear during workouts. As a teen I danced ballet, tap and jazz. It was my life then... some class almost every day after school. Sports bras did not exist then. I really wish they would have!

So, as you get dressed this morning or undressed tonight thank your friend the bra for all the support over the years! I know I will.

Just A Dream

2010-05-17T08:49:00.000-07:00

Today is my birthday. When you've got little ones at home your own day seems to fall by the wayside! That's ok. I actually forgot it was today until Savannah wished me a good one this morning. "Oh yea, I almost forgot!" I've been getting phone calls and well wishes on my Facebook page. I am so blessed with my friends and family.

Hubby has to be gone this week in training so yesterday he spoiled me. I woke up to a beautiful light blue and white beach cruiser bike. He even got me a basket for it! I just love it. I have always dreamed we would live in some small town with a sweet Main Street filled with shops, a florist and a bakery. I would ride my bike into 'town' to buy some french bread and flowers for the table. Of course the town is beautiful with benches, flowers planted all around, friendly neighbors and the like. I guess I see it as a cross between Hale, Maryland from Runaway Bride and the sweet town in Practical Magic. We live in our cute Cape Cod styled house close enough to town so that I can ride my bike to go pick up groceries and put them in my basket. When I shop, all the people know my name because they know everyone in town 'cause it's a small town. I can park my bicycle just outside the shops without locking it. While the girls are in school I ride to the police station to bring Hubby and his partner lunch (it's just the two of them and the only 'crimes' they deal with are the occasional teenagers causing a rucus) and help them wash the one and only police cruiser. Small towns. My new bike is a good start! Thanks honey for contributing to my dream! Till then, I will continue driving everywhere, buying groceries at a superstore and riding my new bike through our neighborhood. I can still dream, though.

Hair

2010-05-12T15:29:00.000-07:00

I have always had a bit of a love-hate relationship with my hair. It is very rare that I find a style I like and thus, make a return trip to the salon for the same cut. Right now, unlike my blog photo, I have about shoulder length hair that I am growing out from said photo. I didn't mind the cut and even that grew out from a very disastrous cut I got before that grew out. I am fickle when it comes to my hair. Hubby, on the other hand, loves it when my hair is long. He is very vocal about this. In the early years of our marriage many of our arguments ended with me at the salon cutting off inches and inches of my hair. But now, sometimes I do it just because I want a change. Thank heavens we've matured.

As a kid, mom kept my hair on the shorter side. I remember the Dorothy Hammill cut I wore for some of elementary school. I also remember mom giving me perms at the height of the home-perming movement of the late '70s. Don't tell anyone but my dad and uncle (both cops at the time) each had perms too. It was a weird time. My first day at my new elementary school, when I met the kids I would graduate high school with, mom put foam rollers in my hair and I went to school with very out of control curls. It took a long time to live that one down.

In Junior High I wanted long hair very badly but didn't want to take care of it. I hated the knots and sessions of brushing out tangles. Off it went. By the time I entered high school I had made peace with my hair and it had grown out considerably. It was the big-hair eighties and I was rockin' the big bangs and the tease comb and hair spray! My hair was long and I always had it curled, bangs teased high. When I didn't want my hair down my back and across my shoulders I wore it in a pony tail with my bangs 'down', a little "Grease-like" as in Sandy, not Rizzo. I even liked "Danny-ish" boys to complete the look. I met my future hubby in my long curls and big bangs. He said I looked cute.

As a newly-wed, I didn't know where me and my hair fit in. It was the grunge season. Hair was supposed to be long, straight and um, gross. I could not do that! So, I went though many more fazes with my hair. Short, medium length in a bob, long again, but straight, bangs, no bangs. My color even changed. As a girl I had blonde hair. As I got older it got darker to dark blonde/light brown. I highlighted. Then I colored it reddish brown for many years. Right now, as I age, it gets darker. No, I haven't found any gray hair, yet. Hubby is getting a lot of gray but it makes him look distinguished. I don't think it will have the same affect on me. So I color it. Right now it's a deep brown which I think looks good on my fair complexion and blue eyes. I'm sure I will change my mind.

As women we are so strange about our hair. My girls are even beginning their own hair-identity. Savannah has always had it long but just a few days ago got it cut into a bob. Bethany will either be cursed or blessed. Her hair is curly, curly, curly. I love it. She may not. You don't see men freaking out about their hair like we do. They don't color or cut, grow or worry about their hair (usually). I just want Hubby to have it on his head, not long, not too short. If it's receeding, oh well (his isn't) just go bald. But us women? Nope. Wigs, falls, fake pieces make millions of dollars for their makers. I never see toupees advertised on T.V. So, I must make peace with my hair. It grows quickly. I'm in the midst of it now. Just one question. At what age is long hair no longer flattering and I should wear it short? Just wondering.

National Day of Pray

2010-05-06T08:39:00.000-07:00

Dear Heavenly Father, Our Lord Jesus Christ,

Lord, I pray, on this our National Day of Pray for our country. I pray for our president. Lord, give him wisdom to turn to You for strength and knowledge. Lord, I pray that he knows You and if he doesn't that he will come to know You through people he comes in contact with. Father, please send people to be an influence on our president's life; remind him that America is indeed a Christian nation and to never turn his back on Christianity and therefore You, again. Please protect his family and cause them to have a relationship with You.

Father, I pray for those men and women serving our country in wars right now. Lord, please protect them, give them strength to get through their difficult tasks. Cause them to turn to You for strength and protection and for a relationship with You. Please be with their families as they are separated and concerned for each other. Come alongside these families and be there for them filling their needs during such a difficult time.

Lord, I pray for the citizens of America. Lord, so many have turned from You or never have even known You. I pray for this to change! Lord, cause our citizens to want a relationship with You! You have promised that if America would change her ways You would be faithful to forgive her. We need this now. Heal our relationship with You for we were indeed founded on Christian principles with You as our backbone. Forgive us for taking You out of our schools, courts and other institutions. Please heal our financial state and to, from this point on, handle our country's finances the way You would have us.

Father, please strengthen the American family. The state of the family shows the state of this country and Lord, our families need You. Without strong, healthy, two-parent families this country fails. We are in a crisis because of the state of our families. Divorce is at an all-time high, children are being born out of wedlock, even our country's leaders are redefining what a family is, allowing even same-sex marriage. Lord, we need to turn from our evil ways! Please forgive us for such sins. Marriage is Your institution and You designed it for a man and a woman, only. Forgive those of us who even have a relationship with You and yet say nothing as our country descends into such debauchery.

Lord, I pray for this country, my home. I love my country. Please be with her in this age and forever. Change us. Strengthen us. I pray America comes to know You as her Lord and Savior. Amen.

An Apron, A Garden, a New Show

2010-05-05T10:16:00.000-07:00

Hello? Anyone home? You whoooo? Can I come in? Don't worry about the house... it's just me!

Well hey there! I've missed you all, again. Yep, it's my own fault... I know it is. But I'm here now!

Life has been crazy and good but busy! I've got 'company' comin' out a my eyeballs! Hubby's Dad and step-mom were here last week and we had a great visit with them. This week his Mom and step-dad are here! What a blast! I do love 'company'! Gives me a good reason to scrub the house. Once they're here, though, I don't stress about it. If they saw it clean when they first got here, well that's good enough!

This is mine and Bethany's birthday month along with Mother's Day, my mother-in-law's birthday, my dear friend Linda's birthday, my parents anniversary and of course, don't you know, I just had to be a May bride! May breaks our bank! Last weekend Mom and I celebrated Mother's Day by going to an event at church. We had a great time! I love some good worship time, great food, good messages, and even shopping! There were about 12 vendors selling their wares! Mom bought be a cutie-patootie apron for Mother's Day. I am an apron girl! I wear them all the time to cover spills, dirt, cleaning products, and, um, diaper stuff. I wear them when I'm entertaining and have even been know to forget to take them off when I pick Savannah up from school, which produces the mortifying sound, "Moooom! How could you forget to take it off?!" So, thanks, Mom! Your granddaughter will love it!!!

Yesterday I bought flowers for the front yard (petunias are the best for our area) and then vegetable plants for our garden. I have a garden every year, in every house we've lived in. I love getting out there and planting, pulling weeds, and watering. I love to teach my girls about life through the garden. A garden shows God's provision for us! This year we got a late start so instead of using seeds (my preferred method) I had to use the plants that are ready to go. I am so late because our weather has been so weird! Really, we had snow in the first week of April!

We have had a new family program we are all enjoying immensely! It's called America: The Story of Us. It's on the History channel on Sunday nights. We make Savannah sit and watch with us. (she really enjoys it too!) It's about the founding of our country from the very beginning. We're up to the beginning of the Civil War. Of course, the program showed the horrors of slavery. At this point Savannah could barely stomach it. She was shocked that this once happened in our country. She knew about slavery but the show really replayed so many injustices and, as she thought of all of her African American friends, it made her cry. She didn't want to watch. We made her and told her we all need to know what happened so it is never repeated. She learned about Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad, about Frederick Douglas and his slim escape on a train to freedom. I highly recommend America: The Story of Us.

Hope you all have a fantastic weekend and to all the mothers out there, Happy Mother's Day!

All Play and No Work!

2010-04-26T20:14:00.001-07:00

When I was growing up there were a few times my little brother and I would go to bed, say on a Thursday night for school the next day. Homework done, ready for another day of school. 7am would come and instead of being awaken for breakfast, getting dressed, catching the bus we would wake to our dad bursting into our rooms like a kid himself announcing we were going to Disneyland instead! I mean, could you imagine anything more exciting as a kid? We would head off to breakfast (blueberry pancakes are the only way to get you ready for a day at Disneyland) and then head to the park. Missing school to be with our family and spend the day together, no TV, no computer (ok, there were no computers then) and no work was just a perfect fantasy.

On Friday, Savannah came home from school with an amazing report card. Great grades and evidence of a lot of hard work. We woke up this morning (Monday) and surprised her with a trip to Disneyland! I could really see why my dad loved to do this! We had a blast, Bethany discovered it for the first time and it was precious. We hit all the major rides and even had time to have lunch and do a bit of shopping.

I am so grateful for days like today. For the entire day to spend as a family with no TV, work, computers and even cell phones. Savannah wasn't as excited about missing school as my brother and I were (she loves school!) but was just thrilled with her surprise of where we were going! This day will help get us through all the days of homework, getting up early and tests to come! Way to go Bug! We are proud of the hard work you have put in!

Where the Heck I've Been...

2010-04-13T08:47:00.000-07:00

Well, hey there Peeps! I have missed you all sooo much! Life around this here place has been nutty! Last we spoke was three weeks ago! Oh my!!! I have neglected all my Peeps and I am hearin' from you all! I'm gettin' lectures from my mama, Hubby's friends are wonderin' if I'm alive and all you readers in Twitter-Land are threatin' to boycott! Ok, ok, I'm here!!!

In late March I went with Savannah and her fourth grade class to Coloma and Sacramento. We spent one night up there so it was pretty much a turn-around trip. Coloma is where gold was discovered in California so we got to see Sutter's Mill and even pan for gold. All of the 20 kids found gold! Imagine how much gold is still up there!!! I can easily see how the gold rush got started! The next day we went to the capital building in Sacramento. It was wonderful to see! We even had a private tour of the governor's offices. Afterwards we went to Old Town Sacramento to see an old schoolhouse from the mid-late 1800s and then a train museum. After dinner we headed home! Whew! It took me the entire weekend to recover!

Easter was next! We went 'home' (where I grew up and where we last lived) and the girls got to have 2 Easter egg hunts and we had dinner with family. Savannah's Easter break was great, although we spent most of the week at home it was warm enough for the girls to have lots of play time outside.

Hey, did you hear that? That ringing. There it is again. It's the sound of grandparent's phones all over the west ringing off their hooks. It's Law Enforcement's Baker to Vegas relay run this weekend! I can just hear all those phones ringing and the begging of parents asking Nanas and Papas to babysit their grand kids! Hubby has run this race several, several years in a row. A few years he's gone without me (I was home with a baby) and come home right after running. Last year though, I went with him. It's a huge endeavor for whoever plans it! Law Enforcement agencies from all over the west (and even some points east!) participate. It's really awesome. Hubby and I take this opportunity to have a trip just the two of us. It's perfect because we are in Las Vegas, about 3-4 hours from the girls in case something goes wrong (it's more for my piece of mind, I'm a nervous nelly of a mother!) and we have plenty to do for a few days. This year we are taking a few extra days for ourselves! We are going on Saturday and returning on Tuesday! Oh boy! We are excited like kids in a candy store. We've been planning this for months! Vegas is ok, we don't really do the Vegas thing so we've been checking out things like going out in the desert on quads, going in a hot air balloon over the Grand Canyon and maybe even river rafting. We shall see! One thing that is there in Vegas is the CSI experience. You get to pick one of three crime scenes to investigate and solve. I am going to do that! I love crime scene investigation (remember, there's law enforcement all over our family, it was bound to rub off on me) and I'll get to pretend! I'll let you know if it's worth it!

Because of Nana and Papa (my mom and dad) coming to stay here with the girls I've been doing some spring cleaning. Ugh. It's one thing to have company here while I'm here, it's a whole other ballgame when I'm not here! I've been cleaning blinds, organizing drawers and closets and pulling stuff out we don't use for a garage sale. More ugh. But one suggestion I'm following is putting all of our sheets inside one of the matching pillow cases. What a trick! My linen closet was a mess before thanks to little curious hands and now it's soo organized! Mom will be impressed!

I will be posting some pictures from Easter (girls in new Easter dresses, is there anything more adorable?) and from the fourth-grade trip. I'm just having some difficulty with my camera! Plus, I will have Hubby take some of me solving some CSI crime in Vegas! I will also take some of him running out in the middle of nowhere! I just don't get running but he loves it. If I'm running someone had better be chasing me...

All Things 'Mom'

2010-03-22T13:48:00.000-07:00

Ok, I don't have a ton of time to blog today but I've got some great things to tell you, so, pay attention!! Haha! I'm feeling like all things 'mom' are swirling around me today! Bethany is officially 22 months old! She's two months away from being two! I can't believe it! Sometimes I feel melancholy about them growing up and sometimes, like today, I am thrilled for each milestone reached, each bit of time passing. Let's face it, Bethany's 'babyhood' was a bit of a trial! She tried what she could to get away with anything, she tried (and succeeded) many new things, she tried to be like her big sister, she tried (and usually succeeded) to pull the wool over her daddy's eyes, and she tried her mommy's patience! Oh, and just this morning she tried to get out of her car seat (and almost succeeded) coming home from taking Sissy to school. She calls Savannah Sissy. Savannah wanted her to. Savannah wanted to be a sister for so long that when Bethany came along all she wanted to hear was 'Sissy'. The 'trial' has been worth it!

My mother-in-law sent me some great 'mom' quotes today that she thought I could relate to... oh, yeah, I can relate! She'll get to relate in a few months when we fly back there for vacation and she gets her granddaughters all to herself!

Real mothers know that their kitchen utensils are probably in the sand box

Real mothers often have sticky floors, filthy ovens and happy kids

Real mothers know that dried play-dough doesn't come out of carpet

Real mothers don't want to know what the vacuum just sucked up

Real mothers know to panic when the house is quiet

Yep, that about sums it up! My favorite is the one about the sticky floors and filthy ovens! I cook constantly. My kitchen is always in use. My floors and oven show it. But my family is happy and always wants to know, "What's for dinner?"

The last 'mom' thing to share with you is about an owl. Her name is Molly and she is a barn owl. Her husband (because they can't have babies without being married, duh) is McGee. They just became parents to Max and are awaiting four more owlettes to hatch any day now. A man named Carlos provided an 'owl box' fifteen feet in the air for them and then he put a web cam in too! Children all over the US have been watching and learning all about owls! Ok, you caught me, not just children. When Max was born you would've thought he was my baby. I cried. I can't help but to check in on them every once in a while to see what they're up to. Sometimes Molly stands up to stretch and you can see baby Max! Oh, squeals of delight! McGee brings them food and visits at night. Otherwise, he parks himself in a tree nearby to keep watch. I told you he was her husband. That's what my husband does, anyways. He provides food, protects us in our nest and visits at night.

You can go watch all about Molly, McGee and baby Max (who is soon to be a big brother) at

http://www.ustream.tv/theowlbox it's addicting, your floors will stay sticky and your oven a mess, don't say I didn't warn you.

Good 'Ol Floyd

2010-03-17T09:30:00.000-07:00

I was driving home from taking Savannah to school, usually Bethany and I are contemplating the day ahead but this morning I was itching to just listen to some music. Turn on the radio and start surfing... usual stations just not cutting it. I went to a station I don't usually listen to... it's a soft jazz station I only put on when 1) Bethany is screaming in the back seat or 2) the girls are fighting because Savannah is antagonizing her sister and Bethany has lost her temper or 3) I just don't want to know they are back there (come on, admit it... you've done it too).

