4th of July Fun

Feeling the need to retreat for a few days, our family packed up the cars, packed up the kids and headed to McCall for an impromptu trip to celebrate our country's freedom.

The girls were ectastic, especially when they learned some friends from school would be up there celebrating as well.

If you can't sense my Paloma's enthusiasm, well, your not looking hard enough.  Ha!  It had actually been a long day and a long drive, but my kids were up for watching the fireworks over the lake from our friend's boat.  It made for a long night but we certainly had fun.

And the following day, we hit up a local pond and the girls had some fun fishing.

Mattea and her friend Payton showing off their trophies.

And who can come to McCall and not stop at the Pancake House for a ridiculously large breakfast.

Paloma was a bit hungry and that is why I only got a half smile from her.

And we finished off the week out on the lake.  Traveling home on Sunday evening, we had about 48 hours to rest and then it was back on the road for our next adventure. 

Just Like Her Daddy

Mattea decided after running with me during my half marathon that she wanted to run a race of her own.  Of course, her father and I supported it and signed up for the Barn Sour 1 Mile Fun Run the following weekend.  We were so excited for her.

Before her big race, Mattea made sure to warm up all those muscles.

I'd say she has some pretty good form.

Finally, my little girl crossed the finish line.  She ran hard for a few minutes then took a nice scenic walk until she caught back up with me and sprinted to the finish.

And finally, the clock. I didn't snap the photo in time, but from the above photo, she finished in less than 12 minutes.  We are so proud of you Mattea.

Blessed

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMjmTEjPwHY&feature=youtu.be




We are blessed to call Cole Valley home.

Morning Marathon

It was a beautiful, sunny, Saturday morning.  As you can see from my kitchen windows, it is really early.  I grabbed a quick shower some egg whites and my water bottle and headed out to Julia Davis park to run my 2nd marathon.

It was a great start and I had a great first half. I knew my kids and husband would be waiting for me at mile 6 as evidenced below.  It was such a motivator to keep going - knowing I would see some familiar faces.

(Waiting for mommy.)

The course was amazing - and I knew there was chocolate and champagne waiting for me at the finish line...

These two little cuties joined me for the last leg of my race and helped me over the finish line.  Although it wasn't a stellar finish, I'm so glad my body held up and I was able to run it.  I can confidently say that it is a huge accomplishment for me to even make it to the start line let alone make it to the finish line.  Thanks girls for helping mommy stay motivated.

Making Memorial Day Memories

Memorial Day 2012

This year, we decided to head out to the local cemetery and partake in the Memorial Day events.  It was our first year and we weren't quite sure what to expect.  After a 30 minute walk from the car to the top of Veteran's Cemetery, we arrived just in time to watch the band play, the guns salute, and of course the famous fly over.

Our children have been told many stories of their daddy and his service to our country.  They had the opportunity one afternoon to sort through many of David's old Army pictures, medals, awards, and memorabilia.  They were so excited. Mattea was so proud to have her daddy come to school and put on a presentation about how it felt to jump out of airplanes.  We not only came out on this holiday to celebrate out special veteran but to also pay tribute to those individuals who have put their lives on the line or who are currently serving in the US Military.  As many have said, "Freedom isn't free."  We are so thankful for the commitment that has been made on our behalf.

A quick picture with the "pretty ladies" from the Civil War Reenactment group.

Summer is Here!

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you Grandma & Grandpa

We are enjoying our long-awaited Christmas present.

Our new trampoline keeps us busy for hours and wears us out for bedtime which makes mom very happy!

Paloma's Plug

Spoken from Paloma to David while shopping for my Mother's Day gift:
Paloma: "If we get her M &M's and Reeses Peanut Butter Cups, she will be one happy momma."

And I was.  She knows me so well....

Mother's Day

I had an absolutely perfect Mother's Day this year.  It was low key - relaxing - and sunny.  Exactly what I wanted.  The girls worked so hard on their gifts at school and were so proud to give them to me.  I was served egg whites and organic chocolate in  bed that morning.  And then Miss Mattea rationed chocolate out to me all day.  Who could ask for more?  I received flowers, chocolate, hugs, and a whole lot of love.  Thanks family for a wonderful day.  Hoping all my mommy friends were just as appreciated on this special day.

