all in His design

He Breathes

2010-11-07T00:55:00.023-05:00

Where has the last year gone? Definitely, NOT on my blog! There's so much I've wanted to blog about and yet, I haven't been here. I'm okay with that, but I miss it. Miss having a place to come and journal about random, but great things.

There's been so much going on this year and of all the times in my life to quit blogging for a while, now wasn't the best time. I've missed documenting and journaling some of Aleeyah's biggest accomplishments and new adventures. Things we've done as a family. Thoughts on life. There's so much I'd like to tell you about my time of absence and maybe throughout the months, I'll get there. But, for now, I make no promises.

I've missed lots of things. But then again, I needed the quietness. I've needed the break from my fingers hitting the keys and working through my emotions on a 13inch screen. I've needed to laugh and cry with my family. I've needed to hit the trails for some alone time. I've needed to be on my knees talking and pouring out. Then listening to God in the quiet moments of life.

People often talk about the wind being knocked out of their sails and now that I look back to these last several months, I realize just how still the air got in my life. In all the chaos going around me and my family, I did the only thing I could control and I shut down and clung to my family. Not because I was afraid they wouldn't be here tomorrow, but afraid of the attacks Satan was releasing around us. So I refused to be blown. I refused to rock. My boat was docked and anchored with no scheduled time to return to sea.

It wasn't until 3 days ago around 4:30pm when I felt a gust. A hard gust. I had just woke up from an after school nap with the girl and I felt determined. Determined to bring up the anchor, set sail, and allow God to guide me through the storms and the winds. Determined to say yes, to the uncertainties and yes, to faith.

So, I set off with the same sails that have become tattered along they way, but this time, with renewed strength.

With HIS strength and wind, I sail.

And in the breath of God, I listen.

But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!“ Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

*pictures taken on our Alaskan cruise last year*

My Little Ballerina and her 1 minute bun

2010-09-15T17:47:00.012-05:00

Yeah, I've been gone and the first post in a long time is being typed because I'm super stoked about is something I paid $6 for today that I LOVE and couldn't resist sharing!

First of all, if you are a regular here, of all things you could probably remember about my girl is she has A LOT of hair...

No? ;)

It was one of my first thought of obstacles when we decided to enroll her in dance classes and the instructor said she has great dance hair! How in the world would I manage to get that hair up in a bun that will actually stay up?? So my first dance mom worry kicked in!

She is taking combo class of ballet and tap. She was SO excited and ready to begin! Her first class was last week and all the way up until the day, she begged me to let her wear her leotard, tights, and shoes. So once the day finally came, she could hardly stand the excitement! Of course, it was my job to try to get her hair up in a bun. I had already stocked up on bobbie pins so I was prepared...or so I thought! We finally got it up with a lot of frustration and I just crossed my fingers that it would stay up at least until I picked her back up from her lessons. With more than a dozen bobbie pins, lesson one was a SUCCESS!

I was able to watch her a little bit through a one way mirror right outside the studio. Lots of tears filled my eyes watching her-thinking about how she's grown up into such a little lady, how adorable she looked, and how I managed to make a ballerina bun to go with my ballerina princess-never mind the fact that it resembled somewhat of a beehive! Okay, totally kidding on that last one, but none-the-less, she was BEAUTIFUL and doing a splendid job pointing and tapping her once teensy toes!

After dance, we rushed home to get changed, eat lunch, and then head to school. Because I didn't have time to re-fix her hair, we tested our luck by going to school with the bun. I wasn't too surprised that her hair resembled something that...well, just didn't look natural when I picked her up after school. It reminded me a bit of some of the things we did to our hair in the 80s. I was hopeful that it just met it's demise minutes before school was out while out for recess. Hopeful, but unknown and I was okay with not knowing.

Week 2's bun look much better today when we walked out the door, but after having to tweek it a couple of times before class, it ended up falling about halfway through class. Her instructor pulled it back up for her and I was SHOCKED that it actually make it all the way through school today! When I asked her instructor about how she did it and told her my struggles, she assured me that it does take some practice. Her daughter's hair was very similar to Aleeyah's in length and thickness and she suggested that I try getting the larger bobbie pins-that they hold much better.

After I dropped off Aleeyah, I went to Target to get a few things and to see if I could find the larger bobbie pins. I ended up picking up Goody's Bobbie Slides-thinking that was probably what she was talking about.

I also found some of these...

Goody Simple Styles Spin Pin

Let me tell you, I was SKEPTICAL! So skeptical that I neatly undid all the packaging for the high chance that they weren't going to be worth having around. They are as simple as they look. Like 2 pieces of wire twisted to create a corkscrew type of ma-gig.

Not sure of how they were going to help me in my ballerina bun endeavor, I gave them a go on the girl after school. I twisted her hair around her ponytail until I had a bun. Then I used one Spin Pin and twisted it clockwise into the top of the bun and then used the other on the bottom end of the bun. I held my hand on the bun cautiously and to my amazement, IT STAYED!! And feels secure! At this moment, I think I could hug me some Goody inventors. Seriously.

I'm not sure how these 2 little guys work, but I don't really care at this point. They just do! This was a quick up-do. Took me all of 1 minute. I think before next week's lessons, I may take 2 minutes to make it look top notch though. I was a bit concerned if they would be hard to take out afterwards. So many products end up knotting up her hair in the process of getting them out. But I was delighted that they were very simple to take out-just took turning them counter clockwise until they unscrewed out.

The plan is to take most of the other larger pins back since I won't be needing them and get a few extra Spin Pins for Aleeyah's dance bag!

I'm excited to see what other exciting adventures come from this season of dance! I mean how much more exciting can it get than hair pins...?!? ;)

Stressed?

2010-07-28T12:32:00.007-05:00

When my jalapeno plants first started sprouting their fiery goodness, I panicked a little not knowing when to harvest them. Unfortunately, when looking online, there was lots of information that would help you with guess-ta-mates. I'm not a guess-ta-mate kind of gall. When tomatoes and strawberries turn red, it's time to harvest them. Jalapenos can turn red, but you want to pick them (for most recipes) before they turn red. So how do you know?

Well, the best information and guideline I could find online is to pick them when they have stress stripes or "corking". What is that, you say? Basically, when the pepper's skin looks like it has stretched out so much that it's causing it to have white stretch marks. It's actually an indicator that it is under stress and the more under stress your jalapeno is, the hotter it will get.

(Maybe I can call those stripes on my belly, corking. Doesn't that sound better than saying that my belly, like many others, wasn't quite ready for the ginormosity that it faced when growing a person inside of it?!)

Aleeyah pointed out this afternoon that we had a red jalapeno. Immediately, I knew I hadn't been paying as much attention to harvesting them if I hadn't even noticed one was red. I have to admit, with red being my favorite color, I really like looking at a red pepper over a green one, BUT I need them to be green for most of the dishes I like to make. I checked out the other guys growing and found 3 other ones stressed out, but still green.

While thinking about what we want to make with our newly harvested, stress-stripped peppers, I couldn't help but to think of the stress that the last 2 weeks has brought. On top of the normal everyday life stressors of having a family, finances, etc., we've been dealing with a lot of other emotions, decisions, and worry. My stomach has been in what seems like a constant state of knots. Partly because of some of my own health and emotional issues I'm dealing with, but lots to do with some things we can't "fix". Things that aren't our burden to carry, but because of love, we tend to want pick it up and make things right. Unfortunately, we can't. It's not our decisions. It's not our baggage. It just simply isn't ours to be the keepers of. Through our love, we can give support and encouragement, but somewhere, despite all our emotions, we have to step back and fully understand what this means for us. It's easy to step in and try to be the super hero, but is this what God wants for our lives? Does he want us to have relationships based on unhealthy practices? Doesn't HE want to be our super hero?

There has been times in these last couple of weeks that I've felt like that red pepper. The stress gets to me. It shows in my life and I start getting hotter and hotter until I just get emotionally red. I get angry that satan is attacking. I get angry that it's affecting my family. I get angry for getting angry.

I've used the people closest to me, to let things out and try to feel better, but yet, I find myself not asking God enough for the strength, patience, and wisdom that this time of our life is requiring. I've spent hours after hours on the phone trying to figure things out, but how many hours have I spent in solitude and prayer asking God to help me understand what my role is in His plan for my life and the lives of those that I love?

If I get honest, not enough.

I'm thankful those friends and family that are always there for to give me their support and love. I'm thankful that God has given me those people to get through the rough spots. But I also understand He needs to be my keeper. The one that waters and nurtures me. He never lets me grow and change without watching over me. He sees the stress stripes before they ever show. And HE wants to be the one to harvest my concerns and give them purpose in my life.

You'll find me here

2010-07-23T10:23:00.015-05:00

One place that I've really grown to love is my balcony. We get the morning sun and then during the heat of the day, it's shaded. Unfortunately, the shade doesn't combat the high humidity we've been having lately. We have decided to lease another year in our apartment instead of buying a house. It was a hard decision as it changes other plans, but we want to make sure we are making the best decisions and not making them based on our emotions.

So our balcony gives us a slice of owning a home again. It gives us a place to relax and sip our coffee in the mornings.

A place to watch the clouds change and sometimes form creatures in the sky.

We enjoy the birds and learn all about them.

We draw

and play with bubbles

and unfortunately, sometimes dirt fights happen when mom looks away for a few minutes

It's a place that reminds me of simpler times. Like sitting on the back porch of our house growing up and snapping green beans with my mom while she had her morning coffee or having long deep conversations with my dad late into the nights. Even then, I often thought about my grandparents and great grandparents sitting on their porches. I wondered what they talked about. I wondered if they thought about their crops or admired their gardens.

I didn't necessarily get really into my garden dreams at our house in Oklahoma. Now don't get me wrong, I HAD dreams for it and some came to reality. It was like a long and narrow blank slate.

But it seems like anywhere you try to do anything nice, the bermuda grass is there to wreak havoc. That's the case on those stepping stones we put in. I wish I had a picture pre-bermuda. When they say that the black tarp like stuff keeps grass from growing in your landscaping, they lie. I seriously loathe bermuda grass. I'd gladly take a thousand weeds over a grass that grows it's deep spidery roots into the clay ground and spreads like a wild fire. If you are one of my readers from a place where bermuda grass doesn't grow, praise Jesus. He is saving your fingers from the blisters you would have got if you tried to keep your gardens grass free. Blisters, yes! AND if you even try to wear gloves, it is almost impossible to find their very long, skinny shoots that hide under the ground just waiting for you to turn your head so they can sprout upwards and out.

Bermuda grass was all that I had ever known until I moved to Kansas. I've got quite use to our fescue up here. It's soft on your toes

and when you mow it, it makes those diamond shapes that remind me of a great argyle sweater like this

Not like this

Poor pup! Not everyone can rock a pink argyle sweater and I'm not sure that anyone could rock that one!

Here's a few things that are growing around our outdoor space!

I love that we have a place to grow some veggies and fruits without taking away from it's coziness. Another place to watch the world go by without feeling the need to jump in. So anytime you would like a place to relax and enjoy your morning coffee, we'll be here waiting for you!

Thankfully, a Short Journey

2010-07-12T22:18:00.008-05:00

Thank you all for the love and support that I recieved through comments, emails, FB messages! I'm glad to be back as it seems my brain never shut down when thinking about how I would break things down on my blog. It's a disease. Really.

I have so much to talk about. So many things I want to share. Way too much of a headache at the moment to put pics together to make it so! Therefore, I thought that would bring us into a little journey I had while I was gone.

So let's start here...

Any guesses?

David and Goliath? Small little bouncing sing-a-long ball vs. a piano? How about the Princess and the Pea's mattress and pea? Ohhh, getting closer!

The small red ball on the left would be the approximate size of something I felt in my left breast. It's about the size of a green pea--just slightly larger. The right side would be the ACTUAL size of the tumor that was removed from my breast last month.

Yes, it's a polymer clay replica. No, I didn't bake it to make it a permanent replica. :)

I discovered it one night while Chris was out of town after I was trying to pinpoint some pain that I was having. I regularly do self breast exams. It's not something I really take lightly having 3 grandmother's with breast cancer. I hate to admit that I totally lost it at 12 in the morning after feeling something noticeably different. The tears were uncontrollable and I can't remember the last time I felt that devastated because I really didn't know what other non-tumor options it could be.

I first called Chris, but he didn't answer. Then I called my sister-in-law because in all the panic I forgot that she was celebrating a big occasion. She had a good reason for not answering as she was busy playing Mario Wii on her anniversary. ;) Chris called back in the mean time and we both sat quietly on the phone together. Me sobbing. Chris not knowing what to say. Chris suggested I call and wake up his mom and because she non-officially has MD after her name, I decided it would be a good idea. I called, woke her up, and completely forgot to start off the conversation with "everybody is okay" before I attempted to get the words out of my mouth. Because I totally wasn't okay. But after a bit of chatting and googling, we got off the phone and I felt a little bit more at ease that it could be and probably was just cyst.

The next few weeks consisted of doctor's appointments, a mammogram, an ultrasound, and blood work. The mammogram and ultrasound showed nothing there and the imaging center proceeded to tell me that there is nothing to be concerned about and to call and let my doctor know if anything changes. My doctor being an advocate for great breast health had already told me that it didn't matter what they said and that I would be taking my scans to a breast surgeon for his opinion. I'm glad that I listened. Because of my "high density breast tissue" (aka my super breasts!! dahh da da dahhh!) the lump wasn't showing up on the scans. Which wasn't too surprising because it was the size of a pea...or so I thought. The surgeon agreed that nothing was showing on my scans, but was able to feel it right off the bat and said that there was something there. He then informed me that it definitely wasn't a cyst which meant that it was a tumor. He said given my family history, he felt it was in my best interest to remove it and then do the biopsy. Either way, benign or malignant, it was coming out.

They scheduled me for my surgery and then it was time to wait some more. Finally, the date and several in family arrived. Of course, I didn't have a general anesthesia with my c-section so that was a new experience and very nice to not remember anything happening. I spent the next week entertaining my family with the side effects of the heavy drugs I was on. They thought it was all funny and I really didn't care! I had a 2 inch incision on the outer part of my left breast. We joked about the big incision for such a small lump. Little did we know how big it was until I got my pathology report back. It was 2 inches x 1 1/2 inches x 1 inch tumor. Which doesn't seem HUGE until you think of where it was. And it was BENIGN! Which is all good news there!

Tears were common during those weeks and moments of panic were certainly present, but I'm thankful for the time I really got to spend in prayer and coming to understand peace in a different way while waiting. Healing is going great and I don't think that my scar will be too gnarly. He says my left breast may appear to be smaller than my right now, but I haven't really checked. I guess it's not that important to me. My doctor suggested that I get genetic testing done and I have yet to decide if I'm going to go through with it. I'm not sure if it is worth knowing even if "knowledge is power" or if there is really anything I could do differently to further prevent it from happening if my genetics told me something important.

So do your self exams ladies! It's important no matter what age you are. Did you know that younger women are more likely to have more aggressive cancers than older women? Consider that and the fact that it's not uncommon for us younger ladies to have high-density breast tissue which makes it really hard to see a lump on a mammogram. Our detection is knowing our breasts and checking them periodically to feel for changes.

One last tit-bit (okay, sorry had to! even though I HATE that word!)--Did you know that once you are able to feel a tumor in your breast it has most likely been growing inside of you for 6-8 years prior? I never would have thought!

(should I admit that I really wanted to title this post "Breasts, Balls, and Mattresses" or "A Tale of Two Breasts" even though it was really only one? Yeah, probably not!)

Me and My .com

2010-07-09T01:48:00.010-05:00

I’ve kept journals before here and there since I was a kid. I remember my first one. You know, the ones where it always starts out, “Dear Diary,” which is promptly followed by some boy you're were crushing on saga. I found my journal the other day in a box. It's pink with gold lettering and a small, easy to bust into lock. I had been going through some old stuff and had some great laughs between the diary and old letters Chris and I wrote to each other before we got married while he lived out of state for college. Ohhh, the memories!

There was a time that keeping a journal really helped me be a become a person. I was battling depression and nothing was getting me out of the funk I was in. I forced myself to write 3 positive things before I could rant and it really changed the way I viewed things. I was amazed at how things got better over a relatively short amount of time. To this day, I still am so thankful for that turned over leaf that I so desperately needed.

There are only a few people in my life that know about one of the journals that I keep now. I don’t write in it as often as I’d like nor have I been able to get to all the things I have really wanted to write about. This journal is not for me though. It is for Aleeyah. I love everything about it. Its cream colored pages with irregular edges. Its fresh leather smell. The small leather straps that wrap around and hold it closed. Its meaning. I started it in February 2009 and I write about everything under the sun. Things like her favorite foods, words she says, people she knows and the great qualities about them, family who she never had the chance to meet, our adventures we go on, the quiet moments, the hard but rewarding moments, and more than anything-how she has changed mine and her dad’s lives. It features an ongoing section of “100 Reasons Why I Love You”, drawings created by her, doodling done by me, and even the outline of my hand with an outline of hers inside. Thoughtful quotes and great scripture. It’s all there and I look forward to giving it to her someday when she's older.

