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!

DIY Weekend

This weekend I think I am going to atttempt to paint my washroom. Right now every wall in our house is off-white and it needs some color! I'm going to start with my washroom because Lord knows it needs it! Now whether it gets done or not...we'll have to see, but that's my plan. I'm pretty satisfied with the look of my house overall, with the exception of the washroom. It always seems to get thrashed! The kids throw their dirty clothes all over the place (and Larry does too) along with their play shoes, jackets, sweaters and anything else they don't want to put away. I swear I've cleaned it, and I mean CLEANED IT at least three times in a month. It gets scary! Sometimes we can't even see the floor and it's a good size room, mind you. So, I'm gonna be on the look out for some nice baskets, an area rug, I have the paint and painting supplies and I just might tackle that monster. Maybe if the room looks nice my family will treat it with a little more respect. The good side of this story is that I don't do the laundry. Larry does 85% of it. I do mine and Grace's. He does all the rest: his, Angel's, Alliah's, towels, blankets, sports gear, everything else! I love him so much for that. But! Now we just gotta spruce that room up and maybe (I said MAYBE) I'll help him out every once in a while and suprise him with a washed load of clothes. Maybe! If I do get a chance to get this done I'll post some before and after pictures and you can be the judge. Love you all!

**UPDATE** Didn't happen.

So Yummy

Last year July I decided to quit sodas. I was a Diet Pepsi addict! No exaggeration either. I LOVED Diet Pespi. *I even capitalized the "D" and "P" Did you notice that?* Anyways, I've been drinking unsweetened ice tea or water and up until a few days ago I was cool with that. Until I found my Neuro drinks *notice that "N" is also captialized and I am already referring to it as "my" neuro drink?* There's a little market across the street from my office that I frequent quite a bit and they had these new drinks in stock. I'd never seen these hip looking drinks before and I was in one of my more daring moods so I figured what the heck. It was like one of those moods I get into where I want to dye my hair or even cut it off. It was a more, "I'll drink what I want, when I want" kind of moods. You'd think I'd get a Monster Drink or some other kind of energy drink *since I was being so daring you know*, but the bottle of this drink is what caught my eye. I haven't tried all of them YET but oh, I will. Believe me, I will. The label says they're for adults only and not for pregnant or nursing mothers. That's what I call an adult drink! LOL No, there's no alcohol, but lots of vitamins other junk (okay, well good stuff) to improve memory, mood, circulation, regulate appetite, etc. and in doses that are too much for kiddos. They cost more than a can of soda, or even a bottle of water, but they sure are tasty and look sooooo cool. They're lightly carbonated and pack a punch of flavor. I love to share new passions I discover *wow...passions* so if you see one, try one. I've taken the liberty to name the flavors and copy and paste a little blurb about each one from their website: Fasten your safety belt....

NEURO SONIC - Get smarter, faster and stronger with Neuro Sonic. Neuro Sonic uses L-theanine and caffeine to put your brain into overdrive. Stay focused at work, in school, and anywhere else you want better mental performance. Take control of your life with Neuro Sonic!

NEURO SLEEP - Stop suffering from a poor night's sleep or jet lag. Neuro Sleep uses Magnesium and Melatonin to help you sleep better and wake up refreshed. Never lag through the day after a bad night's sleep again with Neuro Sleep!

NEURO TRIM - Stop wasting your time on fad diets, pills and cheesy exercise videos. Lose weight the healthy and safe way with Neuro Trim and a consistent exercise routine. Neuro Trim helps control appetite with LuraLean fiber, which provides a feeling of fullness and reduces food cravings. Be happy when you look in the mirror with Neuro Trim.

NEURO GASM - Keep the good times rolling with Neuro Gasm. Neuro Gasm utilizes L-arginine and L-citrulline to improve a healthy blood flow, improve performance and keep you at your best when you need it the most. Whether it is in the office, in the club or in the after party, Neuro Gasm can keep the party going all night long! (from the website! Not my words....)

NEURO AQUA - From the heavens to your body. Pure Adobe Spring water with the Earth's essential mineral, Magnesium. A perfect combination to revitalize.

NEURO BLISS - Ace the day with a smile with Neuro Bliss. Neuro Bliss is happiness in a bottle with L-theanine that promotes relaxation and improves mood. Don't let work, traffic, tests or any other stressors in your life get you down. Rise above it with Neuro bliss. (Had this one today!)