Not Hiding

In the event that you, my dear sweet readers, were wondering where in the heck I have been lately.  One word - sleep deprivation.

Our family has fallen in love and we spend every waking minute hugging, kissing, loving on our sweet little girl.  I also spend every waking minute cleaning up vomit, changing poopy diapers, and doing ooodles and ooodles of laundry.

But I simply wouldn't have it any other way  Ok maybe I would take an extra hour of sleep and a nice bottle of wine.

Baby Lover

Look who has taken a liking to the new baby.

Sisters

If these two girls don't bring a smile to your face - well then you clearly need glasses.  I was blessed with two amazingly different yet beautiful little girls to whom I thank God for daily!

Jesus Loves Those In Messy Marriages

By Lysa TerKeurst

"But blessed is the man who trusts me, God, the woman who sticks with God." Jeremiah 17:7 (MSG)
I threw the cup of orange juice across the kitchen. It felt good to do something, anything, to release all the surging anger and frustration. And I didn't even mind cleaning the pulpy, sticky mess.
It felt soothing to know how to clean something. I knew how to wipe away this mess. And I liked seeing the mess disappear.

If only my marriage mess could be fixed with soap, water, and a handful of paper towels. If only.
I whispered, God, why does this have to be so hard?
Have you ever been there?

I think many of us have. Whether we're in a really tough marriage or just in a rough patch, marriage can be messy. Hurtful. Lonely. No one ever told me about this side of marriage before I donned the white dress and danced to MC Hammer at the reception.

But after 20 years of learning, growing, and pressing through the messes to see something beautiful form in the midst of it all, here's what I know ...
Jesus loves those in messy marriages.
He loves me and my husband in the midst of it all. Jesus doesn't love the mess of hurt, isolation, and bitterness. Those are things He wants us to work on. But He never stops loving us.

Yes.

Jesus loves me. And His grace is strong enough to extend His love into every part of me. The good parts of me. The broken parts of me. The ugly parts of me. The bitter parts of me. The loving parts of me. And even the part of me that throws orange juice.

Yes, He loves me.

And Jesus loves my husband. His grace is strong enough to extend His love into every part of Him. The good parts of him. The broken parts of him. The ugly parts of him. The bitter parts of him. The loving parts of him. And even the part of him that looks at me like I'm crazy when I throw orange juice.

Since Jesus loves both of us, He's the best source of help for our marriage. I don't say that without a deep awareness of how stinkin' hard it is to go to Jesus when I'm mad as fire at my husband.
And I certainly don't say it in naive simplicity. Gracious, I know some of you are facing marriage situations that rip your heart into a thousand pieces every day.

But still, I know Jesus is the best source of help.
Honest cries for help lifted up to Jesus will not go unheard. He sees. He knows. He loves. And Jesus will direct you as long as you stick with Him.

Jeremiah 17:7-8 in The Message version reminds us:
But blessed is the man who trusts me, God, the woman who sticks with God. They're like trees replanted in Eden, putting down roots near the rivers—Never a worry through the hottest of summers, never dropping a leaf, Serene and calm through droughts, bearing fresh fruit every season.

So, how do I stick with Jesus? I proclaim I'm sticking with Jesus:
Jesus, I'm sticking with You.
I'm giving You what I don't understand and what I can't fix.
I'm giving You what I don't like about me.
I'm giving You what I don't like about him.
And I'm giving You what I don't like about my marriage.
I'm listening for Your instruction.
I'm positioning myself to go where I'll hear Your truth.
To talk to others who love You and serve You.
And to read wise instruction from good books and most importantly Your Book—the Bible.
And even if it kills me, I'm not throwing any orange juice today. Amen.

Jesus loves those in messy marriages. I should know. Though Art and I have a wonderful marriage now, we can still hit some rough patches now and then.

But you'll be happy to know I haven't thrown any orange juice across the kitchen lately.