Blogging is also a sort of journal to me. An enhanced version, if you will. With pictures, videos and a LOT of words. I know one day we can look back and recount our time together and it gives me a place to talk about other positive things in my life. I choose not to talk about some of the hardest times I’ve faced. Some accuse bloggers of only writing about the good moments while pretending that we don’t have our own sets of problems. While I agree that this can sometimes cause us to envy their lives, we have to remember that they just choose to not write about those things publicly as to not hurt people or as a dear friend said, they choose to not give them value or worth by writing them down. I’ve been accused of this myself. I’ve been accused of not showing the “real” me. That I’ve put on my new set of perfect clothes and am hiding the dingy ones underneath.

I feel it’s an unfair accusation. I’ve had many blog entries about the weaknesses that I have. I’ve spent many talking about the areas that I feel I’m not compassionate enough about. How I feel that I’m not doing enough to give to others. In the light of all of it, I know those accusations are just one bit of the huge, negative puzzle that was laid out in a public place about me and the many others that care about this person. So many lies and twisted facts. So many people believing the lies and joining in on the mocking and judging. While I don’t want to admit that this person got to me like they did, it is my reason for my absence. There is only so much you can read about yourself through the eyes of such negativity before you have to step away. This person doesn’t know me any more and with all that was said, I question whether or not they ever really knew me.

It’s been hard to stay focused here and for that, I had decided to take some time away. It wasn’t really intentional-like I woke up that next morning and said I wouldn’t be blogging. I just woke up and found it hard to pick up the computer and not think of the things written about me and my family. When I sat down to write an email, I found it really painful because my mind would be flooded with the lies. When I began to blog, the feelings of fear of how it could be twisted was enough to make me never want to blog again. I began feeling like this small white box with its shinny apple on the top was the enemy and I took a bite out of it and was feeling its poison. I’ve never used this place to try and intentionally hurt someone and yet, someone has used it against me and to hurt me. So I began asking God to take my time away from here so that I could focus on Him, my family, and myself. That was hard. I feel like I let a lot of people down. I feel like I broke close bonds. He gave me some peace about it when I began seeing that He was giving me the space I needed. Then I asked him to take away the pain I was feeling about this little, white box. A box with so many opportunities.

I’m beginning to feel more comfortable being on here again and widdling through my inbox. I’ve met so many amazing people during my blogging journey and I miss them! Each one has helped me understand a different part of myself and a different part of being in a community. We may not always agree and we may not always feel the most intrigued by a post, but we enjoy coming together and being a part of each others outings through pictures, fun moments through tagging, and even more so, the deep heart felt emotions written in often long, long posts that we read to the very end. Every word. Every emotion. We try our hardest to understand the depth of each word and we cry together. We laugh together. We pray together. We meet people we’ve never met and give them the open book and open heart policy.

I hope that I’ve always offered that kind of love to each person that He has sent to cross my path. Sharing my victories and defeats in life. My moments of great strength and my moments of great weakness. I believe with all that I have that God won’t let our stories be wasted and unused if we allow Him to do what He needs to do and I don’t intend on letting satan have my story. This is a place for me to journal my story-the good, the bad, and all in between. I’m not perfect and I make mistakes..often (and we aren’t just talking grammatically). I’m not always there when I need to be and I’m horrible about following through with things at times. But I hope that I’ve used my space here to encourage and inspire others, bring smiles to some faces, and be a friend to anyone that needed one. Yes, your life would go on whether I'm here or not, but I pray that God has used me to enrich it in whatever way He has equipped me.

I’m sorry for not being there to read every word you’ve written lately.
I’m sorry for allowing my fear and hurt to keep me away.
I’m sorry for all the missed opportunities.
I’m sorry for letting satan ring the victory bell.

Though in my heart, I know God is ringing His right now.

Because another humility lesson has been learned.
Another page scribbled in my book.

And I stand in awe of God and his healing power
--even in my little space of .com.

(now lets see if this PUBLISH POST button still works!)

The Countdown

2010-03-05T14:35:00.003-06:00

Mimi and Papa are coming to town soon! We enjoy it when they come, but one particular little girl gets REALLY excited when they come to visit. I'm so thankful that they do everything that they can to be a part of our lives and especially their granddaughters. No amount of miles in between could stop them!

Snow, Snow Go Away

2010-03-05T14:09:00.003-06:00

We are finally seeing the last bit of this snow melting today! It will be the first time we've seen the ground without snow on it since the middle of December. We are all SO ready for some nice Spring weather!

(photos taken on February 5th)

3 Words Worth a Million

2010-02-24T15:01:00.010-06:00

I was working on cleaning up Aleeyah's craft stuff while she took a nap. I've found that this is the best time to do this. If I attempt to do it while she is awake, she is SO insistent that we keep EVERY piece of artwork. She loves to draw and write lately. So you can probably imagine how much artwork we have around here.

I've limited myself to keeping only the items that I can fit in one plastic storage container-per year. We keep her boxes at the top of her closet. Each box holds special papers, her birthday invitation that year, cards she received, a special outfit or two, and anything else deemed box worthy! It helps me from holding onto too many things.

While cleaning up her stuff, I came across a picture that made my heart melt.

It immediately brought tears to my eyes when I saw the creation she made all on her own. My little 4 1/2 year old, attempting to write a {very (:} small sentence about loving her mommy, (not sure why she didn't get her name right this time), a picture of the two of us, and her "Jesus stickers" in hearts!

It made me want to go wake her up and kiss all over her, but instead, I think I'll see what other treasures I can find in her artwork stash!

More Snow Fun!

2010-01-29T16:09:00.011-06:00

More snow starting falling on us this morning. We got a light dusting compared to our Southern neighbors. It reminded me that I still hadn't sat down to post the pictures of our snow storm that hit before Christmas (along with many other events yet to be posted-bad blogger-I KNOW!). We still have some remaining clumps of snow here and there from that snow storm. It turned out to be quite the mess, but on one very cold day, we got out of the house and played. Unfortunately, it didn't take long for our cheeks to get too red and our fingers and toes to get too numb.

Aleeyah LOVES the snow. We struggle with getting her to understand that just because it's snowing doesn't mean it's Christmas again and "Ho, Ho" isn't coming again until next year! She enjoyed throwing snowballs at us

and always takes the opportunity to ride on her sled!

Chris even decided he would get on for a short ride

This was technically Oliver's second snow. We had him for last years snow, but he was so tiny that we didn't really let him go outside in it. We were still working with puppy pads and so he REALLY enjoyed playing this year. I kept putting him in the house to get warmed up, but then he would whine and whine because he wasn't outside playing with us.

Chris had decided after his attempt to ride his bike in the snow

that digging into the big pile of snow sounded like loads of fun! It was quite humorous to watch him wiggle around in there trying to dig out to the other side.

He finally made it through and Miss Aleeyah had to check it out. Check out those red cheeks--shortly after these 2 pictures were taken, we headed back inside!

And I have to take a moment to brag on my husband. When I first walked out from getting all bundled up, I had expected to walk out and see him and Aleeyah playing right away. I was delighted to see that he had saw a neighbor trying to get his car in his garage with a snow covered driveway between him and his garage. Chris had grabbed our snow shovel and ran down and started shoveling. The elderly man sat in his car while Chris shoveled and they were eventually able to get it into the garage.

Even in all his kid like demeanor he often thinks of others and goes out of his way to help. Warmed my heart on such a cold, cold day!

Did someone spray Febreeze on my blog?!

2010-01-21T16:43:00.003-06:00

Okay, so if you use feeds to read your blogs, I'm letting you know to stop on in and check out the new, refreshed look! Finally finished my new blog design! I've been itching to change it for a while and have held off. There are a couple of small minor things I'd like to fix/change, but for now it's going to stay. :)

Of course, I'd love to hear what you think!

Salsa and Taco Salad for Everyone!

2010-01-20T00:25:00.017-06:00

Well, tonight was Mexican food night-AGAIN. I never get tired of eating Mexican food! Yum! Last night was healthy enchiladas and tonight was turkey taco salad. For dessert? Salsa!

I've been a fan of Bill Phillip's book, Eating for Life, since I picked it up one day at the store. If you've cooked with me even a little you will know this. :) I've made a good amount of the meals in it and have only been disappointed once (carrot muffins-not so tasty!). The meals are always relatively simple and great portions! You don't ever feel like you are cooking to feed 20. Other great advantages of the book are that it goes into detail about proper nutrition and eating well balanced diets. They focus on eating several smaller proportions throughout the day and give great tips on how to achieve this. We find ourselves cooking out of it even when we aren't trying to get healthy. Of course, right now we are joining the ridiculous amount of people who are vowing to get healthy after gaining those holiday pounds. Our family doesn't necessarily set resolutions and such, but it's a better time to start than tomorrow. Wait..there's always tomorrow, right?

Anyway-I've been asked many a times for my salsa recipe and have offered it to a friend just recently. So I suppose now is the best time as any. Since I made the EASY taco salad AND salsa, I figured I'd share them together.

Disclaimer: I don't think I've ever featured recipes here because I sure don't remember realizing how much I suck at taking pictures of food before. None-the-less, you will get a few pics! Never mind, the sucky part. :)

SALSA!! Everyone seems to have their own concoction of what they call salsa. I've had some great and I've had some not-so-great (nobody who reads here, of course). Mine is well...mine. It was derived from another great salsa recipe and Chris and I have tweaked it to a point of liking it even more. Others have raved about it, but it may not be for your taste buds. And that's okay, too. Just tweak it yourself to make it personal for you.

Ingredients and Tools of the Trade

5 cans of diced tomatoes
4 roma tomatoes (or 3 regular ones)
1/2 white onion --you may have to buy a whole one though :)
1 lemon
5-6 cloves of garlic (depending on size of cloves)
4 tsp lemon pepper
4 tsp fresh cilantro
4 tsp parsley (fresh is best, but can use dried)
5 tsp garlic salt
* jalapenos to taste

*This can get quite tricky some times. If you pick the right jalapeno then you can get away with only using one, but if you don't, you might have to pick up several more to get it to spice up. Go for the bigger and greener jalapenos to get the most kick out of your pepper. I pick up a few to limit the possibility of having to make a pepper run. While at the store, you can pick up the ingredients to make something that includes those extra jalapenos that way they won't go to waste.

Other items to have handy and make your salsa making a tad bit easier:

Garlic press -I use a Pampered Chef one where you don't have to peel the garlic
Sharp cutting knife -typically only use it to cut the up the tomatoes, parsley, & cilantro
Butcher knife -works great for everything else, but mostly chopping
Measuring spoon -I use the ones that adjust to size and LOVE them. Drives me nuts to deal with all those little spoons floating around the utensil drawer.
Cutting board -unless you and your significant other are okay with you slicing up your counters
Scraper -not a necessity, but works great to get up all those pieces
A Large Bowl -you've got to have something to put all those yummy veggies in!
Large Spoon -mixing is one of the most fun parts!
A Little Helper -Don't have one? Borrow one! There is always a willing parent! okay, okay. Again. Not a necessity, but makes life a little bit more fuller!

Here's my helper sifting out the lemon seeds...

Okay, with that said-let's FINALLY get started. I've found that it's easier if you start out squeezing your lemon into the bowl. If you squeeze it into the bowl (while nothing else is in there) you can easily get those seeds out. Now, you could use one of those lemon squeezer or juicers, but well...that would be something else to have to clean later. Work out those forearms and squeeze it yourself. Also helps to get more of the juice out if you roll the lemon on the counter as you push down before slicing it open.

Next, slice and dice everything up (except for the jalapenos!) and throw into the mixing bowl.

HELPFUL HINT: Worried about getting your cutest apron dirty from the splish, splashing of tomatoes falling out of the can? That is where your helper comes in to save the day. Have him/her do the splashing. They will love it and you will get to stand back-free and clear of any flying tomato juice!

IMPORTANT REMINDER: Do your world a favor. It takes just a couple of extra minutes. Rinse out those tomato cans and toss them in the recycle bin over throwing them into the landfill! And if you train that helper right, he/she will help you remember EACH AND EVERY TIME YOU FORGET!

Mix up your salsa! Yes, give it a whirl! My helper told me that we must stir 3 times in one direction and then 3 turns in the other direction and repeat until well mixed. Aides in helping your child count to 3. But I suppose, that if your child can't count to 3 yet, they might not be the best helper in the kitchen! Just a thought there. There could be exceptions.

Now, you ALMOST have salsa! Salsa just isn't salsa without some kick. You may want to start off with 1/2 a jalapeno (this has been the least amount that I've ever needed). Chop it up. It's up to you in whether or not you want to use some sort of gloves. I don't necessarily recommend like an oven mitt (haven't tried it), but something to protect the hands would be great. Even if it means using the bag to hold as you chop. Anything to keep from fully man-handling the pepper. TRUST ME--it's BURNS your eye balls or lips even after several washings if you have a strong pepper. Start adding your pepper until you think it's just right. Save a little for after your salsa has had some time to meld together in the fridge. You may find the next day that you will want to add some more spice to it.

BE CAREFUL though. Add too much and you will find yourself burning the helpers poor little lips...

and then you will feel bad. :(

If you find it's a bit too chunky for your liking-throw it in a food processor and give it a few pulses.

At last--SALSA!

Now for that Turkey Taco Salad(going quicker and simpler this time as my laptop is heading to it's battery's death!)

Ingredients

(makes 4 servings)

1 lb of lean ground turkey
1 can (15 oz) chili beans in chili sauce
5 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
1 cup salsa (go ahead and use that new salsa recipe!)
1/2 cup reduced fat cheddar cheese, shredded
1 tomato, diced
4 green onions, sliced
1/2 cup sour cream (we forgo-ed this one)
4 oz baked tortilla chips

Instructions simplified:

Brown your turkey meat over medium to high heat
Stir in chili beans and let cook until heated and sauce thickened a bit
Divide out portions on each plate
Add broken up pieces of tortilla chips

A quick, cheap, and healthy meal! CHOW!

Hope you enjoyed or are going to enjoy! Let me know how it goes or if you have any questions!

Us versus Cabin Fever

2010-01-13T21:25:00.008-06:00

Aleeyah and I enjoyed the heatwave today! It was all of 42 degrees outside with a wind chill of 36. It felt SO wonderful to get out of the house and play. We spent over 3 hours outside playing in the snow. Well, she spent a little less than that since we left the snow boots in the car Chris drove today. She wore her tennis shoes and her piggies got a little colder than she liked. We threw snowballs at each other. We played with the sled. We built snowmen. And I even shoveled snow from the drive and sidewalks.

Yes, even though we are looking to have some temperatures finally above freezing and it will probably all melt soon (before the next snow), I shoveled snow. But THAT is what cabin fever will do to you! It didn't matter that my legs and bum were numb under my thin sweats from sitting in the snow. It didn't matter that snow gets heavy after shoveling an approximate 10 foot long path. Because we looked cabin fever in the eye today. We told it that we weren't going to take it any more.

And it felt good!

Aleeyah was more interested in sliding on her sled down the hill than making a snowman. So, I got the opportunity to take my time on her. Making sure that each ball was smoothly round and sized just right. Aleeyah stepped in to finish up the details and offered her hat to finish the look. After spending a good deal amount of time smoothing out the snow down the 10 foot path that currently is about 4 foot high and then covering up a lot of the dirty snow with clean snow so it would look pretty, she was complete. I was happy. And I am quite certain my looming elderly neighbors probably thought I was quite the nut job!

I wasn't quite ready to go back in after shoveling, so I asked Aleeyah if she wanted to sit with me while I made an Oliver from snow. It took me all of 15 minutes and I think he is DARLING! I thought about putting his lime green coat on his snowy replica, but we kinda like Oliver in his coat. So we chose a collar to match the Misses.

Of course, I took a few pics of our endeavors today. None of playing in the snow or building the snowmen because lets face it-cameras and snow covered gloves really just don't go hand in hand.

Enjoy!

Missing Your Autumn Warmth

2010-01-11T23:26:00.007-06:00

Poem by Robert Frost

Back in October...

2009-12-29T05:04:00.012-06:00

I know we are well past Halloween, Thanksgiving AND now Christmas, but I have yet to post the last of our Halloween pics and have posted absolutely none of Thanksgiving. I thought maybe I should do that before I really go head into Christmas pics.

We went out to the Powell Pumpkin Patch this year to pick out some pumpkins.

