Top Ten Tuesday - Spring Cleaning

I've been a busy lady these days. Spring has sprung and I find myself cleaning things that haven't been touched in.....well, I'm not going to say how long ('cause that's just embarrassing!). Over the past month or so I have cleaned many a room and too-dirty furnishings. Things like;

1. two bathrooms
2. three nasty ceiling fans
3. three grungy light fixtures
4. two icky lamps
5. vacuuming every edge in just about every room
6. vacuuming window sills and slider door canals (for a lack of a better term)
7. underneath furniture and cushions

And now that my house is spic and span (until the kids come home, that is) I have now used and consumed too much of the following;

8. Windex, paper towels, Soft Scrub, electricity
9. my own muscles (small ones in weird places that I had no idea existed) and personal energy
10. coffee

Hopefully you didn't get bored with my list, but maybe (hopefully?) you were inspired! Or perhaps you'd prefer to read other Top Ten lists? Whatever the reason, head over to Oh Amanda and check them out, and/or create your own!

Spring Cleaning

Spring is definitely in my system these days. I don't know what it is, but I've been cleaning and organizing like never before. And. I. Love. It!!!

The latest project that has me feeling good is my bedroom. There has been one area in particular that has needed attention but I just haven't known what to do about it. When we first moved in, there were a couple boxes that I just didn't know what to do with. The contents were not something that I felt I could store in the garage, so they have been sitting in my bedroom for almost three years.

Until now.

The other week my cleaning-frenzied eye couldn't ignore this area any longer. So I went to work. At first it started out as just a "I'll clean off the dresser and put a few things away". And one thing led to another and by the time I was done I had pictures hung and furniture moved. I was so pleased with myself, I could bust.

And I could hardly wait for Ryan to come home so I could show off my days labor.

However, Ryan doesn't like it when I move furniture. But I actually thought I'd be safe this time since the furniture moved was minimal and the bed was in the same spot.

I was wrong.

However, to his credit, I did not have to point out the changes. Ryan noticed it right away. Although he was pleased with the clean space, he also could not ignore the mismatch of our hand-me down furniture and uncoordinated picture frames.

These things are not my fault. I'm just pleased that it all turned out well. I am only using what I have to work with here! So, I suppose I can't fault him for not being head-over-heels proud of my days accomplishment. He did say he liked my picture arrangement once I pointed out how I laid it out.

Here's the before and after, what do you think??

Before:

this picture was taken 2 years ago, but minus a box or two,
this is what it looked like before I got started!

After:

the bags of clothes next to the dresser will be gone next week
as they will be given to a friend for her son. and the laundry basket
will be gone too. it will, it will!

as I pointed out to Ryan, see how the group of pictures on the right
is arranged in the same size area as the larger picture on the left?
I'm particularly proud of that layout, and it took me a while
to figure it out and make it work!

Hey, Who Turned Out the Lights?

Yesterday I met a friend at the gym and spent some quality time with my heart rate and sweat. I just love having a friend to workout with! She helps me stay longer than my typical 20 to 25 minutes. I'm still in awe that I am on the treadmill for an hour! Having someone to talk with is a major help (not to mention a bonus!).

So there I was, with my friend, on the treadmill, happily talking away about some trivial motherhood account when all went black and we stopped in our tracks. The power had gone off. Luckily for the people on the elliptical machines, they didn't need power to keep going. But we were motionless, without help. My friend and I stood there and waited for a bit, but the power did not come back on. We made our way to the stationary bikes instead (again, no power needed for those puppies!).

After riding the bikes for 30 minutes, we did some wieghts then called it quits. Good thing too, as we past a childcare worker and she told us that the childcare room was getting stuffy with the lack of a/c and fans to circulate the air. My friend and I made our way to get our kids and relieve the room of three more bodies making heat.

As I was getting Isabel situated in the truck, she was telling me how the power went off. She told me that the tv's went off. And the lights. Then she noticed that it was light outside and promptly told me that the 'sun is still on!'. I love her observations!

Month of Mae - Mae Day!!!

The day before Mae was born I stayed home from work. I had been having irregular brackston hicks for weeks (with no pain) but that morning, as I got ready for work, I thought maybe I was having some more and wondered if it was 'the day'. It was 3 days before my due date, so I was hopeful. Turns out it was nothing, but I did enjoy a nice day at home.

Early the next morning, say around 3:00, I was quickly awoken when my water broke. I was so excited! I woke Ryan up, then called the doctor (who told me to make my way to the hospital). We took our time getting ready as we had learned in our birthing class that most first-time labors went slow and there was reason to rush to the hospital. After I had eaten some breakfast and gotten dressed and ready to leave, I called my parents to let them know that 'today was a great day to have a baby!'

just before leaving for the hospital we took this picture

And we were off!!!!

We got to the hospital around 7:00 that morning. I could feel some contractions, but nothing with any pain, yet. I remember in my birthing class, seeing a chart with varying degrees of happy faces, ranging from very smiley to a a serious/unhappy face. I walked in the hospital with a full smiley face. I was happy and excited to finally to this show on the road!


In fact, I was quite excited about everything. The hospital we were at was like a nice hotel and there would be no room changing at all during the course of my stay. My room was a one-stop shop, the only time I would leave would be when I checked out with my baby in my arms. And it was a nice hotel hospital room too! The room had updated everything, from the carpet, furniture and colors to the jet tub in the bathroom. In fact, I was looking forward to using that jetted tub!

A couple hours after arriving, my contractions still weren't anything to complain about. I could feel the tightening but with minor discomfort. The nurse suggested I either talk a walk around the halls or take a bath to maybe speed things up. Hmmmm.....walking halls with socks and a hospital gown - or - check out the jetted tub???

I opted for the bath. Thank you very much.

It must have worked. As I was in the bath, my contractions went from minor discomfort to uncomfortable to GET ME OUT OF THE TUB!!!

I didn't really have a birth plan. I'm a 'go with the flow kind of gal', so I figured we'd make decisions as they came depending on the circumstances. I had thought of forgoing the epidural though. My sister in law had had two babies and all she had for meds was something to take the edge off. Sounded good to me. So, there I was (out of the bath by this point) sitting in a rocker talking to the nurse about meds. I told her I'd like to take the edge off. She was fine with that, but did mention something about it wearing off by the time I need to start pushing.

