The KtKronicles

Outside the Box Storage

2012-01-26T08:09:00.000-08:00

Continuing our Small Home Living series...

Storage is a real concern when you have an above average amount of people living in your below average sized home. I have been on a purge-the-stuff mission for the past year, but let's get real: 6 people PLUS their stuff condensed to a 3 bedroom 1041 sq ft doesn't leave much space.

I used to fight against the space, thinking if we just had bigger closets or more practical storage furniture OR if we moved every one's stuff into the garage! Yeah, that's the answer! Well, that really doesn't work if you actually need the stuff for daily living. Right? Small spaces can only handle so much furniture.

I am still purging, it's an ongoing process of weeding out what isn't being used, has worn out it's welcome or is no longer needed. I have at least one bag for donation per week. However some items are going nowhere because they are useful.

Blankets and comforters for instance. We have a small linen closet that holds towels, sheets, a few table cloths and hand towels and a stash of cloth diapers (until I decide what I want to do with them and they are still in use as great towels/hot pads/oven mitts!). Comforters tend to mysteriously make their way out of the linen closet onto the hall way floor, regularly from being shoved in tight.

I love the look of pillows on my bed, LOTS of them. However, I don't have room to store pillows on my bed that won't even be used. I certainly don't want to spend $$$$ for an item that won't even be used either!

I store unused blankets in pillow shams instead. This works perfectly, I get the look I want, save space, and the blankets are easily accessible at all times. Take a look.

This can work for any size blanket depending on the size of the sham. I found small square, decorative, zippered pillow cases on clearance last year at Michael's art and craft store. They were under a dollar each. They are the perfect size for baby blankets! Yes, baby blankets are still in use by the toddler and a few were hand made that have sentimental value and I hope will become heirlooms.

You could leave them on the beds and sleep on top, only using the blankets you actually need to keep warm. Also double the fitted sheets on your bed and when you need to wash, only remove the top sheet. Another option is to use them in decorating your home. Having throw blankets across the back of the couch or love seat is nice and cozy. Or even on the edge of a bed like this:

Don't forget that gold mine of space *under* your bed. Sure you can purchase slim under bed storage boxes BUT you can also purchase bed risers. There are plenty of styles to choose from. They raise your bed quite a few inches and it makes all the difference in the world! I have my daughter's bed positioned on a sturdy set and it provided just the space we needed for a full sized piece of hard luggage to fit under. She stores both her 18" inch dolls and all their accessories, in it.

If you are so inclined, you could use solid wood beams, and make your own risers like the picture below.

Source: zoologie.com.au via Katy on Pinterest

I love my neighborhood so much, I never want to move. We are blessed with super cheap rent and everything is within walking distance: two grocery stores, a fabulous thrift store, two parks, the post office, the library, a mall, craft and fabric stores, and even an entire street of restaurants. It's worth it for me to appreciate what I have instead of dreaming of something that may never be what we truly need. I'd rather stay here and *make* it work!

Come back next Thursday for another post in our Small Home Living Series, featuring another guest post: Maximizing your Square Footage!

Fearless Love

2012-01-22T23:37:00.000-08:00

Love often feels scary. You give your heart away and you're unsure how it's going to be treated, or if it will even be received. That's how most of us view romantic love anyway, right?

What about agape love? The love of friendship? Maybe it feels less risky but there can still be fear associated with it sometimes. Fear of being taken advantage of or what you give not being reciprocated, right?

Both of these are fairly the same except you are more deeply invested when it's romantic love we are talking about.

The biggest fear is of being disappointed and getting our heart broken, right? But....what if we loved with out fear? I mean truly, deeply, passionately loved as if heart break was never a risk. What would or could change? What would happen?

When Christ came--he already knew his heart would be broken. The brokenness of mankind was so great, our depravity over whelming. Enough, that a mere 30 pieces of silver could convince us to betray a man to death. He was overwhelmed with compassion that he knew could ever be matched. He knew his heart would be broken--and yet he still loved. He expected the brokenness.

Mary--birthing the son of God...when she saw her son upon that cross--do you think she wished that she would have held back her love? Do you think her heart would have hurt any less if she had?

Maybe the expectation is the key? Maybe if we can accept that our hearts WILL be broken, we can let go of the fear...and then love so fully that it over rides the idea of broken-heartedness. Maybe not but what if....

If we weren't afraid of being taken for granted, being taken advantage of, being left behind or rejected....ever. How would the love we give, change?

Would we stop withholding? If we give our love as a gift, to be taken freely to be spent as the recipient chooses--can we even be taken for granted? Is it possible? I don't think so. But when we stop loving...it guarantees a negative response.

If we continuously gave, if we forgive 70 x7 times, if we over-looked offenses, stopped keeping a record of wrongs, if we were continuously patient, didn't get angry, always protected, always persevered, always trusted...if we never gave up hope...

What is the worst that could happen? A heart gets broken? Your heart, my heart?

Or maybe, just maybe, it's true what is written...Love, really never fails.

Maybe the lesson of the cross was just that...let go of that big fear...do we forget that after Christ's heart broke, after he died...he didn't stay dead. He resurrected--and our lives truly began.

Maybe that is the true key to long lasting, broken-heart-proof love--giving it away passionately, freely, abundantly and with out all reserve.

Let's try it and see what happens...

Source: dopefreshlife.com via Katy on Pinterest

Guest Post: Small Home by Choice

2012-01-19T16:46:00.000-08:00

Continuing my Small Home Series, this week's featured guest poster, Chautona, is a mother of many, wife to one and published author. She shares why her family chooses to Live Large in their Small Home and a few tips she's learned along the way. You can find more of her writing at www.chautona.com

I think the Lord was preparing me for life in a small housealmost from birth. We moved constantlywhen I was a child—starting with my father moving us while my mother was in thehospital having me! We lived in a funfarmhouse, little bungalow, desert ranch, beach condo, city one-bedroomapartment, and so many more. My lastyear and a half of high school found me living in an eighteen foot traveltrailer in the middle of the desert—running water and electricity unnecessaryto our comfort. We took “Navy” showersand used Coleman camping lanterns for me to do my homework by at night. No joke.

When we bought this house, I loved the hardwood floors, thelarge bedrooms, and “old” feel. Ourhouse was built in the 1950’s, and as one local who lived here at that timesaid, “They were the ‘luxury’ homes of the time. Everyone wanted to live over here. It was my dream home.” Now, of course, people consider our house a“starter home,” and that is how it was billed when we bought it.

Now, to be honest, I didn’t plan to move again once we movedinto this house. I’d moved enough. I was eighteen and if you count every singletime I had to pack my things to live somewhere for more than a couple of weeks,I’d moved thirty times. My dad wasn’teven in the military! However, after ourthird child was born, people started commenting about how we’d need a biggerhouse if we kept having children. Ibought the lie. I mean, it’s generallyaccepted that only one, possibly two children can share a room, right? What if baby four was a boy? That’d be three girls in one room! Horrors!

So, I started looking. A friend was doing some house searching, so I went along. I looked at what was available. I saw floor plans, tried to figure out wherewe’d live and what we’d do if we lived there. Nothing impressed me. Then mydream house came on the market. I’dsalivated over that house for years. Itwas simple but bigger and pretty. Almosttwice our current square footage. Eagerly, we walked through with a realtor. The kitchen was outdated in a way thatbothered even me—mostly the counter top, but I ignored it. Counter tops can be replaced, right? The carpeting was very high shag—white withgray and black blotches everywhere. Itwas so ugly. I mean hideously ugly. It looked as though someone had repaired amotorcycle in it. I looked at bedrooms(smaller than ours), the second bathroom (with shiny gold fixtures that forsome reason revolted me in so many ways), and the back yard. The back yard is the only thing I liked. The layout was awful, the space was much lessuseable than what we currently had, and well, it was the death of a dream.

It was also the birth of a new idea for me. I walked around our neighborhood. I quit looking at houses in other parts oftown. One reason was simply because Ididn’t want a house that was huge. Ididn’t want to clean that much to be honest. However, another reason was that I liked my house. I always have. It’s why I wanted to buy it in the firstplace. I decided only to look at housesin my area. If I was going to beinspired with new ideas, I wanted them for where we lived—so that I could copythem or alter them to fit us.

However, I’ll confess, I was sick of people asking, “How canyou stand to live in that itty bitty house?”

That is what spurred me to embrace living in the home wehad. That was back when I was pregnantwith baby four. Nearly twenty years andfive more (total of nine, yes you read that right) children later, we stilllive in that “itty bitty house,” and I have no intention of moving—until Ileave feet first that is. Over theyears, I’ve learned a few things that make all the difference in not justexisting but living in a small space.

Embrace— Youreally have to embrace your life in your small house. By this, I mean don’t just accept it. Manypeople live in small homes. Frankly,most of the world lives in half the space (or less) of the average American ifmy old research is still true. So, youcan be trapped by your small space or you can use it as your canvas for aunique and inspiring life. If you resentyour lack of space, it’ll show in every other aspect of living in it.

Reinvent— Youcan’t allow the architect’s footprint for your home dictate how you live init. We’ve reinvented our home with everychange in our family’s life. I even cameclose to turning the back room into a huge dormitory and the front room into ahuge school/play room once. The onlything that stopped me was that if I didn’t like it, the work to create wouldhave been excessive, however it nearly happened.

Edit— Small spacemeans that you are forced to own less. Period. My mother bought my firstfour children their own rocking chairs. It was such a sweet thing. Ireally wanted them to have those chairs for their own children later—which washer idea at the time. Guess what? We didn’t have room. I planned to have a “hope chest” for each ofmy girls (I have seven daughters), but after the fourth daughter, I realized itwasn’t going to work. There just isn’tthe room for it. They couldn’t haveclosets stuffed with clothing. Have youever seen a 1950’s closet? It’stiny. The one in our bedroom holds allof Kevin’s clothing and mine without any trouble (we have no dresser so it alsoholds our underwear, pajamas—all folded clothes), but neither of us have largewardrobes. Can you imagine when we hadsix girls in our bedroom? Can youimagine if they each had dozens of outfits? Not possible. Toys, games,crafts, everything had to be kept to a reasonable minimum.

Be Creative—Withoutcreativity, you’ll miss all that small house living can offer. The good news is that you do not have to beinherently creative to do this. Onceupon a time, it was harder, but with the vast resources on the internet, youcan see things others have done in their homes and make them work for you. Pinterest, design blogs, websites like HGTVand BHG are all there to give you inspiration. Thanks to Google, you can skim through dozens of ideas either by word orpicture until you find what you need. Onesimple solution our family has used is shelving all around the top of thebedrooms and living room. Over windows,along walls… long shelves that give us a lot of storage for little effort—andit’s pretty too.

Be Flexible—Whatworks today likely won’t tomorrow. I’msorry about that, but it’s true. Your family’s needs change as children growolder, are added to the family or move away. This is why reinventing is so keyto living in a small house. This is howwe’ve managed to house eleven people in 1,100 sq. ft. for so long. Even though I haven’t moved in overtwenty-three years, I have moved within this house dozens of times. Bedrooms shift from here to there. Dining areas move and change. The only thing that has stayed one hundredpercent constant is the bathroom.

Dream—This onewill seem contradictory to embracing your space and its limitations, but it isgood for those of us who are truly sacrificing things that we love for otherthings that we love. For me, dreaming isone way that I can see beyond the limitations of the house. This house is limited in what it can do. I accept that. The truth is it will notalways be full of growing children. Ourchildren will grow up. They will marryand move away from here. Slowly, roomswill empty and give way to new ideas. When that happens, I will have a new canvas to create with. I have so many ideas for what I’d like todo. I have a great room planned for theback bedroom—a sort of “sleepover” place for grandchildren to enjoy spendingnights together chattering into the wee hours before falling asleep. The middle room (what we call the “boy’s”room now) will become my craft room. Iwant to put a library in the closet at one end with a comfortable daybed builtin. It’ll be cozy and fun to fall asleepwhile grandma or grandpa reads them a book. Hey, it’ll be fun for grandma to read a book and fall asleepherself! The other end will holdbookcases and a bench that folds out into another bed. It’s going to be beautiful. Of course, none of it may happen and that’sok too. However, when I feel cramped(and of course that does happen) I let myself imagine a house where things areexactly how I’d choose for them to be and where it stays like that. I know that when that day comes, I might misshaving kids around to clutter it up with their artwork and things, but Isuspect grandchildren will fill that gap.

Storage—One thingyou’ll discover is that you have to maximize storage. Check shelving in closets. Do you need more? I’m with Elizabeth Bennett when she says,“Shelves in the closet? Happy thoughtindeed!” I know she was being sarcastic,but for me it’s utterly true. Top, bottom, side—anywhere you can put one, doit. Then learn to limit what you put onthem. I have a peculiar habit. I like empty space on shelves. Full shelves make me feelclaustrophobic. I feel the same wayabout wall-to-wall furniture. Please, byall means, give me empty wall space! So,when planning your shelves, drawers, etc., once you know what will go there, besure to discover what you can do without in order to save space for later. If you load them up now, you may discoverthat you have to unload something later when a new need arises. Why keep that unnecessary stuff now justbecause you have room for it?

The ideas are endless. I could talk about how to store games, books, fabric, cookware that youneed and don’t need—the works. However,I think we’re all a little too unique to make such blanket statements. What would work for one family won’t foranother. However, I fully believe thatliving within the space we have is possible if we’re willing to embrace it andbe creative in how we do that. For us,five things have been essential to making living here work.

1. Triplebunk beds. We bought three and they wereworth their weight in gold. Sturdy asanything and beautiful. I bought themfrom a man in Illinois and paid a fortune to ship them out unassembled. It worked great for us. I highly recommend them.

2. High shelves in the rooms. I honestly do not know how we survivedwithout them. We got rid of an entirewall of white storage cupboards simply by adding that shelving.

3. Avoiding large toys and “heirlooms.” Every time we made the foolish decision topurchase something large like a giant K’nex set or doll house, we’ve regrettedit. Those rocking chairs are longgone. The hope chests went afterthem.

4. Giving things too much control over you—ineither way. If something gives you greatpleasure, make room for it. There is novirtue in stripping your life of things simply so that you can say you have fewthings. If that old settle bench reallyblesses you, find a way to make it work somehow—even if you have to hang itfrom the rafters for a few years. By thesame token, no matter how much you love something, if it’s a burden, chuckit. The hardest thing I’ve ever done wasto give away the phonograph my parents owned. That thing was gorgeous—truly gorgeous. It had wonderful memories for me, but it was in the way. Every time a kid bumped it, I got angry. Every dent or tiny scratch was a sore spotuntil I realized one day that I cared too much about something that reallydoesn’t matter. I loved that thing—but Ididn’t love the kind of control it had over me and there wasn’t a way to storeit for “later.” I rarely miss it andnever enough to wish it back.

5. Teaching children to enjoy playing outside. If you’re an introvert like me, you’ll begrateful if your kids love to be outdoors. You’ll get a break from the constant—seemingly everpresent—interaction.

I don’t regret our choice to stay in this house. There are days when I wonder if I’m insane(usually at the change of seasons when things get cluttered for a bit or whenit’s time to make changes to keep it working for us), but then I look at floorplans, imagine cleaning the double or triple square footage that others in mytown might have, and I realize that this is the life for me. My kids know how to live with less. This is a good thing. No, they really don’t know what it’s like tolive in want, but they know that they can live with less than others aroundthem. I’ve always seen staying in thissmall house as a privilege. If it becamea burden in any way, I think my husband would insist we move. That has kept me motivated. We live here by choice. We could have bought a bigger house—we couldtoday. People assume we live herebecause it’s all we can afford, and I’m fine with that. They can think what makes them comfortable. The truth is that we live here because it’swhere Kevin and I want to live. I hopenever to have to live anywhere else.

Come back next Thursday as we continue our Small Home Living Series with a post about embracing your small space by accepting the limitations, featuring more creative storage solutions.

What I need right now.

2012-01-18T17:26:00.000-08:00

Source: gemgoode.deviantart.com via Katy on Pinterest

A day...in the life: the "talent" side.

2012-01-12T11:16:00.000-08:00

I don't normally post about "the business" or the Mr.'s involvement...but, well, I've changed my mind.

Tuesday morning the Mr. woke to do his daily work out and then he was off to an audition. Right before he left for his audition we were excited to get a call from their agent that Sam booked another commercial and it shoots the next day!

After the Mr's audition, he had a commercial shoot. It's highly confidential so I can't share the fine details...but this particular one was extra special because it ended up involving my brother, his wife and a friend, unbeknownst to them. That's truly all I can say about that for now.

Sam had a voice over audition but we had to decline because I had my nephews for my brother and his wife and was responsible for picking them up from school. There was no way we were going to get to LA in time, after picking up the nephews.

After the commercial the Mr. went to get some eats with his friend for a little down time, then was back on the road for rehearsal with his regular improv group. Nope, still not headed home...he then headed to the theater to fill in with some friends in their improv show. He arrived home after midnight.

Wednesday morning the Mr. went to work out and would later head back into Hollywood for his regularly scheduled improv show. I headed to LA to take Sam in to the voice over audition we missed on Tuesday. We needed to be there before 11am. I took a wrong turn, couldn't find parking--all the side streets were permit only. I didn't have quarters for the meters and parallel parking is a weakness. I dropped him off and finally found a very wide space and was able to use my ATM card in the meter. Whew! He was late but they let him read anyway. The lobby was filled with adults, loud, obnoxious ones. We've been there before with other children who were quiet and much more well behaved than these adults. I'm not exaggerating.

I don't usually do this but since we had been rushing and felt frazzled, we stopped for a snack at Starbucks. I got a tea latte and coffee cake, he ordered chocolate milk and oatmeal. I should have had the oatmeal too.

Back home for about an hour and half then we were on our way to Azuza for Sam's commercial shoot. Traffic was good and we arrived about a half hour earlier than necessary. However...I could NOT find the place we were supposed to meet at. After circling for what felt like days I finally figured it out. It was horribly located and no where you'd expect that particular address to be. I called the contact and they were on their way. I noticed the other parents with their kids (aka: "talent") were also there.

Finally someone arrived to take us to the shoot location but for some reason it was determined we would all just follow in our own cars. The other two parents cut out ahead of me and blocked me from pulling out so I was last in the caravan and was also held up at the light. I was pretty irritated by it, honestly. Oh! Did I mention this is a city/town full of large, main ONE WAY streets! So confusing to find your way around. I kept feeling like I was on the wrong side of the road because I was next to the curb on my left hand side.

I made my way back into the caravan and took many deep breathes. We were actually headed up the mountain! The boys were going to do a scene in a tent but I honestly thought it was going to be in someone's back yard! I prayed my way up the mountain, for grace so I could extend more of it and not have a bad attitude toward the other parents, and for protection from those winding mountain roads.

It was actually a lovely location--never mind the graffiti! I made myself friendly to the other parents and they actually seemed nice. Sammy had worked with one of the boys on his Sharkies commercial shoot. I'm sure being in nature helped to calm all our nerves. It would be a great place to hike. There were non-industry people there watching the set up...one woman appeared to be bathing when we arrived.

The boys hung out along the water's edge before it was time for costumes.

I was surprised to find out I should have had a copy of Sammy's birth certificate and social security card along with his work permit and Coogan Account information. I was not asked for the identifying information on his last shoot. So now I know but it was awkward. I have to make a phone call today and/or send an email to get that information to the right people ASAP! The other parent from the Sharkies commercial didn't have that information either so I didn't feel too bad about it.

They were supposed to be in Spain and/or from Spain....and in a tent.

(I don't know why blogger distorts some pictures that are longer rather than wider? arg!)

Sammy looks older in this pic than he actually did---I don't know why he didn't want to SMILE!

Here he is waiting at his mark with the costumer making a few minor adjustments.

Let's just pretend I purposely blurred these shots to preserve the anonymity of strangers I don't have permission to post pix of. :-)

Still a little bit of daylight....

No more daylight....

That is the tiny pup tent they were in. The light on the right hand side is the monitor--it shows the action the camera is shooting. It's a pretty cool piece of equipment. The shoot didn't take but a few hours...then it was back down the mountain, along a winding road with out any street lights. I grabbed us another bite to eat on the way home, since it was almost 7pm by then. Then oh, let's just say another 20 minutes of circling before I realized the street I was looking for had turned into another street name and when I did finally realize I couldn't take it anyway because it was a ONE WAY street headed in the opposite direction!!!!

Finally made it home to take oldest to youth group, late. Come home for about an hour and head back to pick him up....then it was time for the middles and little to go to bed.

Thursday morning I have a personal meeting, then the middles have a teacher's meeting. Sammy will have to miss dance class because of it and then they each have late auditions scheduled for 5:45pm and 7:00pm.

Want to join the business? :)

Guest Post: Loving My Small Home

2012-01-11T09:30:00.000-08:00

I am doing a series on Small Home Living and today's featured guest poster is Erika from Earth Muffin Manor (isn't that such a cute blog name?) You will see from her story below that she and her husband weren't exactly planning to live in a "small home"...but it just worked out that way. Her home didn't change but her attitude did. She is going to share with us how she LOVES her small home. Hope you are as inspired as I was.

