The Dark Side of White

White kitchen cabinets, while nice, are rarely completely white.

This is a problem I have found since living in my white-cabineted kitchen for the past 8 months. Think of it this way.....the golden gate bridge gets painted once a year. They start at one end and work their way down to the other. By the time they reach the other side, it's time to repaint where they started.

The same can be said about keeping white kitchen cabinets clean.

For My Dad

Happy Father's Day, Dad. Thanks for your leadership in our family. For your encouragement along the way. And for your sense of humor.

I love you!

Summer - Day One

Yesterday was the kids last day of school. Which made me the proud parent of a 2nd and 4th grader (seriously?? are they really old enough to be in those grades?? I think I'll hold them back, just this once).

So today is the first day of summer vacation. The first day (for me) to not wake up to an alarm clock. Bliss.......until the sounds of rambunctious kids jolt me from my slumber.

On second thought.....maybe year around school is something I should look into. Or, maybe boarding school. Do they have summer boarding schools?

Words To Live By - part 2

Don't doubt your mother.......

I would not describe myself as being an outgoing or extroverted person. I had heard or read somewhere that an extrovert is someone who is energized from being with people. I am definitely not that kind of person, I value my solitude. This is not to say that I don't enjoy being around others, on the contrary. However, stepping outside my comfort zone to talk with people I do not know is not something that comes easily to me, and in most cases, I avoid. So when my mother suggested that I might make a new friend at an open house we hosted recently, which consisted of only Ryan's co-workers (ie. people I don't know!), I doubted her to the 'enth degree.

Who am I to disagree with my mother? And yet, I did. I prepared for the gathering of strangers in my home and steeled myself for an afternoon of awkward and or short conversations. However, when it was all done with and the last guest had said goodbye and driven away, I found myself with a possible new friend.

Strangely enough, I had a couple nice conversations with one of the wives at our gathering. I'm sure it helps that she is a more outgoing person than I. Turns out that her two kids are the same age as mine (well, Mae and Caleb) and they lives just minutes away.

It's been two weeks since our open house and I have followed up with an email containing hellos and a recipe (gotta start a friendship off on the right foot!), and we've also talked on the phone, set up a play date for next week and our girls are signed up for at least one summer activity together.

Yep. Mom was right. I think I have a new friend.

**Mom, I'm sorry I doubted you. I promise I'll never do that again! :)

Words To Live By - part 1

Never say 'never'. And, don't doubt your mother.

Both of these are things that I have done. And I think God laughed. Then things happened.

Never say never.......

I used to hear other moms talk about homeschooling their children and inevitably I'd say or think something like 'that's great for you, but I will never homeschool my kids'. I kind of like taking my kids to school and dropping them off. It's fun to help out in the classroom, and it's also fun to be at home and get things done with a little less distraction and whine. However, I said I'd 'never' homeschool my kids. I also said that it would take the Lord moving in my life to make it happen. Well, hear me now when I say the Lord has moved me! Beginning this fall I will be homeschooling Isabel.

Back in March when Caleb was in soccer, I met a mom who home schools her children through a local charter school. We talked a little about it and how the school works. This school is a bit different in that it offers part homeschool and part classroom time at the school. The next day I was thinking about Isabel and how she's just not quite at the same level that Mae and Caleb were upon entering kindergarten. Some of it I feel is my fault since she is the third child and has not gotten the attention with reading books and writing as Mae and Caleb received from me. As I was thinking about Isabel's development, I thought that maybe doing the partial homeschool thing would help her get more attention and help as she begins her elementary career. The thought of homeschool her in this way was not overwhelming to me and I actually thought that it would be possible for me to do it.

And so began the moving of the Lord in my heart on behalf of my little girl. As of this coming fall Isabel will begin kindergarten and I, in part, will be her teacher. Amazingly enough, I am excited about it. Now I know that there will be times and days that we will struggle or have a difficult time, and a part of me is still freaking out that I'm actually doing this. But this was not my plan, this came from the Lord, He has brought me to this point, so I know that Isabel and I are not alone as we begin this homeschooling journey together. Who knew that something as huge as this would happen in my life? I certainly didn't, for I thought it would never happen!

Changing Things Up

Our church offers a Saturday night service, and lately we have attended that service in lieu of Sunday morning. And I gotta say that I am loving it. It has taken me some getting used to, but so far it's pretty great.

I have always gone to church on Sunday morning. It's been a way of life since, well, since I was a wee babe (now I'm just a big, grown up babe) :) But now this Saturday night service has changed my life! I now get not one, but two weekend mornings to sleep in! No more rushing around on Sunday mornings to get all the people in our household ready for church and out the door in time. Instead, we have two leisurely mornings around the house. And it is soooo nice.

So, we went to church last night. Then I stayed up to watch a movie. And now we are talking about what to do with our day. I think we are going to the park and then get some ice cream.

Yep, this Saturday night church stuff is pretty great!

Snapshot of Daily Life

I took the kids to the library today to sign up for their summer reading program. While we were there, the kids picked up a few books to get started.

I sure hope Isabel can curb her enthusiasm. She's a little out of control!

I'm Telling Myself Not To Cry

Tomorrow puts me fully into a new stage of life - being a mom of school-age kids. For tomorrow is Isabel's last day of preschool. The last day, as in no more, that's it!, done, finito!, and the one that sticks in my mind, forever.

No more will I have a toddler in my home. No more taking a small child to the fun-filled hours of preschool. As of tomorrow at 3:30 pacific time, my last child will be moving on to greater things. Elementary school.

I'm not ready and I'm steeling myself for what is surely to overtake me as I take Isabel into her last day of preschool. Tears. As my baby moves from one stage of life to another. And takes me with her.

Open Season

It's ice cream makin' time!!!!

Tonight we're going to a potluck and I signed myself up for desert. And because it's getting warm and the official Summer season is almost upon us, I have decided that I need to bring home made ice cream to this event.

And the flavor shall be (insert drum roll please).............banana cream pie!

Never made it before, but I have a feeling that my guinea pigs, ahem, friends won't mind being the first to try it. I foresee no complaints.

But I'll keep you posted.

New Motivation

The girls are super-excited about their newly arranged room. They're so excited, in fact, they even made their beds this morning! And I didn't ask them too.

Turns out I love the new arrangement also. I hope their excitement never wears off!

More Trash?

