McLife

Stories I can't forget (for Nik and Shannon!)

2008-12-12T23:20:00.009-07:00

Scott took Rana on a date tonight to see The Nutcracker. This past week I took her shopping for the occasion and picked up a purse that matched her dress. She saw me, and said, "Mom, I am sooooo not carrying that." I guess you would have to hear the inflections she used in her voice. It was hilarious! When they get home tonight, and Scott's first comment was, "She is just like her mother." So, of course I want to know what fabulous thing she did ... She fell asleep! That's my girl!!!

Owen was singing, "Ice cream, soda pop, cherry on top. Who's your girlfriend? I forgot." (Rana is great at bringing back all the oldies from school." So I asked him if he had a girlfriend. He got really embarassed and paused for a while, "Yes." Okay, so I'm getting a little defensive, and he finally says, "It's you, Mom!" and quickly gives me a big hug. Ahhhh. I LOVE being his girlfriend!

Jace is nasty. I leave the boys with Julie, our trusty accounting assistant, while I take Rana to school. When I got home one morning, she was carrying a stinky diaper to the trash. I admonished her, telling her that I would take care of those things when I got home, reminding her that it was not her respnsibility. The next day I found out that she did try to get him out of the office, but he caught on, and thought it would be funny to stick his hand in his pants and chase her around. It's no wonder why we ask "Whose got problems?" and Jace answers proudly, throwing one hand in the air, "ME!!!" I'm so thankful Julie thought he was funny for thinking that was funny. What a jewel!

2008-09-21T21:22:00.000-06:00

Since summer is officially over, I thought it was time to get some pictures out. We ventured down to Texas the first week of summer to pay respects to Scott's Uncle David who went home to be with Christ. He has a great family and left an incredible legacy. Scott and I are both blessed with a long heritage of Christian families. Uncle David was committed to Christ for many years, and it was neat to hear the stories of the people whose lives he touched. It's always nice to see this side of the family.

Fun-due, Fun Summer

2008-07-03T16:22:00.011-06:00

The theme for this summer is FUN! We've had a lot of it, even though we're insanely busy (what's new, right?). Because I know some of you are into fun neighbor ideas (I'm so stealing Sunny's May Day idea for next year), here's one Rana pulled from her kids cookbook. It's a very simple fun-due recipe that she invited any neighbor available to. It was basically one cup of chocolate chips with 4 tbsp milk microwaved for 30 seconds. We doubled the recipe, of course. I'm wishing I would have branched out and bought white chocolate chips and peanut butter chocolate chips too. Doesn't that sound yummy? We served the fun-due with marshmallows, butter cake, brownies (all store bought, but do what makes you happy!), strawberries, cantaloupe and pineapple. It was half payback for 2 of my neighbors who insist on bringing desserts to my place like the one in this pic. Isn't that sinful? Our neighborhood is fun enough, but we'll take any excuse to hang with "the neighbors" (My kids still call most of them "the neighbors, as if they don't have names.).

And for the fam... here's Jace at the zoo with Aunt Jayan (Gina). He loves that girl!

Happy and Sad Father's Day

2008-06-16T06:25:00.007-06:00

It was a happy Father's Day for our family because my kids celebrated a Dad who works really hard, loves them a ton, is a great example of what God wants a Dad to be, and he will never leave them (despite what Jace's face says). We went to church (thought that was important to include), bought Scott a new coffee maker and a coffee grinder (the old one was a wedding gift -- 10 years old), hung out and watched the Celtics lose :(

It was a sad Father's day because our long time buddies Rachel and Cody moved away today. They are largely responsible for helping Scott fulfill his dream of living in Colorado. Over 5 years ago Cody asked Scott if he would interview for the youth minister position at his church. Scott was hired and the rest is history. We met them my freshman year of college (don't care to figure out how long ago that was), and they've been more like family than friends since we've been up here. Our kids are more like cousins. We love them and will miss them.

Church

2008-06-13T07:46:00.003-06:00

Since the closing of the church we were attending a year and a half ago, I have not been enthralled with the idea of going to church on Sunday mornings. It seemed like going to church didn't have much to do with being the church. Each week we rush 3 kids out the door to chase them around. There was little fellowship, little worship and a whole lot of frustration going on. After being out of that church setting, I began to see why church was not appealing to people. I've shared most of this with some of you. What's funny is that most of my friends on some level agree, and have the same frustrations. Not surprising since most of my friends are ministers or are ministering in the church in some way. Church equals work. You can define for yourself what work equals! I was challenged by Sunny in New York and we came to terms with each other's position with mutual respect. I've been challenged again recently by my friend Candice. I suspect we will end up in the same place, but I'm going to post my study. I am soliciting comments and thoughts. Iron sharpens iron. I am currently in Acts, but feel free to throw out Scripture from other books. Try hard to put me in my place. I can take it, trust me.

So I just began listing the characteristics of the first church;

Devoted to the apostles’ teaching (2:42)
Devoted to fellowship (2:42)
Devoted to breaking of bread (2:42,46) – I want to say that this one was also mentioned another time. I feel like it was an important one for them.
Devoted to prayer (2:42)
Had everything in common (2:44) – toughy
Met every day in the temple courts (Solomon’s Colonnade) (2:45) and prayed at 9am, 3pm and sunset (3:1 and study notes)
Praised God
Enjoyed the favor of all the people (2:47) – Luke talks much about how they were all on the same page. He talks about it again in chapter 4.