So, on went the soft jazz station and it was so nice, soft, pleasant. A song came on that just transported me away to another time, another place. It was a song by Floyd Kramer (I waited to hear who it was) all instruments, no vocals. In one moment I was 'mama' heading home to do mundane chores, change diapers, clean, do laundry and the next I was fourteen years old, in a Honda Accord with my parents and my little brother (who would've been eleven) as we drove to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon on vacation. I believe my parents loved Floyd Kramer because they listened to it during the entire drive. No Michael Jackson, Madonna or even Hall and Oats (it was the '80s). Just Floyd Kramer. In the small car with their kids killing each other in the back. We were at the height of our sibling rivalry. He just drove me nuts as I'm sure my teenage self did to him.

I remember the weather was cool and overcast (the North Rim is like being in the mountains, trees and all) and I had on a Members Only jacket (why in Heaven's name would I remember this?) and we stopped to see some deer. Then we headed to the North Rim 'resort' we stayed at. We stayed in an adorable cabin, there were many. I met a friend who was staying there also. She was sweet, we vowed to keep in touch but never did. I think that was also the year we headed to Durango, Colorado. We rode the Durango to Silverton railroad (a three hour train trip up the mountain in open cars being pulled by a coal locomotive). Many years later Hubby and I found a painting of the exact same railroad going up the mountain and it's in our bedroom.

So, I drove home, not quite sure of how I got here because the entire time Floyd Kramer played I was fourteen and fighting with my brother in the Honda. Music is transporting and magical. Thanks Floyd.

So, What's Your Story?

2010-03-16T11:28:00.000-07:00

I have been getting to know my bible study group of ladies lately. They're very sweet, Christian sisters who come from all walks of life. One's a former business owner who once had lots of money till this economy took hold, one is mostly deaf but is a practiced lip reader, one is a mom to four and in severe dire straights financially speaking, one is in very poor health with diabetes and has to go to dialysis a few times a week. They all have one thing in common, though. They love the Lord, they trust Him no matter their circumstances and they see the brighter side of their lives because Jesus is their savior.

We all got together at my home last week to just get to know one another better. After I got to ask them all kinds of questions to find out about them they then all wanted to know my 'story'. Well, I filled them in on the, "I'm a mama, a wife, we moved here in August of '08, my Hubby is in law enforcement" stuff. They didn't want to know that stuff. "We already know all of that!" Oh. They want to know me. I'm sometimes not great at telling that. I'm not proud of a lot of it. Yes, it's what brought me to the Lord in the first place but, ugh... it's not pretty. I hesitate to even think about it all, let alone tell it! But then, what if it helps someone? What if my story helps turn someone to the Lord? Isn't it worth it? Yes. It. Is.

I asked Jesus into my life as my Lord and savior when I was 16 and had dealt with teenage 'stuff'. I was in a youth group through church and knew I needed to be saved from myself and needed a savior. My Hubby and I met in our senior year in high school. A year after graduation we were married. He was in the Marine Corps and we moved a lot but amazingly, we always stayed in California! We went to church. He was constantly gone in training and in schools. After 8 years in active duty he decided to leave the corps and join the police department. More training, more schools. We tried for 4 years to have our oldest, Savannah. One of the sweetest moments I ever had with the Lord was when I found out I was pregnant! I was on my knees thanking Him and praising Him. I was crying wonderful tears of joy. Savannah was born and we became parents finally, 8 years into our marriage. A year after her birth our marriage hit the skids. We separated and came very close to divorce. In the midst of our marital strife Hubby was called back to active duty with the Marine Corps due to the war in Iraq looming on the horizon. By then, Savannah was 2 and a half and we had moved back to 'home', the small town I grew up in. On February 23rd, 2003 Hubby left for Iraq. We had done what we could to strengthen our marriage and to have him leave under the best circumstances we could. We were together as a family as Hubby left for war in Iraq. Savannah and I stayed as busy as we could, writing Daddy and being with family as often as we could. She was my little trooper. On April 9th, 2003, coincidentally the same day Saddam Hussein's statue was pulled down in Baghdad, Hubby was shot at the UN building in Baghdad. God uses all kinds of things for His good. Even horrible, bad things, the Lord can use those as His tools, for His good, for His purposes. He doesn't cause the awful things in our lives but He allows them and hopefully those things will cause His children (all of us) to turn to Him in our need. This is exactly what happened with Hubby and I. After Hubby came home (sent home as a casualty of the war; this just means he could no longer fight, not that he was dead!) we made a commitment to one another to put our marriage back together, to not even consider divorce as an option. We made a commitment to God too. My relationship with the Lord became so much closer, so much more intense. I promised to seek His will for my life in everything and only do what His will for me was! Hubby made a full recovery and our marriage began to as well. This is when I really began to have a relationship with God. Our marriage became what it never had been before.

In March of 2008 we were still living in my small hometown when my brother-in-law, a pastor in Colorado called to tell us a family up there was looking for a home for their baby. They knew they could not take care of her, she was the second child they were due to have in a year. She was due in May (two months from then!!), they knew it was a girl and had we ever thought about adoption? Huh? No. We. Never. Thought about adoption. Never. Why? It just never went through our minds. We had Savannah and had hoped for another baby but it just never happened. I had gotten pregnant in '05 but lost that baby. I surprisingly had an easy time getting over that loss. I didn't know why. I had really wanted that baby but it was like God put a heavenly salve over my heart and I grieved quickly. And here we were being asked to consider adoption. We prayed about it but knew that this was our baby. God created her with us in mind. On May 22nd, 2008 our Bethany was born!

That's my story. Believe it or not, it was the short version! There are so many times in my life that I could tell you God used something bad for His good. Learn the lesson quickly, turn your face heavenward and maybe it won't be so bad.

Keep this in mind during your next trial and tribulation.

A Winner!! And she's so deserving!

2010-03-15T19:17:00.000-07:00

Congratulations are in order for Myra Lewis who won the HGTV dream home in Santa Fe NM!

I just watched her win and cried for her, tears of joy! Her story is amazing! She had a home in New Orleans that was destroyed in Hurricane Katrina! Just goes to show that God knows exactly what He's doing! I really wanted to win but knew I would be thrilled for the real winner, especially to hear how deserving they would be. The Lord didn't disappoint! I am just as pleased as pie that the new owner of that amazing home, new car and $500,000. is someone so deserving! I will just try next time! You can't win if you don't enter...

We have been busy as a family! Yesterday we went to the Pasadena Rose Bowl Swap meet. I had never been and we went to see Hubby's grandparents. Bethany and Savannah would much rather have been doing something different than walking around looking at "old stuff" (antiques!) with their parents! But they both did have a blast at the park we went to after the swap meet. The weather was beautiful... 75F and not a cloud in the sky! We all had lunch and the girls played with their Uncle Bradley and visited with their great-grandparents. If you live in SoCal and have never been to the Rose Bowl Swap Meet like me, I highly recommend going!

The entire parking lot is filled with dozens and dozens of vendors of antiques. The place is huge! It almost requires 2 days! Bring sunscreen, water and plenty of cash!

One Man's Trash is Another Woman's Treasure

2010-03-07T11:15:00.000-08:00

Have you seen it yet? I just found (hey, it's not 'found' unless you know it's there, right?) a great show called American Pickers on the History Channel Monday nights at 9/8c. It features 2 men who go picking (a new word for antique hunting... ok, sometimes it's junk but then it becomes treasure!) all over America finding great antiques to rehab. It's great! Fascinating! I have, myself, been known to tell Hubby on a Saturday afternoon that I need to get away for a bit and head to my favorite antique/junk store in town or even to Goodwill. Many things in my home that people comment on are from these stores! Sometimes I leave things as I find them, sometimes I spray-paint the heck out of them! So, go to American Pickers and get motivated!

I found the White House print at such a store in Solvang (our last name is White) and the small America the Beautiful box next to the cup is actually a music box I found in a shop in Pennsylvania!

When I go looking, I look for my favorite color (red) and for the scale I may need to fill a space.

I don't worry about something not being quite right if I can paint it or change it somehow to make it work! I have different things I love... Americana, cherries, roosters, and polka dots. If I find anything with these elements on it I am likely to make a purchase! Keep these ideas in mind when you go searching and you can't go wrong! And check out American Pickers!

Pictures: top, many things in our downstairs bath are from an antique shop in town like the towl hooks, small lamp and large glass container filled with travel toiletries for guests.

bottom, the White House print and America the Beautiful music box

The Mother of All Tantrums

2010-02-28T10:09:00.000-08:00

We had Uncle Bradley over for the weekend and he and Hubby had just worked a few long hours cleaning out the garage after Tahoe and just winter life. You know, you come in from picking up a child at school, it's pouring rain, you shut the garage door and empty the contents of the car onto the bin in the garage with every intention to bring the bin in and put everything away. Then the baby cries, the nine-year-old needs help with homework and Hubby just called on his way home form work and he's starving... what's for dinner Love? So, after many times of this happening the bin had overflowed, coats, gloves, bags, books, toys, socks and shoes (Bethany takes her shoes and socks off in the car; drives me nuts) everywhere. When those boys said they were gettin' to the garage yesterday I just about whooped with joy!

The cleaning was done, it rained the entire day and was cold. Bradley is a die-hard vegetarian. We decided to head to Soup Plantation for dinner. Plus I had a coupon! Now, I love a good coupon but if you join Soup Plantation's Club Veg they email you the best coupons! I used two buy-one-get-one-free coupons! Now, if you're at all excited as I am about saving something then you'll know that most places only let you use one coupon ("this offer may not be combined with any other offers" blah blah blah) and it is rarely for 50% off people! But I got to use two!!!

Dinner for 3 adults, one nine-year-old and a free baby (ok, that sounds funny 'cause she was anything but free!) was $30! I love a good deal!

We had to run to Walmart because we are putting together our disaster preparedness kit (yep, Haiti and then other earthquakes and tsunamis and weird weather pushed Hubby over the edge and we are now planning for our own world to come to an end) and needed bottles of water and various other items. By this point Bethany had hit her wall. We were in Walmart maybe 10 minutes before she began to melt down. It was slow and easy at first. A fuss here, a bit of a scream there, till she just couldn't handle it anymore. She blew like Mount St. Helen's. We were almost done by that point and just needed to head to the front to pay. By that point she was screaming at the top of her lungs and squirming to get out of whoever's arms she was in. She didn't stop. People started looking. Not nice looking either. We got downright dirty looks. And this was in Walmart! It's not like we were in a fancy department store with a piano playing... this was Walmart! As we walking towards the checkout (ok, we were practically running) I was ahead of the rest of the group sort of leading the pack while Hubby held/restrained Bethany. This lady walking near me must've thought I was there by myself because she looked at Bethany and Hubby then at me and smirked and rolled her eyes. I had just had someone near me in the food section hear Bethany scream from an aisle over say, "that's loud, oh brother". I said to that person that yes, we are proud of her lungs. But by the time the other lady rolled her eyes at me I had had enough. I just looked over at her, smiled and said, "she's mine". I could tell she was mortified. Enough said.

Folks, what kind of world are we in that judges parents of a screaming toddler like they have any real control over the situation? These same people would then judge the same parents if they saw the child get the spanking she needed! Well, what would you like us to do? As soon as I could I took Bethany out to the car and "took care of the problem". But that wasn't before a lot of people judged us. We need to remember that we are all humans together! I'm sure all those people who gave dirty looks have never had a child act out in public. See? No judging allowed! PS, the above picture is the calm before the storm

Goodbye, Tahoe

2010-02-23T13:10:00.000-08:00

Just when it's hopeless that I will ever get inspired to write again, life hands me inspiration.

My doorbell rang (no it wasn't HGTV telling me I'd won my house, that happens on March 14th, you can watch us on TV! I just know I am the winner...) and I had three very nice, humble hispanic ladies at my door. The one in the front said, "I think you have my little lost dog in your backyard." Yep, Tahoe the Terror Terrier had a home before he 'found' us and it seems that his family has found him. Hubby and I are thrilled (Tahoe is still here with us, we are waiting to see papers and for Hubby to be home Wednesday night). Savannah and Bethany will be a different story, I'm afraid. In our defense, we always told Savannah that we would keep him until his owners came forward. I believe they have. I do believe my house needs a break, though. He has 'christened' every room in his little doggie-boy way, he chews up anything and everything, my garage (his sleeping quarters, yes, with a dog bed) stinks to high heaven and he has driven our baby (a female golden retriever named Sadie with the most gentle personality and sweetest brown eyes) completely crazy.

That all being said, I think I will miss the little Terror just a little. Bethany says his name in such a cute way and I will miss that. I will not want to see Savannah's heart broken, but she will understand... there are 2 little boys who miss their dog. And don't worry, I already lectured the original owner, "He needs to have a secure backyard 'cause he jumps high, if he gets out he will run back here, you must put a tag on his collar because when we found him there wasn't one, he must be inside when it's cold (he's just a baby and he shakes when he's cold) or when it's windy or rainy or even too hot. The garage will be fine. You can't breed him 'cause we fixed him. Besides there are too many dogs at the pounds that need homes. We also got all his shots and the tags to prove it." My lecture went on and on until I could be certain she got the point. I think she did. Responsible pet-ownership takes work. They didn't do their job because we ended up with him even after we put fliers up and drove the neighborhoods. Hubby installed a very high gate enclosure so Tahoe couldn't get out. This lady said her husband was "very busy". So what did I say? I told her once we see papers and my husband is home to help with our daughters' tears then she may, of course, have their dog back. Plus I told her it would give her time to get their backyard secure and to get her house and garage ready. I will be sad to see him go, relieved to be a one-dog family again and praying for his best and his happiness. I'm glad we found him and took care of him. Someone else may have just called the pound.

Here's to Tahoe the Terror Terrier! Whose real name is something in Spanish I can't pronounce but he'll always be 'Tahoe' to us! photo, Tahoe with Uncle Brad watching the Super Bowl

A Hundred Howling Coyotes and the Hope of a Book Club

2010-02-19T13:33:00.001-08:00

Well, like I said our weather would change, and it has. The wind is howling now like a hundred hungry coyotes outside our door. It's cold, too. This weekend will see us retreat to the indoors again much unlike last weekend. Oh well. This will happen several more times before we stay warm. Weather in the high desert is just like this... we get like, two seasons, summer and winter and they each take their sweet time getting here! But, alas, this is what I know and sometimes what we know is such a difficult thing to give up. I remember leaving Twentynine Palms Marine Corps base (in the high desert) to be stationed at Camp Pendleton (by the ocean). I had spent several summers already sweltering in the heat and winters in the cold and wind. Our first summer at the beach I was in sweats the entire time!! I just could not warm up!

Marines (and I'm sure other branches of the service as well) leave their hometowns and are usually stationed so far away. Being on base, you always heard everyone reminisce about home and how great it is, how they can't wait to get out of the corps and go home. What they fail to remember is how they couldn't wait to leave... wanted so bad to just graduate already so they could leave their small towns and get "outta here". They all had dreams of just how incredible the rest of the world would be. But, sure as the sun rises, those guys get away from home for a few months and all they can talk about is how great home is. Bless their hearts. Aren't we all the same way? As a couple, hubby and I have moved around thirteen times. I could cancel and start utilities and change our address is my sleep. I always felt at home in the high desert. It didn't even have to be my small hometown. I just always wanted the desert. We are just the most comfortable with what we know! Right now, I feel very acquainted with the wind!

I just finished a book. I enjoyed it. It's called the Wednesday Sisters by Meg Waite Clayton. It's about five friends who begin a writing club during the late 60s. As they are raising families and going to the park every Wednesday, their world is changing around them. Women's lib, racism, the race to the moon, computer advances and Vietnam are all happening around their park in Palo Alto, California. During the novel, you're forced to ask if they change the world around them or if the world around them changes them. The last two books I have read are from the Bookmarked Club Pick from Target. I would love to be part of a book club with you all and we could chose books from this section in Target! The logo for all these books is in the upper left-hand corner of these books. I'll go this weekend and pick another one and we can get started! If you have a suggestion, leave it in the comment section for me!

Glorious

2010-02-17T07:07:00.000-08:00

Glorious. That is how I would describe our weather recently. For all of you dealing with record snowfalls and coldblasts let me just describe for you what Southern California has been like. Over the weekend our highs averaged 70F. Yep, you read that right. Even in the High Desert. I got not a thing done because we were all too busy outside playing, riding bikes, taking walks, checking out the remnants of my garden, pulling weeds (that's not work to me in this weather) going to the park and basically getting all the vitamin D we could handle. It was, well, glorious. Now that we've gotten a taste of the end of our winter hibernation we must retreat. More rain is coming. Temps are expected to be back to normal, highs in the low 50s. We did enjoy our spring teaser, though.

