Crazy Post Office Lady -or- Wild and Crazy vs. Sleek and Sophisticated

I went to the post office this morning. It was just Isabel and I as Caleb was playing at a friends house. When I walked up to the counter, the first thing the post office lady said was 'she (Isabel) has hair just like you!'.

Um, wha...???!!

My hair looks nothing like Isabel's! For one, I do not have a mullet (she is currently sporting the baby mullet look). Secondly, and most obvious, we do not have the same hair color! And thirdly, mine has style.

What is that lady smokin'? I see no resemblance, do you?

You Are Cordially Invited

When I was engaged I had several bridal showers, and of course I got tons of household things that we needed to start off our new life together. When I was at one of those showers, I remember a family friend saying she wished that she could have a shower every ten years or so. The only thing I remember thinking at the time was that she was a bit silly. I mean come on, a shower for married ladies?! *pahshaw!*

Well, now that I've been married for 11 years and my everyday dishes are no longer a complete set, the kitchen towels aren't as absorbent as they once were (if they even still exist in my house at all!), the sheets aren't used anymore since we upgraded to a queen sized bed years ago (still thankful to the Lord for that provision!!!) and our bath towels are fraying like crazy and look terrible, I now understand the woman's comment. I am still amazed that I even still have kitchen towels that have lasted this long. But I must admit that my being cheap has a lot to do with that fact more than anything. We received quite a bit of stuff at my showers and at the wedding. I don't think we had to buy much after that. But like I said, that was 11 years ago.

I've gotten rid of a few kitchen towels through the years, but I've also received a few as gifts too. However, it is time to get new ones and purge the old. I know this. Maybe I'll do that during my next outing to Target.

It's funny, I didn't quite notice the true condition of the bath towels until I started having regular guests. Suddenly I see that the towels look pretty bad, even to the point of being embarrassed to put them in the bathroom! I have recently remedied that situation.

A few weeks ago, when I was last in Modesto, I saw a great sale on towels and knew I had to take advantage of it! My mother was traveling back with us when we returned home and some new towels would be greatly appreciated in the guest bathroom, for sure! I found some FABULOUS towels at an even more fabulous price (nothing says 'fabulous' like 50% off!). These towels are big, and soooo incredibly soft (it feels like one of those super soft and cozy teddy bears!). So I snatched up a pair and took them home to be mine! I had no idea that such luxury could be had in bath towel. Now I do. I only hope that it doesn't take another 11 years to get some more.

Maybe we should start having anniversary showers? I think they'd be a big hit! So, I'll just print off the invitations......don't forget to RSVP!

A Bragger No More

We used to be able to baffle sales people that tried to sell us any form of extra tv (ie. Dish, cable, etc...). We used to. But not anymore. All because of a door-to-door salesmen. Really, who does that anymore? Well, AT&T does, they came by last week, and Ryan answered the door. Now we have broadband 'cable' (at least I think it's cable. whatever it is it gives us way more channels that we've ever had in our lives!).

I used to enjoy telling sales people that we had no form of cable and had no desire for one. It was a real conversation stopper (that and when Ryan was unemployed, telling sales-callers from mortgage companies that my husband was jobless....no one wanted to re-fi with us. shocking!). I also liked telling people (friends and acquaintances) the same thing. It was a prideful thing, I suppose. But I can no longer be so boastful.

We are now proud of being able to watch The History Channel and design shows on HGTV!

Why, you ask? Well, Ryan was totally prepared to tell the guy 'no thank you' when the he told Ryan that he could have internet access at airports with his laptop from work. Ryan does travel quite a bit, and being able to get on the internet while waiting to board the next flight must be an irresistible thing. We had talked about getting some kind of 'extra' tv so we could watch our favorite show (So You Think You Can Dance) but it was never enough to make us go out and subscribe. If the sales people only knew of Ryan's insatiable desire to connect while traveling, we would've been able to watch this last season of the show! Oh well, maybe next season. But for now I can enjoy the pleasures of design shows and who knows what else!

Look What I Did!!!

