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Elf Yourself 2010

Our Little Mashed Potato Head

While we were putting up the Christmas tree in the family room we thought it best to let Grace eat her dinner in the living room to keep her safely out of harms way. We got a monstrocious tree this year and it would definitely do some damage if it fell on her. So we strapped her into her chair, gave her her dinner and juice, turned on the Sprout channel and then went to work putting up our Christmas tree. Needless to say, Grace found an interesting way to keep herself entertained while we were trying to get a 10 foot tree to stand up straight in the Christmas tree stand. About 10 minutes later, I asked Angel to peek in on Gracie, just to make sure she was okay. I'd heard her laughing and thought she was laughing at the cartoons that were on. But, no. He walked through the kitchen and into the living room and I heard a...."Uh, Mom?! You better come take a look at this!" THIS is what we found! LOL

She liked her mashed potatoes so much, she decided to WEAR them! btw...we discovered that mashed potatoes are a great conditioner for your hair! Her hair was so soft & silky after a good rinse :)

It's Gone...

This afternoon we said good-bye to our beautiful piano. We gave it to a woman from Montereyfreecycle.com It was just too big for our living room and our church is giving me a smaller piano they have in storage.

It's a bittersweet feeling.... many, many hours of worship were played on that piano *big sigh* but I'm looking forward to wearing down the keys of the piano that's yet to come. Soon, very soon....

Gracie's Papa D

What a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday we had. We spent four days in Clovis with all of Larry's family. It was so wonderful to get together and enjoy one another's company. Angel spent the entire weekend with Daniel at Tia Diane & Uncle Joe's house. I think my son would leave me in a heartbeat to stay with them for a few months. He's assured me that he would never want to leave us, but I dunno 'bout that one. He loves his cousin Daniel and both boys *cry* when they have to leave eachother. Alliah loves to hang out with cousins Alexis, Santana and Amy. Uncle Tommy and Lori are gracious enough to add one more girl to their clan and they take Alliah in. Little Miss Gracie is stuck with mommy and daddy ~ although Grandma Silvia tries to keep her most of the day. The funniest part of this trip to Fresno was Grace. As we were packing the car, getting ready to leave, we made the mistake of telling Grace we were going to visit Papa. Papa D (David) is Gracie's most favorite person *next to mommy* :) She cried the en-tire way there. She did laugh at Angel and Alliah a few times as they tried to amuse her anyway they could. Yes, she'd laugh or get distracted for a few minutes then she went right back to crying, "Paaaa-paaa!" She did this all the way to Los Banos. We stopped and got some ice cream there so she took a break from the constant whining. But once we got back in the car, the crying continued all the way to Madera - when she finally fell asleep. She tired herself OUT! We stay at David & Silvia's trailerhome while in Clovis. They live with Tia Sandy & Uncle Laz most of the time so their trailer is always available when we visit. We arrived at Papa's trailer about 11:30pm and Grandma Silvia tried to wake Grace up. She kissed Gracie all over, raised her arms in the air, took off her shoes, turned on lights, but Grace was not about to wake up anytime soon. Finally, at about 12:30AM we went to bed. At 8am the next morning,guess the first thing out of Gracie's mouth? "Papa!" Thankfully, Papa and Grandma came over early to see the kids and Grace jumped with excitement and ran into Papa D's arms. Each day there, she was inseparable from David. She would wrap her arms around his legs - he could barely walk! Then she'd move over to Grandma Silvia's arms and just nestle her little head on Grandma's shoulder. After we returned home Grace began to really miss Papa D. Even in her sleep she'd cry and yell "Papa!" I had to wake her up one night because she was so upset. We called David the next day to tell him and he couldn't believe it. He sounded so happy that she loves him so much - and THAT she does! Grace spent the first 11 months of her life falling asleep in his arms so she's got his name written all over her heart! :) Another thing to be thankful for this season....Grandparents and family who love us so much and whom we love even more!

My Blessed Life

There's a story in the bible about a woman named Hannah who wanted a child more than anything in the world. For years Hannah prayed and asked the Lord to grant her her hearts desire and, finally, in His perfect time, the Lord answered her prayer. While she waited, I'm sure Hannah tried her best to live happily with the husband she had and to live content with the life she was living. But there still remained a longing in Hannah's heart to nuture, to mold, to teach, to hold, to love a child. Like many women, as a young girl, Hannah must have dreamed about the child she would someday hold in her arms. I can imagine her closing her eyes wondering what it would be like to hear her baby's laughter as she kissed his cheek, to smell the fragrance of her newborn's skin, to feel her babe burrowing into her chest, feeling a tiny hand grab tightly onto her finger. To hear the words "Mama" sing across beautiful, little baby lips and the cry that could only be comforted by her would be her dream come true. As she walked through the market, she would watch the little ones dancing through the street, excited for the yummy treats their mommies were getting for them to eat. While going to fetch water from the well, she'd be the first one to offer help to a struggling mommy. She'd jumped at any chance she could get to hold any little one in her arms. Everywhere she went, it was the children Hannah noticed most. With each passing year, the yearning inside Hannah's heart grew stronger and stronger. While she tried her best to be happy, some days would be too much to handle. Tears would flow from her eyes no matter how hard she tried to keep them back. Her husband would ask, "Aren't I enough, Hannah?" She wanted to scream YES! but inside she would say "I wish you were." She loved her husband and she loved the Lord, and I'm sure she did her very best to be thankful. But deep inside, she was empty, undone, unfullfilled.

I was like Hannah. For years I wanted to have a child of my own. I gave every ounce of energy I had to my neices and nephews, my friends' kids, even the kids in my neighborhood. But my heart would break into pieces when one would fall or hurt himself, or get scared, and only his mommy could quiet the tears. I wanted to have a child that only I could comfort. I wanted to be the one a child would run to when he was scared. I had so much love to give and I was more than ready to do the work. Finally, after 12 years of trying, crying, waiting, frustration, anger...the Lord answered my prayers. Angel. Alliah. Grace. These three have created My Blessed Life. The love that has been created within mine and Larry's hearts is undescribable. These three kids have filled out mouths with laughter and have put unwritten melodies in our hearts. There's nothing sweeter than hearing "Maaaawwwwwmmmmm" being screamed down the stairs. There's nothing greater than seeing a proud smile on a face that just brought home an A+ on a test. There's nothing more precious than looking in on my sweet babies as they sleep, all tucked-in in their beds. I have waited for this all my life.

