wifemotherdaughtersisterauntcousinfriend

What Else?

2009-12-09T09:23:00.000-08:00

O.K. lets see where it all started. I love our home. The good Lord has been very good to Adam and I. I am very grateful! I especially love our floorplan! D.R. Horton our builder does a great job with floor plans! That said, we've had a few problems as of late and well...here goes!

The other day was a normal everyday kind of day, until I heard a loud crash. Running out of our room, from behind a closed door I came wondering what was going on. Well, it wasn't the house it was the dog. She, Ginger had knocked over a plant stand that had a gallon plant on it, so there was soil and plant all over the floor. Along with a shattered 10" glass plate that sat below the plant before it was thrown from it's place.

Shortly thereafter I had my turn. Before noon, I had broken a small glass and a coffee mug from my brand new dinnerware set for Christmas that I opened early so I'd have them for a Recipe Exchange party with the girls. (I didn't want to use paper since there weren't going to even be any kids :) The glass was no big deal, and it wasn't very big though it made quite a mess and actually made it back up on the counter, or at least shards of the glass that made it that far after the glass made impact with our hard, tile floor.

Did I mention that our hot water heater is already not running. Our house is only 3 years old and our hot water heater is already broken. My husband keeps fixing it, but then it brakes again. I have already made up my mind that I am going to get it replaced tomorrow!

So, school was O.K. today, and other than a few broken dishes, no big whoop, right? Right. I am going to get dinner going. So, Adam is wrapping outdoor electric because there must be stuff out there that isn't suppose to get wet??? He went down the road to help a neighbor and in my bustle dinner got delayed. However, I did finally get the water boiling, and the beef cooking. I was making spicy beef dish, and cracked open the box of Penne with Omega 3s. Yum! I put the pasta in the boiling water, set the timer for 8 min. and away. Well, I just so happened to walk past the pot and noticed mealy worms floating on the surface of my pasta water. Ugh!!! So much for pasta in a more earth friendly box instead of the sealed bags :( So, I dumped the pasta down the disposal with the hot water and what to my wondering eyes should appear, but cloudy water and no draining of the pasta, oh my dear!!! So, I grabbed another pot, boiled more water and grabbed another box of pasta with Omega 3s. I tried checking the box and didn't notice any creepy crawlies, but after putting the box in the boiling water, again I had floaters! I learned my lesson the first time, and I drained this pot, and dumped the pasta in garbage can. No more pasta in the box for me! Now I am on my third pot of boiling water and a BAG of pasta, no more penne which works best with this recipe, but whole wheat spaghetti noodles will have to do.

Adam is at this point in the bedroom trying to book Polar Express tickets with afore mentioned neighbors, which we didn't get because though we almost booked several times, we delayed and now they are sold out for the 8 people we were trying to book tickets for. This itself again would be no big deal, but...

So, I tell Adam that I have clogged the disposal with pasta, but we decide to eat before we deal with it, maybe the pasta will get even more mushy and decide to go down. So, we eat, I boil water for doing the dishes and Adam gets to work on the disposal. Now in our 11 years of marriage, I have learned not to put carrots or potato peelings down the disposal because they don't go down either, but cooked pasta, who'd a thunk?

Now, I am behind Adam ready with pots that I know I am going to have to hand wash with my boiled water, not because I used them to cook, but because I clogged the disposal. I had to go use the restroom real quick so I told Adam and ran to the bathroom. While I was washing my hands I hear the man in the other room begin to blow his top. I know nothing about plumbing, but something that was suppose to twist pulled and it pulled right off, and our kitchen and under the sink was flooded with water, so am grabbing towels from all over the house, and bath mats anything that would absorb water, yucky pipe water laden with bits of pasta, and remember I don't have hot water to wash them with. So, anyways we finally get all the water up after emptying all three cabinets, and tossing out stuff that was ruined by the water. Adam rigged the pipes back to the way they were installed. I went to wash my hands in the front bathroom and remembered that we have crummy faucet in there. We had to shut the cold water off in that bathroom, because otherwise the faucet leaked. So now because Adam shut the hot water off so it doesn't continue to leak out of the hot water heater there isn't any water coming out of the front bathroom faucet. Thank goodness for having more than one bathroom!

So, now I am trying to wash the yucky towels and bath mats and forgot about the water situation, and our washing machine starts making a noise I have never heard before and is flashing some kind of code or something on it's little digital screen. So, I try to pause it, and then stop the load from running and I can't get it to quit! Great and I think our 3 year warranty just ran out last month. Adam was about to unplug it when I finally got it to quit. I realized I had put the machine on Sanitize out of habit for anything yucky. Unfortunately the no hot water thing wasn't helping because we had the hot off. So I reset the machine and figured I'll just run it through a couple of times. Praise God the washing machine didn't break too, just some minor set backs. I went in the bathroom and leaned my head against the mirror and realized that it had a lot of give. Uh oh! I remembered at that moment that Adam sold our model to a client whose master bath mirror came crashing down. I think after I call Mark our general contractor/handyman. I will make a trip to the Home Depot for some adhesive or those little screw in mirror holders that you would think would just be a requirement as a fail safe for if/when the mirror adhesive ever let's loose. If I was the builder I would put those kind of things in and I would put that water drip pan under water heaters too! So you save a few dollars per house, but come on!

All this to say that I do love my house, and I love my neighborhood! Our lot is good other than the poor drainage the builder again and the giant gap under my fence that they started me off with and then wanted to fine me for when I tried keeping wild animals out of my yard and my dog in. The builder did come and fix the small area in front of my back yard fence, so it doesn't look bad in the front yard at least. I also noticed that there seems to be less pokey cactus our community park, for which I am grateful! I am trying to focus on the good stuff, but I had to journal about that crazy day!

Santa Magnet

2009-12-09T09:16:00.000-08:00

So, I've had a Mr. and Mrs. Claus refrigerator magnet in with the Christmas decorations for a few years at least, and it was still in it's original packaging. This year after putting up the tree and placing the decorations around the house, I noticed that Mr. and Mrs. Claus were hanging on the frig. I knew I didn't put them there, so I asked the kids who hung them. Sebastian said he did, the magnet is kind of sweet, Mrs. Claus holding Mr. When I asked him why he decided to hang it he said, "I thought it was funny. It looks like Santa is trying to get in the frig and Mrs. Claus is holding him back." His friend Loredana was at the house and listening to the conversation, and said, "If Santa was my husband, he'd be Workin' Out!" I had a good holly, jolly laugh! Thanks Sebastian and Loredana!

Back Rubs

2009-11-14T14:16:00.000-08:00

Friday, the kids were rocking and rolling on school, because they had a field trip in the afternoon. During our school day they can "take a 5" which is a 5 min. break to jump on the tramp, relax, whatever it takes to rejuvenate so they can get back to work. Sebastian decided to spend a 5 giving his sister a back rub with awesome, relaxing, classical music he enjoyed so much from his music lesson that he wanted to share with his sister. The kids set a timer so they don't get distracted with their 5 and have it turn into a 20. Well, while Sebastian was waiting for Victoria to get ready for her back rub, his timer went off, and he started crying because he didn't get to give Victoria her back rub. So I of coarse let him turn it into a 10, so he could give his sister a back rub. Tears and all! I love how well they get along and I love their servant's hearts!

Bicycling Atrocity

2009-11-06T01:53:00.000-08:00

How sad of a world is this? I came home the other day to find our other vehicle parked in the driveway. I was away working, and knew my husband didn't have to go anywhere. He was suppose to be studying, which is why I was working to begin with. After I pulled in the garage, I went directly to ask my husband why the other vehicle was in the driveway, in case I needed to pull it in, though I couldn't imagine why it was out of the garage to begin with. He said, "Well, the kids wanted to ride bikes so I pulled my car out of the garage so they'd have enough room." We live in one of the most rural as rural can get areas of Las Vegas. Our neighborhood hasn't had any problems that I know of, I'm sure they are out there, I just haven't had to hear about them. Well, I guess my having said that is exactly why, as sad as it is, that our kids are riding their bikes in our garage!

Flowers for Mom and Other Such Sweetness

2009-11-06T01:38:00.001-08:00

This isn't the first time, but who knows when the last time will be. Sebastian picked me a flower today from the yard. The other day he picked one and put it behind my ear :) I have the sweetest boy. Adam says that's what makes a ladies man. My prayer is that he will be a one "lady's" man. I know whoever she is, and I am praying for her whoever she is out there, that she will love God and love my son!

I can't believe Victoria is "1/2 way grown" I say this loosely! I don't care how long she wants to stay with us. She is a peach of a girl. Sweet, girly, soft in spirit, and sometimes she's got a little bite to her. Tonight she helped her brother move a twin bed. They tried lifting it back on top of the other twin in his room, returning it to it's rightful bunk bed position. Adam said wow that looks better, funny that was my thought, and we also shared the same, "Wow, that looks better," when we made them two single beds, Leave it to Beaver style. I guess great minds think alike, or change is just down right good sometimes. Whatever it was I let the kids stay up until 10 because they were being so sweet and helpful to each other. It is so nice to witness, just like last week. Adam and I watched them dancing together and singing some of Victoria's voice lesson music. It was so fun to watch, and they were having fun, smiling, laughing, and grabbing arms and dose e doe-ing. That was another night I let them stay up a little later than usual. It seems that the more time they spend together alone the better they get along. It reminds me of the relationship two of my younger siblings share, a brother and sister. To this day he is closer to her than anyone else in our family of 12. I hope my kids can have that kind of relationship :)

First blog other than 30 min ago in 1 1/2 yrs

2009-02-27T00:21:00.000-08:00

I haven't blogged in a while. Boy has it been a whirl of a year and almost a half! I am so blessed to have a God who cares so much for little ol' me. Our two wonderful children continue to be such a blessing, and my husband and I keep growing together closer to God and each other. The kids get along so well though they have their mishaps. We have been homeschooling both of the kids this year, though we are technically not homeschooling. We are part of a virtual academy. I know how blessed I am that I am able to be home with our children. They are thriving and it's wonderful to watch them grow and learn. They both love to read. One of our favorite places to go is the library. I never get a complaint. We are able do a lot of field learning. Yesterday we visited the Old Mormon Fort and got to hear Harriet Tubman speak. I am looking forward to an Abraham Lincoln celebration tomorrow night. We'll round the night out with an evening with the kids friends spending the night.

I wanted to write real quick about each of the kids real quick. Sebastian is growing up so fast. He laughs so freely. He sometimes gets Adam and I laughing about something we don't even find funny, but his joy bubbles over and spills into our lives everyday. He is a wiz at video games. His math comes so easy to him in school and he stays pretty focused on finishing, though he does have it a lot easier than Victoria this year. He has waited patiently for the tooth fairy to come for a week now, to see if he/she will take his 4th tooth. He was very excited when it fell out. I'd say as excited as when it happened the first time. He made Victoria a sandwich today. He holds doors like a gentleman. He is excellent about washing his hands in the bathroom, even out of a dead sleep! One of my favorite mommy things is that he still asks for the mmm song, a wind up of his bear that he took to about 2 years ago. It was a bear that use to be Adam's. Before he gets into bed this winter he started asking one night after I did it once for a warm up, before he crawls under the covers. A warm up entails me doing the wax on wax off quickly to the sheets to get rid of the chill before he climbs in. It's all part of our bedtime ritual.

The other day one of Sebastian's teeth chipped and he asked if the tooth fairy would come for his tooth chip, and I told him it had to be the whole tooth. However, unbeknown to me, Victoria told him to put the tooth chip under his pillow and she snuck into his room in the middle of the night and brought something, filling in for the tooth fairy. Adam saw her sneaking into his room late at night and when he asked her what she was doing, that's how we found out or we might never have known!

Victoria is taking ballet this year from Bethany Breed. She loves ballet again! We took ballet at Nevada Ballet last year and she was less than thrilled about ever taking ballet again. It's nice to see her enjoying dance again! She is doing well in school. She loves to read. She has become even closer with Eliza Carder and still hangs with Emma Citizen. She met a little girl that lives across the street and 3 doors down named Holly. They seem to get along well. She loves chocolate chip cookies and made some today pretty much all by herself for our company that we had over for dinner. (Kirby's family, minus Kirby and Daddy, Gloria, Kale, and Riley Ensser) Victoria and Sebastian are both so good with kids of all ages. It's wonderful how age is not a determining factor in who their friends are. It is wonderful to have such beautiful children and most importantly on the inside!

Playing Mommy

2009-02-26T23:59:00.000-08:00

I use to love playing house, and now I get to play everyday! I wish I always had this feeling of being a little girl with the peace and calm of being a mommy. Being a "mommy" before I was a mommy was very different. I now have babies that breathe, though sometimes labored. I have a prince charming to kiss, though he sometimes smells like a cigarette and he doesn't even smoke. I get to put the dishes away wherever I like and hang things together like pants with the other pants all facing the same direction and matching coffee mugs from matching brass hooks inside the glass cupboard. I get to teach my children which one is the CUPBOARD to put the glasses in and which one is the CABINET where I store the pots and another to store the pans. I get to play school everyday and I always get to be the teacher ;) Maybe one of these days I'll let someone else have a turn. I do get plenty of practice sharing though, my yummy dessert, my bed, my time, and my what could be an organized life. I get to write checks and real ones with the address where I live printed on the front below mine and my husband's name. I am the mommy, which means like when I was a little girl that I am the wife and no one else gets to be the husband except the man I married and vowed to spend the rest of my life with, for better or for worse, in sickness (no matter what kind) and in health. He's not as easy as Raggedy Andy use to be, but he sure is a lot more fun, he makes me laugh without coming up with the jokes myself, and I prefer his hair, style, and well being his wife! I am joyful because just like when I was a child there are ups and downs, but each day is an adventure, and I don't ever have to stop playing mommy! Even someday when my children are grown and my oldest is half-way there I just realized the other day, I will still be there mommy, and I will still be a wife, and I will get to play grandma, which I have never played before, and I hear it's even more fun than playing mommy, if that's even possible!

Writing waiting for Adam to get home from rehearsal

2007-06-16T00:15:00.001-07:00

The other day the kids were goofing around and Victoria accidentally kicked Sebastian, and he said, "Victoria, you kicked me in the privacy!"

Both of my kids ask on almost a daily bases if they can sell something. They have had a lemonade stand, and a small bake sale (chocolate chip cookies only to be specific). They have made a couple of dollars at their sales. Bless the neighbors that have patronized their little sales, and rewarded them for their hard work.
Their grandmother had a garage sale last weekend and they sold cookies, not even homemade and bottles of water. They finished with a combined gross sales of $22. Victoria got to keep a much larger portion because she stuck it out until 10:45, for a total of 3 hours and 45 minutes. Sebastian went in to watch cartoons after the first hour or hour and a half. He did well for a 5 year old though. They split the profits at that point and he made $3. Victoria, sat in the shade of her umbrella and at times only her wide brimmed hat, and made her hard earned money. She is a hard worker. I see it in her studies, her cleaning, exercise, and anything she puts her mind to, even her writing for which she never did earn an "A" grade. Writing was her only "B". She told me that she wasn't a very good writer. I told her the grade she received from her teacher was only one persons opinion of her writing. She was pretty disappointed to have never earned an "A". We will be doing a lot of writing, revising, and final copy work this next year. There will be some light writing practice this summer, but only for fun. I want her to enjoy writing! I am excited to start homeschooling. I think Victoria is one sweet, spunky, and inspiring little girl, who is growing up so fast I can hardly keep up.

Bicycles

2007-06-15T23:53:00.000-07:00

Yesterday both of my kids spent hours riding their bikes. Yes, 2 wheelers! Victoria, who had worked at mastering the 2 wheel bike before our move, picked it back up again in the matter of an hour. Excited for his sister's accomplishment, Sebastian decided he was done training I guess. He had me remove the training wheels from his back wheel. He had tried to pick out the proper size tool from the rachet? set before I went out to the garage. (I know how to use the tools, it doesn't mean they are called.) Anyways, he opened the set upside down and all the american and metric versions of the different sizes spilled all over the floor. Well, we had a lesson in how to read them and place them back where they belonged. It was a good bonding time.

So today I go out to see Victoria ride in circles in our garage counting to 120, which was at least 15 circles, and I see the training wheels from the Superman bike Sebastian got for Christmas on the floor. The Superman bike had been reserved by Sebastian, for when he turned 5. Well, his birthday was in March and he probably still needs a little more growing time before moving on to the Superman bike. However, the thing is that my 5 year old son got the tool kit, opened it correctly, found the proper size tools to use, and removed his own training wheels, replacing the bolts he removed after taking off his training wheels. I was so proud! He has not quite mastered the 2 wheel bike, but he knows how to put the training wheels back on if he needs to and how to remove them when he's ready. Although, with the persistance with which he has been practicing I don't see him trying to put training wheels back on.

Big backyard or High Rise Living

2007-05-14T18:07:00.000-07:00

I went to grab my journal and thought, why write when I can type? Besides my handwriting is terrible and I print out my blogs eventually anyway so I have a hard copy. You just can't trust machines they will give out eventually. When I headed into the house I was stopped by a locked slider. I pounded and for a moment thought maybe I shouldn't blog. Maybe I'm not suppose to, thus the locked door barring my entrance. I looked back out over my dog bone shaped area of grass, and thought no I'm getting the laptop.
Do I belong here? Do any of us. Is it really that horrible to try and conserve? Would we really suffer from only using one square of toilet paper? I swear a friend told me about wiping with one's hand, and then washing really well. Adam says you learn all kinds of ways to wipe in boy scouts and using your hand is not one of them! He says this with the conviction of an OCD victim. He tells me of learning using: leaves, bark and even sand. I can tell you having been to the beach a few times in my life that I would not want to wipe with sand. Someone please tell me that he is confused and trying his best to think of anything to avoid the idea of wiping with one's own hand.
I am sitting on a chair in my backyard. I was reading before I got the idea to put on paper(or type into my blog) what I was thinking about. I sometimes can't believe my life. I wonder if I could choose ANY life and circumstances, would I choose my own? I was thinking about what it would be like to retire and live in a high rise with a wall of windows that I would only close when I had to. I wonder if I would miss my big backyard or if I am really meant to have a simple window or patio garden instead of a big lawn. (well big by Vegas new construction standards) Maybe I would be a nomad and live in my car and climb all the awesome climbs and hike to the tops of mountains.
I know what I know and have experienced things that I have liked and love. I can't think of very many experiences that I can't appreciate for one reason or another. Maybe that's what it's about, finding happiness where you are, with what you have. Everything is a choice. I could choose to pack my bags tonight and head out for a new life of high rises and wealth. If I was determined enough I would find what I sought. I am chosing to stay where I am in the position I am with the people in my life with whom God has blessed me.
Yesterday was Mother's Day and it was nice. Not spectacular, but nice. It was in the moments of the day that I found the most to be greatful for, Adam, Victoria, Sebastian, and I eating lunch and filtering through the Sunday paper. Victoria read headings and titles of articles. Adam checked out the houses being offered with a minimum bid of $50,000. Sebastian put together his In & Out Burger Puzzle. I read about invasive sea life in Lake Michigan and we all looked at the pictures.
We watched a movie recently and I felt a real connection with one of the characters. She is the me that I try not to be. She had arched in sholders, unkept hair, a lack of confidence that is so unbecoming of a lady. Someone asked her what her dream was. She said she didn't have time for things like dreams while supporting her husband, taking care of the children, and all of the daily goings on associated with her role. Maybe like me she didn't have a dream, or maybe her dream was simply to have a family, to be an active member of that family, to be need and at least on occasion wanted.
I am a member of a family. I know my family could function without me, if heaven should call me home. I feel needed and probably on more occasions than I can almost handle I feel wanted. I love and feel loved. I am fortunate to have that love given and recieved by the same people. I truly am content and know I don't deserve it, but my God says, "I shall supply all your needs," and I believe He has, and always will. I sometimes pray that He will change the desire of my heart, and He usually does, but sometimes I cannot find contentment and that's when I know that He has a different plan, and things will change, although maybe not soon, maybe not ever.

The daughter God has blessed us with.