I saw this post on Amanda's blog and it looked like too much fun to pass up! All I did was follow the directions here and I'm in! I will be paired up with another person and we will each shop for each other and get little nifty things, then we'll swap! There is always a color theme and this time the color is RED, my most favorite color in the whole wide world!

There's still time if you'd like to do this too! The deadline is the 28th. So go sign up, but don't forget to tell me if you do....it would be fun to share this experience with you!


**no blog required to take part in this share-fest of red!

Big Ol' First Grader

Today was Mae's first day of school. Yep, she's in first grade this year. Seriously, where did the time go? This only means that it will speed up from here on out (right on out of the house....into college, marriage...ok, I'll stop right there, I've gone too far!).

Anyway, so today we made a little family outing of Mae going to school. We walked with her to her new classroom and found where her desk is. Of course I took pictures! What self-respecting mother would I be if I didn't? I think I even managed to do it with out embarrassing her. I won't expect that to last much longer though. I'll take 'em as long as I can!

This year Mae will take the bus to and from school. We took her to school this morning so she'd know where her classroom is, but tomorrow she'll be on the bus in the morning. I was there this afternoon, waiting for her when the bus pulled up to the stop. Yes, I had my camera with me, again. I felt a little silly taking pictures of her as she got off and walked home, but I'm more glad to have the pictures and record of this milestone in her life....being in first grade and riding the bus.


My first baby is in first grade. I'm really not too sure what to think of that. I don't feel old, but should I? But this does mean that graduation is only 11 years away. Sheesh! That'll be next month by the way the time is flyin'! I'll be pushing 'old' by then for sure!

** click the pictures to enlarge...and check out Mae's new hair cut and outfit! By the way, while you're looking at the enlarged pics....don't you think that backpack it way too big for her?? For sure to fit in a month or so, right?

So Long Summer, Hello School!

My summer fun is now at an end. All trips have been traveled, people have been visited and guests have all returned home. It was a good summer and it turned out better than I thought it would.

What marks the end of summer, you ask? The start of another school year of course! Mae will go back tomorrow, but this time it will be as a great big first grader. *sigh* Where did the time go? I know, I know, we've all heard this and said it many a time, but still.......I could've sworn she was just a babe the other day!

This year will be a little different than last year. For one, Mae will be in school longer (yes!), and she will also ride the bus. She is quite excited about it too. Mae has informed me that she already knows how to ride the bus, for she rode it twice last year for field trips. Well then, ok, that's settled. I suppose I won't have to go over the bus riding rules with her.

Tonight after dinner I'll take Mae to get her hair cut (her request) then we'll head over to Target to pick out a new back to school outfit. We are all excited about tomorrow! I'll be sure to be a dutiful parent and take pictures of my little girl as she begins yet another milestone in her childhood career. Then I'll be sure to post them so ya'll can see!

I'm pretty sure I can make it through this day. I think I can, I think I can, I think I can..........

Seattle Recap

I'm back from our fabulous weekend trip to Seattle. It was grrreat! The best part, you ask? Well time with my hubs while my fabulous parents watched the kids, of course! It was a win-win for everyone. Here are a few highlights from our trip: (sorry, no pictures, as I remembered to pack the camera I did, however, forget to bring the flash card. doh!)

* flying solo (the screaming, hyper kids on the plane did not belong to me! score!)
* meeting my husband in the airport for a weekend away (this was my favorite part!)
* spending time with Ryan's family as we drove around Seattle, had dinner and attended a wedding
* seeing our friend Rob, whom we haven't seen in 3 years, and his newly purchased house (congrats again Rob!!!)
* taking the ferry to downtown Seattle (I've taken the ferry a few times before, but I think it's fun every time!)
* dinner at The Spaghetti Factory (I had the spinach and cheese ravioli.....mmmmm!)
* our hotel was very nice (Ryan called it 'pimpy', meaning it was sleek and modern), I loved our bed (so comfy!)
* the wedding was fun. It was the most fun wedding I've ever been too! The couple are both part of improv clubs and one of the groups did some improv stuff before the roast began, they were hilarious!!! I wish there could have been more improv stuff!
* after the wedding Ryan and I went back to the hotel where we spent some alone time together at the hotel restaurant and talked over appetizers, wine, and a mocha! (we hadn't been alone all weekend, not complaining, as our travel companions are fabulous and we never get to see them!)