This Thanksgiving Season I have chosen to slow down, take a break-and a breather-from all the hustle and bustle the Season brings to thank God for listening. My children are what I am most thankful for. I am so thankful to God for holding onto me when I was questioning Him and blaming Him while we waited. He was full of undertanding when I was so angry with Him. He knew all along that there were three shining stars out there that He had created just for me. He knew my babies while in their mother's wombs (their birthmother's wombs) and He was with them when they took their first breaths. His angel's danced over them with singing the day they were born. He cared for them and watched over them until they found their way to my heart. Now, He has entrusted their little lives to us. I pray that God will continue to equip me and Larry to raise up children who will love God with all their hearts, love people and be filled with compassion for the world around them. As in the words of Hannah, "For this child I have prayed and the Lord has answered my prayer." Thank you, Lord, for your many blessings...but especially for my children.

Love & Logic

So I'm taking a parenting class on Tuesday nights called, "Parenting Your Kids With Love & Logic." The premise of the class is raising kids that think. They think about their actions, and the rewards or consequences that will follow. It's about learning to give your children choices. Choices that I, as the parent, can live with. "Do you want to wear your red coat, or your blue coat?" The point is the child WILL wear a coat, but they get to choose which one. As for elementary kids, "Do you want to do homework before you get your snack or after?" The kids WILL do homework, but they get to chose when. As teens? Do you think you can be home by 9pm or is 9:30 better for you? The point? The teen will be in the door before 10pm. It's a really interesting class that gives parenting techniques that not only save lots of arguing and frustration, but it also keeps the responsibility on the child. If the parent has a problem with the kids' actions, it soon needs to become the child's problem. It encourages parents to take care of themselves and limit confrontations, yelling and repeating yourself over and over and over. I have used these techniques with my kids for the last four weeks that I've been in class. Here's how it went down:

Angel: Angel has had his Playstation in the car for the last week and a half. I'd asked him to take it out and put it away more than three times. Finally, I said, "If you want to keep your playstation, it needs to be out of the car before bedtime tonight. If you leave it in the car overnight again, you're telling me you don't want it and I can sell it, okay?" He agreed. Unfortunately, my 11 year old son left it in the car overnight, again. I was so sad that he had done that. I picked up the playstation and put it away. He's not asked for it, he hasn't mentioned it, nothing. My poor son is living with the consequences of his actions. He can't yell at me or accuse me of taking it away, because I gave him a choice, and he chose. Now he's playstation-less because of his choice. My response? "How sad, son. I'm sorry you don't have it anymore. I know that must feel really bad." I hugged him and that was it.

Alliah: We were shopping at Target for some church dresses. She's growing like a weed so all her dresses were becoming way too short. There were a few we found on sale so she tried four dresses on. Every one of them looked amazing on her. We put them all in the basket. As we walked down the aisles looking at shampoo, soaps, etc., she remembered she wanted a new journal. I put my newly acquired skills into action. "Well, Alliah, you've chosen four dresses. All of them look really good on you, but you want a new journal also?" She responded with an emphatic YES! I offered a switch. I told her that she could exchange one dress for a journal (they cost just about the same...great sale!) She hesitated. Had I just said, "no", she would have hung her face throughout the store, thus making me mad and putting all the dresses back and her leaving with nothing. Instead, I left it up to her. She stood there in front of the cart, staring at the dresses for about 30 seconds. She chose to put one dress back and pick a new journal. She was as happy as a kite and we had a wonderful time browsing through the aisles of Target together. I didn't chose for her, but I gave her options I was willing to live with. She left with three dresses, a journal, and a thankful attitude. I left with peace of mind.

Grace: Gracie loves TV...she is a TV baby! "Cartoons" is one of her favorite words - and now 'Calliou' is a new favorite word. She LOVES that cartoon and even sings the theme song at the top of her lungs and dances in circles every time it comes on. Calliou was on and after about an hour of watching tv already I wanted the tv off. I sat down on the floor next to Gracie, sang the song along with her then said, "Do you want to watch a little bit (showing her a "little bit" with my fingers) of Calliou or do you want a looooong time (showing her "a long time" by stretching out my arms) of sitting with mamma and reading a book?" I held up one of her favorite books. Now Grace is just 20 months old so I didn't know if she'd understand. She put her pointer finger on her chin, looked up to the ceiling and said, "uhhhhh....BOOK!" She got it! I didn't have to turn the tv "No more," followed by Grace screaming and throwing herself on the floor. She walked over to the tv, turned it off, walked to the couch where we sit to read books, saying "up...book." We sat and read a book, she had snack and went down for a three hour nap afterwards. In just three minutes of offering a choice, I gave myself three hours of quiet.

I am amazed. Not only does this work with children, but with adults, too. I've tried it on Larry (those details I won't share LOL) and even we ended a conversation on a happy note, in what could have been an otherwise compromising conversation. I'm learning everyone needs to feel they control something within their own life. With each choice, they learn to live with the rewards of their choices or the consequences of them. There's no blaming because it was their choice! It sounds so simple, but it's not always simple to do. It takes some practice. I've blown it more than once, but I keep trying! :)

Happy October?

I can't believe it's almost the end of October already. Time is flying by faster than it normally does. This can be attributed to the fact that we have been one busy family. We've been working at the church quite a bit. It's the end of the year so there' lots going on. Also, I've started working 4 days a week now instead of three and longer hours. My old work schedule was Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday from 8 to 3 a.k.a "Spoiled Hours." Now I work Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday from 8 to 4 a.k.a. "Normal Hours." Some friends of mine work M-F 8-5 and sometimes 6 at night! Hats off to them, really. I don't think I could handle that with work, three kids, one Tuesday night class, church work, housecleaning, grocery buying, and I can't leave out reading a book here and there to my kids! How do they do it?! Whenever people ask me to do something it's usually followed by a, "IF you have any time" or "in your SPARE time" said sarcastically. When I hear people say that it makes to stop and think, "dang, I AM really busy. No wonder I'm dead tired all the time!" I think partly to blame is that I've started staying up late again. And I've been drinking too much diet pepsi again. I was in such a good habit of going to bed at 9pm and waking up between 5-6am...taking my time in the morning, loving it! Now? I'm tired, stressed out, frustrated with some things going on in life that are beyond my own control, and feel irritated that things that I saw some progress in seem to be regressing. All the while, I try to keep a happy face and a sweet disposition with my kids and husband but inside just about to crumble. Now, I know I'm just being plain honest here today. I think I've turned this blog session into a "Kristie Needs To Vent" session. Sorry about that. Anywho....now you know how to pray for me!! LOL I need strength, some encouragement, some laughter, something! *sigh* What's a girl to do...

Daddy's Girls

Total Knock Out

Grace. What more can I say about this adorable little bug that I call all mine? It amazes me how much she already wants to be like her big sister. Alliah is into putting curlers in her hair at night. Grace sits on the bathroom floor as Alliah lovingly stares at herself, rolling each pink curler around her long, black locks of hair. A few nights ago, Alliah put three curlers in Gracie's hair. Since that night, Grace wants curlers in her hair every night, too. She only puts up with them until bedtime and then they bother her and she yanks them out. I quickly grabbed my phone to click these pics because Gracie just looked too cute for words.