I got the girls a new/larger dresser to share. They both had their own, until now, but Mae's dresser has been too small for her for quite some time. Anyway, since I'll be moving the new dresser into their room after I've freshened it up with a coat of paint, Mae has decided that she'd like to rearrange the room (she must get that from me, I've always liked moving my furniture around!).

So, this is a good time to clean up the room and go through the unwanted stuff. I gave the girls a trash bag to use as they make their way around the room and into crevices not seen in many months.

And I just want to note that I have thrown away one very-full trash bag and they are not done!

Did we not just move and go through this process seven months ago? What's up with all the garbage???

I Wanna Rock Too!

Mae earns money for doing certain chores around the house. Right now she's saving up for a pair of legging shorts, which will only take her a few unloads of the dishwasher (according to Target's pricing). This evening I happen to have a dishwasher in need of an unloading, so I turned to my in-need nine year old to help me out. Afterwards, I thanked her, and this was the conversation;

Me: Thank you Mae!

Mae: You're welcome (inwardly thinking 'where's my money?!')

Me: You totally rock!

Mae: I know.

Isabel: I wanna rock like Mae too!

Isabel doesn't like to be left out. She has always wanted to be just like her big sister and brother. Good thing is....she does, she totally rocks! Even if she doesn't unload the dishwasher.

500 - Triple Chocolate Cookies

Yesterday I made my first recipe from my new 500 Cookies recipe book. I chose the triple chocolate cookies for the maiden baking expedition. They did not disappoint (but really, I'm not too surprised).

The triple chocolate cookie is not a super-sweet cookie, as one might think with there being chocolate in there three ways. But a cookie doesn't always need to be sweet to be enjoyed and called delicious.

The only thing to do now is to pick the next recipe. Hmmm.....shall it be the peanut butter cookie? Or the variation thereof, the peanut butter chocolate? Decisions. Decisions.

Something New!

Recently, I was at the bookstore and came across a recipe book that I felt I 'had to have'. But it cost more than I was willing to spend. That always happens to me. So I turned to my ever-helpful Amazon. And was not dissappointed. So I ordered the lovely book. Then waited for the mail man to hurry up and bring it already!

It came yesterday!

I flipped through the pages and found many a delightful cookie. I am perusing it again this morning, for Mae needs to take a treat to an event tonight. My only problem, I think, will be choosing just one to try. I'm giddy with anticipation!

Casts And Socks

The funny thing that happens when a child has a cast on their foot is that it cuts down on the laundry of socks. By about half.

But then it gets weird, or maybe annoying.......do I take the clean/laundered unpaired socks and just throw them in the drawer? Or do I take the time to match them up only to have them taken apart again so one of them can be worn?

Nine

Happy birthday Mae!!!

Wow. Nine years goes by fast. Never thought I'd say that! One day I'm large with child and making my way to the hospital, and the next I'm blowing up birthday balloons for a nine year old.

Another strange thought is that in 365 days, we'll be celebrating the big 1-0. Which also means that this is the last year of being a single digit. But I'll hold onto nine as long as I can, for it will slip through my fingers just as quickly as the past eight years have.

This Time He Choose Camo

I have a son. He's seven. And is now breaking in cast number two. This makes me wonder how many he'll have in his lifetime.



It happened Saturday night, at church. Caleb says he was running and twisted his ankle. He got a good-sized goose egg of swelling on the injured ankle and had to hobble around a lot. I figured it was just a sprain and put ice on it, but I had no plans (or desire) to take him to the doctor. Ryan insisted I take him in anyway. He said that a break could still be there even if it appears to get better. So, being the ever-dutiful wife, I took Caleb to the doctor yesterday. Sure enough, there is a teensy little break. And that calls for a cast for about 3 weeks.

The moral of this story?

*don't run in church

and.....

*listen to your husband (even when you don't want to)

Can I Get An Amen!

I woke up feeling oh so much better this morning. *whew* The flu is no fun, but it does make me appreciate how great feeling normal really is! It makes me appreciate other things too.....things like good friends willing to help out. Friends who take my kids to and from school. And entertain and feed my youngest so I can rest. Lovely ladies that come and bring me get-well food and drive from far away places to provide dinner for the healthy (and hungry!) people in the house. And for all the others that I may not have known about that prayed for me.

God is good. Even when I feel like crap. Because even though I prayed for immediate grace, He gave me love and provided for me and my family.

So yes, God is good, all the time. All the time, God is good!

Amen!

My Thought For The Day

....the flu is a terrible weight loss plan.

'nuf said.

Lost and Found

I vacuumed the couch last night. I did the usual take-off-the-cushions deal and then proceeded to get the usual suspects; crumbs, stray raisins (was it a grape when it first made it's decent below the cushions?), and not-too-surprising-whatnots. My next step is to put the angled hose into the cracks of the couch, but this time I decided to go a step further, just in case. And the things I pulled out were amazing and at times embarrassing.

Here is what I found, things that would never have been pulled out by the vacuum (which makes me wonder how long they've been hiding out in the bowels of my couch....but maybe I don't want to know);

2.5 pairs of socks
A necklace jewel in a little ziplock baggie
Hair band
Business card (from Portland!!)
Game piece
Wadded up Capri Sun
An extra Capri Sun straw
Puzzle piece (that's been missing since Mae was TWO!!)
full-size pencil
Wii sports booklet
2 combs
Reciept
Candy wrapper

My only comfort is knowing where that missing puzzle piece went! (I wondered where that was!!!) Ok, fine, my comfort lies in knowing that my family can now sit upon a couch that is throughly and utterly devoid of any clutter and/or junk. We can all wear clean matched-up socks and have nicely combed hair.

Ahhhhh.......peace, at last.

Playlist

I have Ryan's hand-me-down iphone. He's done well showing me how to use it. And I've learned the ropes of itunes and how to download my music to my iphone (hello 21st century, I have finally arrived!).

Now, I intend to use my newly uploaded music for the gym, to help me power through a few workouts. I've tried to keep the music upbeat and pumpin'! There's a little bit of everything in there. I've got some Stephen Curtis Chapman, and Dc Talk. Then there's a snippet of Coldplay along with some Michael Jackson. A little of Brooks and Dunn and Need To Breathe. See....a little bit of everything!

But I only have a few songs, really not a whole lot. Would you like to add to my playlist? If you did, what would you suggest???

He's At It Again....

Edward, he's playing with his food again. My only hope is that he doesn't feel the need to share any with us. I don't think I'll like rabbit. My tastes are a bit more distinguished (even if it does taste like chicken).

