California Harper Clan

A Lesson Learned

2010-07-14T22:45:00.000-07:00

Last night, my husband had a great idea for date night! We love to change things up and try something new, so why not? :) He signed us up for a group bicycle ride. It included a class on biking etiquette while in a group as well as the how-to's. After the "class" we were to go on an hour (or so) long ride in our group. Sounds fun! Interesting! New! Something to do with my husband! Yippee!

Did I mention that when we pulled up to the bike shop that hosts this event, I began to feel sick to my stomach? I really thought that I was going to lose it as I looked around at all of the EXPERIENCED road bikers. I am a ride-through-the-park kind of girl...not a serious road biker!

So, I held my husband's hand and went inside to attend the class. As I stood there listening to the instruction, I began to panic more and more. As the class was dismissed to go out to our bikes, I began to tremble. And yes, I cried. "Honey, I can't do this! We need to go home!" Panic...that is the best word to describe it. The instructor came up behind me, "What is the problem?" I answered, "I can't do this", as tears were welling up. His response, "Get on your bike. Let's go."

Oh my...we were off. We caught up with the more experienced group who then left us in their dust. The "beginner" group paired up with those that were not so new. Thank heavens for my partner. She was so encouraging! Our task was to get into 2 lines with only 2 feet in between our front tire and the back tire of the person in front of us. We were to be shoulder to shoulder with our partner. This was TERRIFYING! Everything inside me was saying, "Don't ride so close to others! It is not safe!" But while my brain was shouting those words, the instructor was saying, "Kristina (he could not get my name right), watch your gap! Catch up! Come on!" This continued for 20 miles....the most stressful 20 miles I have ever ridden on my bike. Everytime that I would fall back, he would yell again. This tactic was not helping my nerves or my self-esteem. Finally, I had enough. My legs were burning, my brain was fried, and my emotions were about to fall apart. I told my wonderful husband that I was finished. We fell out of the configuration much to the dismay of the instructor.

Thank heavens my husband listened to me. I was a wreck. Did I mention that we were out in Dayton? Oh my...that's fine, we will just ride back to Chico at our own pace, no problem. At this point, Michael realized that something was just not quite right with his back tire. Upon looking at it closely, he realized that his rim had cracked! We would not be riding back to Chico. Fortunately, I had my cell phone and we called our amazing babysitters - a husband/wife team with a bike rack on their car. Mr. Babysitter came to our rescue 20 minutes later. Thank you, Mr. Babysitter!

As Michael and I were waiting for Mr. Babysitter, I was venting about how the instructor made me feel. Then it hit me like a ton of bricks! This is exactly how my children feel when they are trying with ALL of their might to do the right thing and I raise my voice at them. It made me shut down even more when he would yell at me. It made me feel terrible about myself and it was harder to "catch up" as my mind was so focussed on how awful it felt to be yelled at. I wept as I stood there knowing that there are times when I am the instructor and my children are the beginning bicyclists. All I could do was hold my children tight and apologize. Thank you, Lord, for using a negative situation to show me what you wanted me to learn.

And thank you, honey, for arranging an amazing date night. I love you!

Weight Loss Journey of a Homeschooling Mom

2010-05-01T20:03:00.001-07:00

Whew...who said that losing weight was easy? NOT ME! But, boy has it been worth it. Something came over me during the month of December. I'm not sure if it was another season of Biggest Loser getting ready to begin or what it was exactly. I just knew that it was time. Time to put all of my excuses away...time to get serious about getting healthy...time to be happy with the body that God has given me.

December 2009

So, I jumped in with both feet. After receiving great weight loss advice from a successful friend, I began my journey. I had no idea where I would be four months later, but I began nonetheless! I set small goals for myself...small attainable goals. I was shocked when after one month, I had lost TEN pounds. Who would have thought!?! The next ten pounds should fall off just as easily, right? WRONG! :) This is where perseverence and creativy had to come in.

January 2010

February 2010

I began walking each week with a great friend. I loved the physical exercise and the fellowship! She encouraged me to step things up. "Let's jog!" Are you kidding? I didn't know that my body could jog...and do it two days a week?! Boy did we start out slow (thank heavens for her patience - thank you, Katie)!

March 2010

Now, I am up to jogging every morning with my children (Z on his roller blades, A on his bike or scooter, and Little B on her bike with trusty training wheels). Who knew that exercising could be so much fun and so great for my family? The kids are loving it! And I am reaping the rewards. I am now down 26 pounds. I have six more pounds to get to my next small goal. Unfortunately, I am stuck on another one of those pesky plateaus. But what doesn't kill you will only make you stronger. :)

April 2010

I know I can...I know I can...I know I can!

Happy May Day!

2010-05-01T19:53:00.000-07:00

Wow...the first day of May brings such happiness to this mommy of three. We are in the home stretch! The boys and I are ready for this school year to be over. We are longing for the days of no appointments, no lessons, no assignment sheets, and no more teacher's dirty looks! :)

As a classroom teacher, this part of the year was always bittersweet. I longed for a more laid back schedule, but I couldn't handle the thought of letting go of my sweet students! Now, as a homeschooling teacher, the bitter part of the end of the school year is not there! I know that I will still see my students each and every day! I will still get hugs from them and not be forgotten when they meet their new teacher the following year. Nope...my poor kids are stuck with the same teacher year in and year out! :) Thank heavens they love it so much!

So...as we gaze ahead at our last month of the school year, we rejoice in all that we have learned, we take notes about what to do differently next year, and we strive to give our all when swimming, bike riding, and playing at the creek is ALL that we can think about! Hooray for the last month of school!

So Many Changes...

2010-03-26T22:11:00.000-07:00

It is just about time that I add a new update to our very neglected blog. So much has changed since I last wrote. Hmmm...where to begin!

My wonderful and amazing husband is now a dispatcher for B-Line. He is really enjoying his new tasks. His schedule is much different and we are still adjusting to it! Thankfully, he now has weekends off...we have been waiting for over a year for that to happen! The biggest change is that he does not get home until after the kids have gone to bed...we are trying to have dinner for lunch and spending as much time together before he goes to work. Thank heavens for homeschooling! :)

Z just celebrated his 11th birthday! One of his favorite treats of the day was a waffle cone at Baskin Robbins. He was a happy camper! He has chosen to have a "nerd party" this weekend. We found perfect nerd glasses at the dollar store yesterday. I can't wait to watch him celebrate in "style". :)

My sweet A is really enjoying his guitar lessons this school year. This guy can play! I am constantly amazed at the gift that God has given him! I can't wait for A and Z to play together as they get better and better. Can't you imagine a brother worship band? Z on the piano, A on the guitar? I am so proud of my guy. He is growing and growing...and I don't mean just his height!

Our Little B is preparing herself for Kindergarten in the fall. I can't believe that it is just around the corner. She is full of imaginative play. I love to walk by her room hearing her having a conversation with her animals. As you can see in the picture...she loves to have fun in her cape and all!

Another change for our family is that I have begun my own Pampered Chef business. I am a few weeks into it and have been loving every minute! It has been a great way to supplement our income as well as a way for me to get out of the house and enjoy time shopping with wonderful ladies! ~insert shameless plug here~ So...if you are interested in Pampered Chef products and/or would like to host a show, let me know! I would love to make you dinner! www.pamperedchef.biz/kristiharper

Thanks for letting us share an update. Life is good when God is in control! My new favorite quote is:

"You may not be sure where God is taking you, but be rest assured that He does."

Our Christmas Letter 2009

2009-12-13T00:02:00.000-08:00

Twas the Night Before Christmas 2009

Twas the night before Christmas and I sit down to write

All of the ideas in my head are having a real fight!

It is often overwhelming to look back through the year

God's faithfulness and provision are ever so near

Michael has been working very hard for the family he loves

While our every need was met from heaven above!

He has been working for B-Line driving the bus

And selling, delivering, and moving safes to provide for us.

The end of the year brought the end of our store

But God continues to bless our (now) home business galore!

Kristi is busy schooling her kids, answering phones, and being the social planner

She can't imagine her life in any other manner.

Zane is growing before our very eyes, not only in height, but maturity too

He has kept busy with piano lessons, classes, and being a reporter for our church's news.

Andrew has kept busy with activities of his own, like guitar, legos, and reading

He uses his gift of humor to bring laugther when we are needing.

Brianne is already four, but wishes that she was older by far.

She began gymnastics, loves to sing, likes school work, and going to the park.

Our days are very full with the busyness of being a family of five

Through His grace and mercy is the only way these parents survive.

We are so grateful for the events of this past year

And look forward to His will as we look ahead from here.

We wish you a Merry Christmas filled with blessings and more

As we remember the birth of His son, for that is what Christmas is for!

Bishop's Pumpkin Patch

2009-11-02T23:48:00.001-08:00

One of our favorite field trips all year long is visiting Bishop's Pumpkin Patch in Wheatland. It would not be fall without a trip there! Enjoy the highlights of our trip!

Special Time with Daddy

2009-11-02T23:42:00.000-08:00

There is nothing more special than a little girl's time with her daddy.

Anniversary Celebration

2009-09-21T19:24:00.000-07:00

My husband of four years and I went away for the day to celebrate our anniversary which happens to still be a few days away. Our thought was to go to Redding and relive some of our favorite first dates. That was the plan anyway. Our day did not begin quite as we planned, but the rest was amazing. Sometimes our "plans" just aren't supposed to happen. We had such a wonderful time, just the two of us.

We started out by riding our bikes downtown to watch a bike race held on the streets of downtown Chico. We were so glad that we did not miss this! It was amazing! Our picture is not super great, but the racers are right behind my helmet!

We then went to Redding and walked across the Sundial Bridge (something we did on our very first meeting. Awwww....

My bicycle husband found this bike rack (?) near the river. The seat was not very comfortable, but he had to get on to take a few pictures. I love this guy!

We ended our evening by having dinner at one of our favorite Redding restaurants, Red Robin. Our waitress was wonderful and we had a very enjoyable time. Thank heavens for husbands that were created perfectly for us. I am a very blessed wife.

Dress Up Fun

2009-09-21T19:04:00.000-07:00

Thrift Store + Halloween Costumes = Dress Up Fun for the Family! At our home, we do not celebrate Halloween. I actually quite despise the holiday. I love decorating the house with harvest decorations like autumn leaves, pumpkins, and gourds, do not get me wrong. But Halloween just does not have a spot in our home. Instead, we like to dress up whenever we have the chance! Ok, by we I mean our children. :) A local thrift store was having a 50% off sale today and they just happened to have dress up clothes (Halloween costumes) there. We scored! As you can see by the following pictures, we had a little too much fun. Too bad they didn't have anything my size! ;)

The boys wanted to do a picture movie. You just might have to use your imagine to figure out the plot of the above two pictures and Z's pictures below. :) Your guesses are as good as mine. :)

Final Summer Activity

2009-09-12T09:24:00.001-07:00

I hadn't realized that I had been neglecting our blog until today! Wow! Where has this last month gone? I thought that I would share a few highlights and a few pictures!

We have started our second year of homeschooling and continue to love it! The boys are involved in piano/guitar lessons, tennis lessons for Z, and will begin their classes at the Chico Center on Monday. They are so excited! Little B is even in on the fun. She has been having so much fun writing her name, cutting with scissors, and coloring, coloring, coloring!

Little B and I went up to my hometown to experience the Intermountain Fair (my favorite thing to do over Labor Day Weekend). We had a blast!

We traveled to Brookings, OR for a week-long vacation at the end of August. My sweet husband had his first week off in 9 months so we took advantage of it! We spent time fishing, riding our bikes (mostly my husband), visiting friends in Coos Bay, time at the beach, and spending time together with my wonderful grandparents.

Now we are back in our home awaiting the arrival of my new niece or nephew. I can't wait to meet this special bundle! School is in full swing. My selfless husband continues to work incredibly hard for our family so I can stay home with three of the most amazing children in the world. I am blessed!

Day of Scavenger Hunts

2009-08-07T16:30:00.000-07:00

The school year is JUST around the corner. Yesterday, we picked up all of our curriculum for the school year and realized that we had just 11 days until we began to work through it all. We are supposed to begin on August 24th, but we will be on vacation that week! So, the boys (responsible as they are) have decided to start a week early so that we can enjoy our week away and not have to catch up when we get home.

With all of this in mind, we decided to take advantage of our day. It began with a short drive downtown to the Chamber of Commerce where we picked up a map and a list of the murals found in Chico. After looking at the list, we decided to stick to the downtown area so that we could walk to them all. Keep in mind...the following murals are not ALL of the murals in downtown Chico (only a small handful of them). Wow!

#1 - Phoenix (on the side of Jon and Bon's)
#2 - John and Annie Bidwell (off of 2nd Street)
A was sad that John's face was covered by the tree.

#3 - Academe (on the side of Taylor Hall at Chico State)

#4 - Chico Roller Flouring Mills (we think) off of Salem

Z loved how the trees in the mural were identical to the actual

trees next to the mural!

#5 - Lyon's Books mural (not on the list, but Z thought that it should be)

#6 - Electric Rail Car (City Plaza)

#7 - #60 Electric Rail Car (also in City Plaza)

The people sitting in front of the mural thought that we were crazy!

(If you click on this picture you can see the hilarious look Little B has on her face!)

#8 - Pony Express (on the side of the downtown post office)

We could not believe how many murals there were! As we drove away from downtown Chico we saw many more! Z thought that we could go back another time and add to our list! :) I agree!

Our next adventure was at the Dollar Store. I borrowed this idea from a fellow teacher/mom so I cannot take credit for inventing it. The kids had fun anyway! We pulled up to the Dollar Store and I told the kids that they were going to do a scavenger hunt! They would need to stay together and follow my instructions. And of course they would need to put the items back after they had completed a task. :)

#1 - Find your favorite food and pretend that you are eating it. Of course they went for CANDY! :)

#2 - Find something that you would place school supplies in and put it on your back.

I think that these backpacks were made for preschoolers. :)

#3 was to find a hat and a pair of underwear to wear. Unfortunately, the boys were too embarrassed for me to post that picture...they didn't really wear the underwear, but they made it look convincing. You should have seen them trying to find an aisle with no one in it! :)

#4 - Find a pair of shoes and put them on.

They could only find little girls' flip flops. :)

#5 - Find a school supply and pretend that you are using it.

#6 - Find a cleaning product and pretend that you are using it.

Z was trying to clean A!

#7 - Find your favorite drink and pretend that you are drinking it.

#8 - From all that they were pretending to drink and eat, they decided to go to the medicine aisle to pretend that they needed medicine.

#9 - Finally, the were told to find a toy that they would like and pose with it. After the picture was taken, they were told that they could buy it! :)

FUN! The whole adventure only added up to $3! Hooray for cheap and fun things to do!

Fall River Century

2009-07-29T14:51:00.000-07:00

I loved growing up in the Fall River Valley. It was a beautiful, quiet, peaceful place to be raised. I am proud to call it my hometown. This is one of the reasons why I was so excited when my husband wanted to ride his bike in the Fall River Century!

M's longest ride had been 65 miles (and I thought that he was crazy to ride that far)! His new challenge was to ride 100 miles and it turned out to be a sweltering day in my hometown! But he was up for the challenge.

The kids and I headed up with him so that we could be his cheerleaders. We brought along bells and our words of encouragement. We planned to meet him throughout the day. This is what it looked like...