It's one of my favorite holiday events around this time to do with Aleeyah. I made the mistake of putting her in her new tennis shoes. Apparently, after a few days of rain the pumpkin patch gets quite muddy! I couldn't even begin to tell you how many times she tripped over a corn stalk in the corn maze or pumpkin vines which all landed her hands and knees in the mud!

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas tree...

2009-12-17T13:00:00.003-06:00

Miss Aleeyah got her very own tree this year for her room. She was REALLY excited about it-even more than our living room tree! I was super excited about how inexpensively were were able to do it for. (all for under $50!! and all re-usable!)

We knew we wanted a white tree even though Aleeyah tried to stray away from white when we went to the tree farm. She wanted a little green tree then because she could bring it home now. They didn't have a small one for sale and I talked to her about this one being able to kept and reused again next year. She was tired and cold, but understood.

We searched several stores before I finally gave in and went to Wal-Mart. I don't shop there really much at all any more. When we lived in Oklahoma it was conveniently right down the street. Here it isn't and we have plenty of other stores around us. I've not been a big fan of Wal-Mart for quite some time so it all works out. Target had a beautiful white tree for just a ridiculous amount of money and none of the other places I looked even had a white tree. Wal-Mart had 4 white options in a price range that I really was looking to spend. We chose a 6 foot pre-lit tree for only $25.

We were looking to make an alphabet tree. Aleeyah LOVES everything alphabet! We found an unpainted A at Hobby Lobby for $2 and we painted it with a coordinating green I found in my stash. We also found a great package of letters that are all brightly colored paper on top of pressed cardboard. I just needed to punch holes in them and then used some bright thread I had on hand. I was able to get them for 40% off at Hobby Lobby with a coupon so they were all of $3 and really helped bring a lot to the tree.

We purchased some very bright plastic (but looks like glass-seriously, had to take them out of the package to find out if they were plastic or glass) balls, bells, and snow flakes from Target. Spent $15 there.

The tree skirt is made up of some left over fabric I had in my sewing stash. It's a couple of strips that I neatly draped around the bottom of the tree.

She's one happy girl!

And it matches her room which makes mom happy!

She asks to keep her tree on when she goes to sleep. I'm kind of curious to see how it goes when it's time to take it down.

BTW-looks like she will be getting a big girl bed in the near future! We've been putting off, but now her feet are growing closer to the end. She's not too excited about getting a new bed. We've talked about it several times and she tells us that she likes her bed and doesn't want a new one. I think once we do it, she will love it, but understand she's hesitant at this point. The one we've picked out is a black daybed (pictured below) so I think it will be similar enough to help her transition well!

I don't love it in the picture, but looks cute in person. Plus we will be able to get a pop up trundle to go underneath that way we will have an option for when our family comes to stay.

Lullaby, and Good Night

2009-12-16T22:53:00.009-06:00

As Aleeyah played half of Mary Had a Little Lamb tonight on the piano from memory when I showed it to her about a month ago, I couldn't believe how grown up she is becoming. She is constantly comparing her height to mine and asking when she is going to be as big as daddy. Her head already reaching halfway up my rib cage when she stands next to me. Her fingers can comfortably fit in between mine now. Her feet are finally able to stand in my high heels. She asks big girl kind of questions. She makes proclamations that instantly make my mind think about the teen years ahead.

I wonder if we will get it mostly right. If when she's grown she will look back and know that we did everything we could do to be a part of every moment of her life. If we took each day with a positive outlook and lived our lives with her the best they could be. If we succeeded in helping her to learn to follow God-hand in hand.

Today, I cherish that her daddy is her hero and I am there to make everything better. I enjoy her climbing up in my lap to cuddle even when it means that I'll be jabbed with every sharp bone in her body. I can say that I even enjoy the nights she is scared and comes crawling in our bed with a slight whimper. I get to hold her close those nights and comfort her.

Most of the time, it feels like it's going by all too quickly...

------

After putting Aleeyah to bed tonight, she came walking back into the living room where Chris and I were sitting. She had tears in her eyes and her voice all shaky.

Me: What's wrong Peet?

Aleeyah: Momma, I want you to sing me my favorite lullaby.

Me: And what is your favorite lullaby?

Aleeyah: The one you have sang to me since I was a baby.

------

...but then there are those moments like this evening. When it all comes back to holding her in my arms like I once did and singing my baby girl her favorite lullaby.

Lullaby, and good night,
With pink roses bedight,
With lilies o'erspread,
Is my baby's sweet head.
Lay you down now, and rest,
May your slumber be blessed!
Lay you down now, and rest,
May thy slumber be blessed!

Lullaby, and good night,
You're your mother's delight,
Shining angels beside
My darling abide.
Soft and warm is your bed,
Close your eyes and rest your head.
Soft and warm is your bed,
Close your eyes and rest your head.

Sleepyhead, close your eyes.
Mother's right here beside you.
I'll protect you from harm,
You will wake in my arms.
Guardian angels are near,
So sleep on, with no fear.
Guardian angels are near,
So sleep on, with no fear.

Lullaby, and sleep tight.
Hush! My darling is sleeping,
On his sheets white as cream,
With his head full of dreams.
When the sky's bright with dawn,
He will wake in the morning.
When noontide warms the world,
He will frolic in the sun.

Oliver was hung by the chimney with care

2009-12-10T20:03:00.004-06:00

and he hopes that someone would rescue him from up there.

**Disclaimer: This photo was taken and manipulated in a closed photo session . No one should attempt to hang a dog in a stocking above a fireplace, no matter how much he or she may weigh. No Olivers were hurt in the making of this photo.

Apparently, more tree than we can handle!!!

2009-12-10T00:14:00.002-06:00

We decided that since we didn't know where we were going to be living next Christmas and that it didn't make sense to buy a tree for where we are currently that may not fit well in the new place, that we would go with another real tree this year. It's not a decision I really thought was ideal. My experiences with the real tree last year didn't go very well as it bothered my allergies while it lived in my house for a month. The OCD in me didn't care for the unpredictable branches either. BUT I also knew that I didn't want to go buy an artificial one this year to possibly turn around and have to get rid of it the next year.

So we headed out to the tree farm with my dad to find the perfect tree. (Little did we know how UN-perfect our tree turned out to be!) We ended up at a different tree farm than the one we went to last year. It looked like they had a good set up, but we made it there just before dark-too late to enjoy the extra stuff. We began walking through the hundreds of trees to find a suitable match.

We found "the one", Chris cut it down, and then we headed back to have it bundled and shook for us. By this point, it was sleeting on us. It was cold to say the least.

(at this point, we attempted to get a family picture with our tree in the sleeting rain, but Aleeyah wasn't having it)

We got her home and set upright.

While I started on the lights and garland (and took pictures of them admiring their handy work), Chris and Aleeyah worked on getting a fire going.

Aleeyah also (quickly!) put on her PJs because she was insistent that she had to be in PJs while she decorated.

It was time to start decorating!

We finished and as Chris vacuumed up the pine needles, Aleeyah and I had some hot cocoa.

2 peas!

Even Oliver sat down and relaxed by the fire....okay, if ONLY that were any bit of truth-that would be great! He is WAY too busy to sit down and relax by the fire! Truth be told, I sat him there and told him to stay. It took about 20 pictures to finally get one that didn't have him launching out of his bed right at me.

Chris began turning off the house lights so that we could see the tree glow, while I straightened a couple of small details. All the sudden, things went down quickly! No, I mean literally, I'm standing in front of the tree barely touching the thing, when all the sudden it starts falling! I tried but couldn't catch it. I stood there for a split second in shock until I realized that the tree base's water was being poured out onto the carpet!

Something missing in the picture? Oh, yeah-the tree. This is where the tree once was...

Broken carnage...

More ornaments (mostly under the towel) and mess that Aleeyah moved for us as we spent the next 1.5 hours! trying to get the tree to stand upright again.

We ended the night with throwing the tree in the corner until our minds were clearer and the red dot rash was removed from both my arms and hands from the pine needles stabbing me like little allergy shots.

The next evening, we spent another 1.5 hours trying to fix it again. We ended up tethering the thing to the wall and calling it good. I put the garland back on and then we waited another 24 hours to make sure it stayed up before we decorated again.

So THIRD night of Christmas tree decorating, it is decorated and still standing (we won't talk about the lean we noticed again tonight even though it is mounted to a stud). We set the mood again and enjoyed another night of tree decorating.

He looks highly impressed doesn't he? (just wait until you see another pic we took!)

SO there ya have it--our Christmas tree woes. NO MORE REAL TREES!!!!! (you may need to remind me again next year after the tree incident of 2009 will become one of those memories that is just funny and I forget the tears that were cried on my couch that night.)

Be a Cindy Lou Who

2009-12-08T00:16:00.000-06:00

The other night before we went to go get our Christmas tree at the tree farm, we watched, How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Chris and I haven't seen it in a while and Aleeyah's never watched it. It was a great reminder as we head into December. I also found myself really understanding where the Grinch was coming from. Everyone's garbage was heaped right outside of his front door. Such as,'old' Christmas trees that were probably not big enough to fit a Who-ville kind of standard anymore and presents that weren't good enough. His points were valid, in deed. Cindy Lou Who saw the sadness of what Christmas has become also. A time of doing everything bigger and better than before and still feeling like it's never good enough. And when I think about all of this (and the ridiculous TV screen at the Dallas stadium I saw on TV last night), it turns my stomach to think of all the children in the world dying of hunger while we search for more.

On the flip side, the Grinch has a hard time joining in the Christmas festivities when all he sees is the way Christmas is being done wrong and is very loud about his dis-cheer. Aleeyah kept asking me if he was mean and angry and, on the surface, it would seem that way. He's unhappy about the things that were once done to him and angry at the people of Who-ville for their, for what seems like, shallow holiday cheer. He took his point to the other extreme and began to despise all things Christmasy.

After watching the movie, I would neither like to be like the people of Who-ville with their shallow desires of big Christmases nor like the Grinch who has a hard time seeing past the wrong of Christmas to really enjoy the warmth and family that the holiday brings. I'd like to be like little Cindy Lou Who. A sweet little girl that saw and understood both sides and she chose to act in kindness and love to the grumpy Grinch and the commercialized people of Who-ville. Just kindness and love.

Refine Me

2009-11-18T23:22:00.003-06:00

A friend sent this to me for encouragement today and I wanted to share it also. Thank you to my friend that sent it to me. Your email means more to me than you could imagine.

------

'He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.' Malachi 3:3

This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God .

One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study.

That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining Silver.

As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities.

The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse that says: 'He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver.'

She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time.

The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.

The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, 'How do you know when the silver is fully refined?'

He smiled at her and answered, 'Oh, that's easy -- when I see my image in it.'

If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has his eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you.

------

and it ended with...

Thank you God, for teaching me to laugh again...but please Lord, don't ever let me forget that I cried.

Storytime brought to you by Aleeyah

2009-11-13T17:07:00.005-06:00

Title: The Eyeless Aleeyah Turned Bear
Storyteller: Aleeyah
Videographer: Mom

Oh, the sweet taste of phosphates...

2009-11-05T23:59:00.017-06:00

The other day, a friend wrote a post about her recent experience with making laundry soap. They are adopting from Ethiopia (insert the awwwing noise that people make when they have just heard that someone's having a baby) and have been looking at ways to "save a little here and there".

It got me to thinking about a book that I have sitting on my kitchen counter-always. It's called "Green up your Cleanup" (The Green House) by Jill Potvin Schoff.

I've read through it even though I think it's more suppose to be like a cookbook--a book you reference, but not necessarily sit down and read it. It does have a lot of great information though just as you would find in a cookbook. It has recipes on cleaning supplies and how to store them, alternate cleaning solutions from your normal hazard cleaning ways, and lots of information as to why you ought to avoid certain chemicals from your home.

Greening up is something that came along my way when I decided to get a parrot.

His name was Pickles. No, we don't still have him for a few reasons, but I'll save that for another day...okay, well if you for some reason desire to know-shoot me an email. BTW-I won't be waiting for that email. Moving on....

So around parrots or any other bird, it is un-advisable for you to use any kind of cleaning chemical, air fresheners, candles, or teflon pans if you wish to be able to keep your sweet, little chirping (or high-pitched, ear piercing, put cotton in your ears squawking sound that Pickles made) pet around. As even a small amount of exposure to any of these things can cause immediate death. So as a new parrot owner that spent way more on the bird and necessities than any of her full blood dogs, I didn't want to accidentally kill it.

Then (being the sharp one that I am) got to thinking, IF these "harmless" chemicals were really that harmful to a small creature, I wonder what it does to our bodies over a period of 100 (I'm being hopeful) years of lifelong exposure. Surely it couldn't be that innocent.

A few reasons why you may look into possibly going greener even if you do it in stages:

First and foremost, "Green up your Cleanup" tells us that "...there is almost no government regulations of the chemicals used in cleaning products in the United States." Think about that for a moment. The companies are allowed to do as they wish when it comes to chemicals that we expose ourselves to daily and are even able to keep those recipes as confidential.

The book also states:

"A study by the Environmental Working Group tested the umbilical cord blood of 10 American babies born in 2004 and found an average of 200 industrial chemicals and pollutants in each baby's blood."

"Phosphates are banned from most cleaning products, but automatic dishwashing detergents have an exemption and can still contain up to 20 percent phosphates. Phosphates that end up in our waterways cause algae blooms that deplete oxygen and kill off fish." (our DISHwashing soap. Dishes. Those things we EAT off of!)

"The EPA reports that levels of air pollution inside the home can be two to five times higher than outdoor levels."

Okay, so those are the more personal reasons. There are MANY environmental reasons.

Are you feeling warm and fuzzy yet?

Yeah, me neither (as I can smell the sweet smell of fabric softener lingering on my shirt. Mmmmmm....fabric softener)

SO what do we do from here? Well, personally, I think it's time for a change. It's time to try out the greener, healthier possibilities. I've had the book. I've made a few changes here and there, but I definitely think it's going to be cheaper and easier than what I'm anticipating. Probably. Maybe. I'll let you know. ;)

If you are up to the challenge, get the book and some basic supplies to get started. The must have's.

Here is what you are looking for:

Liquid soap -a mild liquid soap (something like Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap). She tells us that a little goes a long ways and a lot of the recipes have this included.

Borax located in the laundry section at the store

Baking soda

Washing soda

White distilled vinegar

Lemon juice -"fresh squeezed is the best, but bottled can be used in a pinch"

Powdered oxygen bleach

Club soda

Citric acid -can be found online or in places that sell canning supplies (also called sour salt)

Essential oils -for scenting your cleaners. "Look for ones that say 100% pure"

Alright green team. Put your hands in. Goooooooooo GREEN!

(too cheesy? yeeaahhh..probably!)

Surprise!!! It's NOT your birthday!!!

2009-11-05T07:00:00.002-06:00

We were basically headed out the door around Chris' birthday in September. His birthday is on the 9th and we were leaving for Oklahoma on the 10th and Alaska on the 11th. His day got totally pushed aside for our vacation. He was fine with it, but I hated at least not giving him a birthday cake and celebrating his day. I had told him I'd make it up to him.

It had crossed my mind a few times that we didn't get a chance to do anything for it and finally when it hit me again on October 10th, Aleeyah and I devised a plan to have a birthday party for him...as a surprise. It was one of the rare times Chris had to work on a Saturday. He had said he was hoping to be home by 2pm. That gave us time to go to the store, decorate, and make cupcakes (with his favorite frosting). We rushed around the house trying to quickly put together a birthday party on a budget.

Aleeyah worked on the banner...

and helped me with the cupcakes...

and balloons...

We decorated the table...

And the kitchen area...

Everyone was in attendance...

But quickly got tired of waiting so they took a seat at the table...

Then we waited and waited and waited. We took a nap. Finally at 8:00pm, Dad was finally on his way home!

And he was super surprised when he got home!

Who wouldn't be if you were given a surprise party a MONTH after your birthday! Happy 31 babe (yet another month later! haha!)

Now Aleeyah has been throwing us random surprise parties here and there on a whim! Drawing banners and cards. Apparently, she likes the idea of surprise parties!

Happy {meow}lloween

2009-11-04T16:00:00.001-06:00

This year Aleeyah decided she wanted to be a cat for Halloween. Her costume was fun to put together and she was SO excited to see that I added paws to her shirt! I figured it would be cold that night and paws would be a good way to keep her hands warm. I already had everything at the house to make them so it was a very cheap and quick add on. I think this years costume was one of the cheapest Halloween costumes I've made.

Tulle and ribbon for tutu--$5
Black shirt from Target--$4
Black tights--$3
Headband and feathers for ears--$5
Tail--$4

Total of $21

Now her make-up on the other hand. I'm not sure how much it cost because I had bought some things that I didn't really need and didn't buy some stuff until last minute that I did need. Thankfully, I had 2 practice runs to do it before doing it on Halloween night. The first time was a flop (due to using the wrong stuff) and then second time turned out good for Chris' work festivities (after I picked up the other things I needed).