Another blessing (but shh, Hubby doesn't agree) is that our downstairs TV has quit working! It's even a newer TV but it's on the fritz. Do we Americans have any idea how much we can get done without television????!!! I'm beginning to have an inkling... Hubby came home from work and wanted to go on a walk. We did. It was 5:30, still light out and about 64F. Then we came home, had dinner and Hubby found a movie to watch on the computer, our (mine and his as a couple) favorite... Parenthood with Steve Martin and Mary Steenbergen. We just love this movie for all of the craziness in this one, extended family. Before we had our girls we would watch it and say to each other, "someday we will have great, crazy lives filled with kids and noise!" Now that we're there we are still thrilled to watch this great movie. There's a part that always gets me crying. The grandmother tells a story to Steve and Mary about 'Grandpa' taking her on a roller coaster at a park. She liked the ups and downs, the speed, the twists and turns. Some people didn't like it. They went on the carousel. That just went around in circles. But she liked the roller coaster, "you get more out of it". By the end of her story I am always bawling. Yep, you do get more from the roller coaster. It's great to be reminded of this joy when I've got a toddler hanging off my legs, cooking dinner, helping with homework and laundry going too.

The end of the movie is perfect, too. No, I won't spoil it for you but it's also a tearjerker. The song that plays at the end (credits rolling) is my favorite too. It's 'I Love to See You Smile' and I'm not sure who sings it. Some of the words are, ' I was born to make you happy, I think you're just my style, everywhere I go, out of everyone I know, I love to see you smile'. There are so many wonderful life lessons in this gem... go, run, rent it now!

What? Doesn't Everyone Vacuum Naked?

2010-02-14T13:49:00.000-08:00

We have something very exciting happening at our house right now. It's got me all in a twitter! I just love it when I see such progress being made! We are heading (much sooner than I thought for that matter) to the land of "no babies here, no diaper bag needed". Just Mom and Dad with our big girls! We are potty training!!!!! Last week, out of the blue, Bethany said, "potty, Mama" and pointed to her diaper. Well, I'm not one to miss an opportunity to head into "big-girl land" so we ran to the bathroom, all the while me thinking, "yea, right, potty training at 20 months" and expecting nothing to occur in the bathroom. Boy, was I wrong, wrong, wrong! She went, hopped up, let me pull up her pants and put a new diaper on. She just tottled off like she'd been doing this her entire life. Meanwhile, I sat there stunned.

Off we ran to Target for "big-girl panties" (Pull-Ups) and M&Ms (reward). She has had a few 'misses' but mostly 'hits'! She is so ready to do this! I wasn't even going to broach the subject with her till she was two but my incredibly smart, mature, ahead-of-pack daughter had other ideas! No, I'm not partial.

So, we've been spending a lot of time inside, naked (it's the only way to do this) and Bethany is getting it all down pat. She heads off into the bathroom pulling her Pull-Up down without even telling me! She has a cute potty-training potty but only wants to use the toilet! I've said all along that she'd be the child who will be doing everything fast. I will have to hold her back from growing up too soon! But for now, I'm just looking forward to getting rid of my diaper bag and carrying my stylish purses again!

We've had Savannah's BFF here this weekend along with Uncle Bradley. The weather was gorgeous... 65F! All the girls were outside at 10am playing (Bethany in her jammies still!) with Daddy and Uncle. We're about to head to the park. It's also Valentine's Day! I got an elliptical exercise machine!!!! I'm so excited to get started! I made Hubby a big card with poster board and candy bars as substitutes for some of the words (You are my Lifesaver, our marriage is Bliss, I'm gonna kiss you Now and Later, I was a Smartie to marry you). He loved it and I loved making it. I also got him a few other things...

Weird

2010-02-12T09:34:00.000-08:00

I have decided we are a weird family. We do weird things. We find weird things funny. We take pictures of our weird family. We take weird pictures of our weird family.

We have a weird way of playing

We have weird fashion sense

We shop for weird things

We have weird fascinations

These Pics go with "Get Me Outta' This House"!

2010-02-08T16:31:00.001-08:00

if by "happy" you mean trapped with no means of escape...

... then yes, I'm happy!

(I'm fine, now, got out of the house yesterday for a bit and am doing better now!)

...and I obviously don't know how to turn this picture around... sorry. I can see you all turning your heads to the right to try to see this. You all look really silly.

Get Me Outta this House!

2010-02-07T10:03:00.000-08:00

Hello, hello, hello. It's Super Bowl Sunday. I'm not much of a sports fan and, praise God, Hubby will watch occasionally, but he isn't either. But his baby brother Bradley is here and they are looking forward to seeing the big game. I will tell you this, I would like the New Orlean's Saints to win just because it would be so uplifting to the Big Easy after everything they've been through with hurricanne Katrina and all.

I'm actually, secretly for now, hoping to put Bethany down for her nap after church and maybe run off to my favorite thrift store, the kid's consignment shop and maybe to the Christian book store next door for a cup of tea. I think Hubby will be too involved in the game to even miss me! I could sure use some quiet time to myself! Hubby always calls me from work and tells me about his day... the drive to work in the quiet car, lunch with his buddies from work, the drive home in some traffic in the, once again, quiet car. It makes me drool. I would love to sit for an hour every day in a quiet car, have lunch with girls I work with (no, not necessarily my girls) and then drive home again in a quiet car, even if I have to work in between and sit in some traffic! Oh, yep, I think I need some quiet time today... I think I'm desperate.

My friend Susan (who moved to Arizona, remember her? I told you about her in a post a while back...) and I would seem to feel like this on the same days and it always made us like magnets toward each other! We would call in the morning and go, "I need to get outta this house, how 'bout you?" And she'd say, "girl, you read my mind, I'll meet you at Starbucks and we'll take it from there". We'd go get into some kind of fun trouble. Shopping, eating, something! But it never involved a movie because we liked to talk way too much to behave in a theater. She is a Christian as well and we would talk about the Lord and pray together but sometimes (ok, a lot) we would just get silly. Laughing was our choice of medicine. One day would do it and I could go back to normal life. Hubby was understanding about this crazy need in me! He still is! Anyway, Susan gave me this great calendar for my purse and it is sarcastic and silly with these ladies from the '50s all dressed up for housework and being proper but who secretly long for gettin' silly. Here are some of the photos! I miss my silly, crazy friend!

The Los Angeles Zoo

2010-02-06T19:26:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday we did our usual, pancakes and fruit in the morning after we all climb into our big bed together (and I do mean all, mommy, daddy, Sissy, Bethany and two doggies) to snuggle and wake up daddy. Then we did a few things around the house (it really never ends) and then we went to the LA Zoo! We just love this zoo because it's small and you don't have to spend an entire day there. I think we were there all of 2-3 hours and hit all the 'highlights'. We love the flamingos, the giraffes, the apes, the chimps, the alligators, the meercats, and the koalas! The zoo is in the process of re-building the elephant exhibit, so they're on hiatus. We went to Mimi's Cafe afterwards. Now, I'm a country girl at heart (you remember, I've told you all about that) I mean, my hometown has, like 9000 people in it! So, when I get to LA (or even surrounding it) I am a fish out of water! I try to think of what great things to do/shops to see to cram into our time there! We don't have a Mimi's Cafe where we live so we enjoyed getting to eat there. All except the part where Bethany wants to run around, say 'hi' to everyone and scream if she doesn't get what she wants. That part makes eating out not so much fun. But we did have a great time at the zoo! Bethany is understanding so much more these days and we could really see her enjoying all the animals this time! Photos: top to bottom:

Daddy and his girls enjoying the day! Bethany on Daddy's shoulders waving to the giraffes.

My 'flamingos' looking at the flamingos! The LA Zoo sign.

It's Looking At Me!

2010-01-31T16:28:00.000-08:00

We were living in Twentynine Palms, CA on the Marine Corps base. We loved living on base. We had a cute 2 bedroom, 2 bath condo that was, maybe, 5 years old. Hubby was with the sniper unit in his company. I worked full-time at the physical therapy place just 3 miles out of the base gate. I worked with children who needed physical therapy and who had disabilities, all different types. We both worked all week and then come the weekends had all the time to ourselves (no babies, yet). Hubby's sniper unit (12 Marines) were all single except for him. Our house was the only place for them to come have a home cooked meal, a place to wash their cars, and just relax in front of the TV without being at the barracks. They weren't always at our place, just maybe a few times a week. I didn't mind. They were always grateful and well behaved!

I had come home from work one day in the summer (yep, it was hot... most likely at least 100 still at 5pm!) and walked into the kitchen to put my lunch bag away. Something in the corner of the kitchen ceiling by the sliding glass door caught my eye but I continued what I was doing. Pull out meat to defrost for dinner. Get a glass of water out of the fridge (no one drinks the base water... ick). Turn the air conditioner up, it's hot! Head upstairs to change out of my scrubs into shorts. Get back into kitchen to begin dinner, when, oh my land... what on God's green earth is in the corner of my kitchen???? It's black, it's the size of my fist, it's kinda hairy and, oh, dear, it's looking at me!!!!!!! Gulp... must get to the phone... must call Hubby right away!!! Is it watching me?? It's still looking at me! Does it jump????? Ugh... it's moving!!!! Oh, dial the phone quickly (fingers flying) someone had better be at their shop (what the platoon's work area was called) pick up, pick up, pick up! Hello? Get White!! We have something in our kitchen looking at me, tell him to hurry!!! Ten minutes later, the entire platoon shows up to help me with my very large desert tarantula!!!! In my kitchen!!!! Ugh!!!! (I wasn't the only one freaked out, it did take the entire platoon to get him out!) The thought still gives me heebie jeebies!!!

Fast forward to 1999 we were living in the same town we're in now but in a different area. Hubby was in law enforcement, working the night shift. He was upstairs asleep and I had just gotten home from work at the urgent care. I went to put my scrubs into the laundry. I opened the door to the laundry room and saw it! There was a medium-sized snake stretched out in my laundry room!!!!! OK, gross out, stay calm, put a towel from the bathroom under the door after it's shut so it can't escape! Now, scream for Hubby! I don't think his feet touched one step as he ran downstairs. He's asking me, what kind was it? Me: uh, I don't know. Him: well, did it have a triangular head? Me: I don't know, I didn't stick around long enough to examine his head! So, the fire department had to come and get my new laundry buddy from behind the dryer. He must have been hungry for mismatched socks.

I hope I never have another "critter-in-my-house story to tell you" but it is me and if something is going to happen, it will happen to me! Ugh. The above picture is the 'tarantula house' like, 17 years later! We got to go see it recently when we were in the area. When we lived there we had to rake the dirt and keep the yard looking pretty! We loved that house! We loved that time in our lives!

See A Movie, Change Your Life

2010-01-28T16:07:00.000-08:00

There are days when I must think, think, think to come up with a decent blog. Then there are the days like today when I have a billion ideas just oozing from my pores! I can't get to my Apple quick enough! I'll fill you in on why:

The Women's Ministry began our new bible study today. I am part of this group at our large church. I get to do the announcements, keep the morning on track, emcee, etc... As they're learning, put a microphone in my hand and I may never give it back! So, this morning was exciting as God was doing great things! It was busy, though! Up at 6am and after getting Savannah to school Bethany and I get to church by 8am. We get home at noon! It makes for a rewarding yet exhausting morning!

Hubby took great pleasure in creating coveting in me last night. What was I coveting you ask? Well, it's so bizarre for me. I saw and fell in love with the new iPad! What an awesome gadget!!!! Hubby has an iPhone that is nice but the iPad? Now that's speaking my language!! It is a computer, it can dowload books and periodicals, it can download pictures, it just does everything but is not a phone! Ha ha, told you it was for me! I could take all my blog peeps with me everywhere (that's you) and blog wherever I wanted. My pictures would be right with me too! I can download and read (on an awesome screen I might add) all my favorite books and magazines! And it's not a phone!!!!! For those of you who know me, that's a great thing because I dislike being held hostage by my cell phone!!! (We're trying to get away from using the word "hate" in our house but you get the picture).

Now, the other thing that's got me oozing from my pores is that, after getting home this afternoon I had, waiting for me from Netflix, Julie and Julia! I finally got to sit down and watch it! Oh good golly gee! I am in love, love, love with this movie! I (gulp) think I like it even better than the book! I never feel that way! I am an avid believer that the movies never live up to the books, but not in this case! There were so many parts that just reached into my soul and spoke to me. I loved Meryl Streep's portrayal of Julia Child. I loved the relationship between she and her husband, Paul. I loved how she was just herself and let the 'chips fall where they may'. So refreshing. On the Julie-side of the movie I loved watching her as well! So much of myself I see in this movie. I was born to be a wife and a mom but had no other direction as far as I was concerned. I was/am satisfied being a wife and mommy. But this blog and that movie have stirred something inside of me... deep. Julie knew she was meant to be a writer. I say this with much hesitation and reservation. I am so afraid (to the bones, afraid) of rejection. But here goes, I think (no,no,no, that's too unsure) I know I am meant to be a writer. I have no book idea, not even an inkling of how to begin. Just a desire. Is that enough? I don't know, we'll see. So, please pray for me, for direction and God's will to be done! In the movie Julie has a moment when a lobster she plans to cook moves in the bag in the backseat of her car. There's a moment when he's sort of 'looking' at her. Tomorrow I will tell you a story about something similar happening to me! The above picture you've seen, but it goes with this blog! It's me in front of the Smithsonian's exhibit of Julia Child's kitchen from her Cambridge, Massachusettes home.

Aggression Cookies

2010-01-27T11:20:00.000-08:00

Grandma and Bethany, Christmas

I made cookies this week. Not just any cookies but I made Grandpa and Grandma's Aggression cookies. I enjoyed them growing up at my grandparent's house. They regularly had my brother and I and my two cousins over for the weekends. I'm sure our parents put their free weekends to good use!

Grandma and Grandpa were good at spoiling us (still are!) and I remember hot chocolate and cookies as we all sat in their giant bean bag while they watched the Lawrence Welk Show! We had plenty to do at their house.

Grandpa collected trains that ran on a huge set of tracks and houses set up in the garage. Grandpa worked for Knudsen so their freezer was always stocked with novelty ice creams! Us grand kids would play all day, using our imaginations with the toys that were there. Behind their house was a track field that we would often go down to to burn off extra energy. Every New Year's my grandparents had a big, fancy party where we had to dress up and 'be on our best behavior'. Grandpa would spend hours cooking up his cherried pot roast, mashed potatoes and black eyed peas. Grandma would likewise, spend hours baking up her huge platter of cookies, chocolates, breads and desserts. And there would always be the Aggression cookies!

We lost my grandpa in '95 to lung cancer and he is missed. He had a way of 'dealing' with us grand kids that was all 'him'. He would bark and yell, and yet we always knew his bark was much worse than his bite. He was frugal beyond words yet would 'let' my grandma spoil us (it was him too), he would get aggravated with Grandma for her crazy ways yet had all he patience in the world for her when she was shopping. He would never say a word or complain and would hold her purse and packages.

When I make those cookies, I pull out his recipe. It's yellow and old. Grandma made a copy for me. His writing is all over it. He tells me to double the recipe. "Yes, sir". I always do. He tells me to use one full box of brown sugar. "Thanks, Grandpa it's helpful to not have to measure it out". He also tells me to "use the green bowl". This part I can't do but I know exactly which bowl he wants me to use and I know right where it is in their kitchen. It's avocado green. But, guess what? I have a green bowl roughly the same size. It's not avocado green (I can't travel back to the '70s to replicate that one) but I do use it every time I make these, because Grandpa says to.

Make these and think of my grandparents. I always do. I am grateful my grandma is such a big part of my life and that my girls know her so well also. She dotes on them the same way she doted on the four of us. They get spoiled and loved on. When she is here with us for a few days she is such a huge help bustling around the house tying up all my loose ends. I'm sure I hear her in the middle of the night up checking on the kids and putting more blankets on them (she's always cold!). After she goes home I can always count on a call from her checking on her great-granddaughters. She's incredibly loving! Also, if I age half as grateful as she has I'll be in pretty good shape!

So, remember your grandparents today, all their quirks and habits, love and sometimes yelling! Make these cookies and think of mine!

Grandma and Grandpa's Aggression Cookies- double it and mix in the green bowl!

1 cup light brown sugar (a full box if doubled!)

1 cup butter

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups quick cooking rolled oats

granulated sugar

Mix all ingredients like pie crust until soft. Flatten 1-inch balls of dough onto ungreased pan. Press flat with bottom of glass dipped once into a bit of butter and then granulated sugar. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven 10-12 minutes. Makes about 4 dozen.

A Follow Up

2010-01-23T11:05:00.000-08:00

As a follow up to the last blog, I looked up my CA state legislators and want to share with you how I did this. I just googled 'CA State Legislators' and it took me to the official page where I entered my zip code and got my local legislators. It was easy. The phone number and address is on this page. Since you all hail from all over the US I can't list all legislators here! Help me in this. Not sure how you stand on the abortion issue, just peek at some pictures of my youngest, Bethany. We adopted her after her birth and not a day goes by that I am not grateful her birth mother chose life. I know she reads this and I want her to know how grateful we are and how we pray for blessings to flow into her life because of her courageous decision. Thank you. It's not enough to say but there are no words to express how grateful we are. Choose life.