Some other things I took note of in Chapter 4:

While they met at the temple the Sanhedrin opposed them, imprisoning Peter and John and warning them not to speak to anyone in the name of Jesus (4:2ff)
The Sanhedrin was astonished by Peter and John because they were unschooled, ordinary men. The Message says they were laymen with no training in Scripture or formal education, yet they were confident and so sure of themselves (4:13).
No one was needy because they sold possessions to take care of each other and the disciples distributed it according to each person’s need (4:36). Taking my position on church, I thought it was noteworthy that it is specified that the money was given to people and not for a meeting place. I had a friend go to Israel a few years ago and was told by one of her guides that the church really grew when people loved each other and took care of each and quit growing wildly when hierarchy and buildings became the focus. I’m going to have to do some research on that one to see how true it is, but I do have that statement in the back of my mind.

Guitar Lessons -- Week One

2008-06-12T21:21:00.004-06:00

Tonight was week one of 6 weeks of guitar lessons. I walked into the Adult guitar class with my ghetto guitar (it has some fancy crayola kid art on it and has been strummed to death) tonight and saw about seven 13 year old faces staring at me. At the other end of the room were 2 guys about my age. I was the only female in the room. Here's a little video of me after week one. It's down right embarassing. We'll see how I progress. Notice the Pampered Chef scraper/pick. I don't have the kahunas to take it to class, but it would be hilarious if I did. If you're a guitar player and have tips, feel free to give them. I'll take any coaching I can get.

BolderBoulder

2008-06-08T21:01:00.002-06:00

I was waiting for the professional pics to come in to blog the race, and then got sidetracked with a last minute trip to Texas. Here's the link to the professional pics, http://www.brightroom.com/go.asp?32336120, and here are the thoughts that I'm taking away from the experience:

It was the second hardest thing I've ever done. Having a baby in a bath tub at home is the first!
"Take in the air. It's free." -- what FloJo and I would tell ourselves when we got tired.
"Bend and tilt." -- Diana's advice on race day for emptying the bladder completely.
FloJo was out of town one weekend and I had to train alone. I was told music would revolutionize my run, so I bought a shuffle to be my friend. It only made me want to dance. I still hate to run. I love to dance. Perhaps next year I'll enter a dance contest!

BolderBoulder

2008-05-23T05:07:00.002-06:00

3 days until the race. I'm surprisingly excited. The reason I decided to run was because my friend Diana told me it would take away all my baby weight. Unfortunately, I can still tell that Jace happened right around my mid-section. Can't really complain about much else, though. I'm in pretty decent shape, and I know I will run the race well -- not near as well as FloJo, but good for me. It feels nice.

Daddy's Home

2008-05-20T06:13:00.013-06:00

Scott has been gone most of May. He's home for a little bit which means Mama can breathe, but of course I really haven't. I/We are clearly too busy. "Busy-ness is our biggest vice. It so easily takes our focus off our kids, others and God. Scott's reflections on his way home included guilt over our failure this month to focus our kids on God's word. I took it as an attack since I am actually the one home with them. I didn't tell him that I was offended. I felt that he is the ring leader of keeping our lives jam packed with work. Then that quiet voice let me know that I was a responsible adult with choices. I did/do hold some of the blame. With this on my heart we got away to the mountains. The mountains are a great place to see God and experience peace. I see Him often in my kids and in cirumstances, but to see Him in nature is awesome (and I mean truly AWEsome), and a peaceful pleasure. You cannot deny Him in the mountains. It's the perfect getaway. Our kids also love the mountains and fishing and being with Dad, of course. It was a good day of reflection for me.

Jace Happens

2008-04-26T15:12:00.003-06:00

There is a bumper stick that says "Stuff Happens." Okay, so that's the polite version. In my world "Jace Happens." I've had to work on my perception of this child. I had a dear friend advise me not to label him. I had another dear friend ask me where I've been. So, this morning was the perfect opportunity to show the world what I feel like I do with most of my time, and why it is actually work not to label him... While I was spending time with Rana and Owen, Jace decided it would be entertaining to throw jello across the dining room and on to our very light-colored carpet. It was one of those moments when you're so angry that you can't discipline or parent because you will hurt the child. I sent him to his room, and cleaned up his mess. This is what I do, April!!! I don't even keep jello in the house, but my Mom is in town, and she made it for my sister. I don't know that I'll ever look back at this one and laugh. I see messes often and think, "Jace Happened." This one is a close second on the "Jace Happens" list behind pooping in the carpet and smearing it in. It's happened a few times. But, he is a blessing from God, right???

HATE Running, LOVE Many Other Things

2008-03-14T18:37:00.009-06:00

Meet the running shoes. For a reason that is still unknown, Velvet agreed to run the Boulder Boulder with her friend Diana. Velvet hates to run. She thought buying the right shoes, might make her go faster or make her like running. So, she spent $105 (twice as much as she's ever spent on shoes she likes) on this pair of shoes that did not make her like running. Velvet hates spending money. To make it worse, Velvet is training with Joy, the caucasian FloJo. It's not fun, folks! Velvet considered blogging her journey to the Boulder Boulder, but decided it wasn't good to be so negative.

I do have to say that I was proud of myself for running 5 miles last weekend. This weekend I will run 6. The Boulder Boulder is a 10K. If I don't have a better body when it's all done, I will really be disappointed!!!

So, now that that's out of the way ...

Heidi blogged about things her family loves and asked what we love. Here it goes...

I love laughter -- from anyone, but especially my kids. I love to laugh!