M's first rest stop (with his cheerleaders) was in Cassel (only a short walking distance from my parents' home). The kids grabbed their bells and walked down the street to cheer their daddy on! As you can see, he was so excited to see us! This rest stop was after 44.2 miles of riding. He started at the fairgrounds in McArthur, went through Glenburn and Dana, to Burney Falls, and continued on 89 to get to the Cassel turn off. Next he was off to Fall River (on the back road) heading to his lunch break.

The kids and I went back to Grandma and Grandpa's house to pass a little time. Grandma, being the wonderful Grandma that she is, had water guns all ready for them to play with. Their favorite thing to do was shoot the water bugs in the pond. :)

Next, we caught up with daddy in Pittville. At this point he had been riding for 65.6 miles. We came up behind him, rolled down our window, and began cheering while we rang our bells. He later told us that it was a little bit embarrassing, but that he loved every minute of it. We joined him at his next rest stop where we ate lunch and helped him to stay hydrated. At this point, he had been riding for 69.3 miles. Next, he headed up Lassen Bench back to 299.

The next rest stop was going to be at the end of Day Road (a ten mile long road upon which I grew up!) The kids and I stopped at my childhood home and were greeted by the current owner (thanks, Bob!) He let us come in (much to my surprise and delight). I was able to show my kids my bedroom (which still had my wallpaper hanging). Boy, what a rush of memories! That was a trip down memory lane that I will never forget. Z said that it was so great to see where I grew up. I'm so glad that he enjoyed it. The picture above is the view from the community center at the end of Day Road. BEAUTIFUL!

M arrived very tired and sore. At this point, he had been on his bike for 83 miles! This was the best (and most needed) rest stop by far! The ladies of Day Road were incredibly hospitable. There were homemade cookies, fruit, popsicles, gatorade, sunscreen, showers to ride your bike through or to simply rinse your feet. And below you can see the awesome bike rack! :) Ok, so it wasn't a bike rack, but it was perfect. :)

M spent a little while at this rest stop cooling his body down and getting rid of the cramps in his legs. He only had 17 miles to go! The hardest 17 miles of his life!

This is my amazing husband and our two VERY proud boys at the "finish line". Wow, what a feat! M will remember this for a long, long time! He definitely made a lasting impression on his wife and children.

That night M and the boys slept in our tent at the fairgrounds. A and I thought that we would get the tent all set up for daddy. That was another feat in and of itself! I am not much of a camper and have never set up our tent before, but by the time daddy rolled in, it was finished!

Time is a Flyin'

2009-07-29T14:37:00.000-07:00

Today I looked at the calendar and realized that our summer is slipping through my fingers! August will begin before we know it! Next week, we have an appointment to get our school books for the fall, yes, that's right! School books already! To be honest, part of me is ready to begin. The other part is holding on to summer with all of my might!

During July we have cheered daddy on during his 100 mile bike race in my hometown, visited the creek, attended a family reunion, attended two weeks of VBS, and just plain spent time with each other! It has been loads of fun!

Water Works Park

2009-07-17T13:00:00.001-07:00

We were blessed to be able to go to Water Works Park in Redding this week. We arrived at the water slide park a little before noon. The kids (and mommy and daddy) had so much fun! We rode on every attraction (well, at least Z and daddy did), we applied sunscreen over and over, we lounged in the Lazy Lagoon, and we ate a picnic lunch out at the car! In fact, we had so much fun that we did not leave until they closed the gates at 8:00!

I brought my camera, but found out VERY quickly that I had left the memory card at home. So, I was able to take three pictures. Oh well! You will just have to believe me when I tell you that we had a great time! :)

A Whispered Prayer

2009-07-17T12:53:00.000-07:00

I was sitting at the computer checking my email when behind me I heard the sweetest thing. I turned around to see my 3 1/2 year old daughter, hands over her eyes, face down on her coloring book praying to Jesus. This is where I came in. "...and thank you Jesus for Jacob and Liam. Thank you for us. In Jesus' name, Amen."

After she ended her prayer, she picked up her crayon and continued coloring. What a sweet, sweet little girl. Childlike faith right here at my dining room table.

Yes, this is a picture of her peeling a cucumber in front of the refrigerator without asking mommy.

Girl Time

2009-07-11T09:36:00.000-07:00

When the boys are away at first mommy's, Little B and I try to have some fun girl time. We usually go shopping, paint our fingernails, or do our hair. On this particular day, the hair salon was open. :) Little B brought out my brush and began to brush my hair. She then ran off to the bathroom to get her container of hair accessories. Before long, I had too many clips in my hair to count! The best thing is that I remember doing this with my mom when I was little! Then it was Little B's turn. Daddy decided to take a few pictures of our master designs. :)

Once our hair was completed, Little B decided to jump on the bounce house that we had set up in the backyard (thank you Grandma Goodie)! She jumped and jumped and jumped! Her favorite part was turning it off and letting all of the air out. She would then turn it back on and run into the middle of it and would stand there as it filled up around her. Too cute! I love girl time!

Animals, Animals, and More Animals

2009-06-29T16:28:00.000-07:00

We had so much fun visiting a wildlife safari outside of Bandon, Oregon while we were on the coast. We even ran into a family from Chico Christian there! We live in a small world.

All three kids had so much fun visiting these animals. There were deer, goats, mini donkeys, and many other animals that just walked up to you! Little B loved following a little goat around in hopes of picking it up. Her wish was finally granted and boy was she proud!

A took this shot. The deer walked right up to his camera!

Z was not a huge fan of this lynx. I, frankly, didn't blame him! A and Little B didn't seem to mind it.

Z loved holding this baby leopard. He was pretty cute. Little B loved smiling for the camera.

The baby goat that Little B had her eye on the entire time. :)

Z even got to hold it.

Little B found a pretend horse after visiting with all of the real animals. I guess she didn't get her fix by petting and holding them. :)

Fun at the Beach

2009-06-25T07:55:00.001-07:00

Brookings, Oregon is one of our favorite places to visit. Mostly because it is where my grandparents live during the summer monhts, but the ocean is such a fun place! Yesterday we went down to the beach and played in the sand and the water! It was so fun to watch the kids run away from the surf coming in...well, Z and A often challenged the surf enjoying the feel of the sand coming out from under their feet as the water returned to the sea. Little B didn't like falling down in the water, but continued to play afterward.

While we are having so much fun, we are also missing daddy. Our next Brookings trip will include him (thank heavens!)

Road Trip Beginnings

2009-06-22T22:09:00.000-07:00

We began a six hour road trip to Oregon today. This time around it is one mommy and three children. Daddy had to stay home to work. We sadly left daddy this morning and hit the road. The ocean was waiting for us! We had many mini adventures along the way, but I will only share a few stories here.

After about two hours in the car, Little B said, "I am just so happy!" I asked her why she was happy and she exclaimed. "I am just so happy to go to the ocean!"

After about six hours in the car (please note that our road trip was supposed to be six hours total) we stopped (again) for a potty break. As I was buckling Little B in, I gave A a smooch and then blew Z a kiss. Z was blowing one back when Little B shouted out, "I have something on my finger!" She was holding up her pinky very upset. We asked her what it was. She answered, "His breath is on my finger!" Oh the joys of road trips...

...until next time.

Father's Day at Feather Falls

2009-06-22T20:49:00.000-07:00

We asked my wonderful husband what he wanted to do for Father's Day this year. He went back and forth between two choices. His first choice was to have a relaxing day at home: watching NASCAR, being waited on, sitting with his feet up. His other choice was to hike to Feather Falls. Quite opposite, huh? He finally decided on the latter. You might be able to tell from the following pictures and story.

We started out knowing that the hike would be 9 miles. This was daunting, but sounded fine on paper. M had received advice from others to make sure that we brought plenty of water. So, we put on some comfy shoes, filled up our clean canteens and camel back, packed a lunch, and headed out. We began our journey at 9:15 with laughter, teasing, and excitement to see the falls.

These first pictures were taken at our first water break. We were all being a bit silly. M and the boys were "pretending" that they were SO tired (little did they know what was ahead). :)

This picture pretty much summed up the whole hike. Our daddy is such a good leader. He kept everyone looking ahead to the goal at hand. He was good about setting little goals along the way. He was silly (of course) and incredibly encouraging. At this point of our hike, we were in great anticipation of seeing the falls, but enjoying all of the nature along the way. The following pictures are of a smaller falls along the way, Bald Rock in the distance, and a tiny ladybug.

We ended up carrying sweet Little B for just about half of the hike. She sure was a trooper, but we quickly came to realize that this particular hike was a bit much for her. I was so proud of the boys as they just kept pushing ahead, complaining little, and finding joy along the way. Z and I realized that we share a love for wild flowers. We saw some of the most interesting ones along the way. Z would then proceed to give me one fact or another about a wild flower that he had read about. We also kept ourselves entertained by singing songs along the way...some serious, some silly. The silly ones were the most fun!

Finally, after hiking for 5 miles (4 1/2 miles along the trail and then another 1/2 mile to the lookout point of the falls), we reached the waterfall! It was a gorgeous view! We saw a beautiful rainbow in the mist of the waterfall. The lookout point was incredibly high up. I have a small fear of heights...ok, a big fear of heights, so I was on edge as the kids were at the fenced edge looking down at the waterfall and a cute little hummingbird hanging out. Hikers around us were pulling out their lunches and beginning to munch. Why not? It was 12:30! Yikes...we left our lunch at the car to have a wonderful picnic lunch after the hike! We did not think that it was going to take us quite so long. We still had five miles to hike back! Fortunately, we had plenty of water, glucose tablets, and grape juice in case my blood sugar went low. Thank you, honey, for packing the grape juice!

So, we began the journey back. We were in complete awe of the waterfall and talked about it as we made our way back to the 4 1/2 mile trail. Little B was beginning to wilt at this point. Again, we carried her and she walked here and there. When she walked, she would stop and pick up a stick, pause to break it in half, and continue on. At one of these pit stops she said, "Hold on, I'm going to throw this into the country!" I giggled. Along the way our little cutie fell asleep! Carrying 33 pounds is tough as you are hiking along an uneven trail, but carrying a sleeping 33 pounder is even more tough! Fortunately, she did not sleep too long. At one point of her nap I decided to put her "into" the camel back. I used it as a Baby Bjorn almost. Boy, did it help with the weight!

At this point of our hike everyone was having a hard time. We were so tired, hungry, sore, and grumpy. Who came to the rescue? Daddy! He gave us another goal. If we could make it back to the car by 3:09 (two hours), then we would go to Gold Country casino's buffet for dinner (and make healthy food choices of course). Boy, did this put a skip in the boys' steps! They were so excited to have something to work for!

Well, we did it! We saw cars ahead and the boys started hollering and jumping around. We did it, we did it! We walked into the parking lot at 3:07. Phew! We sat down and ate the picnic lunch that we had brought. Boy did that food taste good! Little B was in her carseat eating her sandwich as I was watching. She would take a bite and as she chewed she would doze off. Then she would wake up enough to take another bite and then doze off again while she chewed. It was so cute.

All in all it was an amazing Father's Day! We accomplished our goal, daddy was blessed, and we had fun! Our sore bodies are proof that we hiked every one of those ten miles!

Conversation with a Three Year Old

2009-06-17T09:45:00.001-07:00

Little B has been fascinated with letters! We have been doing a lot of writing and spelling aloud lately. This makes me struggle with the idea of when to start her in Kindergarten. I thought about waiting until she was five going on six, but I'm not sure if she will make it two more years without beginning...we'll see.

Last night we were sitting on the couch spelling together. I asked her to spell her name out loud. She did without even hesitating and then asked me to spell all of her family members' names. She would then comment on which ones shared letters with her name! Too crazy.

We then headed to her bed for tuck-in and some song singing. As I was singing her favorite song, she plugged my nose. This was our conversation.

Little B: Snow!

Mommy: What?

Little B then blew through her nose while still pinching mine.

Mommy: Oh! Blow!

Little B: No, Mommy! Snow! A-S-T, Snow!

My husband's great feat...

2009-06-15T10:45:00.001-07:00

So my husband is pretty resourceful when it comes to bike riding. His motto...burn calories not oil...well, it's one of his mottos. :) So, we rode our bikes to church on Sunday morning (a normal thing for us to do) and my husband decided that we should do our grocery shopping on our bikes too! Keep in mind: we only go to the grocery store once a week and feed five people.

This is my husband with all of the groceries on his (extracycle) bike. Impressed?

Here is what he is carrying:

7 yogurts
loaf of garlic bread
2 loaves of regular bread
flour tortillas
tub of butter
8 lb bag of oranges
2 packages of tilapia
2 bags of frozen veggies
multigrain tortillas
2 cartons of vanilla ice cream
fudgesicles
jar of salsa
package of microwave popcorn
tortilla chips
3 bags of cereal
pita bread
2 packages of deli sliced ham
2 containers of crystal light
box of crackers
12-pack of Diet Rootbeer
clover sprouts
apples
applesauce
honey
ketchup
2 bags of romaine hearts
mushrooms
bananas
brown sugar
7 ears of corn
croutons
flat of strawberries
2 cans of green beans
avacados
grapes
jar of pasta sauce
sesame seeds
cauliflower
honeydew melon
watermelon
olives
one gallon of milk
two gallons of lactaid
two dozen eggs
2 pounds of cheddar cheese

Whew! Yes, my husband is amazing!

Paint, Paint, and More Paint

2009-06-11T22:26:00.000-07:00

I have to admit that I am not a fan of messy projects. Who gets to clean up the fun? Me! But today I was finally ready to tackle the long-awaited "painting day". Dear friends of ours donated all of their painting supplies to us (quite a while ago). They have been sitting and waiting and waiting and waiting. Today we set up the easel, made a makeshift easel for Little B, poured the paint, gathered the paintbrushes, and grabbed the camera.

Let's PAINT!

My children had SO much fun! Why didn't we do this sooner? The answer to that question came to me as we were cleaning up. (But I have to admit that it was COMPLETELY worth it!)

Loves Her Cousin

2009-06-10T21:39:00.001-07:00

Little B and I have been having many discussions about her favorite cousin, my sister's second son. They are about three months apart and they love each other (most of the time). Little B has been writing a lot of letters lately, so I began to write I heart B. So, we read it together. She was so excited to read it! So, she began writing letters, most of them backwards, but they were letters. You can see a backwards L next to her B and then an O, and a P (per Little B), then an I, and finally a D. She informed me that this said her cousin's name. She then asked me to draw a heart and she colored it in as I had done mine. And finally, she wrote an I at the top. Then she read proudly, "I Love K." Her cousin's name begins with a K, but to protect his identity we are only sharing his initial. :) What a sweetie.

Today we had another conversation about this very same cousin (and so much more).

Little B: Mommy, K and I are going to play the Wii togeder when Auntie's baby is getting ready.

Mommy: Oh really? What does Auntie's baby need to do to get ready?

Little B: Well, she (Auntie) has to put air in it (the baby).

Mommy: In the baby?

Little B: Yes.

Mommy: What else?

Little B: Then the doctor needs to check the baby's eyes.

Mommy: Oh, yes, that would be important. What else does the doctor need to do?

Little B: The doctor needs to put make up on the baby and then the baby is ready to come out!

Oh to be three and a half!