Call to Action

2010-01-22T13:08:00.000-08:00

I just heard this this morning on our local Christian radio station the girls and I listen to every morning on our way to taking Savannah to school. It has stuck with me and is turning my stomach. After 9/11 Planned Parenthood provided free abortions to NYC residents. They did this as their way of helping 'provide relief' after the attacks. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina they provided the morning-after pill. Today, in Haiti, they are 'helping' deal with the aftereffects of the earthquake by providing more abortions. Their answer to death and destruction is to provide more death and destruction. As Americans and Christians we should all be disgusted and ashamed of ourselves for not doing anything to stop Planned Parenthood. They go to Haiti representing Americans, us! No, I don't know what to do or where to begin but I am open for suggestions. There are times to silently wait on the Lord and there are times to move our feet while we pray. During this difficult time we should at the very least be making sure that not one cent of our tax money goes to Planned Parenthood. Contact legislation, stop the health-care bill from going through so that we do not fund abortions. We all seem to sit back and watch as America disintegrates into immorality. Do we expect someone else to handle the problems? I know I am guilty of this. But if enough of us stood up for values, morality and what this country was founded on we could get a movement going to begin to be a voice. We have all stood still long enough. If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything

forward this on to help get this message across

SNOW! 2010

2010-01-21T16:13:00.000-08:00

What began as rain, rain, rain, ALL week has turned into... SNOW! We all love, love, love the snow. Even the doggies!

Nothing like coming home from school to snow!

Maybe an inch on the ground means it's time to go out and play! You never know how long it will last!

We just love snow! Last year (December 2008) we got a ton and school was cancelled for three days! It lasted for two weeks! But we made the best out of this time! Enjoy each and every season as God gives it!

Gum

2010-01-21T16:00:00.000-08:00

The evidence

"What's in your mouth?"

(caught red-handed)

"Nothing, Mama. I didn't do it..."

(the "I'm innocent" stare)

"I just looking at it..."

uh, huh, sure I believe you.

Chasing My Tail

2010-01-15T10:56:00.000-08:00

I have been cleaning, cleaning, cleaning since yesterday. First I start downstairs. I do the dusting, cleaning glass and mirrors. Then I do the kitchen. I hate doing the kitchen 'cause all it takes is for someone in my family to get something, even just a snack and it's a disaster again. Then I do all the floors. The downstairs bathroom is next followed by the guest room. The desk I sit at with this computer invariably needs de-cluttering also. Once my downstairs is done, though I feel like I can breath again! The organizing never ends, though. Bethany loves to get into drawers and cupboards and see what she can see. The kitchen is totally child-proof but the rest of the drawers and cupboards in the house are not. She loves it when I am getting ready for the day because she gets to be in the bathroom with me and get into all kinds of goodies! Currently, there are hot rollers and their clips all over the floor, bottles of lotion have joined them. Bethany loves to play with the rollers by taking them off and puting them on their (unplugged!) pegs. Toys sit just inches from her new favorite activity. She loves getting into our closet and pulling clothes off hangers to 'try them on'. What's scary is that she is pretty good at getting it right! Oh, she also loves shoes! No, they don't have to be high heels or even mine; she just loves shoes!

Now, mind you, I can't be in the middle of, say, mascara and be running around after her getting her to put things back and to stop touching. So, I let it go. I let her play. I'm right there. There's nothing small. She's just so darn inquisitive. By the time I'm ready it's time to rush out the door onto our next adventure. There the curlers and bottles stay. So, the house is what it is. I clean it. In a matter of days (If I'm lucky. It's more like hours...) the place is a mess again. I just spin my wheels. When it's clean I turn into Momzilla and run around after all of them nagging them to 'pick that up when you're done', 'don't step into my kitchen', 'get off the floor, I just cleaned it'. I drive them all crazy. So, here we are. Beginning the weekend with the house clean and I can feel my Momzilla tail growing in again.

Push and Pull

2010-01-14T13:09:00.001-08:00

"Don't get up, Mom, I can do it all by myself". This is what I heard this morning as my alarm went off at 6:30 so I could get Savannah up and ready for school. She beat my alarm to it. She encouraged me to sleep in and she could take her shower, pick out her own clothes (a uniform), make her own breakfast and lunch. At first I protested. We've never done it this way before and then I decided to wait for a few minutes in my warm bed until she came and got me because she needed me for something. I waited. And waited. I heard the shower in her bathroom. Heard the fridge open and close 15 minutes later. Heard the ding of the toaster. And still I waited. My little girl never needed me. I laid there thinking about this new path we are on. I want to be on this path and yet I don't. This isn't the first time I have felt this way, either. I felt this when I was her age and slightly older. I knew it was time to grow up, shed the trappings of youth and move forward yet I didn't want to. It's like putting one toe into the pool to test the temperature of the water; it's a bit cool so you step onto the first step and wait awhile. You get a little more brave and go in to your knees. Once you step onto the bottom of the shallow end you must go quickly all the way because your abdomen has been shocked and now it's too late.

I remember being so excited to go to Jr. High school. I had attended a small, country-esque elementary school and was ready for the 1/2 hour bus ride to town to the Jr. High. It was a much bigger school. We all went on an orientation for the new year that was to come after summer. We would be changing classrooms, having lockers, eating lunch on campus where we wanted. I was a young lady now! I wore a light yellow jumper and kneehigh white socks confident that I looked the part of the 7th grader. Unbeknownst to me, my kneehighs made me look 'juvenille' and I was teased by girls going to the orientation who knew better. Yep, my push-and-pull into adolescence had begun.

Savannah finally came in and 'got me'. She had been quite successful in doing everything she needed to do. Lunch, check. Shower, check. Breakfast, check. Hair brushed, teeth brushed, check. She didn't need me. I was sad yet proud of her. We drove the 15 minutes to her school with me deep in thought. "Thank heavens we have Bethany still or I would be a mess", seemed to be the only thought I could coherently put together. It's going to go soo fast now. I knew she would need me less and less and I was going to have to fortify myself for all the changes ahead. We pulled up to the school and I parked. We stepped out, I kissed her (praise God we're not there yet) and waited for her to walk in. She turned to me and said, "Mama, aren't you going to walk me up? I missed you this morning". Up the three of us walked and I had to work to keep my feet on the ground after that.

One of My Everyday Pursuits!

2010-01-13T09:24:00.000-08:00

Do you do it? I do. Everyday! I enter everyday to win the HGTV Dream Home Giveaway! When they first begin the newest sweepstakes I take a tour of their latest home! They are so incredible and so beautiful! I love looking at everything they've done, the materials used, the decorating and I even check out the towns they are in! My favorite was the home from last fall in Sonoma, CA. It was in wine country with a big wrap-around front porch! I just love porches! Anyway, this time it's a beautiful Southwestern-style home in Santa Fe, New Mexico. I just looked all through it! Gorgeous! Sometimes the homes aren't my style but I can appreciate everything they've done. I enter everyday, no matter what! Along with the house you win $500,000. and a new car. The towns they choose are always interesting places to live also. Santa Fe is in the high desert and we already live in the high desert (easy transition!) but their weather is colder in the winter. The home is complete with 3 bedrooms, an office, a casita, 2 laundry rooms, at least 3 patios (that I could see) and even a recycling room. Just google HGTV Dream Home Giveaway to go see it!

What woud we do if we ever won? I already have it all planned out! Since we would have no housepayment or car payment Hubby could retire from the USMC and then leave law enforcement. He could work a part-time job doing whatever he wanted! I could still stay home, of course. We would have no debt! What freedom! I love the idea of Hubby having time to do whatever he wants! Don't get me wrong, he loves his career and we are very blessed but he works way too hard and has since he joined the corps. I would just love see him bored! I know he would want to work but hopefully wouldn't need to work full-time since we wouldn't have a housepayment. Imagine, just paying for utilities, the girl's schooling, food, etc...heaven on earth! Yep, I've got it all figured out! Now, just one little thing... we want to win! I say that and then know there are so many more deserving people out there, people who have never owned a home before, never even dreamed it! I always love to watch who wins and hear their stories. It makes me just as happy when they are so grateful and deserving, like God himself pick this for them! And, if you know me, you know that I am always grateful for everything we have!

So, go to HGTV Dream Home Giveaway and check out my new house, er, their new house!

Uncle Bradley

2010-01-11T16:00:00.000-08:00

Uncle Brad is coming, Uncle Brad is coming! Hubby's younger brother Bradley will be heading our way in the early part of February! We are so excited, he is such a good uncle, playing with his nieces, helping me with projects around the house and doing things with his brother. This is a picture of him with all of the girls on their dad's side of the family from the family reunion in July of 2008. The baby he's holding is Bethany! Savannah is to his left and the other beauties (I'm a proud Aunt) are the daughters of their step-sisters. This wasn't even a planned photo... he was holding Bethany and all the girls gathered around him. Brad has such a sweet heart and is always asking what he can do to help. He is vegetarian so we eat healthier when he's here too! He's an artist and since Savannah got an easel and art supplies for Christmas she is looking forward to some lessons. So, we are all gettin' ready for his visit! Do you have a relative who gets the whole family excited when they visit?

Trip of a Lifetime pictures

2010-01-10T18:24:00.000-08:00

Savannah and her grandparents on their way to the White House Christmas Party!

Savannah looking at herself in the mirror before heading to the White House... all dolled up. She looked so beautiful!

Getting ready for the White House in our hotel room.

Me at the Smithsonian's exhibit of Julia Child's kitchen... it was awesome to see!

Savannah and Mom in Washington DC at the National Mall (Lincoln's Memorial is above my head)

Read 'Trip of a Lifetime' for the entire story under 'older posts'.

My Girls!

2010-01-10T18:12:00.000-08:00

My girls... on the computer!

They are sooo much alike... notice, the thumbs! I'm soo proud of Savannah, she no longer sucks her thumb... she stopped all on her own!

Smiley Polar Bear Cookies

2010-01-10T18:09:00.000-08:00

These cookies will make you smile (laugh?) But you will definately need a bath!

Polar Bear Cookies From Starbucks

2010-01-10T18:00:00.000-08:00

Did we forget to tell you that Starbucks has a polar bear cookie fully covered in white chocolate? We did? Oops, sorry. They are scrumptious and messy. Go get some before winter is over. And then just take a bath.

A New Format (looks just like my life!)

2010-01-10T17:14:00.000-08:00

Hi y'all! Bear with me the next few posts while we (Hubby and I) change my blog format to this new, snazzy one! I saw it the other day, it was free (my ultimate favorite number!) so I decided to go for it! I love the purse, the diaper bag, the ice cream cone, the shopping cart and ATM card at the bottom! It feels just like me! Now, remember, I am not the least bit of a tech girl so doing this was a huge step out of my comfort zone! Not to mention I was totally afraid I would lose everything from my last blog. I wasn't worried about my pictures, we have those on the computer, but I was horrified at the idea of loosing all my stories! But I decided to trust in the Lord and Hubby's computer skills and took the plunge! Like it? I am working on putting back in some of the pictures as well as some new ones. Let me know what you think, k? Leaving a comment is super-easy, at the end of the blog just click the 'comment' box and type away! Thanks!

On My Soap Box and A Letter To My Girls

2010-01-07T13:26:00.000-08:00

Well, I just have the best readers in all of 'blogland'! I have had so many comments, calls and concerns from all of you! My Peeps are the best! I guess my last two blogs made many of you worry about me and the family. I am happy to report to you today that ("yippee, hip hip hooray and praise God") Bethany slept through the night last night!!!! I feel like a new woman!! Sleep is wonderful! I think she's just been getting over this really bad cold that all of us caught and she just couldn't get her sleep pattern back to normal. But we do have an appointment with the pediatrician to have her checked just so we don't miss anything. So, needless to say, I am recalling my nanny ad and am once again fired up and grateful about raising my girls myself. No nanny, child care, 'learning environment' needed here, thank you very much. I have always felt that if we have children, they are ours to raise and the job belongs to mom and dad and mom and dad alone. Now, I understand that some moms have no choice but to work, say, for financial struggles but Hubby and I got all of that in order before having kids so I could be home with them. I will never sacrifice my girls so I can feel "more fulfilled" as a woman or so we can have this new car, those designer clothes, etc. I even heard someone say that them working with kids home made them a better mother! Hmm, ok. The minute I looked into Savannah's eyes I was hooked anyway so there was so use in fighting it! Not to say I will never work again, but not with them still home. Yep, that means I believe they still need me even when they're in high school! Ok, maybe even more so! They just don't know it! They need to not have time alone to themselves with no one home (yep, a recipe for disaster...teens home alone, yep, even if you think you can trust them, they have too much freedom!) Don't get me wrong, I think they can be home alone sometimes but to be home alone everyday for a few hours each day is just too tempting for them. This mama was a teen once and will not have her head in the sand. And since I'm on my soapbox about parenting, let me just say that dating is going to be sooo monitored in this house! Let me ask you this, what is the purpose of dating? That's right, to find a spouse. Well, my 15, 16, or even 17 year old doesn't need to be looking for a spouse! I think going out with a group of people at those ages are fine, but not one-on-one dating. I can just hear my girls now, "but mom, don't you trust us?" Uh, no. I'm not supposed to trust you, I'm suppossed to protect you. Even if it's from yourselves. I owe this to them. I see so many parents today who are so concerned with being their kids' friend. Oh, go get friends your own age and be your child's parent! That is what is suppossed to be happening. It's probably what's wrong with our society today; at least one of the problems. And now, to explain all of this in a letter to our children:

Sorry, Savannah, sorry, Bethany, you will not be at the mall drapped over some guy with all your body parts hanging out. You will not be in the movies with a guy, just the two of you. You will not be at a party unless I've talked to the parents and we have agreed on rules. You will have to come home everyday to me here, waiting for you, to bug you about how your day was, get you a snack, and then 'pick your brain' while you eat. You will get to date. Your dad. My dad. I will go to the mall with you to be with you and even to carry the ATM card in case you see a super-cute outfit that is also mom-approved. You'll get to go to Homecoming and Prom with a group of kids and a boy who picks you up with the group and who all know your dad and I (and who know what your dad does for a living). Trust me on this, you will have much more fun going with a group anyway! I'm sorry, but you must get good grades or be grounded. You must help around the house or be grounded. You won't get paid to do any of these things, though, because you live here and must contribute to our home. If you need money for something you can ask us, if the above criteria are met, and it's not extravagant, it's yours. Want something extravagant? Ask for extra jobs to do. Save up. Tithe some to church. Your dad and I will pay half. I'm sorry, also, but your Sunday mornings are booked as long as you live here. You will be in church. Every Sunday. You must speak with respect to Dad and I and every other adult or be grounded. What can we ground you from you ask? Well, what have you got? The computer, the TV, music, your car, events and activities. I think you get the idea. Girls, we're so sorry to be so hard on you and give you such a difficult existence because the above life does sound soo bad, I mean "none of your peers has to live like this". Remember, we love you and anyway, when you grow up you can take it out on our grandchildren and be just as tough on them (we pray). Love, Mom and Dad

Desperate Times Call for Desperate Measures

2010-01-04T20:08:00.001-08:00

Help. I'm taking any and all advice on how to get a strong-willed 19 month old back into a healthy sleep pattern. Or, at the very least, I'm placing an add for a nighttime nanny. I would just need this said nanny to get up with said 19 month old in the night, create in said child a good sleep routine and then leave in the morning once I am up and preferably dressed with a minimalist amount of makeup on, a brush run through my hair and my teeth brushed. Isn't it supposed to get easier once they get passed infanthood? Savannah slept well right a way and was sleeping through the night at two months of age, never to go back to waking again. Bethany on the other hand, can't slow down long enough to let herself think about sleep. She is a big 'creature of habit' who will sleep well only in her bed (there goes vacation, but we do try) and once her routine has been disturbed she has a hard time getting back to normal.

She is a joy and just to hear her say, "Mama" melts my heart. She is just our adventure. Savannah has been an adventure also but just in such a different way. But this sleep thing is a huge struggle. As an infant, I was up with Bethany literally every two hours. I thought I would loose my mind sometimes. My best-girlfriend stayed over one night and asked what she could do. Yep. I asked her to take the baby for one night. I would've paid good money to get a good night's sleep. There were times I found myself reasoning with her, "Please, Bethany, go to sleep, Mama will let you try that cereal stuff again. We can even let you lick a popsicle. You know, honey, in the military sleep deprivation is considered torture. You could be arrested for this."

Alas, we lived and I know we will live through this. But I'm sooo tired. My diet has suffered, my figure has suffered, my house constantly suffers. Everyone who knew me BB (before Bethany) knows I don't do well with chaos! Maybe that's why the Lord gave her to us! Be careful what you pray for!! Ha ha! Ok, that laugh sounded a little sinister, a little like the Joker, I'm going to bed.

PS, I am serious about the advice (and shh, maybe even about the nanny).