I love to play good volleyball. I love my morning quiet time. I love rhythm in my life. I finally have a good one. I love when our family visits; summer fire pits with our neighbors; vacations; meaningful talks, and serving people. I love my family and seeing old friends. I love my husband. I love the view of the foothills from our neighborhood. It frequently reminds me of God's splendor when I'm driving around, dropping the kids off, grocery shopping, picking up Starbucks, or RUNNING ;)

Who Built The Ark

2008-02-20T15:52:00.003-07:00

Last night our Bible reading included the story of Noah. In the middle of Scott's reading, Owen busted out in song, "Who built the ark? No One, No One ..." We were so proud until he got to the second sentence. With Owen, you never know if he's intentionally being funny. We corrected him, but he continued on with his version. It was a great laugh. It also reminded me of Smiley's son Ihsan who sings, "Here I am to worship, here I am to bow-wow." I think of him everytime I hear that song. Kids say the darndest things!

All About Rana

2008-02-02T16:39:00.001-07:00

Right now our lives seem to be a lot about Rana, but in a good way. Nothing like last year at this time when it was all about Jace being hospitalized and coming home with an oxygen tank. So, first let me document that on MLK day I gave Rana the Mommy quiz about who Dr. King was and why he is important to us. Having never seen an African American at her school, I asked her if there were any. She said, "Yes, Michelle." Michelle's last name is Rodriguez. So sad, since there are Rodriguez's in my family. I really need to culture these kids!

She also got a taste of cheerleading last night, which I have to admit makes me proud. The senior high in our district puts on a cheer camp for the little ones as a fund raiser every year, and then they perform at the half time of a varsity game. Here's a little video. She's the one with brown pants and curly hair. So cute ...

Happy Birthday Aunt Gina!

2008-01-31T20:05:00.000-07:00

For those of you wondering who the extra person was in our Christmas photo, that was my big sister. She moved up last summer, and has been the biggest blessing. I'm so thankful she's here. The kids are pretty appreciative too (don't let Jace's face fool you). Happy Birthday Aunt Gina!!!

Funnies

2008-01-09T18:05:00.001-07:00

When I woke up this morning, this was our sleeping arrangment. I laid there (to the left of Rana, and not in that big gap in the middle) wondering how it happened. On occasion we'll get one friend in bed, but all three is a rarity. Our king bed seems so spacious compared to the full we had for 9 years, that we normally don't notice. I think Scott noticed!

Today was Owen's first day back to school. This is what he chose to wear. I particularly love the shoes! On these days I can hear my mom saying to me (as a young kid), "You have so many nice clothes. Why do you have to wear that?"

Speaking of my mom ... she just left last Saturday, and I want her back. I had 2 wisdom teeth pulled last Friday, and will have 2 more pulled tomorrow. She brought me chicken noodle soup and baked potatoes in bed, and watched the kids. I also heard her tell Owen, "So." when he said he was thirsty and asked for water. I guess that's what you get when you keep a menopausal-aged woman from her soap opera!!!

Happy New Year!!!

2008-01-02T09:13:00.000-07:00

We had a great New Year's celebration with our neighbors. Here are a few of the things we will be celebrating in '08 ...

We just signed the papers to incorporate our business. I didn't know it would be exciting, but it was!

We will be potty training Jace in 2008. No more diapers in the Mc house!!!

Scott and I will celebrate 10 years of marriage in May. Love him!

We have moved into the best neighborhood for our family. We didn't know this a year ago, but we absolutely love our home and neighbors.

And, as we do every year, we will celebrate a home full of laughter and joy with 3 of the most precious blessings; two extended families that are more supportive than most I've seen; and a God who keeps us in the palm of his hand, providing every need plus some.

Winter Wonderland (and other cute pics)

2007-12-27T15:30:00.000-07:00

It's a winter wonderland up here. For Scott's sake, I hope we're not about to re-live last year's winter with 6 straight weekends of snow. However, the kids L-O-V-E, LOVE it, so I do't have much room to complain. Here are the pics that I took today. Jace took an early fall with no gloves, so he was inside sipping hot chocolate and watching All My Children with Nanna and cousin Tip (feel free to roll your eyes). Poor guy!

Here's a couple of pics of Oaklie, Jarrod and A.J.'s baby. She is so teeny weeny. Everyone likes here a lot. And, I can't resist a good pink roller shot. She's even more cute with no teeth. Her Daddy's not so bad either!

Merry Christmas

2007-12-25T16:16:00.000-07:00

Hope remembering our Saviour's birth brings warmth to your hearts and home.

Owen at his pre-school Christmas party.

Rana before Crystal's wedding 2 weekends ago.

Jace decorating cookies at Owen's Christmas party.

Rob and Tip sledding. We are having a VERY white Christmas

"It's All Gonna Burn "... A Tribute to Mr. Ed

2007-12-17T16:40:00.001-07:00

It's been a week and a half since I got the phone call that Mr. Ed had suddenly gone to heaven. "It's All Gonna Burn" was his motto, and I even remember the DCC maintenance crew having shirts with this across the back. When I came out of the shock of hearing the news, my first thought was this passage, "Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. " I really can't think of anyone who exemplifies everyone of these qualifications of a leader in the church better than Mr. Ed ... really, I can't. In our sinful world there are lots of leaders whom have needed God's grace on one or two of these. Believe me, I pass no judgment on such leaders, for they are some of the best. However, it is crazy to me that Mr. Ed needed no concessions. One man at his funeral said, "Mr. Ed always talked about his faults, but I never saw any." The only thing I ever heard Mr. Ed criticized for was being too humble. Funny, huh?

Many close friends told stories and fond memories at his funeral, but I really couldn't help but wonder how many "Scott and Velvet's" there are -- those people who did not know Ed closely, but were grately impacted by his life, his work, his wife, his kids, and just being around him. I know there are hundreds. On the way home from the funeral, Scott and I discussed our regret for not going to visit them. Estes Park is not too far, and they extended the invitation every time we saw them. We are fools for not going.

