Crumbs...Chaos...and LOVE!!!!

Random Selection of Summer Photos

2011-08-28T10:35:00.000-07:00

Joshua and I made chocolate cookies, and he was enjoying watching them bake.

Joshua and I had to make a trip to Seattle for a follow up appt wih his dr. at Children's hospital, we decided to make a fun day of it, and had a mommy/son date which included his and my favorite food: SUSHI!

Caleb is constantly making me laugh, he found one of my headbands and obviously he knows how its supposed to be used! LOL

just a cool shot of a bouncy ball my kiddos were playing with.

My boys doing one of their favorite activities, playing bouncy ball in the hallway.

Catching up: Mother's Day

2011-08-28T10:11:00.000-07:00

Nothing warms a Mom's heart like seeing her youngest lean over and hug the oldest, considering that my youngest is usually going after his big brother!

We took a drive on Mother's day to a little town that we enjoy visiting, and the best part was that hardly anyone was there, which allowed us to have the entire patio to ourselves... the kids had a great time, and we were able to enjoy the meal!

I love taking photos of bridges, my mom and I share the photography gene!

My sweet lil one, he's up to something I'm sure!

wordless wednesday

2011-05-18T19:14:00.000-07:00

Sometimes waiting for Mommy to get your shoes just takes too long! So using hers works instead!

Most amazing organic red table wine I've ever had! :~)

A few more kiddos joined me for my usual trip to Dutch Brothers today!

A Surprise Party for Joshua's 6th Birthday! :)

2011-05-02T08:00:00.000-07:00

HAPPY 6th BIRTHDAY JOSHUA!!!!!

80th post ~ happy list saturday...80 things I'm happy about!!!!

2011-04-30T08:34:00.000-07:00

For my 80th Post I decided to do something different.... list 80 things that I'm happy about!!! thank you Natasha, for doing this, I love this idea!!!

1. My husband
2. My kids
3. dark chocolate mixed with fruit
4. Coffee
5. new shoes
6. new wallets
7. 5 calorie drinks
8. playdates
9. laundry all done
10. Girls night out
11. New music on the ipod
12. pj pants
13. chick flick
14. air - popped popcorn with cheese on it
15. a good read
16. long drive with beautiful scenery
17. useful appliances in the kitchen
18. homemade ice cream
19. wet bags
20. tape adapter for my ipod
21. earbuds
22. pretty necklaces
23.take out
24. family
25. onesies
26. portable dvd players
27. homemade bread
28. friends who send quality chocolate after an argument
29. clean sheets
30. stain removers that actually work
31. people that actually understand me
32. friends with a sense of humor
33. words with friends game
34. easy and delicious recipes
35. my minivan
36. my cell phone
37. texting
38. blogging
39. facebooking
40. soft kleenex
41. sudafed
42. zyrtec
43. naps
44. funny movies
45. cooking shows
46. rock style worship
47. trader joe's
48. goat cheese
49. kindle app
50. funnel cake
51. taco trucks
52. target
53. old navy
54. dutch brothers
55. health insurance
56. DVR
57. HULU
58. Netflix
59. roses
60. lilacs
61. homegrown tomatoes
62. Dahlias
63. sippy cups
64. reusable coffee cups
65. coffee stamp cards
66. sense of humor
67. children playing together happily
68. dishwashers
69. washers/dryers
70. vacuum cleaners
71. wine
72. apple wood smoked pork
73. McDonald's play area
74. double stroller
75. cute bags
76. antique stores
77. gyros
78. electric blankets
79. mom agenda planner
80. my Bible app on my phone

Happy Apple Blossom

2011-04-30T08:25:00.000-07:00

Happy Apple Blossom,

Our town, has an apple blossom festival each year... today is the kids parade... and I will be sure to add some photos later of the fun we'll be having. There are so many fun things to go see and do, and its a big deal here. Enjoy your saturday!!!!
Be watching for my Happy List Saturday, which will be my 80th post! I decided to write down 80 things that I'm happy about!

Melissa

Food Friday: Black Bean and Corn Enchiladas...

2011-04-30T08:19:00.000-07:00

This dish is a favorite that I enjoy preparing as a great freezer meal and for friends. Its an easily modified dish that I've made lots of modifications to from my original recipe. Originally, the recipe came from my mom, and I have adjusted it by adding black beans and corn to it, which I found in a magazine awhile back. I kept the creamy ingredients of my mom's recipe, added black beans, corn and use enchilada sauce to coat the bottom of the pan and to top the enchiladas with. As a result it yields more pans of food than if I do it the original way.

Here's the Recipe:
2 cups of cooked chicken (shredded) usually I cook this in the crockpot
16 tortillas
2 cups of shredded cheese
2 cans of black beans
2 cups of frozen corn
16 oz of Sour Cream
2 small cans of cream of chicken soup
green onions
16 oz can of green or red enchilada sauce
1 can of diced jalapenos

Preheat the oven to 375* Coat the bottom of your pan with enchilada sauce. Combine chicken 2/3 of the cheese, the black beans rinsed and drained, the corn, sour cream, soup and 1/2 of the green onions chopped, 1/2 the enchilada sauce (you might need more or less depending on how much you want to use in the mixture, i sometimes end up opening another can in order to coat the bottom of the pan), and the jalapenos. Scoop 1/4c of the mixture into tortillas and lay them in the dish however you like. Once the dish is full of rolled tortillas, pour enchilada sauce over the tops of the tortillas. Sprinkle cheese over the top, and cover with nonstick foil, or spray foil with a nonstick spray to keep it from sticking to the melting cheese. Cook for 30 min at 375*

Thursday Thoughts: How the Theater prepared me for MOTHERHOOD!

2011-04-28T12:43:00.000-07:00

So today in the midst of the chaos, that I call motherhood, a thought came to mind....all those years that I learned how to act, and perform on stage, was all really just preparation. I spent a few years learning the ropes of acting, working the backstage props, and working with other actors. At the time I just thought I was doing something that I enjoyed and learning some new things along the way. It was a great experience that I really enjoyed! I loved getting on stage, (HUGE SHOCK) and I never really experienced being nervous. I actually enjoyed the adrenaline rush that comes with performing, unlike those who it terrified. Those years were preparing me for something much bigger.

You see, in the course of a single day, most moms deal with a fair amount of drama that is comparable to actors and their tantrums. All you moms out there of toddlers, I can hear you through the internet shouting, AMEN! Often tantrums make no sense... and can really send mommy into swirling chaos, I'm sure much like those who try and meet the requests of actors, that can also at times, make no sense.

We are responsible for multiple costume changes throughout the day. Most of these costume changes are meal related. Once that tantruming child refuses to wear a bib, its inevitable that a costume change will follow. My own costume change usually follows as food transfers from toddler to mommy, and then mommy realizes this a little late. Mommy doesn't notice until she runs into her friend at the grocery store and sees the horror on the friends' face. This friend has children too young to throw tantrums and never ever will because her child is an angel. Its also not uncommon to walk out of the house with additional fashion add-ons, that aren't fashionable at all, like stickers in places that you'd never wear them. (*thanks G for that story)

The worst costume changes are necessary when you are on a road trip, out for the day etc... and the skill alone that this requires, deserves a medal all its own... perfectly titled, "completed diaper and clothing change while hunched over the back seat of minivan, straddling bags and toys, because we are in the middle of nowhere and its 30* outside"

Only skilled actors can differentiate between cries of pain and cries of discontent. Moms have to know that difference, and also know how to throw in a some comedy on occasion. Impromptu skills are required. I think most moms would agree that motherhood requires us to do a little bit of acting ourselves at times, usually for the benefit of our children. So as you can clearly see, the theater really did prepare me for motherhood, at least that is what I think! What has prepared you for motherhood?!?

wordless wednesday... SPRING!!!!