My name is Ericka and I am blessed to be the wife of a very wonderful man and the mother of a growing family of precious children. When we moved into our current home, I was pregnant with our third child. We looked at several homes and chose this one because, though the house was small, the lot was large. The other options we looked at had larger homes with small lots. We knew we could expand the house if need be but we couldn't expand the lot and with dreams of chickens and gardens and tree swings dancing in our heads, we chose to go the small house/large lot route. So, we live in what was false advertised as an 1100 square feet, 3 bedroom, 1 bathroom house on 0.40 city acres with a detached garage that was also falsely advertised as having some minor seepage in the foundation during heavy rains. Once we got settled in our home and my husband measured off the square footage in order to put a new roof on, we discovered that our house was only 900 sq. ft. and that the garage was absolutely useless for any sort of storage options due to the 4 inches of standing water that collected in it every time it rained. Living in the Pacific Northwest means that it rains a lot! Now, 6 years later, we have 6 children (and no, Lord willing, we are not done:) ), two dogs, a lovely flock of chicken and the coziest little house!
Much to the surprise of the average American, I happen to like my little house. In 2006, the average American had 900 square feet. In our household, each of us has 112.5 square feet. In addition, we home school, so the children do not hop on a bus and leave their 112.5 sqft for 7 hours a day. What does this mean? For our family, it means the following:

1) We SHARE. We share the bathroom, we share the living room, we share bedrooms, we share the stereo, the computer, the sink, etc. In essence, we share everything. We don't foster a sense of individualistic ownership in this home. We are a family and all that we have belongs to US, not him, her, or me. Now there are a few exceptions: everyone has their own bed, everyone has their own toothbrush (:)) and everyone has a few special items that are not community property. But as a general rule, we share.

2) We KNOW each other. Because we are always together, and tightly together at that, I can tell you what each of my children is doing ALMOST all of the time (there was that time when the 14 month old got into the bag of flour. But give me some credit! Flour is a very silent enemy!!!!). I can hear the words that are coming out of my children's mouths, I can see the looks on their faces, I can watch their body language. This makes teaching and training SO much easier for me! This also allows my children to spend quality time with each other. There will be the occasional moments of individual play but for the most part, my children play and interact together nearly every waking moment, giving them lots of opportunities to learn to treat and deal with others in a Christ-honoring way.
Recently, one of my older children came down with the flu. I got him all situated in his bedroom and told him to lay low and rest. Seemed the perfect solution for not feeling so good: it was quiet, no one was allowed in, and he could read and listen to music all by himself without anyone bothering him. Not 20 minutes later, he came out, asking me if I could make him a little bed on the couch. "Why?" I asked in amazement. He replied, "Its just so lonely in there...."

3) We ACCOMMODATE. When your husband has to remove the toilet from your only bathroom when you are 37 weeks pregnant, it is an act of love that drives him to purchase a camping portapotty and put it in your bedroom. To your surprise, you may just find that getting your big ol' belly out of bed and shuffling 3 feet away to use the potty sure beats walking across the living room (as small as it may be) to visit your (little, tiny) bathroom multiple times in the wee hours of the night. You just might find, in subsequent pregnancies, that you secretly wish for that portapotty at the foot of your bed to magically appear again .

4) We MINIMIZE. We do not have room for anything we don't use on a very frequent basis. We simply don't. We don't have a coat closet or a pantry or a basement. We don't have room to stock up. We don't have room to collect things as a hobby. We don't have room to have fine china for company meals. We have enough room to house what we need to live and learn and that's it. And I LOVE it! This attribute of living in a small home with a large family definitely has its challenges and we are continually fine tuning this but it is a challenge that I actually enjoy! Every thing that we own, be it the couch or the coffee cup, comes with responsibility. The item must be given a place, it must be cared for, cleaned, and accounted for. This takes time and energy and often, this takes time and energy AWAY from people. The less I own, the less owns me and I like this.

We are blessed. We are blessed because our 900 sq ft has a roof, four walls, heat, running water, and electricity. It has a refrigerator, a freezer, a washer/dryer and a toilet. It has books, a piano, a sewing machine, Legos, beds and food on the shelves. Since all God promised to provide for us was food and clothing, I'd say He has blessed us above and beyond what we ever deserved. And when I envision our family in a large home, maybe with two stories, a couple of bathrooms, a large living room, maybe even a family room, a laundry room, a guest bedroom, etc, etc, I feel this lonely feeling come over me. Wonder where my children would be playing? Wonder what they would be doing? Wonder if I would be able to hear the little girls giggling away as they play with Playmobil? Or the sweet babbling of the baby just waking from her nap? Wonder if I would be able to catch that attitude that needed to be addressed? Or that good deed that needed to be praised? Yes, I suppose there wouldn't be as much dancing outside the bathroom door. And there wouldn't be as much stumbling over little people as I go about my daily tasks. But you know, I think the potty dance is rather cute and I actually like having precious children underfoot. So if you don't mind, we'll keep our 112.5sqft per person....and thank Jesus for it every moment we can!

Join me next Thursday for another installment in our Small Home Living series!

What I wore: Christmas Edition

2012-01-10T21:46:00.000-08:00

We were at the mall on Christmas Eve (highly unusual, I promise!) and I ran into a little store that sells super fancy dresses. The type you wear as a bridesmaid, to a prom, or some other super fancy event that I would have very little experience with! The reason I ran into the store was because I knew they had tubs and tubs and tubs full of scarves for only $1 and they would make great little gifts, right?

What I didn't know is that they would also have racks and racks and more racks of rock bottom priced semi-formal dresses. Prices like floor length gowns for $20, shorter ones for $15 and even $10! I'm not exaggerating. I couldn't help but take a look.

They had a paper sign that said no trying on the dresses allowed but the two women who were working, graciously allowed me to try on two I found. One was sized XS but it looked like the size was not really accurate and demanded a try on to be sure.

It was all black lace with pale pink taffeta under. it was a modest length and not strapless. Well, it seemed like it could fit except the taffeta portion was extremely tight across my hips even though the outer lace was loose. I figured the ill fitting sizing was probably the reason for it being so cheap. I couldn't pass up the deal though and decided to get it anyway...even though I also couldn't zip it up on my own either.

When I got home I went to work....I let out the extra seam along the sides and it afforded me about half to an extra inch of extra width. The fabric promptly shredded all along one side. I had a back up plan though; I knew I had a nice vintage looking black slip that I could wear under. The scalloped top of it stuck out beyond the bodice and looked perfectly made for the dress.

Once I got it on and oldest and the Mr. finally got it zipped up--it fit but the zipper stuck in a specific spot....I grabbed a pair of scissors and cut the entire taffeta out from the waste down!

I accessorized with pink necklace I already owned and have had for years + hand-me-down earrings my daughter gave me i love her. ( I just stepped away from my laptop & my daughter had typed the end of that last sentence) I covered with that black lacy shawl you see in the pic above. It has sparkly gold strands in it. It was my mom's and my grandmother made it for her to wear to a dance in high school! I got quite a few compliments on it that evening. I also wore a pair of cute, thrift store black heels that are accented with pink thread that I already had.

Dress: $10
jewelry: owned for years
shoes: thrifted $5
shawl: inherited
slip: hand-me-down

Don't be afraid to try and alter clothing items when you know it's a bargain, especially if it's a STEAL! Think creatively....initially I thought I was going to *sew* the slip into the dress, but I didn't even need to sew anything after all, which was not only a time saver but I can still use the slip with something else!

OH! And the other dress? A fabulous fifties looking thing that I can't wait to have an occasion to don. The entire bodice is gathered then it flares at the waist with a bit of poof and it's calf length. I need to do something to the top of it cause it looks like something a 17 year old would wear to her 1952 prom! I don't even own a pair of elbow length gloves! :-)

*sorry for the state of these pix...had to be taken indoors w/ horrible lighting via camera phone cause our regular camera is on the fritz!

More or less

2012-01-09T23:17:00.000-08:00

Some people start off the new year with goals and resolutions to get done and accomplish. Some start off with a verse for the year. Some even claim just one word as their year long theme.

I reflected and meditated about all those things and none of them 'hit the spot'. I just wasn't feeling it. What I WAS feeling though, what kept coming back to me was this idea of giving.

Giving beyond what I am or think I am capable of giving. Limiting myself. Along with this idea of giving were two statements...two statements that kept returning to my thoughts, two statements that I fashioned into a prayer.

Therefore, what I have is a prayer.
A prayer for my year.
From my heart.

Less of what I want and More of what I need.

That is my prayer for myself for the year.

I know I am blessed beyond measure, especially materially. It's America for goodness sakes. I want to put myself more fully into the hands of God and trust Him to supply my needs instead of relying on myself or other outside forces.

The idea of having limited giving, of oneself or resources, primarily out of fear, in my opinion. Fear of being taken for granted, taken advantage of, committing and not being able to follow through, getting burnt out...etc.

But what if I said yes more and then relied on God to provide the HOW and way to produce that "yes".

What if I reduced my "wants" not only to my idea of what I need but to what God thinks I need. I am excited to see what happens.

So I will continue to pray this heartfelt prayer and hopefully report back...

Wonder what will happen next week?

2012-01-08T23:43:00.000-08:00

Last week after church, we ended up staying later than expected. A young man (mid twenties?) was having some sort of emotional/mental breakdown and was basically throwing an adult temper tantrum. He was laying down in the middle of the parking lot screaming and cursing at God. By the time we were leaving, he was lying in the middle of the street. We didn't feel comfortable leaving him so we stayed to see if we could assist other members of our church with him.

Mostly everyone was older than him so I thought it might be more effective if oldest approached him being closer to his age. Oldest was able to get him out of the street and onto the sidewalk...with everyone's assistance & persistent love. That was New Year's day, of course.

This week, the Mr. and I were leaving immediately after service because he had an appointment. Just as we were about to cross the first intersection home, making a left turn, a mini-truck ran the red light and barreled through the intersection! If we had rolled a few more feet forward....

He collided with another van crossing, then fishtailed into the center divider then toward the other direction toward a bus stop before coming to a halt. It was so fast I must've blinked or something and missed the initial impact but witnessed everything after that.

(If you look closely, you can see me talking to the driver)

We pulled forward, parked and divided to check on each driver. I headed toward the van, car and driver sitting stunned in the middle of the intersection, front bumper ripped off and head light guts hanging out. He showed no outward signs of injury but was visibly shaken, like anyone would be. I assured him it was not his fault and he was ok, made small talk to help take his mind off the situation and calm his nerves..

Then I did something I often think of doing but never act upon. I offered to pray over him. He gratefully accepted. Nothing fancy, prayers for peace over him and the situation, against stress etc.

There was an ambulance stopped at the light, they pulled over to check on both drivers. The Mr. reported he suspected the other driver may have been drunk. The police arrived soon after and there were lots of pedestrian witnesses as well.

Everything was so undeniably, perfectly timed, to exact seconds and moments and inches and feet. Any changes in any direction....would have produced an extremely different scenario. {shudder}

I can only imagine what *next week* will bring after church!

Back to School!

2012-01-07T14:37:00.000-08:00

Almost anyway....

The break has been great, I truly wish it was longer. I've got one week left. I am really looking forward to finishing up though. Yep. Graduation is in May. can you believe it? Me neither. Everything was finally settled as far as transfer units, last semester. It appears everything is in order. I don't even have to take 5 classes this semester as I originally thought. Four classes, fourteen units. That is enough, don't you think?

I ended last semester with two As, two Bs and a C in my Physical Science class. I was/am very pleased with that C. Not so much with one of those Bs. But it is what it is. Considering everything I have going on in my life, I can't complain. Or be down about it.

I am repeating two writing classes this semester and I am very excited about that. It was a super challenge to try and get the classes I wanted this time. HUGE challenge. My schedule is a wreck...oh well. It's only 5 months. Four months? 16 weeks, right?

I'm taking the short story fiction class again...I don't think it's my strength for sure, but it kind of grew on me. Different professor though. I am looking forward to the challenge. Also taking the non-fiction class again, same professor. She is just absolutely fabulous. I learned so much in her class. She creates a great environment of encouragement and support. Just what I need. Can't wait.

I can't believe this is happening. Really happening.

I feel so privileged to have had this opportunity.

Truly.

Small Home Living Series

2012-01-06T22:26:00.000-08:00

The Question:

What is the average home size in the U.S.?

The Answer:

According to the National Association of Home Builders, the average home size in the United States was 2,700 square feet in 2009, up from 1,400 square feet in 1970.

—The Editors

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I am starting a new blog series focused on small home/space living. It's not just for apartments, which we usually equate with living in a small space. The apartments I've seen have often been more spacious and space efficient than homes. This is intentional living in a small home WITH a family. Not two people to a 1000 sq. ft but SIX people to a home not much larger.

We are a six person family living in a 1041 sq. ft. home. We do have an unattached garage and a back yard, which in suburbia, is considered fairly 'roomy' as far as back yards and corner lots go.

The home we live in was built in 1955. Our bedrooms are small, not much space for more than a bed and modest dresser. The closets are not wall closets but the type that have narrow doors and a little space to the right and left on each side. Our living room/dining area is long and our kitchen is narrow. There are challenges and I hope to address those via this series.

Many would consider our home way to small for the amount of people in it, even though we have three bedrooms. Sometimes I do feel a bit cramped in the kitchen. Over all, though I love our home sweet home. I love that my children are always within hearing distance. I love that we usually congregate in rooms together. I think that may be what I appreciate most about small home living, the physical time we spend together. Rarely are any of us in another room alone. We actually like to be together, even if we are watching a movie or online.

The close physical proximity is one of the most beneficial reasons for intentional small home living. Many claim there is less to clean. I don't know--cause I feel like I am always cleaning. I'll save that for one of the "challenges" posts. haha.

Here's a very interesting article written in 2006, about the rise of the personal McMansion. My how times (mainly the economy) have changed in the past five years! Many families are striving for a simpler lifestyle and intentionally downsizing.

Here is my small bedroom taken from the entry door...the door is to the laundry/dogs room. That shelf is gone now and the room will soon have new/fresh wall decor. I'm in the process of purging. (a constant of small home living)

It's a little bare for my taste BUT it has a very peaceful feel to it. It is relaxing to be in there and it truly feels like a sanctuary. I think it just needs a little cozying up is all. :-) More furniture is not an option. What you can't see, just to the bottom left of the photo--is the closet. It's *right* there! More furniture in such a small space would just feel crowded.

Stay tuned....
for inspirations, tips & tricks, and over coming the obstacles of small home living!

Fresh Priorities

2012-01-03T19:17:00.000-08:00

New Year's is such a special time. Everyone feels like it's an opportunity to start fresh. Reflect and reevaluate our lives. What worked? What didn't? What can we change, improve, let go, add more of etc. blah, Blah, BLAH!!!

Here are some great links to check out that I think are fabulous! It's truly about priorities and creating a life that will have an impact, right?

The reason I've specifically chosen the links below is because they are the type of plans and guides that can basically be picked up and started right where you are, regardless of the day or date. No need to play catch-up or think you can't start if it isn't exactly Jan 1st. You can start at ANY time.

What are you waiting for? Get started! :-)

First, I think prayer is the number one life changing act we can participate in, on a daily basis. As wives, it is our responsibility and privilege to lift up our husbands in prayer *daily*. Here is a free printable prayer guide I absolutely LOVE. You pray each day of the month and then repeat the next month. If you like to write and keep logs you might enjoy this free printable prayer journal that goes along nicely with praying for your Mr.

Children are not forgotten. As mothers, the same obligation applies. And really, what mother DOESN'T call to God each day? Sick kids, explosive diapers or vomit, rainy-stuck-in-the-house-for-3-days anyone?

Here is a free printable prayer calendar of virtues to pray each day for your children. This one is just slightly different and basically the same but I wanted to give you the option.

I print out these calendar pages and store them in my One Year Bible. I LOVE my OYB. Seriously! It makes reading through the Bible so easy. Just start where you are and keep going. Next year, just start over. Personally, having grown up in church, I found it took a good year just to get everyone else's opinions and sermons out of my head while reading. It was so worth it though. Even if you don't have a OYB you can still follow the reading plan. Guess what? There's a free One Year Bible printable schedule for that too!

Of course, decluttering your soul will probably lead to a desire to declutter your life. So here's a link for that too.

This is a great link. A FREE calendar with tasks to do each and every day of the year to keep you DECLUTTERED and on track to enjoying the space you call home. It's absolutely FREE!
A decluttered environment allows creativity to flow freely, thinking to be clear, peace and tranquility.

Hahahaha! Of course NOT! For some reason my mind thinks staying fit is NO fun & lots of boring hard work. However, staying ACTIVE always sounds like fun. I try to avoid *exercise* as much as possible in this life. Honest. But I DO love riding my bike, a lot. I love the outdoors, hiking and {wistful sigh} I even used to love running. I'm not making any promises...but I am determined to be a better pet owner and walk my dogs regularly this year. So far so good!

If you do want to start running, and trust me, you won't regret it, this is the best beginner plan. Really. Hey! No pressure though.

While we're at it....why not create your very own customizable Owl themed calendar? Use card stock to print each months page. Then use a large file clip to hold them together. Flip the ends of the clip upwards to use as a hook to hang on a nail. Easy peasy!

You are beautiful. You are going to have a fabulous year, I just know it! Don't be afraid any longer. You can do this. Relax and CREATE something beautiful.

Planting seeds that grow into bridges

2012-01-01T17:12:00.000-08:00

I saw an episode of a documentary the other day about various cultures called Human Planet, presented by the BBC channel. One particular culture really stood out to me. They are the Khazi people of India. One of the men they interviewed had planted a seed, 35 years prior that grew into a tree that he then shaped to form into a bridge. (clicking on the link above will take you to a picture of one of the tree bridges)

The man learned how to coerce the roots across a small creek. He was instructing his daughter how to handle the roots to form more bridges. These bridges are literal, living structures. They are not swinging bridges but solid bridges, eventually their 'floors' of intertwined roots are filled with soil and rock steps and looking down upon them, hardly seem like they were not original ground of the earth itself.

The creek bed was chosen because the man knew, eventually, it would be a river. This man had a vision of the future and how his work would affect it. The bridge is a pathway that all of the villagers use regularly. He explained to his daughter that her children and her children's children will use the bridges that she shapes and creates.

What a legacy!

I was struck by how forward thinking this man was. He purposely chose to plant a seed in a specific place not because of any effect it would have on his present but the effect it would have on his future, the future of his family and the future of his community. Imagine if he had given up early on. Or if he had only been concerned with his present life, what could benefit him most at the time. Caring for a plant certainly seems of no benefit initially. Time and energy is used, for what? Of course, he also had to choose the correct seeds to plant. The type of seeds that would grow into a tree with big, strong roots.

He also instructed his daughter how to tenderly care for the roots. Taking care not to break or cut them. From my limited gardening knowledge I know that nicking a root can cause it to sprout fresh trees in other places that will drain nutrients from the original tree. The roots cannot be forced, they are slowly and carefully trained into shape.

A man sticks to his purpose, faithfully and is able to positively impact the future for generations. Not only the generations he will live to see either--some of the trees of these bridges are over 500 years old.

The bridges are sturdy, sturdy enough to withstand floods. In one scene the camera showed two bridges right above each other. I don't know why, but I can imagine that an extra bridge may have been created in case the other one gave out. Or perhaps it was to be able to cross over from a different height of land.

I want to be a bridge builder. One that is not afraid to plant a seed for *future generations* to benefit from, even if it takes 35 years to grow and build that bridge. I want to teach others how to cultivate the roots that these seeds form, into more bridges for others.

This was such a significant visual for me, as a parent and a Christian. Aren't we all called to guide others along a path that leads to Christ and to teach others how to build those bridges? I may not even need that bridge in my own life, but others will. Future generations will need bridges. I can plant a seed that will become a bridge decades later to be used far into the future.

Let me not be so present minded that I lose sight of the potential future for all I may come in contact with. And may I not lose sight of the responsibility to teach others how to build those bridges. May I not be afraid to plant seeds in the same places to replace potential loss. May I plant seeds that will lead to roots strong enough to endure the unforeseen obstacles that may come against it. May I teach others how to tenderly care for and not neglect those foundational roots.

2012 NOT to do list

2012-01-01T11:00:00.000-08:00

Inspired by a brief article I read, I am not making a to-do list this year. I am making a NOT to-do list.

In 2012 I will NOT...

1. scowl more than I smile
2. deny the creative impulse
3. make decisions based on fear
4. complain more than I give thanks
5. eat more fake food than real food
6. over look opportunities to celebrate
7. discount the accomplishment of hard work
8. with hold love
9. be surrounded by anything that I do not consider lovely
10. spend more time in front of a screen than face to face with those I care about

This girl!

2011-12-28T23:02:00.000-08:00

Birdy lost another tooth and hung this letter across her bedroom doorway tonight;

It reads:

Liberty lost her tooth! Dad please make sure the tooth fairy visits! Two dollars please and a new tooth brush. Thank you.

Love Liberty.

To Toothfairy

This girl cracks us up!!! Inside, she has such a sensitive, sweet heart though, I love her so much.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T23:32:00.000-08:00

Christmas morn we woke slowly, like we always do.We enjoyed exchanging our few gifts and then headed to church.

