Traditions of the Best Kind

Daniel and I have now been married for about eight years and there are consistencies that are beginning to emerge in the way we celebrate certain events. In other words, we are developing little traditions within our new little family unit.

   

Every night when we put our babies to bed we have a very clear routine that I feel counts as a tradition. We have two books, a song, a prayer and then hugs and kisses, and bed time feels off if any part of these are missing.
     When I turned twenty-one my parents got me a charm bracelet and I am very careful to mark all the momentous occasions by getting a charm to commemorate the accomplishment or big event. Daniel has been sweet enough to fully support these occasions.
     On our honeymoon Daniel and I bought a copy of The Polar Express, for our five year anniversary we bought Jumanji. We don't know what we will get in two years when we reach tenth anniversary but we will be getting something.
  

Don't you wish it was your
birthday?

     Some friends of ours let their children choose their favorite breakfast for the morning of their birthday. I love this idea and decided to put it in to practice this year so my sweet boy got to have homemade cinnamon rolls for his breakfast. I don't really know how to ask baby girl what she wants, she is little enough that all things mentioned are the most exciting at the time, so I think that I will just recycle brothers choice since she seemed to really enjoy that.

     Another tradition that is growing as our family does are the stackable rings that my husband gets me for each child. When I couldn't wear my wedding ring with our first child he took me out to find a substitute that I would be able to wear on my right hand after our baby was born. When I saw the James Avery set of rings I knew we have a tradition in the making.

     My boy got the one with the hearts because I couldn't believe how fiercely I loved him, from the moment I knew he was there, before the first sonogram, before I could feel him, before there was any outward sign other than the positive on a pregnancy test, I loved him and would give my life for him. Baby girl got the doves because she brought such a sweet peace to my life even before she was born. She had a gentle spirit from the first, every twitch, every wiggle seemed full of joy and affection. Even as a toddler she tries to comfort and care for her big brother.

      And Baby Barcroft the Third got the crosses because I thought for sure I had lost him a few weeks ago. We went to the ER showing all the signs of a miscarriage and I didn't dare to hope. When I heard that beautiful heartbeat on the sonogram it felt like God had given my baby back to me. The crosses will always make me think of that beautiful moment when I learned that not only was my baby alive, but it was healthy, and at the moment safe.

     Traditions add a security and a cozy comfort to life. They are things that we can rely on and look forward to in spite of all that is changing around us. And often when we find them gone there is quite a hole left in our life. The traditions that are springing up in our family are ones that I am very proud of and I look forward to seeing the ones that will develop in the years to come.

30 Amazing Blessings In My Life

1. My husband who works so hard so that I can be home
2. My children who are beautiful, healthy, happy and amazing
3. My lovely home that I fit in and like
4. My MOPS group
5. My back patio
6. My in laws
7. My family
8. The hand and foot group that I miss dearly and who always are happy to see me
9. The fact that I know how to cook
10. Being able to read
11. Having the luxury of eating out when supper falls through
12. Having so many people who love me so much
13. Being able to borrow maternity clothes from people with good taste in clothes
14. Oakridge C of C
15. Hillcrest C of C
16. Pleasant Ridge C of C
17. The village who helped raise me (you know who you are)
18. My amazing grandparents (related or not)
19. A good sense for a bargain
20. A freezer in the garage
21. The sweet harmonies of the people sitting around me in church
22. My children kissing each other goodnight
23. My sister sending me videos of my nephews
24. Starbucks just as often as I need it and not more
25. K11
26. Friends showing up with Dr Pepper on a bad day
27. The Cabin
28. Occasional evenings out with the ladies
29. Netflix (you know it truly is a great blessing)
30. The ability to find joy in the things around me and the people who encourage me to look for it

30 Words People Use to Describe Me

I posted a question on Facebook last month asking "Please tell me one word you would use to describe me..." Here are the words people gave me.

1. Saucy
2. Smart
3. Wholehearted
4. Maternal
5. Kind
6. Sister
7. Intelligent
8. Frugal
9. Devious
10. Ambitious
11. Hilarious
12. Special
13. Fun
14. Loved
15. Genuine
16. Hospitable
17. Kindred Spirit
18. Indubitable
19. Thoughtful
20. Patient
21. Resourceful
22. Loving
23. Inviting
24. Mad as a Hatter
25. Encouraging
26. Humble
27. Kind
28. Generous
29. Nurturing
30. Compassionate

30 Questions For God

1. Why did you take my babies?
2. Why did you choose to bless me with the wonderful man I married?
3. Why are my parents divorced?
4. Why is it so hard to focus on you sometimes?
5. What happened to the dinosaurs?
6. What does it feel like to create?
7. Why are we so important to you?
8. What is the center of the earth like?
9. Why did you make us?
10. How do you see time?
11. What will the new heaven and the new earth be like?
12. Why is it so hard to do the right thing?
13. How do I know I'm doing the right thing?
14. Do you love me?
15. Will it all be better some day?
16. Explain the prophets to me?
17. Why did you choose those men for your visions?
18. Why do you use such awful people to fulfill your plans?
19. What was Abraham really like?
20. Why did you create woman?
21. Do you pay attention to all the minute details of our lives?
22. What was it like to walk with Jesus?
23. What was he like as a child?
24. Will my children love you as much as I do?
25. What made you choose Peter?
26. Why did you give us the creation story?
27. Who is Melchizadek?
28. Why was he important?
29. Will I get to meet all my children someday?
30. Explain the Holy Spirit?

These are listed in the order that I thought them, unedited. It is a spastic list and sometimes I would come to a question that was bigger than the words that I have to express it and I had to wrap it up in what may seem like an odd package. I think more than any of the lists that I have made this one is truly for me. It was strangely freeing to get them out there, and it was comforting to ask some of the ones that I feel like I have answers to but need to hear again. I believe that when the time comes to ask my questions of God, I will find that all the questions that I could think of in this earthly body won't matter any more, but, more importantly, I have found that some of them were answered just in the asking.

30 Ways To Tell My Husband I Love Him

I will begin with the obvious beacuse it is the obvious place to start...
1. With my words
2. Little touches
3. With the time I spend with him even if we aren't doing anything that significant
4. Giving him time alone
5. Little notes
6. Cooking the things he likes
7. Loving his children
8. Supporting his hobbies, dreams, and goals
9. Seeing movies he is excited about
10. Listening to how things are going at work
11. Letting him blow off steam once in a while
12. Sending him to Hastings with $20
13. Going for a walk with him
14. Buying him something I know he wants
15. You know, the other obvious... we are married
16. Not piling clean laundry on the bed
17. Washing his dirty clothes
18. Singing him love songs
19. Reminding him of how he swept me off my feet when we were dating
20. Taking pride in his amazing talents
21. On occasion, keeping my criticisms to myself
22. Those kisses
23. Hugging and kissing him when he walks in the door
24. Back rubs
25. Always being honest
26. Using my words to build him up to others and our children
27. Respect
28. Thanking him for taking care of our family in so many ways
29. Not taking the things he does for me for granted
30. Reminding myself everyday that he loves me and knowing that to my very core.

     1 Cor. 13:4-8a "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perserveres. Love never fails."

30 Goals For My Life

If you have been keeping up with the posts so far some of these will be a repeat. A few of these are also things that I want to do in the next 30 years. Goals seem like they need to have a end, a point at which you can say, "I have done this." and can move on to the next goal. I think in the coming years I need to come back and review how I am progressing. Why make a goal if you are going to them move on and ignore it.