2011-04-27T22:03:00.000-07:00

SPRING!!!!

NEW SHOES ARE NECESSARY IN THE SPRING!!!!

NEW FLOWERS IN THE SPRING

MESSY EATERS STILL ABOUND in SPRING!!!

QUIRKY EXPRESSIONS of SPRING!!!

SPRING PHOTO OPS!!!

EASTER BUNNY DELIVERIES!!!

TODDLERS ARE NOT A FAN OF PHOTO OPS!!!

Music Monday

2011-04-25T08:11:00.000-07:00

I love this song, and after further research found that the story behind it is also inspiring and incredible. Enjoy!!!

Happy Easter! He is Risen!!!! Thank goodness!!! :)

2011-04-24T12:18:00.000-07:00

Thank you Francesca at Small Bird Studios for this photo!

My 1st Blog Award :~)

2011-04-24T11:56:00.000-07:00

I received my 1st Blog Award from Rachel, who is a close friend of mine, and she has supported me through some of life's challenges...
The rules for receiving the award are simple (only 4)and the rules are...

1.Link back to the person/s that gave you the award.
2.Award other bloggers the award-- (15) I only had 10, recently discovered bloggers.
3.Contact the bloggers that you have awarded to let them know that they have won.
4.Tell 7 things about yourself

1. Jen, is a close friend whom I adore... she's a busy mom to 5, but she does it so well and acts like its easy as pie!
2. Rachel, love her. She's so transparent and honest about how she's feeling through her loss, and I think that is so great!
3. Pauline, she speaks openly and honestly about her walk with God.
4.Michelle, She shares the things her family is doing. I love hearing about her homeschooling adventures.
5. Rachel, also a good friend who I don't get to see a whole lot of, but that inspires me to be a better mom and wife!
6. Katie, I just love her updates, when she does them... she is a great seamstress and does alot of cool things! I even have a wallet that she made :)
7. Katy, because I love the concept of what she's doing with her blog!
8. Francesca, i love her style and layout of her blog!
9. Lauren, she has experienced so much loss and pain, but we love Biblical names for our kids.
10. Elaine, She's a close friend and she's starting her blogging journey!

7 Things about Myself...
1. I love lots of different forms and styles of music.
2. I love dark chocolate, but really do not eat it unless I'm PMSing ;)
3. I have an addiction to stuff that periodically changes as fast as the wind can shift.
4. I love technology, and especially my cell phone and all its apps. If I go somewhere without it, I experience small doses of panic! LOL
5. I love learning new languages, and really enjoy speaking them. I know a little of about 2 addtl languages.
6. I am a coffee addict! I think I'm mostly addicted to the ease of driving somewhere and having my coffee made for me...
7. I'm imperfect but saved by Grace and I have a relationship with Jesus. I'm thankful for his death on the cross that keeps me from being separated from the Creator God.

Happy List Saturday

2011-04-23T07:44:00.000-07:00

I'm joining in a blog hop.... this is my first Happy List Saturday, but it likely won't be my last! I love the concept because it helps to keep me focused on the positive in my life. So thanks Natasha for the blog hop, and thanks Rachel for letting me know about it in the first place... Today my list is short and sweet, but covers the top things that make me happy...

God: Knowing that our Father God, sent his only son to live on earth and then die for us, so that we could one day have fellowship with God in Heaven is something worth being happy about! My son and I were talking about this yesterday, because its easy for a 6 yr old to get confused about Easter. All the distractions like candy, the easter bunny, etc, creates a need for discussion....but these are the discussions that I really love to have, and that actually makes me happy!

Family: I am blessed with wonderful family. I love that my in-laws live close enough that they get to be here this weekend to celebrate Easter with us! I love when they drive over the mtns to visit, I love cooking for them and I love the way my kids adore them. I love having a husband who works hard to provide for us, and also was outside this a.m. at 6:50 spraying for weeds...he keeps our yard in tip top shape and we yield a wonderful garden and gorgeous flowers all summer as a result.

Changing Seasons: I ABSOLUTELY love the changing seasons. Yesterday, here where I live, the wind finally died down. It has been warming up steadily and has allowed us many trips to the park... but yesterday was GORGEOUS!!! Today, is promising to be even more beautiful which is exciting since we are headed out on an Easter Egg Hunt today! I love when the weather switches from cold and boring winter to awesome and beautiful Spring!

Coffee: Even with the joy of family here, early rising means coffee is necessary. As I'm sipping my first cup, my husband asked me if I still wanted him to pick some up from a stand later, and of course I replied, yeah this is just the start of my day! LOL Anyone who knows me well knows that I have a love affair with coffee. I just love the warmth and the aroma. Its so comforting to just sit with a mug and feel its warmth and breathe in the aroma. Mmmmm.... time for another sip.

Egg-citing!!!

2011-04-22T07:15:00.000-07:00

When my friend Gina, invited me and my boys over to decorate eggs at her house, I was really excited. She was too, and then we realized how fast our boys were done with decorating, we laughed. It was a blast and the boys are close in age so they really enjoy spending time together. Gina and I have fun talking and laughing.

After decorating eggs, and eating lunch the big boys were outside, so the little boys sat down to watch a movie and as you can see they were very occupied by it.

This really made me laugh... all the boys gathered around a portable dvd player... boys will be boys!

What's in a Name? Blog Hop

2011-04-21T23:49:00.000-07:00

Rachel at http://alastingfootprint.blogspot.com is doing a blog hop for her 80th post, this is my 70th post and that makes it even more fun to participate....

My living children's names are pretty straightforward and the explanation of how I came to name them follows... and for the children that I lost, I believe that God has given them their names... and He has shared them with me. I have listed all of my children in birth order.

JOSHUA MICHAEL- Joshua means: Salvation, and Michael means: Who is like God? I'm sure this relates to him right now,and I have a few theories about his life purposes. His middle name is after my husband's dad, and we chose to use it to honor him. I have always loved the name Joshua, mostly due to the verse in the Bible that is found in Joshua 1:9 "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." I've always loved that verse, and the name Joshua. At the time that we became pregnant with Joshua, we were living in South Korea. Knowing that God was with us 'wherever we were going' was particularly relevant to us at the time. So deciding the name of my firstborn son was easy for me. The day he was born was an emotional rollercoaster, and fear could have easily set in. After almost losing our precious son that day, its good knowing that God has called us to be strong and courageous. That we can count on HIM to be with us always. My son is sweet in spirit and really loves others. He has always had an attractive tenderness about him that attracts people to him. I know that God has placed this in him, to be used for His glory, I can't wait to see how it unfolds!

JOHANNA and JOHN: my twins that I lost at 7 weeks pregnant. Johanna means: God is Gracious... and even though I know she's with Him in Heaven, I fully believe that He is Gracious! The name John means: God is Gracious! The loss of my twins was hard, but I know that God was gracious to me even in the loss of them. Looking back, I'm not sure I would have been able to raise twins in the midst of all the chaos life has thrown my way. So its true that God does not give us more than we can handle. We might come close to breaking and feeling like its too much, but He knows our capabilities and our boundaries.