I am so glad my ktbunch have never been in rush to wake on Christmas morning.

It was a gorgeous day, I couldn't resist opening the curtains first thing, like I usually do. But it created lots of crazy shadows and contrast for our pix.

Kurtis is making the funniest face in this pic. I LOVE it. He loved this sword and shield his biggest brother got for him. I think this pic caught him mid roar or something.

Sammy, like the rest of the boys, loves Legos so he was excited to receive this Lego game.

We enjoyed exchanging our few gifts and then headed to church. I don't remember Christmas ever falling on a Sunday, but it seemed like the perfect thing to do on Christmas. The small church we attend on Sunday mornings was actually fuller than usual. I was surprised but given the character of the members of this church-I should not have been.

One of our *family* gifts was to go see the new movie: We Bought a Zoo. It was a good movie. We went to the Drive-In, of course & my dad & brother & his wife joined us. But whew! It was coooolllddd! It was a good thing we were bundled up and brought our coziest blankets.

Christmas Eve

2011-12-24T23:55:00.000-08:00

We spent Christmas Eve at my Mother-in-Love's home like we always do. Here we are with the Mr.'s mother & sisters & family.

That's pretty much how we all felt by the end.

Yummy fun & a Puppet Theater

2011-12-23T23:54:00.000-08:00

Inspired by another blogger, I decided to make ginger bread houses with my ktbunch this year. That means I dug in my cupboards to find the stone molds I have. I had forgotten I actually have 2 house molds. I also have a train mold but it's buried somewhere in the black hole that is known as my garage. I also have a small collection of stone cookie molds too. I baked them last night, made a call to my sister-in-love and invited my nephews, bought a few sweet goodies and we all got together today.

Now, that you are totally convinced and feeling guilty and like a loser mom cause you didn't bake your own gingerbread house this year and can't wait to get started to make up for it--let me share some tips I learned with you. And seriously, don't feel guilty--just hit the after Christmas clearance on Monday and score a gingerbread house KIT. It's processed and loaded with enough preservatives it WILL keep till next year--I promise. So back to those tips...

1. After baking, the edges may have expanded beyond the mold--this is not good for attempting to 'glue' them together. The edges need to be smooth.

2. Voila'! I'm a *genius*! Grab a cheese grater & lightly 'sand' the edges of the walls. A small hand held grater works best.

3. Icing can be placed in baggies, snip a small piece of the corner off to apply. HOWEVER, BEFORE you snip the corner, press all the icing toward the corner first. THIs can be accomplished easier if you use something like a credit card, ID or library card. ( I hope you own a library card--if not, go get one right now! Or, ok Monday, if the library is open) Trust me--it's much easier than just trying to squeeze it to the corner with your bare hands.

4. Hey! Look at that! Ginger bread house assembled. Ok--now for the fun part: decorating. Let's get this candy party started.

SUPPLIES

Don't worry, none of that every really gets eaten, (at least not by the kids) it's just for *decoration*. SSShhhhh! Don't tell the ktbunch.

Sammy icing his *side* of the house. Kurtis wanted an apron just like everyone else.

This is VERY serious business.

Kurtis realized that if the "decorations" don't stick....he can just eat them!

Tada! This is Sam's side of the house. He went with a "candy-graffiti" theme.

Birdy's side of the house, she gets the chimney.

My nephews.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

After all the holiday hoopla, I took oldest to work tonight. On the way home, I took side street to avoid mall traffic. (there were THREE accidents in front of my house this afternoon within 20 minutes of each other) I noticed a home with a sign advertising a Puppet Theater tonight. I had just enough time to pick up the rest of the ktbunch and head back over to watch this mysterious show.

It was held at a corner house, the side door/porch was covered with black and red curtains and an attached stage. It looked really fabulous. There was a crowd so at least I knew I wasn't totally crazy to take my ktbunch to this 'event'.

Music started and an older man came out with a marionette. He performed to about 5 different songs with different marionettes. He had a fairy with light up wings, a hippo ballerina, a little boy, a traditional looking jester and more. There was a goofy little girl marionette that danced to this obnoxious song: I want a hippopotamus for Christmas. My mom just LOVED that stupid song. I couldn't stop the large grin from spreading across my face when that song started. I know my mom would have loved it.
I know it sounds stupid & I hate when other people say this: but I really felt like it was her just saying hello in that moment. That she really was/is looking down and watching us and everything is ok...she's ok. I guess it was just a moment of feeling her presence...or the memory of her presence.
It was fabulous. What a randomly fun night. I love my city.

Merry Christmas!

Linky to:

Blurry Focus

2011-12-22T00:42:00.000-08:00

This Christmas has been somewhat different. In some ways it is very similar to Christmases past....

My children, like many, can be self-focused. heck *I* can be very self-focused. It's easy really. However, as a parent, I attempt to get them focused on the real, the meaningful and eternal qualities of life.

At our church this past month we have been having a Random Acts of Kindness Campaign. Encouraging the congregation to outwardly bless others, in unexpected and random ways. I struggled with this at first because, as a family, I try to lean toward a spirit of outward generosity already. So this campaign felt a little forced because it was actions we tend to already practice. It is almost second nature that as we were instructed to recall and share our acts of kindness, I often couldn't remember what they were. I had to make a concerted effort to try and keep track.

I also try to encourage my children toward opportunities to serve as a family. This is not always the case or possible but for the most part, I include all of them in service projects as much as possible.

One thing we did this season was "Adopt-A-Family" through a local hospital. These families have sick children suffering from cancers or blood diseases. We made and purchased gifts for the family we were assigned. Oldest made most of the 'purchases' while I did most of the 'making' and I included my other children through out the process.

I told them they were not going to be getting gifts this year because we were going to GIVE instead. They are very blessed, they will get at least a few gifts from extended family members, I know this. Although, I know they desire in their hearts for specific toys and other items, they are not in need. That's the other funny thing about Christmas gift giving...it's so unnecessary. I LOVE to have nice, new shiny things....but when I or my kids have a need--I usually acquire it for them, regardless of the time of year. And if I can spare it and find it beneficial, I may give them a treat or reward too.

Here's the thing....walking through the stores, even *I* could feel the desire rise up in my heart. Oh, such wonderful items, fresh sheets, pretty blankets, sweaters, shoes, stickers, glitter, dolls, books, magazines, the list could go on and on. It's amazing how quickly the desire ebbed when I left the stores. I certainly don't have the Spirit of Giving and giving generously, mastered. In no way...but it's something I strive for within the hearts of my family.

We dropped our "adopt-a-family" gifts off late. They were due on Thursday and we were dropping them off Friday morning. At the same time, recipient families were picking up their gifts. When we entered the office, two different families were represented, by a mother and another mother with her child. The mother that was alone had A LOT of bags filled with gifts to carry down to her car. It was second nature to offer to help her carry them down.

She was very grateful and I could tell also a little embarrassed maybe that she was receiving these *donated* gifts...because she began to explain how she hadn't even had a chance to go shopping. I did not care because I already understood. She also had trouble holding back tears of gratefulness...to the givers of the gifts, to us for helping her. Her son and husband were waiting in the car. They could not come up because the son's immune system was extra low and great care needed to be taken to keep him safe and healthy as possible. His eyes appeared extra large in contrast to his hairless head.

He waved and smiled at us as we wished the family Merry Christmas after my kids helped them load up their trunk. I wished I could just grab him and give HIM a big kiss and hug....and his mom & his dad. The tears formed in my eyes.

The shiny things, the gifts--suddenly all meaningless. I know without a doubt, that mother and father would give up every material possession they have if it meant their child would no longer be sick. They'd forfeit ever having Christmas again just to have a healthy, 'normal' day--free from sickness and fear of the worst case scenario.

It's all meaningless. Yes, I know that as a Christian. I know Christ came to save me in my worthless state of being. I've always known it in my mind. Seeing that family, reminded my heart. NONE of this matters, the lights, the trees, the wrapping paper, the tinsel, the glitter.

What matters is what is in the heart. Out of that love, there is no gift that can compare.

O Holy night, the stars are brightly shining
It is the night of our dear Savior's birth
Long lay the world, in sin and error pining
Till He appeared and the soul felt it's worth.

Sitting my dented mini-van, leaving that parking lot, I knew I could have given more to the family we were assigned. I could have made more, I could have provided more gifts. I know they will be grateful but nothing I have was so important that it could not be done with out. I can't heal their child, but I could give, with a generous heart. I have nothing to with hold because I have been so blessed.

My soul has felt it's worth, only because He has appeared.
What else can compare?

I am still slightly tempted to get my children gifts, and I still might. But part of me thinks if I do...I will only cheapen our holiday in some way. As if a gift can really satisfy or capture the Spirit we are seeking to live, breathe, walk and convey. I refuse to listen to the lies of misplaced guilt and lust. Giving materially is easy. Truly giving of myself, that is the challenge.

Maybe that is my challenge for this new year....to truly give unconditionally, until I really no longer can. No more holding back, being selfish or greedy with my time, my love, my resources. I wonder what will happen if I do.....

My thoughts are a mix of words and emotions within me....I'm off to sleep on it.

Hallelujah

2011-12-21T22:52:00.000-08:00

I did my best, it wasn't much
I couldn't feel, so I tried to touch
I've told the truth, I didn't come to fool you
And even though it all went wrong
I'll stand before the Lord of Song
With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah

written by Leonard Cohen

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I really like the last lyrics of this song.

It's simply that.

In the end, when we stand before God what do we really have to show for our lives?

I hope it's this:

Hallelujah.

A few of my favorite things

2011-12-19T22:15:00.000-08:00

I purchased this Nativity set years ago from a thrift store. I liked the rustic look that it had. This year I placed it in the little niche area of my corner cabinet.

I've had this set of deer since I was a newlywed, back when we only had one child. I thought it was so sweet looking and represented our family. I'd love to find more matching deer to include now that our family has grown so much. The cloth underneath the deer was a crochet piece my grandma made. I found it with her things after she died and I cherish it.

This is our Book Tree we made this year. Talk about *frugal*. We had a great time creating this, inspired by a few pix we saw online. We didn't need to spend any money and we also saved space in our small home. We placed this on top of a cabinet in our living room.

This fabric swag was acquired a few years ago in the clearance pile of fabric. I had been eyeing it before Christmas and really liked it and was excited when I saw it in the clearance pile. What I didn't know wast hat it was only HALF the panel. It's supposed to be a tree skirt. This year I hung it as a swag across my large bookcase that I use as a room divider. I think I really like it there.

This is my collection of Disney castle ornaments. I love Disneyland-everything about it. We used to go quite regularly and always managed to somehow visit during Christmas season too. This year, unfortunately, we were unable to work in a visit but I hold lots of wonderful memories at that park. Behind the castles, you can see my mirrored Advent calendar--also acquired via after Christmas clearance.

Our front door is adorned with a memorial wreath, made with Rosemary from my yard. Rosemary is symbolic for *remembrance*. I wanted to create this wreath in memory of those who are not with us and we miss very much, my mother and my father-in-law.

Except for the little bit I spent for the wreath supplies, I did not spend any $$ on decorations this year. I used what we already have, some in new ways.

Linky to:
Debbiedoos Newbie Party
Savvy Home Monday
And

Mary--before her song

2011-12-18T22:56:00.000-08:00

She laughed. She laughed as if she'd just heard the funniest joke in the world. She stopped laughing when she saw that he wasn't.

She had been kneading bread when she was suddenly interrupted by a voice softly calling her name, Mary. When she turned around, she was startled to realize no one there, at least no one human.

"No, no..it can't be. It just can't be." Mary said as she backed away, knocking into the wooden chair next to the wooden table, causing it to rock slightly. She quickly grabbed the back of it, unsure if it was to steady the chair or herself.

"I'm not the right person for this. Who am I to be chosen for such a task? I'm too young, no one even takes me seriously." She sat down in the wooden chair, put her elbows on the table, leaning her head in her hands. She wished her parents were with her now, to witness this conversation.To tell her what to do, to hold her and tell her everything was going to be 'ok'.

"What will my parents think? No one will believe me. Momma will be heart broken. My father-oh God-father will disown me! This can't happen--it's just not possible." She stood up abruptly, put her fingers to her temples and began rubbing her forehead pensively, her thoughts racing to try and figure out the situation.

"You just don't understand. What will Joseph think? Joseph...He'll leave me. I love him, don't you see that? I LOVE him. What if he leaves me? Then what do I do? Do you understand what you're asking me to do?" She began pacing the dirt floor of the kitchen area in her parents house.

"I can run away. Yes, I'll run away. I'll go, I can go...go to...where can I go? There's no where to go."

"You can't, you can't ask me to do this. Oh God! The neighbors, the townspeople,they are going to stone me! They will kill me for this! KILL me!" She felt her self begin to tremble in an uncontrollable panic.

She crumpled to the floor in a heap and began sobbing. "Oh God! NO! Please, please don't ask me to do this. Please, no. No, no, no, no..." Her voice trailed off, strangled by her sobs.

As the tears spent themselves she began to feel a warmth and a calmness envelop her body. She was no longer gripped by the fear that threatened her minutes earlier.

"Ok, I trust you...I will trust you," she said. "I am the Lord's servant," she whispered as she bowed down, her forehead to the dirt floor.

Then, she began to sing.

Speaking of Christmas lights...

2011-12-18T09:48:00.000-08:00

About a week ago, after I dropped oldest off at work and was on my way home, Birdy asked if we could go Christmas light looking when we got home. Yes, I wanted to just BE home, driving back and forth, while not labor intensive, is still tiring.

We were still about 15 minutes or so away from home but out of the corner of my eye, some lovely lit up homes caught my attention. I decided to turn, off out regular route and look at the home near where we were at. They were very nice. We all ooohed and awed over them.

We were back on our way when I noticed a guy struggling to enter the tunnel we drive through on the way home. He was attempting to carry his bike and a bike tire. Strangely I knew I should give him a ride.

But I was a female, alone, with her two youngest children in her car! That wasn't very safe or wise to do, right?

I passed him but couldn't shake that I knew I was supposed to give him a ride. I felt bad for him, it was late, it was cold and trying to carry a bike is not easy. This is crazy. He could be dangerous...I'm not sure the Mr. would approve.

I said a prayer aloud: "Lord is this you? Cause if it's not, please keep us safe cause I think it is so, I'm gonna pick up this guy."

Once again, I turned off my route to go back. As I was retracing my drive, I was in the #2 lane and a van was on my right. If I get in front of the van then stop for the guy, the van might be upset because it's a no stopping any time part of the street.

The lane the van was in was an on ramp to the freeway lane, suddenly I was free and clear in the far right lane. I pulled up to the guy, my heart so nervous, and honked. He had stopped to try and adjust the bike but turned around quickly.

"Do you want a ride?"
"Yes!" he said with out hesitating.
"Put your bike on the rack."

See, I always have a bike rack on my van because I ride my bike to school. It couldn't have been more perfect. He got in and he was SO grateful. To be fair, he certainly didn't look like a murderer or a vagrant. He was probably in his mid to late twenties? He said he was visiting his brother in LB and on his way home, the screws that hold the front tire on, just broke and fell apart. How does that happen?

The thing is....he had only broken down about a block before we crossed his path. It was perfectly ordained. Had the Lord not put it in Birdy's heart and mind to ask to go Christmas light looking and I had not had a heart to agree to go right then and there---we would have missed him. We would have passed him while his bike was still working and intact.

I know we live in a fair weather state, but how many people *really* have bike racks on their cars?

We were destined to pick him up.

I *never* would have picked up a male stranger, never in my life. Only that I truly believe it was what God told me to do. I often pass cars broken down on the freeway and wish I could help, had something to ffer, but I don't now how to change a flat tire and being a female, it is often unsafe.

Hearing the Lord clearly and seeing how He arranged all of this so perfectly....He obviously loves that young man very much. I wish I would have told him...but hopefully our actions showed him...I did tell him it was his very blessed day.

I chatted nervously and then dropped him off at a park he designated was near his home.
before he got out he said, "Thank you so much, you have made my week!"

Sparkle, sparkle

2011-12-16T22:52:00.000-08:00

Another favorite tradition we have, as I'm sure many others do too, is going Christmas light looking. I don't even know what exactly it is that draws us in, but I can never resist. Oldest went to this area recently with the youth group. After I picked him up from work I asked him to direct us to the area.

It is along the canals on Naples Island in Long Beach. Oh it is absolutely lovely. You can walk along the canals, in front of the homes and ooohhh & awe at all the wonderful displays. One home was themed after National Lampoons Christmas Vacation (remember that movie?) via the "Griswold" family. It was fabulous.

Another home was made into a giant Santa face. Many were simply gorgeous. Well, the homes are gorgeous, in and of themselves, but with the lights, it's really nice. It was a nice way to end the evening.

Kurtis only wanted to admire the water, over and over. I wish I could have taken my family on a gondola ride. I imagine it would be so lovely this time of year. We did see one gondola go bye and plenty of other tour boats. I think the ktbunch would really love to go on a gondola tour.

That was one of the last excursions I did with my mom, go on a gondola ride through the canals. It was my sister-in-love (brother's wife), my aunt (mom's sister) and myself. We had a lovely afternoon that day.

Aren't those some fun pix with the lights. I need to explore with my camera more. Isn't my ktbunch the best? I love them to pieces and I can't imagine my life without them in it.

Semester over!

2011-12-15T22:25:00.000-08:00

Of course my LAST day of finals AND the semester did not start off well. I was late to my 8AM final--the dreaded physical science that I am just praying I at least get a D in--I will receive the credit I need--a C is not necessary. My GPA is strong enough also that it will merely make a dent in it--nothing major.

I kept feeling the stress of being late threaten me. I remembered though that most of the students, myself included, tended to finish our exams rather quickly. I told myself I had plenty of time--and I did! I tried to take my time. The exam was still hard. Many of the questions were familiar but not enough for me to feel %100 that I knew the correct answer. It was mostly 50-50. That's where test taking strategies comes in, right?

It felt SO good to be DONE with that class. I SO hope I don't have to retake it. I threw these study notes away with a BIG, GIANT smile on my face. A BIG one. Then I suddenly felt afraid that I might regret that--if I fail, you know? But you know what? I also resigned my self to the fact that it won't kill me if I DO have to take it over.

And hey--imagine getting a D and it would merely drop your GPA marginally. That's pretty good, right? But...I want straight A's. Even as a grown woman--WHY do I feel so, so, so.._________..over the idea of NOT achieving *perfection*. I have a family, a busy one and yet somehow, in my mind, I feel I should succeed at *everything* & not only succeed but accomplish what I attempt, well.

At the same time, I tell myself I am doing rather well, considering. Right? Not because I am *all that*--cause Lord knows (literally) I sure am NOT. Keeping on keeping on--that's what I am GOOD at. Getting up when I fall down, I guess.

But hey...I'll know when I know and for now, I have no worries--just concentrating on the present. Semester OVER & now it's time to CELEBRATE all that is CHRISTMAS!

Hallelujah!

Christmas Book Tree

2011-12-13T23:09:00.000-08:00

Hey! SO this is not one of those blogs that offers nearly professional pix of their home via a blog tour. Ok, just in case you don't know me and were expecting better. :-) I probably won't even have all my Christmas decorations up until the actual day of Christmas. haHA! I'll post along as I get things up, though.

We done something different nearly every year, as far as getting a tree goes. When the Mr. and I were first married, we didn't even have our own place, so we didn't have our own tree. Once we did have our own place, we began a tradition of not getting our tree until as late in December as possible. We'd look for the most rejected looking, Charlie Brownish tree and purchase that one.

For the past few years we've gotten our tree earlier and earlier and bigger and bigger. Many years I'd cringe at the prices of trees--knowing I could get another gift or two for the same price. We always lucked out somehow. One year we randomly got a tree for free from a friend. That may have even happened more than once. Funny, I remember the same thing happening when I was little. My parents took us on a long drive to some random lot and guys were loading trees off big trucks. I got the impression it was a church group or something...but the tree was free. I don't know how they heard about it, a friend told them I think.

I cannot find the source for this pic (I saw it on facebook) but here is a link to another book tree post with tips if you are interested in creating your own.

The other day I saw a picture of this Christmas book tree. It was a tree made from books stacked on top of each other. Of course the pic I saw looked fabulous. All the books were hard back with lovely spines and they all seemed to be the exact same size. I thought it was absolutely, fabulous! Ingenius!! So inspired by the pic above, I decided to go for it.

Today we committed to give it a try for our own home. I wasn't sure when we would get a tree and not even sure I wanted to. (I'm not a scrooge--just wasn't sure I wanted to spend $$$ on something so unnecessary that we really don't even have room for)

Oldest helped me the most, aesthetically speaking, while Birdy helped gather books. We began stacking...and stacking...and stacking. Finally, it looked satisfactory enough. We added the angel on top, lights and a few ornaments. (ones that can take a fall, if it happens) I think we did a pretty good job on this 'knock-off' book tree.

We didn't have enough books to go any higher, but it worked out. I really like it. So...I think we'll keep it this season. ;-) ETA: The Mr. told me later he thought it was really cool! Cooler than he thought it was going to be.