Now I'm back at my parents house. I have one more day before the kids and I head back home. This time we'll have a travel companion as my mother will be joining us! She will stay with us for a few days before returning back to Modesto. We plan to take her to the beach. So far no complaints have been heard.

YouTube Tuesday - Beauty is Nothing without Brains

Hilarious commercial!!!

Why I Haven't Posted in a Few Days

1. Mae and Caleb (affectionately known as Mae'leb) have been at Vacation Bible School all week!
2. I've been running errands like crazy while they are out of the house (and enjoying having just one kid with me, let me tell ya, is bliss!)
3. I've also enjoyed some one on one time with Isabel (it's a rare thing when one has three kids)
4. The house needed some tlc (oh, and my mom is coming to visit for a few days next week and I'd like her to think my house always looks fabulous!)
5. There were tons of laundry to be done in preparation for our trip to Modesto, Seattle, back to Modesto, then home again trip!
6. On top of all the above-mentioned items, I'm also pms-ing and I took some much needed naps!
7. Pack for trip
8. Load truck (and not forget anything or your four-year old will flip out) for trip
9. Oh yeah, let's not forget, drive to Modesto in a record 7 hour drive (whoo-hoo!)
10. Then there is always the excuse reason that I just didn't have anything post-worthy to write about.

YouTube Tuesday - German Coastgaurd

Table Talk

At dinner this evening Mae had a question for her daddy.

"Dad, can I say the word fart?"

How does one keep a straight face when hearing that? Answer: you don't, it's simply not possible.

Thier Quiver is Full - or - Three is Enough for Me

I read this article today. I'm in shock. The woman has now had 17 children. All her own. S-e-v-e-n-t-e-e-n!!! She has been pregnant 17 times, has given birth 17 times, has changed, I don't know, too many diapers and has probably been nursing for half her life. Someone, who is good with math, figured out that she has been pregnant ten and a half years combined. But the shock upon shock is that she wants more! I'm not exactly sure what to think about that. She's either an incredible woman to have that many children or has lost her sanity for said reason. I'll give her the benefit of the doubt and go with incredible woman. That's my final answer.

July 2007 Movie Log *updated*

Another month means more movies!

1. Evelyn (based on actual events that changed the Family Law in Ireland in 1953. Movie was ok, but it was compelling since it was a true story.)

2. Her Majesty (not a true story- about a girl that is basically obsessed with her Queen (Elizabeth II) and writes too many letters asking her to visit the little town she lives in. Oh she is a good friend and student and learns things along the way....blah blah blah. Boring, silly film - basically a waste of time)

3. Something the Lord Made (intriguing film, based on actual events and relationships, about two medical pioneers in the field of heart surgery. Takes place in the 1920's through 50's and touches on racial issues of the time. Although it was a little slow at times I really enjoyed it and would recommend if your into docu-dramas (if that is a real term).

4. Drumline (Ryan had wanted to see this movie for a while and it finally came up on our que, so we watched it. Silly (as in immature) movie about a young college student in the band who needs to learn to play as a team....blah blah blah.)

5. Warm Springs (HBO flick about FDR and his affliction with polio and the recovery he went through at a place called Warm Springs. Again, I enjoyed the docu-drama and would recommend.)

Whoops!!!!....forgot to add this one!
6. Five Kids and It (this was our latest flick for family movie night. I was pleasantly surprised with this one! It's pretty good for a kid movie with no super scary parts. It is very similar to The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe in its story line....5 kids get shipped off to a huge relatives house while dear Dad fights in the WWII, kids find an off-limits room where their adventure begins. For a family movie it's good and I would recommend it)

My favorite for the month is a tie between Something the Lord Made and Warm Springs. Both were very interesting and made we want to know more!