If anyone is interested, a memorial fund has been set up for Kara. We take seriously the responsibility to take care of widows. If you know Kara or knew Ed, and are interested, a donation can be made to Christian Church of Estes Park, 4655 US Highway 36, Estes Park, CO 80517. Put "Ed Schorstein Memorial Fund" in the memo.

Through his death, Ed has said to me, "follow my example, as I follow[ed] Christ." I have acknowledged many ways that Ed taught me to live as a Christian. I will live differently. Rest in peace, Mr. Ed. Your life meant much to many.

Halloween and a DCC Where Are They Now

2007-11-17T09:25:00.000-07:00

We had a great season this year. Scott was able to be home, and the weather has been unbeatable. We trick or treated in our hood again. I hope it becomes a yearly tradition. Here's a little game of catch-up for the old college buddies ...

Cody and Rachel are still at The Pearl. Feel free to send donations! Rachel just started a full-time job, but they love her and let her have Wednesdays off. I'm not surprised. She also continues to be the MVP of our volleyball team. Cody is a busy worker and dreamer. He also works for virtual DCC, and does some church planting consulting, I think. He's always dreaming of ways to make an impact on The Pearl's community. The kids are still cute and both celebrated birthdays recently. They are "Moore" to the core!

Can't believe I didn't get a good shot of A.J. She is very pregnant, and can't wait for the baby to come. I'm predicting a boy, but she doesn't know. She is using our faithful midwife Judy who does not perform or recommend sonograms. Jarrod is finishing up his time at The Pearl at the end of this year. He is stepping out on faith and will be dedicated to opening a coffee shop in Denver. Send donations! He is also doing work for SMC. He does a great job for us. If you can't tell, Olivia is a little A.J., and Ossie is a little Jarrod. I think the pics speak for themselves.

Smiley and Judith could not make it this year. Smiley is busy pursuing his new career. We've all been amazed. Not sure how he gets that physique with all the tortillas and beans. God has always been on his side. In his spare time he ministers to a Spanish church in Denver. Send donations!They love him. Judith is enjoying a little bit of freedom now that Ihsan and Jared are both in school. She can still out shop any one of us.

Here is a bad Mommy moment that I'm documenting for myself. Rana was allergic to the paint I put on her face. I didn't realize it, and put it on her twice that day. She woke up with the reddest, puffiest, little face. Bad Mommy :(

Table Dancers

2007-11-01T13:41:00.000-06:00

Here is a video I tried to post a couple of weeks ago. We all go a little nuts when Scott is gone! I'll do Halloween next week ... promise. I just got this to load, so I had to get it out because I laugh hysterically at this.

New York, Part 2 & 3 & 4

2007-10-07T20:07:00.001-06:00

Thursday:
Slept in instead of getting up to go to Today Show and missed Ellen Degeneres
Grand Central Station -- Awesome! Loved the art. It was Grand. Met up with Scott's cousin Lisa there.
Fifth Avenue -- Shopped it. Kind of cool
St. Patricks's Cathedral -- Way cool. Sunny suggested we pray here. Before she could finish her thought I found a knee bench to kneel and pray. God was still God, even in that big, fancy church. Not sure what I expected. I felt more of a connection to our spiritual ancestors and my Grandma after being there. It was very ... well, Catholic!
Bryant Park -- had lunch there. They were setting up for Fashion Week. Sunny had her hot dog from a vendor, and I ate the worst gyro ever from a deli. Thankfully, Lisa shared her turkey sandwich!

Trump Tower -- This building had the most $ in it than any I saw. Definitely felt out of place, but the elevator guards let us stand behind their desk for a picture. Fun!
TKTS booth -- Surprisingly, one of my fav New York things. It just felt New York to stand in a VERY long line to get discount theater tickets. It was a chance to chat with the gals and listen to all the different languages being spoken. I LOVE that about New York. So much language and culture -- a little bit of heaven! If you go, you must purchase tickets here. The line is surprisingly fast, and you can get tickets 35-50% off.
Ground Zero -- Was a little disappointed. Didn't get as close as I wanted to. Lots of construction going on, and didn't walk far enough around to see the memorial.
SOHO/China Town -- Did this really quick. Learned from Lisa that buying knock-offs is illegal. Who knew?
Chicago -- My first musical. Loved the movie and loved the show, though the performers were second-rate. Got my Latina blood going, though! Definitely wanted to dance when we left. Got an invite to salsa after the show from a stranger. The request was directed at Sunny, and lucky for me, she declined with a look on her face like she had just seen Freddie on Elm Street. Had I been asked, I would have been gone in less than a New York minute. The experience taught me two things: to white people salsa = sex; and I am stupidly naive when it comes to fun. We later learned, after this guy met up with Sun again, that he clearly wanted more than a fun salsa dance.
Times Square -- Can't even describe the glitz of that place. Every one's heard about it, but to experience it is another story. It's not deep or spiritual -- nothing like that. Just very grand, and full of the latest and greatest, done up in very BIG ways. VERY cool.