Um, WHAT?! No. There will be no wearing off of drugs! Please give me an epidural. Thank you!

So, around 10 o'clock is when my happy face went from 'smiley face' to 'hurts a whole lot'. But by 10:30 I got my epidural (or 'hapidural' as my good friend called it) and I was back to my super happy face, albeit a bit scared and tired.

Seems things progressed quite well after that. Not that I felt anything. Mostly I rested and waited for my doctor to check me, then tell me any news of my progression. Shortly before 1:00, they started prepping me for birth. They reconfigured the bed and I got into postion. And I said an absolute NO to the mirror. Ewe.

Around 1:00 I was pushing. I pushed for about 15 minutes and she was out! There she was, all red and squirmy and crying. Our Mae Elisabeth.

And our lives were changed in an instant. At exactly 1:16 on the afternoon of May 18, 2001.

Month of Mae - Waiting

The word was out and our families and friends all knew our exciting news. I was pregnant! Now all I had to do was wait. Wait for my tummy to get big. Wait for food cravings. Wait to wear pants with lots of elastic and 'panels' in the front (then wait to not have to wear them any. more.). Wait for my readiness to kick in. But we all know that no matter how much one prepares, no one is ever truly prepared for what comes next.

My pregnancy was, for the most part, uneventful. I was fortunate to not get morning sickness, although I tried to always eat at the first sign of hunger (which was about every hour, so it seemed. can you say 'annoying'?!). However, around the 20 week mark I got real bad pains in the area of my kidney. This was when I realized my threshold for pain and what happened when I reached that threshold. It made me sick. We never really found out what the pain was since I couldn't have x-rays due to my condition. But it was either a kidney stone that I later passed (I doubt that it was it was) or it was the baby pressing on something and cutting off the flow from my kidney. The pain would come and go, but I found that if I laid on my side (the opposite from the one that hurt) then the pain would go away within minutes. This was when I also learned that although I may be pregnant and not allowed to take simple things like ibprofen for a headache, that I was allowed (given!) vicoden. Crazy huh?

This was also the time that I had the long awaited ultrasound. Ryan and I had decided to find out the gender of our baby. We figured why not be surprised before the baby was born. Although we would tell everyone the gender, the kicker was that we had also decided not to reveal the chosen name. So, we found out that we were having a girl, but mum on her name! I'm glad we kept that bit to ourselves, it was fun to have this little secret between us. It was also nice to not get negative feedback on our chosen name, for it's rude to say such things about the name after the baby is born (so I discovered).

The name picking process was difficult. Never before had we both had to agree on something like this in our marriage. I don't why it was so hard for Ryan to accept the names I liked! This concept escapes me (and him as well, apparently). But it wasn't too hard, not really. We chose the name Mae out of honor of Ryan's grandmother who passed away when I was about 5 months along. It was her middle name, and we tended to like classic names so it was perfect. Mae's middle name, Elisabeth, came from our mutual love of the movie Pride and Prejudice and it's heroine . The spelling of the middle name was us trying to make it a little different.

I never got really big when pregnant. Although I would have disagreed with that statement at the time.

Here I was at 7 months. This was taken after my baby showers from family and friends in California.













This picture was taken about a week before Mae came. The day before Mother's Day.



Not too big and not too bad for a young mom-to-be. I chalk it up to being in my twenties and being my first pregnancy. It would be the only time I was 'small'(ish) during pregnancy. *sigh*

The thing I enjoyed most about being pregnant was food. I've always been the type of person that ate for survival and not much for enjoyment, and it was fun to get a craving and fulfill it. My cravings never lasted for very long and sometimes I never knew I was craving it until I started eating it. Like the time I grabbed a bag of Cool Ranch Doritos from the lunchroom.....oh boy were those the best tasting Doritos I had ever had!!! The next day, when I sympathetic co-worker bought me a bag, the chips were good but not the best thing in the world, not like they had been the day before. That was my new thing to say about food 'the best thing in the world'. Other food items that filled the category during my pregnancy was; Vernor's Ginger Ale (no other brand worked), beef jerky, Jiffy blueberry muffins, biscuits and gravy, and orange sherbet ice cream. I've never enjoyed food more than when pregnant with girls (for some reason food was never 'the best thing in the world' when I was expecting Caleb).

The weekend before Mae's birth day eight years ago, Mother's Day 2001

I will never forget my first Mother's Day. Although, at the time I didn't consider my own claim on the day as I wasn't technically a mother yet. I remember my neighbor wishing me a happy Mother's Day as I sat on my front porch in my new rocking chair. I was enjoying my new rocker, waiting for the time that I'd sit there with my new baby, and it was going to be any day I was so sure! That year Mother's Day was a week before my due date, May 20th. And I was certain that I'd deliver early. My reasoning was that My mother delivered her two babies early, 6 weeks for my brother and 2 weeks early for me. So it only made sense that I'd deliver early too.

Pregnant women should not put their hopes in false things such as early delivery.

But it turns out that I was going to deliver early, just not as early as I had thought......

Snippets

Conversations, things overheard, or little things spoken by little persons in our home....

We were taking a walk the other night after dinner (we can do that now that it stays light longer) and as we walked we could here the sound of the crickets starting up their nightly song. Isabel heard it too.....and she declared hearing the 'cripets'. But, no, we can't 'pep' (pet) them.

~~~~~~~~

Praying with Caleb at bedtime......he was concerned for his friend Jake, who wasn't feeling well....Dear God, please heal Jake and his stinky breath.

