A Gem Well Taken

New Year: New ME

2008-01-28T15:28:00.000-08:00

I've revamped my blog...

Please update your FEEDS and Links to now find me at

www.agemwelltaken.wordpress.com

Fun Times...

2008-01-23T20:24:00.001-08:00

I know you all can count on me for at least posting pictures on the fam! I have a lot to say, but bottom line is life is good...really good! :)

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-23T20:53:00.000-08:00

It's time to relax...my shopping, wrapping and baking is finally done!!! I'm really excited not only for the next two days, but the next two weeks...Ryan is off work! :) I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas filled with lots of love and laughter!

P.S.

It won't be the same without you Mom, Bekah and Sarah! :(

Is it true?

2007-12-07T16:22:00.000-08:00

Is it true? Does Santa really have a golden key? According to my son, Santa doesn't bother with the chimney, he just uses his golden key and walks right through the front door! How he came up with this, I don't know? Knowing Noah, he probably has it all figured out already!

She's done it again!

2007-12-03T21:21:00.001-08:00

My friend Emily took my kids pictures, and once again they turned out so cute! You can check them out by going to http://www.positive-photography.com/Larson/

You rock Em! :)

Is it in you?

2007-11-13T06:57:00.000-08:00

Is it in you? Are you an entrepreneur at heart, driven to pave the way for a new business or idea? I received a flyer today from a little boy that must have this drive! Now this idea is not new, not profound, but you gotta give it up for this little boy! His flyer reads:

The Dog Doo Dude
Piles of pooh? I'll pick 'em up for you...so you don't have to!
Up to two dogs starting at $3, free estimates, same day service! It also includes his hours of availability and phone number. And to top it off his logo at the ends reads Miles of Piles, *Rates are subject to increase based on extra dogs, lot size and landscaping...in other words more crap means more money!

It got me thinking of his parents, they must be hard workers, not afraid of failure, outgoing and maybe entreprenueres themselves. And even though their son is picking up crap, I'm sure they are so proud of him! I know I would be!

I'd have to say it's not in me completely! I do love a challenge, I'm a hard worker that is not afraid of failure, but on the other hand I like my comfort zone. I like when someone else paves the way and then I can come in and kick some butt on whatever the task. I remember one year my brother and I were staying at my Grandparents and Jasen was trying to make some extra money. So he made a deal with my Grandpa that if we bagged all the leaves we would get a dollar a bag. Not such a bad deal for back then! So we bagged all that we could and then realized we were only getting five bucks...hmmm...how could we produce more money? So we climbed the tree and stared shaking the branches, which produced another five bucks for us! Now that's what I call movers and shakers! :)

So, is it in you?

Go GREEN!

2007-11-08T06:41:00.000-08:00

I can’t believe my son is three! I know you always hear how fast they grow, and man is that so true! I was holding Noah the other night and I told him he needed to stop growing, he responded with, “but Mommy, I want to keep growing so I can be just like my Daddy!” It’s amazing how you can feel so torn by wanted to freeze time to cherish the moment yet I look forward to see what a wonderful man he will soon become!

Noah had somewhat of a birthday week, which seems to happen a lot when you’re a kid. We started out the day with his favorite pancakes, then for lunch he requested mac and cheese and then for dinner CHUCK E CHESSES!!! After Chuck E Cheeses we topped the night off at Metromom’s house with cupcakes and other goodies! It was a great day! Then this weekend we had his party at the train park with all of his friends…and ours! J It was a beautiful day to celebrate! Go GREEN! (If you weren’t at the party, the theme was the color green, it’s his favorite!)

A look at last night!

2007-11-01T09:49:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pictures of last night. Noah wasn’t too excited at first, but when he saw his cousins and other kids having fun he was in full character! It didn’t seem to bother Juliana that she was dressed head to toe in her outfit, I thought she’d at least take the hat off. We had a good time, Noah came home with enough candy for 2008!

Say I'm a bird! (The Notebook)

2007-10-24T22:38:00.000-07:00

So I left some pictures out…well some of these pictures you just had to be there to know why there are so funny! Let’s just say when my sisters and I get together we can be a little silly! That is why I have to share some of these, just to give you a peek of our awesome relationships!

Oregon

2007-10-18T08:00:00.000-07:00

Our trip to Oregon was a blast! My Mom, Pat, sisters, Juliana and myself flew out to see my brother and his girlfriend. They have lived there for three years now and are loving every minute of it...and I can see why! We all had so much fun! Here are a few pictures of the trip.

A quick snapshot...

2007-08-20T12:01:00.000-07:00

Here is a quick look at the past few months…

- First and foremost, Noah is doing great! His voice is very clear and much louder, which is awesome news!!! We are expecting to only have one more surgery if that!

- Juliana says Dad, Dada and Daddy now! Even though she doesn’t know what she’s saying it still melts our hearts!

- We had a great time in California! We camped in the RV for a week on the beach and basically did whatever a two year desired! Played in the sand, ate A LOT of junk food, road on the train, toured some really neat boats at the harbor, road carnival rides, blew a million bubbles, swam in a Jacuzzi…if that is possible, went on bike rides, watched Flo the ant a million times, had a really nice BBQ with Ryan’s cousins, spent time with my wonderful Grandparents and best of all we got to relax and laugh a lot! It was a vacation of seven beautiful sunny days with no agenda! Ahhh!

- Spent a week in Pinetop, it was once again beautiful and so relaxing! This is the best time of year to visit! We celebrated Pat’s 50th! My Mom threw a great party and we all had a really nice time!

- Noah is now diaper free!!! He’s doing great for the most part, I’m just very thankful his poop now goes in the toilet! For those of you who have experienced a poopy diaper of a child that is above the age of two…you will totally understand!

- Noah played in the rain for the first time!

- Ryan is back playing softball, so that’s been a lot of fun watching the guys play!

- I had a wonderful birthday! Lots of love and thoughtfulness went into it! My husband surprised me with a beautiful ring, there for awhile I thought I was getting a freezer instead! Long story…another time.

- We celebrated Ryan’s birthday in California with his cousins. We had a BBQ at their house and then headed to the beach for dessert and a beautiful sunset!

So now you’re caught up, hopefully it won’t be as long next time.

Another request...

2007-07-02T13:02:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to ask all of you to be praying again for Noah, he will be going into surgery tomorrow at 9:00 a.m. I'll try to post when we get home. Thank you all for your prayers!

Love you Mom!

2007-06-21T09:35:00.000-07:00

I meant to post this picture on Mother's Day, better late than never! For those of you who don't know my Mom, she is beautiful in every way! She is my best friend and I feel so blessed to call her Mom!

I love you Mom!

Who doesn't love pictures...

2007-06-18T21:27:00.001-07:00

Here are a few new pics of our family!

Sweet Juls

2007-05-29T20:36:00.000-07:00

Some of you have already seen these beautiful photos of our sweet Juls, but if you haven't...enjoy! My friend Emily took them, she does excellent work as you can see! Her website is www.positive-photography.com. The link to see Juliana's photos is www.positive-photography.com/Juliana. They won't be up much longer so hurry and check them out!

Back at it...

2007-05-22T13:39:00.000-07:00

Well at least for now I'm back to blogging, who knows how well I'll do. I’ve had plenty of things to blog about lately, yet never took the time to sit and write about them all. So here is a run down of the last few weeks of our lives…

- Ryan got a raise...what a man!
- We took Noah and Juliana to the Phoenix zoo…very fun...except the fact that I had to nurse her in a bathroom stall!
- I joined the gym…loving it! (And may I add I’m actually going!)
- Locker room experiences…visit Lisa’s blog!
- Went camping with friends and family at Oak Creek…very beautiful!
- I painted my dinning room…again! (Looks good!)
- Noah had the flu for only four hours…weird?
- Noah was bit by some type of spider…now in the healing stage!
- Mosquitoes are loving my son and I…already!
- Potty training Noah…successful!
- Juliana rolled over…growing too fast!
- My cousin Kassie graduates high school on Thursday…can’t believe it!
- We’ll be out camping this weekend too…very excited!