GABRIEL- who I lost at 8wks pregnant, his name means: God's able bodied one. I know that now in Heaven, Gabriel is able bodied, and whole. I never got the chance to meet him either, but I look forward to the day that I do. Losing Gabriel was much harder a loss for me than I would have ever imagined it would be. I felt settled, ready, and prepared. Losing him meant that my 'perfect' plan was not perfect. I knew that God had a plan and that is the only way that I got through this loss. I can imagine that this able bodied boy is running around Heaven causing his own fair share of ruckus!

CALEB JAY- Caleb means: whole-hearted and faithful. Jay means: happy, chattering like a blue bird. These words and meanings are a perfect description of Caleb. He is whole-hearted, full of emotion, happy and quite the chatterer! Jay is my father's name and we wanted to honor him as well. I love having named my sons with some heritage, they will never forget who they were named after. When we found out that we were having another boy, my biggest fear at the time, I knew that Joshua's name was special. I felt that God put the name Caleb on my heart and reminded me of the scripture in Numbers 32:11-12 "Because they have not followed me wholeheartedly, not one of those who were twenty years old or more when they came up out of Egypt will see the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob- not one except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua the son of Nun, for they followed the LORD wholeheartedly.

It was my desire that, my sons would have a story to refer to, anytime when things got tough, or difficult. I wanted them to have namesakes that reminded them of the positive outcome of our obedience to God. In Joshua 14:13,14 "Joshua blessed him. He gave Hebron to Caleb son of Jephunneh as an inheritance. Hebron belongs to Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite still today, because he gave himself totally to God, the God of Israel." Whenever the Bible reiterates a point it tells you how important it is, because it is spoken of again in Deuteronomy 1:35,36 "Not a single person of this evil generation is going to get so much as a look at the good land that I promised to give your parents, Not one except for Caleb son of Jephunneh. He'll see it. I'll give him and his descendants the land he walked on because he was all for following God, heart and soul." My children's names are all Biblical, because I want leave an inheritance through their names. Our names often represent how others view us, and what we believe about ourselves throughout our lives. I hope that by naming my children, in the way that God led us; that we are leaving a legacy of faith in God and a trust in his goodness. So what's in a name? A WHOLE lot!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-04-20T16:10:00.000-07:00

One month apart in age, Caleb and his friend Georgia, are rocking out at the swings at Smallwood in Peshastin, WA

OREOS make the world go around to a 6 yr old and 2 yr old right?

My Son has done very well this year in AWANAS and he's so proud! I am too!

Happy Mama!!! My children were quiet in the car, thank you snacks!

This is my, I NEED COFFEE, BUT I HAVE NOT HAD A SHOWER YET, and my HAIR is a MESS HAT!

thankful tuesday

2011-04-19T21:27:00.001-07:00

Today I think my thankful Tuesday post need to be about how I'm so very thankful for oreo cookies. Now that you might be laughing uncontrollably on the other side of a computer screen, that was my whole intention...what is it about a simple cookie that brings about such joy and rejoicing? Its the versatility of such a cookie. Some dunk it, some open it and eat the middle, all in all its a cookie that works for everyone and everyone is happy! Perfection.

adding injury to insult: a rant...

2011-04-19T11:08:00.000-07:00

Have you ever felt completely misunderstood? I have! I know I'm not the only one! We've all felt that way from time to time... the worst thing though is when you open yourself up to others and then someone who knows you well hurls insults your way. Its bad enough to be frustrated about something but then to have someone make you feel worse... that's not cool at all. Ever notice how hard it actually is to forgive someone when they hurt you, but worse when they are a close friend? There is a super fine line between forgiveness and protection. Boundaries are equally important to forgiveness. Its important to establish healthy boundaries with others especially if their own boundary lines aren't clear. Over the past few months of my life, I'm learning to establish some healthier boundaries with those that have hurt me in the past. In the world of facebook and twitter its easy to blur the lines of appropriate boundaries and so forth. So in the past few months, I've made efforts to draw some lines in the sand in regards to friendships. All I can say is that I'm definitely happier as a result.

Music Monday

2011-04-18T15:40:00.000-07:00

I am truly a music enthusiast... and I am learning that if I do not get some time each day to listen to some music then I'm really grumpy. Seriously, steer clear of me until I've had some music time to myself. I am rejuvenated by the lyrics and melodies. Today, I downloaded a few new tunes, at an amazing price. I absolutely love AMAZON, because they keep featuring $5 albums. Mostly, they are great albums... no complaints from me! Today, I downloaded the Gungor album, and the newest Brandon Heath album. Two completely different styles, and yet both very good! Gungor is a mixture of classical and alternative. They have some great sounds that they incorporate together to make a truly funky and fun sound. Brandon Heath has been a fave of mine for awhile also with his deep thoughts that bleed into the lyrics. Haven't had enough time today yet to really enjoy the new album that I've downloaded, but I'm sure that I will find the time at some point this week, and I'm very excited about it! Somewhere between the needs of kids, husband and house I often forget to fullfill the need that I have for just relaxing and listening to music that just feeds my soul. Sounds dramatic, but its really the truth. I am a much happier mommy right now, and changing that poopy diaper won't be nearly as challenging, and the laundry that now awaits me will also feel a little less overwhelming! :)

Wordless Wednesday

2011-04-06T13:22:00.000-07:00

Thankful Tuesday... those who see me for who I am and will be not for who I might be temporarily

2011-04-05T20:46:00.000-07:00

Over the past few days, God has used some friends in my life to remind me that I am loved. I am thankful today for the friends who have come along, that some even for a short season have been there when I needed them most. One of my high school teachers, reminded me today of my positive traits, and that was the best sort of reminder. It really blessed me in a way that I'm not sure he even will realize. I strongly believe that God brings people into our lives for relationship at just the appropriate times to move us forward and to encourage us in the ways that we need. For me, this high school teacher made himself available to me. I knew that I could tell him anything. He taught me so much about the Bible and then later on I got to be his TA and let me tell ya, this was a big deal. Everybody wanted to be his TA :)He also was there for me in times of loss, like the time I lost the race for class president. He knew how bummed I was and was able to lift my spirits. Till this day we still joke about the time he pulled a fast one on me... and was falling out of his chair laughing so hard! ;) Those were good times... and later on when I went off to college, he sent me off with the most hilarious care package. The only item that I recall and still own, was a huge metal flashlight that he explained the benefits of as being: will light your way, and will double as a weapon against male assailants.
When I met my husband, he of course asked all the questions about this guy. He wanted to know if Matt had large portions of the Bible memorized, because of course I did... NOT! well our friends think the best of us right? So he just wanted to make sure that my future husband would be equally yoked. He approved, and came to speak at my wedding, and this was a great feat. Because, my teacher/friend/confidant actually arrived with a bad stomach ulcer, but you wouldn't know it! He acted like everything was fine, because he didn't want to taint my day in any way.. What a guy!
When we decided to return to the U.S. after living 3 yrs abroad, my husband was able to apply to the same place of work as this friend.
Neither I or my teacher at the time knew how much we would continue to affect one another lives. Even though we don't talk often, there have been a few moments where God has continued to use us to pray for each other and each other's families. I am thankful today for a teacher who saw a student, decided to invest in that student, and now is continuing to enrich my life and the lives of many others.