2006-11-27T02:06:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, Victoria noticed the incorrect spelling of school (skool) and play (pla). She pointed them out and then gave us the correct spelling. Today we had some family time together on mom and dad's bed, talking, reading, and praying. Victoria wanted to do the reading that I had planned to share. She read from the Bible for the first time today. If I died tomorrow, I would be glad she learned this one thing more than any other. She even did her weekend writing about reading the Bible. She said it was exciting and that she was proud. Her reading brought so much joy to my day and my life. After reading the verse I had chosen to share she began reading her own selection. It was about the 2 greatest commandments to love the Lord and love your neighbor. So, after talking about the 4 of us gathering and God being right there with us, we discussed those 2 greatest commandments. I'm not paraphrasing either, it does say the 2 greatest commandments. Sebastian told us while we were discussing God being there with us, that Ginger, our dog stepped right through God. I guess in a sense she did. It's funny the things kids think about. He is just so stinkin' cute. When he prays he says, "Thank you for God and Jesus," and then usually he goes on to be thankful for his family and many other things! While we were talking we were talking we discussed the new house and the move. Victoria was concerned that we might not have room in the new house for all of our stuff. Really it's just stuff and doesn't matter much, but for that matter neither does the new house. Last night we were watching some street dancers on the Madonna special, and Victoria was crying and had such a heart for the orphaned children in Africa, whose parents they lost to AIDS. She kept asking about who would take care of them. We talked about praying for them and our friends that are their and Victoria wanted to save her own money to send to help them help the orphans.
Madonna is not any idol of mine, I'm not even that big of a fan. I do enjoy watching dance though. In one segment of her show she puts on a crown of thorns in front of a giant cross, which would probably bother a lot of Christians. As someone who loves God and is trying my best to follow his teachings. I thought she did a good job delivering a message. So many people are God fearing even if they aren't God followers and maybe they will be more apt to see what is going on in other parts of the country and do something about it. I know it made me reallize what a slacker I have been. I have been meaning to do some things that it reminded me that I haven't done, and thus I go!

From a notecard in my bathroom drawer

2006-09-20T03:22:00.000-07:00

What do you expect at 3:00 in the morning? Yes, I am cleaning and organizing. Well, I was, but then I decided it was time to go to bed, and went to brush my teeth again, because it had been like 5 hours, since I originally did it. No, I didn't eat or drink anything besides water, but I like the fresh feeling :) However, when I went to wash my face, from the drawer that I cleaned and organized a few days ago, I pulled this, the last sign of disorganization in my bathroom 8x20" organized drawer.

I watched words fly today. They took a break to catch their breath and gather more fuel for the fire.
Waiting for my turn to return in flight or RUN. Not able to collect my thoughts. Knowing this was a battle not worth the fight and already won.

I caught a single drop of water upon my soft, smooth skin from which it rolled passed my heavy breath, filled with anxiety.

Covered heavily, drowning in sleeplessness, weaving in and out, counting up and down. I have a deadline. Passing it quietly. Contented to stand graciously, patiently, waiting. Having no depot at which to stand. Not knowing. Where it stops, nobody knows. I'll ride it aas long and as far as it goes. Paying my tolls, it's fare, they keep up the roads. Sometimes they're__________, but I'll do my part, pay my two cents. I remember when it use to be...well, what's the sense...what the heck. I'm still going, moving along with others beside me. Some follow, some walk. Some lead, still others beside me. My peers they don't look to me, but keep up, their eyes and their focus ahead. With no further ado, I needn't say more.

THE WORDS IF HE'D SEEN MY HEART

I shut down & wore a simple frown. I felt a heart sink today. Hope lost. Faith forgotten. I wonder what a Father would have done today. Had he chosen what went down. If he'd caught the fear with his comforting hand. If he'd heard?

From something growing moldy in my wet Bible

2006-09-20T02:28:00.000-07:00

My Bible absorbed a quart and a half of water at church last week. I decided to go throuh it and remove the paper toweling that two sweet girls placed between the pages to help absorb some of the water. I noticed that my Bible does smell moldy, and although some of my notes had been salvaged that I should put them somewhere else for now, so here is one little piece of paper transfered. I had read an email from a friend, and responded as follows:

Thank you for the email. It really is encouraging to see God move. I know He is always moving even when we ccan't see it, but when you're praying for someone and even the smallest inprovement is made in their life it's exciting. It's kind of like a roller coaster. God is the roller coaster always moving. We stand in line and watch, with the anticipation of riding. However, when we actually get on and ride the wild ride that is Christianity, it is so more than we ever anticipated standing in line. As we clickity click up, praying and hoping, the free-fall down is so much more exciting! Feeling the wind in our face is exhilerating with our friends and family's arms in the air with ours, screaming. Isn't it funny that God often provides even more than we ask knowing that our hearts long for even more than our prayers express, especially when it would be impossible without God, renewing our faith and hope. We finish riding and beg for another go around, instead of being content to once again stand in line. Praise God for miracles. I will continue to pray, and know God will continue to provide answers to those prayers.

Missions

2006-09-16T01:10:00.000-07:00

Our little missionary, Victoria, said on the way home from Awana the other day, "I am going to tell the kids at school about God, because they don't know Him." I almost cried.
I was telling Adam though that I believe we are all called to missions, some are called to the mission field, some support them financially, and some folks are prayer warriors. We are called to pray without ceasing, and going or supporting both require lots of prayer. I would like to be more involved in missions. God has so thoroughly blessed us.
Speaking of blessings, the other day Sebastian and I were playing war with Buzz Lightyear foamy bullets. He got a little over-zealous and tried shooting me, instead of walls and stuff. So, I was standing in the entrance to my room and tried closing the door after he shot me and I stopped the bullet with the door. Wow! that was amazing, and the best part is that Sebastian was excited about my super powers, stopping bullets in mid-air.

2006-09-07T00:19:00.000-07:00

O.K. cubbies tonight (3 & 4 year olds, in a Bible based boy scouts)was not easy. It wasn't bad going through it although I wouldn't call it fun at all. I was wiped out at the end of our club meeting. Really there was only a brief time of scheduled activiy. Which meant that next week I need to be mucho prepaired. I think I am bringing some modeling clay or something I can play with the kids and enjoy as well. Or maybe a game or something, but tonight was tough. I need to remember why I am there. I am one of the first introductions to God that some of these kids will have. Really though it was never easy, I wouldn't say it was hard, just tiring. So, next week I will bring water, so that when I start getting hoarse I can down some fluids. I want to be excited to go, like my kids. They were so excited for Awana to start. In case you're wondering, Awans stands for Approved Workman Are NOt Ashamed, from 2 Tim 2:15. Anyways, enough complaints. I want to stay focused, even if I am slightly when I don' t know, maybe, no really I don't know what my deal is, but I don't want to get involved.

On a lighter note, Victoria ate her first school hot lunch today, which set us back a wwhole $1.40. She was so excited to tell us about it. She was not excited to tell us about how she sat through gym class today. She said she didn't even get picked once, to get up and move a little bit. She said I think Sierra (another girl that didn't get picked, one of her best friends )and I are too little. It just sucks that they only have an 8 minute break before they eat lunch, and then they have to stay indoor for gym. She had been so excited about playing soccer. I guess there's always next week.;)

What a Week!

2006-09-05T04:11:00.000-07:00

O.K. our first week of school, and yes we need a three day weekend when it was over. I can't believe the weekend is over and we go back in a few short hours! I need to get some sleep! Victoria started schoo this week. Her favorite part was lunch. There's documented proof, she filled in the blank on a worksheet. My favorite part of today was_________. She wrote lunch and drew a picture. Her first lunch was, by request, a ham sandwich (I learned to only make a half, because there isn't time for a whole sandwich), watermelon, (which needs a tupperware, not a ziplock), and popcorn. When she got home she told me that she got to be line leader and that she didn't have much time to eat, not because she was line leader, but because they only have half an hour to eat and play! I swear we use to have at least a 45 minute lunch hour, if not an entire hour! "We had to eat fast!" she told me.
We had a lot of PTA stuff going last week, t-shirt sales, and new members. People commenting on the attire of PTA volunteers during a school function. We took it as constructive criticism! We are new and learning.
While Victoria was gone we asked Sebastian if he missed his sister, he said, "I like being home just a half me." When a friend asked him about being home without Victoria and he simply replied, "I like myself." I guess he's not to broken up about her being gone all day. When she got home they fought the first day like cats and dogs, but day 2 was much better!
Day 2 Sebastian picked up a 3" in diameter lizard. It was like 7-8" long. I thought it was dead until I got Sebastian to put it down. Then I realized it was alive. It scampered off into the yard from the patio when Ginger approached. Adam got to see it first and he said it was a horny toad. I've never seen one, until now I guess.
The weekend kind of flew by, but we did get to spend time with friends and family. We even rememebered to call a friend of 12 years ON HER ACTUAL BIRTHDAY and wish her a Happy 31st. I hope it really was. I get to see her Tuesday. Just wait until she sees what she got!
We also got to spend time with an old friend, who was visiting from out of town and have dinner together and share some peach pie, of which I was able to bake 4 this week, Pies that is. Three were peach, and one was apple. I am looking forward to making another apple pie, it's probably my favorite!
We had a fantastic BBQ with some friends today. The kids all played so well together! It doesn't seem to matter who it's with our kids love other kids. They so rarely fight while playing with other children, and not once today! What amazing kids! Thank you God!

Our marathon DVDs topped by a father's triathalon!

2006-08-22T09:28:00.000-07:00

Adam ordered us videos of glimpses of our marathon, in San Diego. When I found out what they cost I was slightly disturbed. However, I am glad that he ordered them, especially since that may have been my last. It was cool when we actually received them and were able to share our experience with the kids. We had a good laugh when I remembered seeing a camera and picking up the pace from a walk to a run at the 20 mile point. I was exhausted, but at least I will be memorialized on that DVD in better shape than I was or at least smarter. If I would have been a smarter runner I would no doubt in my mind have run the entire marathon, but I did walk a lot of the last 6 miles, the last 1 1/2 and in front of the camera I gave it my all. Here is an event that brought not laughter, but tears to my eyes, AMAZING! To view go to:
www.filecabi.net/video/can1986.html

Siblings

2006-08-14T18:29:00.000-07:00

Scenario: Two older siblings and two younger siblings at a sleepover

Sebastian comes in the house and alerts Loredanna that her presence is required for a game outside on the trampoline. Loredanna's response, "I don't want to play outside." Sebastian tries to woo her with, "We get to be the bad guys."

Accountability

2006-08-10T01:11:00.000-07:00

If you share something with someone there is a bit of accountability that goes along with that shared knowledge. That's my philosophy for the week. Victoria's was that if you don't like eating something that you should just keep eating it and eventually you will like it. So, what is it that I would like to share. Well, this morning I woke up at 6:30 naturally, an entire half hour before my alarm would wake me up. I had told myself the night before that if I could wake up even 10 minutes before my alarm that I could get up and do pilates before I had to wake up the kids. Getting up early was phenominal! So, tomorrow my goal is to wake up at 7:00 or ealier again. I'll let you know how it goes.
A bit of criticism: 1. Saw is not a slasher, but very disturbing. I like a bit of suspense, but I guess I prefer some resolution. So, I would rate Saw as one of my top ten most disturbing movies, closer to the number 10 position. 8 mm, Quills, and Titus are closer to the top 3. I wouldn't say that they are the worst movies, just the most disturbing.
2. Adam and I ate at Bob's Big Boy and I would give them 2/5 stars. Service was O.K. and it wasn't super pricey, but quality lacked. I'd rather eat at the 5 & diner for a sit down and be served burger or at In & Out for really tasty fast food, both are better quality in my opinion. We probably will not give them repeat business, and yes we did fill out a comment card.
3. We tried checking out Las Vegas Athletic Clubs. It was a blessing that the guy we were ready to sign a contract with, if we were going to, was not there today. I'm
glad that we are loyal, because on the way out of the parking lot Adam decided that he would be so stressed out dealing with the traffic that a membership there was out of the question. I had the same thought cross my mind on the way there. So, I guess Adam will have to keep running the roads, and doing push ups at the house, and I will continue to use home video workouts.
4. For a more posative movie review, V for Vendetta was enjoyable! I think after watching it that Adam will read it! As with any book, of coarse it was better, but there is just so much that you take notice of in the book when you're looking at vs. it's 2 second flash on the screen, Ooooooh, look at all the pretty lights. How sad are we as a society that so few of us read any more. You know you are who you hang around with. I guess my mom was right, but I am glad because my friends all read, even the guys, who seem to be as a whole less likely to read. I just need to finish what I've been in the middle of for a while now. I have really been enjoying Independent People, but it has been such a journey, so many characters!

Time

2006-08-09T13:06:00.000-07:00

We have been home for almost 2 weeks. I feel like we have been playing catch up until the last few days. We are trying to get our schedule hammered down, which hasn't been very successful??????!!!!! We finally had some of the kids friends spend the night last night. I was suppose to pick them up early so they could play all afternoon, but didn't get there until 5. They chose to watch a movie which ate up the first 2 hours. One of the children had to be somewhere at 8 in the morning, so I tried to get the kids to retire early, FAT chance! At 11:30 I told them that they needed to chill out an try and relax. Victoria said to me, "Mom, we didn't even get to play yet." O.K. minus the movie what did they do for the last 4 1/2 hours? Boy, I think time flies, I guess when you're a kid having fun, it moves at rocket speed!

2006-07-30T15:32:00.000-07:00

A few of my favorite trip things:

-My adorable daughter, Victoria, curled up in a little ball on the seat next to me, asleep on the plane, with her head resting on my lap.

-Watching the anticipation mounting in Sebastian, (who didn't really sleep on the plane) as he waited to see the green grass, trees, and a ton of people who love him in Wisconsin. He had the window seat on the way there.

-Alterra coffee, and their amazing mocha shakes

-walking to the damn with the kids, and Sebastian pointing out the flowers that looked like eggs (hard boiled), seeing 7 geese entering the water, several monarch butterflies, walked across the bridge, and listened at the railroad tracks for any approaching engines

-Family and lots of it

-seeing old friends, even if it meant driving 1 1/2 hours to visit for 1 1/2 hours and then drive home 1 1/2 hours

-going to church with my brother and his wife, getting copies of the lyrics with chord progressions, not only the 3 new songs that I really liked, but all the songs they sang

-meeting my 2 neices, Andrea and Celeste, and spending time with my nephews

-sleeping in the vacant apartment above the garage, and not invading anyones space with our luggage

-a wedding with tears and barking, joining 2 people who truly love each other, my brother cried

-we had custard from a drive-up icecream stand

-we spent a lot of time with my sister who is going into the air force

-got to see my brother Jordan's first apartment, play at his playground with the kids, and taste his lasagna

-celebrated for a moment my brother Michael's 13th birthday

-where there to celebrate my sister's 19th

-watched Sebastian play in the dirt and grass and enjoy being around his aunts and uncles

-Victoria and my little sister got along amazingly and both cried upon parting.

-We got to visit the Milwaukee County Zoo, and my aunt went with us, there were like 18 of us

-we were really busy, but it was a nice trip that seemed so short until we got home and reallized we had been gone for 2 whole weeks

I am married to Joseph and his technicolor briefcase

2006-06-21T14:40:00.000-07:00

Last night Adam and I were having our usual, at the end of the day conversation about what had gone on during our day while we were apart. He shared some good news with me. He went to an orientation that morning, of which I was unaware, until 2 in the afternoon when I reallized that I hadn't heard from him, which is unusual. That was a truly eye opening discovery. I guess we are pretty decent communicators. I don't think we typically go more than a few hours without talking, which is AWESOME, because I truly love my husband, and I know communication is vital to a healthy relationship. Anyways, back to the orientation, it was for joining an elite group at Liberty Realty, where he hangs his real estate liscence. Adam is such a hard worker and rock and rolled this year to finish a lot of real estate education. He was taking classes with lawyers, which he passed with flying colors. So, when he went to his orientation the woman in charge basically let him clep out of pretty much a years worth of classes. He has to attend one meeting quarterly and other than that as I understand it he's in. So, what does that mean? Of the 12,000 or so agents in Nevada, 4,000 of them are at Liberty Realty. Of those 4,000, Adam is one of less than 200 VIPs. It's O.K. for me to be proud of my husband right? And brag on him a little bit, isn't it? He truly is a blessing to me as a husband, he is a wonderful father, and he felt bad about getting out of a years worth of education, that a comrad had to take. However, the comrad was happy for Adam in his advancement. I told Adam not to feel bad. I said, "You are Joseph, and God continues to bless you in every area of your life. It seems even more apparent in business." I told him that I should right a book titled Being Married To Joseph and His Technicolor Briefcase. I told him I could make him a technicolor briefcase, for which laughed and did a little parody of Joseph and the technicolor dreamcoat. I was kidding afterall, but he said it wouldn't be very professional. It's funny, it doesn't seem to matter if he works for a boss and his "tyrrant wife," God blesses and Adam always been able to find favor wherever he goes. I am just happy to be along for the ride. I wonder if Joseph in the Bible's wife felt the way I do?

I know my feet.

2006-06-21T14:17:00.000-07:00

Over the years, I have run thousands of miles. Mind you I have been running since I was like 15 or 16. I have been known as a runner, something that takes a lot of work and commitment for me, unlike my natural, white ethiopian husband. He can train lightly and kick my butt any time any place if running were all about the competition I would be a loser. However, I simply love to run! I feel great afterwards and the effect on my body is uncomparable with other exercise I have experienced. I know my knees are shot partially from running and from other sports and accidents. Thank goodness, this blog isn't about my husband or my knees, it's about my feet. It's funny how important they are isn't it. A little pinky toe, part of your foot can and has hindered my running. Heck, I could barely walk. That was one injury, it kept me from running my first marathon that I had trained for. By the time the second training session had ended I had solidly broken in my first pair of orthotics. If your not sure what I'm talking about they are like Dr. Scholl's insoles that you would buy at Walgreens, exept these were molded to my feet. I wonder if running for years in Dr. Scholl's did something to my feet? Anyways, I was out running last night, and thinking about how well I have gotten to know my feet. I don't need a doctor to tell about certain things. However, as in all facets of life, I find that there are things I don't know, things I just can't figure out and so I have to visit the Pediatrist. Right now I need new orthotics. I told myself before the San Diego Marathon that I was done with marathons, but I fear that once again I've caught the running bug! I am though going to take it easy for like 6 months. I am planning on running the first 1/2 marathon on the strip. 13+ miles is really not so bad I actually enjoy it and look forward to pushing myself and braking my 2:00:15 time. That means I would really like to run it 16 secon, ds faster than my first. The first and only 1/2 I have ever run was put on by Redwood Trails and the trail ran along the loop out at Red Rock. I had biked the loop, and run pieces of it before, but that was the first time I ran it, and Adam and the kids were 1 of 2 cheering squads for the entire race. I guess it wasn't that big, but I was still a little suprised. The other cheering squad was a couple and they were foreigners, that I don't remember hearing very much, so it was awesome, if the racers would have been voting, my family would have won the best cheer award. I was very proud! Anyways, so I am really trying to enjoy my running right now. I didn't look at my watch last night until I was finished with my run. I tried running without my orthotics and reallized that although I wasn't hurting, it still wasn't a very good idea. I drank the perfect amount of water, and stretch after a warm-up and after my run. I have an awesome husband and lots of rockin' friends that have been priceless in my training. I am so grateful for all of them! I am also grateful that I am able to just run for the fun of it, or at least for a season :)

Catch up

2006-05-30T00:22:00.000-07:00

Dare I admit to it? I will be a, "willing to step down at any moment," PTA president. I hope all goes smoothly! We have 5 more nights to sleep before the marathon. Yes, there are six nights, but I really probably won't sleep much on Saturday. I am mucho excited and pretty nervous. This will be my 3rd trained for, 2nd run marathon. I missed one due to injury 3 weeks before the race. I would love to run even a second faster than I did the last one. We'll see though. Adam and I have some pre-race strategy, but we often deviate from plans.
We had a family night the other day and we bought an air popper. Heidi had asked if we ate air popped popcorn and I had to reply with a negative, because we either pop it in a pan with oil or eat microwaved popcorn. I love air popped popcorn, and so created the means to eat it. Sebastian laughed so hard as the popcorn built up and then poured out of the shoot. I decided that his laughter was worth every penny I paid for the over-priced air popper (because I bought it at Smiths.) We also had rootbeer floats, and all shared one large Hershey bar. We played games, including hide and seek. We each took our turn counting to 10, and then we had a girls hiding and counting team and a boys. We watched Bambi 2 and Aeonflux (I don't know if I spelled that correctly?). We had a nice evening. Funny, Adam and I were suppose to have a date night, but I decided we should stay home as a family, because our family time kind of got pushed out of the schedule and replaced by work. Adam's job is a take it while you can get it, and Saturday he took it and today, on Memorial Day, he woke up and decided he would take the day off since his schedule was free, but then he ended up writing 2 offers! We had a nice dinner together though it was late it was awesome, and not just the not so warm food. I'd trade a hot meal for the conversation that we enjoyed with our kids and the bedtime routine we had except Sebastian who is sitting on my lap right now, because he took a nap after Superman, which he started with his friend Luke this afternoon. He slept from like 5-8, oops! That's O.K. because he'll sleep in tomorrow. I just wish I could. Blast the stinkin' marathon. Only 2 more runs until the big day. Next week I suppose I'll be wishing I could be running. Or maybe I'll just be relieved.