So that’s it in a nutshell! Here’s a few pictures of camping and the zoo.

To all you Moms out there...

2007-04-29T16:20:00.000-07:00

My hat goes off to all you Mother’s out there! My Grandpa sent me this email and it got me thinking of all the things a Mother does for their kids, from cleaning butts to putting on shoes, we go above and beyond every need and sometimes want! What they just don't know at this age is that someday they'll be doing it for us too!

There is an old story about a mother who walks in on her six-year-old son and finds him sobbing. "What's the matter?"she asks."I've just figured out how to tie my shoes.""Well, honey, that's wonderful." Being a wise mother, she recognizes his victory in the Eriksonian struggle of autonomy versus doubt: "You're growing up, but why are you crying?""Because," he says, "now I'll have to do it every day for the rest of my life."

One big happy family!

2007-04-10T15:49:00.000-07:00

So I’ve been out of the loop for quite some time now. However, things are great and busy as ever. I wish I could fill you in on all the new and excited reasons my life is busy, but the reality is my life is still the same but with one more child. Juliana is such a joy, and has been super easy thus far! My life has taken a step back this week and has given me a little glimpse of what is was like before a two year came along, because my ever so perfect son has taken a vacation to Gramie’s house! It amazes me how much I can get done without him! So for those of you without kids, there should be no reason to be slacking on your responsibilities…O.K. so you actually go to work, I’ll give you that! :)

Here’s a few new pictures of our beautiful kids!

Daddy's Girl

2007-03-19T14:22:00.000-07:00

Soon enough we'll all know if she really is a Daddy's girl. I don't know about you, but he looks pretty proud to me!

New Pics

2007-03-15T11:22:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pictures of the kids. Hope you enjoy them! :) The yellow dress was mine when I was a baby, so those are for you Mom!

2007-03-12T16:51:00.000-07:00

I was going through photos and came across these pictures of our trip to the Bahamas. The picture of us in matching outfits was taken on July 4th, and it brings back so many great memories. My Mom was showing off her mad cheer leading skills so then of course us girls added to them. So needless to say we totally stood out! Seeing these pictures makes me want to be tan and on vacation again!

Back and running...

2007-03-01T10:53:00.000-08:00

So not only is Noah back and running but so is our computer! I would have updated sooner, but our internet connection was down. So the surgery went really well, Noah was really brave and once again captured all the nurses hearts with those eyes! The bad news is that the growths grew back from the last surgery, which means they are likely to grow back after this surgery. So they scheduled him to have another surgery in two months. The doctor said that eventually they will stop growing but he can't give us a time frame, it could be after this surgery or it could be years down the road. So please just keep him in your prayers that this will be the last of it!

Another prayer request...

2007-02-26T13:58:00.000-08:00

Noah is off to surgery number two tomorrow, so please be keeping us in your prayers. The surgery will begin at 7:30 a.m. and should only last about an hour. The good news is that we know what to expect this time and he won't have to stay the night if all goes well. Thank you for keeping our little guy in your prayers! I'll update with a good report as soon as we get home! :)

A gift that keeps on giving...

2007-02-21T14:40:00.000-08:00

So I’ve been slacking a bit on the whole blogging thing, but to be honest I don’t feel too bad about it! Maybe it’s because I don’t have time these days to really even give it much thought. So as usual, my sister…Metromom, reminded me it would be really nice to see an update today, so this one’s for you Metromom!

I got to thinking of what really fuels me, what excites me and what makes me smile. So this may sound really superficial, but I love gifts! Not only to give, but I also love to receive them! Gifts come in as number one when you’re talking about my love language. I’m not sure why it makes me so happy, maybe because that person was thinking of me or maybe it’s just because I love the gift. Now it doesn’t take much to make me happy, so don’t start thinking I’m high maintenance here. I could get a card in the mail, an item from the dollar spot at Target, a Starbucks coffee or even something at Circle K would make me happy. When I was a kid I would tell my Dad to get me a surprise every time we would be at the gas station, and it really didn’t matter what he would bring because it always made my day.

So how I got on this subject is because a good friend of mine gave me a Christmas present last year and the gift just keeps on giving! She is an amazing and talented woman who I love dearly, and for those of you who are privileged enough to know her, you would know her as Jax! So as you can see from the picture, the flowers are beautiful and it reminds me of her every time I see them!

Picture update!

2007-02-13T16:06:00.000-08:00

Can I just say I feel like I'm living in some kind of dream land! I never could have imagined I would be so richly blessed!

She's here!

2007-02-04T16:53:00.000-08:00

The suspense is finally over and our beautiful daughter Juliana Marie has joined us! She was born February 2, weighing 7lbs 3oz and measuring 20 ½”! She is so precious and will definitely fulfill her nick name as, “Our little Jewel”! I’m doing great; labor was a breeze this time thanks to the epidural! Keep posted for more pictures to come!

Don't miss out!

2007-01-30T16:02:00.000-08:00

If you missed out on the last outing to Peter Piper, you should definitely go next month! You can’t beat $3.99 for a buffet lunch and the cinnamon pizza was to die for! Even if you don’t have kids and want to join us for lunch, you wouldn’t be the only one there without a kid! And who couldn’t use a break from work to play a little ski ball!

Puppy love...

2007-01-21T13:22:00.000-08:00

We attended a wedding last night and Noah met his first puppy love, they were so cute together! The wedding was a lot of fun, it was so nice to see our friend Mary so happy! Ryan and I were both inspired by their speeches to one another and their family. One thing Mary shared was that after all she’s been through she felt like her life would just end ordinary, but the love and goodness of God brought her Stan and now her life is extraordinary! It got us thinking about how easy it is to feel like your life is ordinary, mundane or even a routine, but what we need to be thinking and believing is that God always has his best for us and we should expect great things!

Here are some pictures from last night, I love the one at the fountain. Noah showed her how to get up there and then held the water on so she could get a drink. What a man!

Ready and waiting...

2007-01-19T19:56:00.000-08:00

Thanks to all the blessings and me enduring the past 37 weeks, I can say that I am ready and waiting for this little girl to join us! Her room is ready, the clothes are washed, my bag is semi packed and her bag is packed, the camera is charged and my house is as ready as it’s going to get! I had a beautiful shower last weekend, so much time and thought was put into it that made everything extra special! It was just what I needed after being in the hospital the two days prior. Here are a few pictures of Juliana’s room, my Mom is still working on the bumper pads for her crib. Brian and Randi gave her the stool, I just love it, it’s something that she will use and have for years! Her name is a puzzle.

Home Sweet Home!

2007-01-13T13:08:00.000-08:00

Thank you all for your prayers and support! Noah's surgery went very well; we had a great team of doctors and nurses that took such great care of him! The surgery took about an hour, which of course seemed like several hours in my mind! I’d have to say it was one of the hardest situations I’ve been in and it’s made me realize how strong a parent’s love is for their child! I would have done anything to take his place! We are very proud of him, he was very strong and courageous and he pulled through like a champ! He’s almost back to his normal self, at least energy wise! He’s been eating and drinking really well, which tells us his not in a lot of pain. The only concern is he’s picked up a little cough, which might just be related to his surgery. As far as removing all the growths, the doctor wanted to take a milder approach so that he wouldn’t damage good tissue, which means he has to go back in a month for another surgery. Total bummer, but at least we know what to expect this time. His voice sounds the same at this point, and the doctor said it could take up to six weeks to notice a difference. Every once in a while I can hear a change in the tone especially when he cries. Thank you again for all your support, we definitely felt it!

Please be praying...

2007-01-12T04:36:00.000-08:00

We're off to the hospital for Noah's surgery, so please keep us/Noah in your prayers! I'll update as soon as we get home which will be tomorrow.

Can I press rewind?

2007-01-10T13:44:00.000-08:00

As you can see from these pictures, it finally looks like fall here! Our back yard is filled with leaves and the kids have had a blast rolling in them along with Ryan! As much as I love the start of the New Year, nothing compares to the holidays! I wish I could say these pictures were taken back in October and that I’m so excited for the next two months and all the memories that will come with them! Just push rewind and enjoy all the good food, company and parties once again! It amazes me when I look back and really grasp how time goes by! Just the other day I went through all our pictures on the computer and I found myself wanting to go back to those days. Not that they were any better than things are today, but to go back and relive some of the wonderful memories my family has shared together! I had this overwhelming feeling of how truly rich and blessed my life and family is! I never could have dreamed my life to be the way it is today and certainly can’t wait for all that tomorrow will bring!