An Angry Gallbladder... and a THANKFUL heart

2011-03-21T10:02:00.000-07:00

Last week, my blog was neglected as I started having increased problems with my gallbladder. I spent Wednesday evening in the E.R. not feeling well, and getting the worse IV poke of my life. Came home with strong meds to help alleviate the pain, and by Friday morning I was back in the E.R. sicker than on Wednesday night. By 1pm on Friday, I was laying on a gurney in the O.R. feeling scared and uncomfortable. At 3:20, I woke up in the recovery room, all too aware of my post-surgery discomfort, sore throat, and pain in areas I didn't know. I was home by 5:30pm that night, and resting as comfortably as possible. My favorite part of the whole day was when the surgeon referred to my gallbladder as "angry" LOL indeed it was. It wanted to jump ship, and fast!
Once again, I was reminded at what great friends that I have. My friend Rachel was awesome and cared for my kids all day. By the time I was out of surgery she had already arranged meals for my family. My friend Gina, took care of Joshua all afternoon on Saturday, which he thoroughly enjoyed! These women who are bringing me meals have done so many times before. They have really embodied what the church is supposed to be in real life. I am thankful that they are going out of their way to bless me in this time of need. I hope that I will be able to return the favor to them someday. Thank you Rachel, Gina, Sharon, Leana, and Jen. All of you are such a blessing to me, thank you for all that you are doing, even in the midst of caring for your own families. Not a single one of you is bored by any means... and you still find time to care for others. THANK YOU!!!

My husband has been amazing as well, he has had to step right into the role of childcare, laundry, housecleaning, and he's doing awesome! The boys are enjoying all the extra time with Daddy, and I'm catching up on shows and books. Everyday, I'm able to do a little more, but I am only able to be on my feet for a few minutes at a time. Hopefully, that will improve over the next few days... and since I'm being so well taken care of by my husband and friends, I'm sure I'll be 100% by next week!!!

thankful tuesday

2011-03-15T07:00:00.000-07:00

This week, I am most thankful for my home. In light of last week's earthquakes, and tsunamis, I am thankful for the shelter that I call my home. I know that its easy for me to forget what a luxury my home is. My family has beds to sleep in, and warm place to be when its cold out, and a cool place to be when its hot out. Its difficult to even relate to the kind of tragedy that has unsettled thousands of people on the other side of the pacific. The only time in my life where I experienced true fear of my home being in danger was when we were living in San Diego. At the time, there was a bad 'santa ana' which is high, hot winds. In the course of a week, there was a ring of areas that were on fire, and we were in the middle. Sadly, many people did lose their homes, and it was a hard time for San Diego county. We weren't in any real danger, but we were warned to be prepared. The air was so badly polluted that leaving the house was not recommended. Being stuck indoors, led to lots of news watching and that led to fear.
As I think about the people of Japan, my heart is breaking for them. I cannot even imagine how all the mothers and fathers feel as they look for shelter to keep their children safe and warm. Worse, the feeling of total displacement, not knowing where to go, or where your family is, or if they are even alive. We all know that the repair is going to take a long time. In my thankfulness for what I have, I hope to find a way to support the people of Japan in a way that will help, even in a small way.

WHAT ARE YOU THANKFUL FOR?

Music Monday: Kari Jobe

2011-03-14T12:35:00.000-07:00

To kick off music mondays... I'd like to first talk about my newest favorite music artist. Kari Jobe, is one of my favorite musicians... her music is passionate, true, and encouraging. I recently had the joy of handing out about ten of her CDs to some friends and family. Her music speaks about the truth of our Father's love for us. Her honest lyrics remind me that I am a daughter of the King, and that He loves me in a way that no one else can. In one of her songs, she sings about how God is singing over me... how often do we forget that the very God of the universe has created each of us down to our very last detail. In Psalm 139, we are told that God knit us together in our mother's womb. He didn't just speak "be born." which He as God could have done. No, instead He decided specifically to take care of each detail, and he knows every hair on our head.

I've gone on a bit of a tangent here... but the point is that Kari Jobe's music reminds me of the truths that are often forgotten in the humdrum of my life. When things don't go the way I wish that they did, or the kids are particularly wild one day, I can listen to her CD and quickly be reminded that even in the midst of my daily chaos... there is a God in Heaven, watching and even delighting in me.

Food Friday: Cassoulet...

2011-03-11T09:00:00.000-08:00

I recently acquired this recipe from the man who was our best man for our wedding... he posted a pictorial recipe on his Facebook page, and it looked so amazing, I just had to try it. I snapped some photos along the way too, and so here they are... along with the recipe...

Start by soaking beans overnight, or bringing to a boil and allowing ample time to sit in the hot water, 1 hour is recommended but I think the overnight method yields more tender beans, if that is important to you.

Sear and season, chicken, pork, bacon, sausage (didn't use that this time, but will next time) Remove from pan, conserving the grease for the vegetables.

Saute vegetables, onion, celery and carrots, until translucent...deglaze pan with white wine. Combine all ingredients back together, in an oven-safe dutch oven or crockpot. Add chicken broth, and preferred spices... I used a bay leaf, a can of tomatoes, thyme, rosemary, orange peel, salt and pepper.

Cook for 2- 2 1/2 hrs at 350* Allow the dish to rest for 30 minutes before serving. Best served with crusty bread, and a glass of white wine.

C.R.E.A.T.I.V.I.T.Y. Joshua Style...

2011-03-10T09:00:00.000-08:00

wordless wednesdays...

2011-03-09T21:00:00.000-08:00

thankful tuesdays

2011-03-08T12:03:00.000-08:00

Going to try something new...

Today, I am thankful for...

My Children!

Joshua, has begun to have very deep conversations with me about life and God. I love learning scriptures with him, and he is so motivated to keep learning. Like any other kid, he struggles with the sin nature that we are born with. He has been learning about Adam, Eve and Noah. While learning about these first humans in the Bible, he is beginning to understand the corelation between the relationship with a Holy God and how our sin nature gets in the way. As a mom, I enjoy reading Bible stories with him, and hearing his thoughts and insights. I'm reminded of what it says in Deuteronomy 6:5-9 "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates." This verse commands parents that their everyday lives reflect their own relationship with God. Its so easy to get swallowed up in all the distractions that our lives offer. I love technology, but its also my greatest enemy.

My youngest son, Caleb, is very much in the toddler stage of his life. He speaks new words every single day. Yesterday, he impressed us with his ability to say "spungbb" which is short for Spongebob... and today it was "Biblstdy" short for Bible Study. He's sometimes irrational, and other times the most loving little boy. He may not understand all the Bible stories that I am reading to his big brother and he may not fully participate in our conversations, but he's observing our reactions, and responses. He watches closely as I respond to his big brother in challenging situations. He waits to see how I will respond when he doesn't get his way. These are all moments where I am leaving a valuable imprint on his heart, and showing him how much he's loved by me and ultimately by God. I am thankful for all the differences in Caleb's personality. I am thankful for the way he pulls my face to his and kisses me.

I am a blessed mama, who is thankful for these little boys that I get to raise! What an honor! I will return to this post later when things get a little chaotic, reminders of the good are important!

When it rains it pours....

2011-02-25T16:03:00.000-08:00

Have you ever gone through a season in your life where nothing seems to let up? Where its just one sad event followed by another and with hard times in between? Over the past 6 weeks we have had at least two or three viruses sweep through our house, a husband working lots of overtime without extra pay, 2 surgeries, and 2 deaths. Lots of puking, new teeth, and lots of clinging from the toddler sort. Additional heavy lifting for me, and overwhelming sadness following the deaths. The first death was of my dearest friend's baby, you can read about it here. My friend Rachel, has been a super friend to me over the past year... and her loss was so very sad to me. Having experienced 2 miscarriages, I am familiar with loss, and I am familiar with that horrible feeling of losing a child. My miscarried babies were young, but the truth is that God knows them. He knows them. I may not, but He does. Rachel's loss has helped me to acknowledge my own. God is good and He uses the pain of others to help us acknowledge what we've not been able to. Sometimes its scary to face that kind of pain in our lives. I know that it is for me. Crying, especially in front of someone else is really hard. Being vulnerable can be a tough thing to do. I am thankful that this vulnerability has allowed people to come into my life that are blessing me when things are hard. I am so fortunate that I've got friends who are understanding of life's challenges. So many of my friends have called me more often, and made meals for my family.
Perhaps, if nothing else, the rain also brings about some rainbows... in the form of friends. My friends are like rainbows of promise to me in this season that God is good, and that despite the challenges He's always there for us. I am thankful for the rainbow after the pouring rain that life sometimes brings.