How NOT to Begin the New Year

2010-01-04T07:20:00.000-08:00

Let me give you a rundown of my night last night. 8pm: put Bethany to bed (she's still getting over a cold but is doing better), helped Savannah with some spelling, Savannah went ot bed,

TV-magazine and a cup of tea to myself, so I thought! 10pm: Bethany awake screaming, put her into bed with me (she's now fussing in my bed and not going to sleep), Daddy is at work. 1am: still up with Bethany but decide to put her in her bed anyway. 1:01am: listening to Bethany cry. 1:30am: silence finally. 3:30am: Bethany is crying again. Let her cry it out so she gets the point that she can't sleep with us whenever she wants. 4am: all's quiet. 6:30am: my alarm goes off and I drag my tired bones out of bed to face this day. 7:15am: decide I'd better write a blog or you all will just give up on me. 7:25am: I'd better hurry...Bethany's awake.

We're just here trying to get back to normal after the holidays. Hope it's going better for all of you!

The Most Blog Important Blog I've Ever Written

2009-12-24T17:59:00.000-08:00

...While they were there the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger , because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shown around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:6-11 NIV

Ever wonder why you celebrate Christmas? If you buy one single gift you celebrate. If you have a nice dinner with a few family members or even one in the name of Christmas you celebrate. If you toast the day, you are celebrating Christmas. Why? The above verses are why. Jesus was born to save every single person from our sins. Why celebrate if you don't believe? No one, not you, not me are good enough to go to heaven without Jesus to save us from our sins. In John 3:3 Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again". How do you become born again? Very easily. You just pray the following prayer and mean it in your heart:

Lord, I know I am a sinner. I know that I have not lived up to your plans for me or my life. I know I need a savior. I know you are God and you came to earth as a baby then as a man You died for the sins of all mankind. I pray for you to enter my life now and save me from my sins. Please forgive me. Amen.

If you prayed the above prayer please let me know so I may pray for you. Get into a bible-based church. Read the bible daily. Your life will never be the same and I am now your sister in Christ! You will be going to heaven! This is the only way to get to heaven. All other religions are man trying to reach God but Christianity is God reaching down to man. Are you not sure you believe? Not sure what to believe? Has our world told you confusing things about Jesus? Let me know or ask a pastor, any of us would be happy to answer your questions.

Merry Christmas and God's Blessings for the New Year! Love, the White family

Correction, correction...

2009-12-19T09:08:00.000-08:00

Ok, this is silly, but my mom called last night after reading the blog about why we stay home on Christmas and came over to my house and is standing over me right now telling me to print a correction! Seriously, she's got a "do it or your grounded" look on her face (I haven't seen that one in like, 2o years). But really, she is wanting me to tell all my blog peeps that her granddaughter Bethany "is not destructive and has never broke anything at anyone's home! You made it sound like she runs around breaking things, she does NOT. Fix it. Now." Yes ma'am. Done.

Crazy Silly Fun

2009-12-19T08:56:00.000-08:00

What to do with your girls home (both of them) and Mom on the floor wrapping gifts, the doggies inside, Dad is at work at there's sooo much still to do? Well, you pile pillows on the floor and teach the 18 month old how to jump into them from the top of the ottoman! Oh yeah, you must clap and recite, "go Bethany, go Bethany, go Bethany" before she does it! Then you watch as she steps off and laughs and laughs! Don't forget to say YEAH! Oh, and it also helps the mood if you're all in your jammies and it's 2pm...

Don't forget to "STOP THE MADNESS" and have some crazy fun time with your kids. They'll remember this and NOT the perfectly wrapped gifts, the spotless house they couldn't touch and the mom made crazy by all the insanity. Merry Christmas, Peeps!

Don't Shoot the Messenger... it's One Week Till Christmas

2009-12-18T11:15:00.000-08:00

Help! I'm drowning! No really, I'm ok, it's just ONE WEEK till Christmas! I have Savannah home for her Christmas break (great thing about Christian school, it's actually Christmas break and Easter vacation not Winter and Spring breaks) and we have soooo much to do! Tomorrow I'm hosting a cookie exchange for my neighbors, so I have to make four dozen cookies, of course make sure the house is clean, wrap presents, still send out our Christmas cards and organize Christmas breakfast and dinner! We always have Christmas here because, well, because we just couldn't relax anywhere else waiting for Bethany to break something and because we just don't want to go anywhere else for Christmas. Soo, my payback for being so stubborn is that we are in charge of breakfast and dinner. Now, everyone brings something so that lessens my work load and of course Mom and Grandma are a huge help. We really love just being in our own home. We stay put and just tell everyone that if they want to see us they are all invited. This year there will be 15 of us for dinner. I love it!

The weather is not cooperating... for me this means that it's been too warm, about 50-55F in the day and about 30F at night. It's just not normal for us! Global warming stinks! It's supposed to be in the 40s during the day and at about 20 at night then I can have the fire going while I wrap gifts and address cards! I just checked the forecast and Christmas day is going to be about 55F! Ugh!!!! Oh well, this is not the reason for the season!

Hubby and I still need to finish up the shopping for the girls but everything else is done! The girls and I went down last weekend to be with him while he worked an overtime detail giving out gifts to needy children at a high school in the valley. We really wanted our girls to see how many children there are who won't be having the kind of Christmas they will. It was good.

We live where we live so that we don't have to deal with all the traffic, the crowds of people, the insanity of it all and we just love where we are. We get more of a change of seasons here, there's a lot less people, a lot more wide open spaces. We got home from the valley and it was like we could take a big deep breath. Thank you, Lord for putting us here. You truly do know best.

In case you haven't noticed, I'm using my girls names now. It was just silly to think their safety would be compromised if I did. Once thinking about it and discussing it with Hubby we agreed. Plus we love their names!!! Savannah was the only girl name we could agree on and loved how feminine it sounded and gentile. Bethany came from the bible... it's the town Christ is in when He assends into heaven after His ressurection. We also though it was beautiful. Savannah's name means abundant and Bethany's name means house of God.

Ok, I must leave you now, too much to do, at least it's all fun stuff, though! Have a fun week of your own getting ready to celebrate Jesus' birth!

A Charlie Brown Christmas

2009-12-09T10:53:00.000-08:00

In case you are loosing faith in our world I wanted to share this with you...

Bug and I had a night to ourselves with Daddy working a double shift, doggies asleep and Buglette down for the night. We snuggled on the couch with the fire going to watch A Charlie Brown Christmas. Now, I saw this as a kid but didn't really remember the entire 1/2 hour show. Charlie Brown goes through the program wondering what the "true meaning of Christmas is" as he directs the school Christmas program and seeks 'psychiatric help for .05' from Lucy and is just not in the spirit as everyone else is. At the end he asks Linus out of frustration, "What is the true meaning of Christmas?" And lo and behold to my surprise (I was expecting something like, 'giving' or 'love' or 'family'. All good things but not the true meaning...) Linus quotes from the book of Luke the Christmas story. And even ends it, "... who is Christ the Lord our Savior"! By the end of his quote I was in tears. My faith in mankind, at least television and it's executives and programmers a little renewed! This aired on ABC at 8pm on a Tuesday night just before the BIG premiere of Disney's little animation Prep and Landing. Who knows how many people were watching?!??!? As Christians we cannot just see what's wrong, what's bad with our world but also what is good and right as well. It's there, we may need to dig a little further than we would like but it's there. And then there are the moments when there's no 'digging' necessary...

A Once-in-a-Lifetime Trip

2009-12-08T12:04:00.001-08:00

Hello Peeps! Hope this finds you all well, getting ready for Christmas (yep, Christmas, not 'holidays' as the reason for the season is Jesus Christ) and you are staying warm and happy. We are well, happy, warm and excited about this time of year! We love Christmastime! We've had a very cold front come through... it's 35 right now at 12:05 pm and I've got the fireplace going, the doggies inside, a cup of hot tea and I'm sitting here finishing up some shopping. Join me, won't you?

After a few hectic weeks of holiday in Lake Tahoe (a blast and good to get away) and then off to take our oldest, Bug to Pennsylvania and then on to DC for her White House party (with Thanksgiving in the middle of it all) we are home basking in the memories! Bug and I flew to Philadelphia on Saturday the 28th of November to spend some time with my in-laws at their farmhouse in the Lehigh Valley. We ate at their quaint pizza parlor on Saturday night then headed 'home' to get into jammies and be by the fire with Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory on tv. The new one, not the psychadelic version with Gene Wilder, that one just makes you think of the '60s. Anywho, we then went up to bed, Bug and I sleeping in the attic bedroom nestled in the treetops in our queen sized bed. It's even more beautiful than I can describe, even in the winter. There's a view of the stream that flows through their property with woods in the distance, just yards away. On Sunday morning we got up and went to a sweet town in New Jersey, Frenchville. It's about 40 minutes away through the country and over the Delaware river... 'to Grandmother's house we go...' I know it all sounds like a song or a storybook! We had breakfast there then headed 'home' so Bug could go for hike in the woods with her Grandpa and her uncle (who was visiting also). They played all day! My mother-in-law and I went shopping!!!!! They have some of the best shops back there! We put a turkey in the oven for a bit of a Thanksgiving dinner with them and then crashed after our busy day. On Monday we got up and headed out for Washington DC, about 4 hours from the Lehigh Valley. It rained the entire day but we were still excited. We got to our hotel, Hotel Lombardy on, coincidently, Pennsylvania Avenue and then headed to Georgetown for dinner. We had a wonderful French meal at a sort-of posh restaurant. Wine and dessert as well. Yum. On Tuesday Bug and I headed out early to see some sights since we needed to be back in the late afternoon to get her ready for the White House that night. Now, Bug has been to DC before and seen all the sights so I wanted to show her something different. We went to the Smithsonian Museum of American History. We had such a great time there! We saw so many great American artifacts and learned so much. We saw the Star Spangled banner flag that our national anthem was written about, dresses of the First Ladies, the desk of Thomas Jefferson's he used to write the declaration on, the ruby slippers used in Wizard of Oz, historic items from all the wars we've fought in, and an exhibit on the struggles slaves had before being freed, just as a sampling! We ate lunch there and then went back to get Bug ready for her big night. She looked absolutly beautiful in a tailored red and black dress with matching coat, her long brown hair was all curled with a black bow to one side. I even put a bit of blush on with some mascara (shh, don't tell Daddy). I was even surprised by how mature she looked (she looked her age, but mature. I'm opposed to girls trying to look older than they are.) My in-laws looked stunning as well. We caught a cab and were off. I went with them so I could take more photos while they waited to get in. We saw Marine 1 fly in and out of the White House while waiting, taking the President to Westpoint where he spoke that night. Bug got to see all of the White House but the private quarters, of course. She got to see all the decorations, all the paintings, all the history! They had wonderful food and desserts and a wonderful time! Afterwards, Grandma and Grandpa took her across the street to a very beautiful hotel for a Shirley Temple! What an evening!

What did I do you ask? You must've been bored. Were you jealous? These are all questions I've had since then. Well, I was NOT the least bit jealous! I was so excited for her! I was just pleased as punch that our daughter got to go invited to the White House! As for what I did... oh, my, I had the best night all by myself!!!!! Don't forget, I have a very active 18-month-old at home! I took a cab back to Georgetown to grab a bit of dinner from Dean and Deluca then back to the hotel, to the quiet of my room I went. I ate. No one needed me. No one screamed for more or to be let down. I took a hot bath. No one asked where anything was. No one needed me to hurry. No one needed help with homework. I put on flannel jammies. No one complained that I had on flannel! I climbed into bed. No one needed help getting up too. I read. I didn't read about a Hungry Caterpillar. I read magazines. I read the Washington Post. I had tea. No one needed a bottle. No one wanted hot chocolate. I encouraged my daughter to stay out later with her grandparents at the nice hotel bar! At the end of my night, I had my batteries recharged. And I missed everyone.

We headed home the next day, slept on the plane and relished every little memory. So, to my wonderful husband who encouraged and provided for us to go, thank you. To my wonderful parents who jumped in to help care for Buglette while we were gone, thank you. To my wonderful Grandma who also jumped in to help care for Buglette, thank you! You all did much more than care for her, you loved her, you cooked and cleaned for my hubby and you helped me have peace while I was away. To my in-laws, thank you for inviting Bug to go with you and for welcoming us so warmly like you always do. Thank you everyone for making this trip happen for Bug. We are so grateful.

Tahoe the Terror Terrier

2009-12-03T20:38:00.000-08:00

We returned from Lake Tahoe and after our seven-hour drive began unloading the car. The kids were running around inside. Hubby had to go to work the next day so he was gettin' his work stuff ready. I was running between the car and the house just unpacking and enjoying being at home even though it was crazy. I was bent over the back of the car pullin' something out when I heard a little noise. I spun around to see this little mangy-lookin' dog starring at me. I sort of ignored him. Surely his owner is right here. He just sat there wagging his tail, starring at me. I went about my business. Came back out to collect more from the car... he was still there. Hmm, where exactly is his owner? No one in sight up and down the street. Hubby's coming, uh oh. We're bought and paid for now. Sure enough... Hubby sees him, bends down, says, "well, hey there boy, come here... where's your tag? Are you hungry? Thirsty? You need a bath." Yep, that's the story of how we got Tahoe the Terror Terrier. He's really cute but still wants to chew on everything (goodbye new tennis shoes of Buglette's) and is not, shall we say, housetrained. But he's a creature that God created and no one wanted (we assume). He's probably roamed the streets for a few weeks with no one to protect him, no food to fill his belly and no warm house to rest peacefully in. I cannot, no matter how much we DO NOT need a second dog put him out on the streets and I don't believe in destroying unwanted pets. He's been with us for a week and a half and has started identifying us as family. He believes this is his home. If I took him somewhere else he will think that yet another family didn't want him. I can't bear the thought of that. We all, all living creatures on this planet need to know we are loved and wanted. It's basic humanity... no matter what we do or don't do, good or bad we all need to be loved and wanted and to know we belong somewhere. So, Tahoe the Terror Terrier, welcome home. My heart is big enough, you are wanted and you are loved... even if everyone else thinks we are crazy.

Lake Tahoe and an Exciting Announcement!

2009-11-23T08:23:00.000-08:00

Howdy, Peeps! Boy oh boy, is it good to be home!!! We had a great time in Lake Tahoe but Buglette had a difficult time sleeping, my little Miss Creature of Habit just loves her schedule and routine and her own bedroom! She ended up sleeping every night with Hubby and I in our bed! Argh!!! She would wake up and want to play, at say, 2am and then jump on the bed, make silly noises and then one night, she, all of a sudden leaned over and blew zerberts on Daddy's chest! He got to laughing so hard it made Bug and I laugh and of course at that point sleep was a memory! But what a memory that will be for us! The lack of sleep didn't kill us though, because my mom and dad went with us and stayed in the other bedroom so when they got up in the mornings they would take Buglette and we got to catch up on sleep. Let's give a big "hip hip hurray" for grandparents! We had snow in Tahoe and got to play and sled, fun, fun, fun! We got to see a few movies... mom and dad and I took Bug to see Disney's A Christmas Carol and Dad and Hubby and I went to see 2012. Both were good!

While we were there we got some pretty exciting news!!!! Bug has been invited to go with my in-laws to a Christmas party at the White House on December 1st!!!!!!!!!!! Oh, holy cow, good gravy, hip hip hooray!!! She is just too excited! We booked our flights right away and are leaving on the 28th of November. Just she and I are going and Daddy will be staying with Buglette and have help from my Grandma whom the great grandkids call GG. Hubby didn't want to travel anymore (he does plenty for work) and needed to stay home to work anyways. We will be gone for 4 and a half days. We are flying into Philadelphia to head to my in-law's farmhouse in Emmaus, PA. We will be there for a day and a half enjoying some family time before traveling to DC on Monday. The party is on Tuesday and we leave on Wednesday. A pretty quick turnaround trip but Bug didn't need to miss anymore school and I just can't stand to be away from Hubby and Buglette any longer. Please pray for our safe travels... I just hate to fly without Hubby and I especially hate to have our family splintered apart for any length of time. Your prayers would be much appreciated! I will post again when I have pictures of us in Tahoe and a funny story to share!

Off on a Trip

2009-11-14T10:07:00.000-08:00

Howdy Peeps! I will not be posting any new blogs from Nov. 15th thru Nov. 23rd. The family and I are heading off to Lake Tahoe for a little vacation in our timeshare! Yep, we are bringing all the sleds, snow pants, boots, gloves, and snowman makings! I will be taking lots of pictures and blogging about our funny adventures when I return! Hmmm, eight hours in the car with a 17 month old, I bet you're envying me aren't cha???