1. Have a consistent bible study routine
2. Say a prayer with my children every night
3. Find a good cleaning schedule
4. Plant a garden every year
5. Use my own compost in my garden
6. Buy a minivan
7. Finish at least one sewing or knitting project
8. Have an organized garage
9. Have a house with a guest bedroom
10. Run a 5K
11. Find an exercise routine that I like and can afford
12. Set up a ladies card night here in Abilene
13. Find a Christmas present for people in my life that takes their breath away at least once
14. Send out Christmas cards, for once
15. Send out Thank You notes, also, for once
16. Read the Little House series to my children
17. Learn to lay tile
18. Landscaping!
19. To still be able to climb a tree when i'm 60
20. To maintain a sense of humor through my pregnancy
21. To raise my children to love and support one another
22. To read all those books on my to read list by the time I'm 50
23. To pay off my student loans in less than 4 years from now
24. To never borrow money again unless it is for a house
25. To always make sure my husband feels supported even when I disagree
26. To always make my children feel loved even when I am disciplining them
27. Teaching my children to clean up after themselves
28. Teaching my children how to cook
29. To have a gift stash so that I always have something for birthday parties
30. To enjoy 30, then 40, then 50 and so on. In other words, enjoy each day that I am given regardless of what age it comes at.

30 Ways to Stay Silly

Ways to stay silly are very important. If you lose your sense of humor, especial when you are married to such a man as I am, you are in for a dreary, tiring trek through life. There are things that will steal your silliness and turn you gray early if you let them, so the trick is find ways to replenish your silliness.

1. Have children- this can go either way, you have to not only have them but also let yourself laugh at them.
2. Enjoy a good comedy every once in a while- sometimes you just need a little outside infusion of silly.
3. Pull a prank or two- not malicious, just the fun kind that everyone can enjoy.
4. Laughing at your own dumb mistakes- so you set the oven to 400 instead of 200 and caught it just as the pie became inedible, so you were in such a hurry when you dressed your child that her pants are too short and her socks don't match. Take a moment, sigh, and then see the funny side of it.
5. Silly voices- especially when unexpected, they are the best, and when perfectly timed they will cause you the laugh so hard you cry.
6. Trying to do a cartwheel- it is not like ridding a bike.
7. Tickle Fights
8. Reading books in silly voices- I love to hear Daniel do The Monster at the End of This Book
9. Making spaceship noises while you drive- Nathan loves it too. Really its any kind of sound effects for every day things.
10. Wiggle when you feel like it- even if its just your feet under the table in a serious situation
11. Go to the Olive Garden- this may be more specific to me but sheer joy of going to your favorite place can make you very happy and silly
12. Have a "block party"-
Daniel to a overly tired Kara who was acting a tiny bit maniacal: "Kara, what are you doing?"
Me, giggling and acting so silly it was freaking out her new husband: "Its a block party!"
Thus it has been named and so it will always be called when I get to the "so tired I lose all sense of propriety and small bits of reality" stage of overtired.
13. When the urge to do something silly comes, don't stop it- embrace to silly from within
14. Go with the in-jokes even when you forget where they came from- those are the best ones anyway.
15. Rolling down a grassy hill- Daniel highly recommends it after job interviews and he is an expert of silly.
16. Read silly books- the Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy, Peanuts strips (with emphasis) or Dave Barry to name a few.
17. Color- get a coloring book and go at it, it's therapeutic and fun.
18. Put a puppet on- even finger puppets bring out the silly in people
19. Climb a tree- while not silly in its self, you can not take yourself too seriously while in a tree.
20. Play games- Scattegories in particular makes me very silly
21. Rubber chickens- they stand alone
22. Tease children by eating candy rocks and pretending they are real- thanks to Mam-Maw I tried to eat a rock once.
23. Wearing fancy clothes to a non fancy place like Putt-Putt- the best after prom activity I have ever participated in.
24. Have a picnic- basket, blanket, the whole deal
25. Wander the toy aisles of Walmart after 10 pm- you may look like a creeper but it will make you giggle.
26. Draw on the paper table clothes at those restaurants- especially if you encroach upon one another and your drawings start interacting.
27. Doodle- these flights of fancy are very important to silly maintenance
28. Make fun of your physical ailments- your hip goes out and you can't walk straight? Join the ministry of silly walks. Your ankle becomes the size of your head? Declare it to have seceded from the US and name your new personal country.
29. Choose a place that normally does children's birthday parties and have yours there- We did this at a gymnastics place for Daniel's 31st birthday and all who attended agreed it was the best birthday party imaginable. And, by the way, there were no kids invited.
30. Stay up a little too late, have a little too much sugar, a little too much caffeine, all while surrounded by good friends and the silliness will show up with out you even realizing it. It is the perfect storm for silliness, and the perfect place to be silly.

30 Reasons I'm Excited About 30

I have spent most of this year trying to think of things I am excited about that relate to this life milestone. Most of my friends are not the type to be terribly rattled by the fact that they are turning 30 but all of them that have turned 30 before me mentioned at least a moment where it really hit them that their 20's were gone. It seems that at 30 people feel that their course in life has been set, at least to a large degree. Many people have kids, most have finished school, and several are set on one career path or another. The momentum and energy required to make a drastic change in their life would be overwhelming for many at this point. I haven't really heard anyone regret where they are so much as regret the loss of the feeling of bursting potential that we all seemed to have in our early 20's. We never felt it slip away, we just woke up one morning and realized that there was a predictability about us and our life that while comfortable is not nearly as exciting. I want to reawaken that excitement by looking forward, instead of back, and thinking of the wonderful exciting things to come, or that are now here, instead of mourning the things that are behind me. So here are 30 Reasons I'm Excited About 30...

1) I have fully achieved this age. The years that have gone by were not empty, I learned so much.
2,3) I look 30 and I look good for 30.
4) I have 2 kids and one on the way. I should be 30 to be this tired.
5) I should be 30 to have done as much as I have done. I have had a career, and left it to raise my kids, not bad for 30.
6) My kids are starting school, this is a time of new discovery for me.
7) I can face the challenges of having three kids with a confidence that I would not have had before.
8) My cooking has only gotten better, and I can't wait to see what the future holds there!
9) I love getting birthday presents so any birthday is a cause for celebration.
10) I have come to accept my morning pace no matter what the other residents of the house think of it.
11) I get to hear my children singing to themselves in the morning.
12,13) I get to watch my children love on and comfort one another, and for perhaps the last time I can hold all three of my children in my lap at the same time.
14) I have time to change the habits I don't like about myself.
15) I know which habits I have that I like and want to nurture.
16) I'm not done learning about others, my God, and myself.
17) I have learned to slow down a bit at this point in my life. Instead of rushing through things I have learned to stop and enjoy the moment.
18) I have learned to take pictures, not meaning that they are any good but just that I remember to pull out the camera and capture a great moment. This comes so naturally to many people but it takes me reminding myself to do it.
19) My idle thoughts are full of songs, scriptures, books and to do lists, and I like that.
20,21) I have had the privilege of being married to a wonderful man for nearly 8 years and our marriage and time together only seems to get sweeter, each year bringing something new.
22) I have weeded through the friends in my life and those that I keep up with are a good match for me.
23) I am surrounded by people I love and admire, and that I just like to be around.
24) I have people in my life that make me a better person and make me want to be a better person.
25) I have no trouble telling the important people in my life that I love them and am blessed by them. And I can't wait to say it some more.
26) All the drama of settling into a way of life is past to a large degree. Though there will be decisions to make ahead of me I have set myself upon a path that will help steer me through those places.
27,28) The wisdom that my elders worked so hard to impart to me has been considered, tested, and made my own in many ways and I have learned to rely on that instead of fighting it.
29) I am comfortable with the things that I don't like, brussel sprouts and fish will never become part of my routine and I refuse to feel pressure to like them.
30) I am not afraid to realize I don't know things and I am not afraid to ask about things I don't understand. With this truly comes the true benefit of this age. A shedding of many of the fears that might have held me back at younger years and an opening of my mind, but not to the meaningless trivialities that interested me before, to the heart and soul of what makes life such a beautiful thing to live.