Friday
Woke up early to go to the Today Show. Chris Martin (is that his name?) was giving a concert and every black person in New York beat us there. Disappointed, we walked over to the Good Morning America Show where Achy Breaky Billy Ray Cyrus was performing. NO ONE was in line.
Good Morning America - skipped out on going inside to stand out and wait for the weather man. Sam Champion stood right next to us, and our big cheesy faces were on TV. Even got to tell where we were from. My mom was mad that I didn't say Texas!
Hotel Metro -- went back to the hotel to tell everyone in the Texas and Colorado time zones to watch GMA. Scott was REAL annoyed. I think I must have called him 5 times, the first being at 4:30am. He wasn't nearly as excited as we were.
Central Park -- Did it like none other, that's for sure. Took a subway there. Exited early after Sunny looked at me, told me she was getting off, and then dashed through the door. That still makes me laugh. We didn't even walk a full block in before we found a bench, and parked it for a while. Okay, more like 3 hours. Had the best talk ever about church and where God has our families right now. He is an amazing God, people. Listened a lot, and learned a ton. Our time in Central Park was serious, spiritual, passionate and loving even while we were in opposition. My love and respect for her is deep. Loved our time at Central Park!
The Met -- Didn't get to go. Talked too long!
New York Library -- Didn't go. Talked too long!
The Color Purple -- My gosh, this show was AMAZING! Fantasia had the lead, and she was AWESOME. I laughed and cried, then laughed some more, then cried some more. Surprisingly, it was also a very spiritual experience, but this time opening my eyes to the hardships that my family, in particular, have endured.
Cheesecake -- Can't remember the name of the joint, but went after the show to celebrate Lisa's new job. She had a job interview that morning, and received notice that afternoon. YEA Lisa!

Saturday
Shopped til we dropped for souvenirs for our families. Took a cab to the airport and went home.

Love Sunny and Lisa. Loved New York. Can't wait to do it again!

Psalm 46:1

2007-09-28T17:39:00.000-06:00

"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble."

I started my Bible study with the kids last night, and that was their memory verse for the week. I found myself needing it tonight. Scott has been gone all week, and I have hit a wall. It happens often at the end of a long week without him, but it never ceases to strike me. I go from being energetic and fun to completely grumpy and short-fused in a second. I do want to finish writing about New York, but there has been no time. Right now, I am fighting to keep up with my kids, feeling like I've cleaned up the last mess, and kissed my final boo-boo. I am D-O-N-E, DONE folks! But God is my refuge and stregnth.

Hopefully, I'll be back soon :) New York deserves it!

New York, New York

2007-09-08T09:33:00.001-06:00

Well, it's been over a week now since I woke up in the city that never sleeps with my college BFF Sunny. There's so much that I learned and did. It's a bit overwhelming. I must say that if you haven't had a trip of this kind, you really should stop reading this post, go to your favorite travel site, and book something. Special friends that you can be completely real with are a mirror to your heart and soul in the same way a marriage is, but at a completely different angle. Sunny is writing a series on her blog about our experiences. I will do the same, mostly for my benefit, so that I can sort through it all.

The first day could be summed up in one word -- SURREAL! From the moment I stepped out of the car to enter the airport, I felt it. For the first time in a while, I was alone ... no kids, no husband. I was constantly asking myself what I forgot, feeling that my load was unusually light. My mind was free not worrying about who was where, but I realized how much my family is a part of me. It was way weird! I knew then how much I would miss them.

When I arrived in NYC I met up with Sunny and caught a cab to our hotel. I can't describe the excitment of this commute. It was my first time in a cab, I was with Sunny (haven't seen her in a year and a half), and we were in NEW YORK CITY! It was too much to take in, but I tried.

We ended the evening with cosmos on the rooftop of our hotel. It was then that we realized that we were staying one block north of the Empire State Building. We had an awesome view, and it served as a great backdrop for us to do some catching up. (We stayed at the Hotel Metro, if you're planning on going soon. I highly recommend it -- nice, safe, great location and affordable for NYC.)

My First Love, My Guys and the Art Niche

2007-08-26T10:12:00.000-06:00

I've made a slow recovery from last week. Thanks for all the great comments. They helped tremendously, and ironically, so did our Friday night activity. Before liking boys, or being cute, or New Kids on the Block, I loved basketball. Friday night we got brave enough to resurrect our ball and shot hoops off the neighbor's goal. The boys LOVED it, and Scott and I had great fun as well. I had forgotten how much love I had for the sport. I went to bed thinking about how much fun it will be to cheer for my boys. Owen, like his Mom, preferred the long rebounds and no look passes. He will be an exciting point guard! Jace, like his Dad, will be much more aggressive and live for the slam dunk -- BOO YAAA! I can't wait to see these guys in action. Or not. Perhaps they'll be in the band, but whatever!!!

My multi-talented artist friend Diana came over and painted our art niche yesterday. Scott and I had several verses on our short list, but couldn't decide. Then, we got the DCC Cornerstone (our college newsletter), and they had highlighted Matthew 25:40, on one of the pages. My mind was made up at that point. It came from a passage that I really wanted to use, but didn't know how to condense it to make it look good. This verse says exactly what we want our kids to be mindful of everyday. I'm so happy to have it done.

Rana's First Day

2007-08-22T10:47:00.000-06:00

We did it. We dropped our baby girl off at school today. I knew it would be one of the hardest days of my life, and it proved to be all that and more. Her teacher came and took her from us, she disappeared into a sea of people; and that is about the last I saw of her until the school doors opened, and I began rushing the door and screaming her name as if I was some groupie at a rock concert. She looked back, gave me a wave, and walked through those school doors. She has been focused on kindergarten since she was 3. I've been dreading this day since I brought her home from the hospital. I used to stare at her while listening to a Twila Paris baby lullaby CD, and fret that I would never be able to protect her from every predatory word, thought and action that would come her way. I was forced to realize that she was and is not a gift to me like Jesus is. Her time with me is a gift. She is a blessing He shared, but she is His. Life's trials have taught me what a good thing that is, but somehow today the rubber met the road. I HAD to give her over in a way I've never had to do before. And before I knew it, the PTA's Boo Hoo party, that I so ridiculed, was suddenly a good idea. Not because I wanted to participate, but because I would do anything to get inside those school doors to be within the same walls of my baby girl. Scott and I left the party and walk outside the school to find her room. We just needed to get one last look at her. We're stalkers, I know. Unfortunately, her room was tucked away in a corner that was not at all accessible to the stalking parent. I know I have little to worry about, however. Rana is a stellar student; she longs to be obedient; loves and serves her brothers and us with eager anticipation and joy; she's very smart; and best of all has an awareness of Christ that does not go unnoticed. As I write about her, I realize how much there is to admire. She is remarkable in many ways, and I love her. Thank you, God, for that little blessing.