Shot Drama

2009-11-12T16:51:00.000-08:00

Yippee! Woo hoo! (read with sarcastic tones please) I just got home from taking the girls (and myself) to get H1N1 vaccinations! What a scream (yeah, literally). We got there expecting a long line but, no, we just filled out our paperwork and went through a screening process then went in. I went first. Ok, it burned but I lived. Then, with Buglette in her stroller it was Bug's turn. I had to force her to sit down. Ohh, this isn't going to be fun. Then they wanted to have me hold her so she wouldn't move. By now she is crying and saying, "I don't feel good, Mom, I'm nauseated" and I'm telling her to be brave because she's getting her sister all worked up! Sure enough, Buglette started crying! So now they're both going and I can't really do anything about it. The nurse then decides to start talking to Bug about her shot (which isn't helping) while I give the nurse the look saying 'just give the shot now'! Then Bug brings out the coup de gras by saying, "wait, I want to pray first!" So, we're praying (as I give the nurse the 'shoot it now' look). No such luck... after praying and screaming and gettin' her sister to cry it's time for mama to bring out the stearn voice, "hold still, be quiet" and she finally gets her shot! Buglette goes next screaming and squirming while I just muscle my way through that one. Whew. I'm exhausted.

Thank the Lord it's done. I'm going to lay down for a bit...

Sweetness and Light

2009-11-10T13:41:00.000-08:00

Hey Peeps!!! How are you all doing? I'm good just sitting down now to type a new blog! I want to tell you about my bible study leader Laura. She has just blessed me so much these last 5 weeks. She is a mom to a boy 10 and her daughter is 8. She is a widow. Now, before you go gettin' all weepy when you read that (like I did when I heard it) she is a very strong, capable woman. She has been a widow for 6 years when her husband died in a motorcycle crash. She has been full of sweet words and love for all 5 of us at her bible study table. She is filled with the spirit and it's for real. I say it's for real because I have had the unpleasurable experience of being around 'spiritual' ladies who aren't very Godly and there is a difference. Anyway, not a sour note comes from Laura and she sings of what God has done for her and her kiddos and praises His name. There has not been a Thursday morning when I have sat down to worship and then study at the table when she hasn't presented us all with gifts! One day was bookmarks and book plates (to tell whose book was whose) another day was journals with a pencil, I even have a sweet little plant next to my computer she gave to me! She even decorated the pot! So sweet!

Just remember ladies, people are watching us. Do we exude the love of Christ in us or are we gloomy girls who say we love Him but our faces and our words tell another story? Yep, if you're unhappy you are telling a different story about what is going on in your heart. Laura has some things to be unhappy about, she misses her hubby, her kiddos are not growing up with their daddy and money is tight. But she sings of God's glory simply because she chooses to focus on her blessings. Sure, she asks for prayers and we pray for her but she then leaves it up to the Lord and sings of His love. Her kiddos are blessed and so am I for her example. By the way, she does all this crafting with her daughter because then they can spend time together. She once handed me something that she felt was 'less than perfect' because her daughter helped and knew I wouldn't mind because I love to have my Bug help me. I cherish that memento because of what it means. Perfection? Nah, I wouldn't want perfection!

Cultivate sweetness and light and you will receive sweetness and light

For the Holy Spirit, God's gift, does not want you to be afraid of people, but to be wise and strong, and to love them and enjoy being with them. 2 Timothy 1:7

Yep, I'm Southern!

2009-11-08T09:30:00.000-08:00

Well, this happens to me just wayyy too much... I was in Walmart doin' the week's grocery shopping (and peekin' at a few other things, who am I kiddin'?) I was in the craft section probably drooling over some Christmas fabric that I have no idea what to do with (I can't sew :o I know, sniff, sniff) when a nice lady next to me was obviously trying to decide which fabric to choose from out of children's Christmas fabric. I just jumped right in and gave her my two-cent's worth and told her that whatever she was doin' with it I'm sure would be beautiful and to enjoy her gift of sewing since not everyone can do it! She then looked at me with sweet blue eyes and said, "oh, honey, I'm so homesick, what part of the south are you from?" Huh????? Well, I'm from southern California! I get asked that on a regular basis! Is it my voice? Hubby says I do have a bit of a twang to it. But, no, I think it's my ability to just poke into other's lives like I belong there! I'll just see someone out and about who looks friendly and is, maybe lookin' at somethin' I like too and I just can't help myself! Oh, and if they smile at my girls, well then that's an open invitation to me! I always try to be kind and sweet and offer a smile and a nice word. I guess southern ladies harken from a time in the past (unfortunately) where that was just a way of life. People weren't too busy to stop and chat or too self-absorbed to say 'hi' in the Piggly Wiggly line. It always makes me happy! Plus it goes a long way if Buglette is pitchin' a fit while people wait behind me to unload my cart! Humor just breaks all that 'I wish she'd keep her kid quiet and hurry up' stress! To be honest, I used to be someone who would look at other people's screamin' kids and think 'oh, I'm glad I've got a handle on Bug, she would never act that way'. Oh, God does have sense of humor! He gave us a baby girl who makes me work like a dog in stores to keep her entertained and somewhat quiet! Anyway, I think if we just acted like we were southern the world would be a better place. Slow down, Peeps. Enjoy life along the way! What on earth are we all in a hurry for anyway???

"NO, I'M NOT SOUTHERN, BUT I GOT HERE AS FAST AS I COULD"!

A 'Fall' Thought, A Bargain and a Blessing of a Blog

2009-11-06T12:27:00.000-08:00

I know I told all of you that I love fall but did I also mention I love trees with changing leaves on them? Well, Peeps, (that's you all, I needed a name to call all of you and this seemed to fit) I do just love colorful trees. I was at Bug's school this morning (tell you why in a sec) and saw the most beautiful tree with every color on it... reds, yellows, oranges and greens. I stopped and picked some of those beauties right off the ground. I'm sure I looked like the crazy lady with the stroller to all of the high schoolers watching me but hey, I no longer care what high schoolers think of me (as of, gulp, 1991!) As we were driving I was thinking about my leaves and my love of them and this came to me (of course, we know the Lord gave it me). These leaves are so beautiful and yet they are technically dying. Their transformation is happening because they are dying. So beautiful even in death. To me, more beautiful in death. Just like Jesus dying on the cross for the sins of mankind, He was beautiful, His gift was beautiful in death. Of course He was beautiful in life (then and now) as are green leaves in spring and summer but His beauty really was apparent when He accomplished His purpose in His death. My leaves seem more beautiful to me in their death. Just yet one more reason for me to love fall!

Ok, back to why Buglette and I were at Bug's school, my kiddo was awarded Student of the Month!!!!! Yea Bug!!!! Way to Go!!!! We are so proud of you! I got to go and surprise her by showing up to chapel when she was awarded her certificate and her coupon for a free kid's meal at Black Angus Steakhouse (woo hoo! dinner solved!).

Oh, my Peeps, good gravy, I have so much to tell you today and if I don't I will surely burst! Sometimes God just gives us one blessing right after the other and yesterday and today have been my days I guess. I found (through a teacher at Bug's school) a great second-hand store for kid's clothes in my area! The minute she told me about it we were in the car!!!! It's called New 4 You and the owner buys kids clothes as well as other items for kids/babies from other moms or yourself, pays you for them and then turns around and sells them. I was so excited I could feel my feet barely touch the floor! I love love love my girls to look cute but I LOVE a bargain even better!!! I spent $30. on three (yep, three) Gymboree outfits for Buglette; full, complete outfits with socks too!) They don't even look worn! One is for a Christmas gift! I also have plenty of clothes every month or so that I have to pack up and take to a thrift store to give away cause darnit if kids don't grow soo fast so now I can make a little money back on what I've put into their clothes. I even have a high chair in the garage to sell to her! They also have clothes for Bug's size which is awesome because I can do a one-stop-shop!!! Woo hoo!!!

My last blessing (so far) is that I stumbled onto this website/blog that has just blessed me beyond measure!!! It's called Sugar Pie Farmhouse.com/blog and is just too sweet for words. Sugar Mama (no joke, that's what she calls herself, but she looks like one classy lady) has made homemaking into an art!! She makes me feel proud to do what I do (that's hard to do) and is so loving and sweet in the process. She is from the Ozarks in Branson, Missouri and I've been there a few times and loved it, so I can relate to what she's talkin' about. She advises everyone to "put on an apron, light a great smelling candle, put on some music and go to work making your house a home"! She does wear aprons! I think I may adopt this! (hey, some of them can be slimming) Her sight and blog are just the bees' knees! Check her out so we can all drool together, Peeps!

Oh, and PS, Christy, thanks for your sweet thoughts, you made my day brighter!

Past Due Pictures and Halloween Fun

2009-11-02T19:40:00.000-08:00

Just as promised, here are the pictures of my mantle after I re-did it... I forgot to take a photo of the before. Does anyone else do that? Anyway, before the mirror was a deep red with gold on it, I had a flower arraingement on the mantle with some photos and two candlestick lamps on each side. Now, it's so much more dramatic and eye popping! I love it!

Also, I redecorated our downstairs bathroom to something more my taste. I've posted some of those pics also! Oh, also I just today did some new things to my laundry room. Laundry room you ask? Why do you care? Well.... I hate laundry so to make doing it a little more palateable I must have a cute laundry room! It works, try it! So there are some pictures of my laundry room too!

Halloween was great. We went to Bug's BFF's for a family party. All the kids trick-or-treated and then came back and we ate dinner (chili and all the fixin's) and then the kids played a lot of cute, fun games. We really had a great time. Bug was Princess Leia (Star Wars) and Buglette was a leaf fairy. They both looked so cute! Bug has been fascinated by all the Star Wars movies since her daddy and I grew up on them. She at first wanted to be the Statue of Liberty but we had a hard time finding what we needed for that costume and when we found the Leia one she changed her mind. Buglette just loves to hear us say how pretty she looks so we knew she'd pick something 'girlie'. We were in Target and sure enough she saw it and pointed to it right away. Leaf fairy it is!

Hope your Halloween was great too! Now it feels like we've begun the holiday season! Hey, don't shoot the messenger!

Just Sick and Carsick...but not Seasick!

2009-10-23T12:43:00.000-07:00

Hey readers! I have been so sick lately ("still?" you ask, yes, STILL) and I have been away from my computer till today. I finally went to the doctor (aren't us moms hypocrits? I would've been rushing my girls to the MD had they been sick for 2 full weeks but, nooo, I kept thinking I was getting better and it would be over soon...) After seeing said MD and getting a boatload of medication for Asthmatic Bronchitis I am home today nursing myself like a good girl. I got up and made breakfast for Bug and then realized we had no bread for her lunch so I asked her to buy lunch. Me to Bug, "honey, buy lunch today, it's spaghetti, how bad can they mess up spaghetti?" (she hates the cafeteria food) Bug to me, "aw, Mom, do I have to? I will throw up." Me to her, "please, we are out of bread, I guess you could take something else..." Her to me, "no, it's ok, Mom, I know you're feeling icky, I'll buy". What a kid! Understanding as can be!

But, when we hear her say, "I'm gonna throw up"... we all run for cover cause she will be sick very soon! I have a funny story about Bug and her tummy troubles!

We had taken a cruise with our family (when I say family I mean the whole bloomin' lot of them!) to New England in the fall (I know, I know, yes, I was dying a thousand deaths to be there at that time of year ;) Good gravy, I was pleased as punch!) So, we had made it through the entire cruise in 18 feet swells mind you, without myself or Hubby or Bug being sea sick thanks to Mama being paranoid about it and keeping non-drowsy meds in our systems. I'm tellin' you, I used everything from ginger candy to Bonine to accupressure bracelets on our wrists and I was successful!

After the cruise we stayed about 6 days with my in-laws in their 1800's farmhouse (yes, they even have a barn and a stream on their property... ooh, ahh) in Pennsylvania and took day trips to NYC and Washington DC. Now, on our day trip to DC we had a good 3 hour drive to get there. We were all stuffed into 2 large SUVs following my father-in-law. Once into the city, we needed to head over to the National Mall. Driving became stop and go, turn here, turn there, quick stop, quick go. You get the idea. We made it to the mall area just in time to hear Bug say, "I don't feel good, I feel sick"... then, yep she throws up all over me, herself and my dad in front of us. Poor baby! I just sort of sat there in shock, covered, not knowing what to do first, knowing we are in the middle of DC with vomit all over! But, of course once she's sick she feels great!!! As for me and her Daddy and my Daddy, not so much! We stop our caravan and quick pull into a driveway right by the Washington monument (with a sign that says, Warning, No Parking, Violators Will Be Prosecuted) to clean up. Naturally, a DC cop pulls in behind us to, I'm sure, arrest us for planning some terrorist activity. These are the times I am glad Hubby is in law-enforcement and travels with his badge! He explains who he is and what happened and the nice DC cop lets us have the time we need to clean up and even asks if Bug needs anything and if she's ok. Whew.

Now, God, in His great plan knew this would happen all along and gave me the foresight to grab jammies for Bug for the long ride home that night so she slipped into those. Also, Hubby and I had just spent about a week or so the year prior in DC for an award ceremony he was asked to attend. We stayed all of 3 miles from the national mall in Crystal City and of course, me being me found a Target close by and did some shopping. Sooo... we knew right where the closest Target was and where we could get clothes for Bug to wear that day, Febreeze for the car and baby wipes for mine and my dad's clothes which weren't bad at all! I ran in, grabbed it all, ran out and we were back sightseeing with the family in, literally, fifteen minutes!!!! Problem solved, God is GOOD!!!!

Moral of the story, when they say, "Uh, I don't feel well," duck...

Sooo Sick...But Grateful

2009-10-18T09:36:00.001-07:00

Hey everyone! Sorry I've been away for a while, I've been soo soo sick! I got a cold/flu? last Friday and it just knocked me on my rear! All I've been able to do is barely care for my kiddos (Hubby is on his own right now) and do NOOO housework! Ugh!!!! My house looked like a level four tornado went through followed by an earthquake that was an eight on the richter scale. That is, until my wonderful mom came on her day off to help and clean! God bless you, Mom! I still have stuff I need to do to catch up but at least things are under control!

So, I have no great recipes to share (cooking consisted of mac 'n cheese and chicken nuggets), no great pictures of what I did to redecorate my house (yeah, you don't want to see pics of my house right now) and no great fall adventures we took the girls to this week (we were lucky to get to school) but life will get back to normal soon. Church today is a step in the right direction and then on to a normal week... Club Mom at church, bible study, Bug's school spelling bee, Missionettes for Bug at church, and cooking and cleaning... finally! Our regular lives can sometimes feel so mundane, so boring even but when you can't perform your normal duties and you see how your family suffers for it, it makes you grateful for even boring. Don't take it for granted, remember there are people in hospital beds who would love to be doing their boring routines, there are people right now who would love to be complaining about a cold/flu as the reason why they don't feel well instead of the chemo coursing through their veins, wives who would love to be once again picking up her husband's socks and putting the toilet seat down but can't because he's been in heaven for a few months now. Remember all of this as you do yet another load of laundry, wash another dish, change another diaper, drive another carpool. We can all be grateful for the little blessings in our lives. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need a cough drop and to blow my nose...

Black Creates Drama!!!

2009-10-07T20:28:00.001-07:00

Oh, how I love all these great blogs I've discovered! I spent the late afternoon/early evening spraypainting candlesticks matte black and setting medium sized pumpkins on top of them. Then I spray painted a large metal vase I had in a bathroom the same black. Next I took some dry tree limbs from around our yard and sprayed those black too. Then I sprayed the frame of a mirror I acquired from buying our house the same black. What then??? Well, it all went up onto the mantle in our family room and talk about drama! I will take a picture and post it soon. I will need to change the pumpkins as the seasons change but other than that I think I can leave it. My friend Jessica and I made a banner that says Harvest that is hanging on my mantle too. It was easy and fun and turned out sooo sweet!

If you have a chance, get to some of those blogs I've listed... they've got my juices flowing!!!

Silent War

2009-10-05T21:47:00.000-07:00

A funny thing is happening in our home right now. Hubby and I are having a silent war over the bathroom window. I get up in the mornings and the first thing I do is open my blinds... I want to see the world and let the natural light in! I even open a small bathroom window's blind in our downstair's 3rd bathroom. It's small and the room is small but I love that natural light. It faces our next door neighbor's house and our side yard. Hubby is afraid our neighbors can see into our bathroom (ok, not the room I'd like them to be able to see in, I agree with that) so I put a plant on the window sill and only open the blinds a bit for light. Every time I go in there I find the plant on the counter by the sink and the blinds closed shut! So... what do I do? That's right, I place the plant up again and open the blinds, a bit. Some time can go by and back in I go to, you know it, find the blinds closed up and plant on the counter. This continues all day! Even when he's been at work he comes home and does it!

So, not one of us has said a thing about it but we just keep undoing each other's work! I really don't think our neighbors can see in there with the plant in the way but you know Hubby, always extra cautious! Girls, I need to strategize my next move, any ideas? I can hear my mother going, "oh, you shouldn't do that to each other, communicate" but I have a feeling one of Hubby's three sisters may have an idea or his brother? In any case let me know!

PS... if there's anyone out there who thinks this is a cruel thing to do to each other well, you don't know Hubby and I, this is our sense of humor and how we relate to each other! Don't criticize, just give me ideas!!!!