She'll be Missed...

2011-02-25T13:47:00.000-08:00

When Matt and I moved to San Diego in 2006, we were a short drive from Matt's grandma, Jenice. We made the trip to her house several times while living in San Diego. She stopped driving quite a few years earlier and depended on the dollar ride to get to the store, and also on her son, Larry, and his friend Betty. Our visits always included some trips to the store, and usually a short ride around the town. Jenice loved seeing the town, and once we even stopped into a fruit market that had some interesting foods in it. On these drives, I enjoyed watching her interact with Joshua, who was 2 yrs old at the time, they way they were sitting eye to eye. She had terrible osteoperosis and she sat down low and was face to face with Joshua in his carseat. I'll never ever forget thinking that it was like they had their own cameraderie back there in the backseat. She was so gentle, kind and loving towards him. We thoroughly enjoyed our visits with Jenice. She was always very informed about what was happening in the world, and her local community. She was always very loving towards Matt and I. She gave the type of perspective that only a grandma can give. She was very good about sending cards our way for the boys and to us on holidays and birthdays. She had to really go out of her way to buy and send those cards, and it was great knowing that we meant that much to her. She was a great woman, who worked hard to provide for her four sons. I admire her hardwork, and her kind heart. She always wanted us to know how appreciative she was of us taking the time to come and visit her, but she's the one who deserves the thanks... thanks for your love, your wise insights, your sense of humor, and your encouragement.... You will be missed!

Once a sweet cherub, now a full blown toddler...

2011-02-24T17:31:00.000-08:00

This is Caleb at about 4 wks of age... he was a true mama's boy from the start... he never really let me out of his sight for very long, but I've enjoyed that for the most part.

Now however he's a bit of a true natured toddler... adventurous, strong-willed, and yet still wants mommy, but on his terms.

What inspired such a post you ask? Even as I write this post my toddler has been throwing himself down on the floor having a tantrum for all the things he thinks he wants and for the things that he does want but cannot have. Enough said :)

life changing lyrics...

2011-02-24T00:29:00.000-08:00

So, its not a surprise that I love music. I was surrounded by it even at an early age. I think it might actually surpass my love of coffee... I'm not joking! Tonight, my ipod is set to the most recent Natalie Grant album, "Love Revolution." On this album she addresses many things, and I am so proud to say that she's a fellow alum of my university! One of my fave songs is "Daring to Be" you can listen to it here...
I've had enough of the same old
Tired ordinary world
Telling my heart that I'm nothin'
But an ordinary girl
So sick and tired of falling for that lie every time
I've got a desire just to find out if there's more
And it starts tonight
CHORUS:
I'm waving goodbye to my pretty little life
Taking your hand and crossing that line
Daring to leave the old me
Shout it out loud, I'm not ashamed
Diving in now, and so not afraid
Hello to all that You see
And everything You made me
I'm daring to be
Perfectly safe and complacent
Those are words Your love's replaced
With fearless and brave, and courageous
Yeah, that's who I am today
CHORUS:
I'm waving goodbye to my pretty little life
Taking your hand and crossing that line
Daring to leave the old me
Shout it out loud, I'm not ashamed
Diving in now, and so not afraid
Hello to all that You see
And everything You made me
I'm daring to be
BRIDGE:
Can you hear it?
Calling every heart to come alive
Pulling us deeper
To the life that we were meant to find
And it starts tonight
CHORUS:
I'm waving goodbye to my pretty little life
Taking your hand and crossing that line
Daring to leave the old me
Shout it out loud, I'm not ashamed
Diving in now, and so not afraid
Hello to all that You see
And everything You made me
I'm daring to be

The song rocks and it feels like its my way of saying that I'm going for it all because I know that God is ready to take my hand, He's taking the hand of his daughter and leading me on. He isn't worried about what is up ahead, because he already knows... and because I know that He knows, I'm not worried.

Pray Continually, Give thanks in ALL circumstances...1 Thessalonians 5:17, 18

2011-02-23T23:32:00.000-08:00

This boy is one amazing kid. At only 5 1/2 yrs old, he has lived in 2 countries, 2 states, 3 different houses, flown 6 international flights, gone to 3 different daycares, and endured 3 surgeries. In the midst of all these life changing experiences, he's proven to be a truly sweet hearted boy. I'm so proud of all that he's already done in his life...and am thankful to have him and to be able to call him son, well that's a true honor.

Who Knew?!?

2011-02-23T23:16:00.000-08:00

Seriously, who knew that a dinosaur mylar balloon could entertain a typically grumpy toddler for a whole 20 minutes? Not only that, but I utilized the balloon as motivation for saying please. Everytime he let go of the balloon and it floated to the ceiling, far out of his reach, he had to ask for it. He was more than motivated to sign please. I'm hoping that the motivation and my follow through helps him to do that on a more regular basis! We shall see :~) What motivates you to say please? Do you engage in conversation with God on a regular basis? Are you saying, "Please let me have that new car?" or "Please protect my child in this surgery." or maybe its even harder, like "Please don't let me ever experience the pain of loss again." Whatever your prayer, God is listening, whether there is a please or not...

such a short season

2011-02-13T20:48:00.000-08:00

Recently I've heard lots of people say to me, this season of life is short. The well-meaning individuals are referring to the years that my children are young. They are right, the season is short, and their sentiment is well-intentioned. However, and this is a BIG however, I think that I am speaking for many moms when I say that there are days in which I'm so thankful its a short season. I'd happily pass on my carpet being covered in everything toys to poop, the ear piercing screams, requests that are just repackaged and repeated (moms of kids 5 and older know exactly what I mean...)
All of those things, I'd happily pass, but if I did, would I appreciate these things?
I would not pass on the hugs, kisses, smiles, laughs, drawings, snuggles, and the unraveling of such intricate and unique personalities. My boys really have some great personalities. Joshua has been charming everyone for a long time. Caleb isn't much of a charmer, but more of a comedian that makes himself laugh. He knows he's funny even if you don't. Both of these boys astound me, because they are both so different, 4 years apart in age, and yet they get along, they love to play with each other. It warms a mama's heart to hear her children having fun together. They have their moments, but they truly care about the well-being of the other. So I guess what it makes me realize is that even in this short season of many struggles and joys, I had better enjoy this time that they are in my house, having the time to be brothers, because someday they will get married, be husbands and have families of their own.

It's been a long time....

2011-02-12T21:54:00.000-08:00

listening to Gungor sing, Beautiful Things, which says, "You make beautiful things out of dust, you make beautiful things you make beautiful things out of us"... my life in the past 6 years has been full of joys, heartaches, and learning. I feel like the dust of my life has settled a bit, enough for me to see through it, its no longer clouding my vision for many miles. I'm now able to see what the next few years are going to bring to my family. I'm not suggesting that I know the future of my family in any way shape or form, but I do know some things... I know that God is doing great things in our life as a family. He's restored things that I thought were forever lost. Its fair to say that I relate to what the end of that song says, "You make me new, you are making me new." Thankful is how I feel... thankful that God cares enough about each of us on such an individual level, to know and to experience this are two entirely different things.