Family and Fun-Filled Summer

2007-07-08T20:53:00.000-06:00

It has been quite a summer thus far. I'll try to do little writing and let the pics do the talkin'. Here it goes (in reverse order) ...
Rana has apparently inherited her Dad's entrepreneurial (is that a word?) spirit, and opened a lemonade stand today. Here she is with her first customer.
The best CPA on the planet came up from Texas last week to make sure I had my accounting ducks in a row. Can you believe that? It helps that he's Scott's Uncle Lynn, but he was still amazing. He graciously spent time teaching me, and spent lots of time with the kids. They loved "Uncle" (that's what Owen called him).
The weekend before he arrived, the neighborhood had a 4th of July party. This is one of my favorite pics of Owen dancing to the D.J.'s tunes. Had to include this! We spent the 4th at Cody and Rachel's house with the Colorado DCC crew and Chrissy and Clint Stephenson. Don't have any pics, but had tons of fun.
The week before that, Scott's parents were up with one of his sister's and her kiddo's. We did SO MUCH FUN STUFF. I had no idea how exhausted I was until they left.And, here's just a cute pic of Jace cruisin' in his new ride. You may have to enlarge it to get the full effect of adorable-ness (I know that's not a word!).
Not sure why I always use my blog to tell the latest. It would be cool if I had some nice, deep thought on occasion, huh? I will say that Scott and I have not given our kids the attention they deserve this summer. It's been nice having family around to give them attention, but we're due for some change. Will definitely write more on that later ...

Long Days

2007-05-27T22:34:00.000-06:00

Well, my older sister was here for two months and now she's gone, and my hubby is gone. It's made for some really long days, but here are some of the fun things that have kept me going ...

Two nights ago I put pink rollers in Rana's hair. My mom used to do this to me when I was a little girl, and I loved it. Here's the before and after (taken the following morning) pics. I think she is so beautiful. While I'm on the topic of Rana... while talking to my mom on the phone yesterday, I heard her say, "You're not alone. God is with you, Silly." I'm not sure what my mom said. My guess is she was explaining that Papa was playing Bingo in OK, and she was home alone. Rana has so much awareness of God. I could go on and on with stories, but I won't.

This afternoon the neighbors asked if the kids could come out and play in the sprinklers. Owen was asleep, so I put his swim trunks on him, and told him we would be outside playing in the water. About 10 minutes later he came out with his rain boots on. He is such a hilarious little guy. Sometimes he knows he's being funny, and other times I don't think he has a clue. It's hard for me to make the distinction on this one. He does have a sweet side, though. Every day he says to me, "Mommy, I have a song for you," and he sings to me.

Jace has been sleeping until 7am, which is much better than the 5am routine he had while my sister was sharing his room. That has been very helpful.

I'm posting extra pics of the kids for Scott. Rana had all the girls pretending to be on a beach reading books. She dictated to each one where and how they would lay. She even told them they all had to move thier legs back and forth, and had her Barbie radio playing. Of course, I wondered "Where did she learn this?" So, I asked. The answer: Max and Ruby. Amazing!

Where Do They Learn These Things?

2007-05-22T12:19:00.000-06:00

As I write, my children are having a "money party." We have a coffee can of change in the mud room where we store "Disney money." It's their savings for Disney World when Jace turns 3. Right now they are chunking handfuls of change in the air and yelling "MONEY PARTY." We haven't really been proactive about teaching them any principles of money. So, I'm sitting here wondering, "Where did they learned this???"

Luke's Farm

2007-05-19T08:33:00.001-06:00

Yesterday Rana's class had an end of the year picnic at Luke's farm in Evergreen. It was a great place with friendly animals and fun activities (see-saw, hammock, slide, animals, playhouse, face/arm painting) for the kids. I thought it was a little pricey ($8/person) , but I recommend it as a relaxing place for parents, and a fun place for kids that's different than the park. Jace crawled right up to one of the goats and just hung out. The owner rigged up this train pulled by a lawn mower, and the kids loved it. The little blonde boy with Rana is Ashton. We didn't know it, but that is Rana's boyfriend. His mom has told me of endless stories of Ashton professing and confessing his love for his Rana. What I didn't know was the feelings were reciprocated. The teachers told me for the first time yesterday. Don't ask me how I feel about that.

9 YEARS!

2007-05-09T21:37:00.000-06:00

Scott and I celebrated our 9 year anniversary today. This was a special one for me because I feel our childbearing days are behind us, and we get to move forward with childrearing, and possibly re-claim time for our marriage. Today, I pondered the things I love about him. My favorite character, by far, is his ability to trust God. It's second nature to him, and I used to hate it. Scott doesn't live on the edge, he lives in a free-fall off the edge. I think some people call it reckless abandon. It's truly admirable. I used to pray, and talk, and stress, and secure my safety harness before even approaching the edge... and that was just to jump off a rock! I have had more adventure in these last 9 years than I would have ever had alone. What a gift!