Chicken Rice Soup with Pumpkin Bread

2009-10-04T15:28:00.000-07:00

Quick post... Chicken and Rice soup and Pumpkin Bread:

Take one Fall day, overcast and cool out, high of maybe 63;

Sunday, so Hubby and kids are home; burn some Fall scented candles and

make SOUP!

Chicken Rice Soup:

1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms (I used creminis)

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 tsp. vegetable oil

1 32 ounce carton of chicken broth, more to taste if needed

2 12.5 oz cans of chopped chicken, no need to drain

1/2 cup chopped carrots

1 cup chopped green beans (I used frozen)

1 package long grain wild rice mix with seasoning packet (I used Uncle Ben's)

1 tbls. poultry seasoning

1 tbls. garlic salt

Saute onion and mushrooms in oil till tender. Mix in other ingredients. Bring to a boil. Simmer on low heat covered for 20 minutes.

Enjoy with pumpkin bread, either homemade or cheat for goodness sakes and make it from a box, I use Pillsbury Quick bread and it's our favorite!

Did I mention I love Fall?

Apples and um, Liquor?

2009-10-03T20:06:00.000-07:00

Oh what a day!!!! We decided to go to our local small town apple orchards called Oak Glen. I say 'local' very loosely... it took us about an hour and a half to get there. We were going to meet my parents and my grandmother there for a day of apple pickin', fresh, cooler air, changing leaves and maybe a shop or two. We met them there, went and ate lunch and took the girls to a petting zoo and then Bug and I ran into a big red barn and bought four pumpkins, a bag of winesap variety of apples, apple butter and apple cider mulling spices. Everything is 'appley' up there. Buglette never took a nap so on the ride home she cried and fussed, fussed and cried until she fell asleep, five miles from home! She was so filthy dirty from her adventures in apples that she needed a bath right away!

The other night I was headin' home from picking up a few things from Walmart. Buglette was with me and was ready for bed. We got stuck in traffic though going through a DUI checkpoint. We sat and sat and sat some more and my baby who had, up to that point been in a good mood, went south really fast. By the time we made it up to Mr. Police Officer Buglette had worked herself into a full blown fit and was screaming at the top of her lungs. I rolled down the window to speak to said officer and he got an earfull of how displeased my 16 month-old was. With a straight face and ignoring the screams he asked me if I had been drinking that night (probably the 200th time he had to ask that in about 2 hours) and I returned his question with a straight face answer, "No, but I should be after listening to her for 15 minutes. If you're offering, I'll buy". I know, I know. What was I thinking? Well, being a cop's wife (and daughter) I was never 'afraid' of authority. I have a healthy respect but no fear. Anyway, I could tell he needed a good laugh, I could just tell. I needed to laugh at my 'predicament' too. We did! (Laugh, that is, not go get a drink).

No Time Because He Answered All Those Prayers!

2009-10-01T12:20:00.000-07:00

Sometimes finding the time to sit down and write is very difficult! This has been one of those weeks! Bug has needed more help with her studies, Buglette commands a lot of my time just by being herself and Hubby, well, he is understanding but it takes work to make a relationship well, work! So, sometimes the last thing on my list is this blog even though it's the second in my heart after God of course.

We have a weekend coming up and I've been thinking about to do with it. I am taking suggestions! Just a day trip somewhere to do something fun as a family would be nice. Maybe apple picking or getting our pumpkins. Maybe off to a Harvest Festival. Who knows. I'll let you know once we decide.

Buglette has been funny lately. She has been trying to say 'pumpkin' but it comes out funny. She tries to ride her sister's old red and white tricycle. She climbs and climbs all over it and rocks back and forth to get it to move. We went to church last night and at the nursery she cries when we go and stops just as soon as we're gone! She did the same thing at bible study with me this morning... at least she stops! I always hold my breath when I pick her up... was she naughty? A handfull? Clingy? Into everything? Noooo, she researves those behaviors for mom. I guess I can't complain, I'd rather her be good with others.

On our way to school we listened to our Christian radio program as usual and today it was about infertility and adoption, two subjects very close to home for us. We struggled with infertility for four years before I miraculously got pregnant with Bug. Boy were we beside ourselves with joy over that child (still are). Then, after eight years and one miscarriage later we get a phone call from family that a baby girl will be born soon and needing a home. We had never even considered adoption before! Never. But God has a way of showing us His plan and we just knew that this was our baby girl. Well, Buglette is ours (mine, Hubby's and God's that is) and we can't imagine life without her. I never mentioned she was adopted because it's not what defines her. It's like saying, "this is Bug, our girl who likes blue"; being adopted is just a matter of how she got here, not who she is. But this morning I heard something that so fit my life over the last ten years and I want to share it. "In regards to my children, God let me hunger so I would know when I was fed." He answered those prayers for our children and filled them in ways we could never imagine. Are you open to how God will answer your prayers even if it's not how you asked Him to?

Achievements and Turkeys

2009-09-24T12:22:00.000-07:00

Oh what a week we are having. Mom called me yesterday to make sure I was feeling fine because "you haven't blogged in a while" and I guess she got bored at work not being able to read about her girls. Sorry, Mom. I had a bee in my bonnet and had to start making all those pretty crafts I've seen and been talkin' 'bout to you all. So off to Michael's and Joann to get all the goodies so I can copy everyone's ideas! So far so good, I've made about ten or so sweet paper crafts with my friend and neighbor Jessica. We are having fun with it. All of those great blogs also has given me yet another bee in my bonnet about re-decorating our family room, which will be happening soon. I'll let you know.

So, on Friday we got some fun news that Bug got elected to her school's student council! She is the only fourth grader on the council. She is the public relations officer! Way to go Bug!! When her daddy was in 6th grade he was elected as president of his school so she's taking after him! Daddy took her out for ice cream after school to celebrate. Buglette had her own little achievement herself... she climbed up six ladder rungs into their playhouse all by herself a few days ago. I was outside with her while she was playing in the sandbox, looked over and she was half-way up the ladder. I calmly went over (praying the whole time) and asked her what she thought she was doing. She looked down at me, smiled, pointed to the top platform while mumbling something and climbed the rest of the way. Now, mind you, she's sixteen months old! She's definitely my little independent, determined girl. Hubby said she is just like me. I wasn't like that as a child, just as an adult. Used appropriately I think those are good qualities...

Hubby wanted me to blog about 'the turkey'. Why he thinks you want to hear about this I don't know but here you go...

On Saturday I decided to make a turkey for us and neighbors that I told you about in the last posting. So, on Friday night I took it out of the freezer to thaw and put it in the laundry room sink in cold water. I asked Hubby to stick him in the fridge when he came up to bed after watching his movie. He forgot and I slept the whole night while said turkey slowly grew botulism or some other "bird flu" buggie that could kill us all. In the morning I knew I could not cook the bird and serve it (at least to people I love...) so out into the outside trash (in a bag) he went. As you know, I did cook another birdie who didn't kill anyone (that I'm aware of) and my family and neighbors still love me. Meanwhile, in the outside trash...

My next door neighbor asked the other neighbors if they had found their lost cat because "somethin' died out in the yards between our houses". Oops, my dyin' turkey is now officially dead and beyond. Me to my neighbor inquiring about the stench: "smell? no, I don't smell anything..." "oh that smell, yes I must confess, I killed our neighbor's cat"...

But seriously, our family has a long history of turkey catastrophes! The first bird my mother cooked (by the way my neighbor thinks it's absolutely hilarious and adorable (her words) that mom and I call it 'the bird') was for the entire family in the house we lived in in Lake Arrowhead, Ca. I mention the house because it had a ton of steps leading to the front door and I can just see my mother lugging the frozen turkey, a four-year-old (me) and a one-year-old (my brother) up all those stairs to just have the following happen to the bird. So, she gets up nice and early to prep birdie and get him in the oven. Hours later after he's roasted and ready and the family sits down to eat someone cuts into him and realizes all the 'parts' are still in him...cooked. Mom had never taken out the gizzards and neck etc... She's never lived it down. And now me of course with my dead cat, err, turkey story. The bad thing for me, though is that I've cooked several turkeys before! Hmm, all this turkey talk makes me hungry for fish...

All Manner of Things Black and White

2009-09-20T10:32:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It's Sunday morning and the Hubby and I are up with the girls... he made pancakes, the girls played outside and I am drinking my coffee sittin' on this here computer. Last night (make that yesterday too) I cooked a turkey, green beans with onions and bacon, mashed potatoes and an angel food cake trifle. We had friends and neighbors from two doors up over. We enjoy their company, their girls are around Bug's age so they're always running back and forth between houses playing (oh how I love that they can do that in this day and age). My friend's mom and sister just got back from a missions trip to El Salvador and we had them over for dinner too and got to hear all about the trip. There is such need all over the world. I was going to take some outgrown shoes and clothes from my girls to Goodwill but friend's mom then told me about little children who have never even owned one pair of shoes before and they wear the same clothes day after day. I think I will try to get a box together to go to the church for those children. When I think about all the things, clothes, shoes in my girls' closets and then the need that's just everywhere it breaks my heart. This recession may just be a good thing for this country's kids.

I found a new charity shop (sort of like a thrift store I guess) that I want to visit. I saw on a blog that this mom found an old white, small cupboard and turned it into a play kitchen for her daughter. Wouldn't that be fun! I have thought about getting Buglette a kitchen for Christmas and would want a wooden one but boy, are they pricey! I found one online at Target but even that's at least $200! No thanks. So I'm accepting ideas and suggestions! I would love to find and restore to girlie-kitchen- quality a little cupboard!

Hubby had an interesting week at work. He called me Monday night to let me know he would be a little late for dinner because he had, um, locked his keys in his work car (an obvious police vehicle) um, while it was running. That's right, a cop had to call AAA and ask for help gettin' his keys out and turning off the car. The AAA lady had to get the vehicle description... hubby: "um, it's a Ford Crown Victoria" AAA lady: "and the color?" hubby: "uh, it's black with white trim..." about this point in hubby telling me I was on the floor holding my sides dying of laughter. If you at all know hubby you know this is the kind of stuff that happens to him ALL the time. He's a bit like Barney Fife. He's also incredible endearing and lovable so everyone forgives him for his little 'mishaps'.

Side note... he works at the police academy teaching for overtime detail sometimes at night. He told me there's a skunk that lives there stinkin' up the place, gettin' into trash and makin' a mess of the place. I could just see all the cops watching this thing and no one wanting to get near it. Murderers, drug dealers, all manner of bad guys they'll face but one skunk and forget it, they'll deal with his antics! I told hubby they should name him Black and White...

Our Great Girlie-Time With An Odd Ending

2009-09-17T11:14:00.000-07:00

I'm here. Been lookin' up lots of blogs enjoyin' everything I see! Lots of sweet ideas and gettin' more ideas for Christmas presents. I have a family quandary for Christmas every year and it's always the same... what to get the people who 'need' nothin' and want for nothin'? So this year, I'm gettin' creative. I'd much rather give people experiences and somethin' homemade than somethin' they don't need just to 'put a check in the box'. So, Buglette's takin' her nap and I'm sittin' here.

You may remember a few blogs ago (or have no recollection at all!) I wrote about medication I was taking and said that 'that was a story for another time' well, here's "the other time". And here's the story...

I took Bug up to Solvang, CA which is a small Danish town full of pretty shops and eateries and beautiful scenery and the drive up there is just too beautiful for words. I took her there because she had had a different sort of summer (she got to do lots of great stuff including summer Christian camp) with no real family vacation. I was getting cabin fever and Hubby suggested we go somewhere for a few days... just the my nine-year-old and I, her proud and grateful Mama. We got online and searched for a room in Solvang (Bug had never been and I knew she'd love it) and found an adorable room at the Wine Valley Inn; a loft room with a soft king-size bed and separate living room downstairs. The manager gave us a great price so Hubby said to go stay two nights instead! So off we went.

We had a wonderful two days filled with shopping (there is a perfect charity shop in Atterdag Square as well as a women's clothing consignment shop... love them both!) and we bought books at the bookstore (yep, several books, she has my love of reading) and we ate at some yummy places. We would shop, get tired, go back to our loft, nap, read, go eat, shop, read, you get the delicious idea. Well, the first night was restless for me. My arms and hands were awfully achy for some reason and I woke up all stiff and swollen for some reason. "Hmm, must've had something with too much salt yesterday". We got up and repeated the day before's events to our delight and I "just knew my body would bounce back after some walking and movin' around". Nope. Next night was even worse. Next morning was even worse than that. I was very stiff, now achy, swollen all over and could feel it getting worse. Long story short, after much debate with Hubby and then Mom and Dad I went to the emergency room there in the Santa Ynez Valley. Hubby stayed with Buglette and Mom and Dad drove up to be with me and especially Bug since we had no way of knowing what 'this' was or if I would need to stay overnight.

Now, until Mom and Dad got there it was just me and my nine-year-old at the hospital waiting to find out what was going on. God sends angels just when we need them. I knew enough to not eat anything that morning so I would be fasting but I made Bug eat breakfast. By the time I was in the bed in the ER she was hungry and thirsty. A nice lady next to us was there with her twenty-something son and she offered Bug a bottle of water and a donut from what she had brought in. So sweet. Next, the lady from our hotel called to make sure all was well and make sure Bug was doing ok too. She had grand babies and Bug could go play with them. So sweet but of course Bug wanted to stay with me. Next, a lady in her mid-late sixties came in to be seen. She was so kind to us both... making conversation. I didn't realize maybe God had me there for someone else when my new friend confided in me that her best girlfriend of fifty-some years was dying that very day in another town from cancer. I was shocked, here this woman sat in an ER because of heart palpitations and her BFF is loosing her life to cancer. I felt so bad for her. I asked if we could pray and we did. Thankfully she was able to move on and go get to her friend.

As for me, I just watched the world around me change, beds open up, people fill them, doctors and nurses checking on me/us the whole day. My parents got there as the doctor was releasing me after tests showed nothing conclusive. He put me on Prednisone, a steroid to control my

swelling and achy joints. This was the medication that was keeping me up at night.

I have yet to know what caused all of this and I am having another "swell" day today, ha ha. I am achy and swollen, especially my hands and feet. We are waiting for test results and a referral to a specialist so here I sit! My energy is also zapped which is a bummer after getting so many great ideas from other blogs.

We did go to church last night and were so touched when the pastor began talking about difficulties in people's lives. He asked people to stand and share some. I just knew no one would do that but before long there were people all over the congregation standing and talking about real difficult issues in their lives. Everything from needing a job to being a single parent to dealing with their pasts to mourning the death of a parent was mentioned. It was so moving and touching. There were big, burly guys who were being so transparent in their need for prayer (which we did as a congregation for everyone). It made all of our 'issues' seem so small. They are small in light of the big God we serve. So, I will be fine, one way or the other! I got two glorious days with my daughter and it ended on an odd note but I still got that time with her before school started! We are blessed!

Work Hard, Enjoy Later

2009-09-16T11:10:00.000-07:00

Sometimes my brain is 'a ticking... sometimes it's not. Today is a 'not' day. There's no reason, just not sure what to blog about. I read some of my favorite blogs and even found Beth Moore's blog from Living Proof Ministries. I love her... I've done several of her bible studies and we are big-hair kindred sister spirits. I am getting ready to do another one of hers by chance this fall (Oct.). You have to prepare yourself to do one of her studies. She gets so deep sometimes I tell ya, my heart hurts. Plus she's notorious for homework but I do love how she thinks and how she delivers God's word, so I'll do the work required to get the benefits I know will be waiting for me at the end. That's a little like life, huh? Put in the work now and reap the benefits later. Work hard at raising your kids now and they will hopefully repay you with fruitful lives later (not to mention grandbabies! I think those are babies you can hand back to your kids when they are poopy) Work hard at your marriage now and hopefully enjoy retirement without wanting to kill each other, ha ha. Thinking about you, Mom and Dad. Work hard at your career now (or your husband's career) and hopefully be able to retire in the first place. We are always telling Bug, "work first, fun afterwards". But, sometimes rules were made to be broken... last summer Bug and her BFF were at our little house we were staying in till our new, big one was ready for us. It was hot, Buglette was an infant and those two eight-year-old peas-in-a-pod had played inside all day while I took care of Buglette. They did pretty good at entertaining themselves and keeping the noise to a minimum. It was a weird day for all of us, especially them because they are used to being able to swim (no pool where we were), or play outside (it was really hot) or at least go out for a little adventure (no way, no how, not with a cranky infant). Well, once dinner time rolled around I took great pleasure in telling them we were going for ice cream, no, not for dessert, but big, gooey scoops of the kind they can 'make' themselves by choosing the toppings to put in it. For dinner. Plus, if they wanted a chocolate-dipped cone it was theirs. Their jaws hit the floor and they kept saying, "really?" It felt so good to break that rule! What fun, for them as well as me. Here's to occasionally breaking the rules!