On Household Tasks

Changing sheets on mattresses needs to be done. It's just a given when trying to care for your household. It's a thankless job....and mom has to do it.

But putting clean sheets on the top bunk is just plain tiring.

Period.

Gooooooooal!

Last Friday was Caleb's last soccer game. He has enjoyed soccer so much and since this was his first season to play, he was quite sad about it coming to an end. On the way to the game I reminded him to play and enjoy his last game. Caleb's response to me was, "I'm gonna kick some goals today, just for you Mom!". Well, that was a nice thought, but since he hadn't kicked any goals this entire season I just encouraged him to play his best and enjoy the game.

Despite my encouragement to just play and have fun, he went ahead and scored two goals! Once he kicked his first goal, I could see not only his excitement over what he had just done but also there was a fire in his eyes that wasn't there before. It was his first taste of victory and he kinda liked it and wanted more.

Again, this was Caleb's first season of soccer, or for any sport for that matter. Timing and cost have kept me from signing him up for anything prior to this. And frankly I haven't really seen the need for it. Sure, it would be fun for Caleb to learn a sport and make friends, but I told myself that he got some of that at school. But now I get it! It was so great to see Caleb learn how to play soccer and to do well. And it felt great to sit on the sidelines and cheer for my son as he scored his first goals. I'm so proud of my son! Too bad soccer is over. But I'll be signing him up for other things very soon.

And as Isabel often said throughout the season during Caleb's games......Go Caleb! Go Caleb! Go Caleb!!!

My Husband Loves Me Because I'm Cheap

It's true. I'm a sucker for paying a low price. Or a reduced price. Pretty much any price that isn't the full deal. And I'll to great lengths to pay a lower price, even when I shouldn't. But it works out in the end, most times.

When we moved into our house last year, I noticed that the silverware basket wasn't the one that originally came with the dishwasher. In fact, it was a small metal basket that barely fit all the silverware (if you call jamming the silverware into any available crevice a 'fit', that is). The worst part was that it was metal and it was rusting in areas and therefore starting to get rust on my some of my silverware. So I called Sears with my dishwasher part information to order a replacement. Should have been easy enough, right? Well, it was, actually, but the price that was quoted to me was something I was not willing to pay. The lady on the phone said it was going to be forty bucks!!! And that did not include shipping. After her insistence that she wasn't kidding me, I told her I wasn't willing to pay that much for such a part, and quickly (and gracefully) ended the call. The funny part was that Ryan was willing to shell out the forty-plus bucks for the simple little plastic piece of dishwasherness, but I was not. And so began my quest for a cheaper part.

And I found it! Gotta love the internet and it's ease of searching for stuff. I was able to locate a dishwasher basket that would fit. Would you like to guess how much I paid for it??

Twenty bucks. Including shipping. Wah-lah! I just saved us twenty-plus dollars!!!! Not much could make me happier.

And that is why my husband loves his cheap wife.

Then End.

Too Much Of A Good Thing

On my nightstand is usually one book and my One Year Bible, my teeny alarm clock and a bedside light. But I'm a bit behind in reading and a few books have gathered beside my bed, all wanting my attention. Then yesterday at a ladies gathering at church there was a table of donated books and they were free for the taking. And because I must like to have lists of unfinished 'things to do', I grabbed a set of four books. Yes, I know, I'm crazy.

And what once was my nightstand has now become a bookshelf, apparently.



Currently, the books that are gracing my bedside are;

The One Year Bible (God)
The Note (Angela Hunt)
The Girls (Lori Lansens)
Captian Wentworth's Diary (Amanda Grange)
Take Three (Karen Kingsbury)
The Yada Yada Prayer Group - all four in the series (Neta Jackson)
Conspiracy In Kiev (Noel Hynd)

When I am finished with these, I plan to pick up some of the books mentioned here. And after that, who knows!

So what's on your nightstand?

Getting the Second Round of Shots

A few months ago we got the kids vaccinated for H1N1. Well, they got the first round of it due to their age. If you recall, I was sneaky and didn't tell the kids that they were getting a shot until we were pulling into the parking lot. When they heard the news there was all kinds of cries protest and tears. While there, they learned that they would need to get a second shot in a few weeks. But I refused to tell them exactly when. However, I made a different plan.

Mae was asking me when the next appointment was, and still I wouldn't tell her exactly when it was. I asked her what she preferred, but I had her think about her answer before she told me. My question was this, "would you like me to tell you the morning of the appointment, or just before we get to the doctors office?". After thinking about it, her answer was that I tell her the morning of, but I made her promise that she wouldn't worry about it all day.

When the day came, before school, I pulled Mae aside and told her that after school was the vaccine appointment. In addition to telling her the event, I also gave her a bible verse. The verse was Philippians 4:8, which says;

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.

I explained to Mae that when she had thoughts about getting the shot and started to worry, that she could go over this verse and focus her thoughts on things that were good and not worrisome.

In the end, Mae did not fuss or complain at any time before getting the shot. Hallelujah, praise the Lord!

Again, His word does not return void!

Keeping The Peace

The kids and I recently made a trip to Modesto during their spring break. Typically on road trips I get snacks to help everyone make it between pit stops (of which I limit to only one, to the best of my ability). For this trip I got a box of wheat thins, goldfish crackers, and tootsie pops and usually I dole them out when requested, but this time I did something a bit differently. I gave them their snacks before we left.

I had an idea to divvy out the crackers between three ziplock baggies, and wrote a child's name on each baggie. The idea was that when they got hungry they could eat and not bother the driver (me!). And it worked out perfectly. No one bugged me with announcements of hunger or wanting more, and therefore, I was able to focus my attention on the road. It was one of those moments where I say to myself "why didn't I think of this sooner?".

The tootsie pops, however, were kept near me in a safe place. We can't have kids going willy nilly with sugar. Not is a confined space, that is.

Ultimate Blog Party - Sometimes I Pretend to be a Good Cook

Greetings! Welcome to my little corner of the Ultimate Blog Party! Feel free to mosey around and make your self comfortable. Now, if I was having a real-life party or a small gathering of friends, I'd have a few snacks on hand and I'd probably have a big ol' bowl of tortilla chips along with some guacamole (my favorite snacky snack). And I just got a recipe for iced coffee, so I'd most likely serve some of that too. If I was a true proficient in the kitchen then I'd probably whip up something more elaborate and exciting. But alas, I am not. When I cook it is only to survive. Although, I've been known, on occasion, to get a little creative and produce a dish of delight....