My Wonderful Husband

2009-06-09T09:21:00.000-07:00

I have realized that I do not blog about myself or my husband all that often. I tend to blog about our children! While our children are wonderful and amazing, so is my husband! So, I wanted to take some time today to write a little bit about my best friend.

M has been working a lot lately providing for our family and working on his health! His work schedule is busy, busy, busy. When he is not driving the bus for B-Line, he is delivering safes for his store. When he is not delivering safes for his store, he is driving the bus for B-Line and so on.

On that rare event that he has some time off (no deliveries scheduled for example), you can find him on his bike. No, not his motorcycle, his bicycle. He has been riding his bike to work almost every day. During his lunch break, he will often ride out to Durham or another desitnation. He has also been riding in many local bike rides. One in Gridley (60 miles), in Chico (65 miles with some climbing), in Redding (65 miles with 4000 feet of climbing), and in July he will be riding in my hometown (100 miles with a lot of climbing). Part of me thinks that he is crazy, but the other part is just so proud. He has lost 50 pounds because of his effort! Go, honey!

But, he doesn't just work and ride his bike. He is also an amazing daddy and husband. A few weekends ago, I traveled to Sacramento to spend the day with two of my dear friends. M stayed home with our children so that I could be gone for the whole day. When I returned from my great girl time, I walked in the door to a new home. M had cleaned the entire house from floor to ceiling (it seemed), he weeded our planter box, made the beds, cleaned the bathrooms, cleaned the kitchen, did the floors, all of the laundry, and dinner was on the table! I took a picture of our dinner table. Needless to say, I cried. :) I couldn't believe all he had accomplished in one day when I am lucky to do a few of those things. I was incredibly humbled and blessed.

God knew what I needed when He created my husband. I am just so blessed to have found him!

Latest Little B-isms...

2009-06-02T14:58:00.000-07:00

I have found that Little B just loves working with letters, numbers, and sign language. It makes this mommy's heart so happy! Last night we were holding up fingers and asking, "How many fingers am I holding up?" I love that she can look at my fingers and know without counting them! When it was her turn, she held up one finger first and then got silly and started holding her fingers up in ways to try to trick me. She held up her thumb and her pointer finger. I said, "TWO!" Little B's reply, "No, it's an L, silly!"

In our home, the word stupid is a no-no. For some reason Little B just loves this word! She finds it in almost all movies/shows and catches all of us if we happen to say it. She will either gasp and say, "You said the s-word" or "You said stu-pid" with a lot of emphasis. The biggest offender is my grandma by far. She is the first to admit this, so I thought that it would be ok to "tattle" on her in this post. The other day someone said "the s-word". Little B responded by saying, "You can't say stu-pid! Only grandma can say stu-pid!" Oh boy...

While riding her big girl bike, Little B was speeding right along. All of a sudden, she pressed down hard on the brakes and came to a quick stop while squealing. "A bug!" Thinking that she was afraid, I ran over to her spot on the sidewalk to inspect. Before I could say anything she finished, "My favorite bug!" She hopped off her bike and picked up the little rolly-polly (or pill bug) that she had spotted. No fear there!

Last Week of School Surprises

2009-05-29T23:24:00.000-07:00

Looking ahead to the last week of school, I had our little check off list in mind. Now, there is absolutely nothing wrong with a check list; they often help me get through life! But, there is a problem when that is all that you can think about! Fortunately, my classroom teacher brain kicked in just in the knick of time. In a regular school setting, there is not a lot of book work being done during that last week. It is full of parties, yearbook signing, fun crafts, cleanup, etc... Why couldn't we have a taste of both? So...surprises were planned for each day. Once the boys were finished with their school work (very little I might add), I would announce what the surprise of the day would be. This is what we did...

MONDAY: Opening game of the Outlaws' season...since A was dressed in his little league uniform, our family was able to get in for free! Unfortunately, I did not take enough pictures! A was able to go out on the field and give the Outlaws players high fives as they were introduced before the game. Too cool! There was facepainting, bounce houses, and so much more! This picture is of Little B after she saw Miss Jenny, our friend, the face painter.

TUESDAY: A ride on daddy's bus downtown to enjoy rootbeer floats at Old Town Rootbeer Company and a look-see in Powell's candy shop. Unfortunately, I did not remember my camera, but I took a few pictures with my cell phone...not great quality, but you still get the idea.

WEDNESDAY: A Picnic at the Park was on the agenda. We packed a lunch, played baseball, and enjoyed some time on the playground. We had too much fun!

THURSDAY: Pool Party through CORE Paradise. We do not have any pictures because we were TOO busy swimming! This was also our very last day of school work. Each week when the boys were finished with their school work on a Friday, they would take their assignment sheets and rip them up and toss them in the trash. On this last day of schoolwork, the boys made a very dramatic go of the ripping ceremony. They were filled with SO much joy as they ripped and tossed.

FRIDAY: Our final meeting with Teacher Patti. We then headed to Glazed Creations for some painting and then home for a run through the sprinklers. Little B enjoyed many of these celebrations...is that fair since she didn't do anywhere near the amount of work that the amazing boys did? :)

Drama, Baseball, and a Big Girl Bike...

2009-05-29T22:32:00.001-07:00

We have had a very full May! I wanted to be able to "show" you what we have been doing, although it is just a TINY glimpse of our crazy month!

The following video is an excerpt from Z's performance as Geppetto in the Pinocchio performance at Chico Christian School. He had so much fun participating in this class and then performing for the entire school during chapel and then again the following night for parents and other family members. I was one proud mommy sitting in the audience. Little B has watched it on video at least 20 times since.

A's life has been all about baseball it seems. Now we are at the end of the season and cannot believe that it is almost over! He only has two games left. He has enjoyed his time, but is ready for it to be over. The following video is of one of his hits at his game this evening.

We finally decided that it was time for Little B to have a big girl bike. She was practically doing tricks on her tricycle. So we broke down and purchased a bike with training wheels and we have not been able to keep her off of it since! We often take walks around the neighborhood while Little B rides her big girl bike (yep, it is what she calls it too). I sometimes have a hard time keeping up with her! The following video is a little clip of her riding with great joy.

Spelling Bee Sweetness

2009-05-17T20:54:00.000-07:00

Please excuse the length of this post, but I wanted to give you as many details about our weekend as possible.

The California State Spelling Bee was one of the neatest experiences that we have ever had as a family. Z and I decided to make Friday (the day before) a fun and relaxing day. No studying, no preparing, just fun, fun, fun. He deserved it! Z had practiced EVERY day leading up to the spelling bee. He was as ready as he was going to be. :)

So...we drove to his first mommy's house on Friday morning to sing happy birthday and to give her a few gifts. Then we took A and B to my grandparents' home to stay for the weekend. A did not think that he would be able to sit for four hours listening to sixty kids spell words...and I KNEW that B wouldn't be able to sit through it. So, they had a fun weekend with great grandma and grandpa in Chico.

Z and I left town at 9:45 and headed to Vacaville to eat lunch with my dear friend, Jen. We ate at a fun little restaurant and Jen and I sat and caught up with each other. My sweet Z sat SO patiently while we sat and talked. I was blown away at his patience because I knew that he was excited about what was coming next...

SCANDIA!!!!! We drove another 15 minutes to arrive at Scandia a Fun Center in Suisun. We did bumper boats, go carts, and laser tag. Z also enjoyed some arcade games. We both agreed that laser tag was our favorite! I couldn't believe how much exercise it was! We had a blast!

This time when we got into the car, we knew that our destination was Rohnert Park - our hotel and the site of the State Spelling Bee. We arrived at our hotel about an hour and a half later. It was supposed to take 45 minutes, but the traffic was out of this world! I explained to Z that the traffic was one of the reasons that we choose to live in CHICO! :) When we arrived at our hotel, Z's jaw dropped to the floor! It was a very nice place! They gave us each a freshly baked chocolate chip cookie upon our arrival. If you know Z, you know that the way to his heart is through his stomach. He was in heaven. After getting settled into our room, Z and I drove to Sonoma State University to see where the theater was where he would be competing the next day. We picked up some dinner and then went back to the hotel to swim. Z had been looking forward to this all day! He made friends with quite a few fellow competitors. It was fun for me to chat with their parents and to realize that we were all in the same boat. Nerves were high and not knowing what to expect was common. On the way back up to the room Z kept saying, "This was the best day of my life! Thank you, mommy! I have had so much fun!" I was so thrilled that we were able to make a possibly stressful day so enjoyable!

M joined us late that night. Poor guy had to work until 7:30 driving bus and then delivered a safe on the way. He also found that one of the roads that he was supposed to take was closed after 10 pm - although Caltrans did not report it on their 800 number. Bummer! He took a 45 minute detour and finally arrived at 1 am. Needless to say, I did not get a lot of sleep that night. Z slept like a baby fortunately!

The next morning, we arrived at Sonoma State University at 7:30. We ate a continental breakfast, checked in, and waited and waited and waited. :) Ok, it just felt that we waited and waited and waited. I was so nervous for my little guy. M took this picture of us and laughed! He said that it showed perfectly what each of us was feeling right before. Z was goofing around having a good time (he really was) and I was a nervous wreck playing with my fingernails (I really was)! M was a cool cat. He usually is in situations like this. Finally the doors opened at 8:40 and we were blown away by what we saw inside! Unfortunately, my camera did not take great pictures inside. The lighting made everything look red (as you can see from the videos below). They had a cowboy theme. It almost looked as if they opened up a prom decorating catalog and ordered everything. There were horse balloons, a cowboy made out of balloons, a cowboy background, a little campfire that looked as if it were lit, bull horns, etc.... It was amazing! Z loved it!

They introduced all of the kids and began talking statistics. Z was one of only six fourth graders. The superintendent of Sonoma County stated that there are 463,932 fourth graders in California. We only have six of them here! Wow! That was an amazing number! He went on and on congratulating the finalists. He told them that they were already winners no matter what happened at the spelling bee.

Then the spelling bee began. I was so grateful to have my husband sitting next to me. I would have been a nervous wreck without him. I couldn't believe how calm and cool Z looked up there. There were 60 students competing. The nerves were high in the room. Z's first word was cried. He smiled as he spelled it, but first followed his Grandma Goodie's advice and asked for the definition and to hear it in a sentence. He made her proud! Z spelled it with ease as well as his second and third words (variety and disturbance). During the fourth round, Z was given the word perceptible. I wrote it down on my piece of paper p-e-r-c-e-p-t-a-b-l-e. Z asked for the definition, the sentence, wrote the word down on his paper and then spelled it p-e-r-c-e-p-t-a-b-l-e. I almost shouted out loud. Woo Hoo! But to my surprise, he was told that he had spelled it incorrectly. She spelled it for him and informed him that it was i-b-l-e. Z was able to come and sit in the audience with us. He was very disappointed, but handled it so very well. I was so proud of him! At the end, all of the spellers were asked to come back up on the stage for pictures and gifts. Each speller was given a gift bag full of goodies. One of the items was a letter from the governor! Z thought that it was very cool to get a letter from the governor of California! The videos below show Z each time he was given a word. Feel free to watch if you would like!

Exhausted and hungry, we headed out to the parking lot. M looked on his GPS to find the closest Red Robin (my most favorite Redding restaurant). He found one and said that it was on our way home. It would only take about a 1/2 hour. So Z and I munched on some of his trail mix (something that he found in his gift bag). So we drove and we drove (following M with his GPS) until we reached a cute little town. Looking around I could not imagine finding my Red Robin, but M told me that the GPS said that it would be there.

We were looking for this Red Robin...

...but found this one.

So, we ate at a very nice restaurant called Fabrizios. Z was in heaven again. It had white tablecloths, multiple pieces of silverware and delicious food. We felt that this was the perfect place for a celebratory meal. (Even if it wasn't Red Robin.) :)

So, now we are home and so thrilled for the opportunity to have this experience. Z has such fond memories of his time at the State Spelling Bee. His favorite part? "Now I do not have to study anymore!"

Fun with Little B

2009-05-14T18:06:00.000-07:00

Another funny conversation...I thought that Little B was sneeking some chips into the living room (a big no-no). When I questioned her about it. She walked over to me with a juice cup in her hand and said, "No, it was just my juice talking."

This video was taken yesterday. It was M's day off and he had "special time" with each of the kids. I heard out of control laughing coming from our room and ran in with the video camera. This is what I witnessed.

A Happy Mother's Day...

2009-05-10T21:10:00.000-07:00

My husband does such an amazing job in making Mother's Day a special day for me. Last year he surprised me by suggesting a road trip to Grass Valley after church. We had such a great time last year that we decided to do a return trip, but this time invite my wonderful grandparents along for the ride! (Well, it turns out that grandpa drove and we rode.) :) So, we went to early service at church and then headed out shortly after. The drive is a pretty one, but the destination is even better. We arrived and walked around for a little bit until we decided where we wanted to eat. Boy, did we make the right choice! We ate at an amazing restaurant with patio seating and a delicious buffet. A man was outside playing music. It was perfect. We then set out for some more walking and a little shopping. Little B got a pair of sunglasses so that she would not continue to "steal" mine. What a fun start to Mother's Day!

When we returned from Grass Valley, we went to pick up the boys from their "First Mommy's" house. We came home and had a great heart to heart chat. I shared with my wonderful boys how I prayed and prayed for a long time that God would bless me with children. I told them that I couldn't understand why God wasn't answering my prayers more quickly. Then, after many years, I met daddy and you! I then knew why I had to wait so terribly long. I told them how blessed I am to be their mommy. Of course I said this through many, many tears, but they listened anyway and gave me big hugs. After our tearful conversation, Z ran to M with a great idea. I was soon ushered into the house to receive a surprise. My wonderful boys gave me a pedicure! They were so cute! Here are a few pictures from my surprise. Just precious...just like my boys.

May Flowers...

2009-05-08T13:35:00.001-07:00

I am really enjoying the act of crossing tasks off of my list as we venture through the month of May. Let's see, Renaissance Fair: check, baseball games: check, and so on. I have a few things still on my list begging to be crossed off. Next on my list is the State Spelling Bee in Sonoma next Saturday. Z and I are heading down a day early to spend some special time at a Scandia Fun Center. Laser Tag anyone? I am also helping out with some of the homeschool testing at Chico Christian School. I am looking foward to helping out!

The last "big" event on my list is Z's Pinocchio performance at Chico Christian School. He will be performing during chapel on Wednesday, May 20th and then again on Thursday evening at 6:30. This is a free show if you are in the area!

A continues to have baseball games so our Saturdays and some weeknights are at the field rooting him on! He is having a lot of fun this year and has improved a lot!

B loves to play outside in the dirt or inside with a coloring book. Her new love is for her three little babies. She wants to take them everywhere. She often has conversations with her babies as we are driving down the road. It is too cute!

M is still riding his bike everywhere. He really enjoys using less gas and burning more calories! I am so proud of him!

I still love my life. Homeschooling was God's best plan for our lives. The boys and I were having a conversation about that yesterday. It was so cute to hear what they have loved about this year. They realize that they are able to do more than they ever could have imagined. Although I love it, I am ready for a break from it all this summer. We will not have lessons, classes, or school work. A few VBS weeks and a week or two at the coast in Brookings. Ahhhh...I'll enjoy the change of pace. I think that my kids will too!

Another Cute Conversation

2009-05-04T18:45:00.000-07:00

It seems like I have multiple funny conversations with little B throughout the week. This particular one happened today.