Thirty, I embrace you and all that you are bringing to my life! Welcome! I am blessed to be here!

30 Ways My Kids Make Me Laugh

1. True observations about life- 
Me to my sweet boy: "Thank you, what would I do without you?"
His immediate reply: "Do it by your self."
2. Sheer sillyness-
Daniel looks over to see our son with a macaroni noodle stuck up his nose. As Daniel tries to pull it together to tell him to get it out our son mischievously adds one to the other nostril and grins.
3. Tickles-
Baby girl has learned how to tickle. She makes a "gushhhhh" noise as she does it and she is surprisingly good at it.
4. Watching silly videos together-
The three of us watched "What Does The Fox Say", we all cracked up.
5. Imitating said silly videos-
You should see my sweet boy do the fox dance from the end of the video.
6. Observations about people-
As he draws a vaguely human figure: "You see this one is Pa because he doesn't have any hair, just these little hairs on his head."
7. Their silly grins-
Baby girl has the silliest most infectious grin. It can make me giggle just to see it.
8. The beautiful way my boy sounds out and then spells words-
Meow may be MEOYMM but you can tell that he is making progress. I try not to chuckle but they are so adorable.
9. Serious expressions on toddler faces-
Baby girl will walk up to me, chat at me with nonsense syllables, nod and then go about her business. No clue what she is saying but she is quite serious about it.
9. Watching them explore something new-

A bug, a flower, the surpises from things I take for granted are new and joyous to my eyes again.
10. Watching them play together-

Baby girl may eat the cars as much as she drives them but she loves to imitate anything he does in her little lispy high soft voice and her brother has taught her a rather ferocious growl.
11. Watching my older child teach my younger one new things-
Sweet boy: "Can you say baby?"
Baby Girl: "Aby"
Sweet boy: "Can you say new baby?"
Baby Girl: "Ah aby"
Sweet boy: "Say Yeah!"
Baby Girl: "YEAH!"
12. Their aspirations-
When my son grows up her wants to be a cowboy so that he can take care of cows...maybe I should warn him before I take him to a rodeo.
13. Reading silly books-
You forget how great some of these books are until you re-read them with your kids.
14. Pretend-
You see, only the bunny Oreo can eat black colored carrots. Everyone knows that, right? Wembley, the bunny, can't have color at all. My son has a whole world of bugs and rabbits that he keeps straight in his head and dutifully fills me in on their goings on. I just focus on not giggling.
15. Ring-around-the-rosie-
They love it, and we all just fall over laughing together.
16. Conversations with their peers-
Hearing one preschooler defining a word to another preschooler is comic genius.
17. Attempts at interaction with peers
Hugs are my favorite to watch, heads bump, kids fall, feet get stomped. Baby girl gives kisses to brothers tummy because that is where she can reach and if he tries to lean down all the previously mentioned catastrophes occur. Lovely bed time shenanigans.
18. The ways they get hurt-
I have watched my son, in a hurry to get to his room, take the turn into the hall way too quick and plow right into the wall instead of the door way. You feel so sorry for them but it is really funny.
19. The way the comfort one another-
Sweet boy, howling over having to clean his room, was lying in his door way so my sweet girl went over and sat beside him. He put his head in her lap and continued his moaning while she patted him on the head. After two very long minuets she got up and went to do something else and he wailed after her "Don't go!!"
20. The way they share-
if you ask baby girl if you can have a bite of what she is eating it is equally likely that she will take it out of her mouth to give to you as hand you an un-masticated piece.
21. Listening to them sing-
Sweet boy can sing all of "You Got A Friend In Me" and it is adorable in his sweet little boy voice.
22.  Listening to their interpretation of lyrics when they sing-
No more need be said.
23. Seeing how excited they get over the smallest things-
"Grilled Cheese Sandwiches!!" and the jumping and giggling commences.
24. Getting to relive movies for the first time with them-

The now old hat gags from Sesame Street and the Disney movies take on a new life now that I get to watch them with my kiddos.
25. Jokes-

Sweet boy got a kick out of the "I'm hungry, nice to meet you hungry" joke. Thought it was so funny and so did I once again.
26.Their laughs-

They are infectious!
27. Baby girls mischievous giggle when she finds something new-

She has done it since she was tiny and it makes me giggle.
28. Hyperbole-

I never get dessert, my room will never be clean, you never let me go outside, you just don't understand!
29. The attempts at complicated words-
I'll never forget my son saying he didn't want "con-see-qint-ses" aka consequenses.
30. Clothes-
Today baby girl came in the kitchen having pulled her shirt up over her head like a hood with her little arms hanging out the side and the biggest proudest grin on what you could see of her little face.

30 Books I Intend to Read

     There are always those books that you hear about and think you should read someday. Maybe compiling a list will motivate me to move forward with my to read list. There are a lot of sci-fi and fantasy novels on here because that is my main interest but there is an equal share of classics that I intend to read "for my own good" of sorts, just to expand my horizons.

1. Dracula- Bram Stoker someday I will finish this
2. Wuthering Heights- Emily Bronte
3. Emma- Jane Austen
4. The Once and Future King- T.H. White
5. The Temperance Brennan Series- Kathy Reichs
6. The end of the Cavern of Black Ice series...finally!- J.V. Jones
7. The Five Love Languages- Gary Chapman
8. Quiter- Jon Acuff
9. Praying Circles Around Your Children- Mark Batterson
10. The Bluest Eye- Toni Morrison

11. The Bonesetters Daughter- Amy Tan

12. Dexter- Jeff Lindsey

13. On Origins of Species- Charles Darwin

14. Pride and Prejudice- Jane Austen 

15. The Catcher In The Rye- J.D. Salinger

16. The Da Vinchi Code- Dan Brown

17. Faust- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

18. Gone With The Wind- Margaret Mitchell

19. The Dark Tower Series- Stephen King

20. Carrie- Stephen King

21. The Time Machine- H.G. Wells

22. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?- Phillip K. Dick

23. Catch 22- Joseph Heller

24. Atlas Shrugged- Ayn Rand

25. Interview With a Vampire- Ann Rice

26. I, Robot- Isaac Asimov

26. A Wrinkle in Time- Madeleine L'Engle 

28. Dresden Files- Jim Butcher

29. Strong Fathers Strong Daughters- Meg Meeker

30. Boys Should Be Boys- Meg Meeker

30 Things 30 Year Old's Worry About

The worries in this stage of my life are very different than they were 10 years ago. When I was 20 I was wondering if I was going to get married, was I going to have kids, and if so how many, how was I going to find a job, what if I hated my job? New decade, new problems, and here are a few of them and my thoughts about them.