As I mentioned, we went up to Chris' work the day before Halloween to go trick or treating. There weren't many kids, but we had a good time anyway. Several of the teams had decorated their areas and some even dressed up themselves. Oddly, one of the areas was decorated in Christmas stuff. I'm not sure what that was all about, but they DID do a good job!

Then on Saturday we did a bunch of running around during the day and then made it home just in time to get dressed back up again, face painted, some pictures taken, and Skype with family in Oklahoma before we headed out the door for trick-or-treating. I love getting to take Aleeyah trick-or-treating. There were very few kids out around us when we went. I'm not sure if parents are mostly finding other things to do as fears creep up. Myself, I'd rather take Aleeyah trick-or-treating and replace her candy with candy I purchased before I ever said no to door-to-door knocking. It brings back such fun memories and how often out of the year do you get to go door-to-door, greeting people each time and then getting candy?

We had a wonderful time and the weather wasn't too cold or RAINING!!! Seems like it always rains on Halloween.

Aleeyah told us when her bucket was 2/3 of the way full that she was done trick-or-treating and that she had plenty of candy in her basket. So she asked if I could carry the bucket home and then promptly asked dad for a ride home.

September Fall Photoshoot

2009-11-04T13:06:00.008-06:00

Most of you have probably already saw the pics of Aleeyah's Fall photoshoot, but I wanted to post them here for those of you that aren't on Facebook and haven't noticed the link to them pics on my side bar. They were taken at the end of September in a little town park not too far from us. Of course, I had to add a few silly ones we got along the way!

Happy Fri(y)day!

2009-10-23T12:51:00.004-05:00

Aleeyah asked me what day it was today. When I told her it was Friday, she got REALLY excited! Then she went on with total enthusiasm that on Friday's you get to eat fries. It took me about a minute before it finally hit me as to what she was saying. Happy FRY-day!!!

Who doesn't love the zoo?

2009-10-20T22:47:00.008-05:00

Obviously, I haven't been the best blogger around here as of late. I have lots of pics to update here-so probably not much bloggage and more pictures. You can have your moment to sigh in relief!

Back in August when we went to Oklahoma for Aleeyah's Birthday Party, we were able to go to the zoo with Cousin Mason and Aunt Lauren! We had a great time, but only a few pics to share!

Home

2009-09-19T02:20:00.001-05:00

Tonight, at 7:56, our final plane landed in Oklahoma after a long journey of ships and planes, seas and mountains. We are home.

It may be a bit confusing for some. Our house is in Kansas City, so some might think we aren't home yet. No, the journey to our house comes tomorrow. But as the cheesy saying goes,

Home is where the heart is.

Oklahoma has been my home for all my life up until a year ago. I still say I'm going back home when I talk of coming back to visit. Most of our family also calls Oklahoma-home. So when talking about love and family-the phrase still applies. We had some amazing family that helped make this last weeks of vacation possible for us. For reasons, I haven't shared here yet.

Alaska brought many things for us. Quietness. Togetherness. Peace. Sleep. Relaxation. Tranquility. Amazement. Worship. Spark. Laughter. As a girl with skin as sweet as milk and with hair glazed with honey, waited for her mom and dad to come home. She laughed and played with family as she waited, but still-she waited.

For us and for her, Chris and I relived and rekindled in Alaska. Alone. We enjoyed evening nights together, wonderful new adventures, but most of all-holding hands. Our hands have been filled with a bouncing little girl and things like diapers, toys, cups, and much more. Chris and I couldn't help but to swing our arms walking down the airport terminal, laughing, at the craziness of it all. Two adult hands. Swinging. With no child in between.

We loved our time together, but our hearts were never 'home' and then day 4 came and went, and our hearts began to long for 'home'. And there I realized even more--Our 'home' is with her. Our sweet baby girl.

We have lots to share with everyone from our Alaskan adventures, but as for tonight

Goodnight sun. Goodnight moon.

Unplugged

2009-09-10T09:54:00.006-05:00

It doesn't happen very often. Most of the time it's just sleeping.

My phone is getting the same treatment (for most of the time).

I'm going a place of quietness and relaxation. To reconnect.

I'll check back in some time after the 20th.

Have a great week!

4th Birthday Party!!

2009-08-28T17:23:00.014-05:00

It's been almost 2 weeks since Aleeyah's birthday party in Oklahoma and she is technically 4 years old and 2 weeks today! I can't believe she is already 4. For some reason, that number hit a little hard this year. It's like when she turned 3, she was still just a toddler, but 4 means one more year until school.

I think she enjoyed her birthday party very much! She is still talking about it and keeps asking when she is going to turn 5. I keep telling her that she has to finish being 4 first.

Before I go into the birthday party festivities, I first have to give a shout out to my sis-in-law. She rocks! For many years now, she has been in the one in the kitchen with me during Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners and has helped me plan Aleeyah's birthday parties. A life saver. She makes some fabulous cakes! She made 3 out of 4 birthday cakes so far (they were in Florida for her 3rd birthday or else it probably would have been all her cakes).

Here is:

Year #1

Year #2

I always enjoy designing them with her, but this year I told her it was all in her hands, but that I wanted to do fondant circles on white frosting.

And this is what she came up with:

We've always broke it out where she does most of all the cake and I work mostly on the fondant. I love working with that stuff, but I loved working with clay as a kid.

Isn't it fabulous?!?!

Like I said, she rocks!

We had Aleeyah's party in Oklahoma again this year. We were looking forward to seeing some friends and family we haven't seen in a while and hang out pool side with them, but it takes a lot of extra work to plan a party out of state. Thankfully, Lauren, loves parties as much as I do and was there to assist me with in-state details. We got everything we could do, done and all that needed to happen next was get to Oklahoma.

Chris had to work on Friday, so we had to make a late night trip. We didn't get into the OKC area until almost 2:00am. We were pooped. It was especially hard knowing that we would have to turn right back around on Sunday afternoon to make the drive back.

Well, we were about 30 minutes out from the house with 5 more hours to go, when it hit me that we forgot something. Aleeyah's bathing suit. For her swim party. The one that just happen to match her party oh-so-well. In August. The end of the swimming suit season. Most swimsuits gone.

What did I do?

I didn't want to drive back home and add an extra hour to our drive as it was already 8:00pm, so I called Lauren for help again. She graciously said she would head out to try and find one (with my new nephew). She called again at 9:56pm (after hitting several, and I mean several, stores) to ask which one I would approve of. We narrowed them down and she came home with a couple for me to look at.

We got to their house, picked one, and headed to bed. Exhausted.

The next morning we began the birthday party extravaganza. The party wasn't until later in the afternoon-so it gave us some time to work on the cake, get ready to go, and head out for some last minute details, then head to the facility.

2:00pm was showtime!

(sorry, for picture overload, but I couldn't narrow them down anymore!)

We had a great time!

Thanks to all that came!!!

My Little JAG Cheerleader

2009-08-19T15:10:00.007-05:00

Last night, I worked on a craft project to post for Wednesday's Craft Table over on Jagged Edge Boutique. The project I was working on was a crayon apron.

(see more pictures here)

I love crafting stuff, but it has deemed quite the challenge when it comes to Aleeyah and myself. Not necessarily because she wants the stuff I make, but because I want to give her the things I make. She just gets SO excited when I make stuff and it makes me want to give them to her. Thankfully, she is very good about understanding when I say it's for somebody else. Except for she is catching on and keeps asking if it is for Mason (her newest cousin).

Chris makes jokes about how God knew that I needed a little girl to get giddy about all things girly and he is probably right. When I show Chris something I've just made, he says , "cool" without a capital C nor an exclamation point. I love him, but most of the time we don't get excited about the same things. Aleeyah on the other hand, will get excited with me over the littlest things-which I LOVE. She's my girly-girl that doesn't mind getting her hands dirty.

So far, our new endeavor has been going well. I've been in the mist of trying to get some other projects done that were asked for before we "opened" Jagged Edge Boutique. And of course, getting all that done in between moving and planning a 4 year old's Birthday party created another challenge. We are getting settled in now though and the party was this last weekend in Oklahoma.

I'm excited to be able to start making some steps forward in making our adoption plans, a reality.

To steal one lovely lady's quote on her bio page:

When I stand before God at the end of my life I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left and could say “I used everything you gave me” ~Erma Bombeck

To my Peet

2009-08-14T12:05:00.010-05:00

Four years ago, at 10:30am, you were brought into the world 3 weeks early. Weighing in at 6 lbs 8 oz. and 19 1/2 inches long, you felt so tiny in our arms. We had been waiting for that day for a very long time, but we couldn't prepare ourselves for the feelings that overcame us when you looked at us for the first time with your big, beautiful eyes. The same eyes that have shared every emotion that you are feeling since the day you were born. The same eyes that can quickly break your daddy when you want something. I imagine that by time you read this, you will have mastered this trick and wouldn't be able to county how many times it worked.

You have brought your daddy and me SO much joy to our lives. Our love was strong and deep before you were born, but you brought our love to another level we never knew we had and we continue to be amazed by you daily. Love you baby girl.

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These are a few quotes taken from letters and cards we received when you were born:

"Every first experience that you accomplish will be recorded and will bring endless joy to your parents. Welcome to this world full of love for you." --Great Aunt Janine, Katie, and Missy

"When you awake at 2am, you haven't showered in days and your hubby is snoring asleep in the next room, remember she is going to be your best friend and spending this special time with her will fill your heart with love. Cherish it." --Kari Sweatt

"The love in your heart that you can give, is more than you can give in one lifetime." --Grandma Donna

"You will love her more than anything else in the world" --Lisa Smith

"May God bless you both during this wonderful time in your life! She will be a true blessing for everyone" --Aunt Lauren

"We love you all forever and a day." --Mimi and Papa

"May all your wishes and dreams come true plus much more." --Peepaw and Cody

"Always look to God in happiness, sadness, frustration, and love." --Amber and Rickey

"Get ready and let the "fun" begin! May the Lord's hand always be on your sweet baby girl!" --Richard and Brenda

"You guys made one of the most beautiful peoples I've ever seen before!" --Uncle Josh

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Here are some fun facts about you right now:

**You have a few different nicknames and these are just a few--Your daddy has called you gooey buns since your first month of life. We were watching an episode of CSI and they were investigating at a cinnamon roll company named Gooey Buns. It was perfect representation for all those diapers you went through. Your Uncle Nathan nicknamed you Leelee and is commonly used by your Mimi and here and there from your momma. Peet comes from me and it throws most people off, but some times you even correct me if I call you something different. Peet comes from me calling you sweetie, then sweetie pea, then sweetie peet, then just peet. So in case, you are still wondering-there ya have it.

**You are a smarty pants and LOVE to learn new things. Your most recent achievement includes learning where your phalanges, metatarsals, tarsals, clavicle, skull, rib cage, femur, and patella are within a couple of days. You are still working on the others.

**When you are really sleepy, you play with your hair.

**You call your freckles, polka dots and the one on your belly, freckle belly.

**Your favorite song is still the ABC song.

**You love toys that have lots of parts to separate, organize, make patterns, etc.

**One of your favorite things to do is when we go on a frog hunts at night with me and your daddy.

**You call every kid you see, your friend.

**You have been caught more times then I can count, eating peanut butter out of the jar with a spoon.

**The way you say refrigerator still cracks me and your daddy up so we fail at correcting it. Chig-arator.

**You think the word explode is rumbode. So around a week ago, you got really upset and were crying saying that your drink rumbode.

Happy 4th Birthday!!!!!!

See Birthday Countdown from last year for more pics or watch the video below.

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

It's a "girl brain" kind of thing...

2009-08-10T23:39:00.008-05:00

Next month on the 17th will mark a year since we announced that adoption had been on our hearts for several months. We announced our plans and hopes of where we would be in a year. We did this because we knew adoption fund raising ideas and the discussions of the adoption would arise and we didn't want it to come as a surprise.

This last year has brought some big changes in our lives, but not quite in the areas we had anticipated. Definitely things to get excited about and other things to be not so excited over. There have been a whole mill of emotions involving our plans to adopt.

How will we do as parents of two?
Is Aleeyah ready for a sibling?
How could we possibly afford the adoption costs?
Are we making the best choice for everyone involved-both ourselves and the child?
Is this what GOD wants for our lives?
How could we possibly afford the adoption costs?
Is this what God wants for our lives?
How could we possibly....

So many emotions. So many thoughts. So many questions.

So many doubts.

I've doubted whether or not it really is God's plan for us because it hasn't come easy even at such an early stage. I've doubted whether we should be parents of two. I've doubted how we are going to come up with the money while still trying to give in other areas, pay for Chris' schooling, and take care of other daily finances.

Doubt. Doubt. Doubt.

And boy does satan like a good dose of doubt.

When I really look at it, I believe with everything in my heart that we will make good parents of two. We have enough love to give for even more. And I really believe that Aleeyah would make a wonderful sister.

I also believe that God put it on our hearts for a reason and not that we just thought it was a cool idea. I think HE brought me to a place of compassion and desire to help in Africa. And I also think there is a reason why my uterus has not longed to birth any more children even though I always thought I'd be a mom of 3 biological children, but my heart is joyous over the thought of adoption.

A sort of peace came about our decision when two of my closest friends asked me what was holding us back--what would need to change for the next step? I didn't have to think for the answer. No reason to. I knew exactly what my answer was.

Finances. That's it.

If the finances were there, I'd be running to the adoption agency (figuratively, that is :) it's a bit far away!)

For me, the answer to that question showed me where we stand. It shows where we have come emotionally over the decision. God has granted us a year to really think about our decision so far and we haven't taken it lightly.

Chris and I chose to wait until after we were married for 5 years before having Aleeyah. Again, God granted us that time to really think about our goals and decisions. Was it always easy to wait? No. Did at times I just want to get started? Yes. BUT I still stand to this day with the emotional peace that came with knowing that we were 100% ready for her to be a part of our family.

It's been pointed out to me that maybe adoption isn't God's plan for our life since it's been an emotional roller coaster and the financial side of it hasn't come together. It's easy to believe that. It's easy to think that if God wanted this for our lives then He would make it known by handing us everything with little effort on our own part--then and only then would we truly know it was His will.

And there has been times in this journey were my understanding has wavered and I've believed that very thing.

Chris hasn't. He's cool headed like that.

But me...I have a "girl brain" (that's for you Jess!). It happens.

Then I stop to think about how God used our years of being childless to teach us and grow us and how I couldn't be more happy than to have followed His direction in bringing Aleeyah into the world. I see how He has already began making these changes again in our lives before we become parents of two. Chris is finally able to go back to school and will be graduating with his Masters within the next year and a half. Aleeyah will be headed to school next year-allowing me to start working on figuring out what I'm going to do when I grow up. BUT more importantly, He's molding our hearts and preparing them for another journey.

And when I'm still teetering on the brink of doubt, I try to think about Paul's ministry. I don't think anyone could say that Paul had it easy after he decided to follow God's direction and will. He wasn't just handed each mission packaged up with a silver bow, but one thing remained throughout-God was by his side.

When I look in the right direction, I see God at work, setting things and ideas into place for our family and plans. I see Him putting people in place, to give me support and encouragement through my bouts of doubt. I feel Him present in what may be a very long journey.

Though doubt and impatience lurks around the corner, I have faith that He is providing means now in some disguised ways and that like Paul, it won't always be easy, but He will guide, protect, and deliver us.

On a side note, but totally related, A dear friend of mind sent me THIS link a couple of days ago as some encouragement. It was some much needed inspiration and encouragement to live by faith instead of on the pathway of doubt.

Then this evening she provided THIS link. Words just cannot describe.

Happy 9..scratch that..10 year anniversary love!

2009-08-07T15:38:00.003-05:00

Last year on our wedding anniversary, I wrote this blog post and video.

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Nine years ago today, Chris and I stood barefoot in front of all our friends, family, and God and committed our lives to each other. It was a very hot day in August and the wedding was outside, but we all had a great time! After 9 years, I don't remember what we told each other exactly, but I do know that I love him more now than what I ever thought I could.

We met in June 1996 and he officially became my boyfriend on July 13, 1996. I was a young 15 years old and he was about to turn 18. I cannot say that we were inseparable until just months before he was to leave for Harding University. Before that we only saw each other a couple of times a week at church. He left for Harding and as much as we wanted things to workout us, our family, and our friends all had our share of doubts. His time at Harding was hard for us and I was going through the hardest time in my life with family stuff. We could only talk to once a week on the phone, but we always had letters going to each other through snail mail (a time when not everyone had cell phones, computers, internet, email, and instant messaging). I remember getting in trouble on more than one occasion for racking up the long distance phone bill. Sorry Dad!!! He eventually returned home and continued his education at a local university. I remember knowing in my heart that if we could make it through a long distance relationship at such a young age then we can make it through anything!