Like the time I was assigned to bring a potato dish to a bible study social event. I had no idea what to make! None. So I asked around and was given a recipe for what was called Funeral Potatoes. I don't recall too clearly how I made it or what was in it (aside from frozen hash browns) but as I was making it I decided to sprinkle some curry on top to help give it a little more taste. And the potatoes were a hit!

Then there was the time that I accidentally opened the wrong can wile I was making dinner. I was supposed to use cream of mushroom soup for my dish but instead I opened cream of chicken. So I put the cream of chicken in a plastic container and into the fridge it went, where it would wait until the next day when I would use it creatively, somehow, because I didn't want to waste it. After consulting my mother, I put some frozen chicken in the crock pot along with the cream of chicken soup (which I mixed with some curry, not too much, just enough to add some flavor) then I added some broccoli that was had been sitting around in the vegetable drawer of my fridge. After several hours, when dinner was served.....wah-lah! we had a fabulous dinner that was raved about! A called that one my happy accident (which I have served more than once).

And there have also been a few times when I just throw a couple things together and it consumed as though it was a bonafide dish. Like when I threw in some salsa from a jar into a pot of kernel corn. And the time I fried up some canned sliced potatoes with green onion, spices and cubed tomatoes (although I must admit that my husband helped with that dish, a little).

So sometimes I amaze myself. But other times I'm just throwing things together so we can live. I'm not a marvel in the kitchen, but there are times I pretend that I am and my family lives to tell about it.....and asks for more.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

For the prize drawing, if I win, my choices would be;

* US39 - the 2 night stay at a Hilton Garden hotel
* US75 - $100 gift certificate to Summit Camping Gear
* US7 - Tupperware prize pack
or - any Amazon or Target gift card (I'm easy to please ;)

The Almost-Free Library

The kids and I went to the library the other day to get stocked up on books and movies for our upcoming road trip to Modesto. I'm still getting used to the library in our new city, so I wasn't sure how many books I could have out at one time, and I didn't know the policy on dvd loans either. Turns out that dvd rentals at our library is fifty cents per movie AND due back in one week. Since I'm cheap and because I wouldn't be able to return the movies in time, we did not get any movies. Instead, I left the library with two things;

1. a stack of almost 20 books

2. the wish that Benjamin Franklin had invented tv and dvd's so the movie rentals would have been free also when he instituted the free library system.

Seeing Red

I've been looking for a red belt for about a year. I haven't been looking overly hard, and at times I've completely forgotten about my desire for one. But when I'm out at certain stores, and when I remember, I'll casually look at the belts in search of a perfect red one. As it turns out, I found one recently at a second hand store that showed no signs of ever having been worn, and I only paid two bucks for it. Score!

Now all I need a pair of red shoes to go with the belt. And so my search continues.

The other day a friend and I were talking about red shoes and she told me about these little beauties;

And I became obsessed with finding them online for cheaper than their original price (which is about $95 dollars). But I was unsuccessful. I wasn't even looking for the exact pair, but something similar would do. But still, no success. Then I went to a few stores. Again, no red ballet-style shoes.

But I did find these;

They aren't exactly ballet-style, and they aren't the exact color red I was hoping to find, but they sure are cute! Oh, and they were on the clearance rack for fifteen bucks! (that makes them even more cute)

Now I just need to find another belt to go with my cranberry red shoes with the cute little buckle at the toes. I don't feel too bad about that though. It's not like I spent a lot on the first belt, which I can still wear, just not with my current red heels!

New Cats, New Things

I've had cats before, so having Jane and Edward isn't a new experience for me. However, there are a couple things that are different this time around.

Things like;

* Hearing my husband say he has a favorite cat (he always professed his aversion to them, never any devotion.) Ryan is definitely Team Edward with all the killing that cat has accomplished lately.

* Installing a cat door. Well, ok, Ryan put it in, not me. But still, we have one!

* Getting the cats to use said cat door. Teaching them to go through the hole is like trying to put them in a toilet (imagine legs and claws extended, and lots of maneuvering).

Yep. It's the life and times of excitement 'round these parts.

Rude Awakening

I enjoy sleeping in on Saturday mornings. It's delicious and something I look forward to all week. Today, however, my bliss was cut short by a crying, fit-throwing, naked, child who was out of clean underwear.

All I can say is.....it's a good thing she's cute!

Living And Active

The other night I had a bad dream that woke me up. It was the kind of dream that when I woke up I was still feeling scared and emotional. Sometimes it helps if I get up and walk around a bit instead of laying there trying to go ignore the fearful thoughts. But getting up didn't help this time.

I laid back down and tried to sleep, but my fearful emotions wouldn't go away. I knew that when morning came the fear would vanish with the rising sun, so I started to run scripture through my mind and praying for others. As I reviewed verses and prayed, the fearful thoughts dwindled and the grip it had over my mind started to lessen. At that moment I had a mental image of a tangled, knotted mess of squirming yarn that was shrinking. And I knew that God's Word and focusing on Him was releasing the strangle hold of fear in my mind. As I prayed and reviewed scripture it was making the fear dissipate.

I am reminded of a scripture that says "I have hidden your Word in my heart so that I may not sin against You" (Psalm 119:11). By reviewing the scripture I had memorized (hidden in my heart) I was able to stop worrying, and therefore not sin against the Lord. So, as much I don't enjoy bad dreams and being woken up in the middle of the night, I am thankful for the opportunity to trust the Lord and experience the living power that His Word really has!

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Hebrews 4:12

Their Numbers Are Dwindling

Every morning as I open the blinds in the living room I can't help but look out at the pool. I look at the pool for a couple reasons.

1 - to see how clean (or dirty) it is (depending how recently I swept it or had it vacuumed.

2 - to see if anything found its demise within its waters. (remember this from last year?)

Sure enough, today I saw a dead something floating on the surface. So I went out to investigate. And my suspicions were correct. A dead rat was making its rounds as the water circulated with the filter system running.

Nice.

So I went over and opened the garbage, grabbed the long-handled pool net, scooped up the chlorine embalmed rat and put it in the garbage.

One less rat to deal with. OR....one less play thing for Edward.

I wonder if the rat heard of Edwards exploits and decided to give up?

Who Dunnit?

Now, does this look like the face of a killer to you??

Well, ok, maybe it does. I mean, Edward is looking mighty fierce. But then again he may just be annoyed that I had the camera in his face.

However, this is the face of our resident rat killer from yesterday.