1. Health Insurance- for most 20 somethings this isn't even a blip on the radar.  Most of us didn't even know what a deductible was much less a PPO vs. HMO and so on. Now we compare premiums, in network vs out of network cost, how to get a discount on pregnancy and delivery costs, and the cheapest way to get your monthly prescriptions.
2. Money- this is no longer a commodity to be used on the cute new sweater we saw at the mall or all going to McDonald's, this is now for retirement, or groceries, or, I can't even type it without laughing and crying, kids college, at least, in my dreams, its kids college. Which introduces my next one...
3. Our Kids Education- a decade ago we weren't even out of school and now we are picking out preschools, kindergartens, and school districts with such care so that, what... our kids can get into, and afford, due to their huge scholarships, the best colleges. Where they will most likely major in watching paint dry or basket weaving.
4/5/6. Personal Health, Getting Enough Sleep, and Weight- Late nights or even all nighters, drinking soda, eating out, eating after 10 pm, *gasp*, even. On occasion we would go for a jog or work out and it wouldn't even phase our systems. We lived on the third floor, moved furniture that was triple our weight alone, and never even considered how many calories was in a frappucchino.
7. 401K vs. IRA vs. ESA or maybe even a 403b- The fact that we even might know what these things are speaks for its self.
8. How Our Furniture Looks- Ok, this is probably a woman thing but it is legitimate. We seem to feel that if we have been on our own this long we should have acquired something other than the 4x-hand-me-down-rescued-from-the dumpster couch that we had in college. And frankly I think we have a point even if what we replace it with is nice garage sale furniture, we just hope that you don't notice the pizza stain when you come to visit.
9. The Price of Milk- Am I the only one who got super excited when it got down to 99¢.
10. Who We Forgot to Invite to the Four Year Old's B-day Party- this is the big league guys. You form life long alliances here in preschool.
11. How Comfortable Our Clothes Are- I guess this isn't new but it isn't the same kind comfort now as it was a decade ago. Comfort and cute is a thing of the 20s I now go for comfort and hides snot, drool, sweat, dirt and food particles.
12. How Many Lights Were Left On in the House- because those electric bills don't pay themselves and money doesn't grow on trees... yes, those sayings now go through my head... secretly I'm pushing 50.
13. The Yard- It must be mowed, watered, edged, and weeded. Didn't even realize you could do that much to a yard 10 years ago.
14. Who We Spend Holidays With- We have a schedule, rotating between his family and mine and heaven forbid something strange come up and we miss one. Who knew it was so complicated.
15. Anti-aging Creams, Washes, and Elixirs- Those little crows feet are only going to get worse.
16. Fire Safes- Now I have things that I can't replace or don't want to go through the government nightmare to replace.
17. Life Insurance- I don't think that I even knew that this stuff existed until after I got married.
18. How Fender-Benders Affect Our Insurance Rates- This causes full time panic in the over 30 crowd. Seriously... panic.
19. Sunscreen- As a child and a teenager I never even thought about this. I didn't really burn so there was no incentive there. Now I am married to a man who sunburns inside on a sunny day so for his sake and my kids sake I carry the stuff with me everywhere.
20. Savings- How much is enough? How long should it take to save it up? Where should you keep it? A couple of years ago I didn't have money to even think about this issue.
21. The Efficiency of My Appliances- I just moved from a 6 SEER to a 15 SEER air conditioner. How excited am I!
22. ESCROW- it is not a board game, though I think that would have been a great name for one.
23. Property Taxes- one mistake and you could be in over your head before you can think. They really want their money.
24. What "Natural Flavorings" really are- don't ask, just don't ask.
25. How someone else's labor went- it seems like it was once just, hey, you had a baby. Cool! And now it's how many hours of labor, were there complications, did you try the Bradley method or Lamaze, how long before you got an epidural. We know too much.
26. Income Taxes with Texas being one of those lovely states where there is no state income tax it took me several years to realize how messy that can make things. I get nervous every year just doing our simple taxes. And I'm afraid it will only get worse.
27. The ratings on movies- mostly because we have kids. Once I turned 18 I saw whatever I wanted and paid not attention to what it was rated. Now I pour over not only rating but review websites to explain the ratings because not all PG is five year old appropriate.
28. Heart burn- this is serious stuff, so don't eat too spicy, don't eat too late, and carry tums in your back pocket.
29. The features on baby monitors- they are discussed as seriously as the new apple upgrade.
30. The gas mileage on our cars- its true we discuss this in the same way we talk about what are children are doing.
"Yep, old blue is down to 20 mpg, I'm gonna have to take her in to see whats wrong."
"On our last trip my little honda got 32 mpg!"
"This new mini-van I saw gets 27 mpg, in town!"

30 Of The Most Inspiring People I Know

1. My sister- She has faced more than a few challenges in her life and typically with a grace and determination that I can't help but admire.

2. Edna Leslie(Nanny)- She took me in when my grandmothers all lived too far away to see regularly and made me her own. She is and will always be MY Nanny, no matter what her biological grandchildren think.

3. Brittany Jones PhD.- She manages to keep more information in that head of hers and be so incredibly cool at the same time. It boggles the mind.

4. Steven Hoffner- Arguable the best science teacher of all times. Everyone who had a class with him hated him at one point or another but ended it by learning so much and admiring him more than words can say. He has truly had a great impact on every student that he has come in contact with.

5. Michelle Wilmouth- The hardest English teacher I ever had, in all the schooling I have partaken of, and she taught Freshman english. But I truly believe that I succeeded in many of the ways that I have because of the effort she put into me and every student that walks through her door.

6. Falisha Young- This amazing lady, got through school with no debt. That is something I wish for me kids.

7. Dr. Dan Brannan- though his course was one of toughest I took he was always so approachable and his beautiful faith always shone through in everything he did. 

8. Dr. Ralph Weigman- this man has refused to capitulate to the march of "progress" in all the places where it would make things less personable for his patients. I never once called the office and didn't talk to a person. 

9. Heather Barcroft- and really this goes out to all military wives. She is always positive about the difficulties of being a military spouse and takes things that would leave me in pieces in a cool stride. 

10. Alfred Wood- I still remember clearly being in his Sunday school class. I learned so much and have always been impressed with the way he spoke to us, not as children, but as if we were capable of thinking on our own.

11. Roy Roberts- I have never met a more genteel spirit. 

12. Taha- this student of mine juggled many things in his young life. He was sweet, ambitious, and took he responsibilities seriously while still having such a sweet and joyous out look on life. 

13. Granny Grace- we would visit her at her nursing home when I was a child. She always made us feel so welcome in spite of the difficulties of her age. She made an impact on me at a very young about how beautiful age can be. 

14. Bobbi Rutkowski- some how in spite of all the crazy terrible things that have occurred to and around her she is relatively normal and takes life in with such a positive outlook and a generous spirit. If all people dealt with adversity as she does this world would be such a better place. 

15. Tiffany Crow- She can take the most difficult situations, one that would have me throwing continual pity parties, and make seem like no trouble, even attractive, situations that she just glides through regally.

16. Woody Woodrow- Such sweet unwavering faith that has been an example for me for many years.

17. Sandi Woodrow- someone once told me that they thought I would be like her when I got older and I have always hoped that it would be true.

18. Andrea Schuler- This mom is always so positive, so joyful, and so amazingly cute and crafty at the same time. Just hearing about the things she accomplishes wears me out.

19. Laura Crain- Her recall for important, and useful facts, constantly astounds me. She is always reading, always learning, and I love hearing about the new things she discovers because she also have a knack for making it exciting to listen to.

20. Trent Lovette- I watched this man take a difficult situation and turn it into a well run positive environment to work in where the students and the teachers thrived. Though discipline was never lacking the students never seemed to doubt his commitment to them and the teachers felt the same way. It was a privilege to work with him.

21. Rodger Corn- Always ready with a smile, always sympathetic and always trying to take more on himself to give the teachers under him as much of a break as possible.

22. Judy Odom- It never fails to cheer me up to see her smiling face. She always has a positive outlook and throws herself into working so hard at anything going on.

23. Jen Anthony- When I talk to people about Jen I always find my self saying, she really is that sweet, always, never seen anything else in all the years I have known her. She is a dear friend and calm place for me when I feel like things are too crazy. I thank God that she is in my life.

