My Life...

Meal planing=Complete frustration!

2009-05-17T18:32:00.000-07:00

So I don't know about you, but thinking of what to make my family everyday, for every meal is driving me crazy! I enjoy cooking. I enjoy making my family wholesome, healthy, delicious foods. I even enjoy going to the grocery store (most of the time), but making the menu plan is anything but a pleasant experience for me. I don't know if it is because I am not creative enough, but my mind just goes completely blank and I end up spending hours and coming up with a pretty pathetic list.

What is a girl to do? I've got to do something. I dread it so much, that I finally just stopped doing it. Which my friends was not a good choice, since it has made my groc bill increase and the health value of my families food decrease...that's bad. I have to get back to the plan! How to do it without poking out my own eyes? That is the question.

One idea that T and I have been tossing around is a menu swap. Several of us could just email each other some of our favorite recipes and that would add a few more ideas for what to make. The thing is, it has to be more intentional than that. The problem lies not only in the ideas for what to make, but also in the compiling/finding of recipes and in the shopping list. (You have to write down what you want to make, find the recipe, make your shopping list, and then go shopping. No Thanks.)

I think that there needs to be a recipe swap, but also a database of some sort. A way of organizing your favorite meals with the menu for the week or month, and keeping the recipes and shopping list together. This sounds easy. In fact, I almost feel silly saying all of this, but do any of you do it? If so, please give me you secret!

Also, want to be a part of our menu swap? We should make one of those FB clubs...hmmm...I'll have to figure that out...unless you know how to do it. Then you can share with me that secret as well. :)

Ooh, what shall we name this club?

Bed head to the max

2009-04-27T20:05:00.000-07:00

Now I know I have posted a few pics of this nature in the past (or maybe Ry has) but these are too funny not to share!

Please do not judge her, sometimes a girl's hair looks a little tussled when she first gets up...

What my sweet baby's hair usually looks like...

And sometimes a girl really enjoys her tomato soup...again...no judging! :)

A garden in in our future

2009-04-14T19:49:00.000-07:00

We FINALLY got our garden started today! I am so excited. I have been dreaming all winter long about fresh veggies picked straight from our garden. There is just something different between produce in the summer/fall and produce in the winter. I find it so much easier to eat healthy when the garden is full and the farmer's market is open. I have visions of my little family playing outside in the sunshine and stopping to help themselves to a handful of green beans or a big cucumber! (We'll to be honest I can only really see Jones doing this...Indi not as much. That girl pretty much only loves dairy products and meat! Who's child is she?? I am hoping that getting to be involved with the growing process and the ability to choose and pick her own vegetables might help her start to be a little more interested in them. We shall see!)

Amazing things to be found at Goodwill...

2009-03-06T22:33:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I was at Goodwill when I saw it...

That's right. A copy of "Chicken Soup For The Horse Lover's Soul II".

Wha...What? You know that this means two things, right? Someone had to have purchased this book to begin with for it to even be at Goodwill. And not only that...someone had to have purchased the first edition of this book causing them to want to make another!!!

I should have bought it. Maybe it would have been a good read?

2009-02-11T18:38:00.000-08:00

Some things that Jones has said that past couple weeks: (for those of you that don't know, Jones is my 3 year old, he is his own person and i love him for it, but he does keep me very busy!)

J: Dad, I was going to go to Africa and shoot some gorillas with my gun, but gorillas are endangered species...did you know that dad?
R: yes i did
J: I think I will go to Africa and shoot and kill the AIDS Crisis instead. Maybe I will also adopt a little boy too!
R: that is a great idea.

Scene: Jones wants to do something and I am not letting him. We have been discussing it for a while:
J: Mom I just don't like your protest to me!
Me: What?
J: I just don't like when you protest against me!

J: Mommy I just peed out of my anus!
Me: your anus is your bottom hole Jones
J: Oh right. I just peed out my urethra
Me: Glad to hear that Jones

J: daddy what did they cut your testicles open with when you had your surgery?

Scene: TT (Tara) sent Jones and Indi some cuffs and Jones was very excited. He wore them non stop (even to bed) for almost a week.

J: Look at my fancy cuffs! I am so fancy...I am a rockstar!
Me: you are fancy?
J: yeah rockstars are fancy

Jones and I are talking together
J:mom are you joking? Are you joking my serious?
Me: What?
J: Are you joking my serious?
Me: I guess so, becasue you look very serious and I am really joking.
J: I thought you were

Jones walks up to me and randomly says
J: mommy, my face is always just being me.
Me: (unsure of what to say) Yes Jones
He continuest o look at me for an akward 10 seconds or so and then he walks off. I am still unsure what that one meant.

Soup

2009-02-04T21:02:00.000-08:00

I need a few good soup recipes. Any kind really...I just want to change things up in my soup department.

Here is the criteria:

It must not contain-
noodles or other glutenous matter (unlike the picture above)
cream bases if they include dairy
dairy at all actually

It can include-
any lentil or bean your heart desires
lots and any blend of veggies
meat, but probably not pork

Please suggest away!

Vaccine part 1

2009-01-30T22:24:00.000-08:00

So here is my first vaccination post. It is by no means all inclusive or even really touching the tip of the iceberg. I really am just beginning my own research in this very well covered epidemic that our country has found itself in the middle of (hmmm…that seems to be a reoccurring theme these days). I do also want to point out that almost none of this is my own words. (ok they are mostly all my own words, but it is all information that I have gotten from reading attending some classes, and personal dialog with people both in the medical profession and not) I will try and list as many references as possible and also supply you with a couple of links and reading suggestions at the end of this post. Please let me know what you think and ask any questions. It will help me in my next post to give it a little direction. There is so much out there, narrowing it down was HARD! Oh and I have to tell you that many of that facts that I have used in writing this I have gotten from Neil Z. Miller's book "Vaccine Safety manual for concerned families and health practitioners". An excellent book I recommend for any parent wanting to know more about this issue

A few little facts and things to explore:

Vaccine manufacturing is a multi-billion dollar corporation. One that has been outed by many health care professionals as having admitted to the fact they knew children's brains and their development were being injured by vaccinations, but that the vaccine program was more important. It is also known that the vaccine companies do much of the research done on their own vaccinations, often by doctors who are paid to convince people of the validity of the vaccine or one who have stock in the company. Not only do they use doctors tainted by money, but they also use false evidence or unethical scientific research. For example not using a "placebo' drug when testing patients. If you give an aluminum filled vaccine to one patient and then aluminum to another patient, wont the data be a little screwed? (Check out Neil Z. Millers book, PG 19)

Scare tactics are used by these companies to get loving parents to vaccinate their children without question. Most of the number they feed us ( For example they will tell us a huge number of children die every year from rotavirus, but they don't tell us those are all children in third world countries that are malnourished, not average healthy children ) are not based on scientific fact, are from previous historical times (that's right, from before sanitation and refrigeration!) or are from third world countries! If you scare parents though, they wont ask questions! Creepy.

Did you know that the number of adverse reactions to Vaccines is extremely high, but you just never really hear about them? "Every year more than 12,000 adverse reaction reports are filed with the federal government. These include emergency hospitalizations, irreversible injuries, and deaths. Still these numbers maybe grossly underreported because the FDA estimates that 90 percent of doctors do not report reactions. a confidential study conducted by Connaught Laboratories, a vaccine manufacturer, indicated that "a fifty-fold under reporting of adverse events" is likely. yet event his figure may be conservative. According to Dr. David kessler, former director of the FDA, "only about one percent of serious events [Adverse drug reactions] are reported." (Neil Miller Pg 25) Gross right? I think it is amazing that power and money can corrupt people like it does sometimes. People become the mass or just number and no longer are human beings with lives, purpose, and value. Sad. Actually it is such a well known fact (to the high up people...for fun, lets call him the man...then we can all feel like hippies.) that congress passed a "hazard" tax on childhood vaccines. When you pay your doctor for your children's shots a portion of that money goes to this tax fund and then when a child gets injured or dies they can pay to compensate that. In the last couple years the amount has been around 1 billion that has been payed out to thousands of injured and affected families. These children suffered things from seizures to SIDS. (thank you again Neil Zimmer Pg 25...seems to be a good page. Also, I would like to point out the amazing increase in SIDS at the same time as the increase in vaccines. Russel Blaylock MD, has several articles on this "freak coincidence" (much like the freak coincidence between vaccine and autism rises being so simultaneous), that would be well worth your time to read. He goes in depth into the immune system and how it is negatively triggered by repeated vaccines being given to small children)

Doctors aren't really to blame for this. I know my pediatrician whom I trust and love in all for vaccinations. They just don't have time to research everything! In fact just like with Cigarettes (You know the things that cause lung cancer, but Dr’s use to recommend smoking them to help with nerves, make pregnant mothers have smaller babies and to clear the lungs before sports.) doctors are educated to give out vaccinations without question and almost all of their education about them is given to them by the Vaccination companies who are profiting. Also, most doctors (Unless one is a specialist in something like Neurology) get barely any training on immunology or neurology, two of the things that are most attacked by vaccinations.(I will try to go into depth more on the effects and toxins that are in a person's brain after vaccinations in a later post, but it really needs a post all to itself.)

Sorry if this seems like I am rambling. I am just trying to give you a few snapshots...ready for some more?

Children in the US have a vaccination schedule that consists of nearly 80 different vaccinations by the time they are grown. Babies alone have a schedule that includes, “one vaccine at birth, 8 vaccines at two months, 8 vaccines at four months, nine vaccines at six months, and ten additional vaccines between 12 and 18 months.”Some of those are given all at the same time, like the MMR. Which at first when Jones was getting his shots at 2 months old I was grateful for, one less poke for my sweet infant, but since then I have questioned that. And rightfully so, I might add. There have been little or no studies done of the effects of giving children multiple drugs all at the same time. (I usually don't make it a habit of taking 6-8 drugs at the same time, at least not without expecting something bad to happen!)

The united states has more vaccines than any other country and one would think that would cause us to have a high infant success rate. Actually we have one of the Worst infant mortality rates of any industrialized nation. One would also think that maybe each time the amount of vaccines given to babies was raised that rate would lower, the opposite is true. Each time the us adds recommended vaccines the child mortality rate goes higher. According to the CDC (check out CDC and infant mortality rates and international rankings) by 1998 the US had dropped to 28th place in Infant Mortality rates and by 2006 our nation was down to 42nd that is right above Croatia. (health and human services U.S.)

According to studies done of numerous manufacturers 60 % of vaccines contain at least one contaminating organism, including (but not limited to) things like SIV ( due to things like growing the virus on monkey kidneys and other animal parts), Pestivirus, and SV-40(this is a nasty one that studies have shown people have passed down to their children, have caused thousands of cancers, and contaminated tons of polio vaccines!).

Something else to think about is that vaccinations not only contain strands of a virus (which may only be a single or a several, but not all strands of a virus. Polio has something like 70 (??) strands and only about 4 of them are in the polio vaccination. And that is not considering any that have been mutated by being in our bodies for years. But that is for another post!), but also contain things like preservatives, themerisol, spermicide, formaldehyde, antifreeze, and animal organ tissue and blood. (To name a few) Many vaccinations openly contain amount of aluminum that are toxic to humans. There have been many studies showing links between Alzheimer’s, MS, and other diseases and aluminum in vaccinations.(it causes deformation of the neurotubes, which are microscopic tubes in our neurons and are essential to their function. This deformity is alarmingly high in Alzheimer patients.) The way aluminum goes to your brain, is that it attaches itself onto things (just two examples) like florid or glutamate (Common in our drinking water and food) and is easily absorbed in the body (i.e. the brain). An example of how toxic this can be? Some studies have shown the people who have had all three rounds of their HEP B shot (known to contain aluminum) have a 300% higher chance of developing MS.

The HERD immunity theory is one that has been used when talking about vaccinations (Thank you Erica for bringing this one up, as I was wondering about the "greater good" when I stopped vaccinating my own children"), let me explain why many people think this is actually just that a theory and one that is not well backed up by science. The way it supposedly works is that if most people have been vaccinated then everyone in a community is essentially not at risk because of the disease practically being gone. What percentage of people need to be vaccinated? Well the companies that manufacture it use to say around 68%, now they are saying they need 90-100% vaccination rates. Also they are finding that the amount of time that a person is presumed immune to a virus is for about 5-10 years after the vaccine has been administered. So, all of those diseases that were supposedly stopped by mass vaccinations given to baby boomers...they no longer work and the most vast age group in our nation is now no longer immune and hasn't been for over 50 years. this is just one argument against this theory.

I almost forgot! No Kara you do not have to have your child vaccinated to get into school. That is another scare tactic that is used. You have legal rights as a parent to sign a wavier saying you are apposed to (for either philosophical, religious, or medical reasons) against vaccinations and they have to let your children in. I had to sign one here (for pre-school) in the northwest and you will have to sign one in Texas. The only rub is that you will have to remove your child from school if there is an outbreak (like you wouldn't already if meningococcal was rampant through your elementary school!)

Ok now I am tired and have been typing for a long time! I am going to bed. I hope this was a little informatory. I also hope that any parents out there that read this know that this is my decision for my babies and I do not assume that if I do it, you have to as well. I just think that it is healthy to have information and then make whatever choice you decide for your family.

Peace to you.

http://www.momvaccines.org/
http://www.thinktwice.com/
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2001/08/18/vaccine-myths.aspx This one is very good and basic
http://marytocco.com/
Here are just a few. Read that book I mentioned above also...it's really good. (I will post more soon.)

A little update...

2009-01-16T20:35:00.000-08:00

I think most of you have heard that Jones has been super sick. He has been running a temp of between 102-104 for about 16 days now. (He has had many other things wrong too, but this is the most worrisome part). Good news...Yesterday and today his fever was on and off and I don't think it ever got over 103.5! I think we are on the other side of this illness. Finally. Thank you Jesus!