I happened to be outside when I saw him running toward the garage with something in his mouth. I followed him to see what he had. When I approached him, Edward has a wide-eyed look that told me that what he had was his, all his.

As I got closer, Edward dropped his prize of a small rat. And! It was still alive!!! It started to scurry away but Edward wasn't done. He captured it again and I heard it squeaking.

But Edward wasn't going in for the kill.

He was playing with his food.

Nice. I walked away and left him to his catch.

I wondered later what he actually did with the rat. Then I figured I'd never know since I couldn't find any remains outside in the area where he was 'playing'. But later I did find out. He left some of it in the garage for me to take care of.

Nice. Thanks Edward. But next time can you clean up after your meal?

Muerte

When we got the kitties a couple months ago it was with the hope that they would one day (soon!) keep the rat population down, if not non-existant. We have gone back and forth with thoughts and predictions about which cat would would be 'the one' to carry out it's mission.

At first I thought it would be Edward. He was more outgoing when we first brought him home. But when it came time to introduce them to the great out of doors, he promptly hid under the back patio and only came inside when he was enticed, then dragged out from underneath. It was looking like Edward was more of the 'fraidy cat variety.

Edward

Then there was Jane. She was the timid one when they first came home with us. In fact, she was so unsure of her new surroundings that she would not leave the cat carrier when we opened it. After a while of letting her sit in there, we had to physically reach in and take her out. However, Jane was in love with the out of doors the moment we let her out.

Jane

And so, with these facts, plus a few more, the debate was still on with whom we each thought would be the family's rat killer.

Until today.

Who do you think it was????

I'm Still Not Ready For This!!!

Mae just asked me what a period is.

And she didn't mean the punctuation mark at the end of a sentence (I asked).