24. Dave Ramsey- I like his advice and his no nonsense honesty about life.

25. James Dobson- I have never read or heard anything from this man that made me doubt his love of Christ or his calling to serve others. That is so rare in a person with any kind of social standing.

26. C.S Lewis- His faith is a beacon for generations. His writings will be a testament to others of his love for grace and his profound understanding what exactly what Christ did for us.

27. Brother Elder- I never saw this man without a smile and a laugh unless he was playing serious to pull your leg. He loved The Lord and loved to sing about and, and, man, could he sing!

28. Mr. Rogers- like this needs any explanation, it's Mr. Rogers!Who doesn't admire Mr. Rogers?

29. Mike Monroe- He has always been someone that Daniel and I both have looked up to but not in an unapproachable way. His quirky sense of humor is the icing on a profound faith and a deep wisdom that I miss being around terribly.

30. RC Waters- Always positive, always shaking off any inconvenience and always there to lend a hand. I have never seen him have an off day, and I have never met anyone that didn't instantly like him.

30 of My Favorite Books

     I love books! And I love to find those books that when you hear that someone hasn't read that one you just sigh and put your hand on your heart searching for the words to describe the feelings that merely the title invokes in you. The number of lives I have lived, things I have experienced, and places that I have seen in my minds eye is beyond my limited expression to explain. I have forged swords with dragons, explored new planets and above all else I have peered into the heights and depths of the human spirit. In the end all good books seem the have that in common, they delve into the soul of humanity for the best and worst in us all.

1. Ender's Game- Orson Scott Card
     It took me a long time to decide to read this book though it is highly acclaimed. In some ways I wish I had read it sooner and in others I thing its impact was deeper because I had children.
2. I am Legend- Richard Matheson
    I picked this up on a whim many years ago, long before the current movie and long after the black and white version. I loved it instantly and have yet to see the modern movie in protest of the alterations.
3. Fight Club- Chuck Palahniuk
     I had never seen the movie when I read this one. I later did watch it and found that it really loses something when it is transferred to a visual medium. Coming at it fresh with no knowledge of the twist at the end I found the reveal quite profound.
4. Hobbit and Lord of the Rings- J.R.R. Tolkien
    Must I say anything at all? The beauty, the thrill, good vs. evil, and the fickle hearts of men!
5. Chronicles of Narnia- C.S. Lewis
   There is little that this man has touched that does not speak to my soul and invoke such awe of my heavenly Father and his love for me.
6. The Surrendered Wife- Laura Doyle
     A practical choice among my more colorful tendencies. I love the gentle way she suggests that we should be so careful to build our husbands up into the men God wants them to be.
7. Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls- Mary Pipher
     While this book is at times hard to read it is vital that we look at the damage that we are doing to the daughters in our society.
8. Anne of Green Gables- L.M. Montgomery
     The delicious characters, the poetic scenery, the amazing nuggets of quaint wisdom... oh! How could you not love this series?
9. Frankenstein- Mary Shelley
     What more classic example of the heights and depths of the human condition. This story has always thrilled me.
10. Jane Eyre- Charlotte Bronte
   One of the most beautiful love stories of all times with such a regal setting. It speaks to the girliest, most romantic part of me. Forget knights on white horses, give me a Mr. Rochester on his black stallion.
11. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory- Roald Dahl
     I just finished reading this to my sweet boy. It brought back all the joy that I remembered from reading it the first time. How could you not adore Charlie Bucket?
12. Where the Red Fern Grows- Wilson Rawls
     I remember crying so hard that I hyperventilated at the end of this book when my mother read it to me. She had to pause, get me a paper bag, and calm me down before we could finish. It remains one of my favorites to this day.
13. The Hitchhikers Guide the the Galaxy- Douglas Adams
    The plot is beyond ridiculous, the writing is fabulously clever, and the absurdity of the whole thing has me in stitches every time.
14. The Barbed Coil- J.V. Jones
    This author has a knack for taking unlikley people and turning them into heros and she never just gives you a bad guy, as the plot progresses you see a misguided or unlikable person become more and more selfserving until they allow evil to consume them. The great villans, lovable heros, and and interesting take on the way a magical world might work all make this into an exciting foray into fantasy.
15. The Deed of Paksenarrion- Elizabeth Moon
    This is a rather typical hero story, from foot soldier to blessed knight for a higher cause. It is just such an enjoyable read.
16. Little Women- Louisa May Alcott
     I often forget about this classic but everytime I come back to it I enjoy it more.
17. C.S. Lewis' Space Trilogy- C.S. Lewis
     I have already said my piece about this author. He is just amazing.
18. My Side of the Mountain- Jean Craighead George
     Who has not dreamed of running away and surviving by wit and wisdom in the wild. 
19. Heidi- Johanna Spyri
    It is just such a sweet, loveable tale of the power a child can have in the lives of those who grow to love her. It is just so delightfully wholesome.
20. The Polar Express- Chris Van Allsburg
     While the book its self is rather simple it gives rise to such beautiful flights of fancy and the best of childhood dreams.
21. Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies, And Why- Laurence Gonzales
     This is not a how to book. It puts side by side desperate situations where the odds are very similar but one group survives and another does not. It then analizes what the differences were in the psychological outset that paved the way for success or failure. I found it facinating and more applicable to life than you might suspect.
22. Job- The Bible
    The parts where God answers Job thrill me to the depths of my soul: "Brace yourself like a man; I will question you and you shall answer me. Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation? Tell me if you understand." Job 38:3 (NIV)
23. The Twilight Series- Stephenie Meyer
     This series is not well written compare to many of the books on this list but I find the characters and the plot enthralling no matter how many times I read through it I can't put it down once I start.
24. The Witch of Blackbird Pond- Elizabeth George Speare
      A historical fictions take on a colonial witch trial. Not my typical fare but the threat of the mob, the twisting of the truth to make kindness seem sinister, the fear that differences can stir up in people all come together to make me love this sweet book.
25. Dave Barry Turns 40- Dave Barry
     The man is hilarious! Irrevrent, honest, and quick with a phrase as well. What is there not to love? This may not be classic in the traditional sense of the word but it has stood the test of time with me. 
26. The Foundation Trilogy- Issac Asimov
     Take buracracy to a galactic level, psychology to its mathmatical end game, and human nature to its very limits on both ends of the spectrum and tie them all together with the erudite musings of this pioneer of science fiction and you have a masterpiece that never fails to set me thinking.
27. Don't Let The Pigeon Stay Up Late- Mo Willems
     A children's book that I believe with become a multi-generational classic much like the following...
28. Goodnight Moon- Margaret Wise Brown
     The classic that never loses its charm.
29. Rusalka- C.J. Cherryh
   Wishes, and Un-wishes mingle with ghosts and a thread of a love story. The characters are real, the setting is Russia, and the chills it sends down my spine keep me reading it over and over again.
30. Dracula- Bram Stoker
   To be honest, I have never managed to fully finish this book. It is amazingly crafted and it gives me nightmares every time I try to forge forward…always in full day light, in a not too quiet house, with garlic around my neck, holy water in my hand and stakes at my side, it is just a timeless piece of beautiful literature and I admire it immensely inspite of my cowardly ways. 

I just know that as soon as I put this up I will think of another book that is such a dear, old friend and will feel shame that it didn't "make the cut". It's like picking your favorite children, you love them all but in such different ways. In some ways by giving you all my list I feel that I am baring my soul in a new way.  It seems that you cannot read my list without coming to know me a little better. I just hope you guys like me and my "children" that I proudly display for you today. 