NEURO SPORT - Take your workout to the next level with Neuro Sport. Neuro Sport combines all four critical electrolytes to quickly rehydrate and replace lost minerals. Perform at your best and provide the body with the minerals it needs for proper hydration and recovery.

TRY IT....YOU MIGHT LIKE IT! There's a party on my palate, so yummy, so yummy!

Adoption Is Final

On Wednesday, February 24, 2010, Judge Mark E. Hood finalized the Adoption of Miss Grace and we officially welcomed her into the family. Gracie has been with us since she was 2 days old, but we still had social workers and family resource workers coming in and out of our lives to make sure we were taking good care of Grace. We always considered her ours forever but now it's written in stone and unchangeable! I, personally, am glad I won't be called "Mrs. Doe" at appointments and meetings we went to for Grace. I laughed so hard the first time a nurse called me "Mrs. Doe." Poor thing was so embarrassed! Larry's mom and step-father, Silvia and David, went with Larry, me, Angel, Alliah and Grace to the Monterey Courthouse as we stepped into another wonderful new journey of raising another child for Jesus!


My daily prayer is that she grows to know and love the Lord, having a true and lasting relationship with Him. Larry's and my prayer for all our kids is that they won't face the challenges and hardships we hear other adopted children have experienced. We know they will have questions as they grow older, but we are trusting God to fill the hole they might feel in their heart and to give us the wisdom to answer questions they may have or just be there when they don't want to talk but just "be." There's a saying that reads, "You may not have grown under my heart, but you're growing in it." And that is the truth! Sometimes I just stop and look at these kids in amazement! What true gifts from God - totally undeserved, but so welcomed. The following Friday night my family put together a little dinner at my house with a beautiful cake. Grace is our breath of fresh air, our sunshine in the rain, the hot fudge on our sundaes LOL She makes this family complete. I can't wait to see what God has in store for all three of our kids. May we have the wisdom to raise them in His paths of righteousness in love, patience and God's guidance. God reminds us that they were created for us, and for a reason. He has a plan for their lives and He has given us the privilege to train them in the ways of the Lord and ensure that they fulfill the destiny God has planned for them. There's just too much to say in trying to express the gratefulness that is overflowing in my heart. All we can say is "We Love You Lord and We Are So Very Thankful."

The Crazy Sleeper

This is how we found Grace the other morning. Grace is such a good baby and sleeps in her crib every night. She never did like the 'caged in' feeling of her crib so we took the front gate off. Now it looks like a little toddler bed, or even better yet, a day bed! LOL So now Grace has learned how to get down off her 'day bed' when she's ready to get up. Well, it was about 6am when I got up to turn on the heater so the house would be warm when my babies woke up. As I passed by Gracie's room, I stopped in the doorway and glanced towards her crib. The house was still pretty dark, and I didn't see her! I looked down and there she was. You can see in the picture the baby gate thing we put in her doorway so she doesn't wake up before one of us and head down the stairs. It looked to us that she got down from her bed, and started playing with her toys and then passed out again. You can see one of her little lego pieces outside of the doorway. That wasn't there when we went to bed! I called Larry out of bed and said, "You have gotta see this!" While he was laughing his head off, I grabbed my cell phone and snapped the picture *so glad for flash*. This girl is constantly cracking us up. My kids are definitely what we call 'Free Entertainment!'

Thanks

Well, we're back...reporting from our home sweet home, all cozy and warm in the miraculous quite of our living room. I'm sitting here in the recliner feeling relaxed, un-stressed and quite full from the delicous dinner we just finished. Man, we've been through A LOT these last few weeks but we've made it through, by God's mercy and grace. First, I want to say thank you to all of you who have been praying for our family during this rough season. Some of you intimately know the trials we've been facing and others of you have just stood in the gap, praying for us with the faith that God would see us through whatever it was. He's been faithful. Even when we don't understand what in the world (or heaven) He's doing, we have no other choice but to trust Him. Remember that old song, "Where could I go, oh where could I go, needing a refuge for my soul...where could I go but to the Lord?" We put our trust in Jesus and stand firm on the belief that He knows better than we do and that He does use all things to benefit those who love Him - and that would be us! While traveling through these storms, feeling like we're dogding bolts of lightning, we have had several rays of sunshine hover over our ship. I'll write about that in my another post. But for now, I just wanted to say thank you for your prayers, for your friendship, for your kind and caring words/emails/texts *LOL* and again, your friendship. I'll type atcha' again soon. And in those inspirational words of Tigger, "Ta-ta for now!"