Shortly after I graduated high school, on August 7, 1999 we got married. I remember many people in our lives that told us that we would never make it. That we wouldn't last more than a few years. And honestly, seeing a young couple getting married so early in their lives, I don't know that I wouldn't have thought that very thing myself. But what we have together is more than the average marriage these days.

Since our marriage, Chris has worked night jobs or jobs that required travel off and on until just recently. I see now how God used our time apart prior to our marriage to prepare us for what was to come. Our bond remains strong no matter where Chris is, but I have thoroughly enjoyed him being home all the time now!

Of course, 5 years into our marriage, God gave us our little Aleeyah. We feel so blessed that we were able to have our first 5 years together to really get to know each other more as husband and wife, but feel even more blessed to have her in our lives. Chris has become a great husband to me and a wonderful father to our baby girl!

Hope you enjoy the slideshow of our 12 years together!

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

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And a year later, I feel the same about my "old" man. In fact, this year has been amazing. Since he is no longer traveling in his job, we have really got to feel the full effect of being a family and ever more grateful for him for SO many reasons.

Our hearts are still young and in love and nothing makes us feel more in love than laughing together. He is still the one that I love spending the most time with (him and my girl, that is). He never complains about having to work so that we will be provided for and so that Aleeyah and I can spend these early years of her life together. He is so enthusiastic about getting his Master's degree so that not only can we be taken care of long term, but so that we can set our children up for a more financially stable future. He lets me thing short term while he thinks long term.

He can sometimes be hard to break because he is shy (most people just think he's angry or not friendly), but once that's broken you might often wonder who the 13 year old kid is inside that 31 year old body and (most days :) ) I love that about him--I think it even makes him a better father. Just so young at heart!

I love him more than the words on this blog will ever be able to describe.

As the saying goes,

We don't always have it all together, but together we have it all!

Underwear for Africa

2009-08-06T19:43:00.005-05:00

*A simple FREE way of giving Underwear to Africa below*

A long while back, I went online looking for different ways to get involved in helping others and came across Mother's Fighting for Others. They have several ways of getting involved and I was inspired to do more from reading their blog.

Then a couple of months later, I wrote a Facebook status about trying to get some children sponsored through Compassion. Rocky (the founder of MFFO) left me a message saying she wanted my number to call me. We ended up chatting on the phone for about 20-30 minutes. I have been amazed by the difference she is making in Africa, but I was even more amazed after our phone conversation.

She had some ideas to share with me, but what she shared with me the most was inspiration and her passion for helping others.

I had been in a place of discontent with people who are helping others, but unwilling to help others get started. I had read blogs and blogs of others who their readers wanted interaction about getting involved and they gave nothing. I wondered how much more could be done if others stopped to share.

Rocky's call was an answer to prayer for me. Here she was, calling little ol' me, a stay at home momma, to talk to me about some ideas on getting these children sponsored. My mind kept going on and on about how busy she must be-you know-working in Africa and all. Traveling to Kenya to help girls dreams come true.

Then...I heard little voices in the background. The voices of children.

Really, children? How on earth do you do such things with a child at home? What? SIX? SIX children?

I think my jaw might have dropped on that one.

Inspiring she is!

That day, she helped me see that lots can be done no matter your situation. She helped me see a true passion for helping anyONE, anyWHERE.

SO why am I telling you all this? 2 Reasons.

If you're looking for another way to get involved-check out their website.

You can Inspire a Child. Give the Gift of Education. AND/OR give to Underwear for Africa.

Want to give a go at giving underwear to Africa right now? For FREE?

Check out this site... http://www.delawareohrealestate.com/2009/08/04/talking-out-your-underwear-in-delaware-ohio/comment-page-1/#comment-30654

They are giving a pair of underwear to MFFO for each comment they receive on their blog post.

Simple as that!

Get over there. Comment. Then head over to MFFO to check out what they are doing in Africa.

JAGged Edge Boutique

2009-08-04T10:02:00.007-05:00

Today is the day! Many, many hours have went into this new project long before today! And we are SO excited to finally be able to talk about it! What is it?

The idea spawned several months ago through one of the many strings of emails between myself, Gin, and Jess. We had already been inspiring each other by sending our craft projects and blogs to each other. It only made sense for us to start our own blog shop where we can blog about our crafting adventures. Because after-all, isn't crafting an adventure?

I'm excited for many reasons. I LOVE crafts and having an outlet for it is WONDERFUL. It brings a time of relaxation and reflection for me. Since I can't hold onto everything I make, selling them is really a win, win situation. Then using the talents given to me and selling them will help make our adoption dreams come sooner than later. Finally, what better way to craft than to craft with your friends? There is no better way in my opinion!

Today is Intro Day. THE day we have been waiting for-to be able to tell you about what we have going on. Tomorrow brings crafty goodness!! Each Wednesday we will be featuring new items. In between those posts, you may find tutorials on how to get started on a craft yourself or stories on our adventures in crafting things made especially for you. On the sidebar you will find a craft table link for each of us which will include all available items for purchase. We would also like you to feel free to email us any time at jaggededgeboutique(at)gmail(dot)com if there is anything you would like to have made. One of us will promptly get back with you about it to work out details and such.

Either way, I hope that you stop by on a regular basis and see what we are up to.

Will you help us get the word out? Blog about it. Tweet about it. Facebook your friends about it. Add a button!

Site information:

Website: www.jaggededgeboutique.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/JAGBoutique

Grab a button for you blog!

J to the A to the G

2009-08-03T23:13:00.006-05:00

We'll there has been lots of rustling in the shadows in blog world. SomeBODY, SomeWHERE is up to someTHING.

My friend, Gin might have peeped about it in June.

My other friend, Jess hinted about it today.

It's exciting! I promise.

More about it tomorrow though! Be on the look out!

A small move update!

2009-08-03T22:10:00.005-05:00

Whew! So the move has gone fairly well, but it is a slow process. I forgot how much I don't like moving when you don't have people to move it for you! It's been a tad crazy around here.

(random picture find on my camera card!)

It took us 3 days to get everything moved and we still have SO much to unpack. The house is getting there slowly but surely. It's funny because I've painted a wall, but have yet to get the kitchen unpacked all the way. Priorities? Nah. Priorities are NO FUN!

Here is a pic I just snapped of the living room. I will have to get more pics soon, but this is all you get this evening because honestly-the lighting against all the cardboard boxes just throws everything off!

Surprisingly, I didn't get any pictures of the actual move. I think our calves and quads were too angry to even think about a camera. It was most certainly a work out for all of us involved.

I think we are all loving the new space equally. We came from a 948 square feet apartment before moving here (which is 450sqft bigger than there)-after moving from a house in Oklahoma. SO to say that having some space again is wonderful feels a bit like an understatement. Seems a bit bratty to say-knowing what so many face out there with no roofs over their heads, but none-the-less we feel a lot less cramped.

It's a peaceful and quiet neighborhood without that apartment complex feel. We live around a lot of older people so no doubt they aren't driving down the road bumpin' in their 64s. Maybe 64s, but no bumpin' going on. We've already met a few of our neighbors and they seem to be really nice.

We've have definitely been taking advantage of the pool/hot tub. This pool/hot tub and no yard work have definitely set it in our minds that we won't be wanting a house in the near future!

So to sum up all my scatterbrain-ness of this post, we are settling in well! Only problem, I think the move has zapped my brain.

Storytime!!

2009-07-22T23:24:00.004-05:00

These days Aleeyah is loving to tell us stories. We encourage it not only because it's always funny, but also because she is using her creativity. Today, I don't think we mastered the creative side of story telling, but it's definitely worth a few laughs!

Make sure to watch the first one all the way to the end-after the long pause that is. She had me cracking up after I stopped recording!

And here is what we will call, Storytime Bloopers.

Be Still and Know

2009-07-20T15:40:00.003-05:00

I've never been a morning person. I love everything about mornings, but just have always had the hardest time actually getting up. Probably for the fact that my bedtime is somewhere between 12am and 3am every night.

Last night turned out a little different. Chris and I relaxed and enjoyed a movie together late in the evening after getting quite of bit of packing done for our move next weekend. I ended up drinking some Mt Dew-something that isn't normally much of a problem because caffeine seems to hardly have any effect on me anymore. Well, other than 1 cup of coffee, I haven't had any caffeine in almost a week. It probably would have been a good idea to think about that before I drank the 20 ounce bottle of it.

One hour leads to another hour and all the sudden it's 6am. I looked towards the bedroom window and I could see the sun peeking through the slats of the blinds. I figured it out that I had about 1 and 1/2 hours before Chris headed to work. So, I got up, put some decent clothes on, threw my hair in a ponytail, put on my running shoes, and made my way towards the trails right outside our complex.

I was excited for a few reasons. I had slipped up and traded in my 5 night in a row gym streak for Mt Dew plus some other brown, creamy substance that tasted a lot like chocolate ice cream the night before-I'm still in denial that I ate it. I wanted to get out and work some of that off. Plus, my love for mornings could actually be enjoyed on a morning that I didn't actually have to wake up for.

It was a beautiful 62 degrees outside and the dew still covered the grass and trees. As I headed down into the trails, I was greeted with beautifully colored skies. The sun was just rising in the distance beyond the trees.

I was a bit disappointed that once in the trees, the skies color could no longer be seen, but my attention was quickly diverted to the rustling around me. The birds were just waking up and beginning their morning songs and a few squirrels were already up and scampering about. Chris even had the joy/scare to run with some deer one morning, so I kept an eye out for them also. Sadly, no deer to report this time, but I did see a young possum climbing up a tree just a few feet in front of me.

We have spent a lot of time on the trails since we moved here almost a year ago. They provide such peace and relaxation, when we take the time to enjoy them. For me, I've always felt closest to God when I'm outside walking among the beautiful things He gave us and the trails brings the intimacy that I need with Him and what a gift it is.

Because I left my iPod at home, I was able to hear the bird songs. Some traveled to the ground right beside me as I passed to peck their morning meal from the grass. I heard some woodpeckers, pecking at the old trees. I heard the streams flow as I journeyed down the path.

Contrary to popular belief, it is not flat here. In particular, there are lots of hills in the direction that I went this morning. Lots of hills. As I was trekking up one of them, my shin splints started flaring up and I was getting tired, but I knew once I made it up the hill then it would be time to enjoy the ride downhill. I was looking forward to it.

When I approached the top of the hill, I found a park bench. A lovely surprise for my hurting shins.

I sat down and let my mind wander for a little bit. I thought about the packing that still needs to be done. I thought about the other things I needed to get done in the next week. I thought about the endless list of things I want to accomplish in the next few months to a year. I thought about unfinished plans and the overwhelming means of how we were going to get there.

Then, I thought about the coincidence of the uphill struggle to what's raging inside of my mind. A struggle between honest desires in my heart and balancing it in my day to day life. The struggle of giving it ALL to Him. The struggle of being still and patient in Him.

And here at the top of the hill, I began thinking about the time that will come when we sit at the top to rest. Just like these trails, there will always be more hills to follow, but it's comforting to know that He will give us the rest that we need, if we are willing to take it in. So often, I find myself not resting in Him, but always looking ahead. Always wondering what will need to be done next.

The impatient part of me says that I'm ready to begin the downhill ride for a little bit,

but I believe the desires that I have are not only my desires for me and my family, but His as well. He knows what is best for us, He knows what struggles we must face to get there, and only He knows how those struggles will help us grow.

So for me, I'm trying hard to trade the busy and distracting noises for those of things that bring a calming quiet to my mind. I'm striving to give the burdens and worries to Him as I make my way up the hill. I'm looking forward to taking rest in His arms at the tops of the hills and while He carries me across the bridges to come.

Until that time, I press on.

Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge. Selah Psalm 62:5-8

Oliver, Smalliver, Ollie, O-Liver

2009-07-16T19:08:00.007-05:00

We interrupt this house packing extravaganza for a special report.

Oliver is still alive. Repeat. Oliver is still alive.

--------

Oliver's girlfriend, Nola....wait, you didn't know that Oliver had a girlfriend? Oh, yes. She may be rocking the cradle and Oliver, weighing in at a whopping 3.7 lbs, might just well be the same size of her head, but Nola goes for the best of the best and well....we think Oliver is one of the best.

Meet Nola.

She's showing off her sassy side with one of Oliver's collars.

From time to time, Nola or her mom writes Oliver . A little weird for a dog you might think, but she is high class all the way. She recently wrote to find out how Oliver was doing and if he was still around. She wanted photographic proof.

SO, I snuck around today to get a couple of pictures of him and.....well....I don't know that she is going to like this too much. I heard he has been attending quite a few local tea parties, but even worse........okay, maybe you will just have to see for yourself....

And I think this little girl, hiding behind him, just might be the culprit.

Check out the pink mittens on the front paws!

And just to warn you, Nola, the two of them are pretty much inseparable. He can be heard whining or yelping (depending on how far apart they are) for her to come back to him. They are most definitely, in love.

Sorry girl!

So there ya have it, Oliver is alive and well. Just maybe a little prettier than one might expect! ;)

The Princess Monster

2009-07-15T11:52:00.004-05:00

4th Festivities and Birthday Celebrations

2009-07-13T11:00:00.000-05:00

We had a wonderful 4th of July. The day is extra special to me because it's also my birthday.

I have been around here for now 28 years. Whew! I don't even know what to think of that number. Thanks for all the well wishes on my birthday! Everyone made it an extra special day for me and I was totally spoiled! I got some WONDERFUL gifts for my special day including a mosquito net donated to Hope Aid International!!!

I have so many wonderful memories of the July 4th. It's always been a time of watermelon and ice chests.

Chasing fireflies. Lawn chairs and patchwork quilts.

Anxiously, waiting for the fireworks to start.

Family and good times. Just good ol' fashioned summer time fun that goes out with a big bang or lots of big bangs if you make it out to the shows. We never miss them.

Since I was little, I've been called a "firecracker baby", a "Yankee doodle", an "Independence baby" or a "little firecracker". It's just part of my childhood that lives on with me. I still here those words when someone finds out my birthday is on the 4th. It doesn't get old. I rather enjoy it. It's the one time of the year that no matter what we are doing, we are celebrating and there are times I still pretend it's all just for me.

I recall thinking that the song, Born in the USA by Bruce Springsteen was my song-which was released 3 years after I was born. I remember hearing it blaring across the local parks we visited for years to come on the 4th. I just knew it had to be about me. Even though, most everyone else around was also born in the USA. Actually, I think that's the only Bruce Springsteen song that I recall. My radio listening days didn't come until much later when George Michael and Milli Vanilli was popular.

It was on my 15th birthday, that Chris and I officially went "out" together. He and his friend (now our friend) picked me and my cousin up at my Aunt and Uncle's house in his parent's 1992 blue Plymouth Voyager, the same van that we had our first in just a few weeks later, and we headed out the park to meet the rest of my family-the same park that I spent many years chasing down fireflies with my sister and cousins . We sat on the old patchwork quilt and attempted to flirt with each other using long blades of Oklahoma waving wheat. Okay, so it wasn't so much wheat as it was un-mowed grass, but the waving wheat sounded much more romantic. We officially became an item a week and half later on the 13th. Then, the following year on my birthday he gave me my promise ring, tucked safely inside an open rose that was floating in water.

As I get older, some things haven't changed while other things have. I still don't like watermelon but insist that we or someone else brings one. The old patchwork quilt is gone, but this year I dedicated a new one in it's honor-the quilt that the ladies from our old church congregation made for us after our house fire. The ice chests get filled with lots of ice and drinks. I've missed the firefies but am now getting to enjoy the moment with my daughter. And laughter and good times still fills the warm, summer air.

While my focus use to be on me turning another year older and of course as a kid, the presents!

this year has been different. As I watched my daughter on the patchwork quilt, I remembered the times with my family. As watermelon dripped on her clean shirt, I wondered if she would remember these times someday when she smelled the fresh scent of a ripe watermelon. When I watched her run around and giggle, I thought of the years to come and the wonderful times we were going to have. And as the fireworks began, I thought of our freedom. Our freedom that has not come free.

I remembered the gun salute at my Uncle's funeral many, many years ago. With every boom, I thought of our friend, who was with Chris and I on our first "date", that recently finished his tour with the Army and how each boom takes him back to a place he once was. He would never take credit for being a hero and would probably deny it in every way, but just like all the other men and women who have given themselves to keep our land free, he is. Not many of us would sign up to sign up to be away from our families, travel to some of the most dangerous places, and do the things required to stay alive like our soldiers do every day.

My star spangled hat goes off to the soldiers and their families and I continue to pray for those around the world who aren't free.

Here are some pics from our night, without captions. Although, one in particular should be captioned. I don't know the guy, but couldn't help but take his picture!!!