Dear Lord, so much of me wants to stick with my anger and frustration. But I'm choosing to stick with You. Today I'm going to hold my temper, hold my tongue and hold Your Truth. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

I Will Not Lie

These days, I am one tired mama. My energy levels are down, my attitude is down and my mood is in the toilet. Diagnosis: not enough sleep, wine or chocolate. My husband seems to think that it is funny to photograph my narcoleptic events each night. I am not as amused. As you can see, a blanket and pillow await me on the couch each evening. NO amount of coffee is helping these days.

Wordless Wednesday

Ready - Set - Go!!!!

Our family loves the Easter Season. It comes as such a reminder to us of the wonderful and amazing sacrifice that Christ did for us. His death on the cross allowed myself and my family the opportunity to be forgiven for our sins - the sins that we commit despite our efforts to live good lives. I laugh at times when I ask my kids to think of some of their sins at the end of the day and they confess them in prayers. Occasionally, I hear Paloma say "but I didn't do anything wrong today." No matter how hard we try, we do something wrong every day.

To kickoff the Easter Season, our church holds the annual Easter egg hunt. Thousands of eggs are stuffed with yummy candy and dropped into a big field - waiting for all the little kids and their Easter baskets to run out and scoop them up in a matter of minutes. Our family loves the hunt - we stuff a ton of eggs as a family and then head out Saturday night and collect as a family.

We had beautiful weather this year and thoroughly look forward to next year's festivities. Praise God for another glorious holiday. He is risen indeed!

Another Season Complete

March marked the end of another successful Upward Cheer season. Both my girls had a great this season as they were able to cheer alongside some really good friends and make a few new friends along the way. I had another great year of coaching and was once again honored to be leading a great group of girls closer to Christ.



Mattea had the privilege of being on the same squad as her good friend Payton. It definitely made the year extra special when good friends are around.



Group shot before the big end of the season performance.



Paloma and her very good friend Abby. These two girls were the youngest on the squad but they did GREAT. So proud of these little cheerleaders.

Paloma is ready to perform.

Here's to another wonderful year and another wonderful group of little girls who are committed to showing team spirit and a Christ like heart through cheerleading. Congratulations my sweet sisters!

So Cute Sunday

Wordless Wednesday

The World We Live In

I joined a group on facebook called 'Circle of Moms.' I get updates and reminders about my friend's children, articles about being a mom, and sometimes encouraging little memos. Well, the other day I received an article from 'Circle of Moms' that absolutely took my breath away.

The snipit on my phone read:

"Sure, it would be great if you could stay together for your children's sake. But what happens when the only way to end the constant fighting — and hold on to your self esteem — is to walk away?"

Wow. And then we wonder why our society is in the state that it is in. This kind of article appearing to maybe thousands of women - some who may be in limbo about their marriages. Maybe there are women out there who received the same email as I did and breathed a sigh of release - as if this confirmed a decision or feeling they were having. Because, after all, when we find ourselves in a marriage that no longer makes us happy, the logical thing to do is to 'walk away' RIGHT?

I have read over and over and over again that God didn't design marriage to make us happy - He designed it to make us holy. Anybody who has been married for any amount of time knows that marriage is not easy, isn't always loving, and isn't always fun but marriage wasn't designed to be. Marriage is hard, marriage is exhausting, and marriage is frustrating. Feelings get hurt, tears fall, and words get exchanged that can never be taken back. According to the above article, if this happens to you and your self esteem is at stake - walk away. But they never really address what to do if it this situation happens with husband number 2 or number 3 or number 4. See, it will. Any earthly being is capable of pain and hurt. So if anybody believes running from partner to partner will solve things, think again. It won't. I think we are challenged to stand firm against the enemy who is stalking our marriages and ultimately affecting many families. Show those around us what it means to celebrate 50 years of marriage. Prove the statistics wrong and be 1 of those couples who makes it - not one that doesn't.

My Beautiful Birthday Girl

Mirror, mirror on the wall - who is the prettiest 7 year old of them all? My sweet Mattea of course. Can you believe it has been 7 years since I brought Matty into this world. Ok - I understand her birthday was well over a month ago, but I'm now just getting around to documenting it. I still remember the day she was born. It was such a magnificent day. And here we are 7 years later....

Paloma and I surprised Mattea at school on her birthday back in February. We brought her lunch and took part in her school celebration. As a class treat, her daddy threw together a big batch of cake pops which made Mattea smile!