A Hero

2007-01-08T13:39:00.000-08:00

As I went through Juliana's closet this past weekend, I found a poem my sister wrote in Junior High and thought I would share it. It got me thinking of all the people in my life that I would consider a hero, and then made me wonder if they even knew I held them in such high esteem. I encourage you to take the time and let the hero’s in your life know how special they really are to you!

I don’t exactly know how to describe a hero, and I don’t exactly know what makes one. There are many different kinds of people considered to be a hero. Martin Luther King, now he helped make this country a more just place to live. Ever since he contributed to our country, it has been easier for many different races to get along. Why, I don’t know, maybe he changed the way we think…He is a hero.
George Washington could also be considered a hero. He was a great role model for how our government leaders should act and lead our government. His great leadership made him famous.
To some people, Louis Gonzales a baseball player for the Arizona Diamond Backs, could be considered a hero. He could inspire someone to follow their dreams and not to give up because of certain standards others had given him. He has broken and made many baseball records, which makes him a lot of money. He is a great baseball player, and maybe even a hero.
To me you don’t have to be famous, you don’t have to make a lot of money, and you don’t have to change the world. Being someone others look up to, being a great person, that can make you a hero. I think a person who has become a great role model can be a hero.
Personally my older sister is a person I could call my hero. Ever since I was a baby I always wanted to be with her. As I grew older I wanted to be just like her. She has always helped me become a better person. Even though she has never been perfect and will never be she keeps getting closer to becoming that perfect person and along her way she helps me grow and become more of a person worth looking up to.
My sister has been there for me in many ways. She is one of my best friends. Even though she lives many miles away and I don’t see her very often, when I do we have so much fun as she teaches me without even knowing it. There are many different kinds of heroes. But I think a person like my sister, a person who can be a great role model, the kind of people who aren’t famous, who don’t make a ton of money and haven’t changed the world, but have changed a life. They’re the kind of hero worth becoming.

Finally a post...

2007-01-05T15:33:00.000-08:00

I've been a lot like Cristin lately, I've had things to write about yet didn't take the time to blog and then when I did have the time they didn't seem very interesting anymore. So here is a quick update on the latest and greatest...

Our Christmas was awesome; we got so blessed in so many ways. If you ask my husband about his Christmas he wouldn't tell you about how great Christmas Eve was spending it with his Dad nor how blessed we got that night by his Mom and Don, and he wouldn't tell you how relaxing and cozy our Christmas was with my family and surely wouldn't go into any detail about all the great food, presents or company! But one thing is for sure is that he would let you know how addicted and consumed he became to 24! Just to give you a slight glimpse, he stayed in the same P.J.'s for two days straight, in bed watching it!

Our New Year's Eve was a lot of fun; we hung out at Martin and Betsy's and actually were able to stay until 11:30! (With Noah) Noah had a blast playing with the other kids and indulging in all the sugar! Then on New Year's we went out shopping and found Noah a "BIG BOY" bed! He thinks he is so cool now!

Noah has his surgery next Friday at 7:30, so please be keeping him in your prayers!

I never did find my phone, however I did get another one and my number is the same.

I'm getting excited for Juliana's arrival; the room is just about ready along with my body saying it's about ready too!

So that's all for now, I'm sure some of you are just happy to see a new post...Metromom...Lisa! Here's a few pictures of Christmas and Noah's bed. (I have more pictures, but for some reason they won't post?)

It's almost here...

2006-12-22T15:04:00.000-08:00

Christmas is almost here and I'm so happy to say that all my shopping is done and all my presents are wrapped! So Noelle, I'm ready to join you in the fun! Here are a few pictures of our tree and my favorite ornaments.

Avocado Lime Dip

2006-12-21T14:04:00.000-08:00

There were several who requested this receipe at the party, hope you enjoy!

1 Can Black Beans - Rinsed and Drained
1 Can White Corn - Drained
2 Avocados - Diced
1 Small Red Onion or 3-4 Green Onions - Chopped (I use green)
1/4 Cup Cilantro - Chopped
2-3 Tomatoes - Diced
3-4 Tbls. Lime Juice (I use an acutal lime not the imitation)
2 Tbls. EVOO
1 Tbls. Red Wine Vinigar
1 Tsp. Salt and Pepper

Serve with chips!

My body...

2006-12-20T12:50:00.000-08:00

O.K....O.K., I know you all are going to think I'm crazy, but can you imagine that I HATE my body right now! Now I'm not looking for any compliments here, so please spare me, but until you have actually carried a baby full term you have no idea the feeling! To the ladies who will understand...try to imagine only owning two pairs of pants, throw in a few shirts (none really cute at that), a doctor telling you to wear support hose to reduce the ever growing vein in my leg. And yes I did say support hose; you know the ones we use to wear 10 years ago! Call me stubborn but I can't bring myself to wearing them, I'm uncomfortable enough! Then I could go into all the curvy areas but I wouldn't want your imagination running with those thoughts! I get out of breath climbing my stairs or talking to fast, I use the bathroom as frequently as I blink my eyes, when sleeping I toss and turn because I wake up with the feeling of my bones being crushed and in between that I'm up turning the heater either off or on and did I mention peeing in between! So with all this said, I could keep complaining about these minor issues or I can remember and be thankful for the great pregnancy I've had thus far, which of course I chose to be thankful! But I will say that the day I can put on some normal jeans with a real zipper will be the day I'll start to feel myself again. We'll save the size of those jeans for another conversation!

So on a lighter note, I got this email from my friend and I thought it was appropriate:

Now I lay me down to sleep I pray the Lord my shape to keep, please no wrinkles please no bags and please lift my butt before it sags. Please no age spots please no gray and as for my belly, please take it away. Please keep me healthy please keep me young, and thank you Dear Lord for all that you've done.

One saggy boob said to the other saggy boob: "If we don't get some support soon, people will think we're nuts."

Lost...

2006-12-12T07:06:00.000-08:00

Thought I'd let you all know that my cell phone is currently misplaced, so if you need to get a hold of me you can try me at home.

Training in the faith life.

2006-12-04T07:21:00.000-08:00

As you may have read in a previous post, Noah will be undergoing surgery on his throat next month. We are not sure the exact date at this point, but I will let you all know. Obviously this is hard news to take especially as a parent and it is very testing to give it over to God completely. I've found myself pleading with God to heal him, questioning my faith and even questioning will he really be healed? I know without a doubt he can be healed it's the when that's getting to me! As I read this morning I came across this devotional and it brought so much peace.

"If you can?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes."
Mark 9:23

The "everything" in this verse does not always come simply for the asking. God is ever seeking to teach us the way of faith, and in our training in the faith life there must be room for the trial of faith, the discipline of faith, the patience of faith, the courage of faith, and often many stages are passed before we really realize what is the end of faith, namely, the victory of faith.
Real moral fiber is developed through discipline of faith. You have made your request of God, but the answer does not come. What are you to do?
Keep on believing God's Word; never be moved away from it by what you see or feel, and thus as you stand steady, enlarged power and experience is being developed. The fact of looking at the apparent contradiction as to God's Word and being unmoved from your position of faith makes you stronger on every other line. Often God delays purposely, and the delay is just as much an answer to your prayer as is the fulfillment when it comes.

More pictures!

2006-11-29T07:24:00.000-08:00

Love is in the air!

2006-11-28T07:23:00.000-08:00

As Randi put it, love is in the air! My Mom and Pat's wedding was this past weekend and I have to say everything was beautiful! From the bride to all the lights it all came together to make a memorable day! I was so busy running around all night that I didn't get very many pictures but here are a few a did catch. Congrats Mom and Pat, I'm so happy for you!

Grandpa!!!