~~~~~~~~

Isabel, out of the blue one morning says......I can't like spiders. I like bunnies. Me too, Isabel. Me too.

~~~~~~~~

Standing in our master bathroom, combing Isabel's hair....

Me: I love you Isabel.

Isabel: I luff you too!

Me: (enjoying the moment and feeling warm and fuzzy from hearing such sweetness from my baby girl)

Isabel: You go poo-poo Mama?

Me: (inwardly - what??!! what just happened to the precious moment we were having? and no!, Mama doesn't do stuff like that!) *sigh* end of precious moment.

Month of Mae - Breaking The News

When Ryan and I been married for 4 years we had already been through quite a bit. The first 3 years we were focused on Ryan going to school and graduating. After his graduation, he got his first job in his field, and this job moved us to Portland, Oregon. During those early years, we were fortunate to not get a lot of questions from family or friends about when we would start a family. Most people were considerate to allow us to focus on surviving our first years of marriage and getting Ryan through college.

However, it was only a matter of time before the expansion of our little family would begin.

In the fall of 2000, we had celebrated four years of marriage and our first full year of living in Portland. Ryan's job was going well and I was doing alright at my own. At that time I was driving a company car, so Ryan decided to sell one of our vehicles and replace it with a sporty Mazda Miata. We knew this was not a good family car, but at the moment it was just Ryan and I, and we didn't need the extra room. There was no need for a backseat, not for a young couple such as ourselves!

Little did we know that just about the time we bought this zoomy addition that there would soon be another...in about 9 months.

We weren't trying to start a family, but we weren't exactly not trying to either! But it was still a little surprising to find out that a baby was coming. After the initial shock, we began to think of a creative way to tell our family and friends. A phone call just wasn't fun enough, it had to be inventive and original!

So this is what we came up with. Ryan took some pictures of our new car along with a borrowed car seat from our neighbors. Then he made a card and we mailed it out!

the front of the card

the inside

We had fun telling everyone with our cute little card. It was the perfect way to tell everyone who was far away. And I think everyone enjoyed it too! Now all we had to do was get ready, as ready as any first-time-parents-to-be can be.

The Month of Mae

Where did the first part of 2009 go? Seriously, didn't I just celebrate the closing of 2008 and the beginning of 2009 just the other day?! I blame the kids for this warp speed of time, for time has never flown by so fast until I had children. See? It's all their fault.

For example, when I was younger I would anticipate the coming of a holiday or my birthday and it would take for. ev. er. And now, Christmas is here before I can pack away the decorations!

The month of May is always a bit of a wake up call for me. It is a month that changed my life like no other. For eight years ago I was expecting my first child. And we all know that you are never the same after that. So, to commemorate this monumental and momentous occasion, all this month I will be posting about my first child, Mae. I'm going to try to recapture in pictures and stories of how she entered my life and how we prepared along the way.

So stay tuned!

Why Do I Torture Myself?

Girl Scout cookie season has been finished for well over a month now (in our area anyway). But while in the midst of cookie season, we had our fair share of the goods. (*by the way....do you know how difficult it is to not buy more cookies when you have a cabinet stocked full as you await for the resident scout to deliver them??! I think the Girl Scouts make more money off the parents than anywhere else! For this reason alone I think it's best that Mae not continue in the Girl Scouts next year.) Anyway, moving on....one night after the kids were in bed and Ryan and I were indulging in our too-good-to-be-good-for-you cookies, I made some calculations and discovered that each Samoa cookie (my personal favorite!) cost me approximately twenty six cents (15 cookies in a box, and each box cost $4).

Shocking, isnt' it?

I got to thinking that there has got to be a more cost effective way to get these. But we all know that there is no alternative available in stores. So I did a search online for a recipe. For I can't be the only person in the world to want a Samoa cookie when they are out of season, which means that someone, somewhere, has a recipe!

And I found it.

Yes. Yes, I did! I found it here.

And so I made them.



And they turned out ok. Not as good at the original, but good. And you know they are good when you make 50 cookies on a Saturday night and they are gone in less than 24 hours.

But they weren't Girl Scout Samoa Cookie good.

One reason why they may not have been as good, to me, is because it took, like, eleventy billion hours to make and had twice as many steps! Ok, so I may be exaggerating. But just a bit, I promise you! The other reason is that I had issues with the shortbread part of the cookie as well with the melting of the chocolate. Those two things coupled together (which generally are a good thing) while making this cookie sent me over the edge and stole my joy.

The result, as I said, was good, but not spot on. I told myself that I would never make them again. But I may have lied. I just don't know if I can wait 11 more months to have my next samoa cookie!

Maybe Isabel's reaction says it best.....

....although she may have a indulged in the homemade samoa cookie, she just wasn't overwhelmed by it. But would have another, if it was offered.

Top Ten Tuesday - Movie Review

It's been quite a while since I've done a movie review. I was doing it once a month, but then life got weird and crazy and our movie watching went down to pretty much nothing. I didn't think that posting a monthly movie review was worth it when we only saw one movie. However, now that we've seen quite a few since last I posted, I finally feel able to post about it. So here is my latest movie review.

10. John Adams - We really enjoyed this one. For me, it didn't sounds terribly exciting, but it was well done and it didn't take me long to get into the life and story and John Adams, our second president. If you like history, a good story and good acting, then I recommend this one!

9. Jane Eyre - Oh, wow!, did I like this!!! This version is new and I saw it on PBS back in 2006, but since I didn't see that it was on tv until after it was already well into the story, I added it to our movie queue. It took almost a year for it to be released onto dvd then it took a while longer for it be available. It was well worth the wait! Although I have not read the book, I have seen an older bbc version (with Timothy Dalton). If you like this story then I think you may be pleased with this movie as well.

8. Facing the Giants - This movie was made by a church, I think, in the midwest. It is their atempt at making a good movie that is clean and has a good message. If that was their intent then I say they succeeded. It's not up to par with what we are used to on the silver screen, but it was nice to sit down and watch a movie that didn't assult me with words or situations that were offensive or walk the line in any way.

7. Chronicles of Narnia, Prince Caspian - We are currently readint the Narnia books to our kids, and after reading the 'wardrobe' book we let them watch the newest version of the movie. We had not yet seen this movie and wanted to preview it before allowing the kids. I'm glad we did. Although we liked the movie with it's action and graphics, we thought it was, for our children at thier age, too violent. I recently heard that Disney has decided to not make anymore of the Narnia books into movies. That's too bad, I would have liked to see more!

6. The Flying Scotsman - This was a true to life movie about a man, Scot Graeme Obree (of Scotland), who dreamed of becoming the world's fastest cyclist. In working toward fulfilling his dream, he constructed a new bike. As he does this he battles the sports authority as well as his own mental illness. It is an inspiring story of determination and true life stuggles. If you like this kind of story, then I recommend it.

5. Fireproof - This movie is similar to the Facing the Giants in that it was made by a Christian group and has some of the same players. I know that this movie got a lot of press within the Christian circles. Again, this movie is not of the same calibur as others that grace the screen, but at least it is clean and has a good message.

4. Eagle Eye - I liked this one! It had action and mystery with a little bit of sci-fi. It was one of those movies that had you guessing what was going on. I had a general idea of what the movie was about and I'm glad I din't know more, for I enjoyed following along and trying to figure it out (which I didn't, but that's ok, it's just part of the fun!).

3. The Tale of Despereaux - Mae and I had read the book together at the first of the year, so we thought it only right to watch the movie too! I enjoyed how the author wove her story together and brought life to the characters. I wish I could say the same for the movie. This is just another example of how the book is better than the movie. Although, I am glad that the movie wasn't as dark as the book was. If I hadn't read the book, I still would have enjoyed the movie.