Seeing this picture makes me smile. My girls are growing up. They are turning into amazing young women. Thank you God for the blessing you gave me 7 years ago. I feel honored that You entrusted me to take care of, guide, teach, and love on these wonderful and beautiful girls. Happy late Birthday Mattea!!

Friends

What is a friend?

A friend is:

The ability to be oneself, express one's feelings and make mistakes without fear of judgement

Mutual understanding and compassion; ability to go to each other for emotional support

The tendency to desire what is best for the other

Aristotle writes that "the excellent person is related to his friend in the same way as he is related to himself, since a friend is another self; and therefore, just as his own being is choiceworthy him, the friend's being is choice-worthy for him in the same or a similar way

Friendship is:

Friendships are high in quality when they have high levels of positive features and low levels of negative features

Friendship is a form of interpersonal relationships generally considered to be closer than association

All of these definitions were obtained from Wikipedia. And they only represent a small portion of what was included in the definition of "friendship." Wikipedia went on to define friendships with children, friendship through adolescence and friendships during adulthood. They outlined studies on friendships and the decline of close relationships within our ever changing society. But to these two sweet girls above, friendship means something very different. I believe it to be a very simple concept. My Paloma absolutely adores her "best friend" Abby. She has fun with her, plays games with her, plays baby dolls with her, pretends to be Justin Bieber with her, makes cards for her, wants to go to McDonalds with her, and quite frankly just likes hanging out with her. This is the first real friend Paloma has made that she doesn't have to "share" with her sister.

I have loved watching this friendship grow and blossom. They are so opposite in personality and nature but have truly enjoyed each other. We are so sad to see Miss Abby and her family move. I think Paloma will always remember this very special friendship. Miss Abby - you will be missed. Thank you for all you have done and all that you are. You have complimented Paloma well and we love you for that!

Our Foster Journey

Will you continue to keep our family in your thoughts and prayers. We are knee deep in the foster care journey. We are loving it and feel blessed to be able to open our home to kids in need. BUT, our hearts have been broken on occasion. It is not easy to turn those precious peanuts back over to the state but I believe that God has a plan for each and every one of them. After all, He created them. It is definitely a learning experience for us. And learning doesn't always feel good. We have recently launched our third child back home and are currently "empty." We are all excitedly waiting to see what and who is in store for us next.

Acts of Service

It is no secret if you know me at all - I am a "dooer." I like to do things. I'm not always good at offering advice or even a shoulder to cry on - I would much rather bake you an apple pie (or better yet, chocolate cake.) I'm not necessarily saying this is a bad trait - for those of you out there who might also be "dooers." This world really takes all kinds. But recently after listening to the Resolution for Women on CD, I have come to realize that what I do isn't as important as how I do it. Does this make sense.

There is a part of me that kind of thinks that I can "do" anything. I can solve a lot by doing more. But if the truth is to be told, I don't always do things with a kind heart or a servant's spirit. Sometimes I do things out of obligation. Sometimes I do things out of regret and sometimes I just do something to make myself feel better. Wrong attitude huh? But I'm just being honest. I am getting better and realizing that - again - it isn't WHAT I do, but HOW I do it. I don't want my children to see a stressed out, grouchy, over worked mommy doing things because she feels she has to. I want my children to see a humbled, overly blessed mommy who feels like in her heart she simply can't do enough. Life is good. Really good. Now that doesn't mean that my world is a bowl of cherries or that I don't struggle. I do. I have good days and I have bad days. I have ups and I have downs. I have days where I am a horrible wife and a mean mommy. I have days where I don't shower, bypass the laundry and forget that I have to cook dinner. But even on those bad days - they are still good.

If we stop and think for a moment about some of the events that are happening around the world, my life looks amazing from the outside. I am not in fear of my life on a day to day basis, I am allowed to worship God openly in the manner that I see fit, I have two healthy children that are well fed and well clothed, I have a house over my head, I have a husband who treats me respectfully and values me as an equal. I could go on and on but I am hoping you are starting to see the picture. Life is good.