I don't know if you can see the words on her robe pocket, but it says "TOTAL KNOCKOUT." I took this pic just before we left to pick up Angel and Alliah from Awanas. This second pic is from when we got home. Car rides always knock Grace out. Here you can definitely see she was "knocked out." And she was out all night - 11 hours of sleep! Hallelujah! This mommy finally got a good, full nights rest too. But isn't she just adorable???

Labor Day Weekend

Some ventured out into the wild blue yonder: sleeping in tents, counting the stars, fishing in the lake, gathering around the campfire at dusk. Others enjoyed a delicious barbecued steak and corn on the cob fresh off the grill with friends and family. Others went out to eat a yummy meal and caught a matinee at the movies, with popcorn and soda and jujubees. Me? I stayed home. In my pajamas. All day. I watched about a zillions shows on the Food Network and then did some baking (of course!) Don't get me wrong, it was a great weekend! I did exactly what I wanted to do: NOTHING. My sister Liz and her family are staying with us for a few weeks while their new house is getting ready so we always have fun when we're together. We could just sit on the couch, eating ice cream, and talk and it would be fun. We always end up laughing about something - even though we both could cry too. This Labor Day weekend didn't fly by, nor did it lag. It just was. And it was exactly what I needed!

The What If's

If I had never became a mother...
I wouldn't have to wonder "Is that chocolate or is that poop?"

If I had never became a mother...
I would never have to use the bathroom or shower with the door open

If I had never became a mother...
I wouldn't step on legos with every step, causing me to scream out in pain

If I had never became a mother...
I wouldn't have gained this spare tire that I carry around the space where my tummy used to be.

If I had never became a mother...
I wouldn't have to buy Handi Snacks and Goldfish crackers by the pound.

If I had never became a mother...
I wouldn't have had the pleasure of pulling the back on someones pants open to see if they pooped.

If I had never became a mother...
I wouldn't have to buy an entire new wardrobe for them while I, myself, make do with one good pair of jeans and one cardigan.

If I had never became a mother...
I wouldn't have sat up until the wee hours of the morning lulling a crying baby to sleep when all I wanted to do was cry myself.

If I had never became a mother...
I would never have eaten so many cold meals in my life.

***************

If I had never became a mother...
I wouldn't get to see young minds grow and discover the beauty of the earth

If I had never became a mother...
I wouldn't have three sweet little warm bodies who find no greater joy than crawling into bed with their Mama for a good morning snuggle.

If I had never became a mother...
I would never know how proud I could feel when someone does something that seems so small.

If I had never became a mother...
I never would have had another beating heart lay so close to my very own, literally.

The 1st of the Month

Happy September! That's it for today.

Alliah Turns Nine!

My Alliah is now NINE years old! Where did the time go? Yesterday (Sunday) we invited our family over for lunch to celebrate the life of this special little girl. As Alliah was trapsing all over the house, grinning from ear to ear with excitement, I couldn't help but feel overwhelming thankfulness to God for this little one. I know that God has big plans for my girl and I am so thankful that Alliah has the desire to find out what they are. We started the morning off at church. Since it was Alliah's birthday I invited her to sing with me and the worship team. She was elated! She usually sits on the front row and sings as loud as she can. But for her birthday, she stood on that stage with the other singers and sang her little heart out. With a mic! It was so cute when she'd come in too early or hold the note longer than she should have. She'd be up there singing every Sunday if she could. After church, and all the hugs and gifts from people at church, we headed home to prepare for the family coming to visit. Alliah was so helpful and wanted to make sure everything was just right. We decorated the house with a butterfly theme in purples and pinks. Balloons and gifts filled the living room. We had shredded beef tacos with my homemade pico de gallo salsa, Tia Liz made mexican rice, and Tia Nicole made a macaroni salad. Larry also made his infamous guacamole...it was all sooo delcious.

As we all gathered around the table to sing "Happy Birthday" and blow candles, my heart skipped a beat when I looked at Alliah and saw the beautiful young lady she suddenly became. Yes, she's only nine, but when I think of that little toddler that came and stole our hearts at just three years old, tears began to well up in my eyes. Not seeing anymore baby features made me want to cry. But then when I thought of the gifts she asked for? Alliah didn't want Barbies or Polly Pocket. She wanted nail polish, CDs, skinny jeans! I think Tia Nicole's gift hit the top ten list Alliah had in her head: hoop earrings! My little girl is growing up. And fast. Her daddy just about hit the roof when the neighborhood boys came knocking on the door asking if they could come in and wish Alliah a happy birthday (makes me laugh just typing this LOL). Larry quickly answered with a "NO, and go home!" Really, he did. We have got one beautiful girl on our hands...and boys are starting to notice! I feel sorry for them because they got Larry to deal with. Thankfully, I don't have to worry one bit in that department. Larry has got it covered! Even if she is THINKING about noticing boys? Larry will scare every one of them away with just a look. It's already happening!!

Alliah is a true servant. A caring, compassionate, wonderful girl who does her best in everything she does. I don't know what lies ahead for her, but I will do my best to teach her, tell her, exemplify to her what it means to serve the Lord whole-heartedly and walk in His ways. Thank you Lord for my Alliah. May we do all you instruct us to do so she will walk in the paths You have ordained for her to follow. Happy Birthday Alliah!

Baby Bell

This is a pic of the Beauty and the Beast Bell Cake I custom made for my neice Isabella's 2nd Birthday!

August 30th is my neice Isabella's 2nd Birthday. Bella is a total love! Her and I can sit and sing for days! Literrally. The girl LOVES to sing and loves music, just like me :) This weekend was her Princess Party and what a great time we had! I made this Beauty and the Beast Bell Birthday cake just for her. Fermin and Crystal's mouths just about dropped to the floor when they saw it. Made me sooo happy! I made a mock cake a couple of days before, but this one came out so much better than the first. I am very pleased!


Here's the back....I was so happy with the way the piping and the roses came out. Anyting for my Bell, Bell. Happy Birthday Sweetness!

Baby Tattoos

Grace has discovered that she can pull the dining room chairs out from under the table and climb up them to grab any and all object we have intentionally tried to keep out of her reach. That includes pens. I don't know what we were all doing, but obviously, we were not watching Grace. Next thing we know, we glance over at the table & Gracie is looking down, concentrating on her project.


She was giving herself a tattoo with a blue ink pen. Larry and I just started laughing, asking her what she was doing. She gave us this mischevious smiled and raised her arm showing us what she thought was her beautiful artwork, all up and down her arm. To top that off, there was perfectly clean sheets of white paper right in front of her! But she chose to draw on her arm instead. Yes, she was so proud of what she had accomplished.