Family Update-Moving, Schooling, Working

2009-07-08T12:23:00.005-05:00

Well, we are still working on getting packed up for another move here in about 2 weeks. We are just moving to a new complex a few miles from where we currently are. We have decided that apartment living is still the best option for us right now. Chris still has 17ish more months of schooling before he has his masters. School keeps him really busy after work. It leaves no time for things like yard work and house maintenance.

The new place will give us an extra 500 square feet which will be helpful. We will also have an attached garage. Basically, you go in our front door and you can either go to the garage through another door or go upstairs to our apartment. It will be nice to have the garage right there and our own staircase to our place. It's also gated 24 hours a day with smaller code entry doors for walking out. We will also be in a wonderful school district. One that's scores are consistently in the top 10% of the nation. Even better for her worry wart of a mom, her school will be right next to our complex with only a gate and some field in between us!

I can't believe it's already time to start talking about school. After talking to one of the teachers, we have decided to not send her to Pre K. I had originally planned on it, but with her current level in learning, we don't feel like it would be best suited for her. She's been reading more and more words and has been doing well reading beginner books (still with quite a bit of help moving through the book). She continues to excel in other areas also. So we have decided to basically home school her for a year. Which isn't much different than what we have been doing. We will just add a little bit more structure to get her use to that before heading into Kindergarten. We also want to add some sort of extra curricular activity in to help in her learning to take instruction from someone other than mom and dad. We aren't sure what it will be yet, but we want to choose something that won't fill up every ounce of hers and our time. I don't want our whole lives to revolve around that one activity.

Homeschooling was our number one option in Oklahoma, but with the school ranking here and her desire and excitement to go to school, we feel it's best if she begins school in Kindergarten at the public school when it's time-which will be not this coming school year, but the next. She is very excited about going to school and has been asking us for weeks about where her new school is. She thrives on learning and I love that about her. It's not about how much she knows, but how much she wants to know. I think that is what will help her succeed.

What will the ol' momma be doing while her little ones is off schooling? Well, there's a great possibility I'll be schooling myself and working. Because of our desire to not finance our adoption, we will be saving and saving before we begin the process. We've been working on some extra things and one that I'll be able to tell you about soon. Another one, I told you about in my last post some.....errr....weeks ago. I don't know if work will be at home or part time somewhere, but it will be one step closer to where we want to be. Of course, I'd love to sit and fantasize about our adoption process starting sooner than later, but patience is already being learned in the very early stages of all of this.

Through our patience lesson, we have used the time to really reflect on the desires of our hearts in conjunction for what God's will is in our family. Something I feel wouldn't have happened had we rushed into it all. It's easy to get caught up in the excitement and stories of other adoptions or the feeling of needing to save the world, but I don't feel any of those are any great reasons alone to bring a child into our family. It's like getting a family pet without the thoughts of all repercussions of that decision. Of course, on a totally different level. Children aren't pets. Just felt I needed to clarify that I felt that! :)

Schooling for me? Well, I've been considering going to school for graphic design. I've been going it off and on in various different jobs, projects, etc for about 12ish years. I have always enjoyed doing it and it's one thing I have really stuck to doing since I began. I've also enjoyed doing lots of extra stuff lately with it. Some friends of ours came and stayed with us this last weekend. I had to laugh when he asked if I was doing freelance work. FREE would be the key word in all that. ha! It's always been free. Which I love to do it for other people at no charge. For me the challenge is so rewarding. BUT it would be nice to one day say that it is what I do for a living. So we will see. Who knows what is in store there, if anything.

Okay, so I think that's it on the wordy updates. I'll be posting some pics soon and a couple more updates on other things!

Oliver's Collars

2009-06-12T14:25:00.004-05:00

So Chris and I have been trying to come up with ways to raise money for our adoption plans. I will be opening up an Etsy store in the near future for craft items made by me to help with the endeavor. I'm excited because it's getting us closer to the point of being able to start the process as we are not wanting to finance any of it. God will provide the means if it is His will and I'm open to using the...cough, cough..talents...that He has given me.

A couple of months ago though, we started the process of already using some of those talents. I had a big order to fill so that is why we are just not to the point of being able to announce our opening one of two of our stores (hence--the thing I couldn't tell you about yet!), Oliver's Collars. I am still working on some bigger sizes for the big dogs as all but 2 of the big collars went to the big order. We will be having some custom options coming up in the near future. Of course, the name was inspired by our very own Oliver.

Isn't he the cutest?

So go and check it out. I have several more collars in the making with some new, fun summer and spring prints. So if you don't find what you are looking for, shoot me a message and we can work something out.

Be on the lookout for ID collars coming soon!!!

Cue crickets

2009-06-12T14:03:00.001-05:00

Sorry things have been so eerily quiet around here lately. I dare not even attempt to post all the pics from our recent adventures--not today that is. In fact over the next several weeks, I'll be in and out when I can. On top of the normal every day stuff, we move in 7 weeks and I can't stand an unorganized move!

There have been so many things I have been wanting to blog about, but feeling like there isn't enough time in the day to live it AND document it so of course, I'm choosing to live it first. Not just be there, but to L-I-V-E it.

I've also used the blog absenteeism to do some much needed thinking and reflecting about life things and getting caught up on other things. Reflecting typically throws my mind in a frenzy, but as a dear friend told me, "Reflecting is GOOD". And good it is. Reflecting is what keeps me in check. I want everything I do to be for God's glory and purpose and not my own and it some times becomes a hazy line when I'm not taking the time to step back and take it all in. Pride, envy, and other emotions have a way of creeping in and making a mess of it all. For me, reflecting and spending time with Him, is a good dose of medicine for the problem. Of course, I have some wonderful friends who help me work through them and for that I am SO thankful!

SO I suppose I have a wee bit of updating to do since I've left everyone hanging for the past few (oohhh, do I dare say it?)......weeks. I still have my special guest for Whoo's Day is Tuesday?! to post. Update on the Future Hope Project. Some Bible study stuff. Of course an update on the family. PICTURES!! Oklahoma Trip. Brother's graduation. CRAFTS!! The "thing that I can't tell you about yet" that I keep meaning to tell you about and at this point you are probably thinking their isn't really a thing.

Thanks goes to you for being patient with me and another BIG thanks to those of you who emailed or called wondering about my whereabouts. I miss my peeps when I'm gone, but some times rest is just the thing the doctor ordered!!

Most Randomness Thursday

2009-05-14T17:47:00.008-05:00

Well, I totally missed Whoo's Day is Tuesday on Tuesday, but don't worry it will be back next week!!! I have also failed to update the blog with things going on in our lives outside of the Future Hope Project stuff.

Speaking of--I ordered some stuff a couple of weeks ago to make a pendant that I have been wanting to make for quite some time. I ended up not making the exact one that I wanted, but varied it. It fits with the FHP logo. I finished it yesterday and I'm pretty happy with it-especially being the first one I've done. I have some other plans to make at least a few others.

I still have to make the hole at the top a tad bigger to attach a jump ring and then get a chain for it.

Other than family time, FHP, third online Bible study coming up, and the other exciting thing I couldn't tell you about before, things have been pretty slow! haha! I will however be talking about the other exciting avenue we have been working on in the next couple of days.

We've been spending a lot of our family time doing more geocaching, walking/running/riding on the trails, playing at parks, and just hanging out. Chris has had his head in his school books, I've been doing a lot of craft stuff, and Aleeyah is...well...being a 3 year old!

On a bigger announcement--we have a new nephew!!! Mason finally decided to come out and play last Wednesday!!

I haven't got to hold the little squirt yet, but am looking forward to seeing him in 1 1/2 weeks!

We did get a chance to go to the Royals Game with Chris' work! Gotta love the free perks that comes with his job! We had an extra tickets, so dad was able to go with us also. Aleeyah was fascinated the whole time and kept asking what they were doing as if she was trying to figure out exactly how the game is played.

I do have to say that ballpark hot dogs and peanuts are totally overrated!

On another note of job perks--some of you may remember that up until we moved to Kansas, Chris and I have spent a lot of time apart throughout our marriage due to him working out of town each week with various jobs. It was rough, but we made it through it and are happy to be together now! One good thing that came out of our time apart and all his traveling is the racked up frequent flyer miles and hotel points. For the last 4ish years we have had enough hotel points to take a 7 day cruise almost free and enough frequent flier points to get us there. We've been putting it off for quite some time, but have decided it would be a wonderful way to spend our 10 year anniversary-which is this year. So we head out to...

ALASKA in September! For Chris it will be like returning to a place he once called home(not quite in the same area he use to live) and for me, it will be an all new experience! One of the biggest challenges I'll face is leaving my baby home. Well, not home-with responsible adults, but not with me. I've only ever spent 4 nights away from her in all her 3 1/2 years of life. I'll miss her like crazy, but am excited about spending some alone time with Chris. So in September (almost a month after our 10 year anniversary) we will fly out to Seattle and then hop on board the ship and sail away!!

Okay, so I think that's going to be a wrap on my completely random post!

Hope everyone has had a wonderful week so far!

Page 139

2009-05-11T12:42:00.005-05:00

It was on page 139 that a tear finally hit the page of a new book (Same Kind of Different as Me)I had just picked up the day before. Up until that point, reading about the modern day slaves and the life of an International art dealer had merely peaked my curiosity. A few of the stories even had my eyes a bit misty. But it was page 139 that made my heart ache.

Even as I look at the page, I can see just in the corner a small stain that soaked it's way into the next 3 pages. I should have taken it as a sign of what was to follow because for the next 107 pages my I went from misty eyed to weeping and back every few pages. As the tear soaked into the pages, the words of the modern day slave turned hobo began soaking into me.

'A lotta times while I was out there, I'd see a shootin star burn across the black sky, bright one minute and gone the next. Ever time I seen one, seemed like it was gon' fall all the way to the ground, and I couldn't understand why I never could see where it went...The Word says God put ever star in the heavens and even give ever one of em a name. If one of em was gon' fall out the sky, that was up to Him, too. Maybe we can't see where it's gon wind up, but He can. .... And I found out that sometimes we just have to accept the things we don't understand.'

There is a saying that goes around that "I need Africa more than Africa needs me." and I thought about this when I read his words in the book. I thought about the rooted prejudice that keeps my mind from believing that a homeless, black slave would have something so profound to say. The same prejudice that I try to keep out of my mind, but yet it camps there and rears it's ugly head from time to time. I thought about this man, who once was considered the lowest of low, was doing more to help others in those few sentences than many will do in a lifetime. This is a man that can see life through new eyes and lives on a faith that can move mountains and who am I to think that he knows nothing.

Prejudice has been on my mind for quite some time now. I don't call people of a different color by slang names or tell jokes mocking them. I pray for all people of any color. But I've realized in the last few weeks that prejudice is still a part of my life and not because of anybody else but myself.

The other day, I took Aleeyah out to play in the lawn of our complex. There was a little Asian girl playing also. They had such a wonderful time. Neither one of them knew what the other one was saying, but it didn't matter because running, playing follow the leader, and giggling required no words. But yet, I felt content with just smiling at her mom-knowing that I would only get frustrated trying to understand while feeling bad that I was so impatient.

We watched Slumdog Millionaire just a few days prior to Compassion sending another group of bloggers to India. As the people sat at small stations being paid very little for their work of answering the calls of agitated people having problems with their electronics, I thought of the many times I wanted to curse during or after making one of those calls myself. It's frustrating when the language barrier keeps you from getting something accomplished. And I loose patience once again and my brain goes where it shouldn't go.

All to often, I glance at the beggars sign-wondering if he really wants to WORK for food or if he just heard the local station talking about how much money one can make for standing on the street corners. I wonder if their drinking and drug addiction put them there. Nevermind the cause of the addiction, but one thing is for sure-my money won't be going to support such an addiction. And I drive right on past him.

Is it easier on your heart to hear of a fire, tornado, or hurricane hit an area that "needs to be condemned anyway"? Is it easier to flip the channel when the news is talking about a young, black man being shot in the city? I mean he was probably getting into some kind of trouble...right? What about when we are devastated by 1 plane crash in the US when there is an equivalent of 180 planes crashing each and every day when you look at how many children die each day from preventable causes?

I don't know why God allowed such misunderstanding of each other and why some have completely followed in a path of hate and anger against someone who looks different than they do, but I also see that just as Denver Moore said, 'sometimes we just have to accept the things we don't understand'. To accept something we understand a situation but do not attempt to change it, protest, or exit. I'm not saying we should sit back and let poverty happen, but what we should accept is God's plan and His calling to us to help them.

Would we understand the level of compassion, faith, mercy, and love that comes with loving someone different than yourself if there weren't any slaves--slaves of man, slaves of anger, slaves of poverty, etc ? This isn't to say that we I wish bad things on good people so that we can grow, but that God is using us for a purpose.

It would prejudice of me to think because of the color of your skin or the items that you possess that you aren't doing anything or even say that you aren't doing enough. Only you know truly what you give and what you feel is enough is up to you and Him.

I've learned about the devastation in poverty, but also the faith and contentment in the hearts of the poor. I want more of that faith and contentment in my life. I'm beginning to see that the only way I'm going to get that is if I truly give of myself out of love and let God take every ounce of prejudice from my heart.

What are some of the organizations you are a part of to help those who God calls us to help? Use Mr. Linky below to link to as many organizations as you would like to share. Use the name of the organization and their website to leave a link. This will make it anonymous, but if you want us to know more of your personal story with the organization-leave a comment.

We have a winner!!!

2009-05-07T18:46:00.003-05:00

It's been only a week since we launched the Future Hope Project. And what an exciting week it has been! We have had a great response of enthusiasm through blogs and emails and I wish I could sit down and share them all with you. Instead, I'll give you some highlights.

Jill from Girls Just Want to Have Fun wrote about FHP HERE and showed off her packages HERE. Also something to note-she only had to spend around $10 for one package. Just $10!

Judy from My Compassion Experience wrote about FHP and Compassion HERE and she posted a button on THIS blog where she features crocheted blankets to benefit Compassion International.

Kimberly from Tree Huggin Mommy writes about FHP HERE. She's also loading up her two girls to join the efforts to purchase the needed items.

Sarah from Finding What I Am Looking For is talking about it HERE. Check out that good lookin' button on the right side!!

I also want to note that we have 2 large group efforts already in the works! A friend of mine that I use to work with a million moons ago is organizing a drive at her church.

Jill (also mentioned above) is also in the process of organizing a group drive with her mom's group!

I know that is several shout outs, but we are indeed thankful and excited about the support!

Thank you everyone who emailed, blogged, twittered, facebooked, myspaced, etc on behalf of the Future Hope Project this week!!

Okay, now down to the winner of the $25.00 gift card. Typically, I like to do a video of the Aleeyah drawing a name, but she is quiet in the other room and all parents know that disturbing such a thing is...well....not to be done! So this time, I did it the old fashioned way-by myself with no camera. You are going to have to trust me this time. :) All the names were written on little blue pieces of paper and then put in the closest plastic container I could find. Swirled around. I reached my hand in, grabbed one of the names from the sea of blue...and.....

JILL IS THE WINNER!!!

Congrats Jill! I'm thinking the added 6 entries for the group drive helped you out on this one!

Thanks again to everyone who helped spread the word this week! We will be needing to keep the word going so let us know if you have any ideas.

Don't forget to continue to collect items for packages and get them sent off. We still have another winner to announce soon for the Ugandan handmade craft. See HERE for more details!!

Drawing today!

2009-05-07T15:14:00.003-05:00

Okay, I'm going to be doing the FHP drawing some time after 7pm tonight. So you have until then!!!

Check HERE for details.

I'd write more, but my body is feeling the strange need for some Vitamin D and today is the perfect day for it! Plus Chris took a half day and we have some biking to go do!!!

Have a wonderful day! See you after 7pm!

Whoo's Day is Tuesday?!--Meet Tracy

2009-05-05T15:14:00.007-05:00

It's time for another Whoo's Day is Tuesday?!

Today, you get to meet another one of my blogger friends, Tracy. Tracy is another blogger I met through Compassion. She writes on Wages in the Making. She is a wife and a momma to 3 beautiful kids. She has a heart for children living in poverty and it shows through her words. She doesn't just talk about poverty because she feels that she should. I believe she truly hurts for them. She recently got back from a Compassion trip to see one of the children that her family sponsors. I enjoyed reading each post about her trip and the feelings that she went through. I was also so delighted when she offered to take a doll that I made to Ethiopia with her to give to one of the girls we sponsor.

After reading her interview-go over and say hi! She is very nice, warm person to chat with. It's definitely a blessing to know her.

When did you start blogging and why?
I started dabbling in blogging back in 2007 with the extinct dinosaur that is 'myspace'. Back then I only wrote when I had a really good antidote or really felt God leading me to jump up on my soapbox and start yelling. So those old articles are really some of my most inspired. This past year, I began blogging regularly on blogger to keep my friends and family, who had so graciously helped to fund a Compassion International trip to Ethiopia, updated on my progress and my trip. Through my trip journal entries, I found that I actually had a knack for writing and have sense used it to clear my head around midnight or 1 a.m. so I can sleep peacefully. Sleep medication I don't have to pay for!!