Job and my two lessons this weekend.

2006-05-09T22:24:00.000-07:00

My husand, myself and our children joined some friends in Zion this last weekend. We had a wonderful, relaxed weekend. Someone shared the story of Job with all of us. In the story Job had 3 daughters and 7 sons. The story teller had mentioned afterwards that he ended gearing it more towards the kids, which I think was fabulous. It's not like we can't learn adult lessons from children's stories. I looked at my own life and think what do I have to be upset about most of the time. I get so flustered and my lot isn't even a fraction of the terrible that Job must have gone through. I need to remember that! I've watched our kids a lot this weekend and friends have redirected my attention when I have lost sight and almost missed something I wouldn't want to have missed. At one point this weekend, our son, Sebastian was feeding his friend, Loredana, Cheetos. One at a time, it was stinkin' adorable! I missed this part, but I guess he was making chomping noises and she held his face with both hands and gave him a scolding that you would expect of a girlfriend or wife. Mind you these two kids are only four, but I wanted to write about this. You just never know what the future may hold, and wouldn't it be awesome to share this story with them in 20 years. Maybe as they are marrying another or possibly each other. They are both the sweetest kids. Really, we had 16 kids in the cabin this weekend and none of them got out of hand. They are all such well behaved children! I am thankful for good friends, good times, and well behaved children, which I believe is a direct result of the love their parents have for them, even in the tough decisions! I had to make one of those. On our way up the hill to the swing that swoops out over the ledge, Sebastian was warned that if he whined one more time about going first that he would not only not get to swing first, but that we would go back down the hill and he wouldn't swing at all. Unfortunately, he did it, he crossed the line from which you can not go back and I had to stick to my guns and turn him away from the swing and head back to the cabin. IT SUCKED! Discipline is not easy to receive, but I think it's even harder to give sometimes. Knowing that I hadn't had a scare on the swing yet, Adam, doubled back and took my place as the disciplinarian. I continued up the hill with our friends. In a few minutes, Adam and Sebastian could be seen coming our direction. I commented to a friend about how Daddy sure was nice and the friend said something about how we don't always get what we deserve. Another lesson for me. Adam had, had a talk with him and showed him undeserved mercy. When it cam etime for Sebastian to swing, he was scared and didn't end up swinging anyways. After the swing we all headed down and took a ride in one of the boats together. Adam admitted that he really like the paddle boats. Maybe someday I'll live on a lake and we will have to get one, I really like them too. I'm not sure if I like them more than the canoes, but then if I'm buying property on a lake, I could probably have one of each. One day work my legs in the paddle boat, and the other work my arms in the canoe. What a life that would be!

Time to smell the roses again!

2006-05-09T22:13:00.000-07:00

Well, Shotsie's roses are in full bloom again. Less than a month ago it seems was pruning time. I watched the roses get cut back to frighteningly ugly stubs. Every week more and more green leaves grew. Then one day there were buds, and days later beautiful, sweet smelling roses. These are the kind that you stop to smell in the middle of an important run. I gave other roses a chance to compete this year, and yet Shotsie's roses outshone them all. Really I guess they really aren't Shotsie's roses. It's her husband that cares for them, though they may have been planted for her and being cared for out of love for Shotsie, at least that's the romantic spin I'm taking. When I breathe in their aroma, I swear that I have a renewed energy, and the last tenth of a mile home I float. My mansion is going to have beautiful scented roses. The kind that you can smell on a slightly humid day from a hundred feet away. I don't have roses in our yard, but last night walking a friend to her car, I was able to appreciate the scent that stirred as I walked out our front door, from our rosemary bush and the other blooming desert landscape plants. I am so thankful for the color and smell that I can appreciate in my own yard as well.

Reading, Running, and Squeezing in the Kids

2006-05-04T15:41:00.000-07:00

The other day the kids and I went to the park. There was a small cluster of jungle gym equipment provided amoung the hills of lush grass and shady trees. My kids went down the slide once or twice and the rest of the time they spent running through the grass with their shoes off. They spent a lot of time petting a little-not-so-old ladies dog, named Sam and talking with the lady. I enjoyed watching them so much so that I barely read even a page in my book. I just sat beneath a shady tree and dug my toes into the cool grass. I got up a few times, once to meet Sam and his owner and a couple of times to chase the kids in a game of tag or to scoup them up while I'm still strong enough and their small enough for me to do it effortlessly. I want to be a mom they remember as yes a reader, but also one who put the book down to run through the grass and hang like a weakling from the first rung of the monkey bars (O.K. so I can't get any farther). I like the fact that our kids know that Adam and I are active and enjoy doing things with them and not only watching each other, but joining in things together. The other day I had fallen asleep on the swing watching Adam and the kids play and Adam told Sebastian he needed to wake me up. Sebastian said, "No, daddy stay and play, don't wake up mommy, you are just going to run." That broke my heart. I was already feeling selfish about running, thinking that it was just taking up to much family time. We won't be training for a marathon again for a while. We can keep up our physical fitness, and enjoy an occasional 5K with the kids. We want to enjoy them while we can. I know our kids are only 4 and 6, but I also knowt the 6 years I have had kids have flown by. Heck, when they are in college I will only be in my forties. I can run marathons and read War and Peace then. Until then, after the marathon that I've already trained 5 months for we will only run for fun and fitness and read books that I can put down and run away from to catch my kids on a grassy hillside in a Summerlin park or wherever our journeys may take us.

I'd say I'm a Peach.

2006-05-01T02:14:00.006-07:00

A friend and I are reading a book together titled, Fruit of the Spirit. In our reading I decided to put myself in a peach catagory. I'm sometimes sweet, I bruise easily and rot quickly. I'm pretty fuzzy too. I do love peaches! I have a coconut friend and several other fruity varieties. Some friends are harder to read. This same book asked what layers you would want to peel off to be a fruit more like the fruit of the Spirit. I looked at myself and admitted that I do get easily offended and put up defensive walls to protect myself. I am working on this, actually God is working on it in me. The book asked the question, "What did you want to be when you grew up when you were a kid?" I couldn't answer that question. I don't know for sure that I could answer that question even now. I would like to teach, but I am a mom first and foremost and I know that being a mom is the most important thing God had in store for me. My marriage is an important base for being a mom, and the love that Adam and I share is one of the best things that I can demonstrate for my kids. So, even when my kids say oooh, yuck when we kiss I'd rather that they see it than not. Maybe they can grow up and be blessed to have someone who loves them as much as I know Adam loves me and know what it is to love someone so much that you cry when you read about husbands and wives being separated in Uncle Tom's Cabin, when they are old enough to read it, even if they are mooshy gooshy peaches like their momma.

No room for running!

2006-04-25T14:57:00.000-07:00

I hate it more than you, though not naturally, but I also love it more too! Today I went for a run, against the wind, with 2 children in a jogging stroller, and a dog on a leash. I ran 3 1/2 miles that way, until Victoria wanted to get out and run. Then the dog who I let be free turned her freedom into the worst kind of confinement. I ended up pushing home 2 children and a dog, who all then piled into our Town and Country and headed deep into the city to 1 of 2 Veterinarians open on a Sunday. It was like going to an emergency room at a regular hospital, except that they were amazingly nice and helpful! I felt terrible for my dog, but all in all it was the best possible experience. She ended up not having broken her foot, and she was able to be picked up at 10:30 instead of being there all night :) I was glad to bring my baby home. It sucked that I only ran a little less than 8 miles that day, but sometimes life just has to go on and it doesn't have room for running!

Our Easter Dinner and 2nd Dessert

2006-04-17T10:06:00.000-07:00

For Easter dinner yesterday I had shopped and planned all week. I searched high and low to find an UNcooked ham. Adam's aunt had hand written me a page long recipee for her Coors Ham that we ate for Christmas at her house. She is new to the family and boy did she win me over, not only did she hand write the recipe, but she did it immediately and while she had several guests in her home. The fact that she was willing to give me the recipe alone and then that she went through the inconvience of getting to me was even cooler. Back to my holiday plans. This was the first holiday that I would be hosting with my side of the family that live here in Las Vegas. Adam's mom, sister and brother would join us later after their church service was over. I had carrot napkins to hold my utensils, made sure I had enough dinner plates to go around, and spiffed up the yard and house. For most of my family this would be the first time they had been to our new home of almost 2 1/2 years. I guess I should have hosted a long time ago! Anyways, on Saturday I got the first call of cancellation, by the end of it all we were down to Adam, I and the kids. Adam did not make assumptions that I had of dinner plans and invited my friend, Sara. So, by the time Easter dinner was done I had entirely different dinner guests, but perfect dinner guests. Sara, hers and John's children, and her 3 Icelandic family members, and my mother-in-law who couldn't make it to church that day because of health complications sat down to dinner with myself, Adam and the kids. His br0ther stopped for a minute, but had already eaten. So he hung with us for a few minutes. Although my "Ham" ended up being PORK, yes I know ham is pork, but all pork is not ham, and it wasn't until I cut into it and it wouldn't slice, but crumbled that I reallized that I didn't have what the butcher's assistant at Vons told me I did. Let me tell you in the Whole Pork Leg I found not one bite of HAM.
Dinner other than not having ham went off without a hitch. Kala especially loved my jello eggs, and my mother-in-law especially enjoyed Sara's Icelandic cake. I made a chocoholic cake whose name Sara's aunt laughed heartily at. I'm not sure how it translated, but it must have been funny. Her aunt ended up enjoying my cake more than anyone else I'm pretty sure she had seconds. When Sara left to put the girls to bed we stopped at Adam's sisters just to visit for the holiday and they ended up turning off their movie they were watching and we visited eating a second dessert and talking for like 2 1/2 hours. We just thought we'd stop for a 1/2 hour, maybe an hour, but both company and conversation were so excellent that we had a hard time pulling ourselves away to get Victoria home for bed. She did have school in the morning. Easter was awesome. I fell asleep with my head on Adam's chest while a movie I picked out, that he has been suggesting for weeks played. I had a wonderful day, awesome friends and family, phone calls to and from people we couldn't spend the holiday with, plenty of exercise, yummy healthy food, and delicious desserts twice, and it all ended comfortably, tucked into my cozy bed cuddled up next to my favorite person. What a day! Thank you for rising from the dead for more than one reason, Lord! You Rock in so many ways! Thank you for the blessings!

Thank you Heidi!

2006-04-17T09:11:00.000-07:00

During the first 7 miles of our run yesterday, Adam and I ran together with Kenny. Ginger our dog had also joined us. She was our pace dog ;) After the first lap we had learned the rigors of our route. The first 3 1/2 miles were a slow steady uphill grade, not too bad knowing that immediately following were 3 1/2 miles down. However, though I had run this route before it had never been as windy as it was yesterday! The wind blew so hard that at times it threatened to blow us off the road. The one consolation is that while it wasn't intensly hot it was warm, but the wind spared us of the heats usual effect on the human body. At the end of that first lap Kenny turned around and headed out on number 2, while Adam and I went in the house for replenishment. (gatorade, other electrolyte replacement, and water)
We were able to see time today. When we headed out for lap number 2 we could see how far behind Kenny we were after our short stop. He had about a 1600 foot advantage on us, which he maintained for the entire run. In fact he increased his advantage by not stopping after the second 7 miles either. Kenny is a machine!
During our 2nd and most of our 3rd lap Adam and I ran together. While on the 2nd Adam got so frustrated with the wind that he began yelling. He was really mad. I thought why waste your energy that way? Pour it into your run, face the challenge, and run harder! Besides being a little perturbed thinking he wouldn't be losing it like this if he was running with Kenny, until we reached Kenny and he admitted to doing the same thing, and then I knew it must be a man thing.
I had a different perspective though, thanks to a friend, Heidi. To begin the Easter celebration of resurrection, the people that we gather together with to worship God met together to watch the sun rise. After the sun we shared some thoughts, then some refreshment. Heidi, had shared something that encouraged me to watched for God in the things going on around me, and as I ran I could feel God in that wind. On the way up the hill the 3rd time He gave me some lift, encouraging me to continue and cooled my back. However it during the 2nd lap that I reallized it was the power of God in that wind that made me enjoy it so much. Even when my downhill slope should have been easier, but wasn't with the wind blowing in my face. I knew I was feeling the power of God in that wind and while it was difficult I know He was challenging me, and I felt that wind swoop me up and carry me away. I was working to get down that hill, but it didn't really feel like work. I was inspired to face the challenge and I had more energy on that run, than I have had since months ago when we ran a simple 12. I left Adam after making sure he was cool with running alone and finished the last 2 miles strong. It was not my might, nor by my strength, but it was awesome to have been swept away. I didn't even need old people Icy Hot when I was done! Yes, ordinarily I put it on after a Sunday long run, I am getting old. I'm not there and might never be, but I'm not 17 any more!

Not enough of a good thing

2006-04-12T13:01:00.000-07:00

I came across some little notecards the other day that said, "There's never too much of a good thing." Although I don't agree with this statement in all situations, last night I found myself wanting more of a good thing. Adam had put on a cologne that I know we cannot buy anymore. It was made by Bath and Body Works, Bergamot Coriander. It smelled so good and I just try and savor the scent. We watched a movie that I do not want to savor, Brokeback Mountain. I have a hard time watching cheaters, and that's all I have to say about that. That movie made me sad. I don't think it was worthy of all the awards it won. It was O.K. The scenery was beautiful, but it was hard to see what was always going on and hard to hear. It was not some end all be all love story that even made me feel something for the lead characters. It was a lot of supporting characters being betrayed by the 2 leads that were not very honest. I kind of wished I hadn't watched it at all. I am not against people who make decisions that make their lives miserable, but it is really hard to watch it in the movies and even harder in real life. May God continue to bless the lives and marriages of those I love and may He work in the lives of those who make vows to love, honor and cherish and don't honor those vows. I am so greatful that the love Adam and I share is not something that runs out or has to be bought. It seems the more we give the more loves there is to give and recieve. It's something replenishable that we can never have too much, though I will do my best to always cherish what I have.

Freeks and Geeks

2006-03-20T14:29:00.000-08:00

Adam and I began a new series, thanks to the generosity of our friends the Peterson's lending us there collection. I have some issues with the main character in this series. I both love and can't stand her. We've only seen the first of I think 6 discs, so we will see where I stand, but we are really enjoying it. I think I might have been a mix between the main character and her holy roller friend who gets high on life instead of pot or alchohol. It's funny that I use to be that person and now we are planning a sunrise Easter service in the park and what runs through my head, "Mimosa's while watching the sun rise in silence." I am the same person and yet different. I still love God and while if I could go back in a time machine, I would still be the sober on purpose, person at a party, I don't think I would walk around saying I am not drinking and I am going to have more fun than all of you. I wonder if I would have really done that when I was in high school. I really just didn't go to the alcohol parties, not until I graduated at least. I just hung out with non-drinkers. We really did have a lot of fun too!

Pit bulls, lockouts, and birthday parties

2006-03-20T13:39:00.000-08:00

This has been one exciting week. I learned that, well had it confirmed that my son sleeps like the dead. Victoria even yelled fire, from behind the locked patio slider, from which we were harbored from the heat and comfort of our home. We (Adam, Victoria, and I) were locked out of the house, with Sebastian asleep on the couch. I must have rung the door bell a thousand times, and Adam knocked his knuckles bloody, only after having already tore his finger open helping me put together the enclosure for the trampoline I'd already assembled the day before. Thank goodness that we live in Las Vegas and that it is the middle of March, but it was very windy and less than 50 degrees. I got Adam to put a hole in the top of a garbage bag to hold in some of his body heat. I wouldn't be so concerned about an hour and a half out in the cold except that we have all been around a lot of people with lots of stuff in the air, and we don't have insurance. Luckily Sebastian eventually woke up. I told him he was my hero. He loves being the hero and I was rewarded with the most adorable smile :)
Pit bull, do you ever wonder why pit bulls are called pit bulls? The other day at the end of a run, 2/10 of a mile from the house, two pit bulls came up and attacked my running partner, my dog, Ginger. Somehow she got away, and being faster she bolted up the street towards out house. Unfortunately, she went to the side gate where they pinned her in the corner. A neighbor helped in my futile effort to get the pits off of my Ginger by throwing rocks and the little running gear I had with me at them. Adam heard my cries for help and came to the rescue. He finally freed Ginger, and ran with her to the front door only to invite, the unlwelcomed pits into our home. Sebastian escaped to our bedroom and closed the door, but Victoria was stuck on top of an arm of the couch. It all happened so fast and was so scarey. I was sure I would lose Ginger that night, but my prayers were answered and she was delivered unscathed. I couldn't believe it, but she was my Daniel in the Lions den. Although the pits were not calmed Ginger didn't need a single stitch. It was amazing! I am so greatful!
This all happened only days before Sebastian's birthday, days after Victoria's. Victoria was pretty upset about it for a few days. Sebastian didn't have to watch the butal attack, praise be to God. It was hard for me to deal with. My neighbor said she couldn't go to sleep until 12:30 that night because she was so shaken up.
Then we really shook things up with a party. It was really Sebastian's first. We didn't send out invites, like I had planned. I've had the invites for like 6 months. Everytime I think I am getting more organized, I seem to begin to drown in my disorganization. However, I invited a few good friends, not as many as I would have liked, but do to our limited space, I had limited numbers that I could invite. However, it seemed as though fun was had by all. I was able to enjoy myself with my jammed packed house. I guess we could have fit a few more, but there were a few invited who didn't show up. It's weird invitations to parties. You either invite one group or another it's hard to mix because then spend all your time trying to make some feel welcomed. We had a good mix though I know there were some that I would have loved to invite and didn't. Maybe someday we'll have a bigger entertaining space and won't have to limit our numbers. However, other than not being able to invite everyone who was dear to us, we had a wonderful day! Many invited guests were very helpful, and so much so that we welcomed with open arms a second gathering in our home. It was a meeting which we hold monthly the week following our monthly gathering. We are usually at Jason's Deli and the kids were so much easier I felt in our home. It was nice having everyone who showed up. I so love the community God has placed us in. I am so greatful for my health and that of those around me. It seems that I am able to witness some miraculous doing of what could only be claimed by God more often than I deserve, and although I know there is much suffering in the world there is also a whole lot of Good.

A Birthday Boy Turns Four!

2006-03-16T10:55:00.000-08:00

Sebastian, my son turns four today. I asked him how old he was and he showed me four fingers. I asked how old he was? He didn't answer and I so I asked, "Are you four?" He said no, not until everyone came over and sang Happy Birthday and then ate cake. How easy and uncomplicated. All he asked for was a scooby doo journal. I might have to use stickers to make it a scooby doo journal, but I will have one. Adam and I decided to get a certain something for his birthday for the backyard. I am about to print up a picture of one to wrap up, because we are going to go pick it up with him after Victoria gets out of school. I am so excited for him. Well, I am off Batman just ended, and it's nearly RAMEN NOODLE TIME. It's what he wanted for breakfast, but I convinced him to save the tasty, totally void of nutrient meal for lunch. I'll probably feed him a healthy serving of veg to go along with his noodles. Actually I have just been informed of the birthday boys request to play connect four first. So, farewell!

Thoughts on Red Tent and Thorn In My Heart at 3, O.K. 4 a.m.