And when I sit down and really think about all the ways that I have been blessed in my life, I can't help but think of all the people who have not been so fortunate. And that is where my wheels start turning. What can I do to change the picture for those not in my same position. What acts of service can I do to brighten someones day, or perhaps change the course of someones journey. I know at times it can seem like the task is too big. But truly, each little step gets you closer and closer to the goal.

I remember being a new mom and being overwhelmed with the simple task of cooking dinner. At the time, it was no simple task - it was HUGE. I hated to cook and I wasn't very good at it. I remember when a few of my friends pitched in and brought meals to my husband and I so we could sit back and enjoy our baby without the worry of dinner preparation. I have resolved to really help out new moms in this area. I will admit, I still am no Rachel Ray, but I am doing my best to offer that service to new mom's around me.

I also remember being the mother of two young and rambunctious children who at times drove me up a wall. The days seemed long and I remember counting the minutes until my husband would arrive home. There were time that I would sit in my toy room wondering if I would ever get a break -a breather to regroup and readjust my attitude. I now realize the importance of alone time with moms. I try to do what I can to off that break to mom's around me. I love the spiel that flight attendants give on airlines. "If the cabin should experience a loss of pressure, an oxygen mask will drop down." They proceed to instruct you how to apply the mask and remind you that you should adjust your own mask before assisting others. Hmmmm, sometimes an afternoon to yourself is that much needed oxygen mask.

There are countless other ways that I have made an effort to try and serve those around me. It can be in a global sense or it can start in your own home. I have definitely had to work on serving my kids and my husband. My kids - their service comes rather easily. I have to cook them breakfast, I have to wash their clothes, I have to give them a bath/clip their nails/tie their shoes/wipe their bumm..... But for awhile there, my heart was not right. I was serving them with an obligatory heart - frustrated and bitter. The same goes with my husband. I had to clean the house, I had to do the grocery shopping, I had to do the laundry/mow the grass/prune the flowers.....but I was not doing it with a kind and willing heart. I now realize - after a whole lot of maturing and prayerful consideration - that it is not about WHAT I do, but HOW I do it. I know from my own life, I now take joy in serving those around me. We serve in many different ways, and all of them bring me a sense of joy.

I would encourage my readers to take a step back and see if there are any ways - big or small - that we can begin serving the people around us. There are a bazillion different ways, some starting within our own home. They can span across the country and even across the world. But, if you are like me and feel like God has given you way more than you deserve, I would highly encourage you to look for ways to return the favor. Pay it forward.....

February Favorites

February is always a busy yet wonderful month for our family. We celebrate two very special birthdays - Mattea and David. We enjoy the candy of Valentines Day and we enjoy the time off from school for President's Day. But, best of all, our family looks forward to the Father/Daughter Ball that happens every February right around Valentines Day. This year would be no different.
The girls look forward to picking out their dresses, coordinating their shoes, and getting their hair done. They look forward to the square dances with daddy, craft time, and of course the chocolate fountain that continues to make its appearance year after year.

Truth be told though, the girls really just love dressing up like princesses and being taken to the ball by their Prince Charming. They admire their daddy and the Father/Daughter Ball is the one event where they really get him all to themselves. They instruct me that I'm not allowed to go - just their daddy.

This year our friend Julie came along to make the night extra special. The girls liked having an "older sister" around.

The girls had such a good time. Thanks daddy for taking the time and making the effort with our girls. You are amazing. The girls are already counting down the days until next year.

Friday Night Fun

While in college, my Friday nights used to consist of a large gathering of friends, a trip down to the bars, and a bit of dancing and fun until the wee hours of the morning.

After I married David, my Friday nights would consist of a fun filled date or perhaps a late night rendezvous for coffee and dessert.

These days, my Friday nights consist of pizza and a princess movie with my hubby and my two little girls. Every Friday night, we look forward to snuggling up on our "nonny bird nest" guzzling down some yummy pizza, and watching a very funny "G" rated movie. Though I may not be all dazzled up, hanging out with a clan of friends, or devouring some very yummy and fattening dessert, I am spending my weekends in the most perfect of ways. I simply wouldn't have it any other way.