Can you say AWKWARD?!!

~~~~~~

After I explained to her what it was, etcetera, etcetera, her response was "Ewe. That's gross."

Yeah, I think so too.

Moving on......can we talk about something else now? Hey, let's go look at pictures of cute little bunnies!

You Know When....

....your son has too much Star Wars on the brain when you have conversations that end with "The Force".

Caleb was having a rough morning this morning. He was getting upset too quickly about silly things. So, while on the way to school I tried to get his mind off his crummy mood. If I can get him to smile or laugh then he has a better chance of starting his school day with a better attitude.

As I drove, I noticed that the truck in front of me had their tailgate down and inside the bed of the truck was a backpack just like Caleb's. This gave me an idea to thwart Caleb's mindset.

Me - Caleb! How did your backpack get in that truck in front of us??!?

Caleb - Huh? What?

Me - Look! Your backpack is in that truck. How did it get there?

Caleb - (finally seeing what I was talking about. he laughs, and says) I used The Force!

Done. Mission accomplished. Caleb is no longer focused on being in a down-in-the-dumps mood as he continues with his Star Wars references and banter. And as I drop him off at school he is smiling and blowing me kisses. But still.....it makes me wonder if he will now try the Jedi mind trick to get his teacher from assigning him homework.

Quick! Hide The Scissors!

It's been a little over a year since Isabel gave herself a haircut (remember? if not, go here) After she cut her hair, I felt like my cute little girl was gone. Now, I still had my sweet little girl who happen to do and say cute things, but she just lacked her cute little bob-styled hair cut that I adored and went so well with her personality.

Well, I just want to let you know that I finally have that cute little girl back.

A few weeks ago I noticed that Isabel's bangs needed a trim and the rest of her hair was getting shaggy, so I took her in for a hair cut. While I was waiting for Isabel's name to be called, I looked at the length of her hair and was thinking of how short to get it cut. That's when I saw that her hair had grown out enough that I could now have it all one length (minus the bangs, of course). So that's what I did!

Look at my cute little girl with her stylish bob!!! Isn't she adorable?!

You Know When....

....your bathroom was beyond-dirty when you want to conduct tours to show off how fabulously clean it is when your finished.

Not that mine ever gets that dirty. I'm just sayin', is all.

It Made Me Smile Today

I ordered a new duvet cover from Ebay the other week. The day after the auction closed, the seller told me that my duvet was on back order with her supplier. Instead of the offered refund, I waited a few days to see if it would come into stock. It did! But then the holiday weekend plus winter storms on the East coast told me that I wouldn't get my new duvet until Saturday, at the earliest.

I was wrong!

So, without further ado, here is what my current duvet set looked like

And here is what the beloved UPS truck brought me!

You likey?? I was feeling that the solid red was darkening the room. I wanted something more airy, something with a modern flair. I think this new set will serve the room well. It feels more like Spring!

I Have It In Writing

Isabel continues to grow and learn new things all the time. It shouldn't amaze me, not really. But it does. She is my baby after all.

Just last month she wrote her name for the first time. Mae helped her by writing out Isabel's name a few times so Isabel could follow the example.

And because I feel like a kid myself, I took a picture so it would last longer!

Spikey Hair!

When Caleb just a little boy, 2 or 3 maybe, he would point out people who had funky hair styles. Namely, dudes with spikey hair. He would do this cute little laugh that actually sounded like a grunty giggle and as he pointed at the person he'd say "he has spikey hair!". It was pretty cute when he said it even though it sounded more like an insult when coupled with his grunty giggle.

Ever since Caleb was a baby I've been cutting his hair. I cut Ryan's hair too, and in fact they have the same style. For both of my guys I use a professional hair trimmer with a #2 attachment. It's soooo easy! But I've been waiting for the day when Caleb tells me that he no longer wants the hair style he's been sporting for the last 7 years. Well, the day has arrived.

A few weeks ago, one of Caleb's new school friend styled his own hair and showed up at a birthday party with a mohawk. The next weekend I was going to give Caleb a much-needed hair cut, when he told me that he wanted to grow it out and have a mohawk. Sadly, I put away my trimmers and told him "ok".

Well, he still needed a trim in the back and along the sides in the front, but I am no confident with giving layers or using scissors. Ryan gave it a try, figuring we could take him to a barber to fix it later if he wasn't successful. No worries, Ryan did a great job! And now Caleb runs through the house, after I used gel in hair, and yells......I have spikey hair!!!!

It's not long enough yet for his most-anticipated mohawk*, but it won't take too long until it is!

*Caleb pronounces it "mohog"....hee hee!

My Love

Happy Valentines Day, my love!

You were my first and only Valentine. Thanks for being my Valentine for 13 (+) years!

Old??

I think I should start feeling old. I have been married for over 13 years and have 3 children (really, that in itself should lend to my aging self!) one of which is almost 9 which is pretty dog gone close to the big 1-0! I also find myself thinking weird things, things like.....

when I was a kid.....

or

I remember that, it only happened 20 years ago!

and

It's been forever since I've done that!

But nothing makes me stop and think about where I am in life and where I fall on the spectrum of age like my children. Especially when they say things like this....

I was shopping with Isabel last night and I was picking out some new socks for myself. As we walked the sock isle she asked me about the socks she was seeing.

Isabel - These are socks?

Me - Yes. Socks for Mommy.

Isabel - These are Mom Socks.

Mom socks??!?! I hope that isn't anything like Mom Jeans! I don't think I'm ready to be that old!

Like Mother Like Daughter

There is a picture of me when I was about 2 years old that my mother took of me when I got stuck in the of a bottom dresser drawer. There I was, with my bottom stuck in the drawer and my little legs dangling out with tears streaming down face, and before my mother came to my rescue she had the nerve to take my picture!

The picture was the bane of my childhood existence. I think it was one of my earliest memories, I think I actually remember being stuck in that drawer and seeing my mother standing in the doorway of the room and not helping me. As I grew up I'd think about that time I couldn't understand why she'd just stand there (laughing??) and take my picture rather than help me.

Today I understand. Here's why.....

click on the picture to see Isabel's look of despair!

As I was in the house, Isabel was outside playing, and I heard her crying and calling for help. I looked outside and saw that she had climbed inside the giant pot in the backyard. And I couldn't help myself....I had to grab the camera on the way to her rescue.

Maybe one day she'll understand why I took her picture before helping her out.

Find The Studs, People!

When one attaches things to walls, things meant for supporting other things, I can't stress enough how important studs are.

Because if things aren't secured to these vastly important thingies called 'studs'......well, this can happen

In this instance, the shelf in the closet will not be able to support the storage items on top as well as the clothes hanging on the bar. When all these forces are put together it equals no hanging clothes or boxes on shelves....and a big mess when it comes time to clean up that shattered mirror door.

So find the studs, people, that's all I'm sayin'.

Be Careful, They Repeat What You Say!

Isabel and I had to take Edward (our new cat) to the vet today for a booster shot. Edward doesn't like the cat carrier or being in the truck (or probably the vet for that matter!), and he was being quite vocal in his protests. So Isabel and I were talking about Edward and how he was feeling about his journey, but then Isabel had something else to say....

Isabel - Edward is a booger.

Me - What???

Isabel - Edward is a booger. That's what Dad says 'cause Edward went in Caleb's room.

There you have it folks. Edward is a booger because that is what Isabel heard her Daddy say to Edward when he got into a part of the house that he wasn't suppose to be in.

Their little ears hear what we say and have no regrets about repeating it. So speak your words carefully.

It Spilleth Over

We are now on storm #3 of the week. And they say that this one will be the biggest of the string of storms passing through this week. I'm not sure what the rain totals are, but I can tell you on thing....we are this close to have an infinity edge pool.



Just from looking at the pool now and knowing what the water level was before all this crazy rain, it would be safe to say that we have gotten a good five to six inches of rain since Sunday night. And the worst of today's storm has yet to hit.

There is only about an inch left before the water level in the pool reaches the top. And I think today is the day it will overflow.

At least we won't have to fill the pool anytime soon!

Quotes To Live By

Last night we took the kids to a late-night doctors appointment. I had scheduled the first round of H1N1 vaccines for them.