2006-03-07T03:27:00.000-08:00

I guess my friend, Kenny Parker's, not the only one up at 3:00 in the morning. I have been busy, so busy for the last 4 hours that I didn't realize that 4 hours had gone by. So, now I am just posting real quick. I was thinking about the book I just finished and realized that I don't think I usually blog about books I am reading...Whoah! I just had a crazy realization, I must be 1/2 brain dead right now! Wasn't I the one who read Grapes of Wrath last year and couldn't stop thinking or talking about it? Oh well, anyways, I just read 2 very similiar books. I began with The Red Tent by Anita Diamant, which I really enjoyed. I probably talked about it a little too much, and all the wonderful women in my book club will look down on me with pity, for thinking so highly of this book, but I don't think so, because it rocked. It was nice being familiar with the book of Genesis before reading it though. While introducing the book last month, someone who had read part of it said that I would probably equally enjoy Thorn in My Heart, by Liz Cutiz Higgs. Now, I usually don't seek out Christian authors, nor do I try and avoid them, but this was a Christian author and an excellent read. However, that is coming from someone who thinks they might really enjoy romance novels, although I've never read one. I think it's in my blood though, my Grandma Adams use to read a lot of romance novels. In digging for more Liz Curtiz Higgs, because there is a sequal to the book I just finished, I found that she has written more than once of love triangles. I did so enjoy reading about this one. Thorn, was similiar to The Red Tent in that it talks about Jacobs family and that's about it. Red Tent was set in whatever, Jacob time, A.D. in the lands talked of in Genesis, and Thorn is set in the late 1700's in Scotland. Red Tent is the story of Dinah, Jacob and Leah's daughter. It begins with the pre-Dinah history, of her 4 mothers, then comes her story as a girl, and it finishes off strongly with her story as a woman, who was in Red Tent anyways, more than a rape victim. Since none of us was there, we will never know exactly how it all went down, but Anita D. presents an interesting scenario. Thorn, covers more of the love triangle between Jamie McKie (Jacob), Leana McBride (Leah), and her sister, Rose (Rachel). Thorn ends before Dinah's story even begins. I ordered Fair Is The Rose on Ebay, because the Library didn't have a copy, although they did have a copy of the third book, Prince, (something or other) which is suppose to be according to the reviews and reader's opinions, the best of the three. Although I enjoyed both Thorn in My Heart and The Red Tent, it seemed to me that Higgs had to do quite a bit more research than Diamant. The Scottish culture, especially of two hundred years ago, must have been fun but long, hard research intensive. She appears from my limited knowledge to have done a good job, and everything seemed to be well researched and written. Beyond thinking about how much work all that reasearch must have been, I also thought of the cost she must have incured before even writing a single word. Something that I would think a Christian author would relish in is what stuck with me in the end. I was left with the thought of how Jamie didn't deserve anything, he couldn't live with the things he had done, but God loved and blessed him through it anyways, not because he deserved it, but just because. I might be doing God's will and He decides to bless me, but it doesn't have anything to do with my doing right and being rewarded. My life will definately go smoother, if I make the right choices, which is why there are rules, to protect me. However, there will be times when I'm not doing what I should be and God chooses to bless me anyways. He knows His ultimate plan for my life and that of those He will have me come in contact with. I have done nothing to deserve His love and I can do nothing to change His love for me either. How nicely Leana's love for Jamie is representive of God's love for us. Things we know, but don't think about until somebody writes a book we read, and I'm sure not by fate we think about things in light of a character we read about and relate to or try and understand.

Wanting, but greatful or grateful? Whichever, she's content!

2006-03-06T23:53:00.000-08:00

My baby girl will be 6 tomorrow. She is even more excited than when she turned 5. I am excited as well, and shocked that my baby is turning 6. With her "Oh, my dear"s and all her talk about who she'll marry and her exasperation of love possibly lost before it evan began she in some ways seems even more grown up than she is, and yet there is the little girl that longs for a doll so deeply that she expressed her desire in these words, "If I don't get an American doll, I'm going to die." I told her I'd like to see that one play out, because I assured her that doll or no doll she would be just fine! We talked about getting her the (if you ask my opinion outlandishly expensive) American doll, but after careful consideration decided that we would get a knock off brand that is only 25% of the cost and if she really gets into dolls and plays with her doll a lot then we would get her the higher quality doll. However, without any knowledge of our conversation, Victoria, came up to me and said mommy you could get me the American girl doll or the one at Target would be O.K. too. I had last week taken her to see the knock offs at both Michaels and Target. Michael's did have cuter clothes, but Target's doll seems to appeal more to Victoria at least. I am so greatful for a daughter who is content with what she is given. She has never been really into dolls, but seems to think she would really like one, so we'll see. She once wanted more than anything, a guitar with a stick, whose novelty I hope fires up again after it's quick extinguishing shortly after Christmas last year. It's a good thing we did the test run with a violin rental then, and I'm glad we're taking the less expensive doll out for a spin this time as well.

Library Day

2006-02-27T19:43:00.000-08:00

We visited our local library today, in honor of nobody's Reading Week. We usually make a weekly stop later in the week, but we simply delayed last weeks visit, and made a contribution to the library system in late fees. We returned movies and books, and I tried renewing a book I am in the middle of and they wouldn't let me. I'm not sure why, but VICTORIA APPLIED FOR HER VERY OWN LIBRARY CARD TODAY, and they let her check it out for me. It sure was nice of her to do me that favor. I really appreciated it. Victoria was SO excited for this new rite of passage in her life. She kept reminding Sebastian that when he was 5, if he went to REAL school that he could get his library card too. I am glad she likes school so much. She told me today that she doesn't see her teacher that much, because she has other people help in the class when she has to be gone for the day. I know her teacher has missed less days this year than I have fingers on one hand, and no I'm no freak of nature, I only have 5 fingers, actually 4 fingers and one digit, my thumb. (on each hand) She did leave for the day though last Friday to go teach a class in California. I like the fact that she is teaching her peers as well as my daughter. I have confidence in her teaching ability anyways having spent quite a bit of time in her class, but it makes me all that much more confident that she is teaching more than just the kindergarten children. It's funny having been around her has inspired both Victoria and I to teach kindergarten, wouldn't that be crazy if we both actually did?
Anyways, back to the library, which we were leaving, with Victoria's new library card and my book checked back out by my daughter, who is so good to me. We left and went to use the outdoor roller rink next door. It was just the kids and I. I don't have roller blades anymore, but I held their hands while they skated. Victoria has roller blades and Sebastian has the little adjust and fit over your street shoe skates, (power ranger ones,) with matching elbow and knee pads. You know besides protecting their knees from bruises, they also protect jeans from developing holes :) which makes me happy. When we tired of skating, we went to the park on the same grounds and the kids played while I read from the other half of the book I hadn't finished. You know it's crazy how quickly children grow. I remember 2 & 3 year old story hour with Victoria when Sebastian was a we' babe and now she can check out books on her own and read them alone or to her little brother, which she did on our way home from the library.
You know another awesome thing about my daughter is that although she told me she would die if she didn't get an American Girl doll, when I suggested a knock off version from Target she didn't pitch a fit, whine, or even present me with a dissappointed expression, she was all for checking them out. Of coarse the Target we stopped at had the 2 ugliest versions of my American Girl alternative, but heck I'll stop at the one near the house tomorrow, if it will save us $60. She might not even play with this doll she just has to have and to spend more than $90 on a doll after shipping just might kill me!

The Fonz and Suzie Homemaker

2006-02-17T15:46:00.000-08:00

No, I'm not talking about Adam and I although in a twisted perseption, I guess the titles could apply. Last night I walked into the living room to find Victoria with 8 little piles of clothes, neatly folded, even the really hard to fold things like Adam's dress shirts that I ordinarily just hang, she had folded. She was working on the last item of clothing and said, "I wanted to be all done and for it to be a surprize." I was suprized! I hadn't asked for her help, but she on her own went and found clean, unfolded laundry in the dryer that had been in there for a few days. I couldn't believe it and for a 5 year old, she did an amazing job. Later that evening she chose from her own cookbooks dinner and desert. Both recipees were fabulous! I prepaired them with Victoria's help, but she made the sacrifice to play little cars with her brother instead :)
Now this is going back a few days, but I was crocheting or working on stuff for Victoria's teacher, when I heard some snapping. It was only the kids and I so I knew it was Sebastian, since Victoria hasn't picked up on snapping yet. I looked up to watch him spin the wheels of his overturned Tonka truck that was obviously in disrepair and he was snapping. When I inquired as to the reason for the snapping, he told me he was trying to fix his truck. Wow! I don't even remember the Fonz actually performing any actual car repairs with his snap, maybe a light switch or juke box. My son must really have it goin' on. He is adorable and pretty smooth with the ladies (O.K. so they're technically little girls, he is only 3 going on 4) What's best about Sebastian is that he is so sweet! His insides obviously pour out of him. He is such a little gentleman. I hope he never changes. He holds doors for me, he'll usually let even his sister "go first" you know "ladies first" and last night at dinner he set out all the silverware, mind you we were eating finger handled burritos, but we did all end up using our spoons.
I love my kids!!!

In my Dictionary

2006-02-11T14:20:00.000-08:00

If I were writing a dictionary this definition would read:
CHURCH-people gathering to worship God by learning, singing, doing things together, sharing a common goal in trying to live their lives like Jesus, who loved the unloveable and spent time with "sinners"(which included everyone, but himself.) The Bible it says, "Where two or more are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them."Matt. 18:20

Growing up, learning more???!

2006-02-10T16:49:00.000-08:00

Sebastian learned to snap today! He's been snapping all morning. I wonder if he's walking around with a song in his head or if he's just setting the beat. He is so darn cute and cool like the Fonz. I am so proud, and a little bit sad because he is growing up so fast. I should post a photo of his hair before the hair cut and after, he truly is more grown up over night. Anyways, he came in here a little while ago and I said, "Come here so I can give you a hug." He did and as I held him I said, "Sebastian you are growing up so fast, before I know it you'll be married, and you and your wife will be having your own babies." He said, "Mom, boys don't have babies. Only ladies have babies." I'm glad he's got that straight, but then there was more. He said, "Yah, girls get all fat and stuff, boys can't do that." Hmmmmmm...

Fighting Injustice In The World

2006-02-06T17:32:00.000-08:00

Fighting injustice in the world starting in the kindergarten. Dun, Dun, DUN...Victoria moves in, "Leave Bly alone!" Rescuing the innocent of the world. A girls job is never done, and a world is never better than when people take a stand against evil one bully at a time. Her words alone made a difference, by stopping the wrong before it got started. Bly smiled, and Victoria moved on to her next adventure. And I watched it all go down.

I'm excited and it's all about the kids!

2006-02-02T13:25:00.000-08:00

I am so excited to work with the kids at our next gathering of house churches. I have an awesome partner in crime that I will enjoy spending time with, we have a plan, and I know we'll have a bunch of excited kids, just because they are having class. We (my partner and I) are planning lessons, memory verses, and definately some activity. I can't wait! I truly love to prepair and watch a plan go into action. I really enjoy working with kids as well. I picked up magnets, and some I.D. tags that we're planning on using for their monthly memory verse. I am excited just to put them together, but I want to wait and do it with my partner. She in conversing through email, mentioned, as we are talking about being thankful and friendship, a woman in history who was thankful for head lice. We both read of the woman's discomfort in a book titled, The Hiding Place, by Corrie Ten Boom. I can't remember why she was thankful for the head lice, but I do remember finding it odd. How amazing is that being thankful for head lice! I never got it, but I had to use RIT once, because my brothers got it at school. I had long hair that reached down the length of my back. RIT was not fun, with it's foul smell and teeny tiny Barbie sized comb. I know I read, The Hiding Place around the same time. I was thinking that book probably had a big impact on how I live my life. It was a great book of work camps and contentment even in suffering, for me to read in my preteen years. I still try and keep my head up and well, I try and that's a big try, because it's not always easy to help people. It's funny how many people don't even want help. Then there are those that always have an outstretched arm, with whom my problem rests. I know that I just need to lend a hand whenever I can, and it doesn't matter whether the recipient is deserving. I am not doing it for a thank you, but rather because I find joy it, and I can't let a few bad seeds ruin my joy. No one can make my moods or ruin my day unless I allow them to. It's amazing how different perspective can shed a bright light on a dark area.

Movie Moods

2006-02-02T02:03:00.000-08:00

Adam and I watched 2 inappropriate for children movies in the last week. Both made you look at the evil that lives in the hearts of all men. In a book I was reading one person asked another if they could rape, kill, and pillage like people they had heard about in foreign lands on the news. After a bit of reflection, the answer of the American was yes, because not admitting this would be like saying I am better than that guy in the 3rd world country. I don't know what I would be like as an individual if I was starving in an impoverished country, without more than insurance, but without modern medicine at all, heck without everything material and basic necessities. The movies we watched were Constant Gardener and Lord of War. Both were thought provocing, and almost too much in the same week. After the second movie Adam was counting our blessings, (after the first we sat in silence for 15 or 20 minutes) and after the second movie I just had a breakdown. I just wanted to crawl into bed and die of starvation in protest. How can I live with so much while others don't even have the things I tell my children are "all you need" you know clothes on your back,the roof over your head, food in your belly and water. I really would never commit suicide, because I think it would be selfish of me, and because 99.9999% of the time I am able to look at the good in life, but when you're faced with such atrocities it's hard to...well anything. I want to make a difference, but how do you do that? How do we do that? Do I sell everything I own and give it the poor. Jesus said their will always be poor, but he also didn't own a home or anything else. If I did give up everything, would it make a difference? Do I just try and treat everyone I come into contact with the best I can and help those God places in my life. I know people in America need Jesus just as much as people in Africa, and other 3rd world countries on different continents. I know everyone needs Jesus, but I'm not saying He is the answer to all the world's problems though either. It's just that if I sold everything I owned, I don't know what else I would do with myself besides go and be a missionary somewhere impoverished.
However, God did bless me with kids and He did bless me with the priviledge of being born in the U.S.A. and for that I am greatful that I have far more than the "basics" that I tell my children is all we need. What does all of this wealth mean? Why me and not aids stricken orphan in the third world country, and why am I so blessed and how do I show my gratitude? I am full of questions right now.

2006-01-25T23:21:00.000-08:00

Yesterday Sebastian, my only son grew up so much that I almost cried. He hasn't been my baby for a long time, though he'll always be my baby boy, in the same way that Victoria will always be my baby girl. God blessed Adam and I with 2 children, one girl and one boy. They are both happy, healthy children, for which I am so greatful. Yesterday, Sebastian got what many may consider his first hair cut. (though it has been cut many times before!) We have, yes even at his young age left the decision about how his hair should look up to him. He didn't want it cut for a while and it got longer than some of his little girl friends of the same age, then he wanted it a little shorter, but not too short. However, yesterday he told us that he wanted his hair like daddy's. So, they got out the buzzer, which scared me a little and started using numbers to describe the type of cut he would receive. Thank goodness Adam was there with me or I would have been lost, almost as lost as the first time I tried helping Sebastian pee standing up. They should train mom's for that, seriously! I still don't really have that one down, but it's O.K. because today, the day after his big haircut he stood up in front of a public restroom toilet and peed like a little man. He didn't have to have help with his snap on his pants either, because that's something else he just started doing today. He figured out how to snap them alone, and when I had to take he and another little boy to the bathroom he was so proud he showed his little friend how he could do it all by himself. The other little boy lifted his shirt to his belly button and then tried to snap his own pants as well. Sebastian was very encouraging and although the other little boy didn't quite get it he gave it a valiant effort and Sebastian told him to keep trying. I am so proud of my little guy. He is a gentleman to his mom and usually to his sister. He is a ladies man like his daddy. He is the most adorable, handsome, little almost 4 year old you ever did see, and with his new haircut his eyes pop out more than ever. He needs no assistance in the restroom except when we're out and he can't reach the soap, or at least reach it with the pressure to pump it. He makes friends quickly, and reaches out to the down trodden. When I want a kiss he tells me, "Do that sad face," before he gives me one. He is so grown up and yet he's not even 4 yet. He has been learning Bible verses, and to hear him say verses about God making everything beautiful, makes me smile as I picture him as one of God's works of art with audio, my beautiful boy inside and out.

Belief-O-Matic is not responsible for my soul.

2006-01-25T09:30:00.000-08:00

I used the belief-o-matic today. They stated as a warning that the belief-o-matic is not responsible for your soul. However, I took belief-o-matics little quiz and it aligned my beliefs most closely with the orthodox quaker, maybe I should move to Ohio or Pennsylvania, California has a lot of quakers as well, but it's too darn expensive. Maybe I should start a quaker group right in my own community. Maybe I'm already part of one without calling it that. In reading their description it did mention that they meet on a quaterly or monthly basis. :) They can have organized services like with a pastor or meetings where they sit in silence until someone has something to share. O.K. I'M NOT REALLY THINKING ABOUT ANY KIND OF CONVERSION OR ANYTHING, BUT I DID FIND THIS INTERESTING! I also find it interesting that a friend with whom I am sharing my journey, took this quiz and had the same orthodox quaker result. I read their entire, brief description of an orthodox quaker and although the idea of an inner light sounds a little freaky I can't say that if I thought about it I would disagree. The Holy Spirit lives within me and who's to say that the Holy Spirit isn't an inner light? The Bible does talk about light in reference to God. I know there is nothing I can do to save my own soul, but that God offers me the free (that means no works requirements attatched) salvation, through his son, who in his oneness with God died for my sin, and rose again defeating death. I believe that we (as humans) will all stand before our creator and be judged. I am confident that God's word is ultimate truth and it tells me in John 10:28 "I (Jesus) give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father (God), who has given them to me, is greater than all, no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. I and the Father are one."
As for how this affects the way I live my life...Matthew 28 says to go, baptize, teach, and how do we teach other than through example of obedience ourselves. I have always loved people and I do my best (though I am far from perfect in any sense) to love those that aren't as easily loved and everytime I have given way to doing so, (loving those who aren't easy to love) I have found such warmth and love returned that it's unexplainable. If I love my neighbor, I am not going to try and hurt him or steal from him or do him any wrong. And if he has different ideas of how to live life, that is between him and the creator. I can only live the life God has blessed me with and try and love my unlovable neighbors as well as the ones that I love without thought. I know I am loved. I see it and feel it wrap around me like a warm blanket fresh out of the dryer, the ones that smell snuggly fresh and for the love I am able to give and receive I am greatful and peacefully content!
To see where belief-o-matic places you visit: www.beliefnet.com/story/76/story_7665_1.html , but consider yourself warned neither belief-o-matic nor I will claim responsiblity for your soul! ;)

2006-01-24T10:28:00.000-08:00

I have a cold. It's really not so bad. I set an alarm today, because I was late picking up Victoria yesterday and she had to sit in the office. I asked her if she was there for like 5 minutes and she said no only one, but I still felt bad. There was really no excuse for being late, besides that I lost track of time. So, I set the alarm. I plan on being early today and just reading my book until Victoria gets dismissed. I really have two awesome kids who I reallized the other day will not be finished with high school until 2020. It seems so far away and yet right around the corner.

2006-01-17T00:38:00.000-08:00

Poetry, is it something we all jot down at one point and time in our lives.
Do we all think we're poets? Are We?
Sure I've written my words in journals, scribbled them on napkins, reciepts, and other miscellaneous ink or lead receiving objects I could find when thoughts I deemed worthy to be saved I then transcibed.
I had a collection. I think they are still lingering in my memoirs and in my mind. Although hidden deep they'd be hard to find.
Artists, poets included, always have a dark side and my black hole has been filled. I do not have deep wounds to linger upon, though for which I do not find myself wanting.
Not to say my dark side does not exhist, we all have one, my black hole gapes open just enough to suck my spirit dry on a rare occasion, only enough for a brief depression, but not long enough to spend time writing about the pain...maybe I should.
I eventually look up...then look around at all the hurting people I am surrounded by and realize that my life is so good and I again forget about the black hole, as it is absorbed by a supernatural filler. I find a peace that does not require pouring my soul upon the blank page, leaving the unsoiled napkin, saving the trees, on my knees...the supernatural is good!

Two Tommys for the sweetest little girl I know!