2006-11-19T08:18:00.000-08:00

Grandpa came and hung out with us last Friday and Noah and him had a blast! They played baseball with his new glove, they learned about new tools (router), they made my back patio nice and colorful with chalk and best of all Noah got to tell Grandpa about all the trains on Thomas! Roger was glowing!

Time to update!

2006-11-17T10:28:00.000-08:00

I can't believe we're almost through this month and that Thanksgiving is next week! Where do the days go? So the update on my life is that I'm still painting, I should really go into business! I've been painting Juliana's room and I'm sad to say I'll be painting it over again. I like the base color, however I used a stensil on one wall and I'm just not feeling it. It's just too busy for what I'm wanting to do in there.

On a different note, I got some disturbing news on Noah yesterday. If you know my son, you know that he is not very vocal, meaning that when he crys or talks it's not very loud and his voice always sounds hoarse. So his doctor suggested that I take him into an ENT (ear, nose and throat specialist) to get a second opinion. So I went in with the expectation that nothing was wrong and that they would send us on our way...WRONG! I won't go into details on what my poor son had to endure yesterday because Lord knows I don't need to cry again, so to make a long story short he has a couple growths on his voice box that need to be removed. It is caused by a viral infection and apparently is very rare in young children. So I'm assuming the surgery will be soon, I'm waiting on a phone call from his doctor to set up a time. His surgery will be held at Scottsdale Shea and normally it's an outpatient procedure but since he's so young they will keep him overnight. The catch is that it's not a one time shot, it could be 2-3 surgeries or the extreme would be every 2-3 months. So we are praying and believing for a miracle, and if you could stand in agreement with us we would greatly appreciate it!

On the brighter side I'm still feeling great and I feel so very blessed to be able to say that! I get an ultrasound done next week so I really hope all this hard work painting a girlie room won't go down the drain. My first ultrasound they told me they were 98% sure it was a girl but I'm sure we all know of someone that has heard that and then come due day a boy pops out! Either way I know I am blessed!

Here is a picture of the wall I will be repainting.

So sweet...

2006-11-03T14:02:00.000-08:00

Nail in the fence

2006-11-01T08:24:00.000-08:00

There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His Father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the back of the fence. The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks, as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence. Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper. The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone. The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence He said, "You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound is still there. " A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one. Friends are very rare jewels, indeed. They make you smile and encourage you to succeed. They lend an ear, they share words of praise and they always want to open their hearts to us."

I see the light...

2006-10-30T09:11:00.000-08:00

Well the dust has finally settled and I can see the light again! It's been a really hectic month for us, but we are enjoying the benefits of all our hard work! Noah turned two this month and he was so excited about his "birday party and cupcakes...yeah!!!" Here are some pictures of his party and of our Trunk-or-Treat event that was held last night!

Update

2006-10-15T09:03:00.000-07:00

My Mimi made it through her surgery! Her hip ended up being broke in three places and they were able to successfully repair it! Thank you for your prayers!

Please pray...

2006-10-13T13:29:00.000-07:00

If you can, take a minute to pray for my Mimi (Great Grandma), she broke her hip yesterday and they are going to do surgery at 4:00 this afternoon. They are not sure the outcome, and of course they worned the family she might not make it through so please pray she will be strong! Also, please pray for her care, she lives in a nursing home and we all know that sad story! I find it hard to believe she actually broke her hip seeing that she doesn't walk anymore and she is strapped to a wheel chair! Don't get me wrong, I've meet some of the nurses that take care of her and they seem very nice, so maybe it was an accident while they were trying to transition her? If so, my Mimi would say it was due to her big ass that made her fall! Just show them your crooked finger Mim, it will make you feel better!

A little nugget...

2006-10-12T07:24:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to encourage you with a little nugget I was reading this morning, especially those who are taking the FPU class with us.

My child, don't lose sight of good planning and insight. Hang on to them, for they fill you with life and bring you honor and respect. They keep you safe on your way and keep your feet from stumbling. You can lie down without fear and enjoy pleasant dreams. You need not be afraid of disaster or the destruction that comes upon the wicked, for the Lord is your security. He will keep your foot from being caught in a trap.

Proverbs 3:21-26

Who am I?

2006-10-11T07:56:00.000-07:00

I am your greatest helper or your heaviest burden. I will push you onward or drag you down to failure. I am at your command. Half of the tasks that you do, you might just as well turn over to me, and I will do them quickly and correctly. I am easily managed. You must merely be firm with me. Show me exactly how you want something done; after a few lessons I will do it automatically. I am the servant of all great people and alas of all failures as well. Those who are great I have made great, those who are failures I have made failures. I am not a machine, but I work with all the precision of a machine, plus the intelligence of a person. Now, you may run me for profit or you may run me for ruin. It makes no difference to me. Take me, train me, be firm with me, and I will lay the world at your feet. Be easy with me, and I will destroy you.

Who am I?...I am called Habit.

-Author Unknown

Oprah here I come...

2006-10-06T14:51:00.000-07:00

Have you ever watched Oprah when she reveals her favorite things? I feel like her lately, I've just got to share them!

- Dawn Power Dissolver - This works awesome! As a kid one of my (few) chores was to wash the dishes. Of course I wasn't to fond of washing dishes but when the pots and pans came around I would just cringe! Well those days are over, first off I'd like to thank my reliable dish washer and then Dawn! It works so good you won't believe your eyes! You just spray it on your pans, let it sit and then give it a light scrub and your done. It says you can use it on your stoves but I don't recommend it. I tried it, apparentely didn't wipe it all off and then when I used my oven I thought I was going to have a chemical fire.

- Coffee Mate Vanilla Chai Creamer - I'm not picky when it comes to creamer, but this has won my heart! Even if your not a big chai fan, it's mild enough that you still taste the vanilla.

- Peanut Butter - I've always loved peanut butter, but these days it seems even better! I like it on a spoon, toast, apple, banana and especially in a cookie! My favorite snack is peanut butter on a banana with chocolate milk!

- Rold Gold Pretzels - I'm sure some of you think that all pretzels taste alike but you're wrong! Rold Gold are my favorite, I like them best when they are twisted not sticks! Give me a Pepsi along with them and I'm set! This is one of the few occasions you'll see me drink pop.

- Oven Cleaner - This is not one of my favorites but I thought I'd mention it. I was watching Rachel Ray and one of her tips was to spray oven cleaner on your tub or shower, let it sit and it will take off any stain or residue? Let me know if you try it!

- 4 Hour Naps - Do you know how much you can get done in four hours with no interuptions! I think Noah must be growing because lately he's been averaging 3-4 hour naps!

- Financial Peace University - Ryan and I have been taking this class taught by Dave Ramsey and it's been so helpful and inspiring! Even if you think you have your finances in control chances are you either don't or you can make wiser choices for a better future!

I know Oprah's show is alot more intertaining and benificial, so please don't be bummed that you won't be receiving any of my favorite things like Oprah does. But if you do try any of these let me know what you think! And if you choose the 4 hour nap, please share your dreams!

I know...I know...

2006-10-06T14:25:00.000-07:00

I know I've been totally slacking on this whole blog deal! I could give plenty of excuses but I'll spare you them! I knew if I didn't have a new post before Metromom came home I'd be in big trouble! :) All is good here in the Larson household, we've been working hard trying to get our rental house in order. Which means painting, cleaning, painting, replacing carpet, painting, updating light fixtures, painting, repairs and did I mention painting! I love to paint, but this is the never ending paint job! On a different note, Noah turns two this month! Thanks to Quiana, all he can talk about is Chuckie Cheese and how he's going to eat lots of pizza and cake! We'll see, no plans have been made as of yet.

Here is a couple pictures from our trip to Pinetop. We had a great time, the Fall Festival was a little weak this year but the company made all the difference!

Call me crazy...

2006-09-14T14:04:00.000-07:00

I know we are all still enduring this heat, but I swear fall is in the air! I talked to my Mom yesterday and she told me the leaves have started to change so something got into me and I pulled out all my fall decorations. My neighbors must think I'm crazy thinking what's next the Christmas lights? I just love this time of year, of course it's not the same in the valley but something about the colors and smell reminds me of home. And if you've heard me raving over Walmart's fall decor here is the runner I got there. I wish my budget allowed me to buy everthing else that went with it, but you've got to live with some margin right? Right!