May update :)

2011-02-11T21:15:00.000-08:00

In the beginning of this month we celebrated Joshua's 4th birthday. We also began our garden. Enjoy the pics of Joshua's Birthday, I will create another post for the garden pics :)

April update, Nana and Grandma's visit :)

2009-05-28T16:09:00.000-07:00

Nana and Great Grandma came to visit us via Seattle. We had so much fun while they were here! We took them all over and showed them everything! Josh enjoyed having them here and still references things that we did while they were visiting. It was so much fun!

Using the new toy against mommy :)

Showing off the spiderman rings :) I think that Nana and Great Grandma enjoyed it equally as much as Joshua :)

Birthday party for Josh while Nana and Great Grandma were here :)

Driving back from Chelan with grandma and nana :)

Joshua and Great Grandma

TULIPS :)

Some of my gorgeous tulips :)

A photo I love that I took of my vase with the stems of tulips and a tulip leaf.

Nana brought Joshua a new bedtime story book and even though she was tired the first night here, she read to him :)

Trip to Michigan in March

2009-05-28T15:55:00.000-07:00

We had a fun time going to visit Nana and Papa in Michigan. It was my last chance at travel for awhile as I was only a about 22 wks at the time. Besides the difficult trip home due to an overly tired child, and a long travel day the first trip out was great and Josh really enjoyed himself. I enjoyed visiting captain sunday's nearly everyday I was there. Being pregnant is a wonderful excuse for ice cream :)

Being silly with Papa :)

Nana and Joshua

Great Grandpa, Papa, and Joshua :)

Here is Joshua enjoying his Great Grandma's company :)

Joshua got to re-meet his Great Grandpa while we were visiting Nana and Papa in Michigan. They had a wonderful time playing together while we were there.

Caleb Jay...

2009-05-28T15:35:00.001-07:00

Many months ago we had our 20wk ultrasound and here's some ultrasound photos from then....

guess what?

2008-11-23T14:39:00.000-08:00

Joshua's Surgery

2008-11-23T14:35:00.000-08:00

Hey all,

So the surgery went great! Joshua has made a complete recovery and we are so thankful! Its soo good that its over. We had some rough moments which is why I was unable to blog during that time. It took plenty of energy to just keep him on his medicine schedule and keep up with him. The meds that they prescribed for pain, actually energized Joshua and so we had our hands full indeed. thanks for all the prayers!!! We felt them and are so thankful for friends who prayed.

Surgery for Joshua

2008-10-15T22:42:00.000-07:00

So, we are quickly approaching the 28th of October which felt like a long ways off when scheduled back in August. We drove over to Seattle yesterday for a pre-op appt today. The appt went well, and he's all set for his surgery. The surgery will take 2-4 hours depending on what they have to do exactly. This is his 2nd Hypospadias repair, and we are praying that this one works better than the last. Four hours seems so short in the scheme of most things, but to think of my lil man in there for that long is terrifying.... please pray with us that the extent of repair is not that which takes the full four hours but the two. I'm thankful for so many wonderful friends that I know are praying for my son. I do not doubt that God can heal him, and in fact I think it is very possible that God will. Pray with us that if it is His will to do so that He will. A little sidenote that has come to mind. >>>>>>Often as a direct result of working in a baby store people ask if Joshua is my only child. I always respond with yes, and jokingly acknowledge that its not for a lack of trying, thus two miscarriages in one year. I've realized that if we were occupied with another young child or baby, this process would be so much more challenging, and so for that I again stand in awe of God's perfect timing in all things. Our pain from whatever source is not in vain, and does not go unnoticed by the God of the universe. I post an update after the surgery in a few weeks. thanks for reading, caring and praying :)

pumpkin field trip

2008-10-07T17:02:00.000-07:00

Matt and I volunteered ourselves as chaperones for Joshua's daycare field trip to a local pumpkin patch today :) It was fun! ENJOY the photos!

fall leaves tumwater canyon

2008-10-07T16:46:00.000-07:00

My friend Jenny recommended a trip to Tumwater canyon for fall photos. I am so glad that she did! We had fun and I think the kiddos enjoyed themselves too! Enjoy...Jenny's girls are DARLING! I had a great time taking photos...:)

My Top Ten List

2008-10-06T22:35:00.000-07:00

I'm a thief... I stole this GREAT idea from Libby's Blog :) Thanks Libby!!! It was actually pretty fun to do... I got lazy and didn't upload photos of every item, but I did of most so enjoy!

1. My hubby and son :)

2. These are the perfect pick me up when a trip to Starbucks isn't in the cards. Its the perfect mix of chocolate and espresso!

3. THE best planner for Mamas :) This planner has EVERYTHING... i plan to devote an entire post to this item...

4. Best ground chocolate for making yummy hot chocolate. I discovered this after nannying for a french family in Bellevue, no turning back ever since.

5. My Ipod Nano :) Love this thing... really helps me unwind, especially on road trips... :)

6. Speakin of music, I really can't get by without the musical talents of Dave Barnes! He seriously rocks! http://www.davebarnes.com He's funny too and that's one of the things that I love about Dave...he can sing and he has a sense of humor.

7. Our parrots are another one of those things that I really would go crazy without. I love our birds...they went to Korea with us and came back to the US. They each have a unique personality.

8. My laptop... I use this thing all the time. I watch movies on it, and I catch up on my friends' lives through this amazing device :)

9. My new oven! I have ceramic glass top oven now...and it can cook things convection or conduction. IT is seriously SWEET!

10. I have to copy Libby and say that my netflix subscription rocks my world! Its so nice to be able to watch a movie whenever I have a few free hours.... NAP TIME :) I have caught up on all the movies I've missed over the years just by having a subscription for a few months, its great!

A Visit from the Grandparents...

2008-09-25T22:15:00.000-07:00

Moving back to WA has made visits with Matt's parents more frequent and very much enjoyed! We love being so close by and being able to see our son interact with them. Here are some photos of their visit during labor day :)

Jenny Black, this one's for YOU!

2008-09-25T22:10:00.001-07:00

My good friend Jenny gave me Sunflower seeds last spring, and here is the result, THANK YOU JENNY! They turned out beautifully and I appreciate them!

Some of my favorite things :)

2008-09-25T21:56:00.000-07:00

Feeling a bit domestic :)

2008-08-10T23:21:00.000-07:00

I canned peaches for the very first time in my life this past week! I also made 18 jars of apricot jam and have begun to vacuum seal and freeze 30 ears of corn. I also got a new hairdo... enjoy these photos. :)

4th of July Weekend... Late i know!

2008-08-10T23:15:00.000-07:00

Our 4th of July was great fun! We headed over to Seattle and really enjoyed our time over there. Here are some photos of the trip which included a trip to the zoo with our dear friends, the Grahams.

Peace and Quiet, long awaited and well deserved....

2008-07-02T13:47:00.002-07:00

So today, I decided to try and be SUPERMOM... just so you know it hasn't happened yet! I am off work today and since we are headed to Seattle tommorow I have soooo much to do before we go! I look around my house, scratching my head and wondering, HOW did this tornado slip in under my nose???

Of course, we had places to go today, and Joshua was very well behaved! Even in the dreaded dollar tree store which I've heard stories about how difficult it can be to take kiddos there, which I had pretty much avoided until today. Joshua had $5 birthday money left from his birthday in MAY!! He had no problem finding 5 items to purchase. We also mailed a ton of stuff, and bought sale items at fred meyer.