We've got our house lights up too, compliments to oldest and a featured guest, his friend Ian. Last year, after Christmas I hit the clearance and purchased a ton for ridiculously cheap....which have been hanging in our back yard for the past year. I think I will have to get more *after Christmas* for next year, again. Personally, I say, you can never have too many lights.

So *these guys* thought it would be so cool to put "NO U" on our roof. Why not "LOL"? Funny guys!

What do you think.....more lights?

Linked to:
We Did it Wednesday!
Show and Tell

Prince of Peace Pageant

2011-12-10T23:48:00.000-08:00

This yearly event is a collaboration between eight local churches. The sidewalks, lined with candles, lead you through the story of the birth of Christ. Churches involved in the immediate are have their doors open and generously offer lite treats and Christmas caroling.

We were treated to hot chocolate, fudge, cookies, hot cider, and even chili at one stop. It is a fabulous production and I am so grateful.

So here's my ktbunch, being silly as I'm trying to get a commemorative photo! They are silly. We were blessed to run into some friends along the way too. Fudge is always more fun with friends, isn't it?

It sure was cold tonight. Perfect weather for a candle lined walk.

Last day of Classes!

2011-12-08T22:04:00.001-08:00

Wow! Another semester. Fall is much harder than Spring, I've decided. Too many holidays, it's cold, the weather begs you to stay home and in bed, plus it holds a natural inclination toward depression.

Besides that though-whoa-has it been a challenge. As if going back to school wasn't challenge enough in and of itself. I still have a couple finals next week and two that I only need to show up and turn in final work.

It certainly wasn't the dream semester I had last Spring but it wasn't horrible. I did set myself up taking five classes, including a science at 8:00 AM. WHO can do science at 8:00am anyway? I'm desperately clinging to a wing & a prayer to pass that one.

It looks to all have been worth it though. Everything is in order for me to graduate in a timely manner this upcoming May. I am looking forward to it SO much, I can't even believe it. I don't even need to end with five classes again either. It was looking like I might have to. I will have a more traditional schedule with only four classes, although two of them are 4 units each, for a total of 14 units. None of my classes will be at 8:00 AM either.

I was blessed to have some fabulous writing professors that produce fabulous writing classes. One of the classes was really interesting to me. My classmates wrote such amazing pieces. I was consistently amazed. It was impossible not to feel a sort of strange bond to others willing to share such depth from their lives. I felt safe enough in that class to want to try to push my writing in different directions. I was willing and unafraid to experiment. The results were pretty amazing. I learned a lot in that class. I could feel the growth in my writing.

Not all my writing classes were like this, but it's ok. I even experimented with fiction. Surprise, surprise. Midway through I actually felt in the groove and had a bunch of ideas running through my mind...before I was bogged down by the evils of Physical Science anyway.

So....I certainly haven't had much Christmas crafty time lately...

Santa Train 2011

2011-12-06T21:18:00.000-08:00

Just like every year, we enjoyed one of our favorite annual traditions; the Santa Train! This train has been stopping on my Mother-In-Love's block since the Mr. was little. Our oldest has taken a picture with the Santa Train since he was a baby. If we ever fulfill our dream of moving into our own home and Mother-in-Love with us...I will miss this sweet tradition.

If you click the link above, you can see our pix from every year and how these beauties of mine have grown. What a great way to commemorate every year. I can't believe we've waited for the Santa Train every year for almost twenty years! For some reason we almost missed it this year too. The Mr. picked me up from school and then told me it was Santa Train day TODAY! Whew! I would have been so sad to miss it. Of course my camera went dead *right before* this photo opp...so I had to use my camera phone.

Thank goodness for camera phones.

First event of the season

2011-12-04T19:59:00.000-08:00

We attended this event last year and I made a mental note to attend this year. I love this historical site, Rancho Los Cerritos. It is decorated in the Victorian era. During the Christmas season, they decorate and host a festive event complete with pinata, hand crafts, live music and of course, Santa! They request a donation of $3 per person or $10 for a family of four or more. That's US!

It's worth it because the children (or parents?) can make lots of hand-made and old fashioned ornaments and cards. Volunteers also host a table with hot cider (or was it wassail?) and cookies. It's a lovely way to spend an afternoon and welcome the season.

The home itself is lovely and the scent of pine strong, as natural decorations are used around the house. Garlands of small seashells that would have been collected from time at the beach, pine boughs on every candle lit sconce, wreaths of pine and berries sit on side tables and hang from doors.

Oldest enjoyed listening to the live music the most. There were volunteers in each room of the house, telling how life was in Victorian times.

I met a lovely woman outside when I complimented her scarf. She told me she was visiting another country (I wish I could remember which one) when a woman fell in front of her. She rode with her in the ambulance to the hospital. She said the people wee so surprised that she did that & they gifted her with the scarf.

The afternoon cooled down quickly, encouraging us to return home. Before we left though, I got this shot of Kurtis with a very nice Santa. We don't really promote Santa but he is recognized as a classic icon of the season. (I hate that I even feel the need to explain myself.)

He's wearing footwear. It looks like he's bare foot--he's wearing flip flops.

Simple Food

2011-11-26T10:08:00.000-08:00

In case you haven't noticed...I'm not a fan of "cooking". Baking & crock potting--I can do. Cooking? Not so much.

I found this idea off pinterest. It's magic! This is what it looks like before it bakes. Basically you are baking eggs in a muffin tin! Brilliant, right?

It doesn't take long to bake and prep is a cinch! As you can see in the picture above, these are custom made. One child wants nothing to do with cheese and veggies, his are plain with a slice of ham in the bottom. The others are topped with shredded cheese, fresh tomato chunks and snips of spinach. All have season all & pepper sprinkled on top as well.

I do spray each muffin cup with non-stick cooking spray. The yoke cooks up like a boiled egg if baked long enough but the whites are light and fluffy--not thick like when they are boiled.

Bake @ 350 for 10-15 minutes, depending on how well baked you prefer your yolk & variances in ovens. ;-)

These are a big hit in our family and I think they will be our new Christmas morning breakfast. They also make great anytime snacks or lunch. You can customize each cupcake for their intended recipients. Everyone can even create their own and then just pop them into the oven at once. Super easy & super good.

FYI: My cupcake tin is vintage--I haven't found anything that bakes better! I even got rid of all my other tins and have begun collecting more of these vintage ones instead (from the thrift store). Something about them...a tiny bit deeper and produce a better baking texture for cakes.

Thanksgiving

2011-11-25T22:00:00.000-08:00

Our camera was dropped in the sand...so although the pictures are few, the memories are innumerable. The picture above is the headband I wore in honor of the holiday...a little orange bird among orange berries.

We started our Thanksgiving festivities by running 5k for the local 'Turkey Trot' at the beach. What's not to be thankful about that? Gorgeous weather, supportive family, strong, healthy body, the beach!?! Hello!!

The Mr. then played tennis. The ktbunch and I enjoyed the rest of the morning slowly--with delicious oatmeal. It's amazing how much I LOVE oatmeal. Really. Growing up, we often ate it for dinner because it was cheap and that was all we had. It was nothing special and rather blah. I am so grateful for that hearty oatmeal though. And those lean times in my life. It made an impression on me, even though I will probably never know the complete scope of it. It is one of the most nutritious foods one can eat.

I like to 'gourmet' mine up though; I add dried, frozen or fresh fruits like cranberries, blueberries, apples, whatever is on hand. Filling fats like coconut oil, butter or even almond or peanut butter. Favorite spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. Vanilla is always a staple. Can't forget brown sugar! Now I use steel cut oats for more nutritional punch and sprinkle with wheat germ as well.

We were blessed with a complete Thanksgiving meal from Mimi's unexpectedly. How amazing is that? Oh and totally scrumdillyumptious!

Later we went to my Mother-in-Love's to hang out. We had no idea they were waiting for us to start eating! My two sisters-in-love and MIL had set the tables so lovely. It is such a blessing to live only 15 minutes away from family. The meal was delicious, of course. We visited for a little while and the middles and little played. We laughed and joked around.

Then it was time to leave to my aunt's house. It was a drive but what's an hour when you've road tripped across the country, right? Everyone from my side was there. My side has grown the past few years with a couple new additions; the next generation of cousins, two more boys. It works out great because Kurtis will now have someone around his age to play with. He was so good too as the older cousin of the two younger ones is not used to being around other kids very much. Kurtis took it in stride and basically ignored his attempts at shenanigans and toy control. I was proud of my gentle toddler.

I felt like I couldn't hug my grandma enough. She is getting older each day and mortality seems closer and closer. I owe so much of who I am to my grandma. She was always one of my biggest encouragers, when I was young. When she said it, I believed; knew I really could become all I ever wanted to be....."as long as I knew how to read". LOL

Of course the middles adore their two same age cousins, my nephews from my brother. They could care less about the holiday, the food and desserts, all they want to know is if the 'M & M's are gonna be there?'

My aunt already had her tree up and lots of Santa knick knacks out. It all looked lovely. She gave Birdy a TON of jewelry she didn't wear anymore. Little did I know that she has two huge jewelry chests filled. Birdy was really excited about it all though. Isn't that so sweet? My uncle has a mini-man cave in his bedroom. The guys enjoyed watching the game on his big flat screen in there. My aunt met my uncle while he was serving as a marine. My aunts would go on base every weekend to go dancing--they met at the club there, fell in love & the rest is history. I didn't really like him when we first met--he was so 'sporty'--needless to say we didn't have much in common. Turns out he's just a big ol' bear when you get to know him.

The evening wound down and it was back to our home. Our cluttered, well-lived-in and warm home. The home we've rented for the past 13 years. That's a long time to rent. A long time to be blessed with ridiculously cheap rent. Our home that is filled with reality. A reality that is filled with blessings beyond measure when you want to see it. Which I do. It was wonderful to fall into my cozy bed, layered with blankets that are just the perfect weight to make me feel secure.

I am blessed, of this I know.

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17

Adventures in Juicing

2011-11-15T21:46:00.001-08:00

After the fasting detox I knew I wanted to incorporate the health benefits of juicing into my family's diet. They are not too keen on eating vegetables beyond carrots and the occasional broccoli but I figured drinking the veggies would eliminate the issue entirely. I imagined having a juicer would increase our nutritional intake by leaps and bounds and we'd all smile happily in our juice infused stupor as we guzzle down our green goodness.

Of course, it didn't exactly play out like that. I went to Target to get a juicer and begin our super foods journey. I was immediately priced out of the market. Well, it turns out my mother-in-love has had a juicer in her kitchen cabinet for YEARS. I've been married to her son for nearly 20 and I NEVER knew this? I guess some secrets are worth hiding. She let me have it.

Well, the machine works great! So great in fact that I went a little crazy the first night juicing everything in sight. Naturally no one was interested in my brownish, orange concoction of super 'green goodness'. I couldn't even play my 'authority' card and get the 11 year old to drink it out of fear of never playing a video game again!

Cups and cups of mutilated and sacrificed veggies stood before me in the form of frothy liquid. I certainly didn't want to waste it, so the next evening while everyone was too busy avoiding the kitchen to notice, I emptied the cups into the spaghetti I was making. The juice was the perfect color for it. No one knew the difference and I felt like a fantastic mom, boosting my family's nutritional intake with out having to beg, bribe or nag!

This week I was even more on top of my mom-game and went grocery shopping with a *list* AND a menu plan for the week. One of the planned dinners was whole wheat spaghetti with ground Italian sausage, salad and bread with butter. Last night I went to work to see if I could create my own spaghetti sauce using strategically chosen veggies and my juicer.

I dug into my 25 lb bag of juicing carrots and went to work. The base was carrots but that left the juice very orange. I added a leaf of kale for aesthetics mostly but I also know it's a popular juicing ingredient right now too. That turned the juice into a darker color--I was getting closer. I tried broccoli, it helped with color but not a good choice as far as actual juice production goes. I almost forgot to add the actual tomatoes!

The color was achieved but now I needed to work on flavor and consistency. I added salt and pepper, fresh and dried oregano from my garden, multiple fresh squeezed garlic cloves and chopped onion. Almost there, but it was still too thin. Aha! I reached into the mushy excess that is left over from the vegetables after the juice has been sucked out of them and tossed a handful into the mix. It began to thicken. It needed just a bit more of something...Cheese! That was it! I added a handful of grated cheese and stirred it in. It melted and suddenly the 'sauce' was perfect.

I refrigerated it and used it tonight with rave reviews. We never got around to the bread or salad but I don't feel too guilty considering the spaghetti sauce was all vegetables, no preservatives or any other unnatural additives.

Yay for juicers!
And Yay for menu planning!

Detoxing

2011-11-13T17:17:00.001-08:00

Source: lauraface.tumblr.com via Sarah on Pinterest

For the past six days I've been doing a detox fast. You drink a lemonade recipe and nothing else. It detoxes your physical body from toxins you have taken in via eating unhealthy foods.

The recommended length of time is 10 days. I've done it before and lasted about 3 days. This time I ended tonight, on day six.

It is a test for sure. Especially this weekend because we had a weekend full of celebrations--of course all consist of delicious food!!

Besides the food issue though--I realized what really needs to be detoxed is ME. My mind and heart. I am still a work in progress. My failings come blaring through in such disappointing and obvious ways.

The real cleansing I need is internal. My heart and soul need redemption. I am so grateful for a Savior that sees me not for what I am--but who he has designed me to be. Only he can do the real internal cleansing. He sometimes reveals to me my weakness in those moments when I am trying MY hardest to be strong. He is strong enough for me...when my need is greatest.

When we were overwhelmed by sins, you forgave our transgressions. Psalm 65:3

Is this what Courageous has turned into?

2011-11-08T09:30:00.000-08:00

The lyrics below are a newly popular song by Casting Crowns. It's a great song...I love it. As I was listening closer to the lyrics, instead of feeling inspired I began to feel sad. It seems to be directed at men, meant to be inspiring.

What saddened me was the idea that the examples in the song lyrics of being *courageous* are actions that should be every day behaviors--but NOW it's considered *courageous* if you behave this way? Really?

Has society or Christianity, since this is directed toward Christians I believe, sunk so low that the idea of 'loving your wife and children' is now the brave thing to do, instead of the normal thing to do? Since when? And if so--then are true acts of bravery--facing evil, defending the defenseless, fighting for truth & justice, now limited to only super heroes? I mean if it calls for bravery, courage to love your wife then what does it take to stop a mugger from taking an old lady's purse?

And to turn this around, toward women--am I really making a great sacrifice by being faithful to my husband and loving to my children? In other words, I am going *above and beyond* by following through on my vows & duty. SINCE WHEN?

Does your boss really need to thank you each & every day you show up at work? You get PAID to do that, you are doing him no favors by being there! Just as being married has perks and being a parent has perks.

Sure, no one is saying being a Christian or doing the 'right thing' is a cake-walk--but come on! Do we really need a pep talk to love our spouse & kids--cause is it really that horrible and that hard of a thing to do? Is it a behavior that is *scary* & truly requires courage to follow through on?

Cause I don't think it is. No one has ever had to give me a pep talk to stay faithful or not abuse my children. It's the natural thing to do, what was expected, not something extra ordinary.

Now remaining married under duress or less than ideal circumstances--sure that took more effort and diligence--but it certainly didn't require courage. Nor did loving my children, it may take extra patience but not courage.

I feel that some of the messages we are sending in the name of "Christianity" are very lost and mixed, at the very least.

I don't want my kids to think they are doing something extra ordinary when they choose to do right. They are doing the EXPECTED thing. I don't think it takes courage, in these days to remain married, love your children & serve God...I think it takes self-discipline, dedicated purpose and mission.

Stepping out in faith may take courage--but I don't see loving your family as an act of faith. Most people enter into marriage willingly & under most circumstances have an idea of WHO they are marrying.

Being a man 'meant for so much more' implies living a life of passion and purpose, knowing your mission and following through to fulfill that mission, in the face of evil and darkness. Having a spouse by your side, can help make that journey more comfortable, certainly. But that also involves mutual benefit.

How bout acting BRAVE when you are alone and there is true risk involved!?! Being a soldier in battle-actually facing an enemy, requires bravery. Intentionally living to avoid temptation to do wrong--doesn't require bravery but self control.

Facing death for the good of all mankind--now *that* was courageous!

I mean, really guys? You're better than this, right?

People will notice

2011-11-02T21:51:00.000-07:00

We were all at the park today while the Mr. was across the street for an audition. I noticed a lovely woman with a pre-school aged son. She sat on a bench watching him play, initially. Then she began pushing him on the tire swing. They were having a conversation that was basically about making friends. She told him what a good job he did introducing himself and gave him suggestions on other ways he could make new playmates on the playground. It was reminiscent of conversations I used to have with oldest around the same age.

Oldest was staying close to the kiddos while I did a little writing. Later I moved closer to them while he relaxed under a shady tree. The middles, the toddler and her son were all playing nicely together. His mother eventually approached me to compliment me on how nice my children were with her son and to play with him. She was very sincere. I told her I thought it was because they were used to having a little brother around and also their older brother was a good example.

"Well, they all must have got it from somewhere." She said referring to me.

"Thank you." I responded, accepting her compliment.

She inquired how I felt about the age gaps. (oldest is 7.5 years older than #2 and #3 is 7 years older than the toddler) I told her , honestly, how much I really loved it, actually. Admitting how over whelmed I felt when the middles were younger being only 2 years apart. Plus, what a great help older kids are to younger ones.

"So..I have to ask then, what is your secret for such wonderful children? you've obviously done a really great job," she finally said.

I smiled, unsure how to answer. Do I say what I really *want* to say? Do I beat around the bush? Do I really have an answer to give? After a split second hesitation I finally decided to just go for it and respond how I honestly felt like answering.

"Well, if there is a secret, if I'm being honest, I know everyone can't do it but I really think it's due to homeschooling," I smiled. "I mean, I really love it. I tell everyone that I think everyone should homeschool. Life is just so short and your children have such short childhoods, it's so great to be able to spend all that time together. And since they are together so much, I think they realize, they've got to make it work because all they have is each other. I mean they have outside activities but for the most part, we're together most of the time. And when you are together so much, everything is magnified but you can address issues right then and there and really be on top of it."

I was ready for her to gently begin to walk away and smile politely but she stayed put and responded sincerely. We continued our conversation talking about the weather, our desire to go to the snow this season and the fact that she's from New York. I told her how I recognized the conversation I over heard her having with her son earlier, from conversations I used to have with oldest on how to make friends. She recommended a website for condo vacation rentals by owners.

I left feeling so encouraged. It's nice to hear compliments like that, right? It's reassuring. It was a great highlight of a wonderful day. And reminder that people are noticing, not that that is why we choose to parent well, but it's good to remember when we're tempted to NOT parent so well either.

Of Course, I'm thankful...

2011-11-01T22:50:00.000-07:00

Aren't we all? It goes with out saying, right? ...or does it?

November seems to be official 'month of giving thanks'...or Santa won't bring you anything but a lump of coal!

That sounds horrible, doesn't it? But it DOES seem that way sometimes. Right before the big holiday, we feel all humble-like--oh we better be sure to get our thanks in so we won't feel guilty next month when we start the holiday crunch and frenzy.

Sometimes being thankful doesn't need to be announced for the world to see what a great person you are. So filled with humility and righteousness. What about all the other months of the year? All the other days and moments of those days? What about the times you're feeling less grateful and more resentful? Or the time when your cup really IS half EMPTY and your thirsty enough for a FULL glass of water. Are you, am I, thankful then?

Am I thankful when I'm not sitting in front of a huge baked bird and a table full of foods to feast on that I don't normally eat?

This year, quietly, I have really attempted to BE thankful, not just say I am. Some days I have been successful in my attempts. Others--I have failed miserably, worse, it's often in the same, predictable ways.

I want to acknowledge, daily, what I am thankful for. From the minute I wake up I attempt to look forward, with delight even, to my day. It's a challenge when the day stares back with grey, foggy, cold eyes. When the day appears to offer nothing but yesterdays worries that grow into tomorrow's set backs.

For me, that's when I take a look back...for all that it's worth and I place my trust in a man who promised to never fail. A cheesy and sometimes obligatory glance reminds me of a savior that I need. To carry me through this day and the next, beyond the pains of the past that mingle with the fatigue of the present. I trust all leads to the delightful future. Because the past, no matter how dark, is never permanent.

I have had days where all I can muster is being thankful I can breathe. Moments I'm not even thankful to be alive but if I must--at least I can breathe this life. Days that turn into weeks where I wonder if I will ever over come my habitual failings--I am thankful for the grace to start again tomorrow. Other days are carefree and I want to break out in a song and dance like they do in old black and white films and I believe my life must have always been this charmed.

But mostly, I look around me beside my own failures, I see these other amazing human beings...my children...who love me unconditionally and I feel a piece of God's heart gripping my own and I know that I AM LOVED and for that, I am most thankful.

Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.Be joyful always;pray continually;give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. I Th 5:15-18

Happy Halloween

2011-10-31T22:13:00.000-07:00

Another Festive Fall Evening has come and gone. Last minute, we added exterior lights and garden fencing with 'spider webs' along our walk way. We also brought one of our 'porch' swings and tiki torches from the back yard. We really like to hang out in our yard together and greet the Trick R Treaters. The Mr. downloaded some festive music to have as background. Old favorites like Monster Mash, horror movie theme songs, Thriller and the theme from Disneyland's Haunted Mansion.