In My Spare Time

These days I can't help but say that our family is B.U.S.Y! But in a very good way. The kids are busy with school. Mattea is busy finishing up her cooking class. Dave is busy traveling and our entire family is busy with our 14 mo. old foster child. That child is B.U.S.Y in her own little way.
Sheesh, I guess I had forgotten how crazy those little toddlers can be.

But I have to say, in Nov. when i was asked if I would once again coach my daughter's cheer squad, I couldn't help but say "sure, bring it on." Actually, if I'm honest with myself, I said "are you serious, I can't possibly squish one more thing onto my overflowing plate" in my head of course.

Oh but I can't even begin to describe the joy and laughter that our amazing squad has brought me. Both myself and a good friend of mine have the privilege of coaching 10 lovely girls (2 of them being my own!) Each week, we meet for an hour to practice, pray, partake in devotion and above all else, honor God through sports. We have a game every Saturday and are having a blast showing off our skills for our parents and fans.

I love that God has changed my grouchy heart. I love that God has opened my eyes to the ability I have to drastically change lives - one week at a time. I love that God has provided me with 10 amazing little girls that have a passion for Christ and love shaking their pom poms each week.
I love that even with an overflowing plate, God has given me the patience and energy I need to make it through this season.

Go Upwards!

Found In My Inbox

As I was deleting the countless junk messages sent to my email inbox, I ran across this particular devotion send awhile back. I happened to read through it and found the words very comforting. I hope you agree.....

Define YourselfWendy Blight
“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)

“Define yourself through the hands and eyes of a true artist.”

As I closed the stall door in a public restroom, that slogan caught my eyes. It was from an advertisement for a plastic surgeon. Reading those words, I knew this doctor was tapping into longings every woman has: to be beautiful, loved and accepted by others.

But for most women, this is not reality. We don’t see our beauty or worth. We look in the mirror and only see faults. We allow others to define us.Sometimes it is our culture. But oftentimes it is the very people we love…our parents, a friend, or spouse. Their words deceive us into thinking we are unworthy…a failure as a woman and even as a child of God.

Yet God created us to be women of strength and beauty, each with a divine purpose planned by Him before we were born. God alone has the right to define us. No one else.There is only One true artist and His name is God.God is the Creator.

After reading that advertising slogan, I felt a burning desire to know a woman’s true identity. The Truth I found in His Word was powerful and life changing. Rather than posting these truths on the back of a bathroom door, I wanted to share them with you.
You are:
• Created in the image of God. (Genesis 1:27)
• Fearfully and wonderfully made. (Psalm 139:14)
• Precious and honored in His sight. (Isaiah 43:4)
• Redeemed and forgiven. (Ephesians 1:7)
• A new creature in Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:17)
• Holy and blameless before God. (Ephesians 1:4, 1 Corinthians 1:30)
• Chosen by God. (1 Peter 2:9)• God’s masterpiece. (Ephesians 2:10)
• Created with purpose to do great works for God’s Kingdom. (Ephesians 2:10)

You are God’s creation – beautiful, strong and created with a unique plan and purpose.I don’t want you to rest your head on a pillow tonight without knowing and believing who you are in Christ. I have prayed that God would reveal to you who you really are – not who you are in your parent’s eyes, spouse’s eyes, children’s eyes, friend’s eyes, or in the world’s eyes, but that you would know who you are in YOUR FATHER’S EYES!

Dear Lord, thank You that You are my Creator. Thank You that in You and You alone I find my identity. Father open my eyes to see who I am in You. Make every Truth I learned today a reality in my life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Wordless Wednesday

Matty Moo Moo

Hi my names is Mattea. I was named after Matthew - my mommy's favorite book of the Bible. My name means 'gift of God' and my mommy and daddy remind me daily that I am just that.

I am currently 6 years old but have a birthday coming up shortly. I'm really looking forward to turning 7. Currently, I am in first grade. I love my school, although I was a bit nervous to start there in September. I didn't know a single soul in my class but have definitely gotten to know quite a few friends since then. I'm a pretty friendly girl and talk to just about anyone (sometimes I talk too much).