Today is Wednesday so that means I must be very organized tonight. I get Bug from school at 3pm to head straight home so she can do homework. I must get dinner going, we all eat, Buglette takes a bath and gets in jammies and Bug gets her stuff ready for Missionettes and school tomorrow. While Bug is in Missionettes we will be in church tonight and Buglette in the nursery. We won't get home till 8:30-8:45pm. It's our crazy night of the week.

Lifted Up, Touched and Tickled

2009-09-13T18:26:00.000-07:00

Ok, Women of Faith was awesome! Just imagine 15,000 women all in the same arena all singing and praising the Lord at the same time! Wow! I especially loved Marilyn Meberg, Patsy Clairmont and of course, Luci Swindoll. We got to also watch Christian comedian Anita Renfroe who made us all laugh so hard, I'm sure kegel exercises came in handy. We listened to Stephen Curtis Chapman who made me cry with his beautiful songs about his daughters and then one about his wife changing the world because she was home taking care of the children all day even though she felt like she got nothing done on some days. Whew! I was lifted up, touched and tickled all in a day and a half. We had an opportunity to sponsor a child in need from an impoverished country with Christian organization World Vision. I am very glad I answered the tug on my heart and decided to sponsor an eight year old little girl from Uganda named Juliet. Bug has just been beside herself with joy that she gets to write to her and that we are helping Juliet. Last night she cried gently into my chest and said, "Mama, I'm so blessed". I thought she was saying this because she realized how much she has and is grateful but she then said, "I'm so blessed because we get to help Juliet". Now that's the right attitude! Go on to World Vision.com to sponsor a child in need. $35 dollars a month gives them food, clean water, education and medication. So, for the cost of going out to eat one night you could give all that to one of God's children.

Our weather the last few days has been unseasonable cooler. Yea!!! I know I've told you all this, like a million times but I am a very seasonal person! We got to 72 today. I decorated for fall outside today on our front porch and just in front in general. I put a fall wreath on our door, a scarecrow (a girl, of course, no boys in this house), a fake pumpkin by the front door (till we pick a real one) and a fall 'flag' in the shrubbery by the front door. The girls played out front while I 'worked', riding bikes and 'riding' tricycles. Buglette loves being outside and doesn't care whether it's in the front or back. Then we came in to do dinner.

I hope to be decorating the inside tomorrow... I will post some photos when I'm done. And now for your laughing pleasure (because I love to laugh) and it's Monday so someone should make you laugh...

A little boy was paging through the family bible when something fell out of it. He picked it up and looked closely at it, it was an oak leaf that had been pressed between the pages. "Mom, look what I found," the boy shouted. "It's Adam's suit!"

And, no, Bug, sweet girl... Noah's wife was not Joan of Ark, good thinking, though!

What My Paddle Got Me

2009-09-10T11:27:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! I will be away for a few days... Mom and I are going to the Women of Faith event for 2 days! Yea!!! I wait all year for this or for women's retreat! I'm sure I will have either funny stories or at least inspirational stories to share with you. I actually bid on our tickets at Bug's big fundraiser for school back in March. What fun it was to lift that paddle up in competition (I'm a VERY competitive person) to achieve 'winning' success! Well, I didn't actually 'win' them, I had to pay for them but I got to bid on what I would pay. For our two tickets for the two-day event, a $100 voucher for our hotel and $25 voucher for a restaurant was $300! Not bad, not bad if I do say so myself! The auction took place during a dinner at Bug's school and there were tons to bid on and baskets full of goodies to win. We came home with a ton of neat stuff! We also bid on and won my dad a golf package complete with custom-made clubs! To see his face as Hubby and I kept raising our paddles was priceless!

Now, don't go thinking we are made of money and just spent a ton for the fun of it. Nooo, nooo, nooo, we decided to use the money we spent as our tithe to help Bug's school and gave away much more than we won. But the winning and raising my powerful paddle were awesome! I can't wait till next year's event! Hmmm, what kinds of great things can I bid on while wielding my powerful paddle this time?!?! I'm addicted, I tell ya, addicted! I will be donating something to the event this year but have yet to decide what, any thoughts?

I won't be here till at least Sunday, maybe even Monday. I'm off to go get my spiritual tank refilled... have a good weekend yourself.

My Most Mortifying Moment

2009-09-09T13:07:00.000-07:00

Just found another blog that I am totally in love with... it's called Pioneer Woman and she's on blogspot.com also. Seriously, go check it out! She's hilarious! She has a whole section devoted to embarrassing moments. I read a few and it got my juices flowing! I'll share my most embarrassing moment if you'll share yours... c'mon, it'll be fun... plus self-deprecating humor is good for the soul and laughing till you wet your pants is the best way to have a good time! "What, you're asking, the beetle-bug-down-your-blouse wasn't your worst moment?" No, very funny. Here goes...

Hubby and Bug and I were with very good friends and their kids in Hawaii, specifically Kauai. We loved to have fun with these particular friends and let our hair down a bit; laughter always accompanied the four of us wherever we went. Now, if you know me you know that I can come across a little prim and proper, I don't mean to, it's just how I carry myself. Hubby, though, loves to see me let go of that 'stuff' and be myself (ok, the prim and proper me is myself) and just have fun. So, we are there on vacation, relaxing, enjoying ourselves at the beautiful pool where there are waterfalls all around and lush foliage. My best-girlfriend-in-cahoots and I are looking fetching in our suits with something with an umbrella in it in our hands when a 'local' strikes up a conversation with us. We are flattered, he's not being overtly flirty just talking to 2 beautiful looking bathing beauties (read; almost middle aged married women who take kindly to stranger's ways) and our husbands are right there anyway! So, he turns to BOTH of us and says, "ok, who's going to step foot into the waterfall just for fun with me?" Now, mind you, said waterfall was all of five feet from where we were sitting and completely within view of hubby, no questionable tactics for me. And hubby just said he wished I would be a little less reserved so, and yes, you're right to shout at your computer, "don't do it, Mindi-girl, nothing good can come from this", but, alas, it is my most embarrassing moment... I walked over to the fake waterfall put one foot on a very slippery rock under the water and, with my hubs, my bestest girlfriend and her hubby watching (not to mention flirty stranger man) I went down like a sack of potatoes. There was a hedge around the waterfall and all my traveling companions said that one minute they could see me, the next I had just disappeared out of sight, quickly. Mortified and drenched and hurt (ok, the ego was bruised too) I hobbled back to hubby who looked just as mortified that I actually belonged to him.

After healing some scrapes (and my ego, a bit) in our hotel room we all decided to go out karaoke-ing that night. It was good to get the day's events out of my head! We walked into the bar/grill and guess who was there??!?!! Yep, flirty stranger man! Thank the good Lord he wanted to forget he ever 'knew' me just as much as I wanted to forget what he saw... he ignored us the entire time! Whew!

Ok, I thought that would be freeing to tell y'all that but now I'm just mortified all over again of what y'all will think of me but, remember you have to tell me yours now! I promise, I won't think any different of you! And, no, I don't have a picture to go with this.

Lessons in Faith... in many areas

2009-09-08T20:28:00.000-07:00

It's Tuesday night, Hubby is gone to Sacramento for the week and I'm here with the girls and Sadie. They are both asleep... hallelujah! Buglette had a bit of a rough day for some reason; she was just very clingy. Bug had to study for a spelling test and that always causes 'waves' for us. She's like her dad... incredibly smart in so many areas but spelling isn't one of them, bless her heart. I, on the other hand don't have any problems with spelling or any language arts but would die a thousand deaths before taking any kind of math class again. Just send me to glory. Hubby has always been great at math (remember, I can say always because we are HS sweethearts) and science but had a difficult time in English etc... seems like Bug is following in his footsteps. So now is my peace and quiet time!

I've been giving a lot of thought as to what to write tonight. I have no funny anecdotes or stories about the family (I have plenty just not in the mood to write them) but wanted to write something a little more serious (I can to be serious). I was listening to my favorite Christian talk station today and heard a great message about how to handle difficulties in life and this particular pastor's perspective really made me think. I'd like to share it with you. He said that the Lord allows difficulties for many reasons, for growth, for a lesson to be learned, for others to come to Him through that trial, for our increased faith, the list could go. But because God allows the struggle, He Himself is there in the struggle. Our natural inclination is to try to escape the struggle, end the pain, stop the process but we should consider that the Lord Himself is there in the difficulty. Just knowing and remembering this can be so helpful when the winds are blowing and the seas are tossing us about. In this day and age there are so many things to struggle with, what with the economy, the lack of employment opportunities, government situations, family problems and this list could go and on. But as long as we are turning to the Lord for His will in our lives and seeking His guidance then in the midst of our trials and struggle He is there. I don't know about you but I just want to learn my lesson quickly, grow in the area quickly, have other's be saved through my trial quickly, and to increase my faith quickly but I need to remember to stop and allow God to do what needs to be done. What a hard lesson!

By the way, speaking of the economy, does anyone need a home (or two?) we have our home in my hometown (see Small Town Girl) that we would like to sell (4 bedrooms, 2 baths sits on half an acre, 2400 sq. ft) and we have a manufactured home about 30 minutes from LA that needs to sell (2 bedrooms, 2 full baths, nice park, beautiful yard and view, cute interior). We got stuck trying to sell both of these when the economy took it's nosedive. We certainly don't need three houses! Leave me a message on the comment section of the blog if interested! What's that? You say I have no shame leaving that here on my blog? You're right! But it is my blog! ;)

The Park, a Clean Car and a Messy Baby

2009-09-06T21:23:00.000-07:00

We've been having a great Labor Day weekend at home. Besides my delightful Saturday we have been going to the park in the evenings and playing with the girls and doing things around the house. We are getting ready for Hubby to go away for the week on business. I know for 'law enforcement' that sounds a bit unusual but he is in a specialized unit and they send him for training and to provide training for other agencies as well, so off he goes. In one year he's been to New Jersey, Georgia, Nevada and other areas in California on business.

Today we went to church and then out for pizza. Bug got to play some arcade games for tickets and got prizes for her sister... she's such a sweet kiddo. Then we came home and Bug and I colored! I love coloring and so does she. It's a fun thing for us to do side by side while we talk; aka mom gets to ask questions about her life and 'check in' and she has no idea I'm doing it. Afterwards we decided to wash the car. Now, Hubby is really good at doing the outside and I'm really good at doing the inside... good teamwork. I don't do well on the outside because I reach maybe up to the side mirrors (ha ha) I'm 5'3'' short. It always takes me forever to clean the inside because I'm been carting kids around in there. Sure enough I cleaned enough crackers, pretzels and dried fruit out of there to feed a small nation. Lift the car seat and, holy cow, more goodies! But once I was done I got to put in my new Autumn Wreath scented hanger from Yankee. There's nothing like driving a clean car with a heavenly scent in it!

We promised the girls another trip to the park after all the work so off we went. Bug has a blast on her bike and Buglette actually sat on a 'big girl' swing all by herself and let Daddy sit under her and lightly push her. She held on and everything! To top off our day we went to McDonald's for ice cream cones and because we were in Daddy's truck Buglette got to have her own cone! She loved it, had it everywhere and would hold it for awhile then want me to hold it while she let her hands warm up! What a great day! Hope you're enjoying your weekend too!

The Best Saturday I've Had in a Long Time!

2009-09-05T17:58:00.000-07:00

Hubby is the best! I woke up this morning and he told me to go get my hair cut and my claws uh, toes done! It didn't take me long to get ready and run out the door! I went and found a new hairdresser who also happens to be a neighbor of mine and she did a great job on my hair! Then I went and grabbed a bite of lunch at Panera Bread. I just love Panera but hubby doesn't so when he's not with me I go when I can! Last summer when we were in Colorado Springs for a family reunion one of my sisters-in-law had me try a bite of her cinnamon crunch bagel from Panera. She is a baaad girl I tell ya, a very baaaad girl! She forced me to fall in love with them and to think about them with coffee. She is a little sabateur I tell ya. Baaad sister, you're a baaaad girl! (secretly, I love you for it, shhhh)

Anyway, after being forced into Panera I went to Goodwill to see if they had anything I could paint and make pretty again for my house. They didn't but then I went to Bed Bath and Beyond and found the new Yankee candle scents, Autumn Fruit, Be Thankful, and Autumn Wreath. I have a thing for scents! I bought two tarts (you melt them in a warmer) and a car jar scent hanger.

After all that I went to a spa I had heard nice things about and got the most delicious pedicure I've ever had! I had a private room with lights dimmed, soft relaxation music playing and I got to lie down! I also got a great massage with the pedicure from the knees down. She even used those warm stones on my legs and feet. Talk about heaven! And the result... see picture to the left! Look... no more claws I have girlie toes again!

So now I'm packing up a picnic dinner to take when we all go as a family to the park tonight! What fun... chicken salad sandwiches (recipe below), fruit and munchies eaten outside watching my girls play and hubby shoot hoops! I love time at the park! Here's to great Saturdays!

Mindi's Chicken Salad Sandwiches

1 large can chicken

mayo to moisten

1 tsp. dill

1 small package chopped walnuts

1/3 cup dried cranberries

2 ribs celery

salt and pepper to taste

Enjoy!

Help! My feet need serious attention!

2009-09-04T20:17:00.000-07:00

Hubby was home today, it's Friday. We took Bug to school as a family and then spent the rest of the day at home. I did some cleaning and then took a nice bath! How heavenly! While in there I noticed just how badly I need a pedicure... claws, I tell ya, claws! The last one I had was when we were in Palm Springs 2 months ago. Now, I do good at giving myself pedicures but it's just not the same! Plus I need my hair trimmed and my cuticles need care as well... sounds like a spa day is needed! Truth be told, I've never had a 'spa day'. I've had mani/pedis and a massage or two before but never a spa 'day'. But my claws, um, feet, may just need a day to get back into shape. It's summer and I spend entirely way too much time running around barefoot (most likely what caused my 'claw condition' now!) Hubby said I could go tomorrow for all of it if I wanted... what a sweetie!

I'm trying to grow my hair out after an entirely way too short haircut the week of Easter. I've always had long hair but I do like to experiment with it. Hopefully there is a haircut out there that will suit me and do for letting it grow a bit too. Hubby has always loved my hair long but it's sometimes just not practical. He's been understanding!

Bug and Daddy are talking about what to do tomorrow. They mentioned bowling or a picnic at the park and that sounds good although I wouldn't mind going to the beach since it's Labor day weekend and in my mind that's always been for saying goodbye to summer. We'll see. That's it for now, Hubby always teases me that I write WAY too much on here. Doesn't he understand that I have to get out my 25,000 words somewhere or I'll have to spend the entire night talking HIS head off? When I told him that he thought for a second and said, "blog, good woman, blog!"

An Asian makeover and Great Sites to Visit

2009-09-03T11:35:00.001-07:00

Well, we woke up to baby Buglette with a cold. I just hate it when my girls are sick! She has a pretty rotten cold but the up-side is that this has made her a little snuggle-bug. She is always on the move so that when she does stop I savor every drop of her. This is one of those days! She has been wanting me to hold her and watch Sesame Street in Daddy's chair. When we're standing up and I'm holding her she lays her head on my shoulder. Now, I don't WANT her sick but I'll take the snuggles... It is no small thing when those so fresh from God love us

I have been falling in love with so many pretty, girlie blog sites! I tried to list them here for you to see but I don't think it worked. I really want to share this treasure trove I've just discovered with you all! They are so inspiring, they make me want to paint something, make something, decorate something! So, I must list them here! Really, you all will be grateful I did, go check them out and then tell me you're not inspired as well... I dare you. Unfortunately, I'm more of a 'writer' than a great photographer and craft creator to show you anything I've done but I can decorate so I will work on the photography to show what I come up with!

Our house is a work in progress. We bought it brand-new but it was a model home for three years before we moved in. Now, I know what you're thinking, "a model home... aren't those completely done for you?" the answer is yes and no. Yes, if you love the decorating they used and no, if you don't. Guess which one I am? Yep, I can't stand Asian decorating! I got an Asian house. So, we've been de-Asianing it ever since (is that a word? it is now). Bug's room was painted with a big black dragon on one wall and posters of Bruce Lee framed all over. She refused to sleep in it till the dragon was gone. That was project #1. Buglette's room needed to become a nursery. Project #2. We even had fake plastic sushi in the kitchen! Thank heavens for my parent's help in all the painting! The good thing about it being a model is that we got all the furniture (some we even kept!) and we got all the upgrades, so the 'bones' of the house are great but it still doesn't feel like 'me'. These blog sites have made me see what I miss and what is really me! So, stay tuned for me blogging about projects I will want to do and their progress. Till then, check these sites out, you'll be glad you did...

http://jennifer-acharminglife.blogspot.com

http://adayinthelifeofRamona.blogspot.com

http://crapemyrtlecottage.blogspot.com

http://www.allthingshouseandhome.com/

http://cherrysjubilleehome.blogspot.com/

On all these sites they show links to other great sites as well. This could go on forever...!