There are other great things that I love about Scott. He's a terrfic Daddy, an amazing athlete, and pretty easy on the eyes. However, today I am particularly thankful that he's taking those cliff dives with me. As a single mother with 3 kids, little support and little resources, my Mom taught me to trust God, and He never failed. Scott has taught me that even with tons of support and resources, God still loves and provides. I'm excited about where He's leading us and feel honored to parent, live and love with my husband.

Mc's take San Antonio

2007-05-02T22:25:00.000-06:00

Last week our fam vacationed in San Antonio. It's been a while since we've taken a vacation, so we didn't quite know what to do with ourselves. We did manage, however, to enjoy the time away, see lots of family, and have tons of fun. Here's the itinerary and a few photos (click on them to enlarge) ...

Last week was Fiesta week in San Antonio. On Monday Scott's parents came over to meet us and my parents for the river parade on the San Antonio river walk. It was so nice to have both sets of grandparents to ourselves. In case you can't see it on their faces, our kids love spending time with all of them!

On Tuesday my sister came down from Dallas and met us at the IMAX theater. We watched a 3d Deep Sea show. Rana and Owen both tried to reach out and touch the various marine life. Watching them was a highlight. They're such cool kids.
We spent Tuesday night with more of my people (that's for you, Liz!), my Aunti Vera, Uncle Victor, cousin Leo and his son Dillon, and cousin Blanca (due any day!) and her husband Al. I don't get to see them often enough. It was a fun evening.

Wednesday was a GREAT day. My mom and Walter gave Scott and I their Maverick playoff tickets. So, we drove 5 hours to Dallas, saw the game, and drove 5 hours back. Sound crazy? We thought so too, until we considered that we had a full 24 hours to ourselves (they wanted to watch the kids while we went!). On the way there and back I cranked the radio up and sang with all my favorite artists (Prince and Miss Jackson to name a couple) at the top of my lungs, and Scott read. We went to the game (the Mavs WON!), then checked into a hotel and SLEPT IN! Loved it ... a lot!

Thursday night we took the river tour on one of the river boats, then took the kids to the Fiesta carnival with my parents. All of it was great. There is so much history and culture on and around the river. I was proud to expose my kids to all of it.

On Friday we unofficially ended our vacation with a visit to Sea World. The kids LOVED it. The shows were great as were the rides and other attractions. It was well worth the time and money. And, now we're back. San Antonio was great -- the vacation, the time with our family and extended family, and even the weather was incredible. Hopefully we won't have to wait another 3 years to vacation again!

What Was I Thinking?

2007-04-14T12:48:00.000-06:00

I am stubborn enough to be good at most things I try. I can learn new things well or at least complete them on a competent level (or so I thought). So, the idea of baking cakes from scratch seemed like no big deal. After all, our family has many reasons to celebrate this time of year, so a box cake just didn't seem appropriate. I went on the internet and found a cake and frosting recipe. All the ingredients were listed and the directions were written out in steps, just like I like them. I even read the comments and found that a box of pudding enhanced the receipe, so I added it. What the recipe did not list was important words to know in the bakers' vernacular. I drove to the store to gather ingredients, and should have known I was in over my head when I could not find the confectioner's sugar. I called a friend who was unavailable and then dialed my mother in law before I spotted the cheap brand with the words "Confectioner's Sugar." I hung up the phone quickly. I know my mother in law feels sorry for her son when I call with silly cooking questions. Anyway ... I should have known then that I was in over my head, but I'm not one to give up that easy. Of course, I was oblivious at this point to what was in store. To make it quick, I didn't have enough vegetable oil and had to borrow canola oil from the neighbor; my arms are sore because I thought that you had to mix while sifting (I really thought they were going to fall off); I forgot to put my special pudding ingredient in the mix; I thought I had burned the cakes, but discovered I had not cooked them long enough when I started to ice them, and they began falling apart; I realized that I spent more time covering up the cake particles in the icing than I did baking the cake; I had no idea fondant could be microwaved so I spent 10 minutes using force and kinetic energy trying to roll it (I finally got smart); and did I mention that my mixer started smoking as I was making the frosting? So, after 4 hours of baking and icing, and another 2 decorating with the kids the photo above is what we have. I don't know if they're edible, but they are presentable!

No one has ever made me feel inferior, incapable or stupid. But can I say that God used something to do the job? I'm a little humbled.

The conclusion to this story is: the next time my husband takes the kids out for the night, I will not spend my time doing something I know I don't like to do (cooking) in my least favorite room of the house (kitchen). Betty Crocker and Ducan Hines do a fabulous job, and they're cheaper and cause less stress. And there are some things, perhaps many things, that I'm just not good at or capable of!

We are the Champions ... AGAIN!

2007-03-30T09:28:00.000-06:00

Meet team Volley Time. This is the group of ladies I play with. We just won the season and the tournament for the second time. Volleyball is my pedicure or night of scrapbooking. I guilted myself for a while not being crafty like other moms. I love playing and getting to spend time with A.J. and Rachel (who is preggers now, and can't play), a couple of long time pals. The other girls are great too, and the competition is getting better. Tons of fun for me!

Fear

2007-03-23T15:17:00.000-06:00

My girlfriend Alexis was just over, and we had a great conversation about safety. Alexis is on one page, and I don't think I'm even in the same book. It was a great conversation, very friendly and challenging. Alexis is BIG on safety issues, and, well, I'm really not.."

Alexis has a friend whose 6 year old daughter choked and died Sunday when a hot dog got lodged in her throat? Very sad story, and my reaction to these things is always to ask myself if God allowed it to happen?