I noticed that B was writing on a small piece of paper that had come out of M's Bible. I asked, "B, what do you have?" Her reply, "It's an email from JC Penney!"

Sutter's Fort

2009-04-26T16:09:00.000-07:00

Well, I promised to write about our time at Sutter's Fort. To refresh your memory, this was an over night field trip to Sutter's Fort in Sacramento. I appreciate over night field trips that include hotels. This one did not. :) So, as we left our house at 6:30 on Thursday morning, I was a little anxious. The boys, on the other hand, were quite excited. Their excitement was bursting out of the windows as we traveled to Sacramento and the year 1846. We were dressed in our period clothing with stuff sacks and such in tow. This picture was taken in our backyard by my wonderful husband before we left.

When we arrived the boys were carpooled over to the Railroad Museum in order to ride in a covered wagon to the fort. This ride took 45 minutes. They looked so cute as they pulled up to the fort. A gentleman greeted them and shared that a traveling salesman had come through and done fooled all of the people that lived at the fort. He had sold them (us) these boxes that he claimed could hold pictures. But we all know that pictures are taken with pencil and paper. He told the pioneers to humor us fooled folk as we tried to use our boxes to take their pictures. He told them to just smile real big and pretend. This was one of Z's favorite parts.

He then introduced John Sutter (my very own Z) to the crowd and told them to follow himself and Mr. Sutter inside the fort. This is where Sutter would issue a welcome to the pioneers whom had traveled so far. The beginning of the video below has Z's welcome speech. Too cute.

After the greeting, all of the students were split into small groups to go through the stations throughout the day. I was assigned to work in the modern kitchen. I became a prep cook and a dishwasher. This was a lot of work, but I REALLY enjoyed myself. I was able to head out here and there and capture pictures of my pioneer boys as they moved through their stations. Every time I caught up with them, they were both grinning from ear to ear. They were having SO much fun!

The boys learned how to use a loom, make candles, build a box, make rope, trap animals, work in a blacksmith's shop, make bread and cinnamon rolls, and prepare our lunch and dinner by chopping fruit and vegetables in the period kitchen. They even visited a covered wagon and heard about the travel to get to the fort. They were even able to use their Sutter bucks to go to the Trade Store to buy period toys and/or food. Again, they were smiling all the way.

That night we had a hoe-down. There was music and men teaching the kids (and adults) how to do square dancing and others. The following pictures and videos give you a little peak into the fun that we had.

Later, we went upstairs and had a sing along. The kids all had the opportunity to play the period instruments. So exciting! Everyone had so much fun! By the time the "show" was over it was about 9:45. We still had night watch! My A was a little bit afraid of doing night watch, but I encouraged him to do it reassuring him that I would go along too. Each pioneer had a pretend gun and had the task to secure the fort. Their task was to walk around the inside edge of the fort looking for anything suspicious. A just knew that someone was going to jump out and scare him. He started the task a little nervously, but really got into it. He was SO brave! I couldn't believe it! He saw someone stirring behind a group of barrels and yelled out, "Come out with your hands up!" All of the pioneers enjoyed hot chocolate and cinnamon rolls that they had a hand in making earlier in the day.

To continue with our adventurous day, the boys and I decided to sleep outside (we have a picture to prove it although it is on someone else's camera...I am awaiting the email)! Remember my comment about enjoying an over nighter in a hotel? Well, there was something about Sutter's Fort that brought out my adventurous side. My boys thought that this would be the best idea! So, around 10:30 or 11:00 we snuggled down into our sleeping bags along with a new friend and her mom. Poor Z and A had a hard time falling asleep due to the chilliness of the night. But they finally succumbed to their sleepiness. Around 2:30, I began to feel drips on my forehead. I sat up along with the other mom. She felt that it was just mist from the fog. So, I laid awake for the next hour waiting it out. Z was cold and so I tried to snuggle him amidst the tiny drops falling. At 3:30 it began to drip more and more. We decided that it was time to move inside. Upon moving inside, I came to realize that Z had taken off his socks to sleep...no wonder he was so cold! Poor guy! So, I slept from about 4:00 to 6:00 and then woke up to go and help in the kitchen. Needless to say, I was exhausted!

As we left Sutter's Fort that morning, we were all sad to go! A wanted to stay for at least a week. Z thought that sounded good. I settled for going back next year. Who knew?

Sutter's Fort Preparation

2009-04-25T17:17:00.000-07:00

I am ashamed to say that I was not looking forward to this field trip. My wonderful husband had signed up to go with the boys last fall. He thought that it would be the perfect field trip to do with them. (I was SO relieved!) Since Michael began working for B Line in December, the responsibility fell on me to take the boys on this over-nighter. Have I mentioned that I do not like over-nighters if there is not a hotel involved?

So, the preparation emails began pouring in...costumes, stuff sacks (sacks that were needing to be sewn to hold our stuff - did I mention that I do not sew?), period style plates, cups, and eating utensils, and the list goes on. Did I mention that I do not sew? :) As the list grew, so did my dread for this field trip. A couple of times I asked the boys, "Are you sure that you want to go? Maybe we should just go down for the day and not spend the night. What do you think?" They were appalled that I should ask such questions!

So we searched thrift stores and costume shops for our costumes, watched videos to make sure that we were getting it just right. Fortunately, we found Alter Ego costumes in Chico. The owner treated us well! She got us hooked up. Putting on our costumes really got us excited. It honestly got the boys more excited than this chicken mommy. But, I was getting there.

Then came the stuff sacks. I am going to remind you that I do not sew. My mother-in-law is a seamstress and I wish to be, but I am not. Anyway...knowing that I am not a seamstress, my husband bought me a PINK sewing machine for Christmas a few years back. It was one of those $19.99 specials to let you in on the quality of this machine. It has been sitting in my closet ever since. So, the other night, M and I sat down to sew these three stuff sacks. I pulled out a needle and thread while M pulled out my fancy, pink, sewing machine. He sat and worked on it for quite some time while I pulled my needle and thread. Finally, my high quality sewing machine came to life and M whipped out two of the stuff sacks. They were NOT pretty, but they would indeed hold stuff. My sack, on the other hand, was a little prettier, but it did take me 1 1/2 hours to sew! Where was my mother-in-law when I needed her? :) I love you, MIL!

The stuff sacks were ready, but this mommy was continuing to be panicked about going. I knew that I needed to do it for my boys, but we were only going to go this one time. Once would be enough for me.

You will have to tune in next time for the rest of the story...

Easter Break Eggcitement

2009-04-14T23:57:00.000-07:00

Easter break is always an enjoyable time. It is the point in the school year when everyone (students and teachers alike) just need a little break. Our family enjoyed this time very much! We tried to take advantage of the beautiful weather and M's limited time off of work.

For the first two days of the break I did respite for a couple of families. I love to offer this service to other foster parents! It is also great for my children to have other little ones around. They each LOVE to dote on the babies.

On Wednesday, we took a trip to Sacramento for the day. Our children had no idea where we were going. Well...until I ACCIDENTALLY spilled the beans the night before by saying the word zoo on the telephone. OOPS! I am really bad about doing that! So we loaded up in the car that morning and headed to the Sacramento Zoo. It was supposed to rain ALL day in Sacramento. So, we took our hooded coats and an umbrella. Fortunately, the weather was beautiful. It did rain the last 10 or 15 minutes of our zoo experience. Luckily, we were in the gift shop during most of the cloud burst. One of B's favorite parts was the sink in the bathroom that was just her size!

We decided to take a cute little monkey home with us.

Then we headed to Old Sacramento to eat our picnic lunch and take in the sights. The boys loved this part of the trip. It was incredibly educational! I loved that part too! We were able to go into a one-room schoolhouse. Little B loved the slates and chalk. It just reminded me so much of Anne of Green Gables. :) On the way out of town we had to at least drive by the capital. The boys were amazed at the size. "It looks just like the White House!"

On Easter Sunday we enjoyed a morning at our church, lunch with grandma and grandpa, and a fun egg hunt in the backyard. We then went for a bike ride through Bidwell Park and played at Caper Acres. That was little B's favorite part of the day! She loves to go on the swings and down the big twisty slide. A is quite the big brother to her and follows her all around playing whatever she wants to play. Z was over in the sand box for most of the time enjoying meeting new friends as he played.

Our children are also getting very inspired by The Biggest Loser. We watch it together on Tuesday evenings. This picture is from tonight. Bob (Harper), one of the trainers, gave us a trainer tip. He encouraged us to pick up weights during each commercial and do a squat, curl, and press. Z took this very seriously! He got cans out of the pantry to use as weights and did it during the remaining commercials. I was so proud of him! His example wore off on his siblings because each of them got their own cans and worked out during the commercial. I just had to get a picture of it. They were SO cute!

We also spent some time preparing for our field trip to Sutter's Fort. We are supposed to dress up in clothing from 1846. This has not been an easy feat since I am not a seamstress! With a little help from a costume shop we are well on our way! Here are a couple of pictures that we needed to send down ahead of us so that they could post them on the welcome board. What cuties they are!

There will be more to write about in the next couple of weeks. Busy, busy, busy!

Spelling Bee Sensation!

2009-04-02T14:03:00.000-07:00

Today was one of those days that make being a mom one of the most amazing jobs in the entire world. I do not care what I get paid, the lack of social clout, or the "dirty" part of the job...being a mom is absolutely fantastic. I have three amazing children that bless my socks off each and every day. My oldest just happened to have a stellar of a day today (and it is not even over yet)!

Today Z competed in the county spelling bee held at the Elks Lodge here in Chico. He competed against 92 other students from Butte County schools. This was a 4th-6th grade competition and Z knew that he was at a slight disadvantage going in since he is just in 4th grade. Z was the 26th person to approach the podium. He did not seem nervous at all! My heart was about to beat out of my chest! I was nervous for the both of us! His first word to spell was stalwart. The students were able to write the word down on a pad of paper and then spell it aloud to the judges. He didn't even write it down. He just started spelling. Oh my! And he spelled it correctly! I couldn't even spell it! The next few rounds were a little less painful as his words were: puny and hue. Upon receiving his next word, my breath caught in my throat. His word was unscrupulous. This one he did write down and spelled it correctly! It was then down to 13 students. He went on to spell intrigue, intellectualize, and pronouncement. All of a sudden it is down to the final two! He made it to the final two! It went back and forth for quite a few words. The rules are, if one student misspells a word, the other student has to spell that word correctly plus another word in order to win. But if both students misspell the word, then they are both safe and they start again. Z came so very close to winning two times...he spelled buffeting (his competitor spelled incorrectly), but then he missed peripheral (I would have too). The next chance he had to win was when he spelled vilify correctly after his competitor misspelled it, but then misspelled curriculum. It all came down to the word megalopolis. Z misspelled this word, but then his competitor spelled it correctly and then spelled affinity as well. Phew!

Z was so thrilled to win a beautiful trophy, a $50 savings bond, and a chance to compete in the state spelling bee at Sonoma State University in May! This mommy was busting at the seams. I was so proud of him! So, after three hours of competition, this very happy boy busted out of the building with a huge smile on his face. Following happily behind was his very proud mommy.

Birthdays and Bruises

2009-03-24T14:15:00.000-07:00

Z's actual birthday is tomorrow, but we celebrated a few days ago. His desire was to have a Wii birthday with a RED theme. So, he invited family and his two best friends. His request was to have a Wii cupcake cake. Oh my...Safeway does not make Wii cupcake cakes! So this mommy got to make it! I asked him if it would be ok for me to go and buy a cake with red frosting if the Wii cake did not turn out. He said, "No, it will be just fine." "But what if I am too embarrassed," I asked. He then told me that I would have to hide in my bedroom. :) Well, it turned out ok so I didn't need to hide out this time. :)

When the boys first arrived everyone went online to make their own Mii (a computerized person that looks like them - or not)! They were able to print them out so we put them on their gift bags (which had a tin Wii remote with gum inside and other RED candies).

Then they began to complete a word search...a favorite activity for a few of Z's friends. I had them search for shades of red. It is amazing how many there are! Once the word search was completed, Z and his friends went on a scavenger hunt throughout the house looking for his gifts. It was so fun to follow them around with the camera. Excitement was in the air as they searched for the treasures while following the clues. It is also fun to watch your son get things that he has asked for. His grandma got this book for him that he has been drooling over at Barnes and Noble.

I love birthday cake pictures...especially those of the birthday boy blowing out the candles. I was thrilled to get him in action! I had a hard time counting out the ten candles to put on the cake. He can't really be that old already, can he? The picture in the middle is one of my favorites. Z had the cutest face while we sang "Happy Birthday" to him. Little B was enjoying it very much too! Too cute.

Once all of the adults had left, Z, his brother, and his friends played a Wii marathon. We ordered pizzas and played and played and played. This was EXACTLY what Z wanted to do for his birthday. I could not believe how well all of the boys got along while they played. I also couldn't believe how loudly they all talked...trying to be heard. :) Fortunately, I had some ibuprofen handy and they are such a polite group of boys.

The next day I took A and Z on a date to the batting cages. The slow baseball cage was not all that slow, but A was having some success in hitting them. Z had amazing form, but was missing each pitch. The more anxious he got, the closer he would move to home plate. I continued to encourage him to step back, but them a pitch got him...right on the finger. Oh my...there was so much blood! The whole nail turned black, but he could bend his finger...fortunately. So, we got some ice and a band aid and headed home. It is no longer throbbing, but it is still as black as ever. In the picture it looks like he has fingernail polish on his nail...nope, that is blood UNDER his nail. Ugh... What a great birthday present! I think that we will practice baseball in the park from now on. :)

Bike Rides, Science Fairs, and So Much More!

2009-03-20T19:05:00.000-07:00

We have had a busy March and it is not even over yet! I wanted to fill you in on what has been happening around here this month.

My wonderful husband talked me into doing a bike ride with him called the "Tour de Ed". It was a 20 mile fundraising bike tour to raise money for local people who have been injured riding their bikes (inspired by Ed). I felt completely out of my league as we began the ride. I sat atop my hybrid bike (not a racing or touring bike). Fortunately, M took the child seat off of the back and the wire basket off of the front so I didn't look quite so much like a homeschooling mommy. :) We began this ride in downtown Chico, but quickly headed to Durham by way of the almond orchards which were in full bloom (I still say aw-lmond even though I have lived in Chico for almost four years now). For those of you that do not live in Chico, it is almost a sin to say aw-lmond...it is pronounced amond here. I am so glad that I went on this amazing bike ride with my husband. It was so much fun to do it together. And afterward, I was even able to lift A up on my back as you can see in the picture!

M has been really busy working. He has been busy with safe deliveries, moves, and service calls as well as his new job working for B-Line. M has been driving for the city bus since January. It has been a fun change for him as he finds many ways to share the love of Jesus with others along the way. It's amazing what a simple smile and hello can do for people! So, on his time off (which is not a lot), he stays busy being a most amazing daddy, riding his bike (you should see him!), and keeping up with the yard, church activities, and quality time with his wife. How does he fit it all in?