Unbeknownst to my children.

Really, it's a smart move all around. This way I don't have to hear whines, fusses and crying over impending shots for hours on end. And the kids are also not plauged with thoughts and fears of the forthcoming shots either. See? It's a win-win.

We went out to dinner, then made a quick run to Costco since we had time to spare before the appointment. It wasn't until we were about a minute away from the parking garage that I told them the news. No surprise, there was whining, fussing and crying despite my pleas for bravery.

As I walked with Mae through the parking lot, toward the office of doom, I explained to her that this small pain was worth it so that she wouldn't get really really sick later. Her response?

"I'd rather die."

I couldn't help myself, I laughed! Seriously, it couldn't be held in. Not one bit.

Later, after the shots were dispensed and we were walking back to the truck, Isabel was still crying and quite sad. That's when she said...

"I want to cry forever."

Unfortunately, Ryan told the kids that they'd be back in about 4 weeks for the second round. My thoughts on this slip of information????

"Great. There goes the element of surprise. Now I'll be hearing about it for the next month."

There will be no win-win next time. *sigh* However, they may know its coming.......but that doesn't mean I'll tell them exactly when. *wink wink*

Good Thing My Camera Was Handy!

California is getting some big storms this week. Yesterday our rain got started by mid afternoon. When it storms here, I like to pull the blinds up in the family room so we can see better. I'm glad I did because Mae spotted a HUGE full rainbow in the backyard!!! I didn't think it would turn out, but I grabbed the camera and took a few pictures. THEN, I decided to look out the window that faces the front yard and I saw a very cool sunset....so I took a picture of that too.

Here's the rainbow as seen from our backyard. I was right, the rainbow didn't turn out very well.


But the sunset pictured turned out (at least I think so). I think God was doing a little showing off....and I loved it!!!

Expensive Taste

While we were out on Saturday, just looking around at fun furniture stores, I sat in this....


It's called a Womb Chair. The one I saw was displayed in a retro, funky, orange color. And the chair itself looks a little strange too. But I thought 'why not sit it in?!', and so I did.

And fell in love.

It is a fabulously comfortable chair. They way supports and just holds you just right.....ahhhhh, I could sit in it for hours.

I could read. Or watch a movie. Or put my feet up on the just-the-right-size ottoman and take a nap.

Yep. I could do all that.

If I had about two thousand dollars to spare.

Reunion

When we were in Modesto for Christmas, I was able to meet up with a long-lost friend - Wendy!!! Wendy and I lived across the street from each other when we were young. She was my best friend and we did many childhood things. Things like roller-skating in our neighbors driveways, lived out stories in the almond trees in her backyard, put on trapeze shows on her backyard swing set, built forts in the firewood pile that was in her front yard, and spoke vast amounts of pig latin. Together we had quite the imagination and I can't recall a time that we lacked anything to do. Of course, the fact that Wendy had 6 other sisters helped too. There was always something to do at Wendy's house and always someone to play with.

My childhood would not have been the same without Wendy and her fun sisters. And my blog life would be non-existent if it weren't for her too. After I was married, I had tried off and on for years to find Wendy, and a few years ago I finally did! Turns out she had a blog, and after reading it I discovered that blogs were fun and that I wanted one too. And so began my illustrious blog-writing career.

So, after many a year (20??), I had the opportunity to see Wendy again. It's funny, Wendy is one of those people that doesn't seem to change. She looks just as I remember her.

Only with four kids.

And being nicely tanned from the Hawaiian sun.

It was great to get together with Wendy last month and to meet her children. I enjoyed catching up with our lives since we last saw each other, and to see our kids play together. If only we lived closer, I wonder if our kids would be close friends too??

A Big Day

Caleb had a big day yesterday.

#1 - He got to sit in the front seat of the truck for the first time. The law in California says that any child age 6 or older can sit in the front, but Caleb didn't know that (shhhhh, don't tell! *wink*), and so he finally got his view from the front seat at age 7!

#2 - He was signed up for his first soccer league. Caleb has not played any sport, ever!, and he finally gets the opportunity. The only bummer is that he now has to wait another 4 weeks before his first practice and game.

Can't you tell.....Caleb is super-excited about these major developments in his life!

Say "cheese!", or how about "front seat!", wait, I mean "soccer!". Oh never mind.

A Cone?....Seriously??!?

I got the kitties fixed this past week. I am amazed at how things have changed since I last had cats. For instance, the instructions for caring for Jane, post-op, was to have her wear a cone until her stitches come out. Back when I had kitties (was it really 25 years ago??! sheesh, I feel 'old'!) the vet sent us home with ointment to put on the incision that would make their mouth foam if the kitty licked it, this would teach them from doing that. Now, they must think the ointment as inhumane, for instead, they make the kitty wear a cone for 10 to 14 days. You tell me, which is worse....a little foam but the ability to keep oneself clean and 'normal'? -or- wear a cone and not be able to be and/or keep clean or be able to do anything normally???

Anyway, despite how pathetic and sad it is to see Jane with her 'cone of shame', it's also kind of funny. She walks weird as her head bobs from side to side and she thrusts out her front legs like a supermodel. hee hee.....I have a supermodel kitty!

I'm going to make her an appointment tomorrow so that she can get her stitches out on Friday. At least that is my hope. The next step with these kitties is to introduce them to the out of doors, where they will live the rest of their lives, for the most part. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to do that?? Again, it's been a while since I've introduced a cat to the outside and I don't want them to run away. What a waste it would be to spend all this money and have them run away. So, if you have any tips or advice, I'm open to suggestions!

My Name Is Muerte!

We began thinking of cat names before we even got them. Of course, at first, the plan was to get only one cat, so we were only trying to come with one name. And we wanted the name to be fitting for a rat killer. We tossed names back in forth before landing the perfect one.

There were names like Spike, Axel and Rouge. But as we were discussing names Ryan threw out Death, then we just looked at each other, and at the same time, we said Muerte! If you've seen the movie Undercover Blues then you'll understand why this name is so perfect. (although I hope that our cats are more successful) Here's a few clips from the movie, featuring bits of just Muerte.....

The name would have been great, if we had only one cat. But as you know, we got two. And they came pre-named. Edward and Bella (very Twilight). We kinda liked the name Edward so we kept it, but we couldn't name the girl kitty Muerte, it just didn't seem to fit. So we changed it to Jane, after a kitty we had seen at the Humane Society. But we had to fit Muerte in there somewhere! So we gave the cats a family name - Los Gatos de Muerte (the cats of death)

Here Kitty, Kitty!

Where we live now is in between the main town and farmland. I call it Town and Country. This means that we don't have sidewalks and are not hooked up to city sewer. It also means that we have issues to deal with that we haven't had in the past. Things like rats.

These issues call for long-term problem solving techniques. We like to call this, Cats. Yes, yes, I know....we can use rat bait and traps, but we'd rather not have to deal with those things. It'd be easier to employ a live-in solution.

So last week, after an exhaustive search, we got not one, but two live-in solutions. Please say hello to Edward and Jane.

They are brother and sister and are the nicest cats ever! The lady I got them from told me that they are seven months old and part Siamese and part Calico. Edward, for sure, looks more Siamese with his dark ears and blue eyes. Jane seems less Siamese but her eyes are a pretty light blue. Regardless, I think they are beautiful!

It's been fun to watch the cats and see how the kids interact with them. My kids haven't really had a pet before so this is all new to them. Me, on the other hand, grew up with a couple cats and I find that I have not lost my touch with finding their favored scratching spots around the ears and under the chin. I think Edward likes me best. And to that I say Yes!

This past week has been quite eventful for these kitties. Not only have they been plucked from their home but just yesterday I took them to the vet to get 'fixed'. Poor Jane, she tore a hole in her cardboard cat carrier on the way to the vet. The next thing I hear is Isabel saying "Jane is out". Sure enough, there was Jane all wide-eyed and walking around the truck, looking through all the windows. Now, if you think texting while driving is dangerous, try driving with a cat walking on the dashboard!!!