It's hard work...

2006-09-08T19:41:00.000-07:00

Mowing a lawn must be hard work when you're Noah's age! After Noah and I finished mowing our lawn we jumped in the shower and afterward he just looked beat. He was sitting in the bathroom wrapped in his towel in a daze and I asked him if he was O.K., he said yes, and then said "Mommy, I want to lay down." These words never come out of his mouth so I thought it would be a 15 second nap, well I was wrong! It turned into a 1 1/2 hour nap on my bathroom floor! What a sweetie!

So now that I'm talking about hard work, my poor husband worked a full day (on his day off) and then came home and cut a tree down. That's right, another tree has fallen! What is the deal? Luckily it didn't damage anything. Although Ryan wouldn't say poor me in this situation, he was itching to cut this tree down since we've moved in! Men and their tools! I'm sure he was secretly doing the grunt inside! (Tim the tool man grunt) :)

Pretty in PINK!!!

2006-09-05T14:39:00.000-07:00

Pretty in pink...or purple! That's right, I found out today that we are having a girl! I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am! I always wanted a boy first and then a little girl, just how my brother and I were! Let's just hope Noah doesn't fart in her face or pin her down and suck his spit in and out over her face, slim chance I know! Noah is really excited too, I told him he was going to have a sister and he started jumping up and down saying yeah, a siser a siser!!! I'm sure he has no clue what he is saying, maybe it was the fact that his cousin was jumping up and down too screaming with excitement!

Pictures for below post...

2006-09-05T07:50:00.000-07:00

The tree and Papa...

The calm before the storm...

2006-09-04T15:34:00.000-07:00

You always hear about the calm before the storm, so it got me thinking about what is the calm? The calm to me was beautiful lush trees surrounding my house, my neighborhood my environment. A house in one piece with no leaks, no cracks, no missing tiles, no problems! Something I enjoyed everyday yet never really gave much thought.

So now to "the storm"...let me just say it was the worst storm I've ever encountered! We thought we were literally in the middle of a tornado! Our windows were shaking so bad that at any moment we thought they were going to blow, our house began to leak, the rain was so heavy you could hardly see out the window, the lighting and thunder was scary enough to make you want to hide under the covers, and finally after about 3 hours came the calm again...so we thought!

We woke up this morning, looked out the window and everything seemed fine. So we packed in the car to get breakfast and realized how bad the storm really was. There are HUGE trees all over our neighborhood that have been uprooted, tossed through block walls and into people's houses. Were talking almost every house on our block has had some damage! So we just couldn't believe our house and trees were still in one piece! So after we got home from breakfast Ryan began to clean up our yard and he came running in telling me I've got to come outside and see this tree! I'm telling you it was the hand of God that saved us! In our neighbors yard is a huge cottonwood tree that is now leaning over the fence and is ready to fall on our house, the scary thing is, is that it is right by Noah's bedroom. Last night when we were looking out the window we began to pray that God would protect our house and family and he obviously was!

So where are we now? As I sit here writing, I hear a few chainsaws outside working away, including our neighbor's cutting down "the tree"! It's a little scary, Noah is taking a nap as they cut the tree down, they've manage to hit our house three times already, so let's hope there is no more damage!

On a lighter note, we have an addition to our family. Not sure if I'm too excited about this, but our neighbor gave us a turtle and his name is Papa! Our neighbor works for the Game and Fish and somehow he ended up with four turtles, Papa being the dominate male so he had to go. So now Papa roames our back yard and apparentely all we have to do is build him a little house and of course pick up his droppings. Not sure what turtle droppings are like, maybe that will determine how long we keep him! So if you know anything about Turtles please inform me! And just so you know Papa (my Grandpa), our turtle will never be as cool as you or even come close to taking your place! :)

I have pictures to share but for some reason they will not download! :( Maybe later!

Any takers?

2006-08-22T15:12:00.000-07:00

Any takers? I haven't gone in a few years, and I would really like to go this year! The weather is great, of course it's fall so all the leaves are changing, the Indian Fry bread is to die for, the crafts are one of a kind, the live music goes all day and if you're into cars they always have a huge turnout! It's September 23 and 24th so hopefully we will be done with Blues, Bikes and BBQ!

http://pinetoplakesidechamber.com/festivals/fall.htm

Already a gentleman!

2006-08-22T14:51:00.000-07:00

So my son is learning how to be a gentleman, now I know this takes years to grasp but we've started to teach him how to be sweet to girls. The first trick may come back to haunt us but I'm telling you it's so darn cute...If you ask Noah to be a gentleman he will walk up to you, grab your hand and kiss it! So now his newest trick is to pick flowers and give them away, what a sweetie!

It's a.....?????

2006-08-22T14:41:00.000-07:00

So what do you think, boy or girl? Well you'll just have to wait three more weeks with me! If you are thinking like my Mother-in-law, you don't need the results in three weeks because you already know it's a girl. And if you are anything like my Aunt Tammy, you already know it's a girl because of the necklace trick??? We'll see if she is right, supposedly I'm going to have four kids, boy...girl...boy...girl? I personally would like to think it's a girl, however I'll be extremely happy either way!

Camping

2006-08-14T13:46:00.000-07:00

We're back...rested, relaxed and we thought we were cooled off! Our camping trip was great, it was so beautiful up there! We camped at Big Bear lake, right by the lake and a waterfall. We saw wild horses and cows, blue jays, bald eagles, a few creepy bugs and of course those ever so cute chipmunks! We celebrated my Mom's 46th birthday, played games and experienced what it was like to live in the luxury of a motor home!

Mom Jeans

2006-08-14T13:07:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Betsy, you all can see what I meant by "Mom Jeans"!

http://www.hedonistica.com/yt.php?path=http://www.youtube.com/v/T3rA2jOGhGw

Want to coyor Mommy...yeah O.K.!

2006-08-09T15:38:00.000-07:00

I forgot to mention in between all of my cleaning and organizing I've been taking breaks throughout the day to color, or should I say but the caps back on the markers. This has become one of his favorite things to do! We sit in the same chairs, his facing the TV. so he can see himself, while he proceeds to tell me what each color is, which he knows! We are now learning dark and light colors, something to mix up the routine! So in the midst of coloring, most times having something more important to do, I'm reminded that this is what is MOST important! To love and spend quality time with my son, to teach him and guide him as best I know how, to nurture and show mercy to the best of my ability. Knowing that someday my son will live up to and exceed his potential and God given gifts. Sometimes we need these little breaks to clear our mind and to refocus on what's most important. So if you don't have kids and you work all day, I encourage you to take a break and doodle, you never know what will happen! Let's just hope you don't get fired! :)

Just a side note:
As I've been reading this book, Captivating, the word mercy had come up alot. So I looked it up in the dictionary and as I read the description it brought out a whole new meaning to this word.

Mercy: Compassionate treatment of those under one's power, a disposition to be kind and forgiving and a blessing.

Clean Sweep

2006-08-08T16:09:00.000-07:00

Not much new and exciting here but I thought I'd fill you in on what I've been doing the last few days...you would think it's spring time???

-Cleaned out my closet which was 3 trash bags full.
-Organized my close where maternity wear now has it's own section, I might be over the top here but my pants, long sleeve shirts, short sleeve shirts, tank tops, dresses and skirts all have there own place. At least I'm not one of those who color cordinate!
-Cleaned and organized my laundry room/pantry.
-Organized a section of cabinets in my kitchen.
-Organized the cabinets in my bookcases.
-Cleaned and organized my desk.
-Finally condesed all my files and filed paperwork, one of my least favorite things to do.
-Organized my scrapbooking stuff, now only if my pictures where organized I'd be set!
-Finished all the shopping for our camping trip, tomorrow I'll start packing and cooking.
-Stocked up on items from Costco you apparently can't live without...$250!
-Cleaned my bathrooms.
-Trying to catch up on reading, I love this book Captivating but I never seem to make the time to read. Maybe that's because nap time is work time and reading at night makes me tired. I did however read early this morning and it was great, the house was so still and quiet!