2006-01-10T23:25:00.000-08:00

Victoria was reading one of her little books and there was a Tom in the story. She said, "Grandpa's name is Tom, but his real name is Tommy, I have two Tommys." It warmed my heart that she was excited about "having" two Tommys, one of which is not family by blood, but in Victoria's eyes just as much a part of her family as her grandpa.
After reading to Victoria tonight she was journalling and I had to get her my booklight so she could continue after I turn the light out for Sebastian. She wanted me to see after she was done and she'd written, My best Mom, and drew a picture. After she'd fallen asleep, I went to turn out the booklight that she'd already turned off and closed up. I wanted to see her journal page that she'd already shown me. I felt a little weird about opening up her journal, but it is a journal, not a diary, and she is only 5. Anyways, upon turning to the afore mentioned page, I noticed some revisions. She had added to My best Mom...and Dad and drew a picture of him right next to me and there was a heart between us. I am glad that my children recognize the love between their parents. May they be as fortunate in love as I!

Last night, Bubble Wrap, and America

2006-01-07T11:20:00.000-08:00

Sebastian told me he didn't want to drain in the tub. I think he meant drown in the tub.
He also told me yesterday during the almost every week day race to the car down the school sidewalk, through the tears, "It's not fair, I was behind, Toria treated." Which I derived that he lost the race, why does there have to be a winner?
After their bath we went to put the kids to bed and after their story Sebastian asked (like he often does) "Would you lay with me a little bit while?" After I layed down he then asked if I would sing to him and I started in on Twinkle, Twinkle. He stopped me and said, "No, the Mm, Mm, Mm song." He was, to translate to paper asking me to hum, which pretty much means, would you hum Lullaby, because I only hum it because I don't know all the words. Then while humming my mind began to wander about words, which made me (don't ask me why) think of Madonna. She wrote a book that I just purchased from a dollar store. I guess she should stick to performing! I actually really enjoyed the book. I thought it was well written and nicely illustrated. There was even a moral to the story! You know she has that song Get Into The Groove Boy, which went through my head while still humming. Then I heard, "Sometimes a boss just has to dance," which conjured up disterbing memories of some "dancing" I wish I'd never witnessed. It was funny though, I guess. (It was the first time we watched a full episode of the office not surrounded by a bunch of its fan base.)

Now this has nothing whatsoever to do with this post, but I started to think about different songs and America, America use to be one of my favorite all time songs, I guess it still is. In its lyrics is a line, "Purple mountains majesty, ever fields of grain." I have been thinking of home, Wisconsin a lot lately. Maybe it has to do with falling in love with little Noi Matuzsak, and knowing I have two either nieces or nephews to be born in the next month. I am so excited, and yet it saddens me because I will not be there to share in the excitement or to help the new moms. When I was home in August I was on a run, when I was running by one of my parents neighbors hills that isn't there anymore! They tore down Haag's hill. It still kind of blows my mind when geography is changed like that. It was one of if not the highest hill in our town. Now it's not there any more. The Haag home is still elevated quite a bit above the road, but the road seems like it use to be even higher than their house, and that part of the hill is no longer there. Anyways, while on my run some of the new wild grass that was planted on the side of the road was blowing in the wind and it was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. It was almost like ocean waves, but in tall blades of grass, which made me think of America, America, and so I sang it. You know I really don't hear songs like that one or really many other patriotic songs sung anymore, that makes me even more sad than not being home. Besides, I would be running that route more often and thinking those same thoughts more often or maybe I would become cold and callous to the idea that we aren't really a patriotic people anymore. Maybe that's good, maybe it's bad, I guess I just miss the music of a passionate people. 9-11 was a terrible tragedy and my heart goes out to all that suffered needlessly, but it was neat to see the patriotism that errupted in the aftermath. It's just too bad that it takes war or acts of terrorism to spark what use to be common practise. Everything seems so wishy washy to me. Maybe I need someone to lock me up, torture me, and see what I'm really made of, and what I truly stand for when push comes to shove. I'm not asking God, it's just an observation.

While watching Conan O' Brian, he informed us that when confronted by a shark that one should punch them. I guess Victoria is well beyond her years. A year and a half ago she was at an aquarium with her dad and reached her hand inside of a shark tank that shouldn't have been open and she punched the shark that the aquarium guys said very well might have bitten her!

$7.31

2006-01-04T16:01:00.000-08:00

I took my children to McDonalds for a 1 o'clock lunch today. They were so good, while I ran errands after picking Victoria up from school. I knew they were hungry and so 2 errands from the end I told them we would go to McDonalds. I had to stop home and grab my latest crochet project, and grab some extra change. O.K. I have already seen Super Size me, and yes we still on a rare occasion eat at McDonalds. My children have slid into peepee puddles, and yet we still go back for more, after immediate evacuation and several weeks of boycotting. You just can't beat it! We stayed and played through the comings and goings of three different families. Victoria made friends with at least one child from each family, and Sebastian was feared by all. (He was the monster most of the day, until I heard his low down blues song about no one wants to play with me. I guess nobody enjoys being the outcast even if they put themselves in that position, at least not for very long.
I ordered them each a hamburger, with Cheese for Sebastian and without for Victoria. Now Sebastian isn't some super cheesehead like his momma, but for a few cents more you could get a double cheeseburger vs. a simple hamburger, so we shared. We ordered one $.99 medium french/freedom fry and a drink to share which we added no ice to and refilled only once. When they were done eating and got in a play break we ordered 2 soft serve icecream cones. In total we spent a mere $7.31 for more than 2 hours of entertainment and that included lunch! What a bargain, yes, a bargain for me. I sat and crocheted and laughed at the funny things our kids would say with the other parents. Really it was an enjoyable afternoon! By the time we were done they were wiped out and although they didn't take a nap they sat and watched a movie, peacefully other than the giggles. I never knew Lion King was so funny!

Kids and a long day!

2006-01-03T21:40:00.000-08:00

I have been alone with my children today for almost 12 complete hours, without so much as jumping on the treadmill. Running calms me! The only conversation I had with another adult was for a brief moment when I dropped off food to a mother of a 2 week old baby with a toddler and preschooler with chicken pocks. Thank goodness for the chicken pock shot. I was telling my kids what chicken pocks were because Sebastian was saying he wanted chicken pocks. Victoria after hearing that they are little sores that you get all over your body, that may itch, asked me if there was chicken inside the sores. I told her No, but that maybe whoever named them might have been pecked by a group of chickens and ended up with a bunch of little red marks, thus chicken pocks. All I know is that chicken pocks was a miserable week or so of my life! I have 2 scars from scratching. And now my son is asking for them?! Adam just got home though so I am going to go soak up some adult interaction. I know it's almost ten so it may be too late for a movie, but maybe we'll live on the wild side tonight. I was in bed by 10:30 last night!

I'm finished!

2006-01-03T21:17:00.000-08:00

I am so excited, I finally finished Anne Lamonts, Operating Instructions. I read the bulk of it yesterday and today. I really didn't enjoy it all that much, and can't wait to get into my next book. I am weighing between Blue Like Jazz and V for Vendetta, which belongs to a friend, so I will probably read that first. Besides it would be nice to read something completely fiction.

Don't Quit!

2006-01-02T00:14:00.000-08:00

This morning Victoria was painting with some watercolors, making a snowman out of black paint. He (the snowman) had an orange nose that looked like a carrot and two eyes and a mouth whose color I can not recall. When she went to paint a companion for her solo snowman she messed up and started slash painting, and then set, kind of slamming, down the paint brush. She was clearly mad. I told her not to quit. I tried to encourage her by telling her she had then created something new. She said, "Yah, but no one will like it." I told her it didn't matter if anyone likes it or not as long as she tried her best. "Besides," I said, "Some people will probably like it and some people will not, but who cares!" Afterwards she thanked me and said, "Thank you for not letting me give up." Then we hung her snowman slashing on the refrigerator under the "Love" stick pin.
Last night I was working with some other adults with some children. There came a time when we were leading the kids in prayer. Some of them began to pray, repeating the words after the teacher, who said to be quiet and let her pray, which sadened my heart a little. It is always amazing to listen to children pray. I know most of the time when Victoria will lead the prayer over meals she won't even mention any kind of blessing or thankfulness for the meal, but God knows her heart and where two or more are gathered He is there in our midst. I just remembered another sad moment, at our Thanksgiving meal it was very clearly stated that an ADULT should pray. None of the adults were volunteering to lead and Victoria was so excited! It kind of broke her spirit it seemed a bit when she couldn't pray. Whey not encourage our children. I think we should listen to our children pray a little more often. Besides, I know He knows we are all thankful for the food we are about to consume, especially when the prayer is lead by a child who forget to mention it, and we are all thinking don't forget the food. Heck, if God can understanding our mumblings and groanings I know He can hear our thoughts.
Just one more thing that both Adam and I noticed, during that teacher lead prayer the kids were sitting criss cross applesauce, which is the 21st century kindergarten version of indian style in case you aren't politically correct. Anyways, one of the boys with hands palm down, was face down during the beginning of the prayer. Now maybe he was just tired or goofing around, but how much more reverent can one get than to be in that prostrate position, maybe his parents are true prayer warriors! I have a friend whose prayer life I could learn a thing or two from and she often prays in that position. O.k. so maybe this was just something for Adam and I to watch and be touched by, but do we have to look like angelic children from a storybook criss cross applesauce/indian style with our palms together like we're about to perform here's the church, here's the steeple, open the doors and there's all the people. Now, don't take this as any kind of criticism of the teacher, the reason for which I didn't mention any specifics is to focus on the children praying, just observations of how we mold our children into what we mold them into when we teach them and don't sometimes don't take a moment, often because we don't have one, to step back and learn from them. I want to say to all the children who have a heart for God, don't stop talking to Him, he hears you and listens to what you have to say and it doesn't matter how you say it or in what position you are in when you say it. Keep praying, even when we tell you not to, DON'T QUIT!!!!!!!!
On a different note, Adam and I received a very thoughful and unnecessary, but much appreciated token of appreciation for being parent helpers in our daughters class. We enjoy helping so much that really we should be the ones handing out thank yous! Thank you to any and all teachers, helpers and volunteers, especially those with a heart for children, I know sometimes it must be trying and tiring, but please, don't quit! I truly appreciate you all!

Chronicles?

2005-12-30T10:25:00.000-08:00

O.K. so Adam, the kids, and I headed to the theatre to see Chronicles of Narnia on Christmas Eve. We obviously were not contemplating all the other people that would be out in full force trying to see movies and by the time we got into the theatre it was sold out. Adam asked, "Well, should we just see something else?" To which I replied something about movies being too expensive and let's not waiste our money seeing "just something" just to see something. So, we convinced the kids that it would be fun to go home and watch Herbie and eat icecream, promising that we would go to the theatre on Monday, the day after Christmas. Herbie was cute and we all laughed and it was nice to be in movie mode and then watch a movie at home, with no subtitles. Monday rolled around, and yes, we had a nice Christmas, friends and family, just a little too much driving. We'll cut back though next year. Mistakes are learning experiences right! So, we prepaid for our tickets on Fandango and headed to the Santa Fe which a mistake that we didn't learn from on Saturday. However, the parking was, or should I say the lack there of was horendous! We drove around a full parking garage, and through the parking lot for over a half an hour. Finally Adam decided to drop us (Myself, our 2 kids and one extra) at the door so at least we could be watching the movie. When I went to get into the movie I learned that one of us would have to wait for Adam by the entrance due to the ONE sheet with our Fandango purchase. Being I wasn't going to let the kids in the movie alone or let one of my minor under 7 year old children wait at the door, none of us could watch the movie. So, we all waited until Adam got inside. Finally we entered the theatre only to be greeted by an irritated family of 5 in front of us to whom no seats were available. So, after filling a grievous complaint about the terrible parking situation and after getting our money back we headed to the Suncoast where it our movie was playing every hour on the hour. We patiently waited the 20-30 minutes in line watching the marquie very closely to see if our movie had sold out after each patron in front of us. Finally it was our turn and we were so excited! However we learned that there was a power
outage and the marquie was incorrect in telling us there was vacancy for our movie. Adam decided that we should just see something and so we did, Yours, Mine, and Ours. It was cute and the kids laughed a lot, which always does my heart good. Maybe we just aren't suppose to see that one as a family. Maybe Adam and I will try on New Years when his mom spends the night and we can have dinner and then see Chronicles and then a very unkid-friendly Rent, which we both really want to see.

Oh, the ramblings of a runner.

2005-12-30T10:17:00.000-08:00

O.k. do play the "are we there yet?" game with the readout on the treadmill or do I bundle up my kids and head on over to my old marathon training stomping grounds and wheel them along a trail? It's all about timing. They are still asleep and if I wait then it just makes me wait to be clean and start my day. However, it would be a good excuse to drive to the other side of town and pick up my stuff that is waiting for me at the village runner, but then I have to wake them up and chance crabby kids. I do love running right away in the morning and by the end of the day I can't even remember whether I ran at all. However, it's not really bright and early anymore. Maybe by running on a trail with the kids it would be a more memorable run (or possibly more miserable?)

Friends' Influence

2005-12-20T17:03:00.000-08:00

Victoria has asked each day for 3 days in a row now if she could watch Star Wars. She has watched and asked questions after each episode. She was upset when Luke went to the dark side, and was so excited when Darth Vader showed signs of the goodness that was inside of him. Why the Star Wars kick? Maybe it was spending the night at her girlfriends house, whose parents room decor consists of a very tasteful, everything Star Wars. I figure they are curious about something so obviously interesting to their friends parents, who are of coarse much cooler than their own. I can imagine Victoria thinking, "What makes their parents different from ours? Could it have something to do with Star Wars?" Now I guess she must have her answer.

The "Holidays"

2005-12-19T14:05:00.000-08:00

A friend mentioned to me this week about how she didn't know anyone with much of any kind of Christmas spirit. I don't know if God is a part of her life, but if you ask me it's all about Jesus. It's the celebration of His birth, His Birthday if you will. Our kids sang Happy Birthday to Him last night. As far as what we know of Christmas in the secular world it's usually all about the kids. However, how the heck are people suppose to have the Christmas spirit if we can't even say Merry Christmas to each other in public anymore. Victoria didn't have any kind of holiday celebration at school this week. O.K. let me get this straight. We have a 2 week vacation and we don't even talk about why. It's a good thing I have so many friends who are teachers or I would have been standing at the schoolyard gate this morning wondering why everyone else was late, because you know that would be one of the rare times that we would be early :) I ran into another mother this weekend that didn't know that there was no school this week until after school on Friday. Hey, at least her kid had a winter celebration concert. What did my daughter's school have to bring on the "Holiday spirit?" NOTHING! No tree, Happy Hannukah candles or draidle, Kwanza, nothing. Shouldn't this be at the very least a celebration of all of our different beliefs. I wouldn't want to leave anyone out, bring what you celebrate to the table and we'll include it, but don't limit my free speech and tell me not to say Merry CHRISTmas! It's what I believe that Christmas is when I celebrate the birth of my saviour. Heck, Christmas has been around for a long time and now they want to cut it out. I'm not saying I want a holy war or anything, but there is too little in life that we celebrate. Life is about loving people and celebrating with someone just seems like an awesome way to do that! I remember when I was in school all those many years ago and my teacher was able to share her celebration with us and we had a Christmas tree IN OUR CLASSROOM! We sang Christmas carols, including The Little Drummer Boy, which suprises me now when I think about the fact that it talks about the new born king, baby Jesus, at our Christmas program, in a public school. O.K. so that was a run-on sentence, but well, I guess this has been a run-on blog, more of a rant. Sorry, I just don't understand all this hub bub! I guess I haven't been around very long though. A friend just informed me last night that it wasn't until the 50's that we put In God We Trust on our money. Maybe that irritated a lot of people back then?!

From ER to ER

2005-12-09T13:01:00.000-08:00

First let me begin with some good advice, if no one answers after 25 rings you might as well try back later! I sat in the ER with a friend suffering from a terrible migrane last night. It is amazing how much more aware I was of the noise level. I really haven't (thanks be to God) spent very much time in the ER in my short lifetime. I hope to continue on that path. The ER sucks. If you're not suffering from a virus you are exposed to them, while you're their. Boy sometimes I wonder if we would be better off with doctors making house calls. I tried to keep quiet, calmly crocheting for another friends coming baby. When that annoying phone kept ringing unanswered for at least 25 rings I got up to do something about it. I thought about just picking it up and setting it back down. Another thought was to answer it and tell the caller there was no one there to take their call. Instead I ended up going to the triage nurse and asking her to answer it, she did very nicely comply :)
We heard all about the severed toe of the man across from us while he spoke loudly on his cell phone. A little girl came in crying from a split lip that ended up leaving after she ran out of tears and her lip quit bleeding. I guess she ran into a wall. It was very sad to see her knock on her head, split lip, and frantic mother trying to get assistance, from those I thought were very helpful and she obviously didn't by the choice words she chose to when referring to them, when her Metallica ring tone went off every couple of minutes. A woman in hysterics came in with a severed thumb. She had blood all over her face and her arm was wrapped in a towel. My friend who frequents the ER said that woman needed a couple of /valume/ (however you spell it) to calm her down. We were infiltrated by a cigarette saturated gentelman who stank up the ER waiting room so bad that they opened both of the double doors to give us some fresh air. I heard all kind of calls and conversations including talk of Mariah Carey's several award nominations for an album I didn't know she'd put out.
I will have to say though that once we got into the actual ER, behind the curtain it was pretty calm. There was a worker changing the sheets as we approached the curtain which would provide us with some privacy. Before leaving she decided to change the garbage as well and when she moved the can there was a small puddle of yellowish color. She said, "Orange juice spill." I wasn't convinced, but didn't want to think about what it. In no time at all I saw a hand, connected to an arm reach underneath the curtain from the outside and wipe up the puddle, leaving behind a lysolish scent. I was pleased. The most distracting sounds I heard were from the television behind the curtain next to us and an occasional moan from the lady with the blood covered face and severed thumb.
My friend's significant other got there shortly after I covered my friend with the warm clean sheet left by the worker after she changed the fitted sheet, before she wiped up the "orange juice." I gave a high five like I was tag teaming him in exchange for entrance to behind the curtain. After inquiring whether he needed anything, I ventured home. I got home just in time to wash my hands, prepare a bedtime snack, help with teeth brushing, say goodnight to Victoria, and watch ER. It was much busier, noisier, and well everything was dramatized, but I guess that's what keeps me coming back to watch week after week, for what's been years now. ER used to be the only show I would turned the TV on specifically to watch, until I've recently added LOST on Wednesdays. If you aren't watching you should. Part of me was relieved to have the drama to watch almost as a barrier between my time in the real life ER, where the waiting room was much more intense and my life in which I have blessed only have had to visit the ER a few, short, very intense moments myself.
Oh, and as a side note I am running again. I ran 3.6 Wednesday, clocked on our new GPS watch and had a 3.2 mile run on the treadmill today followed by .6 walk. I figured I'd run until I'd burned according to the treadmills counter, 300-400 calories. I ended with a little over 400. It's good to be running just for the heck of it again, no pressure, at lest until Febuary :)

My Baby Girl

2005-12-07T02:21:00.000-08:00

Last night Victoria wanted me to hold her like a baby, which I realized when she asked that she hadn't asked that of me for a month or two, so I quickly scooped her up! I wrapped her in her Strawberry Shortcake blanket and held her. On my way to the rocking chair in the living room in front of the Christmas tree lit up with all the pretty white lights, she asked me to rock her in the rocking chair. I told her that was exactly what I was about to do. As I rocked her I sang this little medley I sang as a special at church once that begins with "I Come To The Garden Alone." When the medley came to an end she didn't seem at all sleepy and with a sweet voice and a longing I rarely hear from her, Victoria asked me to sing it again. I was so happy! My grandma used to sing "I Come To The Garden" to me while she held me close and rocked me. With tears welling up in my eyes I sang and fought them falling and regained my composure before "And He Walks With Me." Before I finished I reallized that she had fallen fast asleep. I have noted to myself before that there is nothing better than holding someone close as they fall asleep and when you lull them to sleep with music that God has provided you with lyrically, vocally, instrumentally however it spills out, what a blessing. After she fell asleep I hummed "Lullaby" to her and then rocked silently watching her sleep for a while. She is so precious! Thank you God for such a wonderful blessing like children. Even at 5 she is my baby girl and always will be!

Now I Am An Official Marathon Runner!