Happy Birthday Felicia

This is an adorable pic of my neice Felicia. Miss Felica turned 13 today and I can hardly believe it. Felcia is a one-of-a-kind girl. She blesses me so much just by being who she is. #1 She loves the Lord with all her heart. There are "teens" (OMG I can't believe she's a "teen")...anyways, there are teens out there who *say* they love the Lord, but with Felicia, she not only says it, but lives it. She does her best to please the Lord in everything she does; not because anyone tells her to, but because she wants to. #2 She's a worshipper. Felicia can sing and play her piano for HOURS! HOURS I tell you. She kinda drives my sister batty with it, but I totally understand. I can do the same thing. She wants to be worship leader some day. As her Godmother *and mentor*, it gladdens my heart to see her strive for such a goal. She has the heart, the voice, the talents, and the desire...she can do it! And #3 She loves. I don't think I've ever heard Felicia say one unkind word. She's never snapped at my kids (although she's had plenty of opportunities) and has always *always* offered to help in any way that she could. Yes, she is a one-of-a-kind young lady. Liz and Jess have done an excellent job teaching her and raising her up to be a compassionate, sincere Lover of God. One more time, Happy Birthday Felica. This Tia loves you with all her heart and then some!!!

Bad Day

Uggghh!! Have you ever had one of those days that you wish you could just check out for a few hours? I'm having one of those today. I don't know why, (well, I do know why) but I just wish I could turn everything off and hear absolutely nothing. I don't want to hear people, not tv, not my own thoughts, no noise! I don't have a headache, but I wish I could just be in complete silence, without any thoughts going through my head. Oh well,,, baby just woke up from her nap. Here we go...

Now It's Officially Over

Today was the last day of sleeping in on a weekeday. Good bye Summer! I haven't been sleeping in at all, but my kids have. Last night Larry let them stay up until 2:15 in the morning! He let them stay up to get all the nighttime bugs out of their systems. Angel was watching ESPN baseball highlights and Alliah was playing some fashion game on her DS. I think Larry fell asleep on the couch, but eventually made it up to bed. I don't know what time that was. But me and Grace? Shoot, we hit the hay at 10pm (which is late for us). I must say that I did sleep in a little bit today. I got up at 7am. I've been waking up between 4-5am so I guess I can call that sleeping in LOL

Tomorrow is the start of a whole new adventure. Larry is taking the kids by the school today to find out who their teachers are and what room they're in. We've already got all the school supplies and haircuts, so he's doing the last thing on the list today: school shoes. I don't mind not being there because the kids pretty much choose what shoes they want and Larry's good about making sure they get the right size. He makes them put both shoes on, lace them up and walk up and down the aisles a couple of times, followed by the infamous "push your thumb into the front of the toe to make sure the shoe really fits." If all that passes, they have found the perfect pair. The only concern I have is that both Larry and I are shoe people. We have lots of shoes. I think I may come home to find a couple of pairs for each kid, AND for Larry. There's a budget, man, a budget! Anywho, we are ready for school! Tonight we start the routine and tomorrow we are out the door running. I better get my comfy shoes out tonight too because it's gonna be one crazy day!

DCB Concert!

Today is the day! I have been counting down the days to hear one of my most favorite bands LIVE in concert: The David Crowder Band. If you live anywhere near me and have seen me driving around town, I'm ususally bopping around in my car listening to this most excellent band. Not everyone is fond of all their music because it can be a little loud, but I Love It! I'm taking my neice Felicia (a fellow music lover) I'll try to post some pics...it's gonna be fun!

What?! It's August?

AUGUST. What does August mean to me? It means the end of summer and the beginning of a new school year. It means I don't have to feel obligated to buy my kids ice cream from the ice cream truck anymore. It means I can send my kids to bed at a decent hour and have a little peace and quiet at night *sigh of relief* I'm a little confused about how I feel about school starting though because it means structure and routine come back to live with us. But! It also means structure and routine COME BACK TO LIVE WITH US! (you have to kind of over-emphasis those words to get what I'm sayin') I am definitely a list person, a 'stay on task' kind of mommy, but getting up to go to work without having to rush the kids off to the bus, making sure they eat something first, homework checking, reading log signing, rushing one kid out of the bathroom so the other can use it is not on my Top 10 list of things to do in the morning, believe me! Currently, I wake up early {real early} when the house is completely silent. I sit on the couch with something warm to drink, open my bible, pray, think, breathe. And it was during that time that I devised a plan. Yes, a strategy! There's got to be more peace in my house in the morning! So I'm gonna keep getting up early, get everybody packed up and prepared the night before...get my stuff all ready, get Gracie's stuff all ready, that way all the kids have to do is get dressed, eat, brush their teeth and go. Bingo! I have FOUND the answer! Now all I have to do is do it. While it SOUNDS easy peasy, it's not. There's always a glich in the plan. Someone falls down the stairs or runs into a wall (seriosly!), but...we gotta stick to the plan!! I was watching "19 and Counting" on TLC last night and I say that woman is just down right crazy! I can barely do three kids everyday. I can't even begin to imagine organzing 19 kids. That's why she homeschools. LOL So, Strategy. That's what this is gonna take and, boy, am I ready!

It's The Last Day of the Month

I can't believe that it is already the 30th of June. Half the year is over. O-VER!!! Christmas is in 178 days for goodness sake!! Well, this Sunday I turn 38 years old. Thirty-eight! I'm feeling good about getting older. This dawn of a new year for me has enlightened me to make some changes though. I decided that just because I'm 38 doesn't mean I can't be fashion forward. I can be in style, can't I? I brought out my big hoop earrings again, and keep my toes painted for some cute peep toe slingbacks. I read a lot *a-lot* of blogs and fellow women bloggers proclaim the same. Why does getting older mean we have to look like old, frumpy bags of coal. These are the changes that I've committed to making:

1. Go to bed earlier. I've made 10pm the maximum time to go to bed.
2. Get up earlier. I'm gonna get up at 5:30am and exercise. Put that elliptical trainer to use!
3. Eat better. I'm really gonna pay more attention to what I'm eating and, more importantly, when I'm eating it. I'm vasilating on the decision of no more sweets after 8pm. {I dunno about that one though}
4. And going back to no more sodas. I stopped drinking sodas for six months and I really was feeling better, my skin looked better, I had more energy.

So, for now...this is what I'm willing to share of my "life make-over." If I think of anything else, I'll blog it to ya. :) (And if there are any crazy errors, like spelling, disregard it because I didn't spell check).