30 Things To Do In The Next 30 Years

It was strange to realize that in 30 years I will be 60, my kids will be entering their thirties, and I will have been married for longer than Hollywood knows how to count. There is so much life between now and then, but I see how fast the last 30 went and know that it is only going to go faster and then all that time just seems too short. I just hope that I get those graceful smile wrinkles and lovely gray streaks that I am certainly not earning right now. One can dream, right.

1. Take the MCAT just for fun
2. Go back to school

3. Have another kid, or two

4. Travel more

5. Go on my origional honeymoon, the one we had to cancel

6. Figure out what I want to be when I grow up

7. Spoil some grandkids

8. Run a 5K

9. Get into a work out routine

10. Buy a house

11. Paint the walls in my house

12. Sew a dress

13. Dress up for Halloween
14. Discover a fish I like to eat

15. Participate in an International Talk Like A Pirate Day

16. Build a green house and fill it with yummy things hard to grow out here

17. Lose some weight by finding a diet I can actually live with

18. Make a Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner all by myself

19. Decorate my house on purpose, not just because I found it at a garage sale

20. Finally try escargot

21. Get pedicures on a regular basis
22. Build a tree house
23. Hike Elk Mountain
24. Take a nap in a hammock
25. Host a masquerade
26. Exchange the center diamond on my wedding ring for a .5 ct pear shape one
27. Renew my vows
28. Sleep through the night
29. Buy a purse dog
30. Go on a cruise

30 Things I Did Before I Was 30

These things may not seem impressive to you all. There are numerous people who have done far more exciting things in the first part of their life but what I tried to think of is things that I have done that were a little different from my typical life. Those things in your life that you look back and say, "Hey that was cool, and not quite like typical me!"

1. Dove off a 5m platform
2. Been north of the Mason-Dixon line
3. Swam in the ocean
4. Hiked Hermits Peak
5. Dissected a shark
6. Learned to drive a standard
7. Seen King Tut
8. Slept under the stars
9. Ridden a horse bareback
10. Been on a medical mission
11. Looped a snake around my shoulders
12. Helped pick up a lions head from the zoo for the ACU biology department
13. Told off an emergency room doctor and got them to take me seriously, that was before I was even 20, in fact.
14. Out ran an armadillo
15. Left the USA
16. Had a baby, or two
17. Shot a gun
18. Bought and paid for a car
19. Used a drill press on a turtle
20. Hitch hiked on the side of the highway, albeit, unwillingly
21. Driven a bus
22. Been within a few yards of a bear
23. Heard a Mountain Lion call
24. Cuddled with a chinchilla
25. Had a giraffe wrap its tongue around my fingers
26. Been through Carlsbad Caverns
27. Ridden in the back of a truck at highway speeds
28. Been run over by a four wheeler
29. Kicked myself in the face
30. Inner tubed down a snowy mountain side

It has been a fun couple of years. I can't wait to see what the next few hold.

30 Places I Would Like To Go

This list took me a long time to come up with. The first 10 weren't so hard but then I started to think of places that I had been before or that were just around the corner from me. There are about 5 places on this list that are quite familiar to me and even with all the exciting possibilities for my imagination I can't dismiss those places I love the most.

1. London
2. Paris
3. Stonehenge
4. Crater Lake
5. The Smithsonian
6. Switzerland
7. Yellowstone
8. The Dead Sea
9. Hong Kong
10. The Dallas Aquarium
11. Gettysburg
12. Disney World
13. Hawaii
14. Alaska
15. The Galapagos Islands
16. Oxford
17. Egypt, probably Gaza in particular
18. The Taj Mahal
19. Greece
20. The Louvre
21. Cancun, preferably there would be a cruise involved
22. One of the Zambia Medical Missions
23. An African Safari
24. Japan
25. My Cabin
26. Disney Land
27. The Fort Worth Botanical Gardens
28. The Fort Worth Zoo
29. Santa Fe, New Mexico
30. On the honeymoon my husband planned for us that we had to cancel because of his horrible job at the time.

30 Foods I Love to Eat!

I am so excited to be writing this post! I love food! I love cooking it, trying it, buying it, I love trying new delicious ways of making it. This list won't be hard to fill up, the difficulty will be in narrowing it down.

1. My all time favorite has got to be steak! Don't over cook it, it needs to be rare but warm all the way through. Daniel thinks if the steak bleeds it isn't done. I think that it is good as long as it isn't mooing too loudly.
2. Green bean casserole. And the best kind in made with heavy whipping cream instead of milk.
3. Heavy whipping cream! Whipped or not I would eat the stuff straight if it didn't freak my husband out. But I like it on stuff too, like coffee, milkshakes, or cake, so that I can eat it off before I consume the rest of the confection thus secretly still eating it straight but people don't stare as much.
4. Potato soup, oh the starchy goodness!
5. Vesuvio Salad- when I google this the one that I am talking about doesn't show up. I am talking about a salad made with leeks, palm hearts, tomatoes, provolone cheese, basil and red wine vinegar. I can eat it by the pound!
6. Fajitas, preferably chicken.
7. Spaghetti with a good meat sauce.
8. Chicken Cesar Salad, as long as the dressing isn't fishy.
9. Zucchini Bread- I have a recipe that I love but my sister in law has one that uses chocolate chips that is also amazing!
10. Eagle Brand Lemon Pie- also called lemon ice box pie, I think. Mine has a meringue and the ice box one doesn't always. So tart and sweet at the same time.
11. Tortellini Alfredo- I make a beautiful alfredo sauce but I have never tried to make my own pasta. Maybe I should try it sometime.
12. Olive Garden's Five Cheese Ziti- I found a copy cat recipe that is almost as good but I don't use fontina cheese for anything else so it is hard to justify making it.
13. And while I'm on the subject their Zuppa Toscana soup is the only thing I want when I have a cold. It is my go to comfort food on icky days.
14. Avocados- in guacamole, in salads, on sandwiches.
15. Peaches in cream- especially if you get Parker County peaches and freeze them with a little sugar and then serve them in their own juicy creamy sugary sauce.
16. Blue Bell Ice Cream, in particular Cookies and Cream or Rocky Mountain Road, in fact I love the good old fashioned Chocolate too.
17. Quiche- I like almost all of them but the ones from La Madeline's are some of my favorite.
18. Braum's 1/6lb bacon cheese burgers.
19. The mini bunt cakes from Corner Bakery
20. The Chicken Pesto sandwich from a fore mentioned Corner Bakery
21. Belgian Waffles- I have a recipe that I love but it takes at least and hour and a half to make. Some things are worth the wait.
22. Toasted sourdough bread with butter and occasionally honey.
23. Dark Chocolate!
24. Cranberry- Orange scones from Starbucks
25. Veronica's Fudge
26. Emerald's Apple Cider
27. My mommy's home made bread
28. Caprice Salad- or just tomatoes, Ill eat them like apples if they are home grown
29. Creme Brulee- I think that this is strongly related to my propensity for wanting to drink cream.
30. Carrot bread- it gets this crusty sugary top that is so wonderful.

30 Of My Favorite Things

     Welcome to November.
     I was born at the end of this glorious month where winter begins to peek around the corner into the part of Texas where I live. I love fall! The crispness that shows up in the air, the burst of growth that occurs as the weather moves from the unbearable heat of summer to the random chill of winter, and I love never knowing if tomorrow will be a beautiful indian summer day or a winter wonderland. I have more than a few complaints about the state that I was born in, but none of them are against fall weather.

A rose-cicle!