Did you know that I get to be a cheerleader soon? That's right, Upward Cheerleading starts this Thursday. I am so excited that I'm counting down the days. I'll be on a squad with my sister and many of my closest friends. I can't wait. I also started the cooking club at school this week. Whew, it has been a busy week! I think I'll like cooking club. I'm always willing to help out and measure in the kitchen with mom - except I'm a bit messy. I really need to work on that. Even the simplest tasks like pouring some milk winds up in a pretty big mess. Hey - have you seen the movie 'Ramona and Beezus?' My mom says I remind her a lot of Ramona. Apparently I'm a little flighty and spacey sometimes but my mommy reminds me that I have a heart of gold - and that's all that matters.

As you can see by my picture above, I'm missing quite a few teeth. I love to smile and my mom actually makes me smile more these days because my two front teeth are missing. Mom thinks it is 'absolutely adorable' but I am kind of sick of it actually. I would really love to eat corn on the cob like a normal person.

I have a younger sister whom I love dearly - except for recently. She is "annoying." She really drives me nuts sometimes. She is always copying me and she tattles a lot on me. I yell at her to stop but I don't' think she notices me or sometimes she sticks her fingers in her ears and says she's ignoring me. That's always nice. I love having a sister though. She is a pretty fun girl to play with.

Well, that's kind of me in a nutshell. I enjoy school but I have to be honest and say I miss the playtime I had at home. School is rough and it took me a long time to adjust - but I like it and my friends and can't wait to officially call myself a 2nd grader. So long for now.....

M.O.M

I love hearing those words - MOM. Except of course when you are trying to make dinner and you hear MOM, MOM, MAMA, MAAAAAMAAAAA, MOM with an ever increasing tone and urgency in your children's voice. Then the word "mom" is just annoying. Just being honest.

Well last night I was awakened to that ever so sweet 'mom' from my youngest Paloma at around 3 am. To be exact, it was "mom, my tummy hurts." Darn it, there goes my chance at a good night sleep once again. Ok, well I trudge out of bed, lay with her in her room, rub her belly and get some nice cold water. Thinking all was good, I made an attempt to meander back to bed. But first, I head downstairs for some water myself. That is when I hear "MOM" with a great urgency. The kind of urgency where you "just know" you need to respond. If you have been a mother for awhile, you know there are those mom calls that you can ignore and those mom calls that you take off sprinting too. Well, this was a drop everything, sprint to the child kind of call. As I rounded the corner to head upstairs, I see my little miss at the top of the stairs, on her knees, puking everywhere. If that didn't bring back memories. Remember this is my child who puked her first year of life. My poor baby was miserable. And that is when I heard that faint little pathetic "mama, I don't feel so well."

St. Baldricks

Hey Readers...

In March 2010 - I shaved my head in an effort to raise money for pediatric cancer research. I loved participating in the event and would do it again in a heartbeat - if my children wouldn't have such a strong opinion. I am by far jealous of my coworkers who are going through it though - some for the second and third time. Talk about sacrifice.

Going bald was a life changing experience. It changed the way I looked at people, not to mention the way people looked at me. I definitely believe it is one of the best things I have done with my life - and it was stinkin fun. If you want to shave serious time off your morning routine - shave your head. If you want to save money on your salon bill each year - shave your head. If you want to save money on expensive hair products - shave your head. But - do it during the summer. Shaving your head in March is still a very cold experience.

But nonetheless.....Since I am not participating this year, I would encourage you to support those that are. Please take a look at the links below and consider donating to a very worthwhile cause. The children affected will benefit. Let these girls sacrifice their hair if you sacrifice your dollars.

DONATE:

www.stbaldricks.org/participants/mandiekimball

www.stbaldricks.org/participants/MonicaMcAdams

http://www.stbaldricks.org/participants/kristenhurless

Paloma's Plug

Paloma is filled with witty thoughts and funny sayings these days. And what makes them so amusing is that she thinks she is darn right brilliant when she talks. That girl is stinkin hilarious. Here are a few of her famous quotes:
1) "So this is chicken salad without any salad in it right?"

2) "Now when I have acid (acid reflux), it tastes like chicken salad"

3)"Dad, I want a cheeseburger with cheese and no meat"

4)"Dad, I'm going to rub this in your face until your glasses precipitate"

You, as an outside reader may not find the humor in these. I certainly crack a smile every time I read through them. I guess you had to be there......

Wordless Wednesday