TV Strike

Today, again, we've laid down the law. No more TV. Well, we don't mean no TV at all, just not so much TV. We have a total of four TVs in our house. We have one in the living room, one in the family room, one in our bedroom, one is Gracie's room, oh and one in Angel's room (that makes five, but that only works for the playstation). It seemed like the TVs were on {all the time}. One TV would have shows Larry and I liked, another with sports (Angel) and another with girlie shows for Alliah and Grace. Tonight was the first night we made the change. Angel and Alliah ended up laying out on the couch, playing together on Alliah's DS. Me and Grace just hung out, read books, played dolls. Larry wasn't here...he went to a bible study at church (thus we didn't watch the Giants-Dodgers game) *hee-hee*. We'll see how long this "strike" lasts. Either way, we've once again gained a better perspective on how to spend our evenings. The house was nice and quiet, aside from the bursts of laughter from Angel and Alliah and occassional yell from Grace if I moved her toys. Right now, all the kids have gone to bed and Larry and I sit here enjoying the quiet. Feels so peaceful. I only hear the washer and dryer singing. Kids are asleep, the house is picked up, kitchen is clean, the diaper bag is ready for tomorrow, all is at peace. So, so nice.

They're Baaaaack!

Hooray! My kids are finally back from Fresno. I have missed them so, so much. Granted, the first week was kinda nice. We only had Gracie to take care of and going from three kids down to one was down right easy. *Easy-peasy* Alliah called us every single day and sometimes more than once. Angel called once. He called on Father's Day and it was very late when he called. Angel just has too much fun at Uncle Joe and Tia Diane's house. It is there that he enters the 'mans world' and believe you me, he loves to live there. Tia Diane is only girl in the house. So there's always wrestlings, sports on tv, two dogs to play with, bikes to ride and barbecue to eat. Angel and Daniel get along so well and miss eachother like crazy when they are apart. Alliah spent most of her time traveling from house to house. A couple of days with Alexis, a couple at Lori's with Amy and Santana, a couple at Grandma's trailer, and a couple at Tia Sandys. And that is just perfect for Alliah. Alliah is a mover and a shaker, always ready to get up and out...always on the move (she gets that from her father). When the kids came home yesterday afternoon, we were waiting for them on the front lawn. When Grace saw them get out of Grandma and Grandpa's car she literally jumped up and down screaming, "leah, leah!" Alliah grabbed Gracie up and squeezed the life out of her. Both kids came home with gifts for Grace and hugs for me and Larry. Last night we were all together again watching tv and eating ice cream. Alliah laying on my lap, Gracie on the floor playing with her new toys and Angel spread out on the love seat like a bear in its den. *Deep breath in and out* It felt so good to have all my little chicks back in the hen house. I can't imagine life without my little boogers. It would be just too quite and extremely boring. I love you guys!

My Sweet Lovebug

When I saw these pics I thought Grace looked like she was in a kids fashion magazine. This is the dress I bought for her when we spent the day in Carmel. The name of the boutique is 'Jack-n-Jane.' It's a reversable dress and is quite lovely. Well, then again, Grace can make just about anything look lovely, don't you think? :)

Big Hat!

While visiting family in Fresno, Gracie fell in love with Tia Sandy's hat. This is the hat Tia Sandy wears outside while she's in the pool. Grace must have walked around the house with it on for, at least, a good five minutes. This girl cracks me up! She already picks out her shoes, picks out the jacket she wants to wear and shakes her head "no" if I pick out a pair of pants for her if she doesn't want to wear them.


And she had no problem standing there letting me take her pictures. These two came out the best of the 5-7 pictures we took. She didn't run or fuss. She just stood there smiling, but wanted to see each picture on the camera as I took them. Little Miss Model loves the big hats!

Happy Birthday Larry

This year we decided to celebrate Larry's birthday at home. No restaurants, no big shin-dig. Just family and friends to celebrate this wonderful man. On his actual birthday, which is May 28th, our friends Jose & Yesensia came over for dinner. We ate tri-tip, hotlinks, chili beans, and salad. It is also Yesenia's birthday the same day so we ended the evening with a pie she brought. So tastey! The next day, May 29th, we decided to celebrate again. This time we had my family over. We had delicious tamales, sopa and corn and oh was it sooooo good! Below is the four layer cake I made for my true Love. The whole cake was gone in like two days LOL It was that good! So, again, happy birthday my love. I hope this next year is even better that the last. I love you!

OMG

OMG I can't believe it's been almost a whole month since I've last blogged!! Where has the time flown?! It has been a very busy, busy month. Actually, it's been a very busy last couple of months. Several people have asked me, "Kristie, how do you do all you do?!" I answer by shaking my head side to side saying, "I just do what I gotta do." And ain't that the truth. Thankfully, baseball and softball season are over. Being a team mom was a lot more work than I imagined. It was my first time being the "team mom" and not just "coach's wife." I don't think I'll do that again! Aside from planning the snack list, reminding parents of games and schedule changes, we were picking kids up, dropping them off, referring coach/parent arguements...gees...I volunteered because no one else did. Nope, I don't think I'll do that again. Let's see, what else has been going on...oh! My two kids are in Clovis. Yep, Angel and Alliah are spending some time with the Gonzales' in Clovis, CA, swimming, biking, skating, going to the movies, swimming some more, and of course baking in the 90 degree weather. They are both definitely going to look like adopted children when they get home LOL. When Larry and I left, Alliah was already two shades darker than when we got there LOL Well,time's a'flying and I'm off to the next order of business. More pics and more blogging later! I have more posts to report on...Larry's birthday, Gracie's dancing and more! Check back soon...

The Closer

Above is my baby boy, Angel. Although it's his last year in Mustang, this was Angel's first season pitching. His coach gave him a 45 minute lesson and the next game he was striking out the other team! Not only that, Angel hit his first home run this season and got paid some serious cash...big time. *His daddy was so proud* Because Angel isn't one of our teams' more seasoned pitchers, Larry and I were surprised at Angel's last game. Coach George put Angel on the mound and Angel struck 'em out 1-2-3. So proud of you, Son!

Thank God For Grandma

I am so thankful for my mother-in-law. Silvia and David came to visit for the weekend, and boy did they come just in time. Baby Grace had been sick last week with a tonsil infection and I think my little bug passed her little bug to me. I have spent the last two days in bed. Sore throat, congested, light headed, achy...horrible. And Grandma and Grandpa came to the rescue and made sure all the kiddos (and Larry) ate and did what needed to be done. When they visit, I just love to sit back and watch Grandma Siliva and Grandpa David interact with Grace. I tell ya, the girl can do no wrong in their eyes. Love just oozes out of their hearts for that little girl. Angel and Alliah take it all in, too. Alliah loves when Grandma says, "Come here, mommy, sit with me and keep me warm." She lies next to her on the couch and just cherishes every moment. Angel loves that Grandma keeps his tummy full. She makes sure he's never hungry. And Grandpa David? He keeps all three kids laughing with games, puzzles, stories and whatever else he can come up with. Thankfully, today I'm feeling much better and I know that's thanks to Grandma and Papa. I got to sleep all afternoon yesterday, and until 10am today. They had to go back home this morning, but I am so thankful they were here just at the right time.