2. Slumdog Millionaire - Now this was a good movie! I thought it was clever and original. It's a story of a guy who is about to win India's version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. Through most of the movie he is explaining how he, a young man who grew up in the slums of India, knows the answers to the questions he was given. As he explains his answers, we get a peek into his life and how he grew up. Why can't there be more movies like this?? It was, for the most part, clean and had some action along with true to life circumstances, but without being hokey or falling flat.

1. Traitor - A political action adventure flick. Not always my choice in movies (can you tell that my husband picked this one?). However, it was entertaining and a little thought provoking.

Maybe another reason we haven't watched many movies lately is because we are running low on selection. Any ideas of what we should watch next??

For more Top Ten lists, or if you want to add to the list of lists, go visit Oh Amanda!

Weekend Logic Test

I saw this on a friends Facebook this week. The object is to get all the people across the river. (once you get there, click on the big circle to start the game)

Simple enough, right?

Here's the rules....

• Only 2 people on the raft at a time.
• The Father cannot stay with any of the daughters, without their Mother's presence.
• The Mother cannot stay with any of the sons, without their Father's presence.
• The thief (striped shirt) cannot stay with any family member, if the Policeman is not there.
• Only the Father, the Mother and the Policeman know how to operate the raft.

As the story goes, this is an IQ test given to job applicants in Japan. Apparently if you are a logical thinker then you can solve it within 7 minutes.

I will admit that I did solve it twice on the first day, but I don't know how I accomplished it. It took me between 10 to 15 minutes.

So....how smart (or logical) are you? And remember....no cheating (ie. no Googling the answer!)

Destination: TBD

Remember when I posted about getting my first passport? It was like, 2 years ago. I had dreams of traveling with Ryan when he did his usual research trip to Spain with his job, but then the economy tanked and now he doesn't go. And I'm left with an empty passport. *sigh*

But since Ryan has racked up the flyer miles and hotel points, we could go on our own. Maybe. We have a sitter (thanks to Ryan's mother being a teacher and having summers off, and willing to watch our 3 kiddos!!!), and we have the vacation time to do it, now all we need is a destination.

Originally we had thought we'd go someplace in Europe. And I didn't really care where it was, just get me out of this country and stamp my passport! Please? But now our options have dwindled due to the cost of flights going up and consequently the number of flyer miles needed.

At this point we are down to either Brazil (because Ryan has been there and loves it) or Hawaii (it's close enough and we have enough flyer miles).

I'm not so hip to Brazil (much to Ryan's disappointment). I'm not really sure why, but I'm just not. And Hawaii. Well, we've been there (Maui, 13 years ago this summer....can you say honeymoon?) Besides, we'd like to go out of the country. But, Hawaii doesn't really pose the travel risks that Brazil could.

So, we are in a quandary (can you say word of the day?). Where to go, where to go? The possibilities seemed endless. But now they're not. *sigh* What a predicament (that's tomorrows word).

Any suggestions???

Look Away

While you're out and about today and if you happen to see a woman wearing a hat low on her head and avoiding eye contact.....don't look too closely.

She is not a celebrity trying to escape notice. And she is also not a shoplifter.

This woman needs to blend in and not draw attention to herself.

She is trying to hide the fact that she has pink eye. She needs to get out and do some essential shopping for things like milk and juice. Otherwise she would have secluded herself in her home.

So if see this woman, please let her escape your notice and pretend you don't see her.

Silently, she thanks you.

Top Ten Tuesday - Doing Laundry

Top ten reasons why I do laundry...

10. um, 'cause it needs to be done. who else is gonna do it?...the kids? ha!
9. I like to wear clean clothes
8. I like to see my kids wearing clean clothes
7. the sense of accomplishment is worth it (mostly)
6. I like it when the kids help me put things away
5. the 'bonuses' for this job are minimal (a penny here and there along with a few silver coins on occasion) but every once in a while I get an extra special bonus....the green stuff....now that's a bonus! cha-ching! who wants to split a gum ball with my earnings??
4. it's fun to see Isabel get excited about her clean clothes. seriously, it's like brand new clothes to her!
3. I like seeing empty dirty clothes bins
2. it's part of my 'job description', and once it's done I feel good about my 'job'.
1. it gives me a chance to weed out the things that need to end their cycle of life in my house (kids clothes that are too small and/or too stained and yucky, as well as old kitchen towels that have seen better days, etc.)

There. My list of reasons to motivate myself to tackle the never-ending pile(s) of laundry. What's on your list today?

For more Top Ten lists, visit Oh Amanda and see what she and others have listed!
3.

I Was Just the Host

I have a child that I am now convinced is not mine. She just can't be! I may have carried her and given birth to her, but in the light of recent events I now see that she's just not mine.

It's State testing time at Mae's school. For most kids this may give a little anxiety but certainly no loss of sleep.

But not my child. Nope.

Mae is looking up the State Testing web site and doing some pre-tests, just to make sure that she's ready. She's also expressing her fear of not passing and having to repeat the 2nd grade. And now she is in the other room with her father trying to wrap her brain around what division math is.

Strangeness I tell ya!

But it doesn't stop there. Oh no. This is only the latest of odd behavior from a child that I thought was mine.

At Christmas time, when we went to Tahoe and Modesto, Mae took her math with her. This was not assigned or asked of her. It wasn't even given as a suggestion. She did this on her own! So, she took it to the cabin and did a page of problems and asked our friend to check her work.

See??! This just isn't normal or right.

I have no idea who this child belongs to, but she certainly didn't get it from me. This is why I'm convinced that I was only the host carrier to the child within when pregnant.

It's the only explanation.

And....We're Back!

The kids and I returned yesterday from our Spring Break trip to the land of Grandma's and cousins. And I am happy to report that during both road trips (there and back) we rarely visited the ugly place. We veered off course a couple of times, but other than that all went well. Hallelujah, praise the Lord!!!

Now I am home and finding my place in our routine again. However, this morning I woke up to practically no voice. While on our trip I started to get a sore throat at night. It meandered into a head cold and now it's made its way to my vocal chords. This could be a good thing. Now I can't yell at anyone! Of course this does mean that I have to whisper in order to be heard. But Isabel is making me feel better by whispering back. I love it! So, losing my voice isn't such a bad thing if it means that I get to hear my Busy Issy whispering to me!

The Beautiful Place

I have much to do today, for the kids and I are packing into the car tomorrow morning and heading to good ol' Modesto. But above all the things I need to do to prepare for our trip, I need to pray. Pray, pray, pray!!! Why? Well, I can't help but be reminded of the ugly place when we go on trips. And if I don't prepare myself with prayer and dependence on the Lord during these trips then it is inevitable that along the way we will make some journeys through the ugly place.

So, as I begin my day of prepartions I will not forget to take my Jesus with me. He will not fit in the suitcase or in the trunk. No, the only place for Him is right beside me and in my heart. And that, my friend, is the beautiful place. Let's go there instead!

Top Ten Tuesday - Gettin' Through

Our home has been going through some rough times lately. I'll spare the details, but to simply lay it out there....it started with some insomnia for Ryan then snowballed with issues with the medications he was given. We are now mostly dealing with the repercussions of those meds gone bad with some sprinkles of insomnia (also related to bad drugs). Anyway, life has been rough for us these past several months. There are days that are easier than others....then there are some that are just plain hard and nasty. On days like those, there are bible verses that come to my mind and I cling to them. I cling to them for the promises they hold and the hope they give. This is my list of top ten verses that have given me comfort, hope and peace and help me get through. (in no particular order)

1. Philipians 4:6-7 ~ Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
2. Jerimiah 29:11-14 ~ For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the LORD

3. James 1:2-5 ~ Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.

4. Philippians 4:8-9 ~ Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

5. Psalms 27:13-14 ~ I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.