The interesting thing is that while they have not fully figured out what was completely wrong with him, they do know that he has Influenza (which I never really knew was worse than a flu bug) and pneumonia at the same time. I was telling someone that today and they asked me "well didn't he get vaccinated for that?" I told them no and they looked at me kind of irritated and said "oh well, that is too bad." I just smiled and said it is too bad when our children get sick.

The thing is, it is really hard being a parent and always having to make the decisions about your child's health. And while I know it is not true, I feel like it is even more hard when you are slightly educated and then have to make your own decisions not solely based on only one person's opinion (i.e. your doctor's) It is even harder when your decision is different than the cultural norm (Oh how I know that!). Sometimes it makes a girl want to just give up and take everything at face value and not search for real truth...right answers are sometimes hard to come by and usually even harder to follow through with.

I really believe that God made us with perfectly designed bodies. Ones that he created with a way of working and that way is so amazing that it blows my mind. I know that my children's immune systems are being formed right now for the rest of their lives and that from now until they are around 7 every illness is actually an odd sort of blessing. I know that fevers are meant to naturally destroy bad things like bacteria and I know that fighting off things on their own is only going to make them stronger. But it is still really hard to watch happen. Even though I know what fevers do I am still tempted to give them Tylenol to ease the discomfort. I know about children's bodies fighting things and how antibiotics usually are more harmful than helpful, but it sure does sound more appealing and like a much quicker and easier fix.

I have to make decisions based on what I know. Sometimes though it is hard when you are in the middle of something painful (watching your child be miserable) to hold out for the long term goal. When your child is sick for 15 days it is hard to look toward their adult life and says "wow you sure are going to thank me someday when you have an immune system of iron!" Tough. That's what being a parent is...wonderful and tough.

(By the way, I am not judging anyone. I have to do what I think is best for my family, just like you have to do what is best for yours. I may not vaccinate and try not to use many antibiotics, you may be ok with both. Whatever the case, can we agree not to judge?)

Oh and I didn't just let Jones lay there being sick. I did take him to the Doctor and chiropractor lots of times. I also treated him with lots of homeopathic things and gave him baths and smoothies and all that. I even tried an antibiotic ( I can only take so much peer pressure!), but said no to a second. I am not heartless!!

Collage Time

2009-01-12T22:18:00.000-08:00

For my mom's birthday I am going to make her some sort of picture collage of my kids for her office. She has a pretty bare and boring office and so while I do not want to make a massive collage, I do have a little bit of space to do pretty much whatever I want. So...do you have any creative ideas? Any cleaver material to use? Please do share...

Killer Spider Part 2

2008-12-30T19:11:00.000-08:00

As I am sitting here in the bedroom, not doing much of anything (except waiting for a knock at my door and a giant man size killer beetle to walk through), I have had a few realizations about what has transpired at my house in the past 30 mins.

First: the thing that I noticed immediately after posting, was the fact that at the very moment I felt the urge (might I say strong survival need) to check on the creature behind me, was at the exact time he started to fly. Coincidence? I think not. Do you know why? Because anyone would have turned...I swear I could actually hear his mammoth wings as he took flight.

Second: Once you have lost a predator it is a bad idea to leave a room and turn off all the lights on your way...especially if you are going to have to go back into that room! (what can i say, it wastes energy to leave lights on! Just because that t bug has a nasty foot print, it doesn't mean I have to have one as well!)

Third: I blame my Christmas tree for all of this. I am never getting one again.

Fourth: Sometimes I am a little extreme and act out of impulse.

Fifth: I will more than likely get a Christmas tree again next year.

Sixth: The good news (besides Jesus and his kingdom of course...that's a given) is that Arwen is coming over to be with me (I had to be a brave mom and leave the room we were hiding in...Jones had to go to bed and I think I was bothering him) and she mentioned something about a sword. Well it is going to take one to slay this beast if he ever comes out of hiding.

To be continued....

I just found the bug....and I think he likes red...guess who is wearing a red head scarf?!

Killer Spider Part 1

2008-12-30T18:24:00.000-08:00

I am not exaggerating when I tell you that there is a spider above my back door 9the one that sits by my chair and couch) the size of a golf ball! I am not joking. The worst part...I can see it crawling. worst part number 2....my husband is at work. This only leaves me two options: 1. to smash the beast or 2. wait till Ryan gets home to kill him. I will tell you right now that there is no way that I am killing that bug. Number two it is...wait for Ryan. The main proble

OH MY GOODNESS

While I was typing I turned around to keep an eye on the evil spider. AND HE WAS FLYING! He is not a spider, but a massive flying beetle thing with a giant stinger! I don't know which is worse....Actually I do...this thing can fly and now I don't know where it is!

Ok, I am writing the rest of this from my bedroom. Jones and I are are locked in here, because we lost the nasty creature. (don't judge me...You would be hiding too if you were trapped in a house with that thing, especially if you don't know where it went!) I will keep you updated. Think good thoughts for me, I am going on a mission out to the kitchen for rations. Apple juice has been requested and I don't think there will be rest till it is received.

2008-12-29T14:16:00.000-08:00

1 baby + double ear infection

......................And......................

1 boy + pink eye

=

On the bright side I over heard Jones saying to India "Because that's how I roll India. That's how I roll!"

Yes, I know... It doesn't get any better than that.

True Story

2008-12-18T12:16:00.000-08:00

Ok so here is the scene:

We (my little family) are all driving in the car. I am really frustrated about something (like a project I was working on kept messing up...I don't remember exactly.). I have been talking about it to Ryan for over 5 minutes when I say, "I am just so angry".

From the back seat Jones says, "you should talk to Jesus"
M: What Jones?
J: You should talk to Jesus.
M: That's a good idea
J:Mommy is your heart filled with anger?
M: Yes, i guess so.
J: is it filled with jealousy too?
M: Mostly anger.
J: You need to talk to Jesus and ask him to fill your heart. Fill it with Him and with love.
M: You are right. I should pray to Jesus about it.
J: You don't have to pray. Just have to talk to Him. Ok...
M: Right now?
J: Yes mommy, right now. Ask Jesus to fill your heart.
I then prayed in the car that Jesus would fill my heart with him and Love and take away my frustration. We then moved on to a theological discussion over if praying to God and talking to God are the same thing or not...I am not sure what we decided in the end. (In some discussions he (Jones) cannot be swayed. He still strongly insists that John Denver wrote Eleanor Rigby and the Beatles just covered it, no matter what evidence I show him!)

How precious and awkward all at the same time. It really is amazing though how simple most things with Jesus really are and how we forget sometimes he is right there to talk to. (you don't have to pray...duh.) I am glad that we have our children to teach us how to have a real relationship with God, one uninhibited by all our rules and independence.

Indi Jayne what crazy hair you have...

2008-12-14T14:23:00.000-08:00

My sweet baby has soft fluffy curly hair. Some days it is has precious ringlets and other days it resembles Richard Simmons. One thing that is true though...no mater how tight the ringlets or how fluffy the puff, she always has a wad in the back that is tangled. Her she is in all her glory. Christmas tree hunting

Reading with Arwen

Sneaking into the bath before her clothes were removed

Just waking up from a nap...such lovely hair

Half way between puff and ringlets

Again, just gotten up from nap

Doesn't quite show it...almost a good ringlet shot

Plans of mice and men

2008-12-13T22:15:00.000-08:00

Lots of changes in all the plans that I have been making over the pat couple of months. I don't know if you remember the plans for the foster baby? Well, if you haven't guessed they are on hold. With Ryan intending to go back to school, we felt like adding another baby to the mix would be a little much. We were also advised by some past foster parents to maybe wait until our children get a few years older. I do know there will always be the need and really do look forward to when we will be able to care for a little baby until their parents become equipped and desire to do so. Moving on...

(Hey Ashtin, I tried to call you tonight. Do you not have an answering machine hooked up yet?)

I am sure, if you have been reading Ryan's blog at all you know we are in the middle of fund raising for this next year. i don't know what my deal is this year...usually things like fund raising make me excited and anticipating, watching what God will do and really expecting that He will do something great. But this year I have been quite the downer. I am anxious about the whole thing...strangely stressed and not really invested or wanting to hear updates or keep up with anything. And it seems as though instead of praying and seeking God, I am trying to figure out solutions on my own. How can I make money? Or thinking maybe we should look into different jobs. I have even found myself being angry with Ryan and wishing he would have just been a normal minister in a church that pays him, instead of after over three years of work, just having a one year long part time salary...that we had to raise. The problem with this anger is that (besides that fact that one should not be angry at their husbands...in general) WE chose this ministry, not just him. Anyway, I have been in a really down place about this all.

I have been trying to put a finger on what it is that is causing this shift. This frustration and general lack of faith. I have come up with a couple of possibilities. One might be that this last year was rough financially. Not like "my marriage and all of life is barely hanging on" rough, but more "living several thousand dollars below the poverty level in a expensive city is really hard" rough. The thing is that i think my family has actually been blessed through this and most of the time I don't even view myself as someone who is poor...I feel I make sacrifices, but never poor. I think we have gained a healthy view of materialism and finding happiness without having an excess of things (although we do have a lot). But at the same time I really do have pity parties and get in a place where I think..."seriously a girl sometimes would like anything new that fits or not have to feel guilty over spending $2 dollars on a coffee with a friend." Usually I do not dwell in this place long, because God humbles me and brings my heart around, reminding me that I have it SO much better than millions of other people. This time though I think I have been in this spot a little longer and maybe it's because I am looking at another year of this same very simplified living and maybe it is because of the season. It has been so much easier for me to stop wanting so much by just stopping to shop all together. But now with the Christmas shopping it reminds me of "what I don't have" or the fact that "my clothes are no longer in style". (this would be an interesting thing to explore deeper in the future...how, when we are not in a place to compare with others and their things, is everyone more happy? if we stopped putting ourselves in places that told us we want more, would we not want it anymore? i think so...) Isn't it interesting that something can bless us so much and be so hard at the same time. I wish that our nature wasn't such that we had to continually put our hearts in check. Wouldn't it be easier if we could just make a decision and have a conviction and stick to it without having to continuously rededicate. So this might be one reason.

Another reason is that I have ideas of how things should go. I really feel that I have good ideas and plans...wouldn't it be best if God would just align himself with them? \In the past I don't think I really grasped the extent of how God's plans are usually much different than ours. I have always know this, but this year in obedience to him i experienced it. Man it is hard sometimes...but would I have changed it? i think true faith that requires us to actually trust that God loves us more than we love ourselves and that he really does know and want better for us is so hard. I have discovered though that hard living in God's plan is peaceful and blessed and beautiful...living a little easier in the present, but not in God's will may seem easier to bare, but you miss out on so many blessings and your life can never be as truly beautiful. Even after saying all this and really believing it, I am at the place right now of having to follow what I believe even though i don't really want to. Hard.

Sorry if it feels as though I am dumping, i really think it is just refreshing when Christ followers will be real and open about the journey that faith actually takes and I always want to be honest with you.

Now, for today, we don't know what God has in store for us in 18 days, when our funding is essentially gone. We don't know where God is wanting Ryan to go to school or how we will pay for it. We are unsure where we will be living after February or weather or not i will be working. But I do now that the last sure thing we did know is His calling for us here working for renovatus. I know that he loves us and following Him will ultimately bring lives of beauty that we ourselves could not have composed. I know that God provides for and blesses his children in more ways then they can understand. And I am choosing to live out of that in faith...weather or not my heart feels up to the challenge. Pray for me that I will step out in faith again everyday.

2008-12-02T20:16:00.000-08:00

So...

Guess who wrote a 8 paragraph blog post update?

Guess who's husband erased it while reading it before it was posted?

Guess who is never going to write another post again?

Boo

Big Pharmer

2008-11-23T21:07:00.001-08:00

You all know that some of my beliefs are a little different than a lot of "main-stream" beliefs. One of these differences is concerning vaccinations. While this blog is not about all the reasons why I think vaccinating children is not the way to make them healthy, (in fact I think it does just the opposite) I do want to bring one small piece of the big business out for you all to think about.

Many of us know that vaccinations are grown on dead animal tissues right? Viruses cannot grow on healthy tissue, so they use monkey, hamster and other dead animals to grow some of the ingredients. One of the downfalls to this is that any disease the animals have (such as monkey viruses) are then injected into our children (sadly these aren't even the worst things that are in there). Some people (I don't know why...please hear my sarcasm) are having a problem with this and so the big pharmacy companies have a solution.

They are growing many of the vaccinations now on aborted baby fetuses. So much better right? I mean now our living children can be injected with tissue from other dead babies instead of gross animals. And not to mention it gives the abortion clinics a way to make money off all the dead babies they have lying around right?

Gross. I am most definitely against abortion. I don't think that just outlawing it will make it stop, it might slow it down, but that isn't even the real issue. Our system, the cycle we have gotten ourselves into, and the way we care for our unwed mothers (not to mention things like the need for people to know the love of Jesus) are all part of the issue. I am unsure of what would be the best way to stop the abortion epidemic we have in our country...but I do know one thing. Giving the abortion clinics and Dr.'s a way to make money off the dead babies is never good. Pairing abortion and big business even more than they have is very bad and very unethical.

It is sad how much we are blind to what we don't care to research ourselves. Sad how much money and power corrupts good things like Dr's, health care, and protecting women.

Just reason number one why my kids are no longer getting vaccinations. Want to know more?

2008-11-18T21:48:00.000-08:00

Guess who's cell phone died a tragic death which included randomly calling people 10-15 times in a row? Guess who miraculously was up for a new free phone which a contract renewal? And guess who got a new sweet red Centro palm phone for adding in a few extra bucks?

That's right...ME!

I love my new red phone. (I think the only person who can understand my deep love for this perfect red phone might be Sarah Davis. We are red loving soul mates!)

What a beauty!

A confession

2008-11-13T13:18:00.000-08:00

So I haven't started the "sticking it to her" part of the bedtime routine yet. I am just so tired! But i think you all will be happy to know that we have pretty much gotten rid of the car seat and last night India slept from Midnight until 6 without waking up once! I am going to be honest...it was like heaven.