Once we arrived at home, it was a mad rush to get cold grocery items into the fridge. Meanwhile, Joshua sat down to eat... but what I can't seem to force myself to do is actually coordinate our meal time together. So after he's re-energized I'm starving and feeling a bit hen-pecked by the demands of a preschooler ;) Note to self, cannot meet the demands of 3 yr old without food or caffiene :)

What I'm getting at here in this chatty blog is that some days you just feel like you are being pecked to death by a chicken. Saw this phrase once on a sign describing motherhood, and I can say that I agree, some days are like that! Whether its the act of wiping poo off the potty trained kid, or the constant reminding that it is indeed time for that long awaited and well deserved nap, some days are rough. It is in this very moment that I'm reminded why I do it... my precious lil guy is just sweet, and wacky in his own way. When we left this morning to run those errands he insisted upon wearing his lime green snow hat! I absolutely love his independent sense of style. He had fun wearing that hat all morning and even looked pretty cool in it :)

To all the mom's out there, I hope that you too get some peace and quiet, because we know that once we do it usually is long awaited and well deserved!

Play DOH'

2008-06-30T19:58:00.002-07:00

I'm not friends with Play doh! It drives me bonkers... so when I allow Joshua the freedom to play with it he gets super excited! It's like he knows... not sure how long this will last so I better enjoy it! The same goes with painting projects :) So I'm adding some pics of Josh getting to do some of these rare activities, and when you see the pics, you'll see why! lol

God is soooo good!

2008-06-30T19:08:00.005-07:00

I had what a call a crazy day. Let me explain.... so for the last 6 weeks I've been driving my husband to and from work EVERY DAY! yikes. Today upon waking I was so tired that I did what I normally do on my days off and that is to drive Matt to work in my pjs :) My mom teases me relentlessly about this, I think because I gave her a hard time about that when I was a kid ;) So Joshua and I returned home, expecting thunderstorms which haven't decided to show up till tonight, and watched all the t.v. shows that he normally doesn't get to see anymore since we are out the door and off to our various things everyday. I very happily snuck an extra half hour of sleep ;) whoohooooo! amazing what makes me happy now! After a bout of feeling guilty for neglecting my 3 yr old.... I set up his bowling set and took pictures...

This afternoon, Joshua had a dr's appt for a referral for surgery that he is going to need to repair complications from his first surgery, bummer! I love the dr. that we saw today, but I no choice but to take an afternoon appt which meant NO nap for josh :( Of course, he fell asleep 5 minutes before the appt....sooooo typical. Then while we were seeing the dr... joshua was up and down on and off the table. He thoroughly enjoyed turning the portable light on and off. My patience was running thin... and he knew it. He protested the fact that this particular dr's office had a toy area without toys! Once we finally left we returned home for an hour and a half... I was hoping for a nap, silly me! Joshua remembered (have i mentioned his amazing memory!) that he was promised ice cream after this dr. appt. mainly because his personal parts are involved... the dr. kindly referred to it as his 'Johnson' lol. So joshua ate 2 otter pops and while I was on the phone with Geico he snuck a fudgsicle! Of course any mom with a 3 yr old knows that the few minutes of complete quiet are worth the sugar rush that followed :) Then the time came for us to go get Matt. So off we went to get daddy! By the time Matt came out to the car, joshua was fast asleep and stayed this way well into the evening... I took more pics!

The best part of the day was that we were reminded of God's blessing on our lives. With our move to WA we've found that our finances have been tough to get back into order. We have been walking in faith this week knowing that our finances were pretty low and with upcoming expenses that we were going to be having a tough time meeting them all. On my way home from the dr's office, I checked the mail to find a surplus check from the mortgage company! I could hardly believe it... all I could say was THANK you LORD! He is so good to us. We recently have experienced the importance of tithing and how that obedience affects our relationship with God. If you are not tithing because you think there isn't enough money in your bank acct then you might be pleasantly surprised by how God will take care of your needs and sometimes your wants too, just consider that!

Father's Day blog (late :( )

2008-06-30T18:03:00.004-07:00

I'm adding these photos somewhat late because I just got around to it. We went for a drive on Father's day to Entiat and it was BEAUTIFUL!!! I'll include some photos take a few days before Father's day as well that seem an appropriate tribute to Matt and that show how much Joshua adores him!

I

I've been tagged, :)

2008-06-27T14:50:00.002-07:00

The Rules:
1. Link the person(s) who tagged you
2. Mention the rules on your blog
3. Tell about 6 unspectacular quirks of yours
4. Tag 6 fellow bloggers by linking them
5. Leave a comment on each of the tagged blogger’s blogs letting them know they’ve been tagged

Ok, so Mary tagged me today!

1. I want a few more kids, but I doubt it will happen because I love sleep way tooo much!
2. I tease my husband for driving too slow and also give him a hard time for having more tickets/accidents than myself... and I do drive too fast sometimes.
3.I love photography, and my camera and the awesome shots that I get, but I do not enjoy carrying the heavy bag.
4. I'm a big documentary fan. I am not a reader and I love learning facts through documentaries.
5. I'm a teacher and yet I don't spend hardly any time teaching my son anything academic ;)
6. I absolutely refuse to buy gas anywhere other than costco, thankfully its only 2 miles from my house.

I am tagging: Rachel, Katie, Angela, Megan, Wyatt, and Corrina.

More fond San Diego Memories

2008-05-21T20:14:00.003-07:00

Fond Memories of San Diego

2008-05-21T19:46:00.004-07:00

These pics are from when we first moved to San Diego :)

My Friend NICK from Kindergarten, He used to chase me around the playground :)
OUR FRIEND REGINA OR Better KNOWN as AUNT "G"

Attempting to Blog MORE :)

2008-05-21T19:33:00.003-07:00

A friend recently harassed me kindly :) about being more consistent with this blog. I explained that I really spend so much time on other sites that I rarely have enough time to post on here. Actually that was a bit of a white lie because I am not a big fan of blogging myself. I love to be nosey and read other people's blogs, but I am not much a fan of spilling my own guts out here. I am going to try and be more transparent and see what happens. I think part of that comes from my upbringing. I was taught from a young age that certain things were not to be shared. Anyone that knows me realizes that is hardly the case about me. I think my parents were just trying to avoid unnecessary embarrassment due to me: the OUTSPOKEN child :0 I did my fair share of embarrassing them while I was young. Now I guess its fair to say that I'm being repaid for all those years through my son.

Well, I suppose its time for me to get back to the daily chores of life. I am going back to work part time and so I've come to realize the importance of time well spent even more than before. thanks for reading, leave comment :)

Homeownership :)

2008-04-15T13:04:00.003-07:00

Ah the joys of homeownership! Matt has been working very hard on our fencing... and I've got the pictures to prove it :)

Joshua's first trip to Disneyland

2007-04-04T15:02:00.000-07:00

This is one moment that Josh was actually still for a photo.

I couldn't resist taking a photo of this tree, because it was so beautiful.

Here's Matt and Josh waiting in line for Roger Rabbit's Ride.