If you've read my blog for any amount of time, you know I like to be crafty...OR perhaps you've randomly clicked on posts in October--then you'd know I prefer us all to dress as a *theme* and we (which means primarily ME) make our own costumes. THIS year my children decided to thoroughly REBEL & choose individual, unrelated characters. I am impressed by their creative choices though. I like to think they get that from MOI'!

This is a pic of oldest. He fashioned his costume, this year. after the DJ's in the TRON movie, Daft Punk. (his friend also created a similar costume so there were two of them) He created the helmet from scratch, using the interior of a bicycle helmet as the base, adding cardboard and paper mache to create the shape. He & his friend heated, shaped and added the plexi-glass visor then battery powered lights on the interior. I hand sewed another strand of lights around the collar.

Sammy chose to be a MIME, inspired by an old fashioned circus style act we saw at the County Fair. It was convenient that we were able to find the shirt, newsboy style cap and "suspenders" at the thrift store. The suspenders were actually two different elastic belts. The bowtie is a hair tie. I already had the theatrical make-up. People passing out candy would tease him by forcing him to talk, to which he kept replying, "Mimes don't talk!"

Birdy made her costume at a sewing class she took at the art studio the past six weeks. The dress was originally a men's long sleeve shirt. She altered it to fit and added a couple stripes. We found the wings at Dollar Tree and spray painted them black. We created antennae from jumbo size pipe-cleaners and pom-poms hot glued to a head band. I also did her hair in a make-shift 'bee hive' do. We also added a few little bees glued onto the dress for extra emphasis. We purchased yellow & black striped tights that she wore with her black chucks. She crocheted yellow chains as shoelaces to match.

We purchased this crocheted Angry Bird (a video game that involves shooting birds at obstacles and pigs) beanie for Kurtis from our trip to San Fransisco a couple weeks ago. We used it as inspiration for his costume. We kept it fairly simple by purchasing a pair of red sweats and red shirt from Walmart. I used yellow felt over his shoes as bird feet. I especially like his treat bag.

Again, I used felt and created the pig character from the video game. I did something different and hand sewed it together. It was fairly simple. Of course we all thought he looked fantastic--everyone else thought he was Elmo. <eye roll>

A friend and his son came by as did my brother and his family. We made chili and hot dogs and brownies. No one was too interested in the brownies since they had all that candy. More for me!

My nephews costumes were; "Smalls" from the movie the SandLot and a "shrunken adult". Well, my brother, the good sport that he is, dressed up too. He was a "giant kid" and insisted on playing the part all evening. He had a back pack, skate board and Nintendo DS he kept pretending to play as we walked the kids around the neighborhood. (I thought he looked like many of the college students I see every day. LOL) I could NOT stop laughing when I saw my brother. He's such a crack up. His wife was a good sport too--she doesn't usually dress up at all--dressing up as a little girl.

The neighborhood had a passive-aggressive vibe this year. A bunch of homes were decorated BUT had all their lights off when dusk arrived, the undeclared but universally understood time to start Trick R Treating. Many blocks only had a couple homes passing out candy. It was weird. You'd have one friendly home welcoming children, then three dark then another friendly one. We had to walk blocks and blocks just for a decent handful of goodies.

A few homes went all out with "Haunted Houses" which were really horror-ific displays of gore. We avoided those, of course but they attracted large crowds. There were plenty of 'drive-in' families this year too. (families that drive into the neighborhood, park & go Trick R Treating) I don't mind, really. I like being a friendly face.

One home was really in the neighborly spirit. They were passing out candy from their porch and from their connected garage they had a DJ playing fun party music. I think the DJ was the dad of the family, possibly even the grandpa! Their drive-way served as a dance floor. I had so much fun as my middles took to the 'stage' and began to strut their stuff. Initially they started dancing as a joke, I think, doing silly moves. The DJ got excited and started playing even more upbeat dance music to accommodate them and they began to 'really' dance. A crowd formed and they basically had their own dance show going on, even Kurtis got in on the action. We must've stayed there, dancing for at least 15 minutes. I think we could have stayed there all night but my brother is not much of a dancer. He and the wifey enjoyed the 'act' from the sidelines. That was my favorite part of the evening and left me with warm, fuzzy feelings for my neighborhood.

While we were canvassing the neighborhood, the Mr., oldest and our friend Forrest were back at home passing out candy and offering a bit of frightful fun for the older candy beggars.

Celebrity Crushed

2011-10-30T20:15:00.000-07:00

I’ve loved Jimmy since I first saw him on Saturday Night Live, even if I could hardly remember his name. He’s not a big muscle-man stud. He’s not particularly a heart throb. He is really funny though. I have always been attracted to guys with good humor.His movies often flopped but still I found his humor attractive. I imagined in real life he was probably very much, if not exactly like he was in film and television, a quirky, but loveable, funny guy.

Recently a friend got us tickets to his late night television show. I was SO excited I mentioned it on my Facebook status. My friends commented on my excitement, not realizing how much I adored Jimmy. We were going to be able to hang out in the green room backstage. Maybe I would be able to get a glimpse of him, up close and personal.

I blow dried my hair and wore my Easter dress, even though I know most women would wear jeans for a late night out. I wanted to look respectable so I wore my glasses. It draws attention to my eyes. Plus I can’t see that well at night.

I felt like a groupie and was just as excited. We drove to Hollywood and didn't even have to wait in line. We went around to the back entrance. We checked in with a guard and my friend dropped her friend’s name. We were on the ‘list’. We walked right in. The hallway was lined with pictures of ‘Jimmy’ with various guests. I was confused. The hallway must house pictures from the network’s big shows?

I didn’t see any other pictures except from the show. It wasn’t the Jimmy Fallon Show it was the Jimmy Kimmel show!!!!! That explained why my friends were so confused as to why I was so excited. In my mind I kept thinking Jimmy Fallon when it was really Jimmy Kimmel!

The show was as amusing as it could be for someone I had no desire to see. We had good seats and were even treated to an outdoor concert by Cypress Hill accompanied by the wafting scent of marijuana and a bunch of grown adults dressed as hooligans. We were in the very back. I had no interest in getting any closer to the extremely loud speakers.

I noticed right away that next to us, in the back was ‘Starbuck’ from one of my favorite SciFi shows, Battle Star Galactica (remake of the 1980’s television show). I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t get to meet Jimmy Fallon but my husband and I took pictures with the fracking coolest viper pilot the universe has ever seen!

Over Coming Writers Block

2011-10-19T00:10:00.000-07:00

Since I've been back at school myself, I have a lot of writing assignments. All related to English, either analyzing great literary works or attempting to create one myself. :-)

Of course once it's assigned, everyone, at some point, will experience what's known as writer's block; you stare at a blank screen (these days most type on computers, right?) and you've got nothing. The thoughts are slow and laborious. You can't get your to do list out of your head and before you know it your home is spotless, you've revamped your entire closet but your screen page is still blank.

Frustrating for sure.

I have realized a few tips that have helped me over come this dreaded race against the deadline. Maybe you will find them useful too.

1. Write: that probably sounds funny since writing is the problem you are having, right? The thing is, don't try to write about your topic or subject matter, allow yourself to free write whatever comes to your mind. This helps to clear the mental clutter and get your brain focused.

2. Hand write: my oldest son suggested this and it was AMAZING! The motion of writing with your hands is fluid and seems to use a different part of your brain than typing. Just as your hand flows freely across the page, so will the thoughts.

3. Don't write: yep. Step away from the computer or page and do something else. Preferably outside. I have "written" some of my best work while watering the lawn, riding my bike or going for a run. Seriously. Once your mind has refreshed itself, return to the page and see how much easier it is. I promise.

4. Create something else: again, step away from the page. Often I will allow the deadline to dictate how I *should* be spending my time. My heart wants to sew or crochet but my mind reminds me of that due date. I sit there trying to force something that I'm just not feeling. However, I have recently begun to do the opposite. When feeling the crunch, I will purposely participate in a completely different creative pursuit like sewing or crochet. I won't focus on what I should be doing, but simply enjoy the process of creation in the moment. I have found that when I return to write, ideas come easier and better. I was stuck on piece and feeling frustrated. I called it quits and worked on a sewing project instead. I almost felt guilty. After I finished sewing, I was struck with inspiration and was able to finish the piece in no time and it was even better and livelier than when I had started it earlier. I am now convinced that creativity breeds creativity!

There. I know they seem to all contradict each other, don't they? However, everyone's creative process is different. I have found each of those ideas to work for me at different times depending on the situation. I hope some of them are new and helpful to you too.

Anniversary Adventure 2011

2011-10-17T19:16:00.000-07:00

This year (Oct. 3rd) was our 19th wedding anniversary. We didn't have big plans but the Mr. was invited to *work* a Dinner Detective Show at the franchise in SF. (he works the local franchises regularly) We used that opportunity as an excuse to get away & call it an 'anniversary trip'. We had no idea it was also a big marathon weekend!

We survived a slightly tense trek from the airport to the Hotel...once we found it since we exited the subway too early (dejavu' NY!)...we were thrilled upon arrival to discover our reservation had been CANCELLED. Being familiar with adventure we were only a little bit annoyed. The Mr. needed to start rehearsing w/ the cast he'd never met before so we headed toward the show hotel and confidently thought we'd figure something out once we got there.

The next leg of our trip was interrupted by an Occupy San Francisco protest. It was so strange. We were in a decent area and a few feet over the air and energy changed and suddenly I noticed vagrants, graffiti and abandoned businesses. As we were walking, traffic stopped and a large swarm of people, carrying protest signs and shouting protest slogans, came marching down the street. The hairs on my arms stood on end. On our side of the street a small band of black men shouted anger filled slurs and hate toward the protesters and, it seemed, toward America in general. They shouted things like; "Death to America!" and "America is Dead!" They had a large cardboard sign but I did not want them to think I was staring at them so I was not able to read what was written on it. They were wearing some sort of robes but they did not look clean cut. On the other side of the street were "Christians" holding large signs referring to the sin of homosexuality. I don't remember exactly what was written on it but their faces...the ones holding the signs, looked very bland. Not approachable at all and easy to ignore--bored maybe? I'm not sure...

We hiked up a big hill (isn't that *all* of SF?), decided to hop onto an over stuffed trolley car and finally arrived to the location of the show and that hotel was sold out--booked solid. I tried to find openings online to no avail. I enjoyed myself anyway, watching the Mr. in action for the show. I'd never seen it before and had a great time. It helped that our friend/franchise owner's girlfriend came along, so we sat next to each other. The show included dinner--that was nice. Our table was filled w/ other friendly guests of the evening. They had a great time and when the show was over and we revealed we were related to the "owner" & "detective"--they were so excited & said that made their night even *better*. (the exact quote was F*^&*#@ AWESOME!)

During the middle of the show I decided to check with the front desk again, tell them our cancellation-sob-story, smile big and beg if necessary. Turns out they had a cancellation but it was a smoking room and even though it was 9:00 pm it was not ready yet. The woman at the counter was nice and gave us a discount. It still ended up being more than we planned since our cancelled reservation was part of a "package". The room was very luxurious and lovely and we were happy with it...especially since our only other option was spending the night in Denny's!

The next day we headed toward the Wharf. We'd been here before a few years ago but for a full weekend--and had a great time. We ate a nice brunch at the Boudin Bakery. The weather was cool but nice. No trip is complete without a walk around Ghiradelli Square and free chocolate samples from the Ghiradelli chocolate shop. We wanted to bring bread, cookies and chocolate back home to everyone BUT we thought the airport still had security rules of no food. We found out too late we were wrong & it's only liquids you can't bring on. :-( We walked around & window shopped---exactly what I said I did NOT want to do. Funny how that works out. The Mr. wanted to see the sea lions...again. I figured once you've seen them--you've SEEN them and had no desire to repeat the experience.

We picked up a few minor souvenirs for the ktbunch back home and before we knew it...it was time to head back to the air port. I was sad to end our trip so soon. We took a longer ride on the trolley car back to Union Square. We had time to check out the grand opening of a museum. It was mainly Japanese art--very interesting sculptures in a style I had never seen before. They looked like giant wax rocks encapsulating a cave inside. Once sign said they were irreplicable. Amazing!

We finally figured out the BART. We were almost to the airport just as a Raider game was finishing. I'd never seen so many fans in one place. It was as if the whole world was dressed in black and silver. The Mr. was so excited to see that. It was a bummer we couldn't have gone to a game...I'm not really sad about that. haha.

We arrived at the airport dutifully on time just to have our flight delayed and delayed again. We almost missed it because they never announced it was even boarding. Good thing for us they DID call us by name over the loud speaker. We were the *last* people to board the plane!

I've come to accept that my life will never go exactly as planned...so it's a good thing we're always up for adventure, no matter what we do. It's what gives my life 'character'....I believe.

Off to the Fair!

2011-09-30T22:45:00.000-07:00

Family picture time. I don't know about you--but doesn't this just SCREAM "Christmas card"? I totally agree!

We love these things...can you tell? K especially, would jump out of the stroller every chance he had, to stick his face in a cut out and get his pic snapped. There were more, we didn't even get them all. Maybe that can be our goal next year, to get a pic with *every* face cut-out 'thing'. I have a few pix from years back with each of my kiddos faces in that big tomato head.

It was different for us this year. Last year we mainly stayed in the children's section with the farm animals and participated in all the old time crafts. We were introduced to needle felting at the fair last year and saw the same demonstrator this year. He is a nice man and does amazing work with felt and needles. This time we didn't spend much time in this section.

There was SO much to do and see but unfortunately the place is so big we did not realize most of it until we were already on our way out. Regardless, we still had so much FUN this year.

S was brave enough to ride a mechanical bull! It was the most hilarious thing I've ever seen. By the end, we were all in tears from laughing so hard. We can't stop watching the video of it, over and over.

We were mesmerized by amazing arial trapeze artists. These women were so strong, holding themselves up by their arms or legs on a long, dramatic red ribbon, swirling and twirling.

We enjoyed an old-time inspired acrobatic show that included a high wire walker and women that danced with flaming candle sticks.

We laughed in shock when we took off for an elephant ride! You don't realize how high off the ground you really are until the elephant begins walking away. It was Birdy, S, the toddler and myself.

I even scored a new hat for myself, since it turned out to be really warm. The weather was nice but unexpected.

The Mr. was primarily in the mood to embrace all the crazy, deep-fried foods the fair had to offer. he was moderate about it in the end but he did get one treat.....

The whole family was able to enter for free since it was a field trip. They said we were going to have to pay for parking but we didn't.

We had a fabulous day.

PSA: Doorways & Floorways

2011-09-29T21:55:00.000-07:00

I firmly believe that emergencies in the middle of the night are a true possibility. Therefore one must take all necessary precautions to create an unobstructed emergency escape route. In a 1000 square foot home, housing four children, three dogs, two adults and one bathroom, and all the stuff associated with each, this can be a challenge.

The vacuum for instance, usually keeps watch outside the hall way closet door. It can’t be too far to the right or the left because then it hovers on the verge of blocking the door way on either side of it. It must be perfectly centered. Doorways must be cleared nightly to create a clear path of exit.

My oldest son closes his door to sleep at night. However, the door only opens partially due to an assortment of random laundry items behind the door. I rarely enter into the man-boy cave he shares with his middle school aged brother so I can only imagine what lies beyond the great divide. The idea though, of not being able to open the door freely can send me into a dizzy rage of midnight emergency scenarios!

“Ern!” I push against the bedroom door as far as it will go. The door pushes back.

“What.” the man boy sighs.

“Ern! I can not get this door open.”

“Look. It opens.” He rolls his eyes as I shove my body into his realm.

“No, it doesn’t. This is not acceptable. If there is an emergency and you need to get out quickly...what! What are you going to do then? huh?” It’s only the beginning of the rant he’s heard many times. “Why do we keep needing to have this conversation?”

The door is not blocked from opening, just opening ALL the way. My sons are skinny, it’s not like they can’t fit through it. Their room also contains two windows if escape were ever truly necessary. I have never experienced a midnight emergency requiring me to run out but that is not the point.

Shoe in the doorway: tripping hazard.

Towel casually tossed: slip and fall.

Lego: stabbed foot causing a delayed exit.

Doll: twisted ankle.

One person could fall blocking all other persons from exiting the area. This is serious escape route business, not to be taken lightly. If you need to exit the home in an emergency, all exits need to be clear of debris. Imagine a fire in the middle of the night, it’s dark and you’re groggy. You probably won’t remember that you dropped your slippers next to the bed and need to step over them. Instead, you will jump up and as you put your foot down and pivot to run out of the house half dressed, you will slip!

Speaking of half dressed, one should never, under any circumstances, sleep in the nude. It won’t be sexy when your house is on fire and you have to make a death defying leap out of your bedroom window and land on the rose bushes below. You might think keeping a robe on the end of the bed is the solution to this dilemma. Until... you kick in the middle of your restless sleep, jump up because you’ve been awakened by an earthquake that has shaken your gas pipes loose, causing a leak that suddenly bursts into flames when the deadly gas comes in contact with the sensual candle you left burning after an evening of late night sexcapades, and can’t find your robe because it has become entangled in the sheets and blankets of your bed.

I once knew a girl who’s downstairs kitchen caught on fire. She was sleeping in her room above and had to make a quick exit via an upstairs window. It was the talk of the neighborhood for weeks how she didn’t have any underwear on under her tight blue jeans she had barely enough time to throw on. We had to evacuate our condo for the same incident. My brother spent the entire morning in his underwear holding a welcome mat around his waist.

Don’t be a statistic! Always be prepared for an in home emergency. Clear door ways and wear real pajamas. BE PREPARED!

My Shark-boy

2011-09-24T23:09:00.000-07:00

Sammy booked his first commercial and shot it today. He was one of about 11 or so kids w/ shark fins on their backs, swarming in frenzied shark-like circles, stalking a 'mom' bringing home some Sharkies fruit snacks!

It was quite an eye opener for him. I tried to prepare him for all the time he would have on his hands & told him to bring his science book to work on. He didn't believe me. By the end of the afternoon....he was convinced that *next time* he was definitely bringing his science book! lol

We sat around most of the day, eating. They have a table spread that can't be beat. They were short one fin so he wasn't in most of the scenes they shot. Which made the day even more boring & disappointing. Once they released most of the talent, they put a fin on him and he was able to shoot a close up scene. Of course I hope they use it. He was in the group shot, of them huddled in a fruit-snack-feeding-frenzy but I don't think you'll see him cause he doesn't have a fin on. A few of the bigger kids were obnoxious and rowdy and created some not very fun moments. But over all, I think it was a good experience for him. After they shot his individual scene, we were released and he was on cloud nine. I'm sure the endorphin boost from the running they made him do & the sweet Sharkies snacks they had them eat had something to do w/ it too. :-)

Afternoon visitor

2011-09-17T22:49:00.000-07:00

Today an elderly homeless man approached my porch and began talking to my front door. I thought he was about to knock but as I looked out the peep hole, he was talking. I couldn't understand him at first. I think he was saying something about, if I needed yard work done. Just as I was telling oldest to go out and talk to him, he walked down the porch, still talking, back to his wheelchair on the sidewalk. I think he was using it as a walker?

I didn't recognize him, so he must be new to the neighborhood. We get a lot of pedestrian traffic where we live. We see (and hear) quite a few regulars. Last week the same man walked by our home, very late every night, screaming & cursing. One of the nights, again very late, my oldest son and I froze in silence when we heard him stop yelling and his cart stop rolling, right in front of our house. We were both sure we heard walking, up to our front window. The curtains were closed but the windows were open. There was silence as we both held our breath. Finally, after a few moments, his cart began rolling again and we let out a sigh of relief.

This isn't the first time we've had strangers approach our home. One time, years ago, a woman pounded on our door around six or seven am. The Mr. groggily answered, fearing some sort of emergency. The woman, whom we'd never seen before, nearly demanded that she needed to pray for us. The Mr. reminded her how early it was and how strange it was for her to be pounding on our door like that. She finally settled down when he told her she could pray for us, on our porch but he was going back to bed. I don't know what she prayed because I think it was in another language.

Another time, we were having a back yard barbecue for Mother's Day. A woman walked by, again we did not recognize her, and asked what we were cooking. The Mr. and my brother explained we were having a back yard barbecue for mother's day.

"I'm a mother!" she said and asked if she could have a burger. Not really knowing how to respond, the Mr. let her have one, but not until after she also asked for cheese on it. We still laugh about that one.

Destined to Fail

2011-09-15T09:10:00.000-07:00

Somedays I wake up and I just know.

I do everything in my power to prevent it. I will change, I think. I will prevent it by being more organized, so nothing is lost. Time can be salvaged when I have everything in it's place. I will be grateful for all I have. I will be content. I will be more diligent about accomplishing all these things. I am spiritual--I know it's not in my own strength-so there is no need for epiphany from that angle.

I will go to sleep earlier so I can get up earlier. I am doing what I am meant to do. Everything is in order. And yet....the failure comes. Perhaps, it is the unaccounted for unknowns, the variables in life. It's not even something major--but it's there.