Z has been busy studying for the County Spelling Bee which is coming up on April 2nd. He also participated in C.O.R.E.'s science fair. He did a demonstration on how to make butter. He received a 3rd place ribbon. Way to go, Z! He is also busy memorizing his lines to play Hamlet in an excerpt from the play for the Renaissance Faire at school. He has also begun a drama elective at CCS. They will be performing Pinocchio in a few months! He is SO excited to be involved in this! Z will be 10 this coming Wednesday. We celebrated with my family last Saturday. Z made his own cupcakes and decorated them with chocolate rocks. He is such a boy! He will have a Wii birthday party this Sunday with more family and a few great friends. I plan to make him a Wii remote cupcake cake. Oh dear, wish me luck!

A has begun his second season of baseball! He has been doing very well during his practices. Opening Day is tomorrow and he is so excited. Unfortunately, I do not have any pictures to post of this tonight, but will hopefully add some tomorrow! A continues to take guitar lessons and is taking a ceramics class at CCS this trimester. He has already made a pinch pot, a monkey, and a few other animals.

Little B is growing right before my very eyes! I can't believe how grown-up she is all of a sudden. Her personality is full of silliness and fun! She still enjoys singing and telling stories. She often sits with a doll or other stuffed animal just talking away. I love to overhear these little conversations. One of her favorite things is to go to "Gramma Bonnie's" house to put on makeup. She is quite a good pray-er too! Her prayers often include the following, "Dear Jesus, please be with the Lord's Army and please be with baby Elizabeth and make her strong. In Jesus' name, amen." I'm not sure how the Lord's Army ended up in her prayers, but she LOVES that song! Baby Elizabeth is my cousin's baby girl who was born premature. She has been in our prayers since her birth. She is growing like a weed, by the way. We joke and say that she might grow up to be a football player with all of B's prayers for strength.

Well, I realize that I have gone on and on in this post. Please forgive my ramblings and enjoy our latest!

The Funny Little Things

2009-03-05T12:42:00.000-08:00

I love to listen to the funny little things my kids say...these were the most recent:

Little B - While having a serious discussion at the dinner table about manners, Little B proceeded to demonstrate for her brothers how to properly eat a ravioli. In her little mommy voice she said, "First, you make sure that it is in half like this. Then you poke it and put it into your mouth." After she SHOVED the ravioli half into her mouth (and before chewing and swallowing) she said, "That is using manners." At least I think that is what she said through the ravioli in her little mouth. :)

A - A and I were laying on his bed and I was telling him about the very first time that I met him (he loves to hear this story). As I was telling him about how his daddy had told me that he had two "angel boys", A said, "And your licence plate frame says, 'I teach angels'!" That I do. :)

Z - While watching Jeopardy, Z was so excited to find one that he knew. The answer was, "4 pecks is equal to one of these." Z shouted out, "What is a BUSHEL?!" I looked at him in awe and asked how he knew the answer. I expected him to say, "I read it while doing my school work" or something like that. His answer? "I read it in Calvin and Hobbes!" Ha! Leave it to Calvin to teach my boys what they need to know. :)

Spelling Bee

2009-02-25T13:02:00.000-08:00

Our Z participated in the Spelling Bee at our charter school last Friday. He studied 500 words (VERY HARD WORDS) for the last month or so. I was so very proud of his diligence in getting the words under his belt. He was told that they would send the top two students from his level on to the County Spelling Bee. He told me that his goal was to get at least 5th. Well...he didn't have to worry about it because he was the only one that showed up! He was awarded first place and will go on to the County Spelling Bee in April! He was SO excited. The facilitator had him spell words for her until he missed one. She was very impressed with how well he did and told him that he would go far. :) So...we go back to studying the dreaded list next week to prepare for the next step in Z's Fourth Grade Spelling Bee quest.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2009-02-25T12:19:00.001-08:00

As a classroom teacher, Valentine's Day was my favorite to celebrate in the classroom. There was always so much excitement as my students brought in their valentines to share, participated in the fun valentine activities, and then discovered all of the goodies in their valentine bags! I couldn't imagine NOT experiencing that this year. I didn't want my children missing out! So...we had our very own Valentine Party at our house! We invited our fellow homeschooling friends and had a blast!

I couldn't help but get into teacher mode as I began organizing the party (one of my favorite things to do). We had centers set up throughout the house...cookie decorating, craft center, BINGO, bag decorating...even playdoh and coloring for the little ones! We had story time too. Boy, did I have fun! Fortunately, my children did too! :) My sister and nephews were able to come too! Here are a few pictures from our fun day!

Come Clown Around With Us

2009-02-02T00:08:00.001-08:00

Wow...another birthday come and gone. Our sweet A turned 8 yesterday. He has grown up SO very much! It is hard to believe that I have now known him half of his life. It sure has made my life full!

This year, we decided to have a Clown Birthday with Tiny the Clown in attendance! My AMAZING brother-in-law dressed up as Tiny and the kids LOVED it! They enjoyed "Pin the Nose on the Clown", a musical stick game, a pinata, balloon tying, relay races, and more! The birthday boy kept saying, "this is the best birthday day ever!" It is so fun to watch your children have fun.

A is looking forward to a new baseball season and improving his Wii playing abilities. :) He is incredibly friendly and makes new friends wherever he goes. He is still the life of the party and loves to make his sister and brother laugh, but he is also growing and maturing. It is fun to see God mold and shape him. I just love being his mommy.

Here are some pictures from the party. Enjoy!

We enjoyed a birthday dinner at a Japanese Hibachi Restaurant

A enjoyed being a clown himself!

His fun cupcake cake

Tiny the Clown

The whole crew...

His best buddy helping him blow out the candles...

His joy at receiving the kite he wanted

Little B enjoyed playing with the balloons...one in the front and one in the back...

This is just a small glimpse of her BIG personality.

Funny Faces

2009-01-31T00:56:00.001-08:00

The other day, M, had to get his picture taken at church for his name badge to serve in Children's Ministry. The Children's Pastor emailed this picture to me...

And the rest is history...

From our family to yours...

The Funny Things She Says...

2009-01-12T11:36:00.000-08:00

I wanted to share a few Little B-isms with you...they bring a smile to my face when she says them!

"Mommy can I go to BSkids.Borg?"
"The Itsy-Ditsy Spider"
"Yankey Doodle" instead of Magna Doodle
"May you please pick me up?"
"You are my favwit, favwit!"
"The Booger Man" instead of the Boogey Man
"Mommy, you are so wonBerful!"

Just to name a few...I will have to add to this list later. :)

I also could not RESIST adding a cute video that was taped a couple of weeks ago. Little B was watched by an amazing family during the first few months of school last year (this was just a few months before her second birthday mind you). She still prays for them every night before going to bed. And they were OBVIOUSLY on her mind when we were recording this short clip.

Birthday Blessings

2009-01-11T23:00:00.000-08:00

Happy 2009!!!! I can't believe that it has taken me this long to post something in the new year! I guess it took a birthday to roll around for me to get to it. Yes...today is my birthday and I have decided (along with my brother-in-law who is one day older) that I will begin counting backwards now...but honestly I think that we should wait for a while longer...I don't want to live to be a negative number!

The first words out of my husband's mouth this morning were, "Happy Birthday." Not a bad way to start out the day. He is a thoughtful guy. We are all about making the birthday person feel special on their special day...You Are Special plate, check; breakfast in bed, not this time - but it was my fault! Sweet "Happy Birthday"s here and there, check!!!!

After going to church, we went to lunch with my grandparents and had a great time comparing each of our meals by how many calories they contained. I guess this is what you do when you turn 32? Or is it because the Biggest Loser started a new season this past week? May be a little of both. :)

My birthday/Christmas present (for the next five years) was new flooring in our dining room and kitchen. We began with WHITE tile floors. I didn't realize just how bad they were until the new flooring was put in...you can see for yourself in the pictures! A wonderful friend of ours offered to help take out the tile...this proved to be a MUCH bigger job than expected! Instead of taking one day with little work, it took two days with a lot more work. Thankfully, my husband did not have to touch ANY of it. Our new friend, Bryan, took care of all of the hard stuff. Then on Saturday, another dear friend came and helped M do the actual laying of the new floor. So...three days later...appliances here and there, dust coming out of my eyeballs, the new flooring is done!!!! It is beautiful! We have just a few finishing touches (which should be done tomorrow). What a blessing! By the end of the day, M and B were so exhausted that they took a little snooze on the couch.

The old tile...

Bryan removing the first one...

M and his buddy laying the new flooring...

Ta-Da! I LOVE it!

Sleeping Beauties...

As I sit and type, I realize that I do not have a "birthday picture" of myself to show you...I'm usually the one BEHIND the camera. Oh well...may be next year!

SNOW Much Fun!

2008-12-21T16:43:00.001-08:00

We celebrated an early Christmas at my parents' home in Cassel. My sister, brother-in-law, and three nephews were there as well as my grandparents. After eating an AMAZING brunch and opening presents (both families received Wiis!), we went out for some fun in the snow. And fun we had! My amazing dad pulled the kids on innertubes behind the four-wheeler. Boy, did that bring back fond memories from my childhood! My sister and I kept looking at each other saying, "This is the best Christmas ever!" So...even though we have not experienced snow in our neck of the woods, we could travel to see it in theirs. MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Our Christmas Letter

2008-12-17T23:00:00.000-08:00

'Twas the Night Before Christmas 2008
California Harper Clan Edition

'Twas the Night Before Christmas and we can’t believe it is already here
Time has flown by as we approach another year.

We look back on this past year with thankfulness in our hearts
God has directed our paths and has been with us through every part.

Early in the year we began checking out our options for schooling
And He led us to the thought to home school with the boys drooling!

This brought with it many what-if kind of questions
But God answered every one with absolutely clear direction.

We enrolled at CORE Butte Charter School with much joy
And learned that there was SO much to become involved in…oh boy!

So after a fun summer of Six Flags, the ocean, and riding of bikes
We began our school year and found that it was something we did like!

Zane and Andrew can choose what to start with and how to end
While Brianne is learning much too…loving the time we do spend.

While daddy is at work, this mommy juggles the studies, her taxi, and the house
But she couldn’t be happier and more in love with her spouse.

While the boys are enjoying fourth and second grades
They are enjoying MANY activities and the new friends they have made.

Andrew played baseball and is picking up the guitar,
While Zane has found drama and is turning into a star.

Brianne enjoys dancing, coloring, singing, and playing
And with her kind heart, for other people she is always praying.

Michael and I celebrated three terrific years
With a trip to San Francisco with our bikes going through MANY different gears!

And then last month my grandparents moved here
What a blessing they are to our family having them so near.

This Christmas we find ourselves sitting back and grinning
We have had so many blessings that our heads are spinning!

God continues to be faithful, for our needs He provides
We pray that this Christmas you find comfort in His arms open wide.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Christmas is Around the Corner!

2008-11-30T23:00:00.000-08:00

Boy do I love Christmas! Everything about it...the music...the decorations...the gift purchasing and wrapping...the anticipation...and the celebration of the birth of our Savior! It is almost a magical time of year...that is more special when you share it with your children. You should have seen (and heard) my sweeties as we decorated today.

Our Alvin and the Chipmunks Christmas CD played in the background as we opened our tub of Christmas Tree decorations. It is tradition to unpack all of the carefully wrapped and boxed ornaments and lay them out on the table. We always have little discussions about when and where certain ornaments were purchased. Then each of us grabs our favorite ornament to place on the Christmas tree first. Sweet little B placed all of her ornaments in the same section at the bottom of the tree (she had three on one branch)! Too cute. Z and A took special care to place their ornaments just so. It was priceless. It is always so exciting to place the star on the top and then plug in the white lights. They oohed and ahhed very dramatically. Daddy quickly followed suit and set up the train! The boys brought out the train whistle and they played conductor for a while. Daddy was the hero of the afternoon. :)

Next it was time for the Nativity scenes. My wonderful husband purchased the Willow Tree Nativity scene for me a few Christmases back. I LOVE it. But my precious A made his own Nativity set last year in my classroom. It was made out of blocks and adorned with faces placed with a Sharpie pen. You should have seen the look on his face as he set this very special decoration out. He took very special care of baby Jesus as he set everything out on the table in our entryway. PERFECT! Z proudly placed the angel that he made last year on our dining table. She is just so pretty.

To finish the festive day, the kids curled up to watch Polar Express and topped it off with yummy Hot Chocolate (the special kind with a chocolate mint candy cane and marshmallows of course)! What a special day! I have the greatest job in the world!

A Wonderful Thanksgiving

2008-11-30T22:42:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is always a wonderful time of year...yummy food...family around your table... But I just can't get over how much work it is to prepare (and clean up) when it only takes around 20 minutes to gobble up the tasty treats! :) But we do it anyway with joy in our hearts!

Since the boys were going to be with their mom for Thanksgiving this year, they wanted to be a part of our celebration. So...we worked on a little craft together to grace the center of our Thanksgiving dinner table. The following pictures will give you a little idea of the process and the outcome! They were very much a part of our Thanksgiving dinner.

Now that we have stuffed ourselves with the yummy food, we decided to ride our bikes to church this morning. We couldn't believe the amazingly warm weather on this last day of November. It is hard to believe that tomorrow will be December 1st! My husband has quite a set-up on his bike which enabled us to also stop off at the grocery store after church. We were able to fit a week's worth of groceries on his bike (except for the eggs that were carefully placed in my basket). We had to stop at grandma and grandpa's on our way home so that we could document this amazing feat! M was so proud! :)

So we now gear up for the Christmas season (my favorite)...there will be more about that in my next post!

2008-11-21T13:32:00.000-08:00

I love it when my children get to celebrate. What is even better is celebrating with them! We had one of those weeks this last week. What fun!

It began with Elective Celebration at the Christian school where the boys are each taking a class. A participated in a class called Boogy Boot Camp. He sure did have a good time! The video above is of his dance premier on stage - it is a little on the long side, but too cute to pass up. He really enjoyed getting up there to show us what he learned. Throughout the class he would refuse to show me what he was learning...he didn't want to ruin the surprise. Z participated in a class called 4-H Sampler Platter. In this class he learned to cook (tortillas are still my favorite - we had them last night!), sew, and work with leather. In the picture he is posing with the kitty that he made during the sewing portion. Too cute!

Little B's celebration came in the way of a birthday! Yes, our little girl is 3 (or "free" according to her). :) She had a super Sesame Street birthday. So much fun and SO cute! One of her presents was to attend the Elmo Live performance coming up soon...she (and her brothers) are very excited to see Elmo and his pals on stage! She also has moved into a BIG girl bed...we were blessed to get a bedroom set from a friend. It came with everything a girl could need (and much, much more)! Her dresser is a large music box. Every drawer plays a different song! (Fortunately, mommy can turn this feature off.) :) Little B is in heaven! I had to include some pictures of her new bedroom too.

My sweet husband and I are so blessed to be surrounded by children that bring so much joy into our lives! My cup overflows...

Happy Veteran's Day!

2008-11-11T15:43:00.000-08:00

Homeschooling offers so many opportunities for learning! On our assignment sheet this week, I wrote, "Surprise Field Trip" for today. The suspense just about KILLED them. "Please give us a hint," they would plead. I was strong and did not give in to their persistence. :)

Today at 11 a.m. we had a meeting on the carpet. We began discussing what Veteran's Day means. What is a Veteran? and many other questions. We learned that Americans used to observe a moment of silence at 11 a.m. on November 11th. Fascinating! So...we held our own moment of silence and prayed for the Veterans. We then were off to our field trip. We first stopped by my grandparent's to pick up Grandma. She wanted to go along for the ride. Next, we headed to cemetery in downtown Chico. The boys have been asking to go to the "graveyard" for quite some time. Curiosity of the unknown I guess.