2005-12-05T10:49:00.000-08:00

I am so greatful for such great friends and such awesome support! Just think if I was some elite runner it would just be expected that I would finish and not only finish, but kick crossing that finish line. However, this was my first marathon and I didn't know what to expect. I had hoped to run a marathon originally in 4 1/2 hours, but as my training progressed I moved up to a 4:15 training group and eventually a 4 hour group. So, I had hoped to stick with my pace group and run a 4 hour marathon, but they were running a much faster pace than what we had been training at and I couldn't keep up.
I have been reading Proverbs lately and Prov. 3:26 states "the Lord is my confidence." I kept quoting this while I ran letting it run through my head. After about mile 18 I finally turned on some music, well it ended up being some talking with some not so good singing. However I listened as the speaker told me to walk in God's grace and peace and I decided to let go of some silly notion that I needed to kill myself to finish in 4 hours. Somehow, miraculously I began to enjoy my mararthon, as much as one can enjoy a marathon. I was able to thank volunteers verbally and not just mouth thank you as I had before that point, when I wasn't previously focused on keeping up. This was my marathon, not the guy next to me not the guy in front of me. I was able to walk alongside some fellow runners and encourage them to run with me just little bit. I new it was hard to start running again, but it was possible. I didn't tell them all things are possible through Christ which strengthens me, but I showed them and we'd run a bit together. I would sometimes have to leave them behind and sometimes I would have to stop and watch others pass me by, but I was happy for them. There were little kids whose hands I was honored to be able give a high five. The crowd would encourage me and call me by name. Hey, when I was walking it was easier to read my name as I went by. I didn't just stop and walk, not that there is anything wrong with that, but I found myself feeling nautious at times or my left IT ban whoever you spell that or write it was giving my left hip a run for its money. The balls of my feet were killing me. However, not by my might I was able to walk intermittenly amongst my running until the last 1/2 mile when I tried kicking it in and had a sprint where I was able to move up in the ranks by at least 50. My official finish time was 4:18:31, not bad for my first marathon. Hey, not hitting my goal gives me something to shoot for at the next marathon. I am still not decided whether or not I will try and hit 4 hours at the next marathon or if I am going to run the next one and just try and enjoy it to the best of my ability throughout the entire marathon.
We did have a lot to see. It was fun to run all over town. We passed 2 or 3 gospel choirs along MLK, we past some island dummers, hula dancers, go go dancers, cowgirl dancers, several bands, some percusionist in white karate looking outfits (which were awesome,) several DJs, (one of which blasted his music way too loud t0 have to run by,) we ran through Fremont street experience, and there were tons of awesome spectators! I loved that fact that we ran through some parts of town were mom's sat in there windows with there little ones cheering us on. Maybe someday one of those little ones will want to run and encourage the next generation. The overall experience (although I was saying I'll never do this again at mile 19) was awesome. I encourage anyone who is able to get out there and try a marathon. You don't have to go fast, you don't even have to run, but try, at least a little bit. We are starting training for a tenative San Diego Marathon which I do believe is June 4th. So, if you'd like to join us we will be running on the NW side of Las Vegas. We'll have to start training pretty soon. So you have about a month to get comfortable. I suggest trying to run 2 if you can at first. If you can't run 2 then do what you can and work up to 2. Increase by a mile a week, any more than that your just asking for an injury. There are plenty of sites, with tons more knowledge than I could ever offer. I encourage you to check them out, but then get out of your seat and get running or walking, just move!

The Simple Things

2005-12-05T10:39:00.000-08:00

This week has been crazy! However in amidst the craziness I have found peace in madness. After two wonderful days in Disneyland we were walking out and Sebastian picked up a leaf and was blowing on it and watching it shake in his hand. Then he would let it go and enjoy its flight back to earth. We fell drastically behind in our plight to catch our bus, which we ended up missing, but I didn't care. He kept playing with the leaf, a simple example of God's wonderful nature. I found more joy that day in watching him play with that leaf than anything else (except maybe watching him interact with his friend Loredanna, with whom he is was attentive and gentle.) Although we were with friends with whom we enjoyed sharing our adventure, I will most cherish the memory of my son and his leaf.

One More Time

2005-11-13T11:52:00.000-08:00

Last night Sebastian in his most adorable 3 year old voice asked me at least 7 times, "One more time?" I had been picking him up and throwing him down onto a love sack. I am so thankful for those moments. I am thankful for two beautiful, healthy, fun children! I am also thankful for the t-shirt I ran by at least 4 times this morning during the pre-test for my marathon, which read, "ONE MORE MILE." Although I had plenty more than one more mile each time I read it, it reminded me to take it one mile at a time. Yes, 20 seems hard. I'd only run 20 one other time in my life, but when you just think one more mile before you know it you've actually run past the 20 and done an extra half mile. I am excited for marathon day! I will finally get to run one and I will be able to stay up late and hang out with my friends again, who are feeling neglected. After pizza and 2 margaritas from a yummy machine, with strawberry sryup I did learn that I need to be totally hydrated and eat a good carb full meal before the actual marathon. Now I need to go prepair to help with a triathalon, which will keep me from hanging with my friends yet another night :( , but it will be good encouragement to some athletes who will be running a marathon after biking 112 miles after swimming 2 1/2 miles. Now those are some CRAZY people!

Insomniac?

2005-11-07T03:58:00.000-08:00

O.K. it is almost 4 in the a.m. I am up reading and posting. I also spent some time looking at houses in Raliegh area and Wisconsin. We have some good friends moving to the Raleigh area, (North Carolina?) I am horrible at Geography. ANYWAYS! I am not planning on moving any time soon. Lisa just got me looking and then I always like to check Wisconsin for fun. You never know I could find an inexpensive summer home there????!!!!! Hey, a girl can dream can't she. In my KILA inspired dream heaven, I will be travel to see all of the people I care about without traveling. I don't mind traveling, but I wish I could make dinner plans at the drop of the hat with whomever I chose. I really miss my parents, siblings, and last remaining grandparent. I miss other family too, but there are so many in Wisoncsin that it would take a long time to list them all. Lisa was looking at a photo I have on my frig of Victoria and Sebastian in my parents immediate backyard. She said she didn't know it was so beautiful. As much as that made me happy it made me just as much home-sick. Sometimes the cactus and dirt really get to me.
I was suppose to run 16 today. I missed getting up this morning to run with my group, so I ran alone again the second long run in 3 weeks. I have been staying up too late to get up at 5 a.m. and drive across town. So, anyways I know I didn't run 16, but I'm hoping it was at least 12. I need to clock it which for me requires driving all those miles for no other reason than to read the odometer. What a waiste of gas! I know I need to get one of those GPS watches, but I'm too cheap. Besides the next running equipment I have my eye on is an MP3 player. My tape player quit on me and I figure I could get use to carrying less weight and upgrading to newer technology. I wish I was a little more technology friendly. I have been scoping them out and think I will be purchasing on Ebay before the marathon. A more technologically confident friend recommended a unit put out by Creative. I think I've narrowed it down and am almost ready to make the plunge. I wish Adam would get his court shoes first though. He keeps getting yelled at by the gym employees and he tells me he needs new shoes. I say go and pick some up, but he doesn't and I would feel bad to make another purchase after my desperately needed new shoes a few weeks ago. I can't believe I wear through them in only 300ish miles.

O.K. one more separate entry for today.

2005-10-29T02:16:00.000-07:00

I have been meaning to blog for over a week and kept writing down different things I wanted to blog about. I had the most amazing day the on Thursday. It started out getting Victoria to school and Sebastian to the Miles'. O.k. so I had to wake Adam up to take Sebastian to see Luke. I guess when my friend offers to pick my kid up for a play date I should just let them. Victoria would have been late for school, but there was a late bus so she got to go to class without a pass from the office. Grace rocks! I was volunteering for the day and joined the other mom helping get the kids hand print and name on orange construction paper. I didn't reallize exactly what was being done and having seen the finished product I reallize that all the kids I helped including my own did theirs upside down. Oh well, they made cute black cats anyways. After we finished inking and washing the ink off the hands of all the kids we did some photo copying for the kindergarten. The paper cutting job I started last week had already been completed. I LOVE CUTTING PAPER! I was kind of sad, but ended up having a really cool conversastion with the other mom that I volunteered with. I also learned some copy machine stuff that I'm sure will come in handy in the future. (The other mom had 3 older kids.) We talked about our families, our faith, and some other stuff. Victoria had her first school program and Adam was able to join me. She is so prescious! We had a nice refreshment time after the program and I finished some stapling. After school I met my friend at home dropping off Sebastian, after the play date, who asked if Sebastian was always so easy going? Yep, pretty much. The only problems I really ever have with my kids is the sibling thing, and 98% of the time they get along great. My girlfriend and I had a great conversation that was sparked from something I had said pertaining to feminism the day before. We also talked about other stuff. With some convincing she stayed for lunch though I could only get her to eat PB&J. It was a nice conversation. At that point I was so greatful for the investing in relationships with others for the day and then I got a call from Sara with whom I had agreed to an experiment and we had been reading Hebrews simotaneously. Jessi had asked if I was doing the experiment, which was a challenge by someone in our church. I have so enjoyed the experiment and it has sent me spiraling off on other little journeys along the way. I was excited to say yes and looked forward to completing this weeks portion by meeting with my friend Sara. Sara was equally excited to work on the experiment with me. However, she received a call from her dad in Iceland whom she'd been playing phone tag with so we didn't have long to talk because I had already gotten there late. However, what we did talk about was really interesting. We had some of the same things to share and questions to find answers to. We put a to be continued on our conversation hoping that some time this weekend we might even be able to get away without our children somewhere comfortable and quiet to talk. I left Sara's to go meet my friend in line for a yummy dinner at Russels. Unfortunately dinner wasn't as yummy as it usually is, but the company more than made up for it. We spent dinner with 2 very good friends. After dinner we adjourned to their home where we met up with the 3rd member of their family. We haven't been able to spend much time with these friends lately, but love them dearly and miss our more frequent times together. Victoria ended up spending the night and Adam and I went home refreshed in a bit of a rush to see my one show I wait to see all week at 10 on Thursday. I had actually forgotten all about it until he said if you hurry you have a little more than 10 minutes to get home and watch ER. Yes, I am pathetically enough still watching, but I really don't think it's pathetic. I really enjoy it. Thursday was such an awesome day. I felt like each of the people I spent time with enriched my life more than they could ever know. I learned things about them, about myself. I was able to talk about God comfortably and it wasn't something I set out to do. I am convinced though that when we arm ourselves with the word of truth that God will give us even more of a desire to continue in that work. I am hungry for God's word and I have learned, been reminded, encouraged, and worshipped while spending time with God this week. It's funny how much of ourselves and our worries fade away when we focus on Him. I am thankful for this challenge that was presented to me and for all the people God allowed me to spend time with today!

We had 2 major break throughs this week.

2005-10-29T01:21:00.000-07:00

This week I am proud to say that I had an entire day where I didn't have to change a single diaper. No, Adam didn't take off work and stay home. No, I didn't go anywhere. I was home most of the day, but like most days I had some errands to run, and through it all Home Depot and all Sebastian used the toilet. I am and was so proud. Now the next day the trend did not continue, but I have tasted the easy poop free life and though I was sad at the end of the diaper free day I will be glad when we are diaper free entirely!
Our second break through came while I was taking a quick nap. The kids were in their room having quiet time because they were driving me nuts and need some down time themselves to gather their thoughts and composure. I awake to Victoria handing me a letter addressed to me love Victoria. Inside were all the letters she has been working on including her name starting with a capital "V" and ending in the miraculous lower case "a". She was so proud and excited to share this letter with me. I don't want to forget how excited she was or how it made me feel that she wanted to share them with me and the acceptance and acknowledgement she sought. I lavished her with kisses and praise. I want my kids to know that I love them and am so very proud of them for who they are, and though I might be sad to change a poopie diaper after a diaper free day or receive a scowl for suggesting a lower case letter in place of a capital at the end of a name of Victoria's name I am so proud of the progress they have made. I am hopeful for them and excited for when they will achieve what I know they are capable of in so many areas. I am also excited to be suprised by what comes to be that I know I am not expected. I know my children are beautifully and wonderfully made and I am so thankful for the time God has placed them in our care. A continual prayer I find myself repeating is God make me the kind of parent you would have me to be.

My daughter is only 5

2005-10-29T01:08:00.000-07:00

Wednesday morning my daughter woke up and said mommy I have to write Jake a letter. She told me that she had to let him know that it doesn't matter who he marries. "If he wants to marry Emma or someone else that's O.K." she said. She went on to say that if he wanted to marry her that would be O.K. too. There was such urgancy in her voice and it was almost unsettling. I don't know if she had some crazy dream or what. I had told a friend about this and she said I don't know that I would be so cool about it(someone else marrying her prince charming), you see although she is only 5 she thinks she is going to marry Jake and by no encouragement or discouragement by us. Lately though I try and remind her that she is only 5 and there is a lot of time to decide who she'll marry. She still seems pretty set on Jake though.
The day before she told me that when she grows up and has kids that she would like to name one of them Michelle. I didn't say anything except thank you. She had told me a few weeks ago that she was going to name one of her kids Mrs. Bayer (which is her kindergarten teacher's name) to be put in the same ranks as Mrs. Bayer means a lot to me. I don't know that if I had homeschooled her (no reflection on any other homeschoolers, just myself and who I am and how I interact with my children) that I would have been payed the same compliment. I love my children and it's nice to know that while I know they love me that they like me as well!

Yearning for my sister

2005-10-29T00:49:00.000-07:00

I am so blessed by so many wonderful people, and really have want for nothing, but I have a yearning for my sister to be near. I don't know that we are super close, but we have some kind of bond that I can't explain. Maybe she doesn't feel what I do, but it is a real feeling. I went to put some of the kids clothes away and the top drawer was cracked opened and I opened it. It was empty, which I knew it would be. We had emptied it before Beth came to visit. The house didn't feel any more full nor was I overwhelmed by a visitor while she was here. It was so comfortable, so natural for her to be in and around our lives. Although we didn't DO anything while she was here, I am kind of glad even though I felt bad that she spent the money to come out. I guess if we lived in the middle of nowhere and not Vegas she would probably still come to visit and expect to be entertained. Something about having so much around you to be entertained by makes you feel obligated. We didn't even make a single trip to California while she was out which we usually do when she comes to visit. I won't say I didn't feel bad that we just kind of hung out, but it was nice just to spend time with her. I suppose our house is probably a little quieter than her own, and probably more boring. I always say though that a bored person is only bored because they are boring and she never really seemed bored. It was nice to see her drawing/sketching. I enjoyed hearing what she shared about her life and ideas of plans for the future. I often wished I lived in Wisconsin, and while I would love to be there for the 5 seasons (yes, there are 5 in some parts of the world), I would love to be chilly more of the year than warm, because I tend to get more snuggly with my husband (which he loves), I would love to be around for all of my already present and the up and coming neices and nephews, I mostly would like to continue the relationships I have with my siblings that I have but grow so slowly through the miles. Yes, I would have to deal with family politics, and learn to love them and they me through our short comings, but that's what I do with my friends I have here. I wouldn't trade a single relationship I have here for all the tea in China, but I do wish sometimes that the investing I was doing was in my siblings with whom I will grow old no matter what. Friends even in my few short years have come, become so close that they almost felt like my shadow, and have moved on and sometimes so have I. It doesn't matter how many miles, days, years, or any other obstacles stand in the way my siblings are still my siblings. Some day we'll have to figure out together what to do with mom and dad and a few other issues, but I don't just want to be a phone call they have to make to make me feel a part of it, I want to be a part of it, now and forever.

Recognized As A Runner

2005-10-29T00:38:00.000-07:00

The other day I went to pick Victoria up at school and her teacher asked me if I was a professional runner. Really it was probably because of all the running themed t-shirts that I have been sporting lately, but it was nice to hear asked of me. I answered honestly, "No, I am by no means professional, but I do love to run." I have been running a lot lately and some weeks I feel like maybe it's just a bit much, but I usually do it anyways. However, I have been cutting out one run almost every week. It's usually a 6 or a 4 miler. I figure that running 4 days a week and having a pilates day is probably enough training. I just don't want to get burned out. As it is I think that after the marathon that I will run, God willing. I might, if I can ween myself off of running go back to walking. I do love to run, but maybe I'm just addicted to the miles. It is nice to get through the miles faster while running vs. walking though. I do know though that running isn't very good for a woman's body. We just aren't built to be taking on all that strain on our joints :( My knees feel the miles I have been accumulating as of late. Tonight we took our kids to King's Fair at Canyon Ridge Christian Church. On our way out, after a very delightful evening with my sister-in-law and her husband, as well as moments spent with a plethura of friends I was crossing a short span of river rocks in my platform clogs and grabbed Adam's arm which I have in the past refused so often that he seldom offers it anymore. I need the stability of my spouse to keep me safe and make me feel secure crossing the river of rocks. I said to him, "Can you imagine all my training down the tube because I sprain my ankle in silly shoes crossing these rocks. People would ask about the marathon and I'd have to say, Well, this year..." I hope I am able to run this one!

Nanny, Wife swap, and other such nonsense

2005-10-18T10:17:00.000-07:00

O.K. I will admit that I do on occasion watch this nonsense on television, like Nanny(not Fran) and Wife Swap. Sometimes I even learn something. I learned from an episode of Wife Swap that I am SOOOOOOOooooo...glad that I am a stay at home mom. I have the luxury of time that a lot of other moms do not have. I love the fact that if Victoria wants her hair braided that I can sit down and do it. This morning it was only she and I awake. I had to wake her up twice the second time after I fell asleep on the toilet. I was so tired and really wanted to crawl back into bed next to my peacefully sleeping husband. However, I made myself go in and wake her up again. She really wasn't dirty at all, but tangles are so much easier to deal with in freshly washed hair. I ended up helping her wash her hair. We made pancakes, and she chose to eat carrots with her pancakes. I poured maple syrup on them and made smoothies when I heard the shower going knowing that Adam was up. We got all the tangles out and put her hair up in her choice hairstyle for the day (a pony tail, the low one). I love my life and appreciate the fact that God has provided my husband with a job that allows for me to be home with my children. I am only twenty,ten (thirty) and I have a lot of life ahead of me. Although I would someday like to finish my degree and teach, I know I'll only be 46 when our children are 20 and hopefully in college. Maybe I could knock out my education slowly when both of our kids are in full day school if that is the direction we end up going with their education. I guess I could sub until they're out of the house, and maybe teaching isn't God's plan for me. Who knows. I figure one day at a time. Today Victoria went to school and I spent some one on one with Sebastian. We'll pick Victoria up from school, hit the Walmart for material for her costume, and some odds and ends. Then cross the street hopefully without any difficulty with the flooding I'm sure is out there since our city is built in a desert with poor drainage systems. Heck, who expects it to rain more than half an inch in less than 12 hours in the desert. When we successfully cross that street I mentioned earlier we will stop at Michael's and Bath and Body Works to help contribute to a gift basket to be raffeled off this Friday at Victoria's first Fall Festival, with cake walks and all. Yes, I am baking a cake, but that's not until Thursday night. Tonight will be comprised of sewing, eating out with a gift certificate, fixing my brothers' birthday presents, and some bill paying. I'll probably fold the last of the laundry I didn't finish yesterday, walk to avoid the injury I feel coming on, stretch with come pilates, and either watch a movie or play a game with my family, which will become one less this Saturday when we take Beth to the airport. I sure have enjoyed having my sister here and will sure miss her when she goes home!

Let up already!

2005-10-07T12:11:00.000-07:00

I was feeling a bit burned out with my training this week. It's good my sister is here. Although I wish she would have brought her shoes, I am glad she is here to encourage me and kick me out the door! I received an email from the marathon training schedule planner today and due to some over-use injuries popping up our long runs on Sunday are being revised. Yahoo! Although I always feel good running them, I know they affect my mid-week runs. I had almost felt a tinge of shin splints coming on. However, after making the decision last night to go back to last years training schedule and taking advantage of an extra rest day today's 8 mile run went well. I was just a little hot. Boy you run in 100 degree weather all day and suddenly you get a break in the weather, then back to the high 80's and I am dying???!!!! Anyways, I ran out of water. I was glad to read yesterday that there will be water stations every mile and not every two for the marathon. At least that way there will be a face to look forward to every mile marker and maybe I won't have to carry water :) Well, I better go shower. My sister read a magazine on the plane about how the bacteria after you work out triples every so many minutes making one more prone to infection. Yuck!