6. Psalms 23: 4,6 ~ Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

7. I Corinithians 2:9 ~ No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.

8. Psalm 20:6-8 ~ Now I know that the Lord saves his anointed; he answers him from his holy heaven with the saving power of his right hand. Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm.

9. Ok, so I can't think of anymore. but really, the above verses have given much comfort in my time of need

10. and even though days can be hard, I stand firm in the knowledge that the Lord is good...all the time!

Thank you Lord for your written word! Thank you for always being with me. And thank you for having a plan that is for my good and for your glory! This stuff we are going through is stinkin' hard, but even when I have no idea what is going on or for how long, I can rest in the knowledge that You know it all, from beginning to end, and that gives me great comfort. Thank you!

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**don't forget to check out other Top Ten lists at Oh Amanda!

Dust Off Your Fanny Packs!

Ryan has been saving up his flyer miles and we have enough for an overseas trip. We were thinking of going somewhere in Europe. Spain or maybe Germany. But after seeing this video.....maybe we can think outside the box and go somewhere, ummm, off the beaten path. Ryan thinks it could be cheap enough but then travel insurance may be a bit much. I say.....travel insurance is for sissies!

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Ultimate Blog Party 2009 - Dress Code, Comfortable!!!

It's that time of year again!! It's the Ultimate Blog Party!!! I love this party, it's so much fun! I enjoy meeting new blogs and making 'friends'. The door prizes aren't too bad either. Go here and check it out....then sign up and do some party hopping!



So welcome to my humble little blog, my own corner of blog-land. I love having friends over to visit, but I'm not very adept at branching out making small talk. In fact, I usually have a difficult time making new friends. I'm just not that confident. And when I do finally step out it can bite me in the end.......like the time when my husband and I had moved to Portland and I was on my way to making some new girl friends......

We had been in Portland for a few months and had already visited many churches and finally found one to call home, and even a weekly couples bible study to be a part of too. The ladies of the church were having a Christmas evening one night and the other ladies of the bible study group invited me to join them at their table. I was thrilled! I thought about what I was going to wear and was all set to go.

I went to a new friends house and stood at her door step waiting for her to answer the door. As I stood there I mentally congratulated myself that I had made it this far and I looked forward to getting to know these ladies even more. Then she opened the door and I saw what she was wearing.....a nice skirt, sweater and (gasp) pantyhose! Me? What was I wearing??? I'm still embarrassed to say. I had mentally made the mistake of mixing up this gathering with another social event (a candle/bead party) and wore something waaaaaay too casual.

There I was, standing at the door looking at my new friend in her nice church-wear, as I donned a pair of off-white jeans, a soft gray mock turtle neck paired with a newish pair of white tennis shoes with reflective silver stripes on the side. Can you say AWKWARD??!! I just about died right there! How could I have been so stupid to think that an evening at a ladies Christmas event would be this casual??! I just wanted to melt into her porch right there. It's ok, just leave me behind and go on without me, really, it's ok!

It got worse. The other ladies arrived at the house as we were to carpool over to the church. They were all dressed nicely, some in dresses fit for the occasion. Then we headed over to the event. At least in the parking lot it was dark and no one would see my underdressedness. But as we crossed through the parking lot all I could think about was how my shoes were probably lighting up with every passing car! And my horror continued when we got inside. Of course all the other ladies were appropriately dressed in pretty Christmas dresses (picture lots of pantyhose and heels!). We set up the table with China plates and Christmas decorations. Then. Then! We began the evening with perusing different booths of vendors and craft tables. All I wanted to do was get to the part where we sit down, eat pretty deserts and listen to the speaker. It was my thought that once we were all seated that I wouldn't stick out too much, for I looked ok from the waist up. It took awhile, but we finally made it to the sit-down part. And from there I felt better. At the end I was more than ready to bolt for the door and get home, where I could privately die of embarrassment and never be heard (or seen) of again.

So, all that to say....I get nervous when meeting new people and trying to fit in. I'd like to make a good impression, but maybe that's why blogging is more my speed. I can express myself without having to think about how I look or if I'm having a good hair day!

So here you find yourself at my party. Please make yourself comfortable. We can swap embarrassing moments (or in my case, evenings!) or recipes (Southwestern White Chili and Lasagna Florentine, Chinese Chicken Salad), or whatever. My dress code for today....jeans and a t-shirt are absolutely acceptable. Reflective shoes, optional.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

if I were to win any door prizes, I'd sure like either of the $50 gift cards for Target (19, 21, 22), or the $100 gift card for Home Goods,or the pedometer looks like fun too!

Top Ten Tuesday - Green Things

In the spirit of today, St. Patricks Day, I'll share my list of top ten things that are green.

Give me a sec while I try to figure out what they may be............wow, this is hard!...........more difficult than I thought!..........

Oh, ok, I think I got it. Here goes!

10. I like green lights. you know, green as in go! who doesn't like to sail through an intersection without stopping?? (while safely driving the speed limit, of course)


9. money - in this instance I like what it can get me, especially when it's on sale!

8. I like our artificial Christmas tree. It just makes sense for our family since we are usually visiting family over Christmas, and having a fake tree gives the kids a chance to have one at home while not leaving a fire hazard behind when we're gone. And it doesn't look too bad either!


7. My winter coat. It's not something I use often anymore (gotta love these Southern California "winters"!) but it keeps me warm when I need it.



6. I have a family recipe for Green Rice that is used mostly during the holidays. It calls for coloring the rice green before adding it to the rest of the dish, but I never do that. It looks gross. But it's a fabulous dish and I highly recommend it!

5. I love my three shades of green paper for making cards. It's one of those colors that I love to use but at the same time try to use sparingly so I don't run out! (I do card swaps if anyone wants to barter/trade for anything!)

(I tried to upload a modified picture of some a my cards, but it didn't work. If your truly interested in what they look like -a couple with green paper, of course!- then you can seen a pic here.)

4. I just love my truck. I love it's space (seats 8!), it's height, the roof rack and heated seats (not that they are used much these days, but they were much appreciated when we lived in Michigan).


3. My 'green' grocery bags (I know they're really red, but it's the earth friendly essence I'm going for here)


2. The new Chinese Chicken Salad recipe I recently found, it's super-yum and super-easy! It calls for cabbage and avocado, and those are green (and how the recipe made it onto my 'green' list!).

1. Mach-ah-moley!! (as Isabel would call it. but me, I call it guacamole.....ok, ok, her way is much too cute and it's fun to say, so I admit it, I call it mach-ah-moley.) It's my new favorite thing to eat and can't hardly get enough of it!



For more Top Tens head over to Oh Amanda. And for even more fun, make your own top ten and add it to the list!

Report Card

Last week brought us report cards for both Mae and Caleb. And reports show that they are both doing well in school!!! However, I can not escape the fact that report cards aren't what they used to be. Wait, I think I'm dating myself if I say something like that. Does that make me (gulp) old???

Anyway, not only do we get a two page spread of how each child is doing in various subjects and categories, but Mae's teacher also sent home an abundance of copies of her work. Among the samples of Mae's work was a cute little story she had written about holding Isabel for the first time. I can't resist posting her story, with a cute picture to go with it.

My First Time Holding My Baby Sister!

"Waaa-w-waaa" "It's ok Isabel! We're almost home". I whispered to my little sister Isabel. "We're home!" Mom quietly yelled to everyone. "Can I hold Isabel now Mom?" I asked.

My dad handed my sister (to me). I shivered like I was freezing in Antarctica. I could not do it. I was scared, too much. What if I drop her, cause you know that babies are fragile.

It was too late, she was already in my hands. I just almost screamed. But wait, I think I got it! I do! I really do got it! I wish this will last forever. I hoped so much that my little sister can stay a baby.