We spent quite a while admiring the gravestones. Wondering about the lives of the people buried there, figuring out how old the people were when they passed away, and marvelling at the beauty of it all. The boys HAD to bring along notebooks so that they could take notes and draw pictures. They had a blast! I just enjoyed watching them learn.

I wish that I had pictures of this amazing learning experience...maybe next time.

Fun with Feathers and Brothers

2008-11-11T15:12:00.001-08:00

Fun, fun, fun! Isn't it funny how our children can have fun with the silliest things? Little B found this feather and thought that it would be funny to have a "moostache". She played with that feather for the longest time! I just had to get a few pictures. :)

Her other favorite toy is her brothers! These three play, and play, and play! My heart is filled with so much joy as I hear their laughter throughout the house. That is what makes a house a home. So, here is a silly video of the three of them up to one of their playtime activities. Can we count this as P.E.?

Happy Harvest

2008-11-04T19:06:00.000-08:00

I love to look around and see the amazing beauty of leaves changing colors. In this wonderful town where we live, we are blessed with many trees...therefore many vibrant colors as the leaves are changing...gorgeous.

I wanted to include some fun fall pictures in this post. This time of year, we are reminded to think of all of the blessings that God has given us and to give Him thanks! So, I thought that I would start a list...it would take me FAR too long to list all of my blessings, so I will just name a few:

1. A wonderful family.

2. An anniversary...B's adoption was finalized one year ago on October 29th.

3. A very creative husband. He served at the high school all-nighter on October 31st and decided to make a Rice Krispy Treat, Twinkie, and Cupcake Cake and SUSHI! (Look carefully at the sushi.) :)

4. Grandparents that live VERY close now (1 min. and 50 sec. away by bike).

5. Amazing friends.

6. A home to live in...maybe not always perfectly cleaned, but filled with LOVE.

7. Family Fun (at the pumpkin patch)!

8. Dishes to do...that means that we had a yummy dinner.

9. Laundry to do...that means that we had clothes to wear.

10. Messes to clean up...that means that I have three amazing children to take care of.

11. Phone calls to answer...that means that I have loving friends and family that want to talk to me!

12. Covers to share...that means that I have a loving husband to share a bed with!

Hopefully you are taking time to think about all that YOU are thankful for too! May God bless you as you do so!

Ever Have a Day Like This?

2008-10-20T22:21:00.000-07:00

Sometimes there are days where you would like to just crawl back under the covers, close your eyes, and start ALL over again. Today was one of those days.

Our morning began with a tragic accident in the kitchen involving a plastic jar of peanut butter and a glass jar of RED pasta sauce. Unfortunately, the plastic jar did not fall on the floor. I wish that I would have taken a picture of the incredible mess that it made. I didn't know that glass and pasta sauce could travel that far! One jar of pasta sauce and a roll of paper towels later...

The next exciting event took place while the boys were working on school work. I had gone to check on little B who was coloring with her Crayola Color Wonder markers (markers that ONLY color in her special coloring books). She was quite enjoying herself so I left her to her coloring. Minutes (or maybe what seemed like minutes) later she came walking out COVERED in black markings. What in the world? I wanted to giggle because she looked like she had been attacked by a permanent marker...no couldn't be. I tentatively followed her to her room to find out that not only had she been attacked, but so had her bedroom. Oh my goodness... Here are a few pictures to show you what I witnessed:

Yes...that is MARKS-A-LOT marker on her wall, on the floor, on her dresser, bed, door, toy box, piano, doll house, Magna-Doodle (which she calls her Yankee Doodle), doll...need I say more? So, I called my sister, "What do I do with permanent marker?" Fortunately, the Magic Eraser is magic! It worked (for the most part) on many of the marks, but not all...daddy was not very happy when he got home. So, if you have more permanent marker advice, we would LOVE to hear it!

Then later this evening, we had SO much fun singing at the dinner table and making each other laugh. I thought that you might like to witness the lighter side of our day too! Little B and daddy were singing "My God is So Big" together. Yes, God is bigger than permanent marker.

Dutch Brothers Or Bust

2008-10-15T22:52:00.000-07:00

When you purchase a coffee at Dutch Brothers and pay with your debit card, they always ask, "Would you like your receipt?"

So...the other day I realized that maybe I have purchased one too many coffees at Dutch Brothers because upon pulling up to the window, my beautiful almost three year old said, "Mommy, do you want your receipt?"

Busy September

2008-09-24T23:26:00.000-07:00

This month is almost gone! Where did it go? Our weekends have been full...a yard sale, a birthday party, a soccer game, an anniversary celebration, and helping friends move! Oh! That is where it went! :)

Our boys were THRILLED to have their own lemonade stand at our yard sale. They took their job very seriously. With daddy's business help, they figured out how much they would need to spend to buy their supplies and how much they would need to make to break even. They were so blessed by many at the yard sale that just gave them donations! Z thought that this was a great way to make a few extra dollars. Little B even got in on the action. While the boys were taking a break, she would ask everyone that approached, "Would you like some nemonade?" Who can resist an almost three year old? B would put her earnings into her pocket...too cute.

My wonderful husband and I just celebrated three years of marriage. We headed south to San Francisco for a few days in the city. We experienced riding the BART, a cable car, and our BIKES! Our first day was primarily spent at Pier 39. We had so much fun just wandering and spending time together.

On our second day we planned to go on a 21 mile bike tour around the city...starting at Pier 39 (yes, we took our bikes on the BART to get there), up to a fort, along the bay, UP to Golden Gate Bridge, across the Golden Gate Bridge, through Presidio Park, down (and up) some city streets, to Golden Gate Park (beautiful)...somewhere around here is where we took a wrong turn...or maybe three or four. :) More hills to climb until we FINALLY found our way back on track. But not before we tried to board a bus to get us to the BART station only to find out that M's bike was too long to fit on the bike rack. Oh well! It just added to the adventure (ok...I can say that now, but while we were adventuring I was not too excited). Anyway...35 miles later we made it to a BART station and then pedaled back to our hotel just before sunset. We only have a few scrapes, bruises, and pictures to prove our ride! :) M says that I will definitely be able to ride the 60 mile Flat Flower this next year in Chico. Please notice that it is FLAT! :)

Our anniversary trip was amazing. We were so glad to get back home though...to our bed...to our quiet neighborhood...and to our children! Is it possible for kids to grow in three days? I couldn't believe how grown up they all looked! Oh to be home again...

Homeschooling Update

2008-09-09T19:47:00.001-07:00

I am blown away by this blessing called homeschooling. We are so thrilled that God has brought us to this place. It is wonderful to be able to spend all day with my children...do not get me wrong...we are not just sitting at home ALL day! I want to give you a little glimpse into our days...are you ready? :)

Mondays - school work until lunch then Z has a drama class at the center for two hours

Tuesdays - school work until lunch (or so) and then electives at the local Christian school

Wednesdays - classes at the center (everything from cooking to science) from 9-12 then back home for a little bit of school work

Thursdays - a repeat of Tuesdays

Fridays - school work until lunch (or so) and home for the rest of the day!

The three amigos are enjoying a yummy snack during recess

It might sound a little crazy, but we are LOVING it! Little B is adapting well...what an answer to prayer. The boys are in heaven - they love to be able to decide which subject area to tackle first. They have so many options and are loving to make their own choices and go at their own speed. I just love to see the smiles on their faces each day.

I had to include a few pictures of something that Z was working on today. At his elective class he learned how to make tortillas. We were blessed to have some for dinner tonight. Here are a few pictures of the process and the outcome. They were YUMMY! The chef was so proud. So was his mommy.

Fair Time!

2008-09-09T19:25:00.001-07:00

One of our favorite times of year is fair time! Every Labor Day weekend we venture up to the Intermountain Fair...a good ol' country fair. It is wonderful! There is something for everyone to do! I wanted to share a few of our favorites:

Relaxing in the shade...

Yes, that is Z soaring through the air...

Riding horsies and laughing when they talk back to you...

Experiencing spectacular fireworks...

Watching your nephew win the Diaper Derby...

Sack races...

Three-legged races...

And watermelon eating contests...

What Fun!

First Day Hooray!

2008-08-26T10:27:00.000-07:00

Our first day of school was full of excitement! The boys were thrilled to finally begin! A knocked on our door fairly early to say, "Happy First Day of School!" That meant that I needed to get out of bed and take a shower. :)

Our first activity was to have devotions on the carpet during our circle time. Little B loved this! We sang songs that she knew and she got to sit on my lap. Happy times. The boys decided to give both of us bunny ears while daddy took the picture. Silly boys!

We then headed to the table to realize that we have A LOT of ironing to do... No, we didn't do laundry...we just have a lot of kinks to iron out! :) So, I may have some advantages in homeschooling, since I have taught in the classroom, but it is a different world! A dear friend told me that I will learn more about myself this first year than my children will learn. That is a SCARY thought! But I'm ready...Lord, what do you want to show me?

Ready or Not Here We Go!

2008-08-23T23:03:00.001-07:00

Well, the countdown is about to end! I can't believe that we only have one day of summer left. We officially begin our homeschooling adventure on Monday, the 25th. We picked up all of our textbooks 1 1/2 weeks ago. My sweet A said, "Mommy, can we start tomorrow?" I love his enthusiasm! I politely requested that we begin on our actual start date so mommy could get ready. :) Z agreed wholeheartedly. He is not quite ready for his relaxing summer to be over.

Little B keeps saying, "We're having school at home?" "Yes, B, we are having school at home. Won't that be fun?" :) I don't think that she gets the whole idea yet. I pray that she will adapt well as our daily schedule is about to change (A LOT)! :) She wants to have circle time and sing, "Who's at school today?" - a song that she sang daily at preschool last year. That's a great idea! So, my poor fourth grader will be sitting during circle time singing preschool songs...the funny thing is that both boys will love every minute of it!

My prayer requests are that we will settle into a great routine...that B will adjust to having some independent play time...that I will be a blessing to my sons as we spend so much time together...and that the Lord will use this amazing opportunity in our lives!

I had to add a few fun pictures too! Enjoy!

B really likes to wear her brothers' swimming goggles...in the second picture she was trying to make a funny face...after I took the picture she said, "Let me see!" with a huge smile on her face.

B loves to apply lotion...just ask her great grandma...daddy was not too happy about this one, but mommy just had to take a picture! Later we found lotion on the headboard of our bed and on daddy's night stand. :)

I realize that in BOTH of these pictures Z is making the same silly face! :) What a ham!

Final Summer Fun

2008-08-10T23:04:00.000-07:00

I am in shock that summer is almost over! The schools in our town are all set to begin this Wednesday! Yikes! Fortunately, we have two more weeks of relaxation to look forward to. We are starting to gear up though! Pencil boxes, crayons, glue sticks, scissors, and pencils have been purchased and we will receive our curriculum this week. We are ALL excited, but anxious to see what this will exactly look like for our family.

I promised an update on our VERY seperate end of the summer vacations...here you go! Unfortunately, I only have pictures from the Oregon trip to share with you though.

M returned from Mexico last night at 9:30. He was so glad to be home and we were thrilled to have our daddy back! Z and A kept saying, "We are FINALLY a whole family again!" Little B just threw her arms around her daddy's neck and gave him kisses. M had an amazing time on his 10-day journey. He learned a lot about himelf and interacting with highschoolers. He had wonderful experiences. I struggled with not being able to talk to him while he was away...whatever did we do before cell phones? :) I had sent a stack of letters down with my dear friend. She had her boys deliver one to M each morning at breakfast. M said he began to expect them and was thrilled to "hear" from his wife along the way. Thank you, dear friends, for making this possible!

The boys had a ball at First Mommy's. My sweet A lost a tooth while he was there and then another one the day after I picked them up! He is a little bit toothless right now and the tooth fairy has been VERY busy! Z had fun with his baby sister and learning how to advance in a game cube game. Oh to be 9 again!

Little B and I traveled all over Oregon during our nine days away. We first journeyed to Eugene to visit my beautiful cousin and her pets...that was B's favorite part! See two of them (fighting for their lives it looks like)!

Another stop in Eugene was with dear friends. M's mom has wonderful friends in Eugene and I could not imagine not meeting them myself! We have been emailing back and forth since M and I got married, so I felt that I already knew them! B and I went for a visit and had a great time. My only regret is that we did not get a picture. What was I thinking? We love you K and G!

We then headed down the coast to finally arrive at Great Grandma and Grandpa's house at the OCEAN! B has been talking about it for weeks now! "We going to the ocean? Right?" When we finally saw the ocean, B said, "Oh my goodness!" It is so fun to see life through her eyes.

Some of her favorite activities at Grandma and Grandpa's house were reading a farm book with Grandpa and wearing his socks!

We also headed back up the coast to Bandon to a Wildlife Park. There were animals roaming around and others in cages to view. Little B was able to hold a baby lioness and an opposum! This was probably the highlight of her whole trip!

Finally, on our last full day at the ocean we actually went down to the beach to play for a while. The weather was so cool that we wore jackets and did not even think of going in the water! :) B had a blast visiting with doggies, digging in the sand, and finding "cute" rocks and shells.

Thanks Grandma and Grandpa for an amazing last hoorah!

Summer Fun

2008-07-27T00:03:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share a few fun pictures of our sweet ones enjoying their summer.

Z and B went out to our planter in the backyard to do a little work. Z decided that wearing a hat would be a great idea. So little B had to get a hat too of course! She marched herself into her room and came out with this one! The boys' mom had made it for her last winter. It is an adorable hat, but maybe not the best one to wear on a warm summer day. She wore it nonetheless.

A sometimes lets his imagination go completely wild. He is known for digging through his disguise drawer to see what character he can be next. This is my favorite of the summer. Instead of having a parrot on his shoulder, he settled for the next best thing! His other favorite costume is his new Superman cape with an orange "super hero" mask that we made out of an old t-shirt. He has written "SC" on the front which stands for Super C - the name of the super hero that he is pretending to be at the moment. Unfortunately, Super C does not like to have his picture taken so I have none to show you. Maybe I will be able to sneak one one of these days. :)

Another favorite activity for all three of our munchkins is bike riding! They were all out riding the other day. B thought that she was pretty big to be riding on the road (with Mommy right by her side). All of a sudden, B pulled her bike over to lay on its side. I was really confused until I looked at the driveway and saw that Z had also set his bike on its side to run inside for a quick drink. Little B was just doing what her Bubba did! Too cute!

Little B is in the middle of potty training. It is not a fun task for this mommy. I struggle with being too lax about it and then being uptight and not relaxed enough. She is showing signs of being ready, but then she doesn't! It might take us a while. I have been reading up on it and EVERYONE has a different opinion. I will let you know how that goes too! :)

Six Flags or Bust!

2008-07-26T23:33:00.000-07:00

We had an absolutely amazing time at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom! There was something there for everyone!

Z enjoyed the "scary" rides. His motto was "The more times that I go upside down the better!" It cracked me up. His personality is very reserved and cautious, but take him to an amusement park and he goes crazy! :) He couldn't wait to be whipped around and flipped upside down. And of course mommy went with him on all of the rides. Daddy did too!

Our more cautious A did not want to go upside down. "Never in my life," he said! He also said that about a couple of fast roller coasters - no upside down parts, just fast! On the second day he decided to be brave and try one. My poor little man was VERY nervous (especially when we were next in line), but he did it! And he loved it! He was so proud of himself for going on a "big" roller coaster.