The Drama

So all who know us, know that our little Alliah tends to be somewhat dramatic. Oh she knows how to get those water works going in a heartbeat! Well, she's been having a lil' bit of trouble telling the truth. It's not HUGE things she's lyin' about. They are very small, trivial things that wouldn't make that much of a difference to me *if she didn't lie!* I don't remember what it was that she lied about this time, but I told her that she was in big trouble. Immediately the water works turned on and she was IN tears *dying!* She dropped to her knees on the kitchen floor, hands folded up to her chin, begging not to be in trouble. Now, reading this you may think we beat the child, but her punishment is usually going up to her room and staying in there until we tell her she can come out. Now, this isn't too bad of a punishment, I know. But that's until we forget she's up there and she stays in her room for like an hour! *bad mommy* Anyways, this time I held back the "go to your room" line and just stared at her. I was at my wits end on what to do with this lying kid! Alliah just stared back at me like a deer in headlights, flubbing her lips as the tears rolled into her mouth. After about 20 seconds, (while still buckeled down on the kitchen floor) she looked up at me and said, "Whatever you do to me, I'll still love you Mom..." Awww man!! What'd you go and say that for, Alliah? How am I supposed to send you upstairs after hearing that? I called her over to me and hugged her and told her that it wasn't good to lie. I explained *again* that it didn't please the Lord to lie and that she was pleasing the devil "the father of lies" when she did it. She didn't know why she lies. She just knew mama was about to get mad at her and she wanted to fix it - and quick. She HATES for me to be upset with her. Needless to say, that was the end of that. She's told one or two little lies since then, but nothing horrific. I cracked up just yesterday when she said she'd done all her homework and chores. She said yes, then said, "Oh no wait, no I didn't. I lied. I'll go upstairs and do it now, okay Mom?" And she said it with such enthusiasm! I had to let her off the hook. What am I gonna DO with that child???

My Godson

On Mother's Day, May 10, 2010, Larry and I stood beside Nicole and Corwin at their church as they dedicated their baby boy, Elijah, to the Lord. Both Larry and I felt so honored that Corwin and Nicole chose us to be Eli's Godparents. It is now our job to always encourage Nicole and Corwin to raise Eli in the ways of the Lord and to pray for them as they parent this little one. If they fail to do that, we will ensure that Eli knows about the Lord and do everything within our power to see him live his life for Jesus. Nicole and Corwin are such great parents. They are establishing a strong, christian foundation for both their boys that will last forever. "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it." Eli is just so lovable and huggable. He is truly a gift from God and we love him and the Davis clan so very, very much!

My Parents

Isn't this just one of the nicest photos you have ever seen? Yep, that's right. I came from these two. No wonder I came out so beautifully! LOL These two are responsible for making me who I am today. Dad's sense of humor and mom's sense of sensibility have gotten me a long way. Some of the greatest memories I have are growing up in my parents' home, along with my funny, out-going, and sometimes outspoken siblings. Mom and Dad did a great job raising us kids. Now that I have three kids of my own I sit back and wonder, "How the heck did they do with with five of us??" Blows my mind. I never felt like I was a bother or or nuisance. I never felt pushed aside or left unloved. My mom and dad loved me. They loved us all and continue to more and more each day. Now that I'm an adult, I enjoy my parents company more and more. I loved being with mom and dad when I was a child, but through the teen years I sorta wandered. Wanted to be with friends, other family, boys. But they were there all the way through it, just waiting for the day to come that I would long to be with them again. Thankfully, my husband loves my parents and always wants to invite them anywhere we go. Especially if we're not taking the children. So, here's to my beautiful, loving and awesome parents!

"Run For The Roses" Dinner

What a wonderful time we had last Friday night. My mom's church held a "Run For the Roses" dinner and it was fantastic! The whole premise was set on her Pastor's love for Kentucky. That's where he's originally from. His wife got the idea when they wouldn't be able to attend the Kentucky Derby, so they brought the Kentucky Derby to California! There was a 7-course dinner with the most amazing food we've tasted in a very long time. And of course, the hat contest. I made mine and my mother's hats. Didn't they come out beautiful? We had so much fun making them. My little sis Nicole borrowed a hat from a friend and she looked amazing, too. Here's a quick glimpse of the fun we had. AND childcare was included!! How great is THAT?

The Invite Card
Us Lil'Darlin's
Me & Ma

Me & My Gent
Corwin & Nikki
Dad & Mom
My Hat

Sorry the pictures are a little dark, but then again, they're not bad for being taken with my phone. We had such a great time. Hopefully they'll do it again next year!

Gracie Got A Potty!

"And so we begin the next stage, help us Lord!"

Sweet Potato Fries

I made some delicious sweet potato fries for dinner last night. Along with turkey hotdogs and mandrian oranges, it was a good, quick, easy dinner. I absolutely LOVED them fries! I didn't share with the rest of the family that they were not ordinary french fries, so.... When they took a bite, their tastebuds didn't expect what started dancing on the tips of their tongues. While they didn't fall over madly in LOVE with them, they ate them *with ketchup* I always order sweet potato fries from a local restaurant we frequent and can eat baskets and baskets of them in one sitting. But my family? Not so much. I will make them again, because they're healthy and I think taste really good, but I don't think my family is counting down the days on the calendar to eat them again. Try 'em, you might like 'em! Here's the recipe:

Here's What You'll Need:3 large sweet potatoes2 tbs. olive oilsalt & pepper
Directions: Cut the sweet pototes into strips, place in a bowl. Drizzle with oil and season with salt and paper. Lay the strips in a single layer on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper (or aluminum foil with cooking spray). Bake at 450 degrees for 20 minutes. Delicious!