The giant F word that is scarier and bigger than the other 4-letter word.

FAILURE.

Oh people will tell you it's not a failure IF you learn something from it. So I try to make amends by searching for the lesson; vowing to learn it, know it, memorize it and prevent ever encountering the F word again. It's uncomfortable. It's irritating. It makes you squirm. Like a piece of sand in your shoe. I know it's there and it won't kill me or even cause a blister but it's there and it's not meant to be.

Somedays it doesn't seem so over whelming.

Other days, it's everything.

The printer has run out of ink-when I need it. Figure it out. I think running late-but there's a still a chance. I've got everything packed but still I forgot something. I have to turn around; lateness is now inevitable. Being late is undesirable but it happens. I'll be there and that is what is important. The classroom door is locked. Go around, get everything ready first. Can't find what I need. Swore I packed it. Near tears for something that is not worth crying about but it feels so important. What's two absences in 16 weeks worth of classes? It's not perfect attendance-that's what. And it's a million other adjectives I don't want to be.

Perfection. Obviously is unattainable. I know that. I have accepted it in some areas...other areas it comes naturally, perfection or excellence is easy. Something gives, or not.

Failure is part of everything. Not to be avoided, maybe? Embraced. Accepted.

There will be failure.

Being a human that fails-is such a cliche. So normal.
Can I just avoid that part? :-)
Let's call it something else. Something less formal--and less final.
Failure period.
Can it be "Failure comma"? Or "Failure semi-colon"--like a checklist! Be sure you accomplish that honey-do list of failures today. sweet smile. sparkle tooth. ding!

I can embrace and accept I failed today. I will choose something else to succeed at but it might not be until next week. For now-I'll call it a wash. I give up. Stop fighting. When I stop fighting, it's not as uncomfortable anymore. I take a deep breathe and settle in. I'm still here.

I see a water fountain, the back of it is spraying a skinny but strong stream of water. Broken pipe. The pipe has failed it's intended purpose. But it's not leaking all over the sidewalk. It's streaming into a rose bush and other foliage and grass. The water isn't exactly wasted, you just won't be able to drink from it for awhile. It makes me laugh because the way it's spraying makes me think of pee. Obviously, my inner 11 year old needed to take a break from all this 'adulthood' for a minute. I want to take a picture-but I know it won't mean anything to anyone else. It's a significant failure. And I'm laughing about it, aloud.

"It was a Barf-O-ramaaaa!"

2011-09-13T21:52:00.000-07:00

Remember that line from Goonies? It was the first thing that came to mind to describe the night I had. My pleasant dream took a strange twist when I heard: "Guh" and a splatter, "Guh" and a splatter, then one more "Guh" and splatter. I was awakened by the Mr.'s voice, "S are you okay?" I wasn't dreaming. The sounds I heard were vomit being sprayed all through my hallway. Thank goodness for wood floors!

S threw up three times before he made it the six feet to the bathroom. Then he threw up some more when he did make it. The Mr. got up and I wished I could pretend I was sleeping through it....It seems the farther and farther the kiddos get from the infant spitting up & diapers stage--the weaker my stomach gets. My abdomen knotted as I walked in the hallway and began to gag. I left the scene to grab the vinegar and began pouring it all over the floor. That was much better. I can handle the scent of a natural fluid like vinegar!

The Mr. and I tag teamed and worked effectively at wiping up everything with out having to actually touch anything by using our feet. It pretty much required using half the load of freshly washed towels and a bunch of old cloth diapers. I prayed that no one else would get sick. Please!!! Figured I'd clean the toilet before I left for school in the morning.

S took to the couch--I guess he wanted to have a quick escape route, just in case. I fell back into bed and the Mr. was already asleep. I don't know HOW he does that so fast! What felt like a minute later but was actually 45, I was awakened by the sounds of more vomiting.I thought it was S again & figured he didn't really need any help this time since he made it to the restroom, right?

Then I felt guilty and got up to realize it was Birdy! ugh. Poor girl was vomiting into the still vomit splattered toilet from the previous user. I made sure she didn't touch a thing and put her hair back in a rubber band. The second load of towels had just finished from the dryer and I was able to wrap her weak and shaky body in the warmth of a fresh one. I laid one over S in the living room and took one to bed myself. I prayed the toddler, or any of the rest of us, wouldn't get sick!

Before I knew it, the alarm was going off. I got up to get my assignments together and realized there was just NO way I was going to make it the 8 miles to school on my bike this morning. The Mr. had a job today and wouldn't be home, two vomiting middles and a toddler were no match for oldest alone. I felt panicked at the thought of missing school--especially when I had assignments due. It's a hard call for a normally straight A student! I felt like I needed to email all my professors and make special arrangements to turn in my work--then I realized they expect an absence here and there and late work is accepted, if even for a lowered grade. duh! One day wouldn't kill anyone.

Besides that, these kiddos, they are my priority, above all else. I just couldn't leave them like that, feeling so sick. I didn't even want to. I wanted them to know that and feel that. I will be here, when they need me. They are important.

The Mr. left and I stayed in bed, the toddler joined me and fell back to sleep. Birdy woke up dry heaving and S used the towel I had laid over him. It was a long day and I got a lot of laundry done.

Sometimes....it's like that.

First week of school for me.

2011-09-01T12:22:00.000-07:00

Can't keep track of my book bargains, which ones have I ordered? Where should I buy it from? Does anyone have this book? Assignments due the first week. Writing sample due and approved. Prerequisites taken concurrently. Figure out a reliable and safe bike route. Determine a wardrobe that accommodates riding my bike to school. Navigate the pedestrian and auto traffic. Where's the bike rack closest to my class? Finagle a roomier bag that can hold my books and tennis shoes. Check up on my graduation status. Kindle? Electronic books? Did someone mention breakfast? Lunch? When? Do I know anyone in my classes? Bangs. Hairband. Sunscreen. Remember names. Classrooms. Time. What time is it? Wake up early. Go to bed late. Desks too close together, no leg room. Where am I going? How long have I been awake? What day is it? 3 days in. 4 days in. Not dropping. Do I recognize that kid from somewhere? Toddler woke up early. Did Birdy get her math done? Why hasn't the dog poo been picked up for 5 days? Where are my flip flops? I need to wear shoes. Make-up? No make-up? Does it really matter if I wear blush? Mascara is a necessity. Shower? morning or night? Why did I get bangs? Sweat dripping down my face. My sunglasses broke. Get a new pair. Price has gone up. Free printing at the library. Bring 5 copies. Bring 25 copies. Forget the copies. Find the lab. Make a report. What's a lab report? Absent minded professor. Long lines. Feel dizzy. Crying for no reason. Dehydrated. Not enough opportunities to use all my words. Have nothing to write. Drive to LA. Audition. Move quickly. People waiting. Rush. Slow down. Slam on the brakes. Sit in the sun. Respond to email. Send email. Email professor. Do I know you? Breathe. Don't forget to breathe! Nail biting is back. read this text. Find this story. What is a scene? Dialogue. Edit. Condense. Be efficient. Waste time. Focus. Hug. Yep. Return library books. Tea.

Welcome back.

There's No Place Like Home

2011-08-31T21:41:00.000-07:00

“…and they were only $5.95!” I held my new shoes up like a prized trophy for my family to see, pointing out the original half torn, price tag from Nordstrom.

“Hold me.” The toddler reached up his arms then impatiently began to wrap himself in and between my legs. Apparently, no else in my family appreciates the thrill of a great bargain like I do.

I had scored at the local thrift store. It was closed for a few months while they were remodeling. I knew we were probably going to be paying for that remodel with higher prices. With high hopes I went to check it out anyway.

Be still my beating heart. Shoes in every shape and color, rows upon rows of them, I reached out and began running my fingers delicately over the cutest pairs. They caught my eye immediately, a brand new looking pair of thick soled, classic, red flats with a petite red bow across the top. They fit snugly. These will be perfect for my upcoming trip to New York!

This casual California girl could make in the big city with these fabulous red shoes. I’d fit right in. I’d be fashionable and sophisticated. I’d be relaxed, raise my hand and taxis would rush to offer me their services. I’d walk and look like I knew where I was going, because, I was. I was going to New York!

I’d exited the subway too early. No worries. These red shoes could have been Dorothy’s ruby, red slippers. Like magic, they carried me for blocks and blocks and more blocks but who’s counting? Maybe it was the thrill of being in the Big Apple, maybe the exhaust fumes from all the taxis that never stopped, that left me a little light headed. Whatever it was, I deny the existence of red, tender spots forming on my feet, when we finally check in at our hotel.

We met up with friends, said our hellos and headed for the nearest pub. Everyone was energized and distracted by the excitement of traveling across the country, so I pointed out my great bargain to the girls. “Nice! Cute.” They ooohed and awed. They were duly impressed.

I was grateful when we collectively decided to stop for a shake at some “famous” shake shop. My feet were pinching and throbbing. I am in New York. No one gets blisters in New York! I was nearly hobbling as we headed back to the hotel, “Oh! Already? The night is still young!” I cringed with every step.

Large, swollen and stinging blisters raged angrily at me. My heels glared, “How could you?” We had been betrayed, for $5.95.

I pulled out my old, faithful flip-flops and looked forward to going home.

Why not?

2011-08-22T15:58:00.000-07:00

I noticed online a bunch of mom's hosting back-to-school breakfasts & parties. Well, since we eat breakfast everyday, it never occurred to me to make a 'special' one for the first day of school. HOW could I have not thought of this myself!?!

So today I made an extra special breakfast just because. It's not officially the first day of school but hey, it's Monday! That counts right? I served parfaits in wine glasses (which I happen to have two sturdy plastic ones!) which worked perfectly. Replaced the table cloth (which was long over due) and set place mats.

You know you want some!

Once I start back to school myself, next week, this may not be practical but I am going to make more of an effort to *fancy up* other meals. Meal times should not be taken for granted. Getting everyone involved in some way did add some peace to our morning, surprisingly. You think it's gonna make it more hectic. Actually, it seemed to calm everyone, each doing their part, to prepare a *nice* breakfast. Maybe that is key? I'm not sure but it worked. Birdy set the table, Sammyboy sliced the strawberries while Ern pulled out & rinsed the nicer dishes and I cooked the eggs & prepared the parfaits. I think the parfaits were the biggest hit of the morning.

Even the toddler used a 'good dish'--plastic of course! He really enjoyed breakfast too.

Back from New York

2011-08-16T23:27:00.000-07:00

The Mr. & I spent the weekend in New York for an improv festival, marathon actually, that he (& many friends) were involved in. The weather was gorgeous....@ first. Not humid but mild and breezy, nights were warm. By Saturday night--it was pouring!

I can take it in stride but this born & raised Cali girl was obviously out of her element w/ all that 'wet stuff'. I'm used to it not raining until Dec or Jan and for only 5 min. While it all felt romantic initially, you know, being in NY w/ the Mr., walking through the rain...after slipping for the umpteenth time--I'd had enough. It went from cute to annoying as soon as I could not step down into the subway station due to inches of stagnant water @ the bottom of the stairs. (uh...I was wearing my flip-flops!)

We did see quite a few sights and did a lot of walking. We encountered large rats, emboldened by twilight, fighting. Seriously. That was a sight I'd never imagined seeing. We had a hilarious time w/ some friends trying to run across a ground level water fountain that randomly sprayed, w/o getting wet. The Mr. & his friend *failed*, much to our delight. We stayed up later than necessary taking in all the sights and sounds of the city.

My grandma is from Puerto Rico and moved to New York as a teen after she graduated high school and my dad was born there...and there are still family connections there. I was excited to be able to reconnect with a distant cousin I met when I was 14 and hadn't seen since we were both about 15 years old. We only spent a few short hours together but that was a real highlight of the trip.

We saw Times Square, purchased designer bag knock-offs in China Town, had lunch in Little Italy, searched for a geocache in Battery Park, rode the subway, took a taxi, walked through SoHo...all the stereo-typical things to do and see. We went to Ground Zero but it was fenced in so you couldn't really see it, the memorial isn't finished and neither are the two replacement buildings.

We watched improv and the Mr. performed two times....and received rave reviews. The flight was nearly unbearable--so boring--but I was able to finish a book I was reading. It was fun to hang out a bit more than usual w/ some of the Mr.'s friends. I did miss my kiddos but technology is a life saver. Thank goodness for *face-time*! Seriously. SO great to be able to call the kids & see them & have them see us, especially for K--I was worried a little since this was the first time we'd been away from him over night. Of course they all had a great weekend w/ their cousins, aunt & uncle. They had a big back yard sleep over w/ a barBq & games and lots of fun.

Every moment made it memorable...even when a woman on the subway began to scream at us not to take her picture and to get our cameras away from her--I have no idea WHY she thought we wanted to take her picture--we didn't. Or when the Mr. tried to hail a cab and a police officer got mad @ the cabbie and shooed him away, I guess he wasn't supposed to be stopping. The Mr. had us all cracking up on the subway when he decided to do the corniest sexy dance ever and swing around one of the poles. "Crazy Californians"! We got a sugar rush when we all got choc-dipped ice cream cones from an ice cream truck. I really enjoyed the time I spent sitting outside the hotel, alone on the patio, people watching and writing in my 'travel journal'. (oh! how sophisticated am I? haha!)

But there really is: NO place like Home.

Eaton Canyon

2011-08-06T14:19:00.000-07:00

My brother and his family took this hike last weekend and knew we would love it so we planned another day that we could go. Friday was the day. We invited a few extra kiddos along, a friend from church and my niece. That was interesting. I did not realize how used to the outdoors and adventures my ktbunch is until I see other kiddos in action. They were troopers and even though they said the hike was *difficult*, reported they had a great time.

The weather was warm but nice. The trail was very rocky and most of the kids chose to walk it IN the water. That took longer than staying on the trail but they felt more comfortable and safer being able to walk in the water. I think the creek had more of a steady incline rather than definitive rocky steps upward like the trail.

I was wearing old tennis shoes but didn't want to get them wet if I didn't have to, so the Mr., oldest and I stuck to the trail and crossing the creek on top of dry rocks and stones. There were a few occasional slips but no falls or wet shoes and feet for us. Carrying back packs full of snacks and some towels--there was some sweat but nothing major or too dehydrating.

Finally we made it to our destination.

Not only was the water fall pretty but refreshing. Stepping in the water felt cool. Standing IN the actual water fall was almost weird. Not exactly like a cold shower, since the water falls at an inconsistent rate. Every single person that went in made a hilarious face from the shock and every female gave out some sort of laughing scream. The pool was shallow, only a few feet deep.

There were waves of day-camp kids. I thought it was neat that they were able to take this great hike and be outdoors but sad that they were with workers paid to be there with them. It felt a little crowded but not too bad. My brother said ti was worse when they went on a Saturday. I bet it was. We want to go back again and hike to the crest. There are 3 waterfalls in this canyon and the second one, at least, flows into a pool deep enough to jump in to from the falls. That's on our next-hike-to-do-list.

On our way back, we came across a hiker with a head injury. Her and her friend were also on their way down. Her friend was hit with a rock on her back and a few seconds later she was hit in the head. This was not a rock that fell from the top but a rock that was thrown. We had seen and heard the day camp kids throwing rocks and being scolded for it earlier. My brother even had to tell one of the counselors about it. So we suspect and concluded it was one of them that had inadvertently hit her. The rock that hit her head caused a pretty big, bloody gash. When we arrived she had just been hit and was sitting down holding a bloody t-shirt on her head. A few seconds later she was passed out and trembling. We stayed near her to try and assist in anyway we could and reassure her & her friend. It didn't take but a few minutes for her to regain consciousness, her color to come back, eventually the gash to stop bleeding and sit up. She had blood on herself everywhere, even down to her shoes!

Her friend had called 911 and they instructed us not to move her. The operator mentioned sending a helicopter too. Yikes! The Mr. was ready to carry her out. My sister-in-love and I were ready to use basic skills to close the gash if it had not stopped bleeding. (Which btw, for head wounds, you can tie the hairs on each side of the cut, together to hold it closed.)We waited for the emergency personnel to arrive and left. On our way we passed 3 more emergency response teams and a news camera guy! The road we parked on was blocked off by numerous emergency vehicles; 3 fire trucks, 2 paramedics, national forest service, an ambulance and a news van! There was also an ambulance and paramedic inside the canyon at the top of the trail. I found a news video (@ the 10 second mark) that showed some footage of her getting suited up in a serious neck brace and being transported out of the canyon on a gurney.

Exciting for sure. It was another great day and I can't wait to go back and see the bigger falls. Birdy spent the rest of the afternoon swimming @ her cousin Alece's house and spent the night while Sammyboy went home w/ my brother to hang out w/ my nephews. The Mr. had a show later that night and my brother and his wife went with us to watch it. We laughed...a lot. What a great night! I was so tired when my head finally hit the pillow.

Beach Weather

2011-08-05T15:33:00.000-07:00

For a few days this summer we actually made it to the beach. It started last Friday when the Mr. had his tennis tourney & we all stopped at the beach for a little while.

Monday Sammy had an audition in Malibu and well, who can go to "Malibu" and *not* go to the beach? Know what I'm saying? We weren't there very long but it was long enough to snap a few pix and stretch our legs then head back into traffic.

That was all it took for the ktbunch to get that beach fever. The next day we headed to Bay Shore which is a local bay. I love it cause the beach is short so it's easy to watch the kiddos. There are no waves, that doesn't excite the kiddos but it's perfect for the toddler. They can all float around and get wet enough with out me worrying they are going to get sucked into the sea.

It was also a great opportunity to use the water bombs I made. They worked great. The Mr. and I took a swim of our own, both days. WHAT a work out. I don't know *how* I used to swim that length before. I am so out of shape. But who's keeping track right? ;-) I did notice a fine film? of semi-green color on all my body hair after the swim...until I wiped it off. EEEwwwwweee? maybe. It's not a pool, what do you expect?

It felt great...once I talked myself into the water, which was cold. Of course, once you dive in, that's all it takes and you don't even notice. I couldn't convince myself of that the 2nd day though...when I finally did jump in--boy was it sure colder than the first day! Way colder. Whatever. Once you start moving it's fine...or so I told myself.

These ended up being a few more great afternoons to add to our summer memories.

Kidnap & Rescue

2011-08-01T10:43:00.000-07:00

Recently I heard about a show on the Discovery Channel that left me covered w/ chills. It's a show about the recovery of people that have been kidnapped. This particular episode was about a team that specifically recovers stolen children. Most of these helpless children are sold into a world of sexual slavery and child pornography. Very heart breaking to say the least. This man and his team go in where governments cannot venture. They're not business suited, political ambassadors, they are hard-core, seasoned and extensively trained veterans. They also do this for NO personal pay.They have tried simply buying the children back, lower risk, right? But the children are much more 'valuable' to their kidnappers to keep than ransom, these days. There is no other way but to go in using great force.

This particular episode reenacted two different rescue operations. One little girl was rescued and reunited w/ her family 18 months after she had been abducted. The operation involved traveling to a foreign country, obtaining black market weapons, a child sized bullet proof vest and a custom made, bullet proof, tube that was worn as a back pack, that the child was placed into and carried out of captivity, into freedom. Can you imagine?

Besides the heart break of such a situation, what especially moved me was that these men, who have nothing to gain & their very lives to lose, would risk everything for one little child. An entire team, of big brawny men, for one helpless little child. They recognize the value of even one small child, one small life, barely lived. When they arrived @ the compound, the child put her hands up toward them, to carry her. Somewhere in her heart, she just knew they were there to save her. They gave her a teddy bear and began to outfit her in a small child-sized bullet proof vest and eventually placed her in the safety of the tube, that one of them personally carried on his back.

Imagine you are that one child. You have lost all hope when suddenly not just one but a team of big men rush in just for you. I thought it was such a graphic picture of the value Christ sees in us. We are as helpless as these little children, unable to save ourselves. But God sees the value in each of us, to come out guns blazing, to risk *everything*, the life of his very son, to save us. He will persist to the very end to rescue us. For even *one*, to be saved from perishing, he risked it all.

Jesus experienced betrayal (Judas), rejection (Peter) and persecution. These men have faced these issues themselves. One time they went in for a rescue, only to discover they had been set up and the children had already been moved before they got there. They have even lost comrades during these rescues. And yet....they continue in their mission of recovery. Another time they had one rescue target but upon arrival found many other children being held captive, they rescued them all, how could they not?

I am amazed by these heroes. Such bravery, fueled not only by compassion but a sense of justice for what is good and right. One man on the show stated: he 'wished someone would have rescued him and done this for him when he was a child'. That's right! Many times we are mistreated and then tend to turn into the very thing we hate. This man made a choice to be a rescuer, rather than an abuser. We can all choose that. Truly honorable men!

Do you want to be rescued? Because there is one who has come to save, risking everything for YOU!

Romans 3:23-24 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

That's a wrap!

2011-07-31T17:29:00.000-07:00

Last night the Mr. & I attended a 'wrap party'. A friend of his wrote & directed a web series that is about to premier and lots of improvisors/friends from the theater , including the Mr., were a part of it in someway. Even our middles and youngest are in it. The party was held atop the roof of the Hollywood Tower.