Wisconsin, or am I meant to keep on melting here or in Africa?

2005-09-28T14:52:00.000-07:00

I have some friends with whom I was not able to have directly in my life for very long, but whose impact has been immense!!! My friends are prepaired to journey to Africa to allow God the freedom to control their health, finances, and well everything. They have been called to go to a foreign (I think third world) country to live and work among the poor people in Africa. I don't think either of their parents were missionaries or ministers. It just seems to be so uncommon, but cool that they would be called and not flee to Vegas (our Ninevah) maybe for good. Maybe I live a sheltered life. I guess I know others around my age who have answered God's call. I know I haven't heard the call to go to a foreign land. Heck, the land I live in is foreign enough for me. This world is not MY home I'm just a passin' through. I just want to be available and listening so I don't miss any direction. I'm sure that God would not simply whisper in my ear if I wasn't hearing, but I hope He wouldn't have to use a megaphone! I just keep truckin' away at the call I have to be a devoted wife and mother and be a part of the lives around me where God can make a difference and hopefully there is more of him shining out of me than me. Although, I do like to be shiny! Maybe I just think it's me being shiny and it's not me alone, but I just can't separate my life, from my life with God. What an awesome concept, which I guess if I think about it is true beyond anything I can control. My friends who will journey to Africa are Kevin and Charity Linderman. They have a son, Josiah, and are expecting in December. If you'd like to read more from up and coming missionaries to Africa check them out at mwanza.blogspot.com.
Adam just instant messaged me (which doesn't sound proper) that he was having a tough week. He can't wait to get out of town. We are going to Zion in Utah for the weekend with a group of people we love. I can't wait to get out of town either, and the song leavin' on a jet plane popped into my head. Being I had just finished the instant message coversation with my friends on their way to Africa I made suggestion that we could join them. Adam said and I quote, "No Wat." He was so flabergasted by my suggestion that he typed a "T" instead of a "y" Then he said, "Wisconsin or bust." Boy does my man know how to make me :)

53rd

2005-09-10T03:02:00.000-07:00

My husband is definately a glass if half full kind of guy. As a matter of fact, when it comes to his posative outlook I'd say he's more of a glass overflowing type. I ran in a little 5k last weekend (that's a mere 3.2 miles). Adam has been telling people that I came in third place, which I did in my age division, which included 22 others besides myself. I was honored to be standing next to the 1st and 2nd place finishers in my age group of 30-34, because they are awesome runners. They chit chat every weekend during our long run for marathon training, running easily almost without effort probably about a steady 9 minute mile pace. SO, to be in a photo with them was awesome! I highly recommend the Cirque 5k/1 mile fun run/walk, which Victoria ran in around 13 or 14 minutes. They started the 5k runners and the clock at the same time, so Victoria probably started 5 minutes later and the clock said 18:00 when she finished. Adam thought she ran it in 18:00 which we both thought was pretty awesome for a 5 year old, but she started after most of the walkers and passed most of them running by and was one of the first 1 mile finishers. I am so proud. She ran my first 7/10 of a mile tonight, and I so enjoy the time with her. After we got home she took off her shoes by untying the laces and then stretched, while Adam was reading to Sebastian. By the time I returned from my 4 mile run she was in bead, reading to Adam. She is doing pretty well with her reading. She sounds out and actually reads to me, I think she was just remembering from memory how the story goes for Adam. I just think it's awesome that our children love books!

Am I the mother of a kindergartener?

2005-09-08T17:21:00.000-07:00

Man, time sure does fly when you're having fun! I can hardly believe my baby girl is 5 and attending kindergarten. We (my husband and I) were unsure of where to send her for kindergarten, if we should send her at. We brought our request for some clarity to God. After praying about it and waying all the options we still didn't feel drawn one way or the other. However, Victoria wanted desperately to Go To school, public school. I wasn't sure of the draw for her, but we decided to enroll her,with the stipulation that she had to get into an a.m. class. Well, she went on a list. After her first day of p.m. kindergarten she got placed in an a.m. class, a transition that has changed our lives. We have been praying with her every morning that God would shine through her and that she would be the light that she is called to be. Although kindergarten is a pretty bright place if there are any dark corners I know God will use her to brighten them. We also purchased a childrens Bible to read together. It really has made a world of difference to our entire family to start our day and give it up to God and not try and squeeze Him in. I am so thankful for public school, because I know God has Victoria there for a reason. Next year, who knows, but for now she is exactly where she belongs!

Kids

2005-08-28T01:41:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Sebastian asked me if I would hold him for 8 days. I told him, "I'll hold you for 8 minutes." I think I actually had to set him down before the 8 minutes were up. Ah, this crazy life I call my own. I think sometimes that I am going to slow things down, because I do have the power to do it. However, on second thought I realize that I would replace the paused moments with other hurriedness. Why?!!!!! I just know myself. I enjoy being busy for the most part. I just need to slow down every once in a while to hold my kids a little longer, and treasure them, while I still have the chance.
Victoria went to her first open house for school yesterday. There was as Victoria calls it "an icecream explosion." It was really an icecream social, but with all the foot traffic it felt a bit more like an explosion, well of people, maybe not so much of icecream. I have been praying about where God would have Victoria, when it comes to school. I haven't received an answer to that prayer, but I felt like it was the right thing to go and registar last week. I still think I would rather homeschool her, but I seriously lose it sometimes. We have been part-time homeschooling since like April. I enjoy working with her, and love the time we have together. I just don't know that home is where she belongs, when it comes to her education. I am not worried about her lack of socialization, the kid practically lives on the phone, and she's only 5. We had no lack of friends to invite to her birthday. She is very comfortable around people of all ages. I just keep praying and she seems to get more and more excited about going to school. We will supplement educationally at home and at God's command I will keep her home, but I just keep praying that He will lead, guide, and direct me. So, for this next week, Victoria, will be attending public school and she is very excited about it. I met her teacher and she seems nice. I am kind of excited myself about her first day, which is orientation, which I am permitted to attend. I was hoping for an a.m. class and we are on the waiting list, but maybe there's a reason we are in the p.m. class. We did run into some old friends, whose daughter is in first grade at Darnell Elementary School.
Sebastian took it pretty hard that Victoria is going to be going to school without him. I guess I didn't think about that very much. I am kind of excited about the prospect of having some alone time with Sebastian. I guess that's one advantage to having only 2 children. I am not commited to sending her to public school for first grade, but we are going to give it a go for the 2 1/2 hours a day that kindergarten entails. I figure it's kind of like a daily play date where she works on her abc's and 123's. She is excited about meeting the kids in her class. I am excited because the 4 mile trip to and from we've decided, (mostly the kids idea) will be for learning Spanish. I am going to try and have some prayer and Bibletime in the morning before she goes, and since the kids in her class will probably be reading for a while, we will continue our sometimes frustrating, but exciting journey of Teach Your Child To Read in 100 Easy Lessons. We are almost 2/3 of the way through and she is really enjoying it. I am still going to be just as dedicated of a parent. It is definately harder for me to see her go than it is for her to leave me. I know it's only kindergarten, but this is hard for almost every parent isn't it. However, I guess her excitement is a good sign that she is learing to be indepentent. "Raise up a child in the way he should go..." Well, it is now a little after 2 and I have a 9 mile run in less than 4 hours. So, I guess I better hit the hay. Good night sleep tight, and don't let the bed bugs bite.

Flying alone, next to a 2 year old.

2005-08-17T14:27:00.000-07:00

I went home this last weekend ALONE. One of my bridesmaids from my wedding got married herself. The wedding was beautiful in a beautiful garden in Madison near either Lake Mendota or the other one, Minnona or something like that. It rained, but that meant little this was Wisconsin. Rain is suppose to be good luck the day of your wedding. We were late (my mom and I) and it was a blessing! Everyone else couldn't see over the mass of umbrellas, but we stood in the back under a vine draped arbor, dry with clear visibility of the beautiful bride and her groom. Adam couldn't travel with me and it was a no-kid wedding so I was alone, and last minute my dad couldn't get away from his work, so my mom and I went together. We were able to spend a lot of quality time together over the weekend. I also was able to go out dancing with 2 of my sister-in-laws, spend some time with my sister, Bethany and really talk to her. My twin nephews were a highlight as well.
Upon my return, I for the first time, found myself excited to return to Las Vegas. I suppose I was actually excited to return to my darling husband, who by the way looked like a GQ front cover model leaning up against the wall in the airport as I came down the escalator. I was equally excited to see Victoria and Sebastian. Three days away from your kids is just long enough to make you really appreciate them and not to long to make you sad. I am so greatful to my mother-in-law for her help during Adam's busy weekend and to Sara for filling in at the last minute when my plane was late! The last leg of my trip I sat next to an army wife with her 2 year old son. We talked about her husband being over seas and how adaptation just naturally sets in when we have to deal with a new situation. I am applying what really sank in talking to her to my new outlook on Vegas and what will probably be my dying days here, and that's O.K.

Little House

2005-08-06T02:59:00.000-07:00

Victoria chose as one of her two movies from the library this week, Little House On The Prairie. Though I haven't been sitting down and watching it, I reallize I am watching from an entirely new perspective than when I was a kid. I notice things I know I missed as a child. I notice the intense love that Mr. and Mrs. Ingals (however you spell it) share. I watch the way Mrs. Ingals caresses her husbands face after she gets him supper that she slaves over and he falls asleep while she's doing it. On the other hand he is just exhausted from trying to provide for is family. (Surprisingly for a television show much harder than the Oregon Trail computer game I played as a child, where I played the role of the father/hunter/provider/protector.) They both try and protect each other from worry by not being quick to tell of visiting Indians, which they were afraid of or wild dogs/wolves they were attacked by. I see how young and innocent Laura and her sisters are looking at them as a mother with my own children. I am leary of the single man who helps them build their first cabin, and who they later have to sadly say goodbye to. Mrs. Inglals was not so trusting of him right away either. It's kind of sad, but quite an adventure to experience this show again. I am glad she checked out this video!

I was on time?!!!!!!!!!

2005-08-06T02:49:00.000-07:00

Maybe it's all my daughter's talk about getting married, who she'll marry, and what if he (her husband of choice) doesn't marry me, but I have been looking at life in a slightly different light lately. I reallize it is time for me to become responsible. By responsible I mean I need to start being on time, and sticking to my schedule. I actually got to everything on my list both yesterday and today. I was to Treehouse when I said I would be, after I made a realistic prediction. I did stay past my "I must leave by 10:15" time limit, but hey I can't grow up all at once. I might not recognize myself. I am seriously though and posting it here makes it scarily more hard core to break, going to make some much needed posative changes in my life.
I had two really hard weeks, and I think they kind of woke me up. A friend had thanked God for his refining fire, and I guess I'm thankful as well. I am also thankful for answered prayer. I still have my Ginger, my running partner and womens best friend. We ate chicken the other day and the bones got thrown in the inside trash can. Well, we discovered upon our arrival Monday night that she ate the remnants of that cooked chicken, which if you didn't know could kill your dog. I am so thankful. God seems to bless me in so many more ways than I can imagine that I would be blessed if I even tried to earn them. Thank goodness that His love is not conditional. Well, I guess I better get some sleep I have an early morning ahead of me.

Funk and Freedom in not choosing selfishness!

2005-07-30T11:55:00.000-07:00

This past week has been ridiculous, however you spell it. I had a really hard time getting going anytime before 1 p.m. I had that whole there's nothing to have to be up for and I'm miserable and don't want to function thing going on. However, Tuesday through Thursday we had dinner with others, once away and twice in our home. I found when I had to function to prepair for company and dinner, it was like pushing a heavy barrel through thick mud, it took a while to turn 'er over, but once I got moving things perked up. I reallize that any attitude I choose to hold is my choice. I can choose to be a stick in the mud, which isn't good for me or anyone around me, or I can pull myself up by my boot straps and though it might be hard to get moving, I know I'll be happier, healthier, and more enjoyable if I do. I was reading a comment Amy had made on someone elses blog and reallized that I could probably from an outsiders view in the mornings be questioned as to whether or not I really loved my family, laying around feeling sorry for myself. I so do love them, and reallize that I need to be in a better place for them, at the very least, and really it will be better for me too. It's funny how that doing for others usually ends up being better for ones self as well.

5:00 is it really am if you haven't gone to bed yet?

2005-07-24T05:08:00.000-07:00

I am getting ready to go and hopefully run, with the Las Vegas road runners. I am hoping that the run isn't cancelled and have no way of knowing if it has been. I hate to drive from the last exit before Mt. Charleston to Wigwam and the 215 at 5 o'clock in the morning for nothing. I am suppose to clean two exits away at 10:00. Maybe I'll call a girlfriend and wake her up for breakfast, or sleep in my vehicle until I am suppose to clean. Maybe my clients will vacate their vacation rental early. I need to find some shoes to wear to a Prom party tonight and locate my cousin's daughter, which I haven't been able to track down for days to see if she can now at the last minute babysit for us, so Adam and I can pretend that we are in 1988 for just one evening. I hope I have the energy with no sleep to go on a group run, clean quickly for a solid 4 hours, shop for outdated shoes, prepair, and party all on a Sunday night.

Siblings

2005-07-11T19:42:00.000-07:00

Last week we were in the front yard and Sebastian went over to socailize with the little neighbor girl. Upon his return, Victoria asked, "What were you doing with that GIRL?" He answered, "I was JUST TALKING." I can't wait until they're like 15 and 17.

Today while we were doing Victoria's reading lesson. She informed me that she was thirsty. I know it wasn't that bad, because she'd just had some water before we started and for the most part her lessons aren't any longer than 20 minutes, so I told her she could wait until we were done. Sebastian 2 seconds later shows up at her side with a big glass of water. He asked, "Are you thirsty Toria, I got you some water," with the bigest smile on his face almost as big a smile as when he killed the spider for her outside, filling he role of hero. He had heard her express her thirst and was there in the purest form of service to help her out. They played almost the whole rest of that day without fighting. There was lots of love in our house today. There is everyday, but it's nice to see it expressed in the smallest, easiest, but most meaningful ways! :)

Grapes of Wrath, FINALLY!

2005-07-08T12:12:00.000-07:00

I am going through Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck. I think every American should read this book. You read about a man who wants to purchase a ten cent loaf of bread. He can't afford to buy a sandwich, but is willing to buy the part of a loaf that would be equivalent to ten cents, because the whole loaf ran fifteen. The woman who worked in the restaurant was reluctant to do business with this man who was dirty and whose children simply wore overalls and nothing else. The children looked through the glass not enviously, but simply in disbelief that such things existed as candy sticks and wax paper wrapped sandwiches. These kids weren't begging, whining, or even asking, not even with a longing please. When the dad put down the dime for the bread a penny came out of his wallet as well. Seeing his children he asked the woman behind the counter, "How much for those candies, are they penny candies?" The woman, after a pause which I expected to be followed by, "No they're two penny candy," just out of his reach and budget. However, she suprised me and said, "No those are two for a penny candy." When the man said we'll take two, the boys did not greedily grab them or shove them in their mouths, but rather they slowly in disbelief placed the candy sticks at their sides. They hopped and skipped to the car, not sugar charged, but excited. Oh, the human spirit! Come to find out those candies were suppose to be a nickel apiece.

2005-06-29T11:43:00.000-07:00

Two days ago my children and I were doing some extensive shopping with a $20 gift card I had received for my birthday. Actually, I was trying to figure out what to spend it on and food shopping while I did. (Yes, we were at Walmart) I don't love Walmart, but it's hard to beat the convenience. Anyways, while I pushed the cart, Victoria looked at me and asked, "What the hell is on my finger?" I'm not sure where this phrase came from. I mean I don't know where she picked it up. I don't think I use that phrase. I am more of the in shock "Oh, crap," kind of user, which I am trying to tone down. It's funny how something I hear come out of someone else's mouth or from the boob tube (that's T.V. for you who are confused) doesn't really stand out until it comes out of the mouth of the 5 year old that God has entrusted in my care. I told her we don't really say that, it's not very nice. "Why?" she asked. I guess I didn't really answer her question, I simply replied, "You can simply just ask, What's on my finger." Now what it was that was on her finger? I don't really remember, dog gone it we were at Walmart, in a germ infested shopping cart, walking up and down isles with women with perfect hair and coordinated outfits and with men who smelled a bit rancid who I am lucky were wearing clothes. I can't remember if she asked this question before or after I let them eat bananas, yes inside the germ infested shopping cart.

Officially in my 30's now!!!! :)

2005-06-23T09:17:00.000-07:00

This morning in my reading I came across this, "When we are overwhelmed by sins, you forgave our transgressions....You answer us with awesome deeds of righteousness..." I found when I prayed, "Please God help me to hear and answer my alarm tomorrow morning I really need to start getting up earlier, something clicked. Answered prayer? I woke up at 6:58, a little more than 15 minutes prior to when my alarm would go off, and I was awake enough to be able to turn the alarm OFF. Thanks to the one I call Father! I read a little and was encouraged, it was just what I needed, when I needed it and didn't even know it. I had a really nice little run and now It's 9:30 and I've already dealt with a do-over a/c repairman visit, who didn't have to fix anything other than my faith in the company. I am ready to start my day. Maybe we'll actually get Victoria's reading done before Story hour at the library and get there on time!
I have to say I have so many things to be thankful for: getting up early today (well early for me), Heidi's encouragement to eat something healthy, truly healthy for breakfast today, my neighborhood, the fact that today is garbage day and picking up neighborhood litter is so much easier when there are garbage cans out before the trash collection, a friend who yelled from their van, with her kids yesterday loud enough for me to be able to hear with headphones Happy Birthday!!!!!, that my parents didn't forget to call, that my darling husband kept trying to make yesterday special despite my strongest effort to make it ordinary, that someone who reallized they didn't know it was my birthday after talking to me, must have driven all the way over to my house and left a card that I would find after a good run, that my children and my husband seized the day and although I didn't make a cake or anything they brought me a candle in icecream for me to blow out and make a wish. I am not sad about being 30, I am ecstatic!!! I was a little sad to know it was the end of being 20, but not until the last hour and a half when someone pointed it out, a friend who still has quite a few years in her 20's for which I am excited to be a part of her adventures, but not at all jealous, because I have my own to explore in my thought provocing 30's.
Yesterday Victoria asked me what I want to be when I grow up. See I still have to grow up I guess.
A VERY GOOD FRIEND told me who cares that your 30 you still look 19. Even though this isn't true it was nice to hear and sweet for someone to say. I truly am blessed to have so many sweet, loving people in my life, with new friends and family arriving all the time.

Breakfast Prepaired

2005-06-22T13:12:00.000-07:00

This morning Victoria fixed breakfast for us all. She had the table set with four coffee cups, three of which matched each with a spoon set to the right of each cup. They were all filled with what looked like a cup of milk, but there was to my suprise cereal under the milk. I guess the gallon was a little more full than when she usually figures she can manage. We ate Frosted Mini Wheats after both of my children said a prayer. What a fabulous start to a fabulous day. I somehow escaped this feeling of bliss and am currently trying to pull myself out of my glum. I know I need to get on my knees and allow for a small victory to be won over my crappy attitude. My poor husband tried with all his might to reset my mood. I wish sometimes that I had a special do-over button, things would be so much easier!

Detox and intoxify

2005-06-07T11:58:00.000-07:00

Adam and I just had one of the most relaxing weekends possible. I love my children dearly, but relaxing is not ever a 10 on a 1 to 10 scale when they are around. When we got home my darling Victoria had a mild temperature and was sleeping. Sebastian held me for over an hour. When the hour or so was over he still stayed very close. I had to stop holding him to get some Victoria time in. I was especially anxious to hold her knowing she wasn't feeling well, but waited until she finished napping. Things didn't get back to normal until this morning really. Victoria is thankfully feeling better, and we are all home together. Well, Adam is back to work, but he'll be home for dinner. We were suppose to have dinner with some friends, but the kids are both coughing, so were leaving that decision to them. I'd rather not pass on the cooties, but some people would rather have them and build up an immunity. ????
Anyways, during our relaxing weekend we drank, danced to burn off the alcohol, had a couples massage, and tried to detox by drinking lots of water, but went on a wine country tour, with stops at two wineries. We tasted some delicate and some bold wines, ate delicious breads with olive oil and cheese, and then at dinner we opened a bottle from one of the wineries. This weekend spent with friends was amazing! We had amazing bonding time alone and with our friends. Relationships grew in depth and were strengthened. We were in the end excited to get home to our children, after helping a friend move some stuff into storage. A friend we spent the weekend with asked as we were leaving, so what are you guys doing tonight? Until we reallized he was joking, we were up for anything. I didn't know at that point that my children weren't up to par, so I am glad he was joking, but if my kids wouldn't have been sick and he wouldn't have been joking I think we would have been up for spending time with any one or all of the couples we spent time with this weekend. We are truly honored to be considered their friends! Other than a little sea sickness amoungst the group it was an amazing trip and I hope next year will be just as amazing!