Saturday Morning Shock

I woke up this morning to a peculiarly quiet house. I just laid in bed, eyes closed and heard....nothing. Larry was still asleep, but for some reason the snores that ususally bellow throughout the house were nonexistent. I turned my head and opened my eyes to find a glaring 8:45am on alarm clock. It was just two more minutes of silence later that I heard a faint little, "Mama.... Mama...." It was Grace. Right then and there I said, "thank you Jesus" because the girl has been waking up screaming lately. So I got up out of my warm, warm bed *from under my new comforter that was so heavenly* and I tip-toed over to Gracie's room. She greeted me with the sweetest smile and stretched her arms out for me to pick her up. After changing a smelly pee-pee diaper, she and I headed for downstairs. I was expecting to find Alliah and Angel all tucked in their beds since it was so quiet, but their beds were empty. We walked downstairs and it was there I found them: My two little sports fanatics. Well, Angel is more of a fanatic than Alliah. Angel is what one would call a "sports junkie" while Alliah is the "fanatic." *And this is all because of their FATHER!* I was prepared to find some what they call 'funny cartoons' on the tv, but nope. It was baseball. My son no longer desires to watch cartoons? He's only 10! He prefers the Giants to, to Spongebob??? My Angel thrives on any kind of sport on tv, especially baseball. Ugghhhh....I thought this was supposed to happen when he's like 12 or 13, maybe even 14. And as for Alliah, she loves her brother so much she sits and watches it with him. She does make comments though, asking to change the channel on the commercials, but of course there are sports commercials on in between the real games and God forbid Angel miss something. What is a mom to do when her babies are growing up too fast right before her very eyes? Advice please! I'm not ready for this!

BFFS

Bella came over to play with Gracie and what a GREAT time they have together! Isabella, Fermin & Crystal's daughter, is just 4 months older than Grace and they couldn't not love eachother more. They played for hours, with a couple of hits back and forth, but they got over it and ended up hugging eachother every time. These two will be BFF for sure! Imagine...today they're playing in the back yard and enjoying the swings at the park, and a soon-to-come tomorrow we'll be dropping them off at the mall to go school shopping together. OMG!!!

McDonalds

Yesterday, after dropping Angel off at practice, Daddy decided to take his girls out for ice cream at McDonalds. Larry is such a good dad. He always knows just when his girls need a little extra attention. You can tell by the pictures that they had a great time. Larry and Alliah had their sundaes, with a side of fries, and Gracie had some of my ice cream, along with some of Dad's french fries. These kids are growing so fast and we are taking every opportunity we can to show them they are loved, valued, and treasured. What a fun time together!


Can you see all them teeth??? (Along with a little bit of french fry)

Priceless.

Marina Giants Team Basket

Larry took a year off from coaching this year. But! Since baseball flows through the man's veins, there's no way he could not be involved so we are the team parents. Part of those responsibilities *as if I don't have enough already* is making a team basket for a raffle at the Annual Spaghetti Dinner. This was our basket. While it wasn't quite as elaborate as some of those baskets can get, ours was the classiest. When Angel saw it he asked if I could make him one just like that one for his birthday. To that I say, "That's a homerun for the team parents!" *and that'd be me and Larry* LOL

Sunday Best

I couldn't resist taking this picture of Miss Grace all dolled up for church. A friend from church, Rhonda, blessed Gracie with bags and bags of hand-me-downs. Her daughter Sarah had quite a clothing collection, now passed on to Grace. This dress was one of the many cute outfits given. When Larry saw her all ready to go, he swept her off her feet and covered her with kisses. She looked just adorable, don't you think?

Weekend Sports

We entered week three of the baseball/softball season and what a BLAST we had! On Saturday, Alliah's team wiped out the opposing Monterey softball team. She's still in pre-rookies so everybody bats, everybody plays. There's like 14 girls out on the field and some still have to use the tee. It's so cute the watch. But while most team is just "cute" to watch, there are a couple of girls (including Alliah) who are in their 3rd year of softball and they are good! Here's a pic of Alliah all softballed out.


Angel had his first experience on the pitcher's mound this weekend. Our ususal pitcher was playing at a tournament, so Angel was put on the mound. He did a really good job for his first time pitching in a game. He had one practice the day before and he studied the rule book the same evening. He struck a few out, gave some bases away, but he sure did have his stance down! He looked like a pro out there! Grandma was laughing at how serious our usual joker was out on that mound. We're so proud of you, Son! You did an amazing job!!!

Up to bat: #12 Angel Gonzales of the Marina Giants. Grandpa and Grandma Gonzales, Uncle Jesse, Tia Liz, Felicia, Tia Nicole and Isaiah all came out to see the big game. And Angel did not disappoint. After the game, Grandpa and Grandma took us all out for pizza and soda. What a great family!



Sorry the pics are closer, but they're not bad for being taken with my phone.

Easter Candy

Pictured here is Miss Gracie with a face full of chocolate with her loving Grama Felice who gave it to her. Last Easter Grace was just three months old and not quite old enough to enjoy the treats of the holiday. Well this year? The girl made up for it! She LOVES chocolate. She ate chocolate eggs, chocolate bunnies, chocolate lambs...and drank lots of chocolate milk. Believe me, by 10pm she was bouncing off the walls and then by 11pm, she was OUT! She crashed...and she crashed hard. Angel and Alliah spent Easter week with Larry's side of the family in Clovis. And they had a ball! They went to the movies, went roller skating, played with their cousins, had dance contests, went kite flying and on and on and on. I'm so glad they have so much family who love and care for them so much. As for Larry and me? We enjoyed the quiet week while they were gone. We still had Grace with us, but going from three kids down to one? Piece of cake. I did good until about Thursday night. I was missing Angel and Alliah big time. Larry? Well, let's just say he thoroughly enjoyed the quiet. No baseball or softball practies, no homework checking, no one to remind to do chores or brush their teeth. He enjoyed the empty house to the fullest. Overall, we had a wonderful Easter celebration with family and friends and lots and lots of food. In all of this, the most important part to remember during this holiday is how very thankful we are that the King of kings and Lord of lords took our place in death so we can have His life. For that, and all we have, we thank you, Lord.

Smiles Of Miles

It isn't too often that we catch pictures of Gracie with a big smile on her face. She could be cracking up one minute, we pull out the camera, and she stops smiling! I don't know why, but she does it every time. We're trying to teach her that "CHEEEESE" means *SMILE!* but she crinkles up her nose and shuts her eyes instead. In this first pic she's smiling with an "Okay, you got my attention..." kinda' smile.

In this second one, we couldn't believe we actually captured this! She is cracking up laughing - Daddy succeeded. (And it only took us 15 months to capture a laugh)

And in this third one...she just looked plain cute. (I think Larry was changing a poopy diaper in this one. He was gagging and fanning his face with his hand. Grace thought that was hilarious!) LOL I just couldn't resist posting these!

Vacation Pics

Bills, Bills, Bills

Right now I have that refreshing feeling of just breathing. Have you ever gone through your pile of bills and felt like an elephant was sitting on your shoulder? Or that a horse just kicked you in the back and it's aching? Things have been pretty slow for Larry's business and I'm the only one who's been working. And boy have I been working! Larry's had a few jobs here and there but my poor hubby feels SO bad. With our nation's economy the way it is, people are choosing to put food on the dinner table and keep the lights on before planning a family barbecue on a newly poured concrete patio. I am so thankful that the company I work for is still booming with work and is running quite well. I've had the opportunity to work some extra hours to help make up a little money. In fact, I'm here in my office right now on what would have been a day off. The other side of that coin is making up time for my upcoming vacation. But! I just got off the phone with the mortgage company and paid the bill! The elephant has just jumped off my shoulder and fresh air is now filling my lungs. *I know, I'm a little over dramatic* Yeah, a soft breeze should be blowing through my office door with my hair blowing in the wind and my arms outstretched in pure glee, a smile on my face with a orbit's gum sparkle shining from my teeth LOL I'm so imaginitive =) So, now it's time to get back to work. Have a great day and come back for some vacation photos. Buh-bye!

