Fun Friday

I thought I'd post a couple of pictures today. I've been going back and forth with the kids as to what their nicknames should be here on my blog. At first, I suggested "Smarty Pants," "Sassy Pants" and "Naughty Pants." The older kids threatened a mutiny; the baby didn't care.

Next, I suggested "Fruit Loop," "Frosted Flake" and "Grape Nut." They didn't seem to take kindly to being kinds of cereal.

Their solution was to name themselves "Screwloose," "Footloose" and "On the Loose." I'm not sure. :-)

Maybe I should take a poll! LOL!!

At any rate, here are a few pictures of my crew:

Screwloose:



Footloose:



On the Loose:



They are pretty cute kids if I do say so myself! They each bring me joy and I thank the Lord every day for trusting me to me their mom!

Now, which nicknames do you like best? :-)

Thankful Thursday...

Wow! I just returned from a fantastic night out with my dear husband. Here is what I am thankful for today:

My husband (again) who arranged for an amazing meal for us tonight at The Melting Pot. Oh my goodness! That food is delicious! This was a belated Valentine's dinner. Amidst all of our plumbing difficulties, the stress level has been pretty high around here. Tonight was so relaxing and made us forget, just for a couple of hours, that we have a broken pipe right under our kitchen floor that will certainly prove to be an extreme inconvenience and expense. Oh...hubby even presented me with a beautiful corsage before we left home. I felt like I was going to the prom! :-)

Today, I am also thankful for my inlaws who made our dinner possible by coming to hang out with the kids while we went out. They took time out of their schedule, took the kids to their haircut appointment and then took them out for burgers.

All in all it was a great day. Here are a couple of photos:

Wordless Wednesday...

I've seen this on several blogs...the chance to post a picture(s) that speaks for itself. We'll be travelling to San Francisco again soon so I thought I'd post this photo (taken by my 15 year old son on our last trip there last September) for reflection.

Excuse me while I vent...

So, why does everything have to always happen at once? Life has been pretty complicated for several months without much end in site. Now, in the midst of family health issues, among other things, our plumbing is giving us fits.

Last Friday my dryer died and my plumbing (wahing machine, kitchen sink and bathtub) started backing up. A plumber was here for 8 hours, yes 8 hours, cleaning the kitchen sink line. He said that the kitchen sink problem was also the cause of the laundy line issue. OK, fine.

We go out on Saturday and buy a new washer and dryer. Of course, we didn't really need a new washer but I really hated the old one so we bought a set. They were delivered today and, when we tried to test the washer, the water starts backing up the pipe and spilling onto the floor.

Hello? Remember the plumber that supposedly fixed this problem last Friday? I called them back out and the tech told me that the snake is pulling back mud...that I probably have a broken pipe 15 feet under the house and that I need to schedule an appointment to have two inch camera run through the line to find the problem.

So, I still can't do any laundry despite my pretty new washer and drier and the anxiety is building over the extent of this plumbing issue. It just seems that we can't catch a break at all!

I need to start thinking now about what I will be thankful for on Thursday! :-)

Looking ahead to this week...

I know I've mentioned here before that the baby and I use www.letteroftheweek.com. This week should prove to be exciting as the theme is trains and he is a train lover!

We have several train books and videos currently checked out from the library which we will fully utilize over the course of the week. :-) I have the following planned as well:

1. Color and paint lots of train pictures.

2. Go to a local restaurant for lunch that is right near the train tracks to watch the trains go by.

3. Take him to the mall to the Thomas the Tank Engine store to play with the train set-up, buy a new engine and then have a cookie together at Mrs. Fields.

4. Take him to the model railroad museum in San Diego (this will go with our train theme but won't happen this week).

The boy should be in seventh heaven! :-)

Perfect Picture Books

I just wanted to share a couple of picture books that the baby has been loving! We've had these checked out from the library for weeks. I think we're on our second renewal with them. Maybe buying them is in order. :-)

This one is a fun game of "I Spy". The text is presented in a wave like pattern and the illustrations are beautiful. We love spying everything in the story together.




This is another with great illustrations. The poems are great, too.




These definitely rate high in our house because they are equally enjoyed by the reader and the one to whom the book is being read. They have to be good if I can read them ten times a day without wanting to pull my hair out. :-)

Thankful Thursday...

In a hope to focus on all things positive, I'm planning on every Thursday being "Thankful Thursday" where I can say thank you to special people in my life, share what the Lord has done for me, etc.

For my first Thankful Thursay, I'd like to share about three people who have made a difference in my life this week. :-)

First, my husband! He is the most godly, loving man I know! He has walked with me and prayed with me through a very difficult week. This morning, I awoke to a beautiful card and was greeted at the door with a fragrant arrangement of a dozen red roses for Valentine's Day. I love him with my whole heart and look forward to every single moment we will spend together for the rest of our lives!

Second, I am thankful for Alana! She is a true friend! She knows me so well. :-) She makes me laugh all the time and her prayers are a life line to me. I love you, Alana and I give thanks for your friendship!

And, lastly (for today), I give thanks for Leslie. Leslie has such a gentle and beautiful spirit. She knew I was having a hard time and encouraged me with hugs and reminded me that the Lord rejoices over me with singing in a moment when I had forgotten. Thank you, Leslie for your example of faith and love!

I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers...

Seven things about me...

Well, I promised Alana that I would get to this yesterday but our internet connection went down (GASP!) around noon and still isn't back. I'm sitting in my husband's office trying to catch up on a few things. Looks like we won't be back on line until tomorrow or Saturday (GASP again!).

Anyway, I am in no way exciting but here it goes:

1. I played basketball through high school and one year in college. I travelled on a United States team to Hong Kong the summer before my senior year with a great team. I spent every moment living, breathing, playing ball. I miss it sometimes and often dream that I'm back on the court!

2. I have an irrational fear of rats! I hate them; everything about them!

3. I love to read cookbooks and cooking magazines but I hate to cook! Weird, I know! :-)

4. This last year is the only time in my entire life that I have not had a dog!

5. I have been with my husband for over half of my life. We started dating when I was 17 and I will be 39 on my next birthday.

6. I love to travel and one of my favorite places to be is Lake Tahoe. The picture in my header here on my blog is one taken on our last trip there.

7. I've lived in the same house since I was 10 years old and I'm ready to move! Hopefully to the foot of the Teton mountain range in Wyoming! :-)

So, not very exciting, I know but it's me nonetheless. I think everyone I know has already been tagged on this one so I guess I'm the end of the line. LOL!!

When all else fails...Try again!

I'm revamping myself here. :-)

I truly want my blog to be a place of fun, refreshment and encouragement. I've learned a lot of lessons over the past week and pray that the Lord uses them to conform me further into the image of Christ and I hope that is reflected here.

My hope is to always speak the truth in love and to offer the grace that has been extended to me through Him!