So if you need some of my mad skills around your house, give me a ring, I'm totally in the mood to clean and organize! I'd have to contribute this mad skill to my Mom, that woman can clean and organize so fast! If you're moving, call her, she's the best!

Monster Cookies

2006-08-04T06:29:00.000-07:00

For those of you who have asked for this receipe here it is a last!!! Keep in mind it makes a ton, but you can always freeze some. Hope you enjoy!

6 Eggs
2 1/2 C. Brown Sugar (Packed)
2 C. Sugar
1 1/2 tsp. Vanilla
1 1/2 tsp. White Karo Syrup
4 tsp. Baking Soda
2 1/2 C. Peanut Butter
1/2 lb. Butter (Don't melt, just take it out prior to soften)
9 C. Quick Oatmeal
1 1/4 C. Chocolate Chips
1 1/4 C. M & M's

Mix in order given. Make large balls and bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes. Leave on cookie sheet a little while before removing. After the 8-10 minutes they don't look done, but really they are!

VBS

2006-07-24T14:11:00.000-07:00

As most of you know, our Vacation Bible School was a success! I think the adults had just as much fun as the kids, even if we were laughing at Metromom the whole time! :) Not really, she did an amazing job that none of us could ever pull off! Way to go Metromom! Here are just a few pics, if you would like to see more bug Randi for them.

Things I love...

2006-07-23T14:59:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to share a few things I love these days, and no it's not pickles and ice cream!

- The smell of Tide detergent!
- New carpet between my toes!
- A lady named Maria and her cleaning crew!!! (My house was cleaned top to bottom yesterday!)
- The feeling of not having to paint on a 12 foot ladder anymore!
- My fridge stocked with cold drinks ready to grab!
- Watching Noah attempt a hand stand, he learned this from Quianna and Jasmine!
- Or watching him immitate his Dad by doing push-ups!
- Being able to call my Mom anytime of the day! She is semi-retired! :)
- Watching Ryan and Noah play in the backyard together!
- Getting my hair cut and colored...finally!
- Eating the best picked fruit at Momba's house!
- Seeing my Niece..."the girl" swim without floaties!
- Getting a phone call or card from my brother!
- Having a fan on high while I sleep!
- Finding old pictures!
- Cinnamon gum!
- Learning new verses, actually remembering them and putting them to use!

Of course there is more, but I just heard the TV change from golf to baseball and it sounds really exciting right now!

Wow!

2006-07-21T10:25:00.000-07:00

Please excuse all the caps, this was an email sent to me. It's a little long, but worth the read!

AFTER A FEW OF THE USUAL SUNDAY EVENING HYMNS, THE CHURCH'S PASTOR SLOWLY STOOD UP, WALKED OVER TO THE PULPIT AND, BEFORE HE GAVE HIS SERMON FOR THE EVENING, BRIEFLY INTRODUCED A GUEST MINISTER WHO WAS IN THE SERVICE THAT EVENING. IN THE INTRODUCTION, THE PASTOR TOLD THE CONGREGATION THAT THE GUEST MINISTER WAS ONE OF HIS DEAREST CHILDHOOD FRIENDS AND THAT HE WANTED HIM TO HAVE A FEW MOMENTS TO GREET THE CHURCH AND SHARE WHATEVER HE FELT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR THE SERVICE. WITH THAT, AN ELDERLY MAN STEPPED UP TO THE PULPIT AND BEGAN TO SPEAK. A FATHER, HIS SON, AND A FRIEND OF HIS SON WERE SAILING OFF THE PACIFIC COAST." HE BEGAN. WHEN A FAST APPROACHING STORM BLOCKED ANY ATTEMPT TO GET BACK TO THE SHORE. THE WAVES WERE SO HIGH, THAT EVEN THOUGH THE FATHER WAS AN EXPERIENCED SAILOR, HE COULD NOT KEEP THE BOAT UPRIGHT AND THE THREE WERe SWEPT INTO THE OCEAN AS THE BOAT CAPSIZED." THE OLD MAN HESITATED FOR A MOMENT, MAKING EYE CONTACT WITH
TWO TEENAGERS WHO WERE, FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE SERVICE BEGAN, LOOKING SOMEWHAT INTERESTED IN HIS STORY. THE AGED MINISTER CONTINUED WITH HIS STORY, "GRABBING A RESCUE LINE, THE FATHER HAD TO MAKE THE MOST
EXCRUCIATING DECISION OF HIS LIFE: TO WHICH BOY WOULD HE THROW THE OTHER END OF THE LIFE LINE. HE ONLY HAD SECONDS TO MAKE THE DECISION. THE FATHER KNEW THAT HIS SON WAS A CHRISTIAN AND HE, ALSO, KNEW THAT HIS SON'S FRIEND WAS NOT. THE AGONY OF HIS DECISION COULD NOT BE MATCHED BY THE TORRENT OF WAVES. AS THE FATHER YELLED OUT, 'I LOVE YOU, SON!' HE THREW OUT THE LIFE LINE TO HIS SON'S FRIEND BY THE TIME THE FATHER HAD PULLED THE FRIEND BACK TO THE CAPSIZED BOAT, HIS SON HAD DISAPPEARED BENEATH THE RAGING SWELLS INTO THE BLACK OF NIGHT. HIS BODY WAS NEVER RECOVERED. BY THIS TIME, THE TWO TEENAGERS WERE SITTING UP STRAIGHT IN THE PEW, ANXIOUSLY WAITING FOR THE NEXT WORDS TO COME OUT OF THE OLD
MINISTER'S MOUTH. "THE FATHER," HE CONTINUED, "KNEW HIS SON WOULD STEP INTO ETERNITY WITH JESUS AND HE COULD NOT BEAR THE THOUGHT OF HIS SON'S FRIEND STEPPING INTO AN ETERNITY WITHOUT JESUS.. THEREFORE, HE SACRIFICED HIS SON TO SAVE THE SON'S FRIEND. "

HOW GREAT IS THE LOVE OF GOD THAT HE SHOULD DO THE SAME FOR US. OUR HEAVENLY FATHER SACRIFICED HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON THAT WE COULD BE SAVED. I URGE YOU TO ACCEPT HIS OFFER TO RESCUE YOU AND TAKE A HOLD OF
THE LIFE LINE HE IS THROWING OUT TO YOU IN THIS SERVICE." WITH THAT, THE OLD MAN TURNED AND SAT BACK DOWN IN HIS CHAIR AS SILENCE FILLED THE ROOM. THE PASTOR AGAIN WALKED SLOWLY TO THE PULPIT AND DELIVERED A
BRIEF SERMON WITH AN INVITATION AT THE END. HOWEVER, NO ONE
RESPONDED TO THE APPEAL. WITHIN MINUTES AFTER THE SERVICE ENDED, THE TWO TEENAGERS WERE AT THE OLD MAN'S SIDE. THAT WAS A NICE STORY," POLITELY STATED ONE OF THEM, "BUT I DON'T THINK IT WAS VERY REALISTIC FOR A FATHER TO GIVE UP HIS ONLY SON'S LIFE IN HOPES THAT THE OTHER BOY WOULD BECOME A CHRISTIAN." WELL, YOU'VE GOT A POINT THERE," THE OLD MAN REPLIED GLANCING DOWN AT HIS WORN BIBLE. A BIG SMILE BROADENED HIS NARROW FACE. HE ONCE AGAIN LOOKED UP AT THE BOYS AND SAID, "IT SURE ISN'T VERY REALISTIC, IS IT? BUT I'M STANDING HERE TODAY TO TELL YOU THAT STORY GIVES ME A GLIMPSE OF WHAT IT MUST HAVE BEEN LIKE FOR GOD TO GIVE UP HIS SON
FOR ME. YOU SEE.....I WAS THAT FATHER AND YOUR PASTOR IS MY SON'S FRIEND."

GOT WATER?