I will try again in the next couple of days to really make India stay in bed. I just have to tell myself it is worth staying actively awake for a potentially long time.

I wanted to share the excitement with you...

2008-11-09T18:23:00.000-08:00

Part 1: Today for the first time in her entire life India Jayne ate 3 meals! Actual, real food (not maybe took a bite or two...if that) meals. In fact she even ate a few snacks in between! It's like she is a real 1 year old (or actually, with the amount, a real 8 month old...but still...one can't be too picky right?). Yeah for a baby that eats food!

Now if only she would start sleeping for more than 2-3 hour chunks...which brings me to...

Part 2: Tonight is the night. Poor India is getting the harsh treatment, no more night time feedings, no more sleeping in her car seat. That is right...her car seat. My child's favorite and almost only place she will sleep is her INFANT carrier. I believe this stems from her spending a large amount of her first several months of life in it. She had respiratory and reflux problems and so needed the "propped-up angle" the carrier provided...but still, the time has come. Ryan and I decided last week to start it tonight...I needed this time to become mentally prepared because there is a very real chance that she may scream all night. Months ago we tried sticking it to her and she screamed...no joke...6 hours straight...two nights in a row!! So now we are trying again. Lord help us!

And last I leave you with this...And your welcome...

This is the trimmed 'stach Ryan grew during our road trip to PAPA Fest. Yummy.

I nailed it....I...Nailed it

2008-11-04T21:06:00.000-08:00

I have for a long while now believed extremely in the ability and drive of young people. High-school, college-age, and young adults still have the freshness and dreams to achieve (disclaimer: not that I think older people do not have any of these things, just not in the same way as younger people). It is like they have yet to be tainted with "reality" and the thoughts of "what is...is". They have haven't quite been as programed to think that they have no control. They buy into the ideal that together we can change things. By just starting with one individual, anything can happen. I also think that these recent few generations are also some of the most apathetic generations of our time. I believe that while they have this possibility of being a driving changing force, they lack the motivation and obligation to really harness this great tool that is just sitting at their fingertips, begging to be utilized. And this is where I think Barak Obama proved his brilliance.

I have said to Ryan many times that believe the best fund raisers could really be college students. If we could inspire, they would achieve whatever the vision. I really do think this. The key is providing that vision. Inspiring, tangible vision, that includes their ownership and belief int their world changing ability. I think that the Obama campaign and election has proved this tonight. If I agree with Him or not, if I voted for him or not (which I didn't, but I didn't vote for McCain either!), I have to give him my respect for his realising this and using it so proficiently. He nailed it.
Give young people a vision...Yes We CAN
Give them something they can cling to and believe...YES we CAN
Make them feel they own it....Yes WE can
Touch their hearts and give them hope for the future...Yes WE CAN
Speak of unity...Yes WE can
Lead them without dominating them...YES WE can

And when you get the momentum going, let them loose and don't hold them back...YES WE CAN.

Brilliant.

Just some more pics...but they are of halloween so come on!

2008-11-02T16:31:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pictures of Halloween. Indi of course had to be a cute little elf/fairy and Jones wanted to be a blue monster. The fairy costume was super simple to make, a pillow case sewn into a dress, a pair of wings and a flower ribbon for her hair. Super cutie. The monster on the other hand was a little tough. Jones had specific instructions for what it was to look like...Blue fur, green stripe around the middle, long tail, monster hands with orange claws, and orange pointy ears. It took some time and a little creativity, but after all was said and done the monster turned out pretty darn good. It was fabric that I loosely sewed onto a pair of footy pajamas, a pair of gloves with felt claws and a hood with ears. Fabulous.

Precious fairy girl

Scary blue monster

Daddy and Jones Carving pumpkins

Just a picture update

2008-10-08T15:18:00.000-07:00

Here is my cutie girl. If you are wondering she has added about 4 more bruises to her face since these pictures were taken. I think she is up to 6 bruises and a scratch on her little face. She is a focused little risk taker and she has the marks to prove it!

And here is Jones doing one of his favorite things, art work at his art station. I think he might be gluing beads onto old cds here...I am never really sure what he is creating.

Oh organization, how I long for the!!

2008-10-07T15:52:00.001-07:00

My newest and oldest goal is to get organized. I feel as though I am only half doing so many things that I could do better if only I was organized. It is completely against my personality and being...but it must happen my friends! How is a girl to do it?? I have been convicted that first and foremost I need to pray about it. Since it is so extremely foreign to me, really the only way for me to be truly transformed is for God to intervene and change me from the inside out. Next I believe I need to take some action. But what? Anyone have any suggestions? Any tricks or systems I could implement? Any advice would be fabulous.

Thanks!

2008-09-24T23:15:00.001-07:00

I love me some dreads. Seriously though, Ry and I have worked on my hair for about 30 minutes total the past two months and I have washed them maybe twice.(My hair doesn't really produce very much oil, so it only needs washing once a month.) That is it. No hair dryer, no styling...nothing. Just a scarf, a hair band, or just plain ol' down. What a time saver. I love them. I am thinking about dying some/all of them. Got any suggestions?

Out of the mouth of babes?

2008-09-21T19:04:00.000-07:00

A couple of the things that Jones said this week...

"Your surgery was very very traumatic, huh daddy?"

"Daddy's surgery was traumatic because his balls are precious, right?"

"Jesus takes our hearts, but it is just a metaphor."

What the??? Who says words like traumatic and metaphor at 3 and actually uses them in the right context and knows what they mean. Weird.

Dang...

2008-09-18T22:44:00.000-07:00

My kids are cute! And old...

Holy Chicken....

2008-09-15T20:22:00.000-07:00

If you know much about my childhood, you might know that I grew up with chickens for a lot of the time. I really disliked them...a lot. I was scared of the roosters and despised the poop and smell. But because we...

a.)Have to much organic compost for my husbands worms. b.) We try to only buy only organic cage free eggs and they are very expensive. c.) We like the idea of our children being involved in the process of their food (for the ownership and knowledge of how it works.)

We are getting chickens. Actually we have already purchased them (they are remarkable cheap. Like $2 a piece.) and my mother has been raising them for us so we could skip the whole stinky baby chicken in the garage thing. We have hens and they will lay a multitude of colored eggs. 2 will lay brick red eggs, 2 blue or green eggs, and the other 2 your regular old brown eggs. Of course they are all the same inside, they just have colored shells. I am not sure when they will start laying, but when they do we shall have farm fresh eggs everyday and that is something a girl can get excited about! I think I shall even sell a dozen or so every week.

Jones started to name the chickens...the ones who have been named are as follows:
Eggy
Chicken Bock
Cock Rooster ( he wanted to just name it cock and I was a little happy when he decided to add rooster onto it...I just don't want an animal named cock...know what I mean?)
Pip

the other two still need names and I cannot wait to find out what their names shall be.

When we get the the ladies home I shall take pics of them and the little red chicken house my hubby built and show everyone. It will probably be later this week.

Foster parent orientation...Check.

2008-09-08T21:46:00.000-07:00

So I went to the 3 hour orientation about becoming a foster parent tonight. I am pretty excited. Very overwhelmed. There is a lot that goes into it and I am not sure if we can qualify for everything we need to. I am unsure if we make enough for them to consider us able and they are checking into the fact that my children do not have immunizations (Two of the guidelines are that you have a minimum income level and that your children in the home are immunized...mine are not...but that is another blog post). Both Ryan and I will have to complete 30 hours of training, plus 7 hours of CPR class, plus fill out a mountain of paper work and get a home study with a bunch of requirements. I went alone to the meeting and towards the end I was starting to feel like maybe I wasn't really ready to do it. I started to doubt the time commitment it would take and my ability to get all of the paperwork done on top of everything else I have going on. Then something happened. The foster parent liaisons got up and talked. They told their stories and had a question and answer time. I inquired as to the probability of getting an infant with special needs. Would it be hard? Are infants available? They told me there is such a need for foster parents, even for babies, that I would probably get an offer to get a baby placed in my care the moment I get my license. Then I remembered why I wanted to do this in the fisrt place. How ever much work it takes and whatever heart break is involved with the loving and giving back of a baby is worth it to show the love of Jesus to a vulnerable little child. Now if only I can keep remembering that....
Lord what baby do you have for us?

Sweet India Jayne

2008-09-07T09:54:00.000-07:00

India turned 1 on September 1st!! We were camping and so I am just now getting her birthday post done. Here is my letter for you sweet baby girl:

My India Jayne,

What a treat is has been getting to spend the past year falling even more deeply in love with the treasure that you are. God truly gave me a blessing by letting me have you! Your perfect smile brings joy to my heart and your sweet kisses melt it. My precious child God has blessed you with such an ambitious and motivated personality, I know He has designed you for something special. My prayer for you is that you will always look to Him and love Him so much that your will falls in line with His. I pray you let Him guide you and use you for the purpose He created you for. Sweet baby, you also were blessed with great passion and for that I pray that you love God first with your entire heart. May you be so in love with Him that your passion flows out of it. You are an exquisite beauty, a masterpiece, a perfect creation, exactly who He wanted you to be. May you always remember that and know you are loved beyond measure.
Being your mommy is a gift I am thankful for everyday. I delight in you! I love you!
Mommy

Fosters...Australian for beer.

2008-09-02T22:04:00.000-07:00

For the last several months (probably since papa fest)I have been really muling over the idea of community and how we live in such independent family units in America (Or actually I should say the more prevalent American culture. There are many sub cultures that live much more communal type life styles...but I will be primarily talking about the main-stream culture....anyways...). I have been contemplating what it looks like to truly care for one another and to care for widows, orphans, the poor and oppressed, etc. I have been feeling led to have either an elderly woman who has no family to care for her or an orphan/foster child into our home to care for and to give love and a family to. (you see my littlest sister Jenna is living with us know and will be moving out probably sometime in Jan or Feb, thus freeing up a space for someone else.) I had been unsure what to do and so was just sort of praying and waiting for God to reveal what He wanted for our family. And now I really believe he is calling us to get a foster baby. We need it to be a baby at this point because several wise people have counseled us to never get a foster child who is older than our current children living in the home. (I could totally see Ryan and I fostering older children when our bio children grow up since we will be so young. Seriously when Indi graduates I will only be about 41. Still practically a babe myself...that my friends is what happens when you get married at 11! I kid...but seriously.) I just started the process to get certified and I think if I am able I am going to get specialized training so that we can get a baby with special needs, maybe a baby addicted to meth or something like that. Ryan and I are both very excited. I see this as such a good opportunity to bless a child's life all the while being with my own children and hopefully teaching them about how Jesus wants us to care for others. I have so much more I could say about this, but I am really tired and having a hard time getting any of my thoughts out. I will write more about this in the days to come, when things start to happen. I know the next step is orientation on September 8th. I will be able to update after that. If you want you can send any advice, experience, or prayers our way.

Jones is 3 today!

2008-08-25T22:36:00.000-07:00

I have a story...a story that is well worth telling...but you will have to wait. Maybe I will have time to tell it tomorrow. Now I have to write a letter to my precious boy who turned 3 today.

My Jones,

My precious boy I can't believe you turned 3 today! I want you to know that being your mommy the past three years has been more of a blessing than I can say. You bring joy to my heart and a smile to my face. Sweet boy I treasure so much the time I have to watch you grow everyday. I am so thankful for the unique and gifted child that God has made in you. I want you to always know Jonesy that you are very loved and a perfect beautiful creation... extra special artwork made by the Master Artist. You are a treasure to me!
I Love you!
Your forever Mommy

Love me some RPBC's...

2008-08-19T20:32:00.000-07:00

This is all I want...all I want in life right now is this...

But both my kids are asleep in bed.

Darn. (nicest word I could think to put there...)

Obviously these are our children...

2008-08-18T19:21:00.000-07:00

Something about this picture seems a little familiar....Hmmmm....

India last week

...Wait for it....

Oh this is why...

Jones 1 1/2 years ago

Case closed.

I love you can tell theses are mine and Ryan's children.

Molly Maids

2008-08-07T21:33:00.001-07:00

Ryan and I have both been sick the past two weeks. Not at the same time really, but more kind of overlapping. I was sick first, then him, but since I was first sick I have had a constant headache. For the past couple days those headaches have turned into migraines. Ry had to take me to the Dr. today to get muscle relaxers so I could function with these terrible aches...anyway it sucks.
All of this was just to tell you what happened tonight. So my great sister Jillian came over tonight (after she worked like 10 hours) to watch my kids so that Ry could take me to the Doc. Needless to say our house is a wreck (Seriously bad...I have had a migraine off and on for 3 days and we have both been sick!), but she is my sis and I have a good excuse, so I though it would be fine. Well, after we got home tonight she was talking to us and some how we got on the subject of her looking in the computer to price a maid service to clean my house. She thought maybe she would get us a house cleaning for Christmas...OUCH. Crap I am stay at home mom and people think I need a house cleaner. Excuse me for a minuet while I go stab myself in the eye.

Fennel

2008-08-06T20:09:00.000-07:00

In our produce order today(which comes every Wednesday), we received some fennel bulbs. Now I don't know about you, but I have never cooked or even tasted fennel bulbs....do you have any suggestions for me? How do you cook them? Have you ever tasted them? I know they are very good for you, but other than that I know nothing....

Help.

True or False?

2008-08-03T22:37:00.000-07:00

True or False....Is this the funniest thing you have seen in a LONG time??

Jones lets me snap a few...

2008-07-31T16:51:00.000-07:00

So Jones finally looked at me while I had my camera. Sure I had to bribe him, but he looked for almost a minuet and that my friends is all that matters. Here are a couple of the snap shots I took and Dr. up just a little. I put a color and black & white so you could see him in all his glory. Which is your fav?

I think this might be number 100...finally.