     But on to the point of today's post:
          30 Of My Favorite Things! 
     This list is one of the most random lists, and the order within the list is random too, but I feel that is appropriate since one of my headlining features is my randomness. I took the term things in the broadest sense possible so there are people, events, food, smells, appliances, all things that I thought of when I asked myself "What do I like best of all?" with little to no editing. These are what popped into my head. If you asked me on another day I might have made a slightly different list but this seems to be fairly representative. Enjoy!

     1. Cool weather, will top my list in honor of the season.
     2. New green grass, the kind that always feels cold to step on.
     3. Can openers that don't leave jagged edges. So nifty!
     4. Carmex!
     5. Having a pile of towels fresh from the dryer dumped on you. The smell and the warmth... delightful!
     6. Books, I will embellish on this in another post, the hard part will be choosing only 30.
     7. Coffee tables that lift up.
     8. Little boxes that are the perfect size for... anything, I just love lots of little boxes in assorted sizes.
     9. Wood furniture. Especial if it is a beautiful cherry or birds eye maple.
     10. The smell of wood, you know, like in the back of Home Depot.
     11. Getting popcorn at the movies.
     12. Dark chocolate!
     13. The TV series Friends. Cracks me up every time.
     14. The smell of the Leaves scented candle from Bath and Body Works.
     15. Those baby fingernail clippers that have the little magnifying glass on them.
     16. Getting so lost in a book that you look up and can't remember where you are for a moment.
     17. Sean Connery, I think it is the accent, so I guess cool accents are my favorite.
     18. My charm bracelet.
     19. Jewelry in general, love it all!
     20. Fuzzy blankets on a cold night.
     21. Late night girl talk.
     22. Food, in particular, almost all the parts of it that are bad for you.
     23. Looking through old pictures.
     24. The sound of a rushing creek.
     25. Loud music, well, my loud music.
     26. My wedding ring.
     27. Office Supplies! Pens, pencils, post-it notes, sharpies, all of it!
     28. Cutting edge gadgets.
     29. That feeling when your hair has been up too long and you take it down.
     30.  Large groups of people all in one place because of me... it sounds so vain to put it out there in print but I feel that I must be honest with myself and I honestly adore it.

And there you have it. A peek into what makes me tick. Tomorrow will be: 30 Foods I Like To Eat. Just thinking about it is making me hungry.

30 Days of 30 Things Because I'm Turning 30!

1. 30 Of My Favorite Things
2. 30 Foods I Love To Eat
3. 30 Places I Would Like To Go
4. 30 Things I Did Before I Was 30
5. 30 Things To Do In the Next 30 Years
6. 30 Of My Favorite Books
7. 30 of the Most Inspiring People I Know- November 7th is my          baby sisters birthday. I choose this topic in honor of her.
8. 30 Books I Intend To Read
9. 30 Ways My Kids Make Me Laugh- In honor of my Fathers 60th       birthday I chose this topic in the hopes that it might bring him       some birthday laughs.
10. 30 Things 30 Year Old's Worry About
11. 30 of My Sweetest Memories- This is my Grandma's Birthday. I      chose this topic for her.
12. 30 Quotes, Poems, Or Sayings That I Find Inspiring
13. 30 Reasons I'm Excited About 30
14. 30 Prayers For My Children
15. 30 Tips, Tricks, and Short Cuts I Use in My Life
16. 30 Ways To Stay Silly
17. 30 Goals For My Life
18. 30 Ways To Tell My Husband I Love Him
19. 30 Ways To Be More Positive
20. 30 People I Would Love To Meet
21. 30 Beautiful Thoughts
22. 30 Things I Want My Kids, and Grandkids, To Know About Me
23. 30 Of My Favorite Bible Verses
24. 30 Of My Favorite Movies
25. 30 Questions For God
26. 30 Things I Can Do To Improve My Life
27. 30 Words People Use to Describe Me
28. 30 Amazing Blessings In My Life- Thanksgiving Day, what could      be more appropriate?
29. 30 Things I Am Proud Of Myself For
30. 30 Things I Like About Myself

The Importance of Playtime

Sometimes I get so caught up in what I have to get done that day that I find myself annoyed when my kids beg for my attention. The dishes, the laundry, the vacuuming, it all piles up in my head until there isn't room to enjoy the precious moments I have with my babies.







Playtime with my kids is very important. It's part of how they know that I love them, it's part of how they know that they are important to me. So, I decided to ignore the house, and take my babies to the park. My sweet boy was giddy with excitement when I told him where we were going.

It was a beautiful day. The sun was out, but the breeze was just enough to take the heat of it. We went on the slide, the swings, the jungle gym, the slide, and the slide again. Typically I take baby girl to the mall playground, where there is less things on the ground to eat, but I decided it was time to give her a chance at the big kids playground. I couldn't have been more right. She loved it! And she didn't try to eat the mulch!

Instead of all packing into the car to head to the park we walked to the park that was just a two blocks from our house. This is something I really should take advantage of this more often now that the torturous heat of summer has passed. It gets me some exercise, my sweet boy loves to chat with me while we walk, and baby girl kept turning around in the stroller and grinning at both of us. It was picture perfect.

Second advantage of the walk, play, and then walk home... calm, tired children that will sleep well tonight. Since my sweet boy had got all his wiggles out at the park he sweetly did his chores and helped his Daddy to make dinner. It made for a comparatively low key evening for us all.

The best part of the whole thing was seeing how much joy just spending these 30 min with my babies brought to them. They were so excited to be going and so grateful to just be with me. How do I keep forgetting how amazing moments like these are? Why do I let life bog me down and steal those beautiful smiles away?

The West Texas Fair and Rodeo

Cutest booth lady ever!

     This last week I got a wonderful chance to take my sweet boy to the West Texas Fair and Rodeo. I was given the opportunity to work at a booth in the trade center and this turned out to be such a blessing to our family. I had a great time and was able to earn a little extra money to offset the cost of the preschool sweet boy is enrolled in this year. I got to dust off my old salesman skills and I was surprised all the little things that I remembered and how, well, not to be vain, but how good I was at it. The booth was for the chiropractor that I have been seeing for a few months now and most of what I was doing was just telling people about how much he has helped me, the details of his practice, taking money, and setting up appointments. At the

This, my friends, is what we
call a cankle.

end of the week I finally began to have some trouble with ye ol' ankle but I spent 30 hours on my feet in addition to my normal mom stuff and the discomfort was rather minor which I consider a huge victory and a great step forward. My (sweetest ever!) friend and my (amazing!) husband worked with me for the occasions where I had to be at work an hour or two before Daniel got off but the majority of my hours were on the weekend. It was perfect for our family. I couldn't do it full time but a week was just right.


     I had chosen a day but due to baby girls strange sleep schedule that say I had to change plans. My boy was so tolerant of the change that when I was presented with the opportunity to take only him I jumped at the opportunity. Since school started I have gotten lots of special time with my youngest, and I love that, but my eldest seems to really be missing spending time with me.

     We got there really early and the pony ride and petting zoo that I thought would be the highlight of our visit weren't open. The exhibit halls were all open so we started there. We saw a 90 lb pumpkin, some amazing antique toys, pictures that kids his age had submitted, and the children's mural that was there for kids to come through and color on. I was surprised that he was so interested in the exhibits.

     After that we went to the agriculture building where they had a functioning cotton gin, a simulated combine ride where my sweet boy got to sit in an actual combine cab, and a "Thank a Farmer Magic Show" in which he got to help make sugar disappear. My magical boy!

     Once we were finished with all that we went to the Trade Hall because I had seen these great kids sized cowboy hats at the booth across from me and I knew he would love to have one. You should have seen him. He was bouncing around giggling with joy. The lady who sold us the hate said he was the cutest thing she had seen. He has been wearing it every where we go for half a week.