2006-07-12T15:51:00.000-07:00

Have I always lived in this heat? It seems so hot this year, maybe it's the bun in the oven heating things up! When we bought this house I was happy it didn't have a pool, now I'm not so sure how happy I am with just rock and grass! At our old house the only thing our pool seemed good for was running our electricity bill up and to entertain our dog, but now I've realized what we are missing out on! I'd have to say Paradise Valley Pool has been great! Noah loves the kids area and it only cost $1.50 for both of us!

More Pictures

2006-07-10T08:10:00.000-07:00

Home Sweet Home!

2006-07-09T19:20:00.000-07:00

We're back! All I can say is what a vacation! I would love to say we all had a great time but unfortunately we all didn't! The second day into the cruise Ryan picked up the worst bug imaginable, I'm sure you all can use your imagination for his symptoms! Poor Ryan didn't even make it off the boat let alone out of our cabin! :( It's hard to say what is was because the symtoms apply to a number of illnesses. As for me and my family we had a great time! The Bahamas are everything and more I imagined! We stopped at Grand Turk, which had the real Margarittaville, Half Moon Cay and then onto Nassau. Half Moon Cay was my favorite, the sand feels and looks just like flour and the water is so clear! At first we all were a little scared because schools of fish would swim right by you, and these fish were up to a foot long. After a while we got use to it and realized how cool it really was! My Mom and Pat are officially engaged and the ring is beautiful! Congratulations Mom, I'm so happy for you! I turned 26 on Friday, and had one too many deserts that day to celebrate! Here are a few pictures!

Reasons why...

2006-06-25T20:33:00.000-07:00

There are so many reasons why you love your kids, each one is so unique and special in there own way. Here are a few reasons I love my son...
I love it when he smiles and you can faintly see a dimple through those chubby checks or when he runs and his checks giggle. I love it when he sits on my lap to eat his snack and says "Mommy do" which means feed me please. I love it when I receive a hug and kiss out of the blue. I love that he is so in-tune with our lives, even if that means watching me go #1 or 2 and then copying me. I love to see him grow. I love to watch him play and make sounds that only boys can make. I love to watch him around Amariah, he adores her! We won't talk about when he is around his cousin T! I love to see his love for his Daddy grow, he loves to ride in Daddy's truck. I love to play hide-a-seek with him. I guess this list could go on and on so what I should have said is that the greatest thing about my son is that he is the best gift I have ever received! I can't wait to experience gift #2!

Pictures

2006-06-25T17:32:00.000-07:00

Update on the house...

2006-06-19T21:10:00.000-07:00

The dust is finally starting to settle here, however the carpet will be installed soon which means more dust, more moving and more pain in my back. Not trying to complain, I love how our house is turning out and I feel very blessed to be able to invest into it! Here are a few pictures of the house and of our pet...well kind of.

Mad Skills!

2006-06-06T19:41:00.000-07:00

Let me just say that I have recently discovered some mad skills in myself! This past weekend I chipped up tile in our entry way, fireplace, bathroom and kitchen along side my husband, and today I installed three light fixtures by myself, wiring and all! I'm pretty sure my husband felt like he had been replaced in this department, but was still very proud! So along the adventure of installing the lights, I was up on a ladder and all the sudden our house alarm starts blaring! It scared the crap out of me! I have never heard it go off, but it instantly put me into survival mode. I ran down the hall grabed Noah out of his crip and booked it out the door. Come to find out it was due to turning off the electricity and having a bad battery for back up. So my afternoon consisted of no electricity, which means no AC! We are now back and running!

Exciting News!

2006-06-02T06:11:00.000-07:00

Before you were conceived I wanted you. Before you were born I loved you. Before you were here an hour I would give my life for you. This is the miracle of life. -Maureen Hawkins

That's right guys, I found out yesterday I'm pregnant again! Ryan and I are really excited, although I don't think it has fully hit me yet!

Update

2006-05-30T15:42:00.000-07:00

Ryan ended up going to Germany after all! It was a successfull trip that was filled with long hours, hard work and long flights! He enjoyed himself and says it's beautiful there!

I haven't posted in a while because I have been working my butt off on our house. So far I have painted our dining room, entry, office, hallway and half of the living room! We also installed new light fixtures in our dining room and entry way. I know, I know the brass and glass combo were really cool... but we had to dump them! :) It's been a lot of work, but enjoyable at times.

I'm really looking forward to our trip in July, we are going on a cruise to the Bahamas!!! We went on a cruise for our honeymoon and loved it so we decided to go again. It's a family trip meaning Ryan, myself, my Mom, sister's, Ben (Bekah's boyfriend), Patrick and his family(Mom's boyfriend). We can't wait!

Here are a few pictures.

FALSE...FALSE ALARM!

2006-05-16T15:30:00.000-07:00

I just got the news the trip was cancelled and being rescheduled! So I ask myself...what am I learning through all this running around? My answer would be that I can be very flexible at times and that I also don't like to spend more money than I have too! For example: $600 on a passport that won't be used any time soon, $1300 on a new suite and attire for Ryan and about $200 on gas for all the running around I've had to do! Oh well, you only live once right! :)

FALSE ALARM!

2006-05-16T07:36:00.000-07:00

As some of you may of heard Ryan and I were leaving for Europe tomorrow! Well....we got some news from his work informing us this is strickly a business trip and it would not be appropriate to bring the fam! I was really bummed at first but the more I got thinking about it I realized how crazy this trip would have been. It's a 10 day trip venturing into Germany, Italy and Norway, hoping from hotel to hotel and from one plane to another. Ryan leaves tomorrow so please be praying his travel is safe and they close the deal with the Italian, German and Norwegian Army! Keep in mind I hate being home alone so if anyone would like to hang out please give me a ring!

Toddler

2006-05-02T20:27:00.000-07:00

Our little boy is definitely not a baby anymore, we have moved into the toddler stage! He is so much fun and is learning new things everyday! It amazes me how smart kids really are...especially mine! :) For example he watched the Letter Factory by Leap Frog two times and he learned what every letter sounds like. It got me thinking about how amazing that really is, he is only 18 months old, and then my next thought was I wonder how many kids above the age of 5 still don't know this? My guess is that it is higher than we think! What makes this so sad is that these poor kids aren't getting the attention and nurturing that they deserve. It makes me cherish everyday I am able to spend with Noah!

So adorable!

2006-04-16T11:26:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Grandma our kids are always in style!

Eggstravaganza!

2006-04-16T09:05:00.000-07:00

Our Eggstravaganza was another success! We had a blast and we were able to connect with the community in a fun way!

Sunny days!

2006-04-13T23:14:00.000-07:00

I love sunny days! Today was a great day, it started off with my son and I enjoying our morning together, then it was off to Starbucks, from there we went to the train park to meet Metromom, sister and brother. We had a great time with the kids, we rode the train and carrousel, ate lunch then ice cream, and between all of that we passed out flyers for our Eggstravaganza! It was one of those days that made you want to be outside all day! A day filled with adventure, great people and a passion for life!

My creation...scary?

2006-04-13T17:18:00.000-07:00

I saw this idea in a magazine, but it wasn't this extravagant. No flowers, beads, glitter, grass or ribbon, just twigs and eggs. So my thought was that I could make it better...what do you think? Scary?

For you Bekah

2006-04-12T21:27:00.000-07:00

My sister Bekah is extremely smart yet she is always asking me how to spell words, so this is for you Bekah!

fi yuo cna raed tihs, yuo hvae a sgtrane mnid too Cna yuo raed tihs?
OLNY 55% of pleope can...

i cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno't mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt! if you can raed tihs forwrad it.

Ever Wonder?

2006-04-06T09:34:00.000-07:00

Ever wonder where the Easter bunny came from?
According to mythology, the bunny hasn't always been a cuddly creature, it was originally a large sacred bird that belonged to the pagan goddess of spring, Eoster (after whom Easter is named). The goddess is said to have turned the bird into a rabbit in a fit of rage, but our familiar friend didn't lose all of his birdlike qualities, as he still makes straw nests full of eggs.

Ever wonder how you should eat a chocolate bunny?
According to 76% of Americans you should eat the ears first.