2008-07-28T18:11:00.000-07:00

The more crunchy hippie I get the more things I find myself doing at home. Example: this summer my Fam decided to grow our own garden. What better way to get organic veggies at a fraction of the cost, in their most healthy state, all the while teaching my children to get connected and take ownership of their food? (I can't think of a better way! Although check out Ry's blog about organics to you...fabulous company!!) I will tell you all it has been an interesting thing learning how to garden...it is not really my strong point. But after a few seed mishaps, a terrible case of broccoli with aphids, and zucchini which may or may not be rotting on the plant due to being a little too cramped, we have had a great time and plan to have a garden again next year. Here are a few pics...

next to one of our garden boxes

Here you can kind of see our cucumbers, tomatoes, zucchini, and bell peppers

Me and Jones peeking through the beans

Here are a few pics from this weekend of India camping. She really liked to roll in the dirt! It took TWO baths to get it all off of her! These pictures don't do the dirt justice.

Ahh much better....here is the little girl we know.(who only likes to walk!!)

Just a side note...If you think I am being a bad mom because I seem to primarily post pictures of Indi, it's not my fault. Jones will not look at the camera or when I do catch him looking he covers his face!! I will keep trying, but it may only be India until this little phase is gone! Please don't judge me!

Has it been a while?

2008-07-20T16:27:00.001-07:00

So I know, it has been a little bit since I last posted...you have to give me a bit of a break, have you met my children? They keep me busy. Also, I think for a while I have been a little undecided about what to post about(now if I have mentioned this before, please skip a head a few lines...so you are not bored.). All I ever have to talk about is pretty much just my kids and my house and things of that nature and I felt that would be a sort of boring for anyone who might happen to read my blog. But the more I have thought about it the more I realized that this blog really is for me and that is what my life consists of. It might be boring for other people, but not so much for me. So I shall again start to post when I can...the end.

I tried to get a shot of all her pearly whites...beauty huh? Seven little teeth.

P.A.P.A. Fest Here I Come

2008-04-30T17:23:00.000-07:00

Does anyone want to go with us?

I'm not quite sure how we're going to get there. But I'm going.

My 100

2008-01-25T21:39:00.001-08:00

Breanna had a 100 things blog. I thought it was pretty fun to read so decided to try one myself. That was about 2 weeks ago and I have about 80 things. I have decided to go ahead and post my first 80 and then add the remaining 20 when I get them done. Here you go...my 100 things.

1.) I don't know if I know 100 things about me.
2.) my husband makes me happier than anyone else ever!
3.) Sometimes I smell India's little mouth because I LOVE the way babies breath smells.

4.) I love my wedding ring...it's my favorite. But sometimes I feel sad in my heart that it has diamonds. (It makes me think of the suffering people have to go through to get them)

5.) If I had my way I would shower and get dressed first thing every day. i don't like to sit around in my pajamas.

6.) One of my life long goals has been to be uber organized.

7.) Since I cannot eat wheat or gluten sometimes I want Ryan to order food that I remember loving just so I can watch him eat it and live vicariously through him. Does this make me creepy?

8.) I will talk to anyone about just about anything, yet i am very private and only let a few people (if any) know alot of my most deep personal things.

9.) Lately one of my passions has been simplistic living and trying to learn to live in America and not be consumed by materialism. A hard thing to do.

10.) One of my favorite books I have ever read is "Rich Christian's in an Age of Hunger" by Ron Sider. It will change your life.

11.) My favorite magazine is "Body and Soul" (It's a Martha Stewart)

12.) I love the fragrance of essential oils and love that my house is scented with them.

13.) Lemon is my favorite oil, it smells so fresh and clean.

14.) I want to have a garden so bad I can hardly stand it.

15.) I am so tired and dream of the day when my children will both sleep at once for more than two hours.

16.) Having conversations with my 2 year old makes my heart happy in a way that nothing else can.

17.) My cabbage patch doll's name is Martha Charolette and I still have her in a box somewhere.

18.) My cabbage patch doll has dreads that I gave her when I was 5...I think it was a sign.

19.) My favorite color is red.

20.) I love having a mini van. I know it is a bad status symbol, but I am far too practical and love the convinience of it too much to really care.

21.) I love going to school and would have stayed in school forever if I could have.

22.) If/when I go back to school I think I will study Psychology or maybe nutrition and natural health.

23.) I went to school for over 5 years and I don't even have an AA degree. (Something about changing my major ever year or two. See number 22)

24.) practically everything in my house is chemical free. It has made a huge difference in the freshness of our house and my sons asthma.

25.) I keep trying to have plants in my house, but the only one i have never killed is my aloevera...and I love it. So handy for burns.

26.) I know that I seem like a am kind of a boring person adn making lists like this just emphasis that...crap.

27.) I have pretty much stopped going to places like the mall because it makes my heart sad and all I can think about is how people (including myself) are buying more stuff when others are starving.

28.) I would love to help start/maintain/be a part of a community garden.

29.) I am very interested in what a basic model of communal/community living would really look like and I maybe want to be a part of one. Not a creepy compound, but a true community that shares and supports eachother. I think that is beautiful.

30.) I am falling more in love with Jesus all the time. I feel like I have been discovering Him in a new way and I can't seem to get enough.

31.) My new Jesus is refreshing my soul

32.) My favorite flowers are daffodils. They make my heart happy.

33.) I have the best husband ever. He treats me like a princess ALL the time. He shows me what being a selfless spouce looks like.

34.) I am so lucky, I have great in-laws whom I adore and love spending time with. I feel really bad for people who have bad in-laws, that sucks.

35.) I love cheesecake. Especially from Papa Haydens (did I spell that right?), they have it gluten free.

36.) I love fresh fruit. My fav's are watermelon, cherries and peaches.

37.) I find that parenting is extremely guilt producing and I am constantly wanting to be better at it for my kids.

38.) Maybe my biggest pet peeve (Is it really spelled Peeve? gross word!) is people who are always right and are close-minded. hello, try something new. You can't possibly know everything.

39.) Also, people who are so set in their ways that they will continue to do something one way even if that way is detrimental to them or others.

40.) I would love to not wear make-up, but my skin is too icky

41.) At times I am addicted to pepsi

42.) I am extremely fickle and excitable.

43.)If I read something in a book I might not remember it, BUT if I hear it in a lecture and take notes or if I converse about something with somebody I will remember it forever

44.) I don't like tv. I think the media is controling and biased. I believe it is bad for your health/brain. But if I have one I will watch it.

45.) I love South Park. Sometimes it is dumb, but most of the time I find it incredibly right on and it's perception of reality is beautiful to me.

46.) I LOVE my birkenstocks

47.) I really dislike the movie pretty woman

48.) I hate to say hate. I keep trying not too.

49.) I am ok with my son saying things like "what the frick", "butt", "crap", and things like that, but I dont like anyone using words around him like stupid, hate, retarded or anything else that is demeaning to others.

50.) My mother in-law is one of the bravest people I know. She is one of my heros.

51.) I don't tan. I just freckle. A lot. I mean, a whole lot.

52.) I think the movie Zoolander was a beautiful piece of comedic art

53.) When I think of all the politics involved in the food industry it freaks me out. It freaks me way out.

54.)I LOVE being a mommy

55.) I wasn't sure if I was going to like having a little girl as much as a boy...but I love it just as much.

56.) I think breast feeding is one of the weirdest and grossest things. Think about it. One person sucks on another's body to get fluid out of it and then drinks that fluid. Eww. Strangly enough I love it though and am so glad I do it. I just can't think about it in that kind of detail.

57.) I wish I could afford to buy all organic food for my children.

58.) I once read a fabulous book called "Grub: Ideas for an urban organic kitchen". It was very insightful, I think you might want to read it.

59.) I have raynaud's syndrome and so my fingers and toes always freeze!

60.) I love to stick my cold feet on my hubby at night! Oh also, my butt is always freezing when I get into bed....I like to stick that on him too. (Anyone else have that problem??)

61.) My of my biggest desires is to show Jesus to my children in the way I love them.

62.)Having conversations with my two year old cracks me up.

63.) Sometimes, even though I love being a mommy, I feel smothered by my children and want them to leave me alone. (That sounds so mean!)

64.) I really dislike going to bed without my husband and will wait up until LATE into the night so we can go to bed together.

65.) I sort of have a heart of stone and it takes a whole lot to make me cry. (But I am working on that)

66.) I don't really like animals.

67.) I don't want a pet ever, but feel swayed to get one sometimes just because I know it will bring joy to my children.

68.) I don't like brown eggs. They have darker yokes and it grosses me out. I do feel bad for not using them though, since the chemicals in the white ones are so bad for my babies, but I just can't make myself switch.

69.) I get 9 1/2 free gallons of milk every month from the governemt. I love WIC.

70.) I love Chai from Starbucks. Iced, venti, with Whip, Light ice, chai tea latte...is my drink of choice.

71.) My favorite coffee is stumptown. Mmmm. My favorite coffee shop is Mon Ami.

72.) I want to be a good neighbor who meets the people in my neighborhood and becomes their friends. I am going to try real hard to do this when I move to my new house in a couple weeks.

73.) One book I am buying with my tax return money is "parenting with love and lodgic." Have you read it?

74.) I love popcorn covered in lots of real butter and salt.

75.) I really enjoy being friends with my mom.

76.) I feel so blessed that my children are close to both of their grandparents.

77.) Being pregnant this last time ruined my teeth. I had only one little baby cavity before and after I had one million big fat cavities. Crap.

78.) When I smile my tonue shows because I have a "tongue thrusting problem"...which sounds a little gross to me, but that is what the dentist said.

79.) I have yet to make a good loaf of bread in a bread maker. I just can't get it to work.

80.) I know every word to almost all of John Denver's songs. It is the only thing my son wants to listen to in the car, at night when he is going to sleep, or anytime he choses the music in our house.

81.) I love to ride the max.

P.S. I hope I didn't spell anything too awfully...I can't get the spell check button to work.

My favorite house

2008-01-15T21:12:00.000-08:00

The house that I live in is perfect. Well, maybe not perfect, it doesn't have a yard or a place for a dining room table, but we love it. It is right on little Main Street in down town Vancouver. It is walking distance to about 5 different parks. There is an adorable court yard outback with a creek and waterfall that my son loves to play in. We have lived here for two years and everything in our house has it's place. Did I mention we love it here? Bad news. The people that run this apartment are terribly unorganized and horrible at their jobs. Because of this and their hate for us (it is a long story, but the managers hate us because they hate the earth and hate that we want to get recycling. And now we are trying to change city laws to make them get recycling....long stroy, but they are punks.), the bastards are raising our rent $150 a month. Now we can no longer live here...we have to move.

It is a sad sad time for me. I have been looking and looking, everyday checking craigslist and other apartment finding resources, but have still found nothing. Nothing that is either a.)safe enough for our family to live in or b.) a price we can pay. So I guess we wont live anywhere. I guess our babies will live on the street. It is ok, they need to learn to grow up sometime. I guess now is their chance. Crap.

2007-12-19T20:37:00.000-08:00

Jones likes to sing. He can sing all of John Denver's "leaving on a jet plane"...he only sang a little for this, but you can get the idea of how cute it is.

Books and Boogers

2007-12-10T23:06:00.000-08:00

We have a bed-time routine with Jones. Every night this routine starts with getting on pjs, brushing and flossing his teeth and then reading 3-4 books. Generally we read things like "where the wilds things are" or "Murmel Murmel Murmel." Tonight Jones picked out his own books and this is what he brought me and had me read excerpts out of...

"The Autobiography of George Muller"

"Secrets of The Vine" By: Bruce Wilkinson

"Around the World in Eighty Days" By: Jules Verne

"The One Year Bible" NLT Version.

And "Guess How Much I Love You" by: Sam McBratney (this one is actually a children's book.)

It was the funniest thing ever. He just sat there and listened while I read him diary entries of George Muller or pieces of Revelation. He was so serious about it all that I could hardly read it to him without laughing.

...Continuing on with his routine...After reading we then walk to him bed and tuck him in by turning on his music and night light. We then pray, say his bible verse and sing 2-3 songs together. During the last song something happened tonight which I will never forget. I am singing to him and he is picking his nose (like any 2 year old would), he pulls out a big nasty booger and instead of eating it reaches up and sticks it in my mouth!! I kid you not!

MY SON PICKED HIS OWN BOOGER AND STUCK IT IN MY MOUTH WHILE I WAS SINGING TO HIM!! Gross.

Moving on because I have nothing else to say about that.

Bad news is that poor little Indi has Pneumonia and an ear-infection and had to spend half the night int he emergency room last night (good news is that Arwen came and slept at my house so Ryan could go with me! Yeah for Arwen!). She wasn't bad enough to have to stay, but the poor little dear had to have the whole works while there. She was rushed to the Critical Care room and then hooked up to an oxygen machine, EKG machine, some breathing machine thing, she had an IV and had to have a chest X-ray. She is feeling a little better today and is on antibiotics that will hopefully clear everything up real quickly because they caught everything very early on.

Good news is when we got our Christmas tree is was snowing the biggest most beautiful flakes you have ever seen! Check out these pics...it was a beautiful winter wonderland!

China Town

2007-11-24T17:58:00.000-08:00

This is my son at "school". Actually this is my son "I at chool. Chool in China Town. My chool is down in China Town."

Perfect.

Speaking of perfect....Some new pictures of India....cutest thing EVER!

The pie that ruined Thanksgiving...

2007-11-21T21:13:00.000-08:00

Here is my pie. I can't make pie. I always try and every time they end up looking like this. One time my friend Sarah Davis(Sherk)was getting married and having lots of pie at her reception. I said I would make a couple for her...but I make ugly pies. I had to have my mom come over and roll out and put together the crusts. I use to think that my pies were ugly because of the dough that I have to use (gluten free), but my mom proved me wrong when she made absolutely beautiful pies with the very same dough. Crap. How many times does a girl have to do something before she can catch on?