It was so nice up there. There was an awesome view of the city & the Hollywood Hills. We were able to view the first episode of the web series and Birdy was in that one. She has grown so much in just a few short months since it was shot! I can hardly believe it.

We had a nice time and it was something different to do since the Mr. usually works on Saturday nights. The property is actually two separate apartment buildings. The other building is more modern and has a glamorous lobby right out of a magazine.

It features giant chairs in turquoise that dwarf me. I felt like I was in Alice in Wonderland in this thing. It was a great way to end the evening, top off the weekend and say goodbye to July.

Fun Filled Friday

2011-07-29T23:50:00.000-07:00

Today was jam-packed full of family adventures. (which really is our daily life, some days more-so than others!) The Mr. had a tennis tournament in Laguna Niguel, which is a bit of a drive, so we had to get up *early*. (yes, 7:30 am IS early in our home). We figured since it was near the beach we'd have an opportunity to hang out for awhile and check out some views at least. We invited my brother and his family too. The more the merrier, right?

We were off and when we arrived, the Mr. went to check in and we had an hour to kill. We found a great little beach called Salt Creek Park with a nice paved trail, views of gorgeous homes and free parking. Score! We followed a bunch of stairs to get down to the beach and do you know what we realized on the way back up? A CABLE CAR! Yes, a cable car that could fit all of us and carry us up all those stairs, slower than we could walk. haha. How could we resist!?!

Of course we acted like we were going on a roller coaster ride...made everyone put all their hands up and shout whoooooo& wheeeee! K loved it. One time we all agreed to act like we HAD just gone on a thrilling roller coaster ride when we exited....yes we got a few funny looks.

We cheered on (quietly, tennis is so proper!) the Mr. for his match but he was having a very 'off' day that included giant blisters on the bottom of his feet (OUCH!) and resulted in him losing. We returned to the beach after though. The kids dug up sand crabs (shivers!) and unsuccessfully tried *not* to get very wet in the waves. ;-)

We grabbed lunch on the way home and arrived just in time to begin getting ready for the Mr.'s 20 YEAR class reunion. He helped organize it and was slated to be the MC for the night. I wasn't sure how it would be for me and wasn't exactly looking forward to it. I expected he'd be behind the microphone all night and I'd be at a table with a bunch of strangers. When we arrived, one of the organizers with the supplies was running late. I helped get the decorations up, favors set on the tables and everything situated in time and that easily broke the ice. They joked that next time, they'd have ME help plan the event instead of the Mr.

Everyone was nice and friendly and the Mr. didn't have to MC that much. We had a great time and it looked like everyone else did too. The funniest part was when they were giving out prizes and one of the prizes was for a dance off to dances from high school such as: the Cabbage Patch, the Robo Cop, the Running Man and the Smurf. I thought I was gonna die laughing so hard. It was a really fun night. I'm glad I didn't let my attitude and fear hold me back from supporting the Mr. and enjoying myself as well, otherwise I would have missed out on a great night.

Just another day of summer...

2011-07-28T23:51:00.000-07:00

Today we took another bike ride, this time in my brother's direction. Kurtis unexpectedly woke up a few times last night which resulted in a very tired momma this morning. We over slept and left the house much later than we planned. About 15 minutes into our ride, Sammyboy noticed one of his bike tires was getting flat-again! So he turned around w/ the Mr., who also had the baby on his bike, to switch bikes and then catch back up with us.

Birdy and I continued on and met up w/ my brother and his family about half way. Since we had time to kill waiting for my guys to catch up with us, we took a little side trip to get some fruit and snacks. By the time we got back onto the river bed, the timing was perfect because my guys were there taking a water break.

We took the river bed again this time, a nearly 8.5 mile ride. Our destination was Wilderness park in Downey. We relaxed there and had a mini picnic while the kiddos fed ducks and fish and got stuck in trees they climbed.

It was pretty warm by then so we decided to head on over to my brother's house and try out their new trampoline. He lives really close to that park so it's kind of funny that they all rode to the river bed to meet us when they could have ridden about 10 min to the park from their house.

We had so much fun on the trampoline. The kids, especially Sammyboy jumped so high. I did too. The Mr. was not interested in trying it out. Even K got in on the action. He was a bit scared at first if anyone else moved the trampoline while he was on it...I guess cause he couldn't control it. If he was on it alone, he began to have fun and jump little toddler jumps.

We have been having such a great summer. It's been really fun riding our bikes all over. Trying to keep them all in working order at the same time...has been a challenge. It seems every time we go out, one of the bikes has a flat tire. So frustrating. I think Sammyboy has gone through 3 or 4 inner tubes on his.ugh. Besides that though, we are so blessed to live in an area that gets such great weather nearly year round.

It sure beats sitting around in the house all day! Doesn't it? I have been tired some times with all the busyness and driving around but I can't complain that this summer has been boring, that's for sure. We have had a lot of enjoyable and memorable moments. I really love my life and the ability to treasure each moment. I *really* love getting out and being active, like when we ride bikes. Now one of these days, I'd like us to ride all the way to the beach!

Aren't these pix the best? The middles were really able to get some air weren't they? And that's me at the top. I wasn't about to miss out on the fun! What a work out too! whew!

Date night turned family night

2011-07-23T10:00:00.000-07:00

The Mr. and I had planned to go to the movies by ourselves last night. It was another screening with his film society membership except it was a movie we weren't particularly interested in seeing. Oldest has his own plans as well so it would have required us to make some sort of child-care arrangements.

Last minute we just decided to grab a pizza and head to the Drive-In. (yes, we watch a lot of movies!) It's more relaxing to be able to watch a movie from your own car, especially with a toddler. We park the car backwards and take out the back seat. The Mr. & I sit on the bench seat and the kiddos have all the open space in the car to lay down & watch the movie. (or jump & crawl around) We pile up the pillows and blankets and they usually go in their PJs. It's more of an *experience* than just going to the movies.

We saw Captain America and Transformers III. I *really* enjoyed Captain America. his character was an all around good guy. He wanted to serve his country and was honest and brave. It was a romantically nostalgic movie, clean cut, nothing majorly objectionable like foul language, nudity or excessive violence. Unfortunately I can't say the same for T3. I was disappointed. From the opening screen shot between the new female lead's legs, I knew it was not going to go well. Optimus Prime's character is still noble and honorable and Sam Witwicky's character is amusing but it ends there. These movies are based on children's cartoons of the 80's. Why ruin it for kids with foul language, suggestive shots and and extra 30 unnecessary minutes?

At least we had some fun family time together. That is another great thing about the drive-in, you don't disturb anyone else when your toddler talks & climbs all over throughout the whole thing! So it's not like we weren't relating during the movie. ;-)

Grand Canyon Adventure 2011: Out takes uneditted

2011-07-22T23:46:00.000-07:00

These are the pix you didn't see....

A resting spot I often found Birdy at: a tree limb! Who needs a hammock!

Yes...that IS the edge...and YES we DID get *that* close.

Sacred Space: Yuvapai ruins. This space was used for spiritual and ceremonial practices of the Native Americans.

Our tent...it was smaller than I expected but cozy enough. It began to pour when we set it up & promptly stopped by the time we were finished.

Converse: made for hiking.

Perspective: He wasn't as impressed with the canyon as he was with the tiny white flowers.

Grandpa: designated photographer.

We know how to pose....miles above the canyon floor & a few feet above the ground.

With out the zoom.

My eyes are open.

Yah...that pretty much sums it up.

a few moments of down time...

2011-07-11T19:20:00.000-07:00

We've been going, going, going for the past week (or more)! I will post date some tell-all posts about it in a bit.

Right now...is that calm moment, like when you're coasting on your bike before you need to pedal again, enjoying the breeze.....cause tonight we are leaving for a short camping trip...to the GRAND Canyon. It feels like summer is finally *about* to begin.

It will be a long drive but not as long as the 'epic road' trip from last year that I never blogged about...but I did hand write in a 'lined paper journal'. I will hand write in that journal again for this trip too....it also contains my trip to Ethiopia (that I also did not blog) from a few years ago. I decided it will be my 'travel journal' for any time I travel anywhere, whether it's across the world, across the country or across the state.

I am looking forward to this trip greatly. (is that the proper use of that word? greatly. It IS a word, right?) My brother and his family are going too, it will be their first time there. Even my dad is going.

Maybe you will hear all about it when I return....or like last time, maybe not. ;-)

Oh & one more thing...I got some nice mail the other day. I love getting real mail! (doesn't everybody?) It was an award certificate for making the Dean's Honor List, for outstanding scholastic achievement, last semester. I am so seriously cool, it's not even funny.

Let's Dance!

2011-07-09T23:52:00.000-07:00

Finally, it was time for Sammy & Birdy's dance concert! They had worked so hard for months and the show was ready to go. Tickets were sold out but the studio director was able to fit everyone in. Thank goodness. The entire show was so great, except for a few dances I thought were inappropriate. My kids did great though and over all had a lot of fun in the process. They have both improved their dance/hip-hop skills so much and are entertaining the idea of taking more classes in the fall. We will see what happens.

Their routine was a hip-hop routine and their costumes were 80's inspired. The theme of the show was 'time warp' so each routine represented different eras of the past. I was impressed last year and once again, impressed this year. The students are so talented and amazing and strong. It's beautiful, really.

We had a great view from our seats!

After the show the Mr. had to rush off to a work gig and I had to take oldest to an event he wanted to attend....we were all pretty tired after that but amazingly the middles had enough energy to take a short walk to the end of the block to get an ice cream. Funny how that works. We invited one of their neighbor friends.

It was a nice treat and a great ending to another great day.

Friday's fun

2011-07-08T21:00:00.000-07:00

We woke up early (for us) to watch & attend the last space shuttle mission @ the Downey Space Center launch party. It was my idea so everyone was a bit reluctant to be awakened early on a summer morning! We arrived a few seconds after the actual launch, but we were still able to view it flying through the atmosphere, via the camera on the nose. It was still incredible. I felt almost emotional. I guess because it's so sentimental to watch history as it happens.

We'd never been to the space center before and it is fabulous! If you have a chance, especially if you have kids, you should check it out. It's extremely kid-friendly with lots of hands on opportunities. They have other events planed through the summer like a rocket launch contest, a star gazing night and a shuttle landing party. I hope we can attend more.

Later in the afternoon we went to Chick-fil-A, dressed as cows, for a promotional for free food! It's a fun time and offers something different that you don't do every day. haha. The kids scored full meals and oldest and I each got a sandwich, gratis! K loved saying hello to the big giant cow.

After that (yah, there's more) it was off to the theater for Sammy & Birdy's dress rehearsal for their dance concert....and finally home for a bit of relaxing before bed. The Mr. and I were going to go out ourselves but by evening time, we decided we were done driving and would rather relax a little at home.

What a fabulous summer day!!!

Kids Staycation

2011-07-06T17:28:00.000-07:00

Even in rough economies, summer fun doesn't have to be expensive or elaborate. A pup tent & a back yard is all you need for a night of memory making.

My brother invited us over to "Camp Lopez" on Sunday night. We had a bonfire (notice a trend w/ us & fires? lol) and roasted our standard bonfire fare: hot dogs & marshmallows! We set up the accommodations: aka tents. My middles, my brother, his wife & their 2 boys all 'camped out' over night.

We cheered on a race between my oldest & uncle & auntie to see who could set up their tent the fastest. The kids ran around, K had a grand time shouting "Look! Look!" every 10 minutes, to be sure we all could see him climb on the tire swing himself & get it moving. We snacked on fresh fruit topped with plain yogurt and granola. Once we started the bonfire, the roasting foods started. My sister-in-love also invited her nieces which was a nice surprise for Birdy since she is usually the only girl between her cousins and brothers.

Once it got dark, we even caught glimpses of nearby city fireworks shows. The Mr. & I went home to our own comfortable beds while the middles stayed up late giggling the night away. The next day the 'cool' uncle & auntie took the whole crew to the park for some major tree climbing and bike riding.

We all already owned tents so that didn't cost us any extra. I also had the giant marshmallows left over from the last bonfire but my sil provided more s'more making supplies & the hot dog dinner fixings & wood for the fire. Over all, the costs were pretty low for a priceless night of back yard adventures.

FUN with water ideas for Summer!

2011-07-06T00:59:00.000-07:00

Sure you can go buy water guns from Target, super soakers are NOT cheap though. OR you can save your dish soap bottles! Seriously, they work great as 'water shooters'. They are also the perfect size for small hands to grip & squeeze. It's simple: save your empty dish soap bottle, rinse well, remove the label (optional), fill w/ water, make sure the cap/spout is on, then SQUEEZE! You'll get a great stream of water AND save some plastic from the land fill.

To save water & your sanity when kids are running in & out to refill the bottles, just place a bucket of water outside for *refills*.

OF COURSE, it goes w/o saying to use extra supervision w/ little ones around bucket of water: they tend to be top heavy & can flip into a bucket in an instant.

As an alternative to 'water bombs', you know those round, cloth balls or football shapes, sold by the water toys? Well, you can purchase giant sized sponges at any $.99 cents store or Dollar Tree and have the kids toss those around. These also make great replacements for water balloons. Water balloons leave a bunch of tiny bits of rubber/latex all over your lawn--not fun & not good for your lawn or birds that might pick them up. Forget the mess and toss a soaking wet sponge back and forth instead! This way you also have a product you can reuse around the house when everyone is done 'playing'. Again, keep a bucket of water *outside* for instant 'refills'.

If you're feeling really crafty you can sew a nifty cloth cover over your sponge, like the brand name 'water bombs' have...OR....check out these super crafty & adorable 'wet water sponges' (aka: DIY water bombs).

Aren't these the cutest water toys you've ever seen? Don't you want to run out *right now* & buy some fresh sponges to make these? ME TOO!

One last tip for outside fun with water...a friend said she sends her kidlets outside w/ a small bucket of water & paint brushes to 'paint' the sidewalk. Great! Call it secret, invisible spy art, when it dries & you're set!

Sammy turns 11

2011-06-26T00:28:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Sammy's birthday today. It coincided with out neighborhood's annual block party & firework show. We hung out here at home, planned to start a bonfire & light up our Christmas tree....but the guys got scared of all the smoke and put the bonfire out pretty quick with the hose. haha!

So we didn't get to roast hot dogs or make s'mores over the fire after all. Bummer. We attempted to load everyone up on the bikes but Sam's had a flat tire *again*...I think that's 3 inner tubes now. So it was a game of 'musical bikes' to get everyone re-situated since we were short a bike.

I rode in the car with the Mr.'s family while the rest of the get-along-gang rode the bikes to the mall so we could all watch the fireworks together. It's a really great show.

Afterward, we had just enough time to enjoy the birthday cupcakes. Instead of regular cup-cake toppers....I topped them with home-made mustaches in various shapes and sizes. I thought Sammy might like that & he did! Just another fabulous day in my life!

Making the house a home...

2011-06-24T12:15:00.000-07:00

This verse came to mind this morning as I woke up determined to 'get things done'. Often, it feels like much of the daily tasks of life are so useless...make the bed only to destroy it that night, repeated loads of laundry, dishes that never end...and the list goes on & on. The list that no one ever wants to acknowledge because it's perceived drudgery. The list that many women run away from, outside the home. *I* don't blame you, *I* want to run away from it too.

That is, until this morning...I *do* want to make my house into a home though. How do these thoughts and feelings reconcile each other? This verse put it in perspective for me. Sometimes I feel as if my house will never be the way I want it. But what way is that? Picture perfect? Magazine-spread-ready? Giant, new furniture and a state of the art, spacious kitchen, of course!

It's easy to get caught up looking @ tons of home magazine spreads, blog-home-tours, decorating magazines etc and end up feeling like your house will just never measure up.

Maybe you are in a tiny apartment with never enough space, or a rental instead of owning your own home---and you think: if only, if only, if only... some day... if I just...Of course there are some easy and inexpensive ways to spruce up your home but none of that will ever matter, not even if you could purchase your dream home filled with dream furniture--nope! It won't matter if your house is not a home to begin with. All the money, crafting and home decorating in the world won't matter if all *you* are building is an empty shell to harbor & display your own vanity.

Making a home starts with being content with where you are and what you have, this eliminates a lot of the self-motivation from the get-go. If you are discontent, there is nothing in this world, materialistically speaking that will ever satisfy. Now, that we've got that covered, if you aren't building a home for 'self' who are you building it for and what will that look like?

Maybe you don't have nice slip-covers but you have a nice, clean sheet neatly tucked over a couch to hide the duct tape. And you have a hand crocheted blanket across the back that you cherish because your grandma made it. You speak with gentle kindness to your family to keep their shoes off the couch, not because you are so afraid they will mess up the beauty you have created, but because you're teaching them appropriate manners and how to behave. THAT is making a home!

Allowing God to build your home is allowing God to work on *you* from the inside out, first. What is the vision and purpose God has for your home? Are you hospitable, your home comfortable and inviting to others? Is your home welcome and inviting to your own family? Are *you* warm and inviting to your own family? Are your children interruptions to everything you want to accomplish through out your day? Am I only focused on getting things done so that others will think I am so great? Am I attempting to show off my own creative skills and talents? Am I sacrificing relationship with my family to accomplish some imaginary ideal? Or am I striving to make others feel comfortable? Do I have a heart of hospitality, to draw others in, primarily my own family? Am I concerned with making *myself* the most comfortable or others?

When God gives you a vision and purpose for creating a home, nothing you do for your home is in vain, or self-motivated. You are not working within your own strength or for your own selfish pleasure. When I look to God's will, suddenly our house is not just a structure to hold stuff and protect people from the elements, it becomes a sanctuary. A place of worship. A place of study, instruction, nurturing, refreshment, rest...a place where relationships are built...to last.

Today I was more inspired than I have been in a long time. My perspective has been properly refocused and in minimal time, accomplished a lot that I previously had no desire or energy to do. I felt so over whelmed all the time by this growing 'to-do' list.

Today, I'm no longer facing a 'to-do' list,I'm building a Godly home.

and it's only Wednesday--yesterday!

2011-06-23T16:03:00.000-07:00

It's been ONE of those weeks!

Happy Father's Day

2011-06-20T12:39:00.000-07:00

The Mr. got a last minute coaching job (not sports!) offer for Sunday morning & chose to do it to have some easy cash in his pocket. The kids & I went to morning church and met him back at home.

Then we hung out here at home for awhile. The Mr. loves Chinese food, however, I am not that big of a fan....so naturally I conceded today and he got us take-out for lunch.

Later it was somehow decided that we would go to the Drive-in. Yes, they still have them & they are a bargain & great if you have kiddos. You can choose to see 2 movies for the price of your ticket (which is way cheaper than walk-in movie theaters) plus you can load up your car with your own snacks & goodies.

Not to mention it's pretty comfy. We usually park back wards, open up the hatch & pull out the back bench seat for the Mr. & I. That leaves a bunch of space for the kiddos to pile up all their blankets & pillows and get comfy for some good movie viewing. The soundtrack plays on the radio so you listen to it through your car speakers. In case you were wondering. ;-) This time though, we didn't pull out the back seat. Oldest just folded the back down for both rows and the Mr. & I sat in our beach chairs. Perfect. It was a bit chilly but we were ok because we brought lots of blankets.

We watched The Green Lantern and X-Men: First Class. Both were pretty good, you know, for super-hero movies. :-)

How did you celebrate Father's Day?

Liberty turns 9!

2011-06-18T23:13:00.000-07:00

The day started out looking gloomy & cold.

It was opening day for baseball season for Sammy so we headed to the park first thing. They introduced all the teams and then had a big free carnival filled with jumpers, rock climbing, mechanical bull and various community booths representing the Sheriffs, SEACCA (Boo!) & other various organizations.

The boys had fun checking out the SWAT police and riot gear while Birdy and Kurtis enjoyed petting the police horse. It warmed up quickly by the time we took a short ride on the little train and then headed home.

The middles changed real quick and then we were off to the dance studio for their concert pictures.

The husband had an evening job and Ern went to the movies.

We loaded up the bikes and headed to the beach for a bike ride. We met my brother "Uncle Ephraim" & "Auntie Nancy" & the cousins there and even my dad came along. We rode about 5 miles at least and grandpa treated everyone to an Ice Cream @ Shoreline Village. Liberty was treated to two scoops since she was the birthday girl. The weather could not be better.

Auntie Nancy had made a cake and we decided to start up the bonfire back at home. That turned into roasting hot dogs and making s'mores in the back yard. Yum!

It turned out to be a really pleasant day.

Happy Birthday Liberty!

Take a hike!

2011-06-13T18:17:00.000-07:00

We took a hike today. We wanted to try and find a sunken ship that is supposed to be along this 'trail'. However, we couldn't find it and the hike was much harder than we anticipated. Which made it all the more adventurous for the middles, of course.

The base of the cliff we shimmied down, was all rocks. Strewn across the rocks were piles of dead seaweed, infested with flies. So many you could hear them swarming. So gross and disgusting.

The hike was a challenge for sure and there weren't even any tide pools to investigate. Trying to get back up the cliff...whew! What a work out. The weather was fabulous though. Not too hot, breezy clear. Even when adventures aren't what you expect, they are still adventures.