     Then we had some fair food and were not disappointed. We got some freshly made, shaken not stirred, lemonade that was amazing! Then we grabbed a funnel cake and that pint sized boy at almost the entire thing. I don't know where he puts it.

     By the end of the afternoon he was pretty worn out, it was getting hot, and we felt like we should get back to our little girl. We topped off the whole trip with a ride on Daddy's shoulders. The perfect end to a great day.







Oh and here is the obligatory "I was there too" photo. Not my best but I'm trying to be more present in our family photos and I had been wandering around outside for several hours so I should give myself a break.

What I Already Have

     It was 9 am and breakfast wasn't on the table, even though we had been up since 8, only one of the children was dressed, the dishes weren't done, the crock pot, that was supposed to already be making dinner, wasn't even out of the cabinet, not to mention the thousands of other things that I "needed" to get done. I was "calm", in that you can feel the pressure building, kind of way. Didn't these kids understand that I had lists, and mental pictures, and bullet points and info-graphs for the day, all in my head, and this was not on a single one of them. The little one was screaming to be held, following me through the house wailing and hitting her brother while I was trying to put him in time out, time and again, for fussing, throwing fits, kicking and/or throwing things.
     My oldest child was whining about every option I was giving him and pushing every button he knew with his words, and with every tilt of his little head, and with every shrug of his insolent shoulders.
     Push, push, push.
     My youngest's cries were getting more shrill and the pauses fewer and further between. And when she paused it was to push or hit or grab.
     Push, push, push.
     I was holding it together. Why were things not getting better? I was making all the right motions. I was saying all the right things in my "calm" voice. Why was everything getting worse and worse? Deep breaths. I told myself. Deep breaths. 
     It finally came down to the breaking point. I put the big one back in time out, again, for kicking at a chair, again, and was taking the little on to bed for a nap. That had to be the problem. They were just too tired.
     As I tried to put her down in her crib her screams multiplied and reached whole new decibels. I could hear the rattle of the door down the hall as her brother sought escape from his prison. She was never going to sleep in all this. I scooped her up...

      ...and as her beautifully delicate little hands, and wonderfully chubby little arms wound tightly around my neck her cries just stopped. I could feel her clinging to me as if I was the only thing in her world, her face was pressed so close to mine that I could feel her little eyelashes flutter and hear her breathing go from a slight sob to deep, calm, long breaths. A contentment settled over her that is unique to a small child in the arms of the one she loves most.
     As I stood there, holding my beautiful little girl, taking in that most precious of moments, something in me just broke and I began to cry. I cried for the joy of being in those precious arms. I cried for the fear that was always hovering in the back of my mind that I'm not doing it right. I cried for the tiredness that clung to every inch of my body from staying up to late to try to "get one last thing done". I cried for joy that the Lord had given me these precious souls to care for every day. And I cried in sorrow for my terrible blindness to that amazing gift.
     With each tear the tension, anger, frustration, all those pent up feelings, just fell away and all the love and compassion and joy from the little soul in my arms filled every corner of my newly opened soul.
     I was still tired, and afraid. There were still a million things, and four minutes of time out, to get done, but my heart had found an amazing peace.
     I softly, in a voice filled with my new peace, asked my sweet child if she was ready to go to sleep. She calmly laid down in her bed, without a moments protest, let me cover her with her blanket, and was asleep before I even got down the hallway.
     As I opened the door to my precious boys room he looked at me with his big, beautiful, and all to observant eyes, and asked about his breakfast. In that humbling moment I knew that all was forgiven, I was his mama, his source for all that he needed and that I was enough even on days like this. He had no list for me to measure up to, no picture in his head of how the day should go, no info-graph about my behavior. He just stood there, accepting me, accepting all I had to offer and it was enough.
     If I told my children thank you they wouldn't understand why, they were just being themselves, but because of them maybe today I will spend a little more time just being something a little more like myself. I get these ideals built up in my head that can become so consuming, but when I see them through the eyes of my kids... they pale in comparison to what I already have.

Vacation of a Lifetime

This last week I got to go on vacation. Real vacation. In fact every member of my family, except perhaps baby girl, got the vacation they dream of. How was this accomplished, you might ask? Don't worry, I will tell you.

Well, first of all Daniel is a homebody who loves his personal time. Me and the kids being gone is a wonderful vacation as long as I leave enough Ritz crackers and cheese in the house. He had guy time with one of his friends, he worked on his comic strip, he played some banjo, he read some Peanuts, watched Darkwing Duck and Doctor Who. Who could ask for more? Not Daniel! After a week he said he was very ready to see all of us, but I think he really had just gotten tired of his own cooking though he got a friend of ours to take him out to lunch on Sunday. I think she felt sorry for him. He played it up and said it was due to his amazing bow tie. Can't argue with that.

"You can't deny the tie!"- Daniel

I took my sweet kiddos and headed toward the big city where Daniel's parents live. The kids were going to be staying there for 5 days (!) while I headed out. This is the vacation that Nathan has always dreamed of. They went to the zoo, saw great grandparents, got to hang out with awesome older second cousins that he thinks hung the moon, all that with a dab of grandparent spoiling through out. He loved it!

The zoo!

This was the first time that I had left baby girl and I wasn't as sure how she would do. I suspected that as long as big brother (bra-bra as she puts it) was there she would do all right and she did. She got to skip naps, pick out a toy in the zoo gift shop and sit in grand-mom's lap for every meal. As long as brother was with her she was good to go.

 I spent the night there, at my in-laws, and had plans with my childhood best friend, who I haven't caught up with for almost 15 years (I can't believe I can say that!), to head out for New Mexico the next afternoon. Well the adventures of the next day took their own post to explain so to make a long story short car trouble ate Wednesday and I had to try to head out again on Thursday morning. Thursday was uneventful, thank the Lord!

Hello Sangre de Christo! I love these mountains.

Falisha and I got up to the camp near our cabin just in time for closing campfire for the session that we always attended.

"not for passenger vehicles"

Since Falisha wasn't up for hiking, being pregnant is a very valid excuse, we went on some driving tours. We drove up to Johnson Mesa with no trouble since we weren't in my little red car. The view was amazing. There are no words to describe it so it is a good thing I took pictures.

Looking out from the mesa one way

Looking out from the mesa the other way

Roughing it, no table.

We even took a trip to Porvenir Canyon and "camped out" by the creek to eat lunch for old time sake. It was so peaceful to just sit by the creek, listening to it running over a little fall just up stream. Beautiful!

The weather there was beautiful. It may be hard to read but according to this the temperature at the time of this picture was 55 degrees! It was glorious! I had to buy a coat... in August! It was lovely to just sit on the porch, curled up with a good book, enjoying the sights and smells of afternoon. We spent a lot of time on the porch just taking all the beauty in, and maybe a tiny bit of napping.

We took a small walk along the creek. There is a path there that is very aptly named Rippling Falls Trail. It meanders next to the creek, crossing it now and then, typically with a quaint bridge or a series of stepping stones.

We even managed to experience some of the wild life. Squirrels, humming birds, deer to mention a few, and, thankfully no bears or cougars.

It was designed to look like
Thomas Jefferson's home.

We stepped into the nearest town and took a bit of a tour. This picture is of a Carnegie library. It is situated in a beautiful park and offered free wifi. I took a barefoot walk in the grass!









On the way back we got to watch this amazing storm blow in across the mountains. Just moments after we took this picture the storm blew over us.

It is so cool it almost looks fake.

I missed my family very much and there were times that my heart ached for my beautiful children's faces but I may not get a moment to recharge like this for a long time. I feel like the peace of these moments will last me a long time. And if Momma is happy everyone is a little happier, its just true.