Vacation's All I Ever Wanted

Hooray! The final countdown has begun. Just one more day until I'm on a 10 day vacation from work, well 9 day vacation to be technically correct. We have a weekend packed with baseball and softball activities (parade, barbecue, games), church on Sunday and then we're off into the wild blue yonder. We're getting away for a few days with the kids - just the five of us. No school, no alarm clocks, no nuthin. Right now it's 11:24pm and I'm pretty sleepy, and vacation sounds like heaven, but I felt like typing a few words here on the blog before going to bed. Had worship team rehearsal tonight - vocals only. It was fun to just "be" with the singers. I did miss our musicians though. They are some of the best people on earth. Well, my eyes are getting heavy, my hands are tired and Larry's snoring on one couch and Grace is snoring on the other. Angel and Alliah went up to bed over 2 hours ago! I am so ready for bed...g'night!

Creative Correction

Tis the season for my kids to start acting up. Why you ask? I have no idea. Maybe it's because with baseball and softball practices, Awanas, school, church, homework, meetings, etc...we're all tired. Angel and Alliah are darn good kids. Compared to some kids that I've seen in the grocery store or at the mall, mine are almost perfect angels. But, then some attitude creeps in, followed by a little laziness, a roll of the eyes or a big sigh when they're asked to do something. To be honest, lately my knee-jerk response is to yell at them or get frustrated and give them a little "growl" (which they don't like very much). I hadn't given MY attitude much thought because I feel like I've been running on fumes of exhaustion lately...UNTIL!! Since the weather has been so beautiful I had all the windows of the house open the other day. I was sitting on the couch giving Grace a snack when I heard a mini-me outside in the backyard. Alliah. She sounded EXACTLY like me...growl and all. She was frustrated with Angel because he wouldn't do what she said and she made a snide remark to him and GROWLED!! Yes, she growled. Is THAT what I sound like? That sounded so awful! So as Gracie chewed up her little rainbowed goldfish I started to think about how I can change my pattern of disciplining my little ones and remembered this awesome book I used to live by. The book is called, "Creative Correction" and let me tell you, it is a keeper. One example of how backwards I've become in disciplining my children is that when they make me mad *okay, I'm being truly honest here* I belt out with a pre-growl, "Go to your room!" Instead, I could say, "You know what Alliah? You're having having a hard time controlling your feelings right now. You're pretty angry. Why don't you come over here with me, hold on to my shirt and you stay here with me until you calm down and I tell you you can let go." I'm not telling my child that her behavior makes me so furious that I don't even want to SEE her but I'm saying that I love her and want her to be near me; I want to help her. I'm showing compassion and when Alliah sees others angry or frustrated I'm hoping she will show the same compassion towards them and be understanding and helpful. I can still go about my chores, but SHE has to make the effort to hang on, not me. SHE'LL have to think about why she has to stay with mom and maybe, just maybe, next time she'll be more kind, more considerate, more thoughtful towards others. Now for my son? I've said it here before, and I'll dare to say it again. The boy is lay-zee. Period. Angel likes to take the shortcut everytime. He does the minimum required, tries to find the easy way out, only do 'exactly' what is asked. If someone asked him to 'go the exta mile' he'd ask where the nearest bus stop was. According to the book, I should sit down with him and tell him that there are a few stories I'd like to share with him. Even though Angel is 10, he still likes to sit near mom and dad *preferrably in the middle* so I think Angel would like this one. So we'd sit down and I'd read him a story about a lazy man in the bible. There are plenty of stories to choose from and all of them end in a not-so-good way. Then I'd read him a story of someone who gave his all, went the extra mile *without a bus pass*, gave a little more than what was expected. And what happens then? God blesses that person and that person is trusted with more and is rewarded! One on one time with Angel would definitely do the trick. Miss Gracie is much to small to receive such discipline, but she sure knows what the word 'no' means. Whenever she doesn't want to do something she points her little finger up in the air and shakes it saying, 'no,no,no.' I will share that the other day she got so mad that I took the tv remote from her she laid herself gently on the ground, looked right at me eye to eye and kicked her feet against the ground. Then she just laid there....waiting to see my response. I stood there: staring eye to eyes, motionless for about 15 seconds. Then I gave her the biggest smile and said, "That's not pretty, Gracie." She clapped her hands together and started laughing as to say, "awe, I just thought I'd try it Mom." Too funny. Then she ran over to me and gave me a big hug and kiss. :o) So, to sum this post up, I'll be re-readig my book and I'll share some of the stories we venture through. They are sure to make your day!

Miss Pots

So much for spending literally hundreds of dollars on new, innovative and imaginative toys for Grace. We've walked the isles of Target and Wal-Mart searching high and low for the best toys and loveliest baby dolls and what does our sweet little lovebug choose to play with the most? My pots! The girl is constantly in the kitchen cabinets taking out every pot and every lid, banging the lids together, or hitting the bottom of the pots with the wooden spoons she takes out of the drawers while yelling, "HHHH-AAAAPPPY BABY!" Sometimes I can barely see my kitchen floor because there are pots, pans, lids, my tupperware, spoons, and kitchen towels EVERYWHERE! Grace has also discovered that she likes to sit in the refrigerator. Yes, I said *IN* the refrigerator. Everytime someone opens the refrigerator door, Grace makes a mad dash to sit inside of it, grab the syrup bottle that is in side door and suck on the cap. Everytime! Now we wait until Grace's isn't looking, run to fridge, open the door, grab what we need, close the door and do it all before she can plant her little bottom on her favorite seat. It really is a marathon. The tune of Chariots of Fire will actually start playing in my head! Who's gonna win...Grace vs. Mommy. If she beats me and makes it inside, it's a screaming match to get her out! I have to puuulllll her out as she throws her head back and kicks and screams like someone's trying to kill her. Not Gracie you ask?! Yeah, it's funny to describe right now, but when dinner's on the stove and Alliah is asking for homework help and Angel's complaining about taking out the trash and Larry's asking when dinner will be ready, I feel like a balloon that's about to pop. Well, it'll either be me, or someone else LOL Anyways, this little girl is a bundle of energy and lately, the kitchen happens to be her favorite place to play!