Show Pony

The question I am asked all the time is, "how's home school?" If the girls are around I usually try to include them by saying, "Giw is it girls?" One time I asked Hannah to tell some people at church about school and she looked at me and said, "I'm not a show pony, Mom." I was seriously speechless! I told some other friends about that and one gal said, "Save that line and when she's a teenager and comes downstairs dressed up I can say to her, "hanbH go change, you're not a show pony." All I gotta say is I'm glad to have funny friends, I'm glad I have a witty daughter and i setiously hope I NEVER have to use that line with any of my gals. 

Awanas

The girls are all in Awanas this year. I have some reservations about earning rewards and public praise/shame, but I hope that as we participate in this program that the girls learn about God's good promises, his never ending love and his faithfulness. Here is Kate receiving her blue jewel.

Relics

I've been going through a massive clean our/organize phase and I came across this gem. This is the piece of paper that Jeff and I used as a pro/con list when we considered moving to Boston for his PhD. On side is pro/con for staying in California and one side is pro/con for moving. It's weird to think about how young we were, and how young we were in our marriage. 

We had no idea how hard and painful that move would be, and we could not understand how much we would learn about ourselves and each other in the process. Our marriage is largely shaped by our time in Boston, and even now the largest part of our marriage was spent in Boston. We learned to forgive, how to argue well (and how NOT to argue), give each other grace, pull together, and how to parent together. It wasn't an easy time and I wish I could write a letter to Jeff and Sarah 12 years ago as they sat together and wrote these pros and cons...I would tell them this:

No matter where you go there will be hard and good times. You have no idea what will happen and thinking of all the possibilities can not prepare you for the journey ahead. Make the most of the good and learn from the hard. Cling to God, cling to each other, and pray for other likeminded Christians that will make sure you are clinging to God and each other. 

I know one day I'll look back at this and think, "oh how much I still needed to learn!" But I hope that as I continue to walk this path with God and with Jeff that I'm continually brought to a deeper love for God, Jeff and others. 

Park PE

Friday morning the girls ran 1.5 miles, played at the park the walked 1.5 miles home. There's nothing quite as fun as PE in the park!

Monday morning blahs...

RL woke up this morning and looked outside and said in her best 3 year old whiny voice, "Aww...it's morning..." That's about how I felt when I walked into the bathroom and discovered the floor covered in water which was leaking from the tank of the toilet. 

Fortunately my mom was only a call away  and after draining the tank I could remove the screw that secured the tank to the case. After we finish our writing work well head down to the hardware store and chopefully it will be an easy fix...I seriously hope!!!

Fairyland Jamboree

Hannahs soccer game was cancelled because of rain, but since it wasn't actively raining we too the kiddos to Fairyland. It happened to be a special Halloween celebration called Jamboree...lucky us, or so we thought!!

 Til it rained, and poured!! The girls sat grouch the puppet show in the pouring rain while drinking a slurpee...I think they had fun...

But then the sun came out again and we dried off and had fun.

Lesson learned...when rain is predicted it will probably rain.

She shoots! She...

Scores!!! Way to go taters!!

Volcano explosion

Hannah has researched volcanos, and to show how earthquakes cause friction and pressure which cause the volcano to explode, we tried to make a balloon on top of soda explode: next time, use a small balloon!!

80's Night

Love me some 80's

Pumpkin Time!!

Pumpkin carving: a squash's nightmare...

Halloween Parade at the Library

There were about 200 people and kids at the library parade...it was cr-a-zy!! And fun. But mostly crazy.

Can you find the girls? Hannah and TL ARE Cinderella and Kate is Auora (sleeping beauty). Good luck!!

Trick or Treat from Grandma Sue and Granddad Ray

Since we can't trick or treat at the grand's house, the grand's sent the girls some money to get done treats. We went to target, grabbed a coffee ( and this San Francisco mug with a gift card from Jenna!) and then hit the dollar section for some fun treasures: RL for elsa dicks and puzzle, Kate got a set of Frozen brackets and stars to put on the ceiling, and Hannah got a Frozen mug and stars as well. Fun times shopping together! Thanks, Grandma Sue and Grandad Ray!

Halloween 2014!!

This year on Halloween day Hannah was Dorothy, Kate was Ariel, and Rachel Lee was the cutest little ladybug!!

We went to our neighbors for dinner the went out with a group of about 14 kids for trick or treating. The group was hard to keep together as some kids are faster (Hannah) and some kids linger (Rachel Lee) but it was a great time and the girls had s blast getting tons of candy!!

More soccer

This is what makes all the time watching practices and games...that happy, smiling face. Melt my heart!

Traveling through Fresno

I'm headed to Colorado with stop overs in Fresno and Brea. We stopped in Fresno to see Papa and Joyce as well as Aunt Christine, Uncle Eddie and lots of cousins and second cousins. It was a fun time together, swimming and eating pizza, and it helped break up the long drive to southern Calfornia. 

Bless the Lord

The sun comes up, it's a new day dawning

It's time to ring your praise again.

Whatever lies in past and whatever lies before me, 

Let me be singing when the evening comes! 

Bless the Lord, oh my soul,

Oh my soul, worship His holy name 

Sing like never before, oh my soul

I will worship your holy name!

Basketball has begun!!