Has your blog evolved into something other than its original intent?
I think so. I started writing mainly to keep others informed about my life and my three kids as we live out of state. But now I use the computer as my own personal psychiatric couch. It doesn't talk back and doesn't charge me $100 an hour, so I'm going to try to keep up regular appointments, for my family's own good.

Is there a blog post that you have written that you would like to share with us?
Of course I have to mention my blogs about my Compassion trip as that was THE most memorable experience of my life http://wagest.blogspot.com/search/label/Ethiopia.

But sense that would take your readers at least a good portion of their lives to read all 10 days - I would have to pick my back-up of "Sick Days". I wrote it back in February of 2007 when my baby girl decided to throw up all over my van and the enlightening day that ensued. And who doesn't love a good throw-up story?? http://wagest.blogspot.com/2008/09/feb-2007-sick-days.html

Do you write on more than one blog?
Thankfully no. As I am a procrastinator at heart and my children would never have clean underwear if I did. ** Although Abbie so graciously tried hard to get me to switch places with her and head the Bible study blog while she took my place on the way to Ethiopia. I felt God may get a little mad if I disobeyed his calling and decided to instead suck it up and take the 16 hour plane ride over to Africa. I'm just hoping I can start MY own Bible study blog up next year so she can graciously switch places with ME and let me take her place in going to Uganda. Cause fair is fair and I'm just generous like that.

How do you think blogging has affected you the most?
I have found a boldness I didn't think I had. It is so much easier to witness, to point out difficulties we all face, to share intimate and personal struggles with others via a computer screen. And after doing this for about a year, that boldness has sense carried through to my everyday life. I am much more ready to share Christ, to talk to strangers, to share my pain or struggles with others since I have been able to use blogging to 'dip my toe' into the water and find out that God really does bless you personally when you speak out in His name.

Have you had an opportunity to meet any of your blog readers face-to-face?
Only my friends and family that are contractually obligated to read my rambling. (Although my husband doesn't read my > blog, hmmmm, isn't there something inherently wrong about that??)

Are there any particular blogger tools that you would recommend to others (ex. Blog readers, traffic sites, widgets)?
I am still such a newbie to the blogging world. I haven't even ventured out into that world as I know I would be much more dangerous. I know it's old-school, but I do love my FeedJit traffic feed as I think it's cool I have people popping in occasionally from around the world. Granted, it's usually from a random search like "chili recipe" or "Ethiopian day wages" but hey, a girl can dream of the big time, can't I??

What is the blog you look forward to checking the most daily and why?
I love reading Big Mama's blog as she is a member of my "Crazy for Compassion" club(that I just made up), was a Compassion blogger on last year's Dominican Republic trip, and seems slightly demented, in a hilarious way. Her sense of humour and wonderful writing gives me something to strive for. But I guess when you get about 23,659 hits a day, your blog must be pretty good. I'm just thankful for my 3 daily readers, at least I'm not talking to myself ....

Name 1 blogger that you would like to see interviewed?
Well sense Abbie is the only other blogger I keep close and personal tabs on (read as: the only other blogger that gives me comments...), I think she needs to answer these questions herself!!

Is there anything else you would like to share?
Short of begging, I really would like you to take the time to read my Ethiopian trip entries. Not for my benefit but the benefit of all the children I was able to meet, hug on, love on, and share with while there. Back in the Fall of 2008, God would NOT leave me alone with the nagging message that I needed to go on Compassion's Africa trip. Compassion International is an amazing organization that is truly changing the lives of children, and I was able to see that first-hand. The sights and lessons the Lord taught me there were amazing. In America, we are bombarded with so much STUFF that clouds our vision. To step into another world and see true joy, true pain, and true love of another, is a gift that cannot be gained through a good book or a TV show. It puts your focus back where it belongs, on your own family, and on the heart of God - His children, and His love for others.

Thanks Tracy for sharing and joining us today!

2 Giveaways!

2009-05-03T16:56:00.004-05:00

Alright guys--we are halfway to our week before we draw for the $25 Barnes and Noble gift card. Thursday we are drawing. Check HERE for more information about the Future Hope Project and on how to get entered into the drawing. There are 7 different ways that you can earn up to 16 entries.

Also, Gin from Hope Aid International is also hosting a giveaway for the Future Hope Project where you can win a handmade item made by one of the Ugandans that Hope Aid helps.

From her site--"As an added incentive to participate -- each person who sends a care package or donates a minimum of $10 towards the project will have their name entered into a drawing for a handmade Ugandan craft made by one of our Hope Aid beneficiaries in Fort Portal!!!"

Who doesn't want a handmade item from Uganda???

Need help finding items for your donation?--Let me know. Grab a button over on the right to add to your blog to help promote the FHP. Don't forget to add your link to Mister Linky if you posted a blog or added a button to your site.

FHP What is it?

2009-04-30T15:00:00.015-05:00

So say for instance that Chris and I told you we were pregnant. Say that we talked about how excited we were. Say we told you that all we needed was this list of things for our baby:

3 cloth diapers
6 diaper pins
2 plastic diaper covers
1 receiving blanket
1 small travel size baby powder
1 pacifier
1 bar of baby soap

Would you tell me I'm crazy? What about a bottles, more blankets, toys? Ohh, the laundry I'd have to do with only 3 cloth diapers.

Fact of the matter is

1. we are not pregnant
2. this wasn't near enough for our comfort when we had Aleeyah almost 4 years ago
3. this is more than many mothers have around the world. Here in the US. In India. In Africa.

So remember the exciting news I wanted to share with you several times now?

IT IS TIME!

Hope Aid International is working with a maternity clinic in Uganda to help new mothers and infants and that is where The Future Hope Project comes in.

Our basic mission is to get the small list of essentials gathered together in large quantities to help assist these new mothers and infants as they begin their journey of fighting the stark statistics that are ahead of them. We are asking that you get a large, gallon size baggie and fill it with the items above and mail it to us along with $5 to help with shipping costs. Then all the collected packages will be sent the maternity ward in Uganda.

These gifts are small in comparison to what they will face, but a wonderful gift that will be a treasure for the new family.

Check out www.futurehopeproject.com for other ways to get involved!

The front page gives information about what we are doing (I'm trying to keep it short here). Click on Give Hope to find out what you can do. Click on Share for resources on sharing our project with others.

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Also, I need your help in getting the word out. So I'm going a little giveaway for a $25 Barnes and Noble gift card as my way of saying thank you. :)

For each doing, you get a point (or more where noted). Each point will be how many times your name will be entered in the drawing. The drawing will happen a week from today (Thursday, May 7th).

**Post about it with the link on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Myspace (each 1 point)
**Post a Future Hope Project button (located on the site under Share with Friends)on your blog (2 points)
**Post a blog about it (3 points)
**Email friends and family encouraging them to get involved (2 points)
**Set up a fundraiser/drive for items with your church, small group, boy/girl scout club, etc (6 points)

Come back and let me know what items you did by leaving a comment or you can email me at ahamblin@kc.rr.com. So just for doing these things, you could be entered up to 16 times!

Also, check out Gin's blog post for an additional giveaway information and more info on Hope Aid International and the maternity ward!

Okay, go check out the site and get involved!!!!

If you post a blog about FHP or add a button to your blog, you can leave a link to your blog post in MisterLinky below.

Whoo's Day is Tuesday!? Meet Gin

2009-04-28T19:41:00.004-05:00

Today's post is coming a bit late on this Tuesday! Chris has been sickly and me being the mom/nurse of our household, I have been a bit busy.

This week you get to meet another special online friend of mine, Gin. I got to know Gin when she sent me a message about being a part of our upcoming blogger Bible study and I'm glad she did.

I know she would probably keep me from saying what I'm about to say if she was sitting next to me, but I'm going to anyway! haha! She is one amazing lady! She is my age, but has done so much already. She doesn't mention it below, but she founded Hope Aid International-an organization that provides anything from school tuition to sewing machines to cows for families in Uganda. At this point, I am planning to join her in Uganda some time in the next year and a half for the ribbon cutting of their secondary school and I am super excited about it! Besides for all the work in Uganda, she also does social type work as her primary job and is all about the dog rescues. She is definitely a person who loves to serve and she does a mighty fine job at it!

So read about her interview below and then go check out her sites!

When did you start blogging and why?
I started a blog a looooong time ago (in undergrad maybe?) when Blogger was still known as Blogspot and had no association with Google! I didn't really understand blogging back then and didn't write too often. It was mainly my own personal journal. It's been so long now that I have no idea how to find my old blog.

Has your blog evolved into something other than its original intent?
I was actually inspired to blog again from Compassion's blog! I'd been having such a great time reading the posts and commenting... it kind of taught me what a blog could be! I'm sure that sounds a little silly considering I had one forever ago, but I feel like back then, blogs weren't what they are today. Maybe I'm wrong and was just challenged, but then again, I was a tech know-it-all back then so perhaps blogs really have changed. Afterall, now blogs aren't just blogs, there is an entire blog world!!! When I started my blog, I did it to reflect on things going on in my life. I didn't feel connected to God in a way that satisfied me. By writing about my relationship with Him and diving deeper into life with Him, I hoped to find more of what I was looking for -- I thought that by writing my thoughts and reflecting on my life through my own words, I would find more of what I needed. Whew, that was long! :) Back to the question... I've used my blog... totally taken advantage of it. I feel horrible. Blog, please forgive me! I've certainly not dished my blog's purpose, but I have used it to share things other than what I intended. I don't think my blog minds -- and I have really enjoyed meeting new friends!!!

Is there a blog post that you have written that you would like to share with us?
Hmm... I don't have one that comes to mind, but when I looked back through some posts, I think I really like all of the posts from November of last year. There are some funny ones, some sweet ones, and some deep ones. Here's the archive link: http://iseehope.blogspot.com/2008_11_01_archive.html

Do you write on more than one blog?
Isn't there a rule that states you must have more than one??? I have a few actually... Let's see, there's Chronicles of the Bird People http://thebirdpeople.blogspot.com ... and you know what, now that I'm thinking about it. This was actually my second blog...it started as a joke because SO many people were asking about me and D so I made a blog that started as a joke. Then we actually used it because our friends would ask about it. I found that I enjoyed posting and decided I wanted to write about more things. So that combined with the Compassion thing lead to my main blog, Good Morning World http://iseehope.blogspot.com. Then I realized how much I had to say about my sweet love, Nola, so it was only fair that she had a blog dedicated to her alone. http://mydognola.blogspot.com. I'd emailed Abbie way before she was ready for the next Bible Study group and was super excited when she announced that there would be another one -- and I got in! LOL, I was really excited to be part of this! It's my first one! So I write on the BS blog http://livinginhisdesign.blogspot.com.

How do you think blogging has affected you the most?
Hands down, I've met some of the best, most genuine friends I could ever have. In fact, some of my best friends I have never met. To some I'm sure it sounds completely ridiculous, and I'm sure if I didn't have them, I'd think the same of someone else... but it's true. I have loved getting to know people through the window they give me each day when I see a new post in my reader. I've enjoyed following along through the exciting and joyful times and I've enjoyed being able to pray for them and encourage them through the difficult times. Blogging is soooo much more than simply putting thoughts out there. It's an entire community, and I'm happy we're neighbhors! (How cheesy is that?!) I can't help it, it's how I feel... neighbhor!

Have you had an opportunity to meet any of your blog readers face-to-face?
I have a few friends who blog but with regard to meeting new friends that I met through blogging. Nope.

Are there any particular blogger tools that you would recommend to others (ex. Blog readers, traffic sites, widgets)?
Seriously, you're asking me?!

What is the blog you look forward to checking the most daily and why?
I'm not even going to publicly admit how many blogs are in my reader right now... however, I love them all! Some I am an active commenter on and others I am a complete stalker! The blogs I read range from every day inspiration to international adoptions, dogs, crafts, and DIYs. Is it possible to be excited about all of them?! The ones I look most forward to would definitely have to be by people that I "know" though. Friends that I've either met online or know in person. I enjoy reading about what's going on with everyone!

Name 1 blogger that you would like to see interviewed?
This is tough to answer because I know such a small group of people that I would love to read anyone's interview!!! I've found that it's really neat to read the answers from people that I do know and it's also neat to maybe meet and learn about new friends this way too. Do I have to choose someone?!

Is there anything else you would like to share?
Thank you for interviewing me!!!
A friend is one who strengthens you with prayers, blesses you with love and encourages you with hope. -Unknown

I feel so blessed to have met such wonderful friends through blogging and I have learned so much from each person. Some of my friends know me from shared blogs or comments and others I simply stalk. But I love each and every one! Thanks for the interview Abbie!

THANKS GIN!!!!

The Little Bunny Foo-foo

2009-04-24T12:45:00.000-05:00

Well, since Easter was this past weekend....okay, so not really, but go with me....I wanted to get the pics up from our Easter festivities. Warning: This post will be picture heavy!

We went to an Easter Egg Hunt at Chris' work on the Friday before. It was nice to see some of his coworkers families and spend lunch with all of them.

Saturday, we dyed eggs. I have issues about the eggs going bad before we hide them, so I typically put them off until right before. I kind of messed up this year though. I knew we would be dying them just before bed, but then it set the whole thing off when Chris reminded me that I actually still needed to boil them first! Whooops! Let's just say, Aleeyah had a late night!

So we made eggs with construction paper while we waited for the eggs to cook and cool.

We did our family egg hunt at my dad's house after church. It was sprinkling during our time outside searching for eggs. Aleeyah's hair will attest to that as the pictures progress.

And a pic of one of the bunnies aka my brother!

Fashionable Friday

2009-04-24T11:29:00.002-05:00

Ohhhh, the memories!

Earth Day!

2009-04-22T09:51:00.002-05:00

As with any holidays, the idea and concept should be practiced daily, but it's nice to dedicate a day and be inspired to do a little extra that day.

So today we are:

*Going outside to pick up trash and enjoy the nature around us
*Take our boxes of recycling to the recycling container
*Attempt to use the least amount of energy and water resources throughout the day
*A few other crafty things, if the time allows!

What's your plans for Earth Day?

Whoo's Day is Tuesday!? Meet Jess

2009-04-21T11:07:00.007-05:00

It's already time for another edition of Whoo's Day is Tuesday!?

I'm having such a great time learning more about some blogger friends of mine and sharing that with you. In the same turn, it is difficult to try to figure out which blogger to go next because I want to learn about each of you equally.

This week's interview is with Jess who writes The Random Thoughts of a Domestic Goddess and her title serves her well!

Jess is another online buddy of mine. The history of our relationship goes back to me leaving a comment on her husband's parent's blog. His parents were in the process of adopting from Ethiopia and I enjoyed reading their blog. (BTW-they just recently brought their little girl home about a month-ish ago!) Jess left me a comment on my blog, emails were exchanged, and our friendship began to bloom. She decided to join our Bible study group and I really enjoyed getting to know her even more. Later, she invited us over for their annual Holiday Party. It's kind of a funny story because we both had people in our lives that were questioning why in the world we were meeting some person that we just "met" online. Let's just say, serial killers typically don't join Bible study groups.

Inviting a stranger into her home is exactly what sums up Jess for me. She such a genuinely kind an welcoming person to anyone that wants it. She a wifey and a wonderful momma to her daughter, Abby--love the name, don't you?

She also makes me cry, but in a good way. :)

When did you start blogging and why?
I started blogging in March of 2008 because we were finally settled in our new home and I was working from home full time and LONELY! I found myself reading blog after blog and finally thought if they can do it why can’t I. I never imagined I would get so hooked or meet so many great people and I can happily report I am no longer lonely working from home!

Has your blog evolved into something other than its original intent?
It’s original intent was unknown, it was a time filler, a way to make me feel like I was having conversation and not talking to myself, LOL! So YES it has evolved into much more than I ever dreamed it would evolve into. It has been a way to keep our families connected, to share pictures and stories about our daily life and also to share my walk with God. I have met so many amazing people who have taught me SOOOOO much in my walk with God not only by their words but by how they live their lives. I am amazed more and more every day at just how great God’s plan is, and how perfect it can be when I let Him have control!

Is there a blog post that you have written that you would like to share with us?
There is no way I can just pick one, LOL! I am way too indecisive for that. If I had to pick one that I am most passionate about and that I have learned the most about myself because of it would be a topic and not just 1 post. Our Baby Boyd Dreams topic, (http://boy-oyd.blogspot.com/search/label/Baby%20Boyd%20Dreams) I think I am up to 18 posts under that label now and it is something very dear to my heart. We are going on 3 years trying to get pregnant and I have to say that it has been one heck of a roller coaster. I have learned SO much about myself and about my faith through this whole experience. I have poured my heart out without hesitation and given the process to God, it was a struggle to get to that point but I finally got there!!!!