Sweet Baby Shiloh

2007-11-19T13:38:00.000-08:00

Shiloh is the sweet baby of Jen and Filipe Nunes. They have been in the process of adopting her from Guatemala for many months. They have had her precious picture since she was 2 weeks old and she is now 7 1/2 months. They have gone to see her and spent a week in Guatemala as a family. Shiloh is still in her orphanage just waiting to come home to them. There are several things holding up the process and (even though they have been trusting God all along) it is getting harder and harder for them to be without their child. Now with the political situation in Guatemala changing there is a very strong need to pray for this family. The new president is saying that he will stop all adoptions coming from their country, including ones that are already in process now (this would include Shiloh), at the beginning of the new year. At this point now it looks like Shiloh wont be home before then. This is a very discouraging and scary situation for the Nunes family.

What they really desire is to have their daughter home and safe with them by Christmas time. For this to happen it is going to take a miracle. We need to all pray that God will answer the desires of their hearts and bring her home to them.

I know it's short notice, but on Wednesday the 21st (the day before Thanksgiving) we are going to do a prayer and fasting day. We are asking anyone who knows their family or who wants to petition God on behalf of this precious child and her family join us. If you have a blog or myspace please link to this post or cut and paste this request so that as many people as possible read this before Wednesday.

If you want to pray with us please do so. If you would like you can leave a note on my blog or Jen's letting us know you are joining in or just write a note of encouragement for this family.

Thank you so much for your thoughts and prayers!

My four girls

2007-11-02T21:38:00.001-07:00

First I have to say that I just got back (Ok, I got back almost two weeks ago...but I am just now getting around to posting so...) from the greatest trip to Oklahoma to see my sweet sister in law and bff Tara and her hubby Eric. We enjoyed ourselves so much and Jones is still talking about it. T and E have the cutest house ever and it was so fun to be with people we love and can just be ourselves around. We love you guys! Thanks so much for everything!!

...Moving on...

Speaking of love...I have four girls...four girls that I love. I want to tell you a little about all of them, but I am trying to decide how to start. I guess I will go alphabetically....so here you have...my favorite girls. (which by the way have all moved away from me...except one came back...thanks Arwen.)

Arwen
Arwen is my special friend who can do the super-fast robot and remembers every single inside joke...even if no one else does. She is the funniest blogger I know and can create poems and songs that are hilarious at the drop of a hat. She has a nickname for everyone. We always have fun together, even if we just go shopping at target. She has a tender heart and cries easier than maybe anyone else I know. She is super artistic. I can think of a hundred different stories with Arwen in them and all of them make my heart happy and make me laugh. She is one of the only people I feel kind of ok with coming to my house when it is a sty...and that means a lot. She has hands down the best short hair I have ever seen and every time I see her hawk I get jealous in my heart!

Ashtin
Ashtin is my sweet friend and cousin. She is a lover (not in the sexual way...like she is a lover, not a fighter) and the most tender mommy. She is the person I know that when she calls she is going to be super great and make me feel like a million dollars (Everyone needs a friend like this!). We were both pregnant, miserable and hated being pregnant together (when I was having Jones). Whenever we are together we laugh non-stop. Ashtin is super creative and artistic and can make anything she wants with a knitting loom. She has a cute funky style and the best diamond plugs I have ever seen. In fact she was the very first girl that I ever loved plugs on. Oh and the cutest little girl Lola Jane!

Jess
Jessi Brahim is my Martha Stewart friend. Seriously...there is nothing that she cannot make...and if she makes it, it looks good! When she lived here we would do crafty things together (it was so fun) and I always wished mine looked like hers. I am not kidding when I say that if you go to her house for dinner she will amaze you. She will have food you have never heard of (except from maybe Martha), drinks to compliment and her fancy dishes will even match! She has the biggest heart and takes care of anyone in her path that may even look like they have a need. She is very giving with everything she has. Whenever I get prego and sick she cooks and takes care of me. She loves babies and I know someday when God gives her the special babies He has planned she is going to make a great mommy!

Tara
TT is my sweet sissy and friend. She is the BEST story teller ever (and that is no lie.) and makes everyone laugh. She has such a precious heart and loves Jesus so much. Everything touches her heart and brings tears to her eyes. She is super stylish and whenever I get dressed I think WWTW, "What would Tara Wear?". I don't think there is a piece of clothing around that she can't make look good or add the perfect accessory to. She has great taste and is very creative. She can match colors and decorate like no on I have ever seen. When I am with T I always enjoy myself and feel completely comfortable. We laugh so much together and have almost all the same tastes in things. I love you.

(Side note: Crap...did you notice that all of my friends are creative/artistic and have tender precious hearts...and all four (even if I didn't mention this) will cry at the drop of a hat?! I must surround myself with people like this subconsciously...since I am not creative in the least and have no heart. or maybe I want to someday have a heart?? I have no idea!)

I have so much to say about all of them and it was so hard to keep it short. I just want you all to know that you are very special and precious to me. The only way I could like you more is if you would stop moving away and leaving me here...but to that I see two realities. 1. We are all adults and that is what happens in adulthood. People needs jobs and husbands and so on. I am just going to have to get over it. 2. I am really the winner in all of this, because I still get to live in the northwest right next door to Portland. I don't have to live in The South or Idaho or even expensive Seattle....and that makes me a happy girl.

My babies

2007-10-16T13:22:00.000-07:00

I needed a new post so that the previous post wouldn't always be what greeted you when you visit my blog. I mean the things on that post needed to be shared, but it's not really the best thing to see everyday. So since I have nothing really to share right now, I thought that I would just post a couple of pictures.

Jones loves to paint, but we only let him every once in a while and always in his high chair. I think you can see why.

This is the new hat I just bought Jones. He decided to wear it backwards (like any cool kid would), with his jammies. I think it looks best that way.India has a natural faux-hawk and a double chin. How precious.

Getting off the Butt Sex Band Wagon...a tale of internet porn and my hotmail account

2007-10-02T22:47:00.000-07:00

Crap guys. I have something to tell you all, I get Internet porn emails. I get them A LOT. I actually get at least 15 a day. The worst thing about it?? Almost all of them are about butt sex. I know, disgusting right? Well you should see the subject line...I am not going to go into it here, but lets just say "Girls like it in the anus with a pink dildo" is the most mild of the topics. Use you most wild, perverted imagination and I have gotten an email with that subject line. A lot of them don't even make sense or aren't spelled right.

At first they didn't really bother me, a couple dirty emails here, a few "blonds with big boobies" there (seriously some of them actually say "Boobies". I thought people stopped saying that in Jr. High...Oh no! I am getting porn from Jr. highers!!). But that was in the beginning...that was just a few a day. I can't take so many. What makes matters really bad is they are just getting worse by the day and they cannot be blocked because they always come from different people.

The one thing I have been wondering in the middle of all of this...how did a girl get signed up for so much butt porn?!? Where have I been giving out my email address? Apparently I have some very dark secrets...so dark in fact that I am keeping them even from myself??

There is only one thing a girl can do, change her email address. I intend to do this tomorrow. So if you are a person that I email and you do not get an email from me in the next few days with my new address, then contact me so I can send it to you. I have to protect this new address with my whole life...the butt pirates are out to get me.

I know...my next post wont be about my children...I promise.

2007-10-01T12:35:00.000-07:00

Here is a newer picture of little Indi...I know she is so cute right? She has been sick the past week and a half and the most precious thing about it is that the Dr. today told me that part of the reason she has been so congested is that her little features (such as her nostrils and mouth and her little ear canals) are so tiny (even for a baby, she just has petite little parts), that they get plugged so easily. How cute is that?

Here is a video for you enjoyment. India started really rolling over at 3 weeks 1 day old...and we actually caught it on video! Also, Jones only started singing about 5 weeks ago. He was never interested in it before, but when he did decide to start he knew every word to every song we have ever sang him. Crazy. The video of him singing is from about 4 weeks ago. I love toddlers.

Baby milk, pacifiers, and blanket capes with utility belts.

2007-09-19T13:56:00.000-07:00

Here has been Jones' take on Breast-Feeding:
Number 1:
J:"Daddy do you where baby milk comes from? The hospital."
R: "Really?"
J: (Laughing) "Not really! It comes from Mommy's boobs!"

Number 2:
J: "India eats baby milk. She licks mommy's boobs."

Number 3:
(India has been crying for just a minuet and I am trying to get Jones in the bathtub so I can go pick her up.)
J: "Mommy, India's crying. Pull your boob out and feed her!!"

Needless to say my son is very observant and slightly obsessed with breast-feeding. I know it is a natural thing and it's OK for him to be interested, but sometimes it gets a little awkward when he tells people that his sister licks his mom's boobs. Weird.

Time for a few pictures

Jonesy loves to lay down with Indi and he always wants to kiss her. What a sweet brother.

Here he is with his most treasured possesion...It doubles for best friend/blanket and "utility belt". He just just discovered the foot bath. Cute boy! India 10 days...she's a thinker. At five days she had to start with her pacifier (reflux issues), we decided this one was too big. Mommy looks tired, but naked pictures are classic

India Jayne

2007-09-04T20:46:00.001-07:00

Here she is! Our sweet baby girl came on Saturday the 1st at 5:15 pm. She weighed 7lbs 8oz and was 19 1/2 inches long. (Kat wins the bet for right baby day and Brahim Brahim wins for the right baby size!!) Here are a few pics...

Still waiting...

2007-09-01T08:25:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I was at the Dr. and she felt really bad for me that I am still pregnant. Before she was even in the door she was apologizing, saying she would do whatever she could to get me in labor. You see, I have been having contractions now for 20 weeks. A lot of days I will have them up to 6 hours at a time...every five minuets...and they don't do anything. It kind of sucks, but at least she wants to help me get this going right? Well, after some discussion (because now my usually very low blood pressure is getting pretty high as well) she decides I need to be induced, my choices are get induced Saturday morning (Today) or in 8-10 days. I obviously chose today...but there was one catch...
I only get to go in to be induced if someone else who has a more pressing medical issue doesn't have to go in first. They told me to go home yesterday and they would call me in the morning (today) around 7-8 and let me know when to come in. It is now 8:40....I have heard nothing from them. So of course, being that I have been pregnant for 40 weeks, I am not really patient, I give them a call. They tell me nothing except that they will call me. CRAP! Will this ever end??!

So if I ever get a call from them I might be having a baby today, but then again I could be prego for the rest of my life....seriously. I will post again with pics when she comes. Here's hoping it's today!!

The final countdown...You could be the winner

2007-08-17T21:33:00.000-07:00

So it is finally time to start the count down for this baby. I am due in exactly 16 1/2 days (Sep. 3rd). I think everyone should vote and say exactly what date you think India is coming and also guess as to how much she will weigh.

A little background to aid in your guessing:
Jones was induced on, but born the day after his due date.
He was 7lbs 15oz and had a 14 inch head.
This whole pregnancy I have been having contractions...but they don't really change my cervix.
As of today I am dilated to only 2 centimeters and am only 40% "thinned"
India is extremely low and head down

There is all of your info...Guess away my friends. Remember, what date and what size. I think there will be a prize for the winner of each category, I am just not sure what it will be yet.

Oh, and if you haven't seen them yet you should go check our my prego pictures on Jen's blog. She took them this past week and she did such a good job!! Thanks Jen!

books, books, books

2007-08-08T21:10:00.000-07:00

When we really shouldn't have, but went ahead and did it anyway, about two weeks ago Ry and I bought 4 or 5 books online off amazon. Ry also got a bunch of good books for his birthday...so we are set on reading for awhile. I have already finished one good book (Which we actually got on our anniversary, so it doesn't count as any of the books mentioned above) and am in the middle of two more ( I think Ry is reading about four of them at once). I thought I would share them with you since they have all been amazingly good and generally very thought provoking.

1.)Grub: Ideas for an Urban Organic Kitchen By Anna Lappe & Bryant Terry
This is the one I just finished. The first half of the book was very eye opening to the politics involved with food (You wouldn't think something like food would be extremely politically charged), the choices that go along with how we eat, and the effects these issues have on our society and the world. It's main goal was to give lots of information and enable you to make whatever informed choices you want about your life/food. The second half of the book is designed as a cook book/menu planning guide. It comes with music and poetry for every main seasonal menu.

2.)Rich Christians In An Age Of Hunger By Ronald J. Sider
I think Ryan might have already mentioned this book, but it's good....real good. We are both reading through it right now and it is a book that you should read only if you are willing to question the beliefs our culture as far as Americans and as followers of Christ live and view money and wealth.

3.) The Revolution: a Field manual for changing your world By: a compilation of essays from different authors, edited by Heather Zydek (Author for Relevant magazine)
This book is just a compilation of essays from different people addressing some of the top social/political issues right now (Woman's rights, clean water, fair trade, etc....). It is refreshing to read (But also extremely sad in a way), because it doesn't just give you a problem, it gives lots of different suggestions for way to get involved with each issue on many different levels.

The last two books I mentioned neither of us have finished yet, I will give you my final opinion when we do. Until then I highly suggest reading any of them...and then we can talk about it.

I really need to start a book club...that would be so fun.

It's just so hard

2007-08-03T10:00:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I don't want to shave my legs. It's not so much that I am just lazy, but it's so hard to bend over my giant stomach and shave....I feel as though it is not really worth it. So if you are wondering I haven't shaved my legs in like 6 days. The main problem with this is that I'm so stinking hot that I have to wear capri pants, shorts, or a dress. And so I just do it...have ridiculously hairy legs and wear clothing that reveals them. Does that make me gross? OR since I now have dreads does it just make me a for real dirty hippie? Is that a good enough excuse?

Crap. It just makes me gross. I am going to shave right now.

Dreaded Mama

2007-06-30T14:31:00.000-07:00

It has finally happened! Thanks to Tabitha Jane and Arwen I now have about 42 luscious (can a dread be called luscious??) dreads all over my head. It took several different session, but between the two of them they got all of it done Thursday and Friday. (Thanks for making them look SO good!) Arwen has the pictures of the whole process on her camera, so I will post them later. Here is what the finished product looks like.... My head sort of itches today and I can't seem to remember how to take care of them all the different ways Tj told me to, but I still LOVE them. I just hope I can keep them up so they keep looking so nice. It has been interesting to already see how many people stop and look at you when you have dreads. We went to the farmers market today to get produce and it was almost a little awkward. I can't wait to see what happens tomorrow when I go to Renovatus.