~~~~~~~~~

Isn't that a sweet story?? However, I do wonder about how much she actually remembers (she was barely 4 at the time) and what parts are artistic license.

Here Kitty, Kitty, Kitty!!!

Last month I busted out the vacuum and put it to work on the couch. I was having two sets of visitors in the span of just a few days, and I knew that at least one of them would be sitting on the couch. I also knew there was all kinds of junk and crumbs under the cushions. Sure enough.....I found cheerios (do they breed and multiply?? I'm sure they do) and raisins, along with broken bits of toys, and hey that's where the remote is!

A few days later found my first set of guests gracing my sofa. And lo and behold I noticed as one of them got comfortable, his hand was resting between the cushions. I am even more thankful for taking the time to vacuum because as I watched my guest relax I, too, could rest in the fact that his hand would not come out covered with crumbs and junk!

Has it been a while since you've cleaned out the couch? Here's a story to give you motivation. You never know what you may find......or what you've been missing!

An Addendum

You know how you forget things? Like when you go to write something down so you don't forget it, like making a grocery list? But then when you get back home or when you're making that meal then you remember something that you forgot to get while at the store?? Well, that happened to me the other day. There I was writing down the top ten things that Isabel says and I as I sat with my fingers at the ready on the keyboard, my mind went blank. It seems odd to me, really. I mean, how can I forget the super-cute things that she says? And these are things that she says all the time!!!

Well, now that the list has been made and published, I remember one of my absolute favorite words......mach-ah-moley!!! Mach-ah-moley, as in guacamole. How cute is that? Seriously, how could I have forgotten such cuteness??!!

Not only is mach-ah-moley one of my current all-time favorite words to hear from Isabel, it's also one of my new favorite things to eat (which is probably why she says it all the time, because I make it. A lot!).

So there you have it, my addendum to the top ten things that Isabel says. Or does that make it the top eleven?