I think my favorite recent post was the one I did to recap my first year of blogging. http://boy-oyd.blogspot.com/2009/03/current-state-of-mind.html I had fun looking back. But the blog posts that have gotten the most responses have been my Class of 99 posts, (http://boy-oyd.blogspot.com/search/label/Class%20of%201999) everyone has loved making fun of me! LOL!

Do you write on more than one blog?
I do…I am part of the All In His Design Bible Study group so I write there and then I have a top secret blog of mine own that I keep as a journal. Those are the only blogs that I have the “right” to post on but I am a comment junkie. I LOVE getting comments and leaving them so let’s just say I write on a lot of blog posts!

How do you think blogging has affected you the most?
As strange as it sounds it has opened me up to enjoying my life more, the everyday stuff, the “to do list” or the daily activities of life. I kind of went through the motions before and just did stuff but being able to blog and journal and photograph stuff that is part of my life has really made me enjoy things much more and acknowledge how much we really do. It has been a blast.

Have you had an opportunity to meet any of your blog readers face-to-face?
I have…I met Abbie which was so fun. We have great conversations and have a ton in common so we knew a lot about each other before meeting. It was great because our Husbands and kids got to meet too and it ALL went good so that was really exciting. We have met for lunch since our 1st meeting but haven’t been able to get together as often as I would like but hopefully now that the weather is nice we can have more lunch outings and park time, etc, etc. There are so many more readers I would LOVE to meet in person and I think that there are a few I will definitely meet someday, life will bring us together…God is good…He will make it happen!

Are there any particular blogger tools that you would recommend to others (ex. Blog readers, traffic sites, widgets)?
Ummm…too many to list. I don’t stick to one thing very long, I love to try new stuff and see how it works and then usually I go looking for something new after just a while. You can tell that by just how much the background and songs change on my blog! I can’t ever leave well enough alone! I Google search all the time to try and fine new Blogger widgets and improvements, there are some really smart people out there that you can learn a lot from! And Google reader is AWESOME, I usually only use it when I am behind on my reading, otherwise I like to go to the blogs themselves so I can what changes they have made and see how pretty the blogs look. I think the backgrounds and styles tell you a lot about people, they are so fun to look at.

What is the blog you look forward to checking the most daily and why?
I don’t know that there is one in particular that I look forward to, I just look forward to seeing who’s towards the top of the list because that means they updated! Life is busy and taking the time to blog can be time consuming so really if there is a new post on my reader list I am happy because it gives me something to read! I have been so inspired and touched by the reading I have been able to do through Blogger. If I have to name one blog that I stalk for updates it would be my Mum (www.boydadoption.com) because I am hoping there will be new pictures and updates about our little sister on there!!!

Name 1 blogger that you would like to see interviewed?
GIN!!!! For sure. She has the A.D.D. brain thoughts thing going on and I LOVE it. She can keep me entertained no matter the subject!!! But I would also like to see your answers Abbie…you should do a Interview with the Interviewer. LOL!

Is there anything else you would like to share?
One thing that I have noticed or heard a lot of about blogging is that people don’t think they are interesting or that anyone will read or that they will offend someone by what they say. If there is one thing I could say it would be to do it for you and you will be AMAZED at how much you learn about yourself and life in general through blogging. I hear it all the time “I can’t blog, I wouldn’t even know what to say” or “I love reading your blog but there is no way I could do all THAT” or “Nobody would want to read about my boring life.” There is such a community out there of Bloggers, people just like you and me that have created lifelong bonds through blogs. You don’t have to be a poet or scholar or always have something profound to say, it’s just about sharing, there is no right or wrong way to do it. Push yourself to get out of your shell and start a blog and if you don’t think you can blog then start by commenting on the blogs that you read…I’m telling you, it’s fun and addictive and you will LOVE IT!!!!

And PS….Abbie is the bestest! (( no she isn’t adding this on her own either! )) Thank you for doing this and for interviewing me and for being so great. I have loved every minute of getting to know you and my life wouldn’t be the same without you. You have such a fantastic outlook on life and have such a great perspective on things that I can’t even begin to wrap my mind around. And our Bible Study that you organized has been the best thing to happen in my life in a long time! Thanks Abbie for being so sweet and caring so much about everyone else…YOU ARE THE BESTEST!!!

See, she is too good to me!

Thanks lady for joining us this week!

Geocaching: It's raining squirrels!

2009-04-18T23:32:00.012-05:00

Today turned out to be a beautiful Spring day. We spent some of our afternoon out geocaching.

A quick description of what geocaching is: Basically, people all over the world hide small containers in public places for others to find and log their arrival. Some times they contain goodies in them that you are allowed to take as long as you place something else in the box. The boxes are found using a GPS and (for us) clues. Once you get to the Long/Lat location then the search is on. It typically takes some moving around of leaves, branches, or other material to find the cache box. It's a mini modern day treasure hunt if you will.

There are lots and lots of them here in Overland Park (and probably lots in your area-visit here to find out).

I've been wanting to do this for quite some time and keep running into information about it. I finally talked to Chris and my dad about it and decided that I really wanted to go try it out. Chris was a bit reluctant, but I knew once we got out there, his inner Eagle Scout would resurface again. Dad didn't get to go with us this time, but was very excited about joining us.

So this morning, we got Aleeyah geared up telling her we were going to go look for a box. It didn't quite work, but then we told her we were going to the trails and then she was game. Even more, we got some rain this morning and she would surely get to play in the puddles and mud.

So with my iPhone with the geocaching app loaded and an additional trail GPS, we were headed to our first cache. As we approached the cache location we parked the car and started walking down the paved trails.

The clouds in the sky were making it difficult to get a good signal and we couldn't figure out the other trail GPS. So we relied on my trusty phone to get us there....yes, a phone. Once we got to the spot, it was up to us to do some searching.

After about 30 minutes of walking in thickets, over fallen trees and limbs, and even seeing a squirrel fall from a very, very tall tree while hitting branches on the way down and finally ending in a loud thump on his side, we had given up.

Truth of the matter is, all three of us were having a great time, but ummmm...someone needed to find a bathroom with toilet paper and a sink to wash her hands-something the woods just doesn't provide. I know, I know, it does provide ground where people without toilets once roamed, BUT this city girl has not had to squat on it's soil in a very, very, very long time. As I tried to figure out how I would even do it without peeing on myself, I said it was time to go.

Speaking of city girls, can you believe I kept getting in trouble by the Eagle Scout for being more concerned about documenting the trip via snapshots than actually trying to "quickly" find the treasure box??? That is what I do. I enjoy myself, my family, and I take pictures in the process-no matter how much time it might add to our journey!

As we were walking back, I looked off to my right, there she was. Shoved in the cove of a fallen tree.

I might have yelled a little in excitement. I wanted to open it since I found it, but thought squatting down next to a tree wouldn't do much for my full bladder. So Chris and Aleeyah did the honors.

We didn't bring anything to exchange so we didn't take anything, but enjoyed looking and finding it. We logged our visit and returned the box to it's original state.

We took a shorter route to the trails and headed back to the car. Took off our muddy shoes before getting in the car, mapped our next adventure, and after a quick stop, we headed off to cache site #2 of the day.

It was only about a mile or so away from our first stop. We parked the car and headed back down the trails. Not far away from the car, but into the woods, just as we were looking at the details on my phone when it died. Since we still couldn't figure out the trail GPS, we decided to call it a day.

We were about halfway out of the wooded area, when Chris stopped and said, "WHAT IS THAT?"

Hello! Need I remind him that I am a CITY girl? Do not say those words to me while we are standing in bushes and fallen tree limbs. Yes, I can see the trail just ahead, I can hear cars going by from the nearby street, and I might even be able to see a building, BUT that doesn't change the fact that things lurk in these parts!!! I mean seriously, these are the shoes I wore to go walking in the woods and they provide no protection for something wanting to eat my feet!

Then the next words out of his mouth were, "It's a BAT!"

Me: It's a WHAT?
Chris: a bat!
Me: Is it dead?? (praying that very moment that the poor creature was lying dead in the brush)
Chris: NO!

Yes, in that moment the incident of our untimely death was playing in my head. Three amateur geocachers went out in the woods and was bitten by crazed bat foaming at the mouth!

Chris: Come look at it
Me: Is it going to bite us???
Chris: No it's sleeping
Me: Oh, thank goodness....wait, will it be angry if we wake it?
Chris: just come look at it!

Inching slightly forward, I saw it just hanging there on the bush that Chris was just about to walk into a few seconds before. Sleeping. From a distance, I did what I rarely do...

I handed Chris my camera.

He can roll his eyes as much as he wants, but this really could not go undocumented! I remember my first time of ever seeing a wild bat. Aleeyah should have some pictures to go with her first time!

So he snapped a few shots and after I realized that the poor sleeping creature was too beat to actually care about us being there, I got close enough to take a pic of him too.

Of course, Chris being a boy had to well, be a boy. And boys poke things with sticks. As he reached for a stick, I quickly reached for Aleeyah and went back a ways to a safe distance. Chris poked and poked and no movement. We saw him breathing so we knew he was alive.

In the video below you hear me trying to keep her with me to avoid getting bitten when the crazed creature comes out from his sleep to suck our blood! So there is a lot of crazy movement in the video which reminds me a bit of that Blair Witch movie. (don't mind my nasally voice today either-allergies suck-especially when you forget to take your medicine!)

Chris didn't listen to my pleas and he finally woke it up and it just flew to a top of a nearby tree.

Don't worry, Chris got the lecture of disturbing the wildlife....from the 3 year old! (I don't know what the deal is with her walking like that)

And we headed home.

All in all-we had a great time and are excited to go again!

Oh, and PawPaw-we took this one for you!

We are all games....as long as they are organized!

2009-04-16T22:54:00.006-05:00

Instead of getting caught up on reading blogs and responding to emails, I thought I'd actually give you something in between Tuesdays (haha). No really, I do plan on getting our Easter photos up and our other various activities in between. Really. :)

We are getting closer to being able to out the thing that I mentioned a few weeks ago. Remember, the exciting thing? Yep, that one. I can't wait to finish up the few details left and let you guys in on what is going on.

I've also got that other exciting stuff in the works that needs quite a bit of work before really coming out with it.

Oh, how I love surprises....when I'm not the one waiting. Now, if it's just itching to know-I have a feeling it wouldn't take more than a simple email to get it out of me. :) I'm not so good at holding it surprises!

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This evening we went to Target to pick up a few groceries that I couldn't get from Aldi. It's not something I particularly enjoy-that is, going to two grocery stores, but seeing as how Aldi has cut my grocery bill in half, it is definitely worth it. Besides, I love Target and any excuse to go there is a good one with me!

Aleeyah has been into playing games lately. She has a few games. Such as, the Mickey Mouse and Go Diego Go game sets, Elefun, the Candyland Castle Game, and The Grouchy Ladybug Game.

What do they all have in common?? LOTS O' PIECES!!!

And what are some of the extras we picked up at Target tonight?

Yep--MORE PIECES!!! Although, I'm totally pumped about playing 2 of those games! Aleeyah played a little bit of the Connect Four this evening before bed. She was happily putting all the black and red checkers into their slots to make a pattern. Black, Red, Black, Red, Black, Black.....

Something completely not understandable came crying out that tired 3 year old little girl as her dad walked by and dropped that last black checker--not in the correct sequence!! Dad made it right, tears were wiped away, and Aleeyah was back to putting her new Connect Four checkers in their rightful spots.

As I was thinking about her little incident, my mind wandered....

Last week, I bought a bunch of containers to organize the current games we had. I also got a couple for all her craft supplies and such. Project game organization was spawned because I found some Diego and friends dominoes hanging out at the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Completely unacceptable!

Some say I have "issues". I guess if you saw how many separate containers she has so that she has no excuse to not be organized-you might begin to wonder. One for all coloring books. One for coloring pencils. One for crayons and another for chalk. One for fake food and one for kitchen utensils. One for dress up items. One for Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head and all their limbs. One for one kind of blocks and another for another kind of blocks. One container for Legos. Another for Barbies and My Little Ponies. Another for doll house accessories. Some for games and crafts. And of course, there are only 2 types of matching containers involved. We won't mention the defeat that came over me when I realized I bought an uneven amount of containers. Containers that needed to be in stacks of 2.

Her toy box even has one in it to separate out the small items from all the large items. Her crammed packed book shelves are organized with cardboard books on the top shelf. The second and third shelf has all the paper books and it is organized by size and each book is with it's series, if it has one. For example, all Dr. Seuss books together and all Disney books together. She has a series of books that has one book for each letter of the Alphabet and each number up to 12--all of which has to be in order.

Some times I wonder if it is a good thing that my 3 year old can actually get the items in the "right" spots. Am I teaching her to be organized or OCD? Chris on the other hand, would totally drive us crazy if he cleaned up her room. I shudder at the very thought! haha!

There are times that I wish there weren't so many pieces in children's games and toys, but of course, that is exactly what Aleeyah loves about them. She loves when things come in quantities. Stacking, lining up, and sorting can only be done when there are many of one item and she doesn't really even care what they are.

When we finish up her chore/behavior chart each week, she gets to pick small prizes (depends on which items she completed all week-brushing teeth, staying dry, taking care of pets, etc.) from a bag. I keep it stocked with fun little goodies from the $.10 bin at Mardels. You would think 3 or 4 different items would be most fun, but typically she will pick several of the same item. That's just how she is.

So I mumble about the many pieces that makes up her toy collections, I laugh about her and her obsession, and I wonder what impact I'm having on her, BUT she enjoys all the pieces and I rather enjoy getting to organize them!!

Any guesses on where I'll be tomorrow?

Whoo's Day is Tuesday!?--Meet Sarah

2009-04-14T16:08:00.006-05:00

Is it really already Tuesday again? Wouldn't you have thought there would be a post or two between the Tuesdays? Yeah, me too, but we would be wrong! Maybe I'll come by and fill you in on the last week in the next couple of days....maybe not...we will see! :)

Today, I want you to meet Sarah. Sarah writes over at Finding What I'm Looking For. She is a wife and mum (she lives in Canada and mum is the proper term up there)of an adorable little girl named Pippa! HOW cute is that name??

I "met" Sarah online when she contacted me about joining our online Bible study group. I was amazed from the start about her enthusiasm for being a part of our group and her excitement to dive into the Word. She definitely as a heart for others and for God.

Heeerrrreeee's Sarah!!!

When did you start blogging and why? I had been doing some yahoo groups and enjoyed those but wanted to try something more. I have a very close friend who has done some amazing things with blogging and what she had to say made me want to try. I think for me, with a little one at home, I love the encouragement and sense of community with blogging moms.

Has your blog evolved into something other than its original intent? When I started, which wasn't very long ago, I really didn't know what I was going to do (and I am not sure that I have entirely decided as of yet). I am someone who doesn't talk much or openly about my faith and I am trying to use my blog to work at doing that so that I can confidently express my love for God and His blessings in my life.

Is there a blog post that you have written that you would like to share with us? Since I am still getting started, I don't really feel that I have written anything "great" yet. It was pretty exciting when I figured out how to insert photos, though :-).

Do you write on more than one blog? I have one of my own and I have posted a bit on our Bible study blog (thanks so much Abbie for giving me the opportunity to get involved in that!)

How do you think blogging has affected you the most? It just means so much to me to have found a community of Christian women who are at similar stages of life to me and who have similar values. Having my daughter has led me to ask a lot of questions about what it means to be a Christian wife and mother and seeing all of these incredibly talented capable women who are so committed to their faiths and their families has really helped me to form a clearer picture of who I am called to be.

Have you had an opportunity to meet any of your blog readers face-to-face? No, being up in Canada, I haven't stumbled across anyone yet who is nearby but I would love to get to me some of you at some point!

Are there any particular blogger tools that you would recommend to others (ex. Blog readers, traffic sites, widgets)? I am enjoyed using Google Reader to track the blogs I follow (a list that is getting longer and longer!)

What is the blog you look forward to checking the most daily and why? Wow, that's a tough one. I really enjoy reading Abbie's blog and Jess' blog. I am also really enjoying a few blogs that have a lot of information like healthy cooking and recipes and earth friendly parenting products (e.g., http://heavenlyhomemakers.com/blog/, http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/). I guess that is more than one - with my enthusiasm for some of the great blogs I have found, it's hard to limit to just one!

Name 1 blogger that you would like to see interviewed? Abbie! {abbie: woot woot!}

Is there anything else you would like to share? Just how much I am enjoying reading everyone's blogs and I would love to have suggestions for other blogs worth following!

Don't forget to go over and check out her blog. One of her recent posts shows off her buns! No, no people--hot cross buns.