Oh and Jones loves them too. He like that mommy now has "Spikes".

And Ryan wont stop asking me for pot.

Mommy eat poop?

2007-06-22T21:35:00.001-07:00

I know my last post was about Jones, but he is so darn funny these days, I can't help it.

Tonight I made him nachos for dinner. I put meat and whole pinto beans and cheese on them. When I set his plate in front of him it went something like this...

Jones: (starts crying), "No. No poop on Jones' nach-nos (Nachos)"
Me:"What?"
Jones: "no poop. No poop on Jones'"
Me: "That's not poop Jones. That is just beans and meat."
Jones: "No...poop. Poop on nach-nos" (More crying)
Me: "Jones mommy didn't put poop on your nachos. Look it is meat and beans, mommy is eating hers."
Jones: "mommy eat poop?"
Me:"no mommy doesn't eat poop. Do you want me to take off your beans and meat?"
Jones: "Yes. Poop off."

I picked off his "poop" and he started eating. He did however continue to bring it up frequently the rest of the meal, "no mommy, no poop jones' ".

What kind of a mom am I? My son thinks I put poop on his food. Crap.

Here are a couple of prego pics. Lovely huh?

Hey God...

2007-06-20T11:04:00.000-07:00

So Jones was sitting in his high chair enjoying a snack of peanut butter covered rice cakes and strawberries (Also known as "Wa-berries"), when he decided he needed to pray. He folded his hands, looked down and said, "Hey God. Amen" Then went back to eating.
I love that precious boy.

Here he is at Jillian's wedding in his tux.

Just a couple cute pictures of our sweet boy.
(Look at his poor little rash around his mouth. He is having an allergic reaction to something, but we can't figure it out. If you have any ideas of what it could be let me know.)

Massive...not a good word to use.

2007-06-16T10:25:00.000-07:00

Remember when I still have about 3 more months to be pregnant, but everywhere I go people literally say, "Oh my god, you are HUGE!! I didn't know you were due this month." Or "How is your body going to last 3 more months...you are MASSIVE!" (Massive and huge are not exaggerations of the truth, they are actually the two words people use to describe me most frequently.) They then try to cover up their obvious blunder by saying something like , "but you still look then." or "Your arms are nice and thin still." Duh, who when they get pregnant (except those who gain a very large amount of weight) gains a ton of weight in their arms?? Seriously people. One guy last week was standing behind me in line at the store. When I turned around to look at something he gasped (literally) and said "Oh my gosh...you are SO pregnant!! That's so... so...cute." Thanks. You can't say cute after you're so shocked by my size that you stop breathing for a second. I really don't mind being big and prego, but huge and massive are rather strong words to describe someone.

One a positive note...our baby girl is getting so big. She is probably around 2 1/2 pounds and now her chances of survival if she is born sometime soon have gone way up. She has like a 90% survival rate and only a 30% chance of having a major disability (she still has a pretty big chance of having quite a few minor disabilities). Another good things is that even though in the past month this week has been the worst for my contractions , I still haven't been to the hospital since the 24Th of May! She is also big enough now for others to feel hand moving kicks and actually she my stomach do major flip flops...next time I am with you ask if she's moving and I will let you meet her. I am so thankful that God has blessed my family and my precious little girl so much.

More names to ponder

2007-06-15T21:47:00.000-07:00

Here is our list of potential names we are thinking about. Some are new, but most are old. Jen and Brenda called Ryan yesterday and suggested a pretty good name. It was a name that we had talked about in the past actually, but took it off the list because we thought it might be to trendy...we looked it up and while it is more trendy than a name like Jones, it is actually not used that much at all. So that one might be the favorite at this point. Oh, that name was India (I think we would call her indy or indy Jayne).

(This list is in no particular order.)
Imani = faith or belief
India = body of water
Presley = Priest clearing
Parker = Gamekeeper of a park
Harper = A player on the harp
Evelyn = desired
Evie= Life
Amelia = industrious
Eloise =sun

So Ryan and I were talking in the car today and my trip I took to Africa about 5 years ago came up. We were talking about all the animals that are in Africa and the ones that I saw while there...I saw dogs and cows. That's it. All I saw were ugly cows and lots of dogs. I was away from the rest of my group when they saw monkeys and other things while rafting down the Nile river and I was sick and couldn't go when they went on a trip to a game park and saw the real animals you want to see while in Africa (you know, hippos, lions, elephants...etc). What is up with that? Go all the way to Africa and only see dogs and cows? I guess I will just have to go back again sometime. I think I will take Ryan next time I go, I think he wold really like it there.

I have have another really good story about something I saw in Africa...I will save it for another post, but it is good.Seriously, this is a real dog. I just threw up...and I think you did too.

Peace

Gasoline

2007-06-07T23:12:00.000-07:00

So, Ryan filled our van up with gas tonight...it cost $80. That's right, 80 effing dollars!
I sure wish I owned an oil company right now and could make millions everyday off people having to have gas to get to their jobs and see their family. I sure wish I could have such control over everyone so as to charge an outrageous amount of money for something that doesn't really cost what I claim it costs me. I sure wish I was insanely rich and had lots of stuff and didn't care about anyone or anything but myself and my money and my only goal was to see how much stuff I could collect. Then I would be happy.

2007-06-01T23:00:00.000-07:00

So Ryan and I have to decide soon what kind of birth control to use after the baby comes. We know this is the last child that we biologically want to have (I am totally not doing this again!!) and so are thinking about getting someone snipped...if you know what I mean. The only problem is that the doctors are very hesitant to sterilize someone so young as Ryan or myself. The other option that I am considering is the Mirena IUD. I have done some reading on it, but don't know anyone who uses that form of birth control...Do you? What do you guys think? Anyone out there have positives or negatives about vasectomies, tubal ligations, or mirena IUDs?? What are your experiences??

A little update

2007-05-28T19:20:00.000-07:00

My little girl is without a name. I know we still have time...we aren't in a huge hurry, but it would still be nice if she had a name. I would like to start talking to her and saying her name now. So if anyone has any good suggestions let me know. It needs to work with the name Jones, not start with a J, and go with the middle name Jayne. That is all the stipulations we have.

Here are a couple of prego pictures, 25 weeks. I will try and take a couple better ones and post those too, maybe ones when I have brushed my hair.

What else? We had a crazy weekend! Jillian (my sister) got married on Saturday. It was so fun! Jones was the little ring bearer and he was SO adorable and did such a good job of walking up the isle without getting nervous (it helped that he was promised candy bars by grandma if he would do it). I will post pictures of that too, I didn't seem to get a very good one of him in his tux, so I have to wait until someone else sends me a better one.
On Sunday my other sister, Jenna, had her high school graduation party. And after the party all of my family went to my parents house to watch Jenna and Jillian/Mark open up all their gifts and have a BBQ. We had so much fun, but we are so tired and glad to just take today to be at home. Jones kept telling me this morning that "Nice Jones Home"....So I think we all appreciated the day just to relax at home.

It hard to believe, but Ryan and I have have still not seen Pirates! Crazy I know! We decided to wait and go see it when we had a sitter for Jones and we could go just the two of us on a date. Another crazy thing...a date! We haven't been on one in over 7 months and it is most definitely time now that I can do more. We usually don't like to go to movies for our dates, it seems kind of impersonal and non-connecting to us (actually we don't usually go to movies at all...the last movie I saw was the second pirates movie!!). We usually like to do something more interactive and where we can talk and look at each other, but anything just the two of us sounds like a good date at this point! And it is Pirates...so.

The other date thing that is looking interesting is Amos Lee. I saw on TJ's blog that he is coming to the Aladdin and he just happens to be coming on our anniversary! I know I probably need to get the tickets soon, but I don't know much about that venue. Is it the type of place that you can sit during the concert? I still can't go places where I have to stand for extended periods of time, so I have to find out before we get the tickets. If you know about the Aladdin let me know...Maybe I should just email Tabitha??

That is my rather long update. Hopefully the tux pictures will be up soon.

Happy Mothers Day!

2007-05-12T19:26:00.000-07:00

This is the picture we used to make cards for our mom's for mother's day....don't you wish you were my mom?

And yes, those are nursing pads stuck to my sons chest...and yes, he did think they were boobs...and yes, he is yelling "TA-DA"...and yes, we did cut and paste him into a field of flowers....what would you have done with a picture like this??

A Good Book

2007-05-02T08:51:00.000-07:00

I seem to have a little more time on my hands for reading. Anyone have a good book they can recommend me? I am taking all suggestions...I am fresh out of book ideas. Thank you and good-day.

P.S. I am actually taking all suggestions for things to do while laying down. Any old classic movies to recommend or other ideas of interest?

Time again for a little blogging

2007-04-29T10:24:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I saw my friend Ashtin. She posed this question...."so you just have to lay around all day right? Why don't you put something on your blog?"

Good question Ashes. Why haven't I blogged? I've got lots of time and very limited possibilities of things to do in that time....what' wrong? I really had no idea when she asked me. But, as I was pondering this thought this very morning (while I am home alone while my boys are at church), I came to realize that I think I just don't have much of me left over. I think between the 15 weeks of being bed-ridden and hospitalized, all the while puking my guts out. The almost three weeks of just nausea, but being able to keep down most of my food (what a glorious three weeks those were!!). The scare of almost having our precious little girl at 20 weeks (and 11 ounces). The two weeks of bed rest and the potential 16 more. My heart being broken because I can't care for or even pick-up my confused toddler who just wants his mommy. All the while watching my exhausted, loving, selfless husband carry it all by himself......I am tired.

Tired in a way that cannot be cured by taking naps or going to bed on time. Tired not in a good way like at the end of a marathon or after a day playing at the beach. I am fatigued in my body, mind, and soul. A deep exhaustion that penetrates all of my being.

The worst part of all is not the potential of me being stuck inside on my back for another 4 months, but the fact of what it does to those I love most....Jones and Ryan. I am pretty sure I can for the health and life of my little girl stay down and not even have too terrible of a mood about it. But watching how it affects every part of Jones and how Ryan now has so much on his own...it breaks my heart. I know people say kids are resilient(which is a statement I almost in every way disagree with. I think I will post on this thought another time) and that Jones, in the long run will be fine. I know that when this is all over Ryan will have a little girl to show for it...but it's still hard. I still want to pick up my boy in my arms and be able to rock him to sleep. I still want to look at my husband and not see such tired eyes.

Man this post was a downer.

The dilemma

2007-03-28T23:03:00.000-07:00

I haven't been thinking of much lately. I mean, being sick and a mommy takes it all out of me...Mentally speaking. There is one thing that I have been pondering though and I thought maybe you all could offer some advice/suggestions.

I am growing my hair out. I hate it really. I love short hair and look better with it. But I have a dream...A beautiful dream...One that I am starting to doubt.

I love and want with my whole heart to have dreads. They are beautiful and I love them.

The Problem:
Dreads look really good on most people that have them. But a majority of those people are just naturally cool or have a certain look/style to them...I have neither of those things going for me. It seems to look fabulous in dreads you have to
A. Be a super cool hippy chick (like TJ)
b. Be funky Portlandy
c. Be Uber outdoorsie (you know what I mean by this)
d. Be 55 and have never brushed your hair as an adult

I am an average 20 something with no particular style. Average clothes, average mom. But I really love dreads. What is a girl to do? Can I still have these beautiful wads of hair and be plain old me? Is that what makes them so great?

So with no answer I continue to grow my average straight hair. Dreaming of the day I can have bad ass dreads. But should this day ever come? That is the question.

Jones...all American boy.

2007-02-07T12:43:00.000-08:00

A lot of you who know Jones know that he signs half of his words and he says the other half. He probably can sign about 20 words and knows around 30 English words. (It depends on when he wants to use them though, so you may have never been witness to this.) One thing that he signs is "I love you". He doesn't use it very often, it is reserved for Mommy, Daddy, grandparents, and the occasional aunty.

Yesterday he was eating pizza. Which he really likes. Which he rarely gets because I have to make it from scratch so it is gluten free. But yesterday as a special treat Ryan (since I haven't been able to cook for ever 6 weeks) got really brave and for the first time made pizza from scratch...he is such a good daddy. It turned out good and Jones was in heaven. He was so happy in fact that every time he would take a bite he would say "Oh, yummmm. Yummm." He got so into his food that while eating his second piece during the "Yumm", he would look at his pizza and sign "I love you" to each bite. I asked him "Jones are you saying you love the pizza?" He just said "Yeah" and kept on enjoying and loving his food.

Don't feel bad if he has never said that he loves you. Apparently that special phrase is reserved for important things like Mommy, Daddy, and Pizza.

My poor husband...

2007-01-19T10:43:00.000-08:00

Hey guys,

I just wanted to ask if you could be praying for our family. With baby #2 coming and me being so sick, Ryan is carrying a big load. He is not only doing everything for the house on his own, but also working at Outback, with Renovatus, and taking on pretty much being a single parent (as well as taking care of my many needs and puking). We are already feeling the strain of this possibly long process…

Please pray that Ryan can have peace, energy, good rest, and emotional reserve.

Pray that I can feel better and can be the helper my husband is needing so badly.

Pray that sweet Jonesy can better adjust to the changes in our house and routine.

Thank you so much. I really value all of our blogmunity.

WELL...Here we go again.

2007-01-05T20:58:00.000-08:00

About a week ago I started feeling sick. I mean...just like sick to my stomach, tired, headaches...you know, normal "Ichy Feeling". I thought little of it until I realized that it was getting worse and that I would feel a little better if I ate food...Constantly. Finally I decided to go adn get a prego test at the local Kaiser...and...you guessed it.

We are having another baby!