YouTube Tuesday - Yosemite!

When we were camping last week we took a hike to the bottom of Vernal Falls. When we got to our turn around spot we stopped and took a nice rest before heading back down. As we rested, snacked and replenished our water supply we noticed the local wildlife and how unafraid the squirrels were (and lets not forget the dive-bombing blue jays!). The squirrels were close to being tame and you could almost touch them! In this video that my brother shot, his friend Bryan was seeing how close he could get to touching a squirrel.

Our Camping Trip

And we're back! We survived our camping adventure in Yosemite with my brother and his family and a friend of his (and his family). It was a great week but, as always, it is also great to be back home. I think I finally have all the dirt out from under my fingernails! And oh how I love my bed, my glorious bed!

I am still surprised that all we had fit in our truck, even though we could not see out the back or check the blind spots. Next year we will have to get a pod or something to go on the rack on the top of the truck. But then again next year we won't have to haul a pack-n-play for Isabel either.

We left Modesto Monday morning and caravaned up to Yosemite. Everything worked out with our camp sites and we even managed to be altogether. Praise God! When we were checking into our site the ranger lady told us that the bears were horrendous this year. Yes, she used the word 'horrendous'. When we got to our site our 'neighbor' told us that the night before a bear got into one of the bear boxes a couple sites down. I think most of us were a little nervous about the bear situation but we were good about putting all food and toiletries away (we even went at far as pulling out the car seats so a bear would not go after the crumbs and leftovers that manage to lodge themselves in our vehicle). One night as we sat around the camp fire we heard a man yelling 'get away bear!' several times! He was not too far away either! I am thankful that the only bear we saw was in an open meadow and from the vantage point of a bus!

We rented bikes one day and took a great ride around the valley floor. We had to rent a bike with a trailer for Caleb and Isabel, and helmet rentals were required for the trailer. Poor Isabel....the only way she could see was to hold the helmet up! It was cute but I can only imagine that it was tiresome for her (maybe that is why she fell asleep as we headed back to camp).

Another day we hiked up one of the trails to Vernal Falls. We didn't go all the way up, only to a bridge that gives a great view of the falls. It is a popular stopping point with drinking fountains and bathrooms. We took a nice break there before heading back down. Ryan was not able to join us that day since there was no way to take Isabel. She is too big for the baby back pack and we only had room for the umbrella stroller (which is not trail-friendly). I must say though that the gym must be doing me some good! The next day I only felt a little bit of soreness. I had expected to be entirely sore, but that was not the case. Whoo-hoo!!!

The kids did pretty good. Although Ryan was pretty worn out from keeping Isabel in camp! She likes to wander around. A lot! You know you're not doing such a good job of keeping an eye on your kids when one of your 'neighbors' says 'You may want to get Isabel, she's running out of camp!'. Yes, by that point she knew Isabel's name. I think Isabel made her mark on the camp site, for sure! She could be heard early in the morning saying/yelling 'Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!' Another fellow camper, not in our group, responded from their own tent one morning and said 'Daddy, would you get that child!' Oops! Sorry lady! Overall, though, the kids did great. They got dirty, they played with the other kids, and actually didn't do too terribly bad with going to sleep at night.

It was a great week. I loved being able to spend time with my brother and his family. I am so grateful for the opportunity to take this vacation. We continue to be blessed with our move to Southern California and being closer to family. I look forward to having more times like we had this past week.

So Much To Do, So Little Time

I'm not too sure what to write about today. I've got many things to do and less than a day to do it. Mary is leaving on her own camping trip tomorrow and she has a to-do list posted for today. I think she is a wise lady, and because I am short on ideas and long on things to do I will create my own list (hope you don't mind Mary!).