Bonding moments along threads of memories. These are moments that build families.

Scrub-a-dub-dub

2011-06-12T23:05:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, my friend Megan & I hosted a soap & detergent making workshop. We all had so much fun. making new friends, meeting new women, chit-chatting & of course, learning a money saving new skill. She instructed us in how to make our own bar soap & I showed everyone how to make powdered laundry detergent.

We ran out of lye (apparently we use all our mental energy being creative & have none left for basic math skills--go figure) so the two of us weren't able to make our own soap. I knew I had some lye @ home and couldn't wait to try out the basic recipe.

A quick google research resulted in lots of various methods and recipes. I decided to stick w/ the basic recipe Megan taught us and added oatmeal, cinnamon, nutmeg and bit of sweet almond oil. Sounds yummy doesn't it? If it wasn't for the LYE--it would be edible. haha. Instead of using plain water, I boiled a cinnamon stick in it first, (just lightly) to test if it would altar the color and scent. It did make it a bit more tan tinted but the true color won't be fully known for a few days at least.

Who knew it was SO simple? and SO inexpensive? Proctor & Gamble has been making a KILLING off our ignorance! sheesh.

The picture above is the soap freshly poured into a disposable pan just because I didn't have anything else to pour it into. For some reason *my* mixture wasn't thickening like everyone else's was yesterday. Therefore, when I tried to pour it into a cute, flower shaped bread pan mold--it seeped through the end cap--FAIL!...ugh. So I had to put my double batch into this flat pan instead. I think if I hadn't been experimenting w/ my own concoction--it would have thickened nice and quick and held in the flower mold. You can see the oatmeal grains and spices--this makes the bar an exfoliate.

Yesterday we had a few scented oils and fresh herbs to work with. The rosemary smells so good and I was tempted to go with that today but I also wanted to use oatmeal...so next time. You can't really smell anything with this batch but I'll let you know when it is all cured and ready to use. It is safe to touch within 24 hours--so I will cut it tomorrow. Then you let it sit to 'cure' for about 3 weeks, which is letting it dry out more.

I found so many different recipes online. Instead of plain water you can use various teas to create green tea soap, for example. Or the new trend is to have caffeinated soaps to invigorate the skin which can be accomplished using black tea. You can also tinker with various 'fats', which are the oils you use to create a soap that is more moisturizing or vegan. Pretty cool huh?

Oh and of course it is very inexpensive! I mean super cheap. Yesterday's batch created about 56 bars--depending how they will be cut--for about $20! That is comparable to Ivory soap which is around $4 for about 10 bars. The big difference is that this soap uses no animal fats and is a higher end type of soap that normally sells for around $4 *per bar*! So for the price of the *cheap* soap you get the *good stuff*. And these home made bars make FABULOUS gifts!!!

I'll let you know how my oatmeal experiment turns out...so far it just smells really oat-y!

Be still my heart

2011-06-10T23:15:00.000-07:00

We were out and about today & Birdy begins telling me when she grows up she wants to decorate with "vintage" items. I am fairly certain she has no idea what that word *really* means. I get all excited and tell her we can start decorating her room in vintage style. She adds that she also wants to start collecting (wearing?) vintage clothes. Swoon!?!

Well, what era of 'vintage', I ask....50's vintage, like our oven? or 70's vintage which is hippie clothing? She has no idea. I tell her we can start looking for clothes at the thrift store, probably adult clothes but I can alter them to fit her. But she doesn't want to alter them because she wants them *original*. How will she wear them? Well, she will wear them when she is an adult.

I try to describe the various fashion eras and she decides 50's vintage and she tells me that is the style of clothing she wants--but only to hang in her closet to wear on *special occasions*. (I am so suspicious of this sudden interest) I tell her we can start decorating her room...go yard saling, thrift store shopping...I have the perfect little side table on the porch that was curb-crawled that we can paint & it will look fabUUUUUlous! She's totally digging it....I think.

Sammy just about dies as she utters words of childhood blasphemy: she says she wants to also start collecting vintage toys--getting RID of all her 'newer' toys. Sam is beside himself--he just can't believe she would think much less SAY such a thing! I'm pretty sure this is considered treason in child social circles.

She is serious though. She wants to color her room brown and gray because she thinks those colors are 'vintage' colors. Oh don't worry, we'll change that. But oh....I see some major mother-daughter bonding in our future. Seriously.

DIY Deodorant

2011-06-08T17:19:00.000-07:00

All you need are two simple ingredients to create your own deodorant for super cheap! Tea Tree Oil (found @ Walgreens) and Baking soda--found anywhere else (local grocery store should be the cheapest place). Really that's it.

Otherwise this is the recipe:

1/2 cup of baking soda

3 drops of TTO

Mix with spoon.

Voila'!

How do you use it you wonder? Because you are so used to store bought, white solid bars of chemicals and crazy additives that are suspected cancer irritants? (there isn't any real evidence linking deodorant use to cancer but there have been studies linking the use of deodorants & antiperspirants to increased risk of Alzheimers)You simply dip your fingers in the powder and apply to your underarms. If you prefer something more traditional but still safe, you can add the coconut oil until it is a paste and even put it into your old, empty deodorant container. Store it in the fridge to remain in a solid form. You can also add various essential oils to fragrance it like lemon or orange or lavender, whatever you prefer. That does raise the cost factor a bit but what is cost when you smell good, right?

Why does it work?

Well, we all know baking soda absorbs odors right? That is why one of the most commonly recommended uses for it is to stick it in the fridge to absorb odors and help prevent freezer burn flavored food. (or you could just keep your fridge clean) The TTO is naturally antibacterial. Odor is caused by bacteria under the arms. Sweating doesn't produce odor on it's own, if your body is clean and you sweat, you don't smell bad, you just smell like sweat. After awhile though, bacteria forms and *that* is what begins to cause what is commonly referred to as 'body odor'.

If you are not used to going au naturel', it might take a week or so for your body chemistry to adjust and get used to working the way it's supposed to. Which means sweating like your supposed to and not because you've been telling your body not to sweat, no matter what you are doing, when you wipe on that artificial chemical laden deodorant. Truly.

The TTO is not particularly cheap when you first purchase it. But it has tons of uses and is well worth the initial investment cost. For this 'recipe' you only use but a few drops. Most other uses of it are only a few drops at a time as well.

A small box of baking soda can be purchased for around $.60 on average.

The total cost for this is less than a dollar and pennies per use. I don't think it can get any cheaper than that. I tried using baking soda alone, it was ok but the addition of TTO knocks any *hint* of odor right out!

I've been using this 'recipe' for a few months now and it works fabulous! No odors--trust me I checked. ;-)

Oh and btw: you can brush your teeth with this too. If you are so inclined.

Reaching out...

2011-06-07T23:20:00.000-07:00

Recently I noticed that one of my neighbors, whom I don't know that well at all, did not look well. One night she was even taken away in an ambulance. I don't even know her name...I'm sure we exchanged names once but I certainly don't remember it. We're cordial & wave hello & goodbye occasionally if we see each other. And I know she has an adorable super-mini (teacup?) chihuahua!

Knowing she was ill, I suspected cancer, I felt compelled to reach out to her in some way & convicted that I'd never done it sooner. Saturday was the day. I had no idea how to even approach the situation but I knew I could take fresh home made muffins over....at the very least. No one would turn that away right? Especially w/ a delicious crumb topping.

Everything in my mind gave me every excuse to NOT go: what if they are not home, or think I'm weird cause I don't really know them, what if they think I'm silly taking muffins--& not even enough for everyone? & a million other logical excuses...BUT my heart & my Spirit urged me on to *just do it*!

I thought a card would be appropriate--I have no idea what to write? I can't even remember her name good grief! Praying for you? is that trite if one might be terminal? Or hey--I can't remember your name but here's a couple random muffins!?! arg.

It didn't really look like anyone was home so I almost convinced myself to chicken out...it's a long walk across a residential street when your a bundle of insecure nerves...I said a quick prayer for boldness & willingness to be a blessing & thinking it absolutely ridiculous. I knocked lightly on the door & waited.....& waited...& waited...just as I bent down, considering leaving the muffins on the porch--I saw an interior shadow.

She actually answered the door & I nervously spoke too fast I'm pretty sure & let her know I wanted to give her some muffins....turns out she does have cancer, breast cancer, she says it's aggressive. She had one surgery to remove one infected breast but she says she knows it's in the other breast too. She had a bandanna on her head due to her chemo-hair loss and so far she's had 3 week intervals between treatments but in a few weeks will begin weekly treatments, which she does have some concern about because she already feels pretty wiped out w/ the every 3 week schedule. She was extremely gracious to me, invited me in & probably would have made me lunch or something had I stayed--& here I am trying to bless her! A very large picture of Jesus adorned one of her walls & she mentioned she prayed to the Lord...

I left feeling so relieved & wondered why I was so afraid. It's beyond ridiculous really. I think she was blessed, or she could have just been being nice & hospitable--it is possible I interrupted her nap...but I felt so blessed myself, afterward. I think doing good works like that...doesn't it?

It was also pretty easy & simple really. I put 4 fresh, home made muffins in 2 cute snack bags, & attached a ceramic bird ornament I stocked up on @ the after Christmas clearance, and a card that did say simply: thinking of you. Easy peasy. I let her know if she needed anything, let me know. I don't expect her too, most people don't. And I let her know I'd check in on her regularly. I will too!

What I learned was to NOT be afraid & over think these things....& NOT to wait so long to get to know your neighbors. Just bake them some muffins or something, go on over & introduce yourself....& if God tells you to do something, stop making excuses & just do it!!! If you see someone who might need a blessing--give them one or figure out a way to!

Whirlwind Weekend

2011-06-05T23:09:00.000-07:00

Whew! Some weekends are just like that, right?

Friday night was our church's Marriage Group Launch Party. Saturday was packed--so packed we had to decline a few events we really wanted to attend. Normally I like to keep weekend events & obligations to ONE event. Honest. First come first served, whoever invites first gets our attendance. We aren't particularly popular or anything, but between our own children's activities and a birthday or two & whew! Overwhelming-ville becomes our new place of residence.

This weekend however, all the events were important AND family related.

Saturday we slept in a bit, well at least *I* did, my husband woke up early and headed out to play tennis. I dropped oldest off at the art studio to set up for his art show later that afternoon. Sammy got a last minute call, the night before, for baseball practice, his first coach meeting, which of course ran late. I'm sure if we had had no other plans, it would have ended within 20 minutes! Husband took him and when they finally got home we rushed over to our twin nephews 1st birthday party. We ate and stayed long enough for cake then we rushed off to oldest art show.

While the rest of us hung out & eyed the student's artwork, my *wonderful* husband went and put gas in my car & rent the movie for our monthly scheduled Chick Flix choice. Again, of course, the video store *didn't* have the movie!!! Whaaaaaaaaat!!

After the art show we rushed home & I rushed to Target to see if I could find it & just purchase it. Nope! They didn't even sell it either. SO I had to make an executive decision and purchase something somewhat similar. Then arrive @ the hostess home nearly an hour late.

It worked out since dinner was just finished baking & OH was it delicious & such a welcome moment to finally SIT and relax & enjoy the best roast beef sandwich I've ever eaten! I don't usually like roast beef. Apparently I needed to eat it warm w/ melted cheese & slightly crunchy, oven toasted, bread all this time--who knew!?!

Sunday morning was spent at church as usual. Later we headed over to my brother's home to celebrate my dad & aunt's birthdays. The ktbunch loves hanging out w/ their cousins. They had plenty of fun running around the back yard, swinging on the tire swing (& hitting the trunk of the tree it was hanging from!), eating hot dogs, fresh strawberries dipped in yogurt then brown sugar, cake & ice cream! Can you say Yum?

Oh & trying on these giant sticky mustaches in various ways...how silly & absolutely, adorably FUN looking kids are these?

Finally, ended our evening back at church then home, where I filled in a daily *to-do* chart for my middles. Not only does it include chores & various tasks such as taking out the trash, practicing violin & reading but other weekly scheduled events like library day & beach day. Also extra fun daily activities like riding their bikes!

I am seriously looking forward to Monday morning though...how was your weekend?

She can do it!

2011-06-02T16:57:00.000-07:00

Finally my Bird can ride her bike. If you remember she got a new bike *last year* for her birthday....her birthday this year is less than 20 days away...and she can *finally* ride her bike *unassisted*.

It was a rainy fall and winter so there weren't many bike riding opps. We did take her out last year to learn & there were many tears shed....we tried the towel method, rolling down a hill method, on the grass method & the traditional run-beside-while-holding-the-bike-up-method. Once she thought she had it--she figured she didn't need to ride it anymore that day...or the next 11 months?

Last week, the weather was gorgeous & I was outside working in the garden (please grow, please grow, please grow!) & naturally the ktbunch followed but not to help in the garden...First oldest and Sammy did some bike tune-upping and filled their tires w/ air.....the next day they got my bike tires filled with air and Bird's--hey everything seems to be a *process* in this home.

Bird must've been feeling inspired and decided to work on riding her bike again. Sammy ran next to her for a few tries but tired quickly. I finally told him to just leave her alone & let her do it on her own--at her own pace. There were some minor falls, accompanied by tears. I was busy in the garden & knew it wasn't serious so I wasn't about to subject myself to that 'run-along-side' frustration! ha!

I reminded her she was ok & that I knew she could do it so keep at it. Well it wasn't long before she was proud of her defying-gravity-10-seconds-at-a-time-achievements! That was enough to keep her going and wanting more. She was so proud to tell me how she made it across the drive way with out falling. Then how she made it across the short end of the block....now if we could get her to steer and turn properly! That girl!

Eventually she figured out how to pedal and steer at the same time. Thank goodness. She's been out there nearly every day since.

I'm hoping to have *all* our bikes working and ride ready @ the same time...hasn't happened yet. Sammy's tire was flat and the inner tube needed to be replaced. I got a new one & it busted a hole as Ern was putting the air in it!?! arg. They patched it & thought it was sufficient but I guess not because it's still leaking air. I'll get a new inner tube tomorrow and hopefully it will be good enough.

The hubs and I took an hour long bike ride this morning. The weather was so mild, it was perfect. We rode to the school--something I've wanted to do for awhile now to see how long it would take me. It wasn't that long--about 35 minutes. (one way) Totally doable on a regular basis, I imagine....so I'm thinking I can ride my bike to school next semester until it rains....here's hoping...I am easily swayed to be lazy these days. ;-)

Weekend Cache Stash

2011-05-29T23:40:00.000-07:00

The hubs and I started early Friday morning with a bike ride and some geocaching searches. We found one--he found it, after a few busts. It added a whole new element to our bike ride.

Later we went with the brother and his family. That was fun. We hid one too, but it ended up being too close to another cache so we have to rehide it somewhere else. One is hidden amongst a bunch of rocks--we couldn't find it, even with 10 of us looking. Maybe we are too impatient. haha.

One was hidden in front of a residence and *I* scored that one. It was disguised as a sprinkler! Who wuddathunkit!?!

My nephew gets the score for the grey tube you see--filled with swag. It was hidden in the leg of a newspaper stand type of thing. Geocache hiders are pretty clever!

Even my Birdy girl got credit for a find in a strip mall sign! I missed it thanX to the spiders and webs but she spotted it.

Sunday night, after church we went to dinner with our church family. We told and invited some friends but only one was up for the challenge. It makes it much harder searching in the dark but we found one--again the hubs gets the score for that one. (top of pic strip)

If you have no idea what I'm talking about....check out www.geocaching.com for more details and to get started. It's fun and rather addicting and good clean family fun. ;-) Well, except for the occasional mud & digging through bushes and lying on streets to peer under storm drains.....

Really Really Free day

2011-05-29T21:59:00.000-07:00

This was a community event, the first of it's kind. An entire block was blocked off from through traffic and anyone who wanted to, grabbed a spot along the curb and set up 'shop'. Except there wasn't any 'shopping' exactly cause everything had to be *free*.

There were givers of clothes, art supplies, face painting, drum circles, dancing, food, bottles of water, bike inspections and tune-ups, books, pens, tote bags, information, toys, finger crochet lessons, hugs...we were offering yarn, 'homeless paks', prayer and/or an encouraging word. The event wasn't that big but I am hoping they will host another one because it was really cool.

We were the only church represented too! So much opportunity. My friend Megan set it up. Her husband joined us and I had all the ktbunch with me. I scored a shirt and cute dress. Birdy was given a brand new 'collectable' Barbie. haha. She is a pretty one though. The kiddos also got various other little treasures like beautiful, brightly colored, polished rocks.

We did pray for a few people and give a few encouraging words. Mostly though, people really liked & wanted the homeless paks. We encouraged people to take one for themselves or to give away if they saw someone in need. The zippered vinyl bags had some non-perishable snacks like energy/protein bars, chips, bottle of water, hand sanitizer & a paper w/ a list of local resources like shelters and mental health facilities.

I really, really hope they host another one soon because the opportunity is so rich. And now that we got our feet wet a bit, I'm sure we'd have an easier time next time talking w/ people. Our paks were gone pretty quickly. Most people really didn't seem to know what was going on and kept asking us how much our items cost. It was interesting.

Graduation Day!

2011-05-23T20:56:00.000-07:00

Of course I can say I can't believe it....but I can. I have imagined this day since my oldest was in Kindergarten. I'm not exaggerating. The initial home-school group we started with held a promotion night every year. It was sort of like a talent show & I loved everything about it. The children would perform and also they would set up a table with samples of their work and projects they had worked on through out the year. Eventually there were finally a few graduates....I adored how the parents were able to hand them their diplomas and say something meaningful and personal about their own graduate.

Since the first time I witnessed that, I imagined when that day would come for my own graduate and what I would say....

I realize that keeping my mind focused on the end, imagining this day, all these years, helped me to keep on this educational path. I knew it was something I wanted for my children (at that time, *child*) and considered it the best educational choice for our family. Although, it turned out to be so much more than that. My son was able to experience many unique educational experiences and opportunities, for sure. More than that though, was the benefit to our familial relationships. We had our share of family trauma and crisis and I can't imagine any better way to have handled it than to actually BE together for the moments of tears, disappointments, prayers & comfort.

Isn't that what family is for?

And all the more the amount of time we were able to share in laughter, joy, discovery and sunshine!

I can't imagine missing those moments and accomplishments.

It was such a special day. We had to get up really early because the actual ceremony was being held at a location an hour away. We then came home and had a celebration party. Most of our guests were close family and a few close friends. A dear friend, Sharon, made most of the food & it was delicious! My mother-in-love also made her yummy potato salad. I cooked some meatballs and made fruit skewers. Which, by the way, look so impressive but are super easy....why didn't I ever make them before?

Admittedly, there were a few moments I wanted to give up & 'threatened' outside school. haha! But knowing, in my heart, this was the best choice, I usually came to my senses quickly.

It has been a pleasure and joy to see my tiny preemie grow to be a fine young man that values God, family and the beauty that surrounds each day.

I didn't even cry during the ceremony or anything. I was too excited and happy for him to mourn the loss of his childhood. Maybe it's because I know that we haven't lost anything. I have been there for him and the rest of my family for all the greatest moments and have no regrets. We have so many wonderful memories we can look back on and laugh about.

Yes, the time has passed quickly but I took advantage of that time by keeping our family at home and together.

One of the best parenting decisions I've ever made.

Praise God!

Oh & yes...he can read and write too. ;-)

When a spouse makes a bad decision...

2011-05-13T18:08:00.000-07:00

This particular post was inspired by a recent online conversation so it speaks from the wife's perspective, but I believe it can apply to either spouse.

There may come a time within a marriage when either spouse makes a really bad, horrible choice or decision. It can be confusing and even tricky to know how to respond.

I am not sure about the idea of *just* trusting God to *provide* if your DH is making a BAD decision. I mean like DH over spends & God is going to provide an extra paycheck or something to cover it.

I tend to think more like: We just might ALL suffer for DH bad decision--if we can't afford it there is no guarantee God is going to just magically make us afford it. We might end up losing the car or something else, ruining our credit etc. However, I TRUST that GOD will use the bad decision, rather, to TEACH DH a lesson, on his own, w/o my help.

& I believe FAMILIES often pay consequences for DH (or DW if it was something she did) mistakes. BUT there is grace & mercy so that the families grow stronger in the end because of it.

I think Christian women need to be aware of this: men make mistakes--sometimes BIG ones--we need to be prepared to weather these storms & allow GOD to work in the hearts, minds & souls of our men, just as He works in OURS. A lesson in graciousness & mercy. How will we respond in the END?

Throw it @ them? Hold a grudge? Or stand beside them, pull up our boot straps & say: ok--here we are--let's work TOGETHER now to figure it out & clean up the mess. kwim?

I think that sends a better message of support & unconditional love--not smiling w/ approval @ things we clearly or strongly disagree w/ but BEING THERE when the time comes to manage the *consequences* w/ grace.

That is what it really means when you *commit* to marriage--you're not just committing to sunshine & flowery days. You're committing to ups AND downs, highs AND lows. This goes for both parties. If you're thinking about marriage--what you really need to consider is IF you are willing to weather (& grow from) the storms and disappointments, just as much as your willing to enjoying the Spring times.