Little B loved everything! When we could see the roller coasters from outside the park she would yell, "There it is!" She loved the animals, the choo-choo train, the sand box, the butterflies, the swings, and the list goes on and on! She especially like being there with Grandma, Grandpa, Uncle J, Auntie W, cousin K, cousin K, and baby I. She would go through the list several times each day! :)

M and I enjoyed ourselves so much! As a parent, there is nothing better than to watch your children have an absolute ball!

Now, we have one week at home and then we all go in separate directions. M is heading to Mexico with the high school group from church. They are going down to serve at an orphanage and he is really looking forward to it. Z and A have decided to stay at First Mommy's while B and I are heading to Oregon to visit Great Grandma and Grandpa. We will be splitting our time between Eugene and Brookings. I am really looking forward to this trip! We will update you when we all return!

Back to Normal?

2008-07-14T22:52:00.000-07:00

What a crazy week! Little B had her surgery last Thursday and has just bounced right back! (I wanted to include a picture from right before her surgery. You will notice the wagon in the background that she VERY happily was wheeled away in.) Her voice is much higher and she is talking twice as much, but other than that things seem to be back to normal. What is normal anyway? :)

Today the kids were playing and playing and playing. We are so desperately trying to conserve gas, so we decided to stay home all day - except for a bikeride to Daddy's store to take him a homemade lunch. So, my children came up with ALL sorts of fun for themselves:

While I was sweeping and mopping, we put all of our chairs and stools in the entryway...hey, wouldn't that be a perfect place to set up a fort for our club? Z read the agenda for the day, "And today at 11 o'clock we will be celebrating National Nap Appreciation Day." Yes, he was making it up as he went along.

While I was giving B her "yucky" medicine, she decided to sticker herself and make funny faces. The boys followed her lead and made their own funny faces.

We played with cars, trains, bikes, and baseballs. Can you believe that we only had a few squabbles? And that was all over a few train pieces. Z was not willing to share (I didn't blame him) and B thought that it was nice to share! :)

We even had a dance party! I will attempt to post the video...what a kick in the pants! I realize that I say each of the kids' names on the video...I just choose to not have them in print. :)

On our bike ride, I had to stop rather abruptly at one point. My sweet A usually rides pretty close to me because we are "bike buddies" and bike buddies stick together A always says! Anyway, after we stopped A said, "Wow! I did not know that you were going to stop so suddenly!" Then he paused for a bit, "That was completely unexpected!" Another pause, "Well, I guess life is like that!" I love to experience A's serious conversations!

While doing all of these fun activities, we were also potty training! Little B went potty on the toilet many times throughout the day...she even went poo poo in the potty! (Her first time!) I do have to add that she also went potty on the floor a few times...not fun, but part of the process, right?

My amazing husband missed out on all of this fun because he was working hard for our family at the store. I am a blessed woman! When he arrived home this evening, we greeted him in the driveway, arms waving, voices shouting! Then we had to show him our dance party video! He was very impressed.

Independence Day

2008-07-06T20:55:00.000-07:00

Another BBQ Potluck has come and gone. What a fun reason to celebrate and spend time with friends! The weather was absolutely gorgeous and we had a day without smoke too! We had about 40 people over to eat, play, fellowship, and eat some more! I wish that I had taken some more pictures, but I was too busy! :) After our celebration, we headed to a local park to watch the fireworks with friends from church. We played and played and played as we waited for the show...the fireworks finally started at 11pm! The kids thought that it was well worth the wait...little B was mesmerized by the pretty show. Yes, she stayed awake to watch them...she did fall asleep moments after getting into the car for the ride home. :)

The next day, my parents, sister, brother-in-law, and three ADORABLE nephews came to Chico for a play day! We had WAY too much fun! The picture is of little B feeding her youngest cousin. She thought that it was much better than feeding her dolls (although she loves to do that too)!

We pray that you all had a wonderful Fourth of July too!

It is Finished!

2008-06-24T21:22:00.000-07:00

My wonderful husband has finished a grand project in our backyard! I am so impressed with him! I would love to share a picture journal with you...

It all started when we sat outside on our wonderful cement patio baking in the sun. We got the brilliant idea to build a patio cover!

So began the project. My fabulous husband worked so hard on the framing and building of this great idea...then it came time for the painting...oh yuck...

So, last weekend we promised each other that it was going to get done! So, we papered EVERYTHING and prepared it to be sprayed.

Then M rose bright and early on Saturday to spray his little heart out. He sprayed and he sprayed and he sprayed. Doesn't he look pretty?

I was SO impressed with the finished product! We then went and purchased a table (which took me 2 1/2 hours to put together - totally worth it). And here it is! My husband is my hero!

Loving Being Home

2008-06-17T22:32:00.000-07:00

So, I called M at work yesterday and said, "Have I told you how happy I am being at home?" I know without a doubt that God has called me to be at home with my children. I am having a BALL! And I'm getting a lot done around the house! Go figure! It is fun for M to come home and look around to see what crazy little task I have gotten accomplished that particular day. :)

Today a few of the tasks included changing sheets and sweeping and mopping the floors. Little B is SUCH a big help! In order to make Z's bed, I have to climb up the ladder and "sit" on his bed. Of course Little B wanted to "help" me. She climbed right on up, sat down across from me, and said, "I have special time with you." :) That is what A calls just sitting with me on my bed and talking. I asked, "What do you want to do during our special time?" She laid on her back and said, "Um.......Um.......sing songs with you!" How could I resist? Later while I was sweeping in the hallway, she squeezed by me and said, "Excuse me!" I asked her if I was in her way. She replied, "Just a little bit." My days are filled with special conversations like this!

Little B LOVES to play in the water in the sink! She was making a birthday cake here...

...and washing with BUBBLES here!

The boys are enjoying VBS this week. They are learning about Jonah! We are so blessed to attend an amazing church where the boys have many friends with whom they learn about Jesus! I am so proud of their desire to memorize their verses and tell others about what they have learned each day.

Many of you know about the devastating fire that we had near Chico. Many families lost homes. It has been a very hard time for many. Little B asks to pray for the fire every time we pray. And the boys ask what we can do to help. M has had many curious customers the last few days asking about fire safes. Please pray for him to be a light in his store!

Couldn't Resist...

2008-06-12T15:52:00.001-07:00

Hello again! I just couldn't resist adding this video. Little B got a new tricycle at a yard sale at a student's home (of all places!) She loves it! She is still a bit too little for it, but you can't tell her that! :)

Where God Guides...

2008-06-10T20:52:00.000-07:00

I realize that I have failed to update you on some important aspects in our lives! Let me take this time to do so!

Little B had her ENT appointment one month ago. There we found that she will need to have her tonsils and adenoids out as well as have tubes placed in her ears. Her hearing test showed that her hearing is poor! That is due to the size of her adenoids and the fluid behind her ears that is not draining. Our bodies are SO amazing! Only an Almighty God could have created such finite beings! Today we went to the doctor for ANOTHER sinus infection. I have lost track of how many times she has been on antibiotics in the last six months. Absolutely crazy! We are praying that this procedure is going to help! We are waiting on authorization and then will make our appointment. It looks like it will probably happen this summer. Even though her tonsils are TOUCHING, she is still talking up a storm...the doctor said today that she sounds like she has a potato stuck in her throat. That sounds comfy! She obviously is not letting it stop her...she sings and talks away!

Z is SO thrilled for summer to be here. He is mostly excited about the fact that he is finished with homework. Then when he realized that he will not have homework next school year, he almost passed out! :) I told him that ALL of the work that we will be doing will be at home, therefore no homework. He is a happy guy! Z is starting to attempt "tricks" on his bike. He follows in his daddy's footsteps...you should have seen them this evening!

Baseball season is over and A had a ball! We were so proud of him! He learned so much. A is also excited to be out of school, although he misses his friends SO much! He is having a sweet friend over for a play date in two more days. He was thrilled to be able to talk to her on the phone yesterday. It was all that he could talk about for the rest of the afternoon!

As a family, we were blessed to head to Brookings, OR to visit my grandparents last week. B was thrilled to see the ocean and play on the beach. Her favorite part of the trip was driving through the tunnel (we honked the horn and she thought it was hilarious)! Now anytime we drive under an overpass she yells, "Tunnel!" The boys' favorite part of our trips to Brookings is watching cartoons...grandma and grandpa have a lot more channels than we do. They get their fill while we are there, that's for sure! M and I enjoyed spending time with my grandparents, resting and relaxing away from reality for a few days, and painting B's fingernails for the first time! (Ok...that was one of MY favorite parts.) :) B could not wait to go to grandma's so she could have her fingernails painted "PINK"!

So, we are looking forward to our summer of fun and relaxation before we begin the journey called homeschooling. :) I'm sure that we will have lots of blogs about that too! As we pray about finances and wisdom in this next journey, we hold onto the truth: Where God guides, God provides!

Crazy Morning

2008-05-25T09:39:00.000-07:00

As we near (4 more days) the end of the school year, we are ALL looking forward to not living by a SCHEDULE! So, the last few weekends we have been trying to enjoy some lounging time in the mornings. But little B just hasn't gotten the memo. Last Sunday, she meandered into our bedroom sometime around 6...we were NOT ready to be awake. We asked her nicely to go back to her bedroom to play...sometime later we woke up to our beautiful daughter looking like this:

She was trying to undress herself...and put on a swim diaper...we had just purchased a kiddie pool earlier in the weekend...her new favorite place to be! What I was unable to capture on film, was the MESS that she had made on one of our couches. She decided to put "medicine" (desitin) on the couch and proceeded to RUB it in. This upset M a little bit...before he could see the humor in it, he began to clean it up...so I have no evidence to show you. Let's just say, the couch will not have diaper rash for quite some time!

Changes, Changes, Changes...

2008-04-28T21:10:00.000-07:00

Our poor little B has suffered from tonsillitis (again). She is being referred to an ENT to check things out further. She has been on many antibiotics over the past six months. In the above video you might be able to "hear" just how swollen her little tonsils were. She is doing much better now...so is mommy. We had a few nights of sleeping upright in a chair to allow the poor little one to breathe! When B wasn't laying around feeling yucky, she was singing her little heart out. I finally got it on video and am thrilled to share it with you!

A is still enjoying playing baseball. He is having a great time and is learning the game quickly! Our class is going on a skating field trip this week and we also have our annual speech meet in our classroom. He is VERY much looking forward to each day of school!

Z just got a new pair of glasses. He was so proud as he went to school for the first time with them. Unfortunately, no one noticed, but he was sure to tell as many people as possible. :) Z is looking forward to what we have in store this summer...VBS, flag football camp, and a trip to Six Flags with my family! Woo Hoo!

M just biked the Flat Flower...a bike ride put on in Chico every year. He rode 60 miles on Sunday morning and had a ball! I am SO proud of my husband! We are now calling him King of the 60 miles etc... Z would sarcastically ask, "Now, how many miles did you ride?" because M told us many times how far he had actually gone. That IS pretty amazing though!

Ok...ok...now for the changes that I have been talking about! Through many circumstances, we have decided to home school next year! We are all very excited about this new chapter. God has opened EVERY door possible. I just have to stand back in awe of all that He has done to bring us to this place. It also brings with it a little bit of anxiety. We would love your prayers as M makes decisions about his store. He feels that God is telling him to wait for now...we just don't know how long that will be. Please pray for wisdom for my amazing husband. He SO desires to lead his family where God wants us to go! I know that God has opened the door for me to be at home with all three of our wonderful children, so He will provide for our financial needs as well. We are just not sure what that is going to look like!

Spring is in the air...

2008-04-07T18:02:00.000-07:00

Spring is such a wondeful season! You should see the trees here in our hometown...they are blooming brightly with very colorful flowers. What a sight! In our family, spring also means bike riding, baseball playing, and lots more outdoor fun!

Our Big Z is now 9. I can hardly believe where the time has gone. He is growing in every area of his life. We are so proud of him. He has officially grown out of his "little kid" bike. Daddy was thrilled to have a mission of finding him a nice "new" bicycle. Daddy was successful and Z was SO excited to find his new treasure in the back of his daddy's truck. M had asked him if he wanted to go for a bike ride...Z excitedly ran out to the garage to discover that his "little kid" bike was nowhere to be found. He began to panic, but followed M's suggestion to go searching for it. Upon opening the back of the big truck, Z was surprised to find a very exciting replacement. What a fun birthday surprise!

A is playing baseball this spring. He is having a BALL! He is doing "coach-pitch", which is a perfect starting point for him. We are so proud of his great sportsmanship and the huge smile that he carries throughout the entire game. Z and B are his biggest fans. They make up quite a cheering section!

Our little B is quite the singing sensation. She always seems to have a song in her heart. Whether it is the ABC's or Jesus Loves Me. Boy does she melt our hearts when she sings away. You can often find her coloring (with her left hand) while she sings and sings and sings. On some days her ABC's end like this...Q, R, S, Y, and Z..now I know my ABCD next time won't you sing with me. On a good day she actually sings the whole thing through! I can't believe the things she knows!

We are looking at a lot of changes in our future. Through all of the prospects, we know that God is in control and that He has a MIGHTY plan for our little family. Sometimes it amazes me to sit back and think that God can hear my prayers (my problems) at the same time that He is listening to others' as well! We serve an amazing God. We are so thankful that He listens to us and wants what is best for our family. Please pray that we will see what He has for us!

Walking Where He Leads

2008-03-18T22:33:00.000-07:00

One thing that I have learned is that God's ways are SO much better than mine. I am reminded of this every time I look at my amazing family. God has incredibly blessed me with a loving husband and three beautiful children. It was in His perfect timing and His perfect way!
So, I must catch you up on the happenings of our family!
My sweet A is showing his pearly whites in this picture. He is celebrating the 100th day of school along with his 4th grade big buddy. A thinks that his buddy is the bestest of all!
This is me with my teaching partner! We are having a ball together. We asked one of her students to take our picture...we really are wearing 100th Day of School hats, but they were cut off. Oh well! :) God has placed this friend in my life for very special reasons.
Speaking of placing in my life...I am so blessed that God has placed my children in my life. I also love that God has such an amazing sense of humor! I feel that He sometimes shares it with us through our children. :) The other day, I made Little B a piece of toast. I spread a thin layer of butter on it and set it in front of her. I then went into my bedroom to finish getting ready. I heard her stool scooting across the floor, but didn't think too much about it. When I walked out a minute later, she was sitting on her stool with a butter knife and the butter. She had pulled the butter knife out of the silverware drawer and the butter off of the counter. She was very successfully spreading the butter across her toast and her hand! She was SO proud of herself! I had to get a picture!
We were able to celebrate Easter a little early with my parents. They hid 61 eggs around their home...as it was SNOWING outside! :) Z, A, and B had a blast searching for the eggs. As you can see, Z became a little possessive of his treasures. The smile on his face shows just how serious he was about keeping his eggs from his little sister.

Have a VERY Happy Easter!

Time Just Slips Away

2008-02-05T13:20:00.000-08:00

I can't believe that it has taken me so long to update all of you! Where does the time go? I'm sure that you are all in the same boat!