We have no idea when it is due...I thought maybe end of September (the nurse said that would mean I literally JUST got pregnant...She thinks Aug 27th...Which is 2 days after Jones' birthday!! Crap)...Apparently I have no idea about this sort of thing. Anyway, this was sort of unplanned, but not totally prevented (which I guess means planned). We were totally shocked because we were still considering if we would try this again. So...That's the big news. We are SO excited and very nervous. So far I am only a little sick. I sort of just feel sick all the time and am very tired. I haven't really thrown-up at all yet, but I do wake-up all night sick, so that sort of sucks to never get a break from it. So pray for us and for little Jonesy...I don't want him to have to be without a Mommy.

I decided to include a few shots from when this happened before...

This is me at 6 months, great face huh? (Notice the how I don't have any hair...to sick to do it...Lets hope not this time.)

Here I am (looking very happy, I might add) at I think around 9 months.

There are times when Blogger is The Man...and this is one of those times.

2006-12-30T16:09:00.000-08:00

I am a little bit pissed. Maybe a little more than a bit. The reason? I wrote a great blog....a spectacular blog on this new book I am reading..."the Irresistible Revolution" by Shane Claiborne...and then Stupid blogger erased it. That's it blogger. Now I am real steamed!

I will not re-write it. I have no patience and what little emotional energy I did have is now been sucked out by the first attempt at this blog. Just know this. The book I am reading completely kicks ass and it will make you totally examine your life...if it doesn't you have no heart. Email me or ask me questions if you want to know more about the book.

I was actually wondering if anyone had read the book or was interested in going out and buying one this very instant so that we could have a dialog/book club/discussion thing with this very book...but now in my heart I know no one will want to get a book that I only described at "Kick-ass" and "life examining". Maybe you should go on someone else's book review sight and find out what others have to say about it. Because I have nothing else.

You have no soul blogger...and that is the only thing that makes me feel O.K. about this whole situation. Good night.

But seriously...read the book...right away so we can talk about it.

A sweet baby...and my friend Ty...and one final thought.

2006-12-04T21:13:00.000-08:00

I am thinking about two...no, three things tonight. Here you are...

1.) Lisa I like you. I want to be someone like you. I like how you show Jesus.

If you want to know more about why I want to be like Lisa, just check out her blog.

2.) I like Ty. Anonymous is pissing me off big time. In fact, I dislike him a lot...a whole lot. He made another hateful comment on Ty's smart blog. If you want to say anything to him...you should go there now. Ty please know that we think you are fabulous. Anonymous please know that hate is no aloud here...please be kind or go away. Amen.

3.) I want to have another baby. I want to have two kids to love. A little girl would be great, but another boy I would be happy with as well. Here is the hold up...
Ryan and I are feeling like I am not really suppose to have one. I was so sick the first time, we just don't know if I should try. At the same time it takes a lot of money to adopt. You see, working part time at Outback and work the other time with Renovatus for free doesn't afford much extras for things like...oh...buying children...for example. Does anyone know much about Foster adopting? The idea is just starting to go through our minds....
I mean I will be a stay at home mommy...so I can give the baby lots of attention...how does it really work? Anyone have experience with this. I am thinking little baby...I guess probably a drug baby. What are my chances of actually keeping him/her?
If you have any info on this...pass it along. We are still in the thinking stage...so I don't even know if this will really go anywhere...Pray for us, will you? Thanks.

4.) Where have all my funnies gone? I mean people, I use to be quite humorous. I am just not feeling it. Here I sit, trying to think of something...anything that will be light hearted...but nothing is coming. I guess I am just in one of those moods. Hmmm

5.) Sorry...sorry to you dear reader...this has been long, drawn out, and quite boring. So I am going to end now. good night.

6.) Remember Raj? Oh how I miss him...

7.) Peace out Suckers!

P.S. Why do I love dirty Pirate Johnny Depp so much??

Mark my words people...I will get me some dreads. Some Darn good dreads....Just watch me.

All boy?

2006-11-22T23:13:00.000-08:00

I love how you are. You funny little guy.

Here is Jonesy when he discovered he could wear mommy's bandanna. He LOVES it! Almost as much as he loves wearing necklaces (not quite...I am not sure if anything makes a boy feel as fancy as wearing a pretty beaded necklace. Seriously, we can't even take him into a jewelry department at any store...he cries because he wants the necklaces...wants them bad! ). Since then he has been trying to wear anything that could pass for a bandanna on his head...mostly he just walks around with a hand towel on his head (that he has laid there himself). Man he is cute. Our only dilemma with his fabulous fashion taste is this...The necklaces, funny bandannas, and mommy's slipper socks (which he also adorns on special occasions) are all ok, but how do you get a boy to not be sad with his shoes when all he wants are the pink ones. Seriously...anytime we go to the shoes store he only wants the pink ones...I show him lots of blue, red, camo, but no, he loves pink...and Hello Kitty. The issue here is not about me worrying that he will be to feminine...I don't think this even plays into that...the issue is I feel so bad not buying him the any of the shoes his heart desire (Pink Crocs, sparkle pink slides, ect...) and making him cry when he has to put them back...but I am not going to actually buy him a pair like that! What's a mom to do?

For Sissy T...and for Sara(h?)...BFF!

2006-11-14T21:12:00.000-08:00

This is for you T.

It's kind of creepy all your dreams about babies are deformed and very tiny. Remember fetus baby which you kept in a saucer of milk on the window sill? Remember when he dried up like a chip?? Sad...I don't really know what to make of it....Sorry.

The kettles are black...My heart is sad.

2006-11-11T22:36:00.000-08:00

I love kettle corn. (not like I love my husband, but maybe like I love my all my earthly possessions)I do not like it when it gets burnt. That makes baby Jesus cry. I do love kettle corn the most with a big box of hot tamales...one bite corn/one bite tamales. I also love to drink milk with my kettles and hot toms.

Here I sit tonight...a big bag of half burnt Kettle corn, no tamales, no milk...What's a girl to do? I guess eat the whole bag by myself anyways.

Good night

This is for R to the 1

2006-11-07T14:38:00.000-08:00

If you saw Ryan's post with the Southpark video and if you read Arwen's comment about evolution...then you'll want to watch this. Sorry for all the Southpark from the Woods' home this week.

New Book...Maybe you should read it?

2006-11-03T19:56:00.000-08:00

So I just finished a new book. I loved it. I know a lot of people say that about books, but I don't. I can think of maybe a handful of books that I actually love....Maybe 4? I love a book that I deem intelligent, thought provoking, something that I walk away from either enriched or at least one that caused me to think or has enlightened me in some way. I know that makes it sound boring, but I have no other way of describing what I like in a book. I want something that is real (not necessarily non-fiction), alive, and I am the better for reading it. For me, if I am actually going to commit to reading something, I want my imagination to be stimulated, for my thoughts to be challenged, to walk away maybe a little different? (Is that really what I want to say??)

Anyway, all that was to say that I really enjoyed a new book. It is called "Velvet Elvis" by Rob Bell.
It is a very easy read, I think like 180 pages. I think you should take the time to read it, you might be pleasantly surprised at it's perspective and the ways it's philosophy is presented. When you read it let me know what you think. I hope it is for you what it was for me.

You are so stinking cute...it kills me!

2006-10-28T22:35:00.000-07:00

Jones is a monkey for Halloween and it is ridiculous how cute he is in his costume...He even walks like a monkey!

Wonka down, wonka down!

2006-10-26T13:55:00.000-07:00

It is true. The last wonka...the last remaining pair died a tragic death this week. The cause...Death by Purse. It is in fact the same way all the other wonkas left this world...It really was fate. This death is tragic, more so then you might realize. It ends an era. Not a long era, but glorious one. A time when wonkas united and created something that could last...Something that would last....or so we thought. We think this no more. Not with this finally passing. And so with this in mind I say good-bye. Good-bye old friend. You who shaded not only my eyes, but my entire face. You who were so large that you kept anyone from ever knowing I had eyebrows or even a forehead. You who can never be replaced. Good-bye forever. I love you!

If you would like to leave a shout out to the wonkas...any wonk you chose...you may do so on this post. I believe that even though they are gone, the wonkas can still hear us and will be blessed to be missed. Please be reverent.

Oh and P.S. Sorry about the car picture. I didn't mean it to alarm anyone, I just didn't have a picture of my car, so I googled a wrecked silver car. Ooops...should have thought that through a little bit more. Anyway, my car is smashed, but not that smashed.

The final update...

2006-10-23T11:53:00.000-07:00

So here is the latest news...

Jillian's visit to the cardiologist went very well. She does have a couple
of abnormalities but they are in the acceptable range. And unless they were
to get a lot worse at some future time she doesn't have to worry about them.
Some of the blood work has indicated that she has had a virus and so is most
likly run down from that. He feels that most of the syptoms are due to
stress. That she needs to do only 10 things instead of 30. Also that she
needs not to try to save the WHOLE world but maybe just herself and one or
two other people. She is able to return to work with the understanding that
she is to make choices and say "no" sometimes. Thank you so much for your
prayers on her behalf. She is so blessed to have so many people who love
and care for her.

Thank you again!

Pam

So that is good news! Yeah Jillian and yeah God!

Now onto other things...
I have a terrible neck-ache! Jones and I got in a car accident today and now I am pissed...What once was a pretty awesome car (You know a silver Hyundai Accent, just about the coolest car you can get.) is no longer so. It has a completely smashed hood and front bumper. Add that to the fact that it is scary to crash with your child (he is ok but has abrasions on both sides of his neck from the shoulder straps of his car seat.), especially when they get scarred and scream! What started with me being in Portland, looking, trying to see if I had come to the right street, ended up with a rear-ending. My fault. The car in front of the one I hit slammed on their brakes, then he slammed on his and I sorta slammed on mine, but mostly I just plowed into him. Ooops! The moral of this story is...never look to see if you really need to turn, just turn. That's it, just turn and hope it works out good. THE END

Jilli McJillerson

2006-10-13T14:00:00.000-07:00

So here is some news about Jilli before I go out of town...When I get home, hopefully I can go into more detail. Here is the email from my mom:

Dear Friends and Loved Ones,

Praise God! The Echocardiogram results for Jillian have come back with a
much better result then the first EKG indicated. There is some sluggishness
in the valve going into her heart. But it is only a little under the normal
varriance. The fact that she is still having symptoms however has the
doctors a little concerned. She is to under go a fasting blood panel on
friday and a stress EKG on Tuesday of next week. Then she is to see a new
cardiologist sometime the end of the week. From some of the blood work that
was done before there is some indication that it might be a virus of some
kind but nothing is certain until the new blood work results are in. She has
been released from "bed rest" and is allowed to go about life but no work
until all the tests are in and she is to REST. She is very releived about
being able to do a few more things. Thank you so much for your prayers and
good wishes. Please continue to hold Jillian up before God. She is still
VERY tired and run down. Her chest still hurts from time to time and she is
still ALWAYS cold, sometimes with blue finger nails.

Thank you all again,

Pam

Have a great weekend!

Where is that thin line between action and bullshit?

2006-10-11T16:14:00.000-07:00

All the comments on Lisa's blog made have a couple thoughts that I typed out real quick...I don't know if you agree with them. It is just my reaction to what I was reading there and what I have been thinking lately about our society in America. I am planning very soon to write another post about the media(I know you are all very excited about this...it is really all my readers favorite topic that I touch on...), and many of theses thoughts that I throw out there might be touched on in the blog to come. But this is just some ramblings...what do you think?
In America I think that the majority of people are not taught to think for themselves. We are coming to a time when most people have always had an over abundance and so are becoming lazy. Lazy in many ways, lazy not just in the physical sense. We are taking for granted the power and the place we are. We are lazy in our minds and the majority of people think not for themselves, but just the thoughts of those before or maybe even worse the thoughts the media gives us. The few who chose to think for themselves are lazy in another way, it seems. We have these strong opinions, we have these beliefs, we call out others on their poor judgment or their awful beliefs, but what do we do about it? A large number of young people don't vote, but a huge majority have very strong opinions about what is right. A scant amount of young people are socially active in their community but they have opinions that they openly share about the evils of our government and the things which people in power should do. Which seems worse? Which seems more hypocritical? The people who have political views which I do not agree with, but who take action on their beliefs , or the people who write articles, blogs (this is totally not talking about Lisa, but just peoples blogs in general), and complain verbally about their beliefs, but it stops there. They have no action. Just bull shit. Isn't that what it makes it? If I have an opinion, a standard of living that I want to hold others too, but only talk about myself...it makes it bullshit. And not just plain bullshit, it makes it hypocritical, unintelligent bullshit. I want to challenge people, not just people, but myself to think of a few things...

Do I have rights to complain and judge others about things, political, religious or otherwise if I myself am doing nothing to be proactive in that area?

Do the things I say I believe show in my life? Or do I say one thing and do another, or nothing at all?

Do I really know why I believe what I do. Did I form this thought on my own, with education and with checking my biases, or am I just spewing words and thoughts that others have fed me?

I feel so frustrated by what I feel is a lack of interest in finding information and deciding on things for one's self ( I think in Lisa's post Tara touched in this topic). I also am becoming more and more frustrated by what I see as the a selfish and lazy way of thinking that is becoming America's norm. Do we as a society hold people to truths? Do we challenge what is fed to us (mainly here I am talking about through the media ~news, commercials, reality show, ect...~ But I also think that what we are taught in school, our religious facilities, families, needs to be thought through) and decide what we believe?
How do thoughts like this effect me personally? How can I as a person come away from a written thought like this and live out what I have typed only in theory. How can I keep myself from creating my own personal hypocritical bullshit?

**How many times can one say bullshit in one post??

Hair....that word is sorta sick huh? Hair...ewww.

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

I need a new hairstyle and I need one bad! I haven't gotten a hair cut in like 4 months and I am going crazy! I need something a little fun and little funky, something super hot and super chic. So what do you suggest? I am up almost anything, except for long...I wont go there. I need color and cut advice...I am almost all natural color and I can't stand it much longer. Give me advice and give it fast.

Here is one idea I came up with...too bold? Too Crazy? Or Super Hot Mama?! What do you really think?