TopTen Tuesday: Isabel's Words

So my friend over at Oh Amanda is doing a top ten list every Tuesday, and I thought I'd join in this week. My list for today is about the super-cute words that Isabel says.

As parents, Ryan and I don't get out much. And after the kids have been tucked in for the night, there have been times that our entertainment consists of recalling the funny moments created by our kids, and saying the silly words that they've said when they were little. Thankfully, Isabel is still in the stage of silly, mispronounced words. So she has been adding to our repertoire of memorable moments for our quiet evenings.

If you were an observer in our home on one of these nights, here are a few of the new words you might hear Ryan and I say to each other, thanks to the smallest of mispronouncers in our family;


10.if she does something amazing, she'll ask; you likey?
9. she likes to eat ot'dogs in a bum
8. she really likes her neck-ah-nuss (necklace)
7. that came from her Camma and Campa (Grandma and Grandpa)
6. she likes to puts things in her pack pack (back pack)
5. I like it when she gives me ugs and kicks (hugs and kisses)
4. when going to school, she likes to go to bun bunch (lunch bunch)
3. on road trips, she likes to look through the knock-a-ners (binoculars)
2. if she sees a dog or a puppy, she'll want to pep it
1. and our personal favorite....it's not a bird, it's not a plane.....it's ah beesh! (sheep)

On My Mind....

I just finished my bible study for today, and considering all that I am faced with and going through, this is the verse that I choose to dwell on today.

Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. Psalm 84:10

I choose the nearness of the Lord regardless of my comfort in this life. For the Lord is good, all the time, and I choose to keep that in the front of my mind as I go through this day.

If A Boy Spills His Cheerios.....

...inside the truck on his way to school, his mother will have to scoop them off to the side so they don't get stepped on, crunched and made into a gravely, crumby mess.

Later, when picking up a friends daughter from pre-school, the mom will have to actually clean up the Cheerios because now there are two sets of feet just waiting to stomp on them.

When the moms friend comes to pick up her daughter, she has a conversation about cleaning car seat covers. The mom thinks to herself that she really should clean her own little girl's car seat cover because she honestly can't remember the last time she did!

After picking up the two older kids from school, the mom spies some stray Cheerios she missed earlier and thinks that a quick round with the shop vac will get rid of them for good.

Now, the mom can't just do a quick run through with the shop vac, and since she already has it out she may as well pull out the car seats and vacuum the whole truck.

If she's going to take out the car seats she should go ahead and wash the covers that go with them.

While the car seats are out, now would be a good time to wipe down the seats with some leather cleaner.

And why not get the windex and spray down all the inside windows too?

When that's all done and the truck has been put back together, the mom will step back and admire her work.

Then she will go inside and realize she really worked up an appetite. And even though it's close to dinner time, she's thinking that the perfect snack would be a nice little bowl of Cheerios.

You Didn't See That......Did You?

Yes, that was my little girl who fell into the fountain. But you didn't notice, or stare too much at the crazy woman who got up and ran to get said little girl. Did you?

It all started when the weather cleared and gave us a promising day of warmth and sunshine. It had been raining for almost two weeks straight, so we decided to take advantage of the day and head to the park and maybe take in a museum. And so we took the weather at its word and headed out to a local hot spot for such a day as today.

First stop, the park. The kids enjoyed taking off their shoes and climbed the structures and slides. Then we threw some balls around and did a little chasing, all the while enjoying the giggles and smiles.

Next up we walked museum isle and enjoyed street performers of all variety. Isabel and I got 'ersty' so Ryan obliged us all with bottled water and an ice cream with sprinkles. And as we sat eating our fare, I noticed one musuem near by that have a very enticing sign, which read, FREE ADMISSION. Now a family on a budget on the lookout for money saving opportunities can not pass that up. And so we partook of said opportunity. However, the family must keep in mind that museum staff get a little antsy when 3 year old little girls try to climb the statues or dart behind the rope. So Isabel had to be content with piggy back rides while inside the free musuem of Russian and American art.

Once outside we spotted yet another free opportunity. This one boasted plants and flowers. The 3 year old little girl did much better in this one! However, the kidlets were not too impressed with the flora and fauna, so off we went.

On our way to the truck we stopped at the soon-to-be infamous fountain. Now, this fountain is huge in diameter as it is tall in it's hieght. And as Ryan and I sat down not too far from the edge, the kids were off and running around and around this monstrous attraction. We watched with diligence and told the kids not to touch the water, and, for the most part, they complied. Isabel made me nervous though as she would stand at the very edge and lean over to put the teensiest tip of her finger on the surface. Inside I was bunching up and wanting to yell "Isabel! No touch!", but I refrained so as not to make a spectacle of myself and just let the girl be free in her explorations. I relaxed a bit, but kept a watchful eye on her as she continued to go 'round and 'round.

Never ingnore a woman's intution. It's better to be safe than sorry, and to look a fool and to remain dry. In this case, however, I ended up looking the fool regardless, along with an all wet Isabel.

As she followed her big sister by the fountains edge, she slipped on the wet surface and tumbled in. For the next few moments I can recall the events only from an out of body perspective. I jumped up and yelp. Yes, I do believed I made some sort of audible, now-embarassing, sound. Not knowing how deep the water was, I quickly made my way to where Isabel had taken the plunge. By the time I reached her though, she had already stepped out of the water and was making her way to me (thankfully we now know that the fountian is only about a foot or so deep). And Isabel was drenched and a little shook up, but was otherwise fine.

What an adventure our day had become! A nice sunny day, playing at the park, ice cream, free musuems and a nice little dip in an obliging fountain. A day to remember, that's for sure!

Words I Love to Hear...

"I go potty, Mommy."

These words, together in the sentence above, tell me that my 3 1/2 year old is heading to the bathroom to take care of her business. And they are a signal, telling me that my time of changing diapers is finished. Oh, what joy! What joy!

Up until this point, I have been changing diapers for well over seven years. To me this is amazing. I never thought about how long I'd be in the diaper changing stage of life, but looking back it seems like a long time. However, when in the midst of it, I never really thought about it, I just did it, for it had to be done. But now! Now, I am on the other side and it feels oh so good!

Goodbye diapers!

Goodbye baby stage of life!