Josh enjoyed his first trip to Disneyland very much! From all the other small rides he kept pointing at the carousel, because he recognized this type of ride :)

2007-03-12T21:30:00.000-07:00

Joshua's buddy Eric! :)

Bird resting place

2007-02-03T22:39:00.000-08:00

SD, CA 2-3-07 Melba

A fireman taking a breather

2007-02-03T16:10:00.000-08:00

SD, CA, 2-3-07, Melba

Creation vs. Man-Made Structures

2007-02-03T16:04:00.000-08:00

This was taken downtown SD, CA. Feb. 3, 2007, Melba

International Day: Korea, and Josh

2006-11-18T17:15:00.000-08:00

A few updated photos of Joshua

2006-11-18T17:12:00.000-08:00

Here are a few new photos of Josh in case anyone in Korea checks this :) WE MISS YOU IF YOU ARE CHECKING UP ON US! Especially our friends at Tony Roma's...please check out our MySpace page also at http://www.myspace.com/melbamarie27

ENjoy the photos of Josh!

Back in the US for good

2006-07-27T23:01:00.000-07:00

Hello to all our friends in Korea.... we miss you terribly! We miss the good Korean food... we are getting fat on the American food now! Here are some new photos of the fam! Also a few photos I took of the garden with my new camera!

GO KOREA!!!!!

2006-06-13T04:58:00.000-07:00

Living in S. Korea means that we get to enjoy the excitement and enthusiasm that Korea has for its soccer team! Tonight, many celebrations are underway. I can't believe how the entire city of Seoul is gathering in large groups around Seoul just to watch the game on big screens. Its really cool, and I'm glad we got to be here and see this before leaving Seoul. We will miss this country because of their unsquelchable spirit. I have never seen an entire country with so much positive energy for something like this, its truly a cool experience! I am just dissapointed that I did not take my camera with me tonight to get pictures of this.

OUR boy is GROWING UP!

2006-06-10T22:05:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite things these days, seeing my husband play with our son. Joshua is growing up now and loves to play with his Daddy. If he doesn't see his daddy in the morning, he says, "Daddy??" and looks around for him. They are the best of pals!

This photo was taken about one week before Joshua started to walk all on his own, which he now does on occasion!

Poor baby has been getting his top right incisor tooth and its taking FOREVER!

Josh's Birthday Dinner, and Gifts!

2006-05-03T18:32:00.000-07:00

It's SO hard to believe that our baby boy is now 1 years old! He loved his toys sent by his Nana!

This is the toy that we gave to Joshua for his birthday, he really is enjoying it!
This was our dinner for Josh, he got to eat ribs!~
The morning of his birthday!

Joshua's 1st Birthday

2006-05-03T18:28:00.000-07:00

Some photos of Josh's first birthday!!!

Joshua's Surgery Update

2006-02-12T06:11:00.000-08:00

Well, we successfully crossed the pacific ocean and arrived at our destination on Wed. Feb. 8th. Joshua saw the dr. on Thursday and surgery was scheduled for Friday. The surgery went great! There were no complications and no problems or reactions to the anesthesia. Joshua is a healthy little guy so he fared well! The first day home was slow and he slept most of it. His parents were filled with glee since sleep was much needed after the 24 hours of travel. He's managing to be up more now than he was before, but is still very sleepy! The area that was operated on looks pretty nasty, but is actually alright. He'll have his catheter removed in ten days.... a day I'm very much looking forward to getting over with.

I'll post some photos soon of him.

Melissa

lost along the paper trail...

2006-01-28T06:49:00.000-08:00

ever noticed how life accumulates endless amounts of paperwork? i am so annoyed with paperwork... I spent the day going through old statements, emails i saved, cards, pictures, scrapbooking materials, and all the other material things life throws at us. i have always wondered what life would be like if we lived longer ago. what annoyed them? was it when they ran out of firewood and couldn't keep their homes warm enough?? Or running out of time in the day to complete all the tedious tasks that demanded their attention? hmmm... not sure.

Recently while watching Korean tv, i realized that this country which is very modern is still rooted in many old traditions. i really respect this about Korea. i find it sooo unique that even in their modern, overpopulated city, they still ferment food on their porches in stone pots, have outdoor cooking areas in some places. this week as Korea celebrates Lunar New Year, I wish them the best in the years to come. they have maintained traditions that stretch back thousand of years, and yet they have many modern conveniences. Of course, some of those modern conveniences need to stretch a little further like providing changing tables for babies in more places. despite this, Korea takes the cake for maintaining such a balance.

~~Mel~~

A Day in the life of Josh and Nathan

2006-01-19T01:09:00.000-08:00

Josh says HI everyone back home!!! I'm coming to see you really soon, and live there too!

Me and Josh :) We had fun taking pictures of ourselves :)

We aren't exactly shy!

Just a fun photo of the park.

Here's Nathan, who refused to stay in his stroller the last part of the day....Poor Sunny, she had to carry him back, it was like 2 miles.

Photos from Joshua's Baby Class

2006-01-17T00:10:00.000-08:00

Here are a few photos from today, and also a photo of my friend Sunny with her son Nathan. :)

Dreams... Truth of Fiction?

2006-01-16T17:26:00.000-08:00

So lately, I've been dreaming ALOT! I'm not quite sure what is up with this. Most of the dreams have ranged from very happy to very sad. Last night I was bothered by a nightmare in which a dear friend's husband had died. I'm not sure how to respond to a dream like this. I've never had one like it before. All I remember doing in the nightmare is sobbing uncontrollably, because I know how much it would hurt and how devastated my friend would be. Some truth is found in dreams, and I have to wonder what was the truth here, did it symbolize how much I care for my friend? She recently confided in me her distress and sadness about another situation. Maybe its the fact that a parent of a student has recently died and very suddenly. Anyhow, I know that dreams are fictitious at least I hope!

~~~ Melissa~~~

Have you Ever Wondered???

2006-01-16T17:15:00.000-08:00

Have you ever wondered what the world be like if we confronted our problems or people that offend us? I've wondered this for awhile. Recently, my reputation was slandered and the effects are unimaginable. I often struggle with the desire to say how I really feel, and with what I know is appropriate and right to say instead. As much as I want to confront the person who has tried to destroy my career, I hesitate. I worry about the outcome or long term affects of such actions. By confronting would I be just as terrible as them? What if trying to set the record straight only blurs the line between right and wrong? Then enters the idea of what is right from a Christian point of view? Doesn't it say in Matthew to confront the person face to face? What happens if this person uses that ultimately to hurt you more? Just curious what anyone else thinks...

~~~~Melissa ~~~

Wonderful evening in S. Korea

2006-01-15T04:05:00.000-08:00

Tonight, we had dinner at some friends' house, and the food was delicious!!!! The evening was ALOT of fun. We enjoyed a meal with mostly Korean speakers, but I find it amazing that even in a room where people cannot communicate 100%, fun can still be had by all. Josh enjoyed rolling around and all the attention that he received. He loves going out, he's a real social butterfly!
Upon arriving home we discovered that Josh might be attempting to pull himself up to a standing position. Children grow too fast. Even in the first month that he was home I cried while thinking about how fast he was already changing and that someday he'd grow up and leave. I think all parents realize this at some point or another. This baby whom is completely depending on you for everything will one day be self-sufficient and hopefully a positive contributor to the world around them. He's so wonderful and we are enjoying him while he still views us as the best thing since sliced bread. I'm sure it won't last forever!

That's all for tonight, we are thankful for many things... our son, and friends that are so kind.

photos of josh today

2006-01-14T00:21:00.000-08:00

This is Joshua's handstand that he keeps doing for us ALL the time, crazy, huh?

Josh is enjoying playing by himself in his own room these days... I guess he's getting to an age where he can be more independent, I wonder who he takes after! Its a mystery!

here we go...

2006-01-14T00:11:00.000-08:00

So here we go... we've entered the world of the bloggers... we hope to use this as a way to share our life experiences and our photos. Please visit often. We'll do our best to keep it updated!