Jillian Dear

2006-10-04T11:04:00.000-07:00

So one of my sisters, Jillian (She is the tall, thin, beautiful one...Oh wait that is both of my sisters!) lives in Australia as a missionary. She loves it and works really hard. She also, just for the record has a really sweet boyfriend named Mark...and guess what ladies he has a real authentic Australian accent. How cute is that?!? Anyway, the real reason I making this post is not to tell you all about my sister's boyfriend (I just had to add that...what girl doesn't want a boyfriend with a hot accent?), but to ask for prayers for her. I will give you a copy of the email my mom sent out:

Jillian has been in Melbourne for three weeksrepresenting AIM and working with the church there. She has not beenfeeling well for several weeks and so went to the doctor. Test were done,including an EKG and it was found that she has something seriously wrongwith her heart. The test was not detailed enough to give much informationjust that there was something wrong and her heart was not pumping all theblood from one of the chambers. Much like a 70 year olds persons, is whatshe was told. Jillian and the coordinator at Gosford decide it would be bestfor her to return to Gosford so that she could see a specialist in Sydneyand have more detailed tests. She flew there yesterday and had anechocardiogram. The results will be sent to the Doctor in 5 working daysand she will see the cardiologist them. Please pray for an accuratediagnosis. Pray for Jillian's strength and peace of mind. She is justresting in the Lord right now but is a long way from home and a littlenervous. If you want to send her prayers and love send your e-mails toauzzyaimer@hotmail.com if you have questions please send those to me attonypam@centurytel.net. Thank you so much for your love and prayers onbehalf of our daughter.

So as you can see, my 20 year old sister is having some major heart problems and needs everyones prayers! I will keep everyone updated. Thank you!

A good green bean

2006-09-21T13:22:00.000-07:00

Every once in a while Jones will go on a hunger strike. He is very active in politics and believes that is the best way to stick it to the man. Ok really, he just goes on hunger strikes when he is teething and we just pretend he is being brave for a cause he believes in. Whenever he is on one of his strikes we like to tell anyone who he refuses food from about his strike and why he is having it. Here are some of the reasons:

Breast cancer awareness
Peace in the middle east
Acapella music only at Renovatus
Capitalism
Capitol one
Capitol hill

You know your average run of the mill hunger strike. We believe someday he will be a great leader.

But seriously, now he is on one of his hunger strikes. When he wont eat for a couple days we can occasionally trick him into eating one of his two favorite foods, plain rice cakes and green beans. Plain green beans, slightly cooked, long so he can hold one in each hand while he plays. Here is a couple pictures of my boys eatting their green beans yesterday. Aren't they the cutest?!

potent potables for $100

2006-09-17T21:39:00.000-07:00

Ryan and I have been having an on-going conversation these days about something very important. When I tell you all what it is, I know without a shadow of a doubt that you will agree to it's level of high priority. It's something we can't figure out and I hope you all can help. Here is goes...

How does one go about being quoted? You know...you google "famous quotes" or "quotable quotes" and you come up with websites filled with thousands of quotes from people. Some people are famous, but a lot are just names that no-one or rarely anyone has heard of. I, no we, want to be some of those people. I know I can come up with somethings people will want to repeat in their speeches or at least in greeting cards. How can I go about doing this and most importantly is there any money involved?

There is my question for you. Answer it and answer it well.

Oh! I just had another idea. If you got to be quoted what would you say? This could be fun! The winner might just get their quote on my blog. Oh yeah, that is what I am gonna do. The winner will be quoted here on my blog and it will be good...real good. A-ooo, let the games begin!

Boob-lick

2006-09-15T13:57:00.000-07:00

I used to be a pre-school teacher. We had some stuff that the kids loved to play with called oo-blick (cornstarch and water). It's pretty cool, kind of feels wet and sticky, yet dry and powdery all at the same time. One little boy in my class loved oo-blick more than anything else, everyday he would ask to play with it. This is how that conversation sounded.

"Teacher Jessica, do you have any Boob-lick?"
"Yes J I can get some oo-blick out for you."
"Thank you Teacher Jessica, Boob-lick is my favorite! I love to play with the Boob-lick."

Boob-lick Cool.

Turkey day...go away

2006-09-11T22:19:00.001-07:00

Thanksgiving...Hmmm...I think I am un-American, let me explain.

Thanksgiving is truly one of my least favorite times of the year. I am reminded of this every fall when all of the turkey decorations arrive. I don't want to be a downer, but seriously, this holiday has come to represent some not so desirable attributes of the American society. Several of you have heard me talk about this before, but this is my blog and I will talk about it some more.
Every Thanksgiving thousands upon thousands of people get together. They cook tons of food, so much food that most have an assortment to chose from, "Which of the three salads made today shall I eat? I'll just have some of all." They eat more than is normal, more than is healthy. They actually gorge themselves to the point of discomfort "why did I eat that much? It was just so good I couldn't stop." Then they lay around tired from the meal, waiting, waiting until the evening so they can eat again "left overs and turkey sandwiches". That is what the day is, that is what it is all about...Eating...Unhealthy, gorging, over eating. How does this represent America?

We have so much. We have more than enough and we don't even realize it. We want more and when we get it, it just feeds the desire to for more things. We want more toys, more things, we run out of space and need bigger houses to contain our possessions. When we get our houses they are so big that we must get more things to fill them. We have an over abundance and how do we choice to celebrate this? By buying, making, and devouring more food than is even healthy. It just feeds our self centered greed and lust for more.

BUT....

What if Thanksgiving didn't have to be like this? What if our way of being thankful and thanking God for all that he has provided and all we have as Americans was by giving to others. What if we helped others? Fed them? Took care of the needs of others who don't have an abundance of crap or any food at all? How about taking it a step farther. What if we gave up something on Thanksgiving and gave it to someone who needed it. A sacrificial thank you, one that actually meant something because it had a cost? Maybe we should go without a meal and give our food to those who are hungry. Can you imagine giving your feast to someone who was starving! Now
that is something I could enjoy doing on a day designed to be thankful for God's provision.

Sometimes I wonder if we could start to change the ideals of our country just by changing how we ourselves chose to live. I want to chose to be thankful in a way that will change the lives of others and give to them what I have and I want to teach that to my children. That would be cool.

If I could have just one person...

2006-09-04T22:43:00.000-07:00

If I could have just one person to do my bidding it would be a cook. I don't mind cooking too much if I know what to cook and don't have to do the dishes, but seriously, how often does that happen? If I had a cooking slave, i.e. chef who could make me whatever I wanted to eat and would then clean up his/her own mess I would be so happy! I would clean the rest of my house (seriously sweet heart, I would even pick up my clothes!), I would scrub the toilets. Oh to have a chef! Oh to not have to wash my dishes that are piled high in my sink and overflowing onto all of my counters. I think I know what I am going to ask Santa for...I can't wait for Christmas!

If you could have one person what would they do??

P.S. If this guy was my chef I think he would always sing and talk like Mario from Nintendo...Infact I know he would, because I would make him. He is my cook person I can do with him as I want.

Meditation

2006-09-01T10:55:00.000-07:00

For a while I am going to try to have a more directed study time (and hopefully get into a better habit or routine of quiet times), I am going to focus every month on a new spiritual discipline. The purpose being to be able to learn how to connect with God in different ways and to grow my relationship with Him. This month is meditation. What do you know about it? What are your experiences with it? Got any good books?

You are one today

2006-08-25T22:47:00.000-07:00

My precious son,
I can’t believe a whole year has gone by. You are no longer my little baby boy, you are now my running, growling toddler. I sometimes miss my tiny little boy, but when I see whom you have developed into, I would never go back. You have grown so fast. Realizing this has made me want to slow down even more, to write down all you do, and to focus more on the quality time I spend with you. You my son are more precious to me than I can put into words. Do you know that besides your dad, you are the biggest blessing God has ever given to me? Everyday I thank Him for you and pray that I can love you more fully, the way He loves you. Here is my pray for you on your birthday:

May you above all else love God with your whole heart. May you always seek Him, seeing His beauty in all areas of your life. May your relationship with Him be the most important thing in your life and may everything else stem from that dependence on Him.
I pray that you see yourself how He sees you, perfect, beautiful, a masterpiece. I ask that you believe Him when he says that you were created in His image and that he formed you into who He wants you to be. You my child were created, specially design by the maker of heaven and earth, take Joy in that.
You have been blessed with such a sweet spirit and love for people; I pray that you let that grow in you and do not let it get destroyed by the things you will experience. May you love others with the same love that God has shown you.
May this next year of your life be blessed with many beautiful things.

Jones I want you to know you are my special boy. You will always have a place in my heart that no one else can fill. I love you so much!

Love forever,
Mommy

The Real Deal (but not the real Kara Deal)

2006-08-12T09:41:00.000-07:00

Here is the real invite! What do you think? His birthday cake is gonna be a Jones soda bottle cap, which will be the traditional silver and black. The caps on top usually have "Jones soda co." But it will instead read "Jones first birthday". There will be the big Silver J and the bottom will still say (Sticking with the true bottle cap) "I've got a jones for a Jones". If you don't know what they look like then just go to a groc store and check one out.

A shout out for all the ideas.

2006-08-06T21:49:00.000-07:00

I must say, nice advice ladies...but the husband and I have decided on an idea and I think you might approve of. First though I want to say a few thoughts on the ideas from the previous post...

KK=you get the award for most enthusiastic party ideas. You had some excitement in your voice when you typed that my friend. You also get the award for cutest invite idea. Ticket invites, Love It!

R1=Caterpillar cupcakes, gets me everytime. A straight shot right to the ol' heart.

TT=BOOB + CAKE = LOVE 4 EVER!

RM=Solid advice.

Sorry ladies, but since none of your ideas got chosen I am afraid a "shot out" is all you're gonna get. I also think I might just wait to show you my birthday idea until we get it finished. (And those of you I have told, don't tell yet, I want to make it look good first.) You all are gonna love it!
Now onto other things...
I am at a point right now where I am afraid I wont be able to post much. ( i know, you are thinking "What is she talking about? She barely posts now!") I am going to be very busy this month with my business and so will barely be able to post or comment much. I will miss you all, but I will be back. Do not worry my beloved blogmunnity, all we are is dust in the wind.

peace out suckas!

2006-08-05T11:48:00.000-07:00

What about this for a birthday invite/theme:
In the end we decided against it because it was more for us than for Jones.

I need a little help...got any ideas?

2006-08-04T21:27:00.000-07:00

(Jonesy less than 24 hrs. old, almost a year ago!)

So I just accidentally posted just a title. I thought that was funny, so I left it. Ha. It is still making me laugh and I don't know why.
On to the help that is needed...

My son is turning one this month (I am very excited and yet a little disturbed by the fact that I will soon have a toddler. What the crap am I doing with one of those?) and I am have birthday party for him. It will be at the park that we love and go to several times a week. It is on a Sunday afternoon (the 20th to be exact). The park is usually pretty busy then, but it is the only time we can have it. It's 2-4:30/5:ish. (By the way you are all invited if you want to come...though not many of you live close.) It will be snacks and bubbles and some kind of cute cake...you know a 1 year old b-day. I am having trouble with a theme! I know, I know, there wont be much to have a theme with (it's outside, just snacks...so pretty much just the cake, invites, and table decor will be themed.), but it is the first one and it has to be a good one. I don't want the usual...Pastels, pooh, ect. Here are my thoughts so far:

Pirates (ex:skull and cross bone cup cakes)
Bugs(ex:Caterpillar cake)
Puppies (Just because he loves them...but it is almost too trendy for me)
Farm yard style(Chick cake)
???? (Coolest coloring page ever!)

See not much. I need something good...and I need it by like Monday/Tuesday by the latest. The sooner the better. The person who gives the best advice gets a prize...I am not sure what it will be yet...but it will be good. Real. Good. Think my little bloggers think!

Private Parts

2006-07-24T22:22:00.000-07:00

My brother's son Koletin is 3. He is a crazy little guy, a boy through and through. And, like any boy is obsessed with his penis. He's gone through all the stages, driving it around like a stick shift, pulling it out to flash people, asking questions about it, you know, boy stuff. He has however, not really ever paid much attention to his testicles...until the other day. Here's what it looked like: (Koletin=K mom/Ciara=M Dad/Jeremy=D)
K: (In the tub) Hey mom look (points to testicles) There is something in there!
M: Yes Koletin there is.
K: What are they?!
M:They are your balls
K: My balls! I have Balls! What are they for?!
M: Yes you have balls. You need to ask your dad when he gets home what they are for.
Later Jeremy gets home from work
K:Hey dad guess what? I have balls!
D: Yes Koletin you do.
K: What are they for dad? What are my balls for?
D: Well when you get to be a big boy your balls will make you a man.
K: MY BALLS MAKE ME A MAN!!
D: yes Koletin, your balls make you a man.
K:You know what dad? Everyone has a butt.
D:yes Koletin, everyone has a butt.
K:And all boys have penises.
D:Yes all boys have penises
K:And all girls have penises??
D: No, girls have vaginas Koletin.
K: Girls have BAGINAS!
D: Yes girls have vaginas
K:Dad! boys have penises, girls have baginas, and everyone has a butt. huh dad?
D: Yes Koletin that's right.

Two days later (he had been talking with mom about how God made him and gave him a penis)
K: you know what mom? I have balls
M: Yes Koletin you have balls.
K: I have balls because Jesus gave them to me.
M: What?
K: Jesus gave me balls.

To that my dear friends I say Amen....Because it can't get much better than that.

Paying bills

2006-07-17T22:17:00.000-07:00

I have nothing really to write about. Let me think...Hmmm...I had a great day. My husband and I try and work on bills together twice a month. We want to make it something that we don't hate too much and so will do little things to make it better. Example: Today we went to one of our favorite spots (Esther Short Park), got Starbucks, laid on a blanket in the sun and worked on our budget/paid bills for about an hour. It was so fun. Jones slept the whole time (We try and plan things like this around nap) and woke up after we finished, just in time for some swinging. I love my little family...especially my perfect husband. Sometime I will tell you some of the things I love about him.

(This Jonesy at Esther Short in April)