So, as of this moment, it is a little after 10:00 in the morning and this is what I have to get accomplished before I hit the sack tonight:

• meet friend at pool with kids - go swimming
  
• go to store and get last minute camping items
• feed kids lunch
• vacuum
  
• finish laundry
  
• pack mine and Isabel's suitcases
• oversee Mae and Caleb's packing
• finish packing food stuff and other camping stuff
• pack ALL stuff in truck
• call Mom and Dad and see if they prefer beef ribs or pork ribs for Sunday's party
• order food for Sunday's birthday party extravaganza

You know, now that that I've written it down it doesn't feel so overwhelming! I just may get it all done without turning into super-crazed-stressed-out-mama! Wow. That'd be remarkable and a never before seen event. I'll keep you posted.

A Camping We Will Go!

Next week we are going camping! We will join my brother and his family along with his good friend and his family. Where are we going??? Yosemite!!! It's been years since we have camped. The last time was when Mae was 2 and Caleb was just a babe at 9 months.

In preparation for this trip we had to buy a new tent. The old one was a '4 man' tent and there was just enough room for Ryan and I with a kid on each side....absolutely no room for the size of our family now with all our crap stuff. So we bought a new one at Costco a few months ago (and got a great deal by the way). It's huge! I don't know how many 'men' it's supposed to sleep but I'd guess at, um, like 100! Well, ok, maybe not that many but it is for sure big enough for our family. The best thing about this tent is that it tall enough for me to stand up in! This means I no longer have to sit or crouch to changed my clothes (which is difficult to do, let me tell ya)! The other feature I like is that it has a sound proof wall/partition and therefore creates two rooms! Isn't that cool? (yeah, it's only my wish that it was sound proof.....maybe the next tent?)

The other week we set it up in the living room so we knew all the parts were there and that we also knew how to set it up. It's a good thing that our living room is ginormous and that we only have one couch for it took up the entire room! I feel like we've gone from humble to huge with this tent! Here's a couple pics of Huge Tent in our living room. Maybe after we get back from camping I can post pics of the tent in action at our campsite.



Well, I've got some shopping to do in preparation of our trip. Then I have to start laundry and then packing can commence. I hope I don't forget anything. I hate it when that happens! Like I said, it's been a while since we've been camping. Any ideas of things not to leave behind, things that might be easily overlooked?? I'm thinking about things that are typically brought on a trip or camping. Things that may make camping easier. Like, I bought a little cutting board and knife at Target, in the dollar section, along with some rope (you never know if you'll need some rope!). Things like that! Any ideas or suggestions???

YouTube Tuesday

If you are a frequent flyer or have flown in the past few years then you'll appreciate this video! Enjoy.



**thank you Rose for showing us this clip, it's great!!! (I may have to post the other one you showed us that night...stay tuned!)

Birthday Babe

Today is Isabel's 2nd birthday. It's hard to believe that my baby is now, offically, a toddler and no longer a baby. She'll always be my baby, no matter what!

So in honor of Isabel this day I will blow up her birthday balloons to cover the floor and bake her some little cakes. We will keep it low key simple as we celebrate her tonight. Next weekend we'll celebrate a little more with family when we are in Modesto. I'm thinking we'll go to a park late afternoon or early evening and have cake and ice cream while the two year old plays and gets dirty. What more could a baby turned toddler want?!

Est. July 13, 1996

Today Ryan and I celebrate our 11th anniversary. Wow. Eleven years! It seems that a lot has happened in the past 11 years. The Lord has been gracious to us in many ways. For one, if it were not for Him we would not be celebrating today.

Our first year of marriage was difficult, to say the least. If it were not for each of our relationships with Christ, and our commitment to him, either of us would have walked away from the other at one point in that first year. We've gone through a couple other 'rough' patches since then, but the Lord continues to show his grace to us.

Eleven years and 3 kids later we have managed to grow closer to the Lord and closer to each other. Ryan is my best friend. He gives me wise counsel, makes me laugh, and thinks I'm pretty. Ryan is my husband, he is my love.

So today I thank the Lord for his grace, mercy and love in our lives. I thank Him for helping me to let go of myself and to trust him with the course of my life. And I thank Him for my husband, whom I love and cherish.

I thank you, Lord, and praise you for the marriage that Ryan and I share today.

Happy Anniversary Ryan!