Ah, now that's just sad. I'll miss the baby stage, but I won't miss those diapers!

Simply Valentines

It's Valentines Day again!!! And I've learned my lesson. Last year I did too much for the kids classrooms and friends. And the year before that I did a somewhat large valentine project as well. This year, this year I've learned my lesson and went simple.

Since Mae has been in preschool, I have been having the kids make their own valentine cards. This requires me to cut the paper and glue it all together and (most of the time) fill out each card with the names. But that comes after they have stamped each little bitty card with valentine stamps. Oh, and then the past couple years I've had to take those cards and affix them to the valentine goodies. Not this year! Nope. This year I broke down and shelled out a few bucks and let the kids pick out some store bought valentines (gasp!...shocking, I know).

However!!!.......I did do a little project for the kids teachers. I only had to make three and it was so quick and simple, so I made two more for my friends. This is what I made


Aren't they cute?! You're probably wondering what they are, so let me tell ya. They are paper packages filled with M&M's or candy hearts! (for instructions go here) I went to a friends stamp workshop at her house last weekend, and along with the scrapbook page and valentine card, we also made one of these. They are so easy to make that I thought it would be perfect to give to the teachers for a little valentine gift. I think from start to finish for each one, probably took me no more than five minutes. See? Simple, easy and totally cute! You should try it! I think these would be perfect, too, for party favors. All I'd have to do is choose different paper and voila! it'd be perfect!

Happy Valentines Day!!!

Casting Off

The three weeks have come and gone since Caleb got his cast on. He did a great job of handling life with a cast. As the days led up to the big removal, I tried to prepare him and give him something to look forward to. I asked him to think of things that he couldn't do with his cast on then we'd pick one off the list and do it when it came off. We thought of things like going to a sandy park or the swimming pool (or hot tub since the weather here is 'cold'). And it was decided that we'd go to the hot tub.

However, the weather was not notified of our decision, and it rained.

So I planned on having Caleb's Cast Off party at home with our neighbor friends from down the street over instead. I whipped up a batch of homemade cinnamon rolls and had hot chocolate waiting along with some big ol' fat marshmallows! My boy had to have something to look forward to and it was the best I could do.

the spread!

Caleb's appointment was directly after school, so we zipped over as soon and the kids got out. I sat next to Caleb on the exam table as the nurse cut off his cast. I had planned to sit off to the side and take pictures but once I got there I knew that Caleb would need me to be there beside him, so I let Mae take the pictures (and she did a great job!).

Once the cast was cut and taken off, Caleb (and I) was unprepared for how his hand would feel. As he put it 'it feels weird!!!!'. And that is when the crying began. After the initial shock of weirdness (and crying) past he quieted down as I explained that his muscles were just weak from unuse and that his hand was fine and nothing was wrong with it. Oh, and I told him that cinnamon rolls and friends were waiting for him at home. After that he felt better.

Then, after getting more x-rays taken, Caleb was given a removable brace to wear for another 3 weeks. I was unprepared for that! I thought we'd be all done. But apparently I was wrong. The good part is that he can take it off and doesn't have to wear it all the time, and we do not have any more doctor appointments!!!

Here are a few pictures of Caleb's journey through the casting off procedure

cutting the hard part of the cast

getting a little freaked out by the cutting and buzzing of the saw

starting to feel the 'weirdness' as the cast comes off

hey, I think this might feel kinda funny...

"It feels wierd! It feels weird!"

all better and looking forward to cinnamon rolls and friends!
can you say 'cast off'???!!

I Always Said I Was Frugal

I made a few bucks today! Wanna know how???

I did the grocery shopping last night (no kids, great time to go!) and while there I bought a bag of frozen chicken. My total amount was larger than I expected, so this morning I went over the receipt. I had thought that my bog-0-chicken was on sale, they charged me $11.99 and I thought it was more like $6.99. So I called the stores phone number that was on the bottom of the receipt. They checked and said it was on sale for $9.99. Well, ok, so I was overcharged by two bucks. But still, we're on a tight budget while we pay off our debt so you betcha I went down there to get my measy two dollars!

After returning to the store and having the helpful guy at the customer service desk recheck the sale price, I was given the full amount back. And when I say 'the full amount' I'm not referring to the two bucks....I'm talking about the full amount of the bag-o-chicken! They refunded the entire $11.99 because I had to return to the store! Who am I to argue with store policy??

Ha! I got twelve bucks AND my bag of chicken!

Did You Know....

A few months back I had a new friend over for lunch, and I baked up a nice batch of brownies to be enjoyed afterward. When it came time for me to cut and remove them from the dish, I ran into a problem I often have....the brownies stick to the knife and get all torn up!

My friend had a brilliant solution that I had never heard of before; use a plastic knife. I admit that I was skeptical. But I tried it and voila! it worked!

Who knew that cutting with a plastic knife could bring such joy?

Did you?

Red is the New Green

We recently went to an auto show, and while we were there we passed by the Toyota dealer as they were handing out reusable bags. The kids each took a bag and we continued on our way. I was quite excited about these new bags because I had big plans for them.

I had been wanting some reusable bags to use at the grocery stores, but I've been picky. Picky because I don't want bags that have store names on them. I know it's weird and just something I should just get over, but I didn't want to take a Target bag to use in Safe Way. See? Weird. And I'm also picky about price. I know, I know, they can be had for pretty cheap, but not if I want a generic no-name bag!

Enter my new (free!) bags from the Toyota dealer! The bags are big, and sturdy, and red!, and have Toyota written across the front. Now, we are typically a Honda family, but I think I'll make an exception here (we did once own a Camry and it was a very good car!). I knew that I was going to use these bags often and who knows really how long they will last, so I had Ryan and Mae go past the Toyota dealer once more to pick up two more bags. Score! I am now the proud owner of FIVE reusable grocery bags!!!

I have thought this through, and I keep my trendy, store-neutral bags in the truck so that I won't forget them when I go to the store. And it's worked out pretty good too, for I have yet to leave them behind whilst going grocery shopping. Oh, and the number? Perfect! Five is a great number. I think we may have used all five at one time, but never have we had to supplement with plastic! Sweet!

Take a peek at my new Green bags! Aren't they fab?!