After all we've put into these kitties (finding them and vet costs!), they'd better stick around when we let them out and keep the rat population down.

In Review, God Is Still Good

Last night we gathered with our home group to do a little after-Christmas celebration. Since it is now closer to New Years than Christmas, we each shared the things we've gone through this past year and what we've learned. It was amazing to recount our stories with each other and how we all seemed to come to the same conclusion - God is Good.

As I listened to my friends share their stories I was reviewing my own in my mind, preparing for my own time to share. It truly is amazing to think back over this past year and see how the Lord was not only with me during each trial and difficult time but also that he is an amazing orchestrator in how he brings those things together with his plan for my life and makes the ugly and hard things into something beautiful.

The first major difficulty of this year really began in the fall of 2008, when Ryan began to have some nasty sleep issues. The problem got worse as he began to take Ambien to help him sleep. As it did help him sleep it also gave him really bad side effects and he began to get severe anxiety to the point of paranoia and panic attacks, among other frightening physical side effects. Even in the midst of all this, when I prayed all I could pray and was at the end of myself in anything I could do to help my husband, the Lord was still with us. When at that scary point of complete dependance upon the Lord, He was there. He knew what was going on even when I didn't, and carried me through.

Somehow, through the Lord's guidance, Ryan did research on Ambien and found that he had become dependent on it, to the point of addiction (even though his doctor disagrees with him to this day). After doing research and much prayer, Ryan found a way to step down off the drug. Even during this time I was still in awe of how even though I was unaware of what is going on and was helpless to do anything about it, the Lord is still with us and guiding me though each day. I have learned, once again, to trust Him with my life and the lives of those I love.

The other major battle I've been through, again, didn't start with 2009. It began back when we moved here three years ago. Since moving into the rental house, I had a mindset of it being temporary, that we'd soon buy a house and move out. What should have been only one year turned into to three plus. Buying a house always seemed to be six months out, just out of reach. Many times I've had to learn to be content with where the Lord had us, and for that three years and three months it was in the rental house.

Again, I am amazed at how the Lord times things to perfection. I could never, in my own way of thinking and planning, ever come to the beautiful end to this story. I continue to learn that my ways are not His ways, and his way is much better than mine could ever be!

This home-owning journey has certainly been a roller coaster for me. One day I am depressed about it because I'm not where I want be. Then the next I'm giving it up and trusting the Lord for his timing and provision. Up and down, I tell ya! Then!, then!.....we finally get to the point of 'yes! we can buy!'. Then the emotional journey of letting go truly begins. How hard it is to see a house and get attached, and all before the offer is submitted. Only to get into a battle of offers with the bank and then to get passed over because, although our offer was 20k OVER asking, it wasn't high enough. In the end, we put offers on a total of four houses. Talk about letting go and trusting God!!!

I could go into more detail on both of these journeys of faith, but in the end the conclusion is the same - God can be trusted in all areas of my life, and He is good no matter the situation. As I look forward to yet another new year, I have no idea what is ahead but I take with me what I've learned and know that each day is an opportunity to trust Him, yet again.

The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him,

and he delivers them.

Taste and see that the LORD is good;

blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.

Fear the LORD, you his saints,

for those who fear him lack nothing.

Psalm 34: 7-9

She Can't Be Trusted

The good thing about having the kids in school is that I can do some shopping without them around. It comes in really handy when getting Christmas or birthday gifts. And in our family we have both, due to Caleb's birthday being two days before Christmas.

This year we let Caleb have a birthday party, so I was super-focused on getting that together and forgot about getting him a gift until just the other day. Good thing I had a few days before we leave town to get him something! Ryan and I talked over a few ideas then I hit Costco to see what they had. Isabel was not in school at the time, so she joined me and I didn't think much of it until I picked up what would be Caleb's gift - a Bakugan set. I knelt down and talked to Isabel about this being Caleb's birthday present and that it was a secret. She assured me that she would keep the secret, though I had my doubts (but what else could I do as she knew what the gift was and understood it was for Caleb??).

Before picking up the MaeLeb, I swung home and stashed Caleb's gift away, then headed for school. After getting the kids, we weren't even in the truck but a few minutes when Isabel says "Caleb, you got Bakugan for your birthday!".

The rat! Little stinker!

Fortunately some things are difficult to understand when Isabel talks. It's not always clear what she is trying to say. In this case I stepped in and tried to save the moment. I said something like "yeah, Caleb got Bakugans at his party!". But Mae knew what Isabel was saying and tried to correct me, but I cut her off before she could spill it all. Caleb, I think, didn't pick up on what was going on. At least that is my hope.

But I think we need to work on our secret-keeping skills. Or go shopping after bedtime.

At Least I Can Stop Working On My Acceptance Speach

Yeah. So the story is that I won't be nominated for Mother Of the Year. And I was sooo close too.

The kids new school has one day a week that has an early release time. It lets out one hour earlier than normal. Thursday (today!) is that day. And me, being the front runner for Mother of the Year, forgot.

I have my new schedule down. I leave the house at 2:15 in order to get to the school in time to to score a good parking spot. But when I pulled into the should-have-been-full parking lot, it wasn't. In fact there were prime spots just sitting vacant. I began to think 'wow, this is weird. It's almost like school has already been released or something, but I'm a few minutes early. Everyone else must be running late (you know, 'those' moms who are not in contention). Yeah, that's me, a little slow in the comprehension of the situation. But then it hit me - 'School already IS out because today is the EARLY day!'.

After briskly walking by Mae and Caleb's classrooms and the playground, I headed to the office. That's where they were, waiting for me. I had told them a few weeks ago that if I was ever not there to pick them up that they should wait for me in the school office. Poor Caleb was crying as we walked to the truck. I don't blame him, I probably would have too. And Mae was quick to forgive her forgetful mother. I wonder if she'll nominate me for an Honorable Mention?

I Just Love It

One of our favorite shows is So You Think You Can Dance. It typically runs over the summer, but we have the treat to watch a rare season this fall. There are all kinds of dance displayed on the show. There's contemporary, ballroom, latin, jazz, and surprisingly, my favorite....hip hop. I don't know why it is, it just is.

The show airs twice a week and on the second night they usually have guest performers. The performers range from singers to different types of dancers/dance groups. Well, last week they featured a new dance company called The Legion of Extraordinary Dancers. And you guessed it, they are hip hop. But they are Ah. May. Zing. (and, yes, extraordinary!) Well, see for yourself....

I love how they move, their use of 'tricks', the use of strength with such fluidity, and how silent they seem to move. And....and....and.....*sigh* I just love it. It doesn't hurt that they were dancing to Coldplay either. Anyway, I hear that the group won't officially begin until next year, which is really only weeks away, but whenever they do start doing shows and touring, I hope they will perform in our area 'cause I'd love to go see them!

Old Age Comes Early

Today I heard that Modesto got snow! I'm not too surprised to hear it, although Modesto rarely sees snow. I was thinking this morning "It's snowed there before. I remember when I lived there when it snowed". It was a very exciting day! The snow didn't stick, but it was still fun to see it falling.

It was also quite a long time ago......

The winter of 1989 I was a freshman in high school and it snowed one afternoon during Christmas break. Wow...I was a freshman and it was 1989......that means it was *gasp!* 20 years ago!!! Holey mach-ah-moley.....20 years??!?!!

I'm starting to feel old.

They Do Exist!!!

Lo and behold.....look what I found at Old Navy!!!



Flip flops in winter!

Too bad they didn't have them in Caleb's size.

New Number

Dear ABC Plumbing,

I am at a loss as to why you are no longer in business. The calls that I am receiving on your behalf should have been enough to keep you afloat (no pun intended). Shall I give incoming calls a forwarding number???

Sincerely,

A Homeowner with a new number that happens to be your old one