Ever wonder why we give eggs?
The tradition of exchanging hard-boiled eggs was already centuries old when Easter was first celebrated by Christians. The egg symbolizes rebirth in many cultures. In the 19th century, confectioners sweetened up the swap, experimenting with egg-shaped pastries and marzipan before finally settling on chocolate. By the end of the century, they had mastered the art of producing the perfect cocoa ovals we love today.

Ever wonder what Ash Wednesday is?
During Lent in the Middle Ages, sinners used to be excluded from Communion, made to wear sackcloth and sprinkled with ashes from the burnt remains of the previous year's Palm Sunday crosses. To remind the faithful of the sorrow they should feel for their sins, it has become customary for Roman Catholics, Episcopalians and some other Protestants to wear ashes on their foreheads for the first day of Lent - Ash Wednesday.

Ever wonder why lilies are so popular this time of year?
In Christianity, the white lily is the symbol of the resurrection of Christ, and it is often used to decorate church altars.

Ever wonder how religion got so complicated?
Ever wonder how our lives get so complicated?
Ever wonder why people make stories up instead of telling the greatest love story of all?
Ever wonder who these people are that make the story up? (Like Eoster)
Ever wonder why the simple gospel gets lost?

Ever wonder?

Proud Aunt

2006-04-05T06:58:00.000-07:00

I can't tell you how proud I am of this wonderful little girl (sister). She is always so sweet and thoughtful and when things don't go her way she immediately changes her attitude and comes up with a better solution. What an awesome testimate of the wonderful works of God! I love you girl...sister!

-This sister/brother thing reminds me of the Barenstein Bears! :)

Got Yogurt too?

2006-03-23T13:32:00.000-08:00

Thought I'd mention he LOVES yogurt too! He is constantly going up to the fridge saying peas...peas...peas!

Got Milk?

2006-03-23T13:22:00.000-08:00

Our family loves Oreo cookies, especially Noah!

Much Love

2006-03-23T13:03:00.000-08:00

This past weekend we had the chance to see my Mimi (Great Grandma) in Tucson, she now lives in a nursing home and we are pretty much counting her last days. She is a wonderful woman full of so much love and compassion! I prepared myself before we went keeping in mind she wouldn't know who I was and would be very confused, which is how she's been. When we walked in and I saw her my heart sunk, she looked so old and like all the life had been sucked out of her. But as we approached her it was liked she sensed familiarity, she didn't know who we were but knew we had to be family. As soon as she saw Noah her personality starting to shine! She started singing, clapping her hands, laughing and playing games with him. My Uncle Bud, who takes care of her said he hasn't seen her act this way in months! It just made my day to see her smile and to possibly have one last great memory with her!

Why I love Mom

2006-03-20T08:41:00.000-08:00

Mom and Dad were watching TV when Mom said, "I'm tired, and it's getting late. I think I'll go to bed."She went to the kitchen to make sandwiches for the next day's lunches. Rinsed out the popcorn bowls, took meat out of the freezer for supperthe following evening, checked the cereal box levels, filled the sugarcontainer, put spoons and bowls on the table and started the coffee pot for brewing the next morning. She then put some wet clothes in the dryer, put a load of clothes intothe washer, ironed a shirt and secured a loose button She picked up the game pieces left on the table, put the phone back on the charger and put the telephone book into the drawer. She watered the plants, emptied a wastebasket and hung up a towel to dry. She yawned and stretched and headed for the bedroom. She stopped by the desk and wrote a note to the teacher, counted out some cash for the field trip, and pulled a text book out from hiding under the chair. She signed a birthday card for a friend, addressed and stamped theenvelope and wrote a quick note for the grocery store. She put both near her purse. Mom then washed her face with 3 in 1 cleanser, put on her Nightsolution & age fighting moisturizer, brushed and flossed her teeth and filed her nails. Dad called out, "I thought you were going to bed.""I'm on my way," she said. She put some water into the dog's dish and put the cat (Foxy -Dog) outside, then made sure the doors were locked and the patio light was on.She looked in on each of the kids and turned out their bedside lampsand TV's, hung up a shirt, threw some dirty socks into the hamper, and had a brief conversation with the one up still doing homework. (Then check her emails on the computer) In her own room, she set the alarm; laid out clothing for the next day,straightened up the shoe rack. She added three things to her 6 mostimportant things to do list. She said her prayers, and visualized theaccomplishment of her goals.About that time, Dad turned off the TV and announced to no one inparticular. "I'm going to bed."And he did...without another thought.Anything extraordinary here? Wonder why women live longer...?CAUSE WE ARE MADE FOR THE LONG HAUL..... (and we can't die sooner, we still have things to do!!!!)

Attacked too!

2006-03-15T21:52:00.000-08:00

I forgot to mention we were attacked too! These geese came from across the lake declaring they had rule over this pond. Of course they had to come right up to us, hiss and then strut their stuff across the street. I have to admit I was in panic mode, I was throwing whole pieces of bread at them. I really think it was a teritory issue because they didn't even nibble on the bread.

My fear of geese all starting when I was about 4, I was at the park with my Mimi (Great Grandma) and we were sitting on a bench feading the ducks, out of no where a geese comes from behind and bits my Mimi's butt! Try to imagine a full blood italian woman, a little on the heavy side, cursing at the geese in Italian while chasing it to the lake. I don't care who you are that is a scary site!

Pond head...

2006-03-12T20:10:00.000-08:00

I've heard of bed head but pond head? We laughed so hard, it looked like they had Bozo wigs on.

A parent's wish...

2006-03-01T21:23:00.000-08:00

If you're not in the mood to cry then don't watch this! All I could think about is the day when this will happen to me, and in those days I will know that I was loved and cared for more than I could have ever dreamed! I love you Mimi, Gram, Mom and Momba!

http://www.paete.org/movies/ParentWish.wmv

Those cheeks!

2006-02-11T22:44:00.000-08:00

Does anyone else miss those cheeks as much as I do?

The new me...

2006-02-11T14:07:00.000-08:00

This is what I was going for!!! I feel like Lisa from Dancing with the Stars!

The look...

2006-02-08T21:46:00.000-08:00

This is the look I was going for, however the picture I showed her wasn't as short. So it looks like I'll be going back in!

For Gramie...

2006-02-08T12:26:00.000-08:00

I think my Mom checks my blog several times a day in hope that there are new pictures of Noah, so these are for you Mom! This is also my new do, I'm not crazy about it and I'm really considering going back in to get what I was hoping for in the first place. It seems like it never turns out like the picture!

The BIG Day!

2006-02-08T12:11:00.000-08:00

Our BIG day was awesome! It was full of fun, food and alot of laughs!

Somebody said...

2006-02-01T20:54:00.000-08:00

Somebody said it takes about six weeks to get back to normal after
you've had a baby somebody, doesn't know that once you're a mother, "Normal," is history.

Somebody said you learn how to be a mother by instinct, somebody never took a three-year-old shopping.

Somebody said being a mother is boring ......Somebody never rode in a car driven by a teenager with a driver's permit.

Somebody said if you're a "good" mother, your child will "turn out good."
Somebody thinks a child comes with directions and a guarantee.

Somebody said "good" mothers never raise their voices .
Somebody never came out the back door just in time to see her child hit a golf ball through the neighbor's kitchen window.

Somebody said you don't need an education to be a mother.
Somebody never helped a fourth grader with her math.

Somebody said you can't love the fifth child as much as you love the first.
Somebody doesn't have five children.

Somebody said a mother can find all the answers to her child-rearing questions in the books ...Somebody never had a child stuff beans up his nose or in his ears.

Somebody said the hardest part of being a mother is labor and delivery ...Somebody never watched her "baby" get on the bus for the first day!
of kindergarten or on a plane headed for military "boot camp."

Somebody said a mother can do her job with her eyes closed and one hand tied behind her back ....somebody never organized four giggling Brownies to sell cookies.

Somebody said a mother can stop worrying after her child gets married ....
Somebody doesn't know that marriage adds a new son or daughter-in-law a to a mother's heartstrings.

Somebody said a mother's job is done when her last child leaves home ...Somebody never had grandchildren.

Somebody said your mother knows you love her, so you don't need to tell her.
Somebody isn't a mother.