Z is getting ready to go to an all day chess tournament at Butte College. He is very excited about it! He really enjoys the ins and outs of this game. And he's getting pretty good. His teacher went into the hospital this morning to give birth to her first baby girl. Z is so excited for his teacher, but misses her very much as she is away on maternity leave.

A just turned 7! He had a very fun birthday party here at our house with wonderful kids from his class. He had a "school birthday party". Our school's mascot is the Lions, so he wanted to have a Lion birthday party. :) It evolved into being a Safari birthday party with the central theme being the lion. :) They made lion faces, went on a safari looking for safari animals (and birthday presents), and had a lion pinata! It was so fun to watch them run all over the house searching for the clues! I will remember that for a long time...I hope A does too!

B really enjoyed the lion mascot that made a surprise appearance. She wasn't too sure what to think at first, but by the end was letting the lion carry her around for pictures. B is the proud owner of a "big girl bed". She feels so grown up! We had to make the switch when we were awoken by her cute little footsteps by our bed one Saturday morning a few weeks back. She had crawled out of her crib showing us that the time had come! Amazingly, she has made the trasition VERY easily. Thanks to a very smart daddy!

M and I are so proud of our little ones. We have a pretty amazing job...being the parents of such wonderful children. We thank God for them every day!

Ring Around the Rosie...

2008-01-12T23:15:00.001-08:00

Little B's favorite new game is to play "Ring Around the Rosie". Z and A are having a ball playing right along with her. This is a video of one of their many "swinging" episodes. This usually turns into a dogpile of giggling cuties! She is blessed with AMAZING brothers!

Happy New Year!

2008-01-12T22:52:00.000-08:00

I'm back!!! The Christmas Season pulled me away from my regular blogging (but boy did we have fun!). :) I will have to catch you up today! :)

Life is full of exciting firsts, family time, baseball sign-ups, birthdays, lesson planning. But most of all, just sitting back and watching my children grow right before my very eyes!

Z is maturing more and more every day. He has made the neatest friends at church and school...playdates running out of his ears! A is just a bundle of joy. I am SO thrilled that we chose to have him in my class this year. I have treasured every moment of it. He also has made many friends and is reading like crazy!!! Today we signed him up for his first season of T-ball. I can't wait to go and cheer him on! Little B always has a song to sing (whether she learned it at school or from Elmo on her new DVD). She is talking and talking and copying and copying. She says the funniest things!

My wonderful husband blessed me with an amazing birthday. You know that your husband loves you (and is thinking of you) when he calls all throughout the day and leaves adorable messages. I am a blessed wife! That night we went out for dinner and then I took the boys to watch "The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything" - the new Veggie Tales movie. What fun! On the outside of my birthday card envelope, Michael wrote 26, 27, 28, 29, 29, 29... You do the math! :)

I am including a few random pictures from the past month. I hope that you enjoy seeing how much our children are growing! In one of the pictures, B has put a head band on her forehead. I then called her Pocahontas (which she repeated right back to me...every syllable as clear as can be!)

Under the Weather

2007-12-11T20:38:00.000-08:00

Our poor baby girl has not been feeling so well...actually she has been a bit grumpy. We could not figure out what was wrong! One moment she was completely happy and dancing around the house, and the next moment she was crying (or screaming) at the littlest things. Today I took her to the doctor...she has Strep Throat. Can you believe it? The doctor said that she should have a temperature of 103 and be lying around lethargic...instead she was dancing around the room at the doctor's office. Silly goose.

First Day of School

2007-12-01T20:22:00.000-08:00

Our little one enjoyed her first day of school! She had a great time! So far this week, she has used glue, paint, markers, and many other fun things! As you can see from the picture, we think that she is going to be left handed! At times, she will color with both hands at the same time. She dances into class each morning, but then cries when mommy or daddy begin to leave. Thirty seconds after we walk out of the door she is off and playing with her new friends.

The boys think that it is SO much fun to take her to school and then pick her up in the afternoon. They are so excited to have her at our school. It's a big deal!

Thanksgiving here we come...

2007-11-15T22:19:00.000-08:00

We are so excited about Thanksgiving this year. We are thrilled to head up to my grandparents' house. Z wrote a paragraph in school explaining that Thanksgiving is his favorite holiday...one of the reasons being that it was a great time to work on manners at the table. What a cutie! Last week Z was in the Speech Meet Finals at school. He did so well! We are extremely proud of him!

A had so much fun in our classroom preparing for Thanksgiving as well! We had a Thanksgiving party, did Thanksgiving crafts, and wrote what we were thankful for. A's answer to that question was, "I am thankful for special little B." I think that he loves his sister. :)

B has a new trick to make her family laugh. She does what we call "crazy eyes". She makes her eyes really big by raising her eyebrows and then CRACKS up at herself. She is such a ham! She is also talking up a storm! She is putting 2 and 3 words together now. It is exciting to watch her grow. I just wish that she would slow down! It's going by way too fast! She will be 2 tomorrow and will begin preschool after we get back from Thanksgiving! Crazy!

Let's Celebrate!

2007-11-15T22:03:00.000-08:00

Wow...it has been an amazing few weeks! With the finalization of B's adoption there has been MUCH to celebrate. We had a birthday/adoption party for her a few weekends ago. She had SO much fun playing in the backyard with her brothers and friends. It was wonderful to celebrate with families that mean SO much to us! (B was not so excited about being the center of attention during her Happy Birthday song...she did not like that mommy was holding the cake and not her.)

Last Sunday, B was dedicated at church. Our wonderful pastor did a wonderful job of announcing the adoption and then praying for our family as we dedicated B to the Lord. That was an amazing experience!

ADOPTION

2007-10-31T22:55:00.000-07:00

These pictures are from our amazing adoption morning. Little B was adopted on

Monday, October 29, 2007 at 9 a.m.

PRAISE THE LORD!!!

Perfect Pumpkin Patch

2007-10-18T19:56:00.000-07:00

We had an absolute ball at the Pumpkin Patch today! We went on a field trip about an hour away. It was a day long adventure! I am attempting to post pictures and a VIDEO clip. Here goes! B was even able to come to along with us! Her first trip to a Pumpkin Patch!

First Prayer

2007-10-13T21:28:00.000-07:00

Our little one prayed for the first time tonight. It was precious! I asked if she wanted to pray and she said, "Yesh". So I would say a line and she would repeat. She did not repeat perfectly, but her prayer was PERFECT! This is how it went:

"Hello Jesus. Thank you food. Amen."

Way too sweet! She is growing up right before our eyes! We are incredibly blessed!

Our Little Monkey

2007-09-28T20:02:00.001-07:00

We have known for quite some time that B is fearless. Fearless of water, heights, falling, you name it. Upon realizing her lack of fear and her crazy ability to climb, we removed Z's ladder from his bunk bed. This evening, B was being very quiet. We THOUGHT that she was in her room playing. We decided to check on her and headed to her room (which was empty). Z looked into his bedroom and saw her on his TOP bunk....ladder tucked away safely in the closet. This little monkey had climbed up the end of the bed all by herself. Boy, was she proud! She was able to touch the ceiling and had a HUGE smile on her face (see picture). I am going to go gray WAY too early. :)

Aside from being INCREDIBLY fearless, this little one is talking and talking and talking! She is starting to put two words together...so when M is tickling her instead of just saying "NO!" through her laughter, she is saying, "NO, daddy!" She is just growing up SO quickly!

New news of adoption...we should be finalizing within the next month (if all goes well with paperwork etc...) We were told by our adoption worker that we should finalize by November 5th. We will keep you updated! We are planning to have a huge adoption/second birthday celebration!

Number Two and Still Counting!

2007-09-24T21:31:00.000-07:00

M and I celebrated our second anniversary this past weekend. We decided to head up to Ashland to watch Romeo and Juliet and take in the sites. We had such an amazing time just being the two of us. We both had to admit that we missed our children dearly, but the time away was wonderful too!

We watched the play in the outdoor theatre. That was AMAZING (cold, but amazing)! We really enjoyed it. We spent most of the day wandering around enjoying holding hands. It is not often that our hands are free to hold!

On Sunday (our real anniversary), we attended Applegate Community Church in Jacksonville. The church service took place outside in an ampitheater. We really enjoyed the message and seeing two people that we know from our home church! We live in such a small world!

We were thrilled to come home to our three beautiful children. They had spent time with grandma and grandpa feeding fish in the new pond and spending time down at the creek. (Thank you grandma and grandpa!)

Our time away reminded us to slow down and hold hands, to be silly now and then (see pictures), to enjoy each and every moment that we have together, and to keep our eyes on Jesus. We are truly blessed.

An Apple A Day

2007-09-17T20:28:00.000-07:00

My sweet little ones were out in the backyard playing as I was baking corn bread for dinner. I had cut up an apple and was sharing it with my youngsters when I looked out to see A and B sitting on a step beside the hot tub. A had his arm around B and they were having quite a time. I almost feel like these pictures can't even begin to capture what I saw looking through the window. But it can at least give you a glimpse. :)

Z then went out to join in the fun! They are all are growing up so quickly! Where does the time go?

Speaking of time...M and I are celebrating our second anniversary this weekend! At times it feels as if we have been married for ages and other times it feels like it were just yesterday that we were getting married on that beautiful sunset filled night. We are planning to head up to Ashland to watch Romeo and Juliet to celebrate. We are really looking forward to it!

Losing Teeth

2007-09-15T20:55:00.000-07:00

Our cute little A has lost his second tooth in a week! This particular tooth has an interesting story though... Our family was eating at Applebee's this evening and A was showing us how loose his tooth really was. I asked him if he wanted me to pull it out in the bathroom (sometimes pulling a tooth out can cause tears so I wanted to seek some privacy). He asked if we could tie a string around it and attach it to a door (something my grandpa did once to me). :) I told him that instead I would make it disappear using a napkin. ;)

He finally agreed so we walked back to the bathroom and his tooth was extracted in seconds. No tears, just excitement. He went running back to the table to show daddy, brother, and sister. He also asked if I would please tell the boy waitress. I did while he beamed. He later said that he needed to call his teasing grandma because one of his other teeth was lost in her bathtub...two teeth lost in a bathroom! Ha!

So now you can see a picture of his toothless grin. He is such a cutie!

Lazy Sunday Afternoon

2007-09-10T19:31:00.000-07:00

Phew...the last three weeks have been a blur. They have been filled with joy, frustrations, and MAJOR transition. Again I thank you for your continued prayers. I could not have made it to this day without them! The principal put the following quote in this week's newsletter to the teachers:

"Pain nourishes courage.

You can't be brave if you've only had

wonderful things happen to you."

Mary Tyler Moore

I felt that this was SO fitting to the last couple of weeks. God is developing my courage I guess! :) After a LOOOOOONG week of school my family enjoyed a very relaxing weekend! I have included pictures of our lazy Sunday afternoon. M enjoyed working on his motorcycle while B watched and drank out of her crazy straw cup (actually stolen from big brother A). Z and A enjoyed some time riding bikes, reading, and playing with the Leapsters. I just sat and watched my family with a HUGE smile on my face.

P.S. We got our camera back! Hooray!

My Favorite Job

2007-08-29T22:26:00.000-07:00

Being a mommy is the best job in the world (next to being a wife)! There are times when I miss my "stay at home mom" status. I do feel that I am missing out sometimes, but I know without a doubt that I am exactly where God wants me to be! I tried so hard to add a picture that the boys' mom took of them, but it didn't work. It just captures what a neat relationship they have. Z is an absolutely amazing older brother and A really looks up to him. They play SO well together. I know that I need to count my blessings in this area. I remember growing up and needing to sit in separate seats in our mini van. My sister sat in the middle seat while I sat in the back seat (maybe it was the other way around). We just couldn't keep our hands to ourselves. :) I think that the boys would die if they were separated in the car! B is not enjoying sitting by herself in the middle seat very much lately. She would MUCH rather be in the backseat with her big brothers. Hmmm...maybe later.

Another favorite job is teaching. It is amazing when you know that you are doing exactly what God created you to do. I am in heaven in my classroom...a little busy, but in heaven. It has been a HUGE adjustment coming from a different school. I have found that different schools have different ways of doing things! It is amazing how we become creatures of habit. Slowly, I am making the adjustments! I do miss my friends and families at RCS, but I am thrilled that I can teach at a Christian school again. The boys are SO happy here! It will be a blessing when B can begin attending the preschool. Two and a half more months!

Speaking of B...we just signed our Home Study report at State Adoptions today! That is one HUGE hurdle cleared! We have a few more hoops and then FINALIZATION! We are looking at mid October! Woo Hoo!

So Proud...

2007-08-21T22:17:00.000-07:00

I just need to share how absolutely proud I am of A. He has been an absolute joy to have in my class! Today when I went out to pick up my class from their morning recess, the yard duty came up and told me that she needed to talk to me about my son...uh-oh...that sometimes makes the hairs stand up on the back of a mommy's neck. :) Instead of telling me what I was dreading to hear, she told me how A had blessed her during recess. She was picking up garbage around the playground and picnic table area and our little A volunteered to help out! Way to go, buddy! He has been doing so well the first two days of school. I am really impressed. His reading has improved SO much this summer as well. I tested him today (in order to place my students in reading groups) and he FAR surpassed my expectations of his current reading level. I was actually BLOWN away!

We were sitting together in the living room this evening and he began to tell me the story of how he asked Jesus into his heart at Sunday School. It was absolutely precious. He told me that he would like to be "babatized". I am one proud mommy!

Please continue to pray for me as I teach my precious son, but know that God has done a MIGHTY work in him this summer!

First Day Hooray!

2007-08-20T20:58:00.000-07:00

Thank you all for your love and support on this first day of first grade! The boys had an absolute ball! (I do have a first day of school picture, but it was taken with my teaching partner's camera as ours is down for the count. I will add it to this page as soon as I get it!) M was Super Dad as he brought all three of our children to school this morning as I had to be there early.

B did well leaving with her babysitter. (We are absolutely loving her! She is such a blessing from God!) They played and played all day.

I have to remember that every first day of teaching is exhausting. Sometimes I think that I will fly through with gobs of energy, but then I hit a wall! :) My students were absolutely amazing...little sponges soaking in all of the information I was giving them. Tomorrow we will have more of a normal day as we will begin our math and Bible curriculum. I'm excited to get started! I have so much that I want to teach them this year!

I arrived home around 5:30 this evening and pulled up to our mailbox (a few houses down the street). I sat there contemplating what I could cook for dinner. Just then I looked in my rear-view mirror and saw a "pizza guy" parked in front of our house. "There must be a mistake." After checking the mail, I drove home and spoke to him as he was getting out of his car. Sure enough, he was at the correct address. He handed me the two boxes (with a card on top) and said that it was already paid for! My Sonshine Buddy (secret pal) had ordered a pizza for our family on this first day of school. The card read, "Sit down, put your feet up, and relax." I cried and cried when I realized the magnitude of this gift! What an amazing school! :) What an amazing God to put me exactly where He wanted me to be!

Thank you for your continued prayer! This first week is absolutely exhausting, but full of blessings! Please pray that I will be the teacher that each of my students need me to be!

Sneak-A-Peek

2007-08-18T21:32:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, we had Sneak-A-Peek in our classroom. This allowed parents and students an hour to come in and meet the teacher, check out their desks and cubbies, and see friends. It was SO much fun! I now wish that I had pictures to share with you, but I was a little busy to take them! I am SO looking forward to my time with these little ones. We are going to have a great year!