Whirling Days

2005-05-30T03:01:00.000-07:00

The last few days have whirled by. I can not believe it is only a few short days until our cruise. I am so excited! I have been to 2 BBQ's in the last few days, with a 3rd tomorrow. My brother and sister-in-law came in last night. We went to a lovely wedding today, and I finally watched the final episode, no not of Star Wars, but of this spring season of ER, which I thought was to be there last. We are saying goodbye to the last original doctor, Carter. I sometimes wonder why I am still watching ER, but then it comes on and I am drawn to the television like a little green bug drawn to the light. Tomorrow is suppose to be relaxed, but we'll see!

Winter weather in a Las Vegas Summer?

2005-05-25T11:51:00.000-07:00

Last night Victoria asked to play outside. (in the backyard of coarse) Sebastian was sleeping and I was emailing some old friends so I said go ahead. I went to check on her 3 minutes later and she was wearing her big fluffy winter coat. Now I know it cools down quite a bit when the sun goes down, but I can't even imagine how she would be dressed lets say in the middle of winter in Iceland. It was by the way 100 degrees during the day yesterday!

A beautiful WOMAN

2005-05-20T13:55:00.000-07:00

I went shopping the other day with some friends. We had a good time, or at least I did. I was lucky enough to find after a 6 year search a new swim suit that I never would have tried had a friend not put it in my hands. I had been wearing the same suit through both of my pregnancies, mind you I would not have changed shape much during the summers of my pregnancies because both of my babies were born in March, so do the math. However, nursing puts a whole new spin on the upper portion pressure exerted on the suit that I loved and would not replace until a suitable (ha, ha) match arrived. You know the best part is that this replacement suit that will sustain the violent waves that will sweep over my body as I swim the summer away, while my children are held buyoint by the floaties that transform their tiny little bodies into something you can see when they turn sideways. My suit has support like my childrens but in a whole different way. We found this suit at Ross so it was a bargain as well! However, this amazing find was not the highlight of our shopping adventure. One of my friends tried on an outfit that I couldn't have imagined her in before. It was like one of those make overs and boy was she made over. She always dresses nice and actually she had gone shopping days before on another outing and she wore a great outfit she found that day as well. I had no idea my friend had such a hot body. I hope she has the confidence to wear her new outfit that she did purchase! She looked so good! It is amazing what clothes can hide from the world both good and bad.

Can you call in sick on Mother's Day or ask for a do-0ver?

2005-05-13T01:45:00.000-07:00

Well, Mother's Day came and went the other day. It's funny I was talking to someone else who was a mother and said it's funny that sometimes when you're lucky enough to be celebrating Mother's Day with someone who has made all the difference in your life, it's easy to forget that you might be having an affect on some little lives of your own. I think most of Sunday I wasn't really in the I'm A Mother mode. It could be traced back to the lack of sleep the night prior since Sebastian and I were up cleaning up what was coming out of both of his ends. I prayed once during the night, that I would love to give up Mother's Day for the madness to stop! I pleaded with God, while my poor baby laid in my arms exhausted and miserable, not understanding why this was happening to him. The madness did calm down for the daytime, but he had to expell one more load later that day. We spent that day at home together, and it was lovely to be together! (even with the germs floating around) I think God gave me the gift of health for my son and myself. Adam caught the bug, but Victoria and I have still escaped it's greedy little clutches. Immunity:)

2005-05-04T10:44:00.000-07:00

Adam and I watched the movie What the Bleep Do We Know. Mind you I don't know much about physics, but it was really interesting and spurred on all kinds of other stuff. There was one mystic type lady in the movie that I thought was a bit freaky. It's funny though in our small gathering Sunday night someone posed the question, "Do you consider yourself a mystic?" You should look up the definition of a mystic and mysticism in the dictionary before you answer that question.
My journey lately has forced me to look deeper into what I believe and why. I was reading something lately, I can't remember what it was, but it was an interview where the interviewee was asked if he was a Christian to which he answered yes and then he was asked to defend Christianity. Then he responded, "I won't defend it because how can I defend something that has so many definitions to so many different people. I would be defending the wrongs that "Christianity" has done to so many people. He said he would love to talk about Jesus. The interviewer wanted to go to lunch afterwards and talk about Jesus. Now I remember, it was my paraphrasing an exerpt from a book someone was blogging about, thank you Andy! (the book is Blue Like Jazz by D. Miller) I would be interested in reading that book.
It's funny as well because Adam while in the office yesterday had a conversation with his Broker about the stuff we took from that movie. His broker has always been a mystery. Adam told me he began to understand his broker yesterday who would basically roll his eyes when someone gave him a Bible verse. However, the why of it surfaced yesterday. Why let the verse come out of your mouth if it doesn't pour out of your heart. If you're not living it don't try and push it on other people. My prayer is that God consumes the me that tries to be a "good Christian" and that God would simply pour out of me and love others, without judging.
His broker brought up an excellent analogy. He said Western organized religion consists of a bunch of people running a race that keep looking over their shoulder to see who's lagging behind or falling down. I want to keep my eyes fixed on Jesus, the author and finisher of my faith. It doesn't matter what the guy next to me is doing, unless he's asking me for a hand to help him get up when he's fallen. Even when helping it's hard sometimes to not look down on people and wonder why did they fall, how? Really it doesn't matter though does it, the why and how of where someone is at. Really it only matters where they're going. I want myself to learn from where I've been and move on.
I truly have one of the best support systems that a person could possibly have. I am so thankful. A friend had mentioned their love and appreciation for someone whom did not hestitate to ask for help and upon whom they could depend on to come to the rescue even when they didn't know they needed rescuing. If that isn't the definition of a true friend I don't know what is.

Victoria and Sebastian, an awe and a haha

2005-05-03T00:54:00.000-07:00

While we were home, my dad asked Victoria the one morning, "Are you Grandpa's pretty girl?" to which Victoria responed, "I'm pretty on the inside and that's what matters." My dad told me this a few days after the fact and I had to ask did she really say that. I guess the important stuff you want them to remember really sticks :)
Sebastian told me tonight that he was coloring a happy birthday for Sam's Club (that's Santa) He use to ask if Sam's Club was going to bring any presents. Can you tell where we spend a lot of our time?
While we were home Sebastian would ask can I go outside and play with my friends? (which were actually his aunts and uncles) Oh the freedom of being on 8 acres in the middle of DNR ( Wisconsin's BLM) land. After a few days he was still asking if he could go outside, but he would explore on his own and seemed so in his element. He didn't even care if it was cold. On the days he should have been wearing gloves, they didn't last long. He wanted to touch and feel the soil, the only place they have dirt like we have here is in the sand box. The kids helped my 8 year old sister turn soil for her own little garden, bordered by rocks, next to my mothers.
While doing the wash down in the basement, my mom heard a little voice yell down, I love you grandma! -Sebastian
Victoria loved holding her twin, year old cousins. She didn't fair as well on the colder days, but still made a valiant effort to brave the elements to get in some quality trampoline time. She was so loving and made my aunt who doesn't have children yet really feel that love and warmth she had to give.
I am so blessed to have such an awesome family in so many different ways, my nuclear family, my extended family, my super huge family in Vegas. As much as I would love to live in Wisconsin, I know I would long for Vegas if I left. However, it sure is nice to see family and enjoy the change of scenery.

I'm Back

2005-05-03T00:40:00.000-07:00

I have been back for a few days now and life is getting back to well, normal? I went home to Wisconsin for a few days, which my mother reminds me regularly, is one of the best paying states in the education field. I just learned this trip though that teachers recieve life long health insurance after retirement. Yah, the taxes are quite a bit higher there, but if I could just finish my dog-gone education I could be taking advantage of that perk some day. Anyways, while home we threw my mom an awesome suprize 50th birthday party. She had no idea, and what made the day even better was when my dad got down on one knee and asked my mom to marry him again. They are almost 32 years married and going strong. Yah, they've had their ups and downs, but they fight for what they have. I was just thinking, I have never seen a battle scene in a movie where comrads did not come out closer afterward and usually even the arch enemies learned a respect for their opponent. So, I am going to remember that. Adam and I are approaching our 7th year. We were married on my parents 25th anniversary, what a legacy my parents are living! Although Adam and I worked out most of our trials before we tied the knot, we might still have some bumps along the way. We have been smooth sailing thus far:) I am so thankful for an awesome partener. He was so different from anyone I dated and I am so glad, because we are so good together and so meant to be. I can't wait and yet I can wait until we've been married for 32+ years. I want to enjoy every minute of the days I am living now and then. Maybe some day our two beautiful children will be writing about the legacy we have lived for them, hopefully.

Early mornings

2005-04-18T08:39:00.000-07:00

I was amazingly up at 6 this morning. It is now 8:30 and my children are still asleep. I cleaned up the kitchen from our dinner guests last night, called home, and checked my email. I also did the abs portion of Pilates. I am not sure if I will run today, because during my run last night I turned my ankle pretty bad and it is a bit sore. Besides I am cleaning and if I don't get enough of a workout out of that I can either do the rest of my Pilates (Legs and Buttocks) or I can change my mind and run tonight. It is amazing what one can accomplish by simply getting an early start. I feel so accomplished and I still have an hour or two before I would normally be getting out of bed. I think I am going to go make some cinnamon rolls I have wanted to try for some time and then I think I'll read until the kids get up. I hope everyones day will be as productive as mine probably will be.

Michelle the Rock Star, well...

2005-04-17T02:02:00.000-07:00

Last week I put my entire family to sleep playing the flute. I "played" and I use the term played loosely the flute from the 6th grade until I graduated from high school. I never really tried very hard. I remember practicing only to pass off my music so I didn't get a grade lower than a "B." I never learned a love for the instrument. I was the last chair, which was reserved for the least proficient or suckiest instrument player in each section. I missed the audition my sophomore year transfering in from another school. My Junior and Senior year I wouldn't audition so as not to embarrass myself by being placed in the last seat anyway. By not auditioning I was in control. I placed myself in the bottom rung. I use to fall asleep in band with trumpets sounding and drums thundering. I had mastered holding my flute up while snoozing. I actually use to fall asleep on the top riser in choir as well. Oh yah, I use to fall asleep in psychology and well anything I had to sit still in, which is pretty much everything except gym. I never use to get enough sleep. I actually fell asleep on my way home from mine and Adam's first date and ran into one of those 3 foot high cement dividers. I also fell asleep behind the wheel after a 16 hour shift at the plastic factory, and totalled a priest's car on his way to a Christmas program only 1.2 miles from my house. Maybe it was my sleep deprivation that kept me in the "glass is half-full" mood, but without the confidence to really achieve anything more than mediocrity. I am glad that I played the flute for 7 years. I was able to use it in real life. Although I wasn't "playing" to earn a living in an orchestra or as a solo artist in front of large crowds like some of the kids I was in band aspired to, I played a small venue (a bottom bunk) that was sold out (an adult and two kids) and they were so relaxed that they fell into a deep slumber. I was asked for an encore when I stopped and one of them awoke. Who knew having songs like Twinkle Twinkle, Row Row Your Boat, and Go Tell Aunt Rodie would be such a big hit. (I couldn't find any of my old music) I was also asked back for a repeat performance! :)

The weekend is over?

2005-03-28T01:42:00.000-08:00

O.k. so I didn't have any crazy weekend, but non the less I can't believe it's over. I drove past a friend instead of stopping to say hello. She was walking, but I could've at least have yelled out the window. I thought as I drove by: I am only stopping at Walgreens for a few bags of plastic eggs (of which there were only 2,) and then grabbing Sebastian's belt so his pants can stop falling down, because his butt is so darn cute and tiny like his daddy's, and picking up Adam's phone, which I am glad and sad I grabbed. O.k. I know that was a major run-on sentence, but I wanted to blog and get to bed so I can get up super early (yes, super early for me is like 7:30.) By the time I headed back to the house I origianlly left to make my few "quick" stops my friend had walked down the street and around the corner out of site. Yes, I know where my friend lives, but I figure she was probably home getting in the shower. I wish I had simply yelled out my window. I know that she was basically alone for Easter and I wanted to invite her to spend Easter with my friends and I. I hope she had a nice Easter. It looked like she was enjoying her walk. Maybe I'll call her this week and ask her if she'd like to go for a walk with me. Oh, Easter was great! We spent it with lots of friends, and Adam got to talk to his sister about some pretty serious stuff (posative to me having picked up his phone.) However, he then missed out on a lot of the hanging out with our friends and his wife and kids (the negative.) I am so thankful for my husband. He has really been trying to get his priorities in line. Sometimes life just carries you away and you don't even reallize until you've been smashed up against a wall and you're sliding back down to the ground as a flattend version of yourself. He didn't get completely flattened, but he has been being sent little wake up calls for quite sometime now and I am glad he is deciding to pick up on them! I only hope that I can be the best wife I can be and an awesome mom as well to keep the stress level down. Adam gets stressed by me being stressed more than anything else, so maybe that's my wake up call as well :)

2005-03-08T03:12:00.000-08:00

Hey, never try and outrun the cops. I use to watch cops when I was a kid, when we moved away from the desert, and it used to always seem to be about Vegas. Those Vegas cops were good. I'm sure that like cheese and fine wine, they have only gotten better with time. There sure seem to be a whole lot more of them than there use to be when I was a kid, and I lived in north town, for 4 years in front of a drug house. O.k. so it might not have been a drug house the entire 4 years, but I remember cops sitting in front of our house in an unmarked car watching the house across the street. Maybe, just maybe they were watching our house wondering what looney people lived inside and what kind of drugs we were cooking up that my parents were neither Catholic nor Latter Day saints,(they weren't widely known as mormons when I was a kid) in their early thirties, with 7 kids and only one income, eating government cheese, (which rocks!) living across the street from a drug house. I use to love that one commercial, "You can't get down, if you can't hear the sound!" I think that is the only time as a kid that I wished that I danced.(it was looked down upon by the religion I practiced as a child. I am glad I decided that not-dancing was not for me. I might be a funky white girl, but I sure do have fun trying to cut a rug, even if I do it more Amelia Bedelia style than lets say James Brown or his less criminal prototype Usher, (that boy can dance!) My daughter might have more of a chance than I did starting at an earlier age, and she wants to go to public school, maybe she'll learn some skills there. Hey, I attended public school in the 4th grade and they taught us to square dance. (that was 20 years ago, and being they were a little behind the times, maybe now they teach break dancing) I hope I make the right decision in either letting Victoria chose public school or deciding for her that she'll be home schooled. Where is Amy with Mliza, who my daughter thinks is so cool, and who also homeschools. I love all of our friends, their kids, and their choices to send their kids to public schools, but Adam was set on our homeschooling, and I was undecided, until a week ago, but now I am undecided again because she wants to be like all her friends and go to public school. She would also like to meet lots of new friends. How can I deny her hearts desire? Well, not today I couldn't it was her birthday, but it's over now HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, (that was an evil laugh, which doesn't translate without me writing, that was an evil laugh.)

What kind of person are you?

2005-03-07T18:15:00.000-08:00

Are you the type of person that when your not quite yet three year old son empties the dishwasher for the very first time (and without being prompted in the least):
a) watches with pride
b) stops him, upset about the once clean, now dirty dishes underneath
c) catch a glimpse, but don't really care

Now after that, do you:
a) leave the dirty dishes in the drawer, with the "really" clean ones
b) clean all the dishes now
c) remove the ones that look dirty and leave the ones that look clean

I will admit that all of these scenarios played out in my brain today, and I almost struggled between two of them. Sebastian also took the garbage out and pulled a chair up to the sink to get what I thought was a glass of drinking water. However, upon further investigation I learned that he planned to water the plants. Did I stop him? No, I didn't stop him. So what if a few of my plants (if they even do) turn a little yellow from too much water. The kids are getting so big! Victoria turned 5 today. I can't believe my baby girl is now a 5 year old. She was so into her birthday this year. It was all about the My Little Pony theme. She is having a sleep over, if any of her friends make it for the sleep over part. I have faith in a little girl named, Tori, that made teaching the k-2 kids last Sunday at J-force vacation Bible school so fun. I hope that Tori will breathe courage into the other girls. I think only one is going home for sure at 8 p.m. I am excited to be on the other end (parenting/crowd control) of a slumber party. Victoria has been talking about a ladies night for little girls since October? when we had a sleep over ladies night. We have a plan for Victoria's night, but we are flexible. I will have to blog afterwards. I hope they have a lot of fun and that there will be at least 2 or 3 over nighters.

It's Been A Long Time

2005-03-05T16:34:00.000-08:00

Well, it has been a long time since I was able to blog. Our computer had an unfortunate fate with a fist and a floor. However, after many suggestions made by many different friends and asssociates to purchase a Dell computer, we left Best Buy last night with this Sony. However, I am confident that it was a wise purchase, and if not then Best Buy will be getting to know my husband and I well. My husband, Adam, is very passionate about properly functioning equipment. He does not appreciate his business being jeopardized by garbage equipment. I know that in the past my kin and I have had friendly, helpful service at Best Buy, so when the sales associate asked us if we wanted the extended warranty and Adam turned to me to ask me IF we needed it, I had a brief flashback to 3 weeks ago when our computer malfunctioined and then my husband malfunctioned. I gave my husband a solid YES, we need any extra help we can get! My only complaint is that the purchase price was a said $250 less after a store mail-in rebate, which is not my complaint. However, I think they only give you a store price with a mail in rebate so that they can charge you the higher extented warranty price. The price of the computer less the rebate would have put us into the lower priced warranty bracket, but hey what's $50, it would only pay for more than half of my food for my entire family for a week or fill the tank in the car with gas twice. I did learn something that I wish I had learned before Adam had a computer demolition, in our bedroom one gloomy, muggy, wet evening three weeks ago. There are two extremely useful tools that I never knew about. First, if your computer is a laptop, whose battery gets hot, which they all do there is a chill pad, available for $30-$50, it keeps your battery from overheating. Secondly, we were informed by Laura our friendly Best Buy associate that there is a little thing you plug into one of your ports? that will act in the place of up to 300 floppies, for storing your info. If we had owned these two amazing tools we would still have our crappy Toshiba notebook that lasted only one year, and we would have all of my husbands files backed up on that little thing-a-ma-jig that wouldn't take up the precious room in our home that we already don't have to offer 300 floppies. I am just happy to have a computer again and be able to blog, thank you God for a quieter fan and motor? whatever it is that made so much noise in the toshiba is silent in the Sony and the fan in the chill pad is audible, but still much quieter than the Toshiba. What this amounts to is that the only thing that will bother my husband's sleep while I blog now, in the middle of the night when the kids aren't hollering like Tarzan and Jane in the backyard like they are currently is the sound of my 30-40 wpm typing fingers. Maybe I should revisit my keyboarding skills program, so I will finish blogs such as this one more efficiently.

My son the hero

2005-01-15T15:22:00.000-08:00

Victoria just ran into my room and told me that she was really scared and that there was a spider, but Sebastian killed it for her. I asked Victoria, while Sebastian proudly walked through the door with a big grin on his face, "Sebastian is your hero?" Sebastian said, "I a super hero." Then,Victoria, sang his praises, "I think he knows how to hunt now, he got a rock and killed the spider and an ant. I was really scared and he wasn't scared at all." Now some might say, that poor spider and the innocent little ant, but if they had to sacrifice their lives to breathe destiny as a hero into my son, then there was honor in their death. My son saved his sister in her time of peril. I was proud and I know that it only binds them more closely together as brother and sister. It's funny how the brother is the protector even when he is often younger. I am the oldest of ten, but when I was in need of some protection or dating a new guy that my brothers thought I needed protection from they were right there on guard. Having a sister is like advanced, early training for being a husband, and I personally think it takes a little weight off dad, when he has sons to stand guard along side him.