Just yesterday, Scott and I drove past Platte Canyon High School. I had a big conversation with God over the life of Emily Keyes. Had she put her life in His hands? Did God allow Emily's life to be taken?

Two summers ago I met a missionary to Muslims in Iraq. One day his car broke down, and he was picked up by Muslim extremist who took him to the field where their executions occured. They asked him if he was afraid. He told them that he was not afraid because they could not do anything that God did not allow. The men themselves became afraid, and drove him to his village. Did God allow his life to be spared?

When I look at my life, I see God's provisions all over the place. Many times when I didn't do the smart, safe, or wise thing, -- intentionally and unintentionally -- but I was protected. And then there were times when I didn't do the safe, smart, or wise thing and significantly paid for it. So, when making an application to my life, there are so many questions to ask... Does it matter if I slice my kids' hot dogs in 3 parts; Does it matter that they are buckled on the long stretch of highway to Texas? Is God really that intimately interested in each of our earthly lives? Does the measure by which God takes control equal the measure of control we give up? Proverbs 1:33 says "but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm." Are we harmed because we do not listen?

I thought I was doing so well "not worrying" about things when it came to safety. However, it has come up so frequently the past few days, that I guess I have some work to do...

Happenings

2007-03-18T15:09:00.000-06:00

Well, it's been a while. Surprise, surprise! It's a busy time for us, and I don't see it slowing down anytime soon. Here's the latest happenings ...

My parents came up to help while Jace was sick. They stayed for 2 weeks which was nice since Scott was out of town for a bit. Scott arrived home at 2am last Saturday, Mom and Walter left at 5:30am, and Scott's brother arrived with his family around 7pm that same Saturday. It was a busy day!

We had tons of fun with the Mike Mc family. They each fought a bug and some altitude sickness while they were here. That stunk. The weather was great, though, so they were able to enjoy themselves between stomach aches and headaches! I think my favorite memory of their trip will be what Owen called our nephew Lucas -- "Circus." It took us a little bit to figure out why he kept talking about the circus. Fortunately, Rana understood from the get-go, and shed some light on the situation. Thanks for coming up, guys. We had tons of fun!

On Wednesday, Rana and I were given tickets from a dear friend to see the Disney on Ice, Monster's Inc. show. I was feeling very ill, but could never pass up one-on-one time with any of my kiddos. It's such a rarity. Apparently, Rana can't either. The little baby in the picture is Brianna Rose Petals, Rana's "real" baby (and don't argue otherwise!). We had a GREAT time! Thanks Amanda!

Yesterday we went to the St. Patty's Day Parade downtown. We had taken Rana and Owen 2 years ago, and really enjoyed ourselves. This year ... completely different story. There were SO many people there. We met up with our Colorado family (the Moore's, Jops, and Garcia's), and joked while walking downtown that we were doing our own parade. It was funny until the parade got separated in the sea of people and the double stroller that was taxi-ing 3-4 kids at a time lost it's wheels. Wish I would have taken a pic of it. We left it on the sidewalk, and it looked like a car that got left on the wrong side of town. Hilarious! When the parade was done, we all paraded to our house for a cookout. It's great to hang out with old friends.

So, today is Sunday, and we're trying to wind down. We went to the park today after church. It's another beautiful, dry CO day.

Update

2007-03-02T17:49:00.000-07:00

My apologies if you've come to my blog more than once to see the same post. My mom arrived on Sunday night, and I've been completely focused on getting Jace well, cleaning my house, and getting some work done.

Jace is doing way better. His face in this pic makes me laugh. It pretty much says what we were all thinking about that oxygen. I took this one beautiful, sunny day when he was stuck inside. Props to my chiropractor who adjusted Jace the Tuesday after he was released from the hospital. Jace was honestly a different child after the adjustment. Our pediatricain, who is a personal friend and we love him, said Jace would have a cough for about 2 weeks after we left the hospital. Jace hasn't had a cough, sniffle, sneeze or fever. It's pretty amazing. Thanks again for all the prayers and support. Jace has been off oxygen for a week.

Jace Is Home

2007-02-17T22:16:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone for the concern and prayers over Jace the past few days. Since I've had little chance to talk to most, here's the scoop... I took Jace to the doctor Thursday when I noticed that he was working really hard to breathe. Upon testing his oxygen levels, the doctor immediately called the paramedics, and in about 4 minutes we were being whisked away to the emergency room. It was scary as my mommy instincts knew before I took him in that something was really wrong. As I suspected, he tested positive for RSV, but also had pneumonia in both lungs. We hoped to only stay for the afternoon, but that turned into an overnight stay, which then turned into another overnight stay. Fortunately, for me, they did not put an IV (is that right ... IV?) in him, though the ER nurse really wanted to. They let him come home today on oxygen, and we will go to the doctor Monday to see how he's doing.
We've had so much support, and I have to tell everyone how grateful I am. My friend Rachel watched Rana and Owen while we were in the ER; my friend Joy brought a meal for Scott and the kids (she didn't even ask, just did it); my friend Kim is bringing a meal tomorrow; Scott's family prayed like crazy; my sisters worked to get my mom up here to help; my friend Joy also gave us a nebulizer and all the Albuterol treatments that Jace will need (She doesn't read my blog, so I'm not buttering up!) and countless other friends prayed, called and offered to help. I also can't forget my husband who had a couple of really hard days with work and the kids. It's definitely a time of reflection for me ... a time to count my blessings and thank God for the life of our baby boy. Scott and I are rich -- 2 very supportive families, and great friends who go beyond the call of duty. It's very amazing and even overwhelming to think about. We may never have the opportunity to give back, and yet that's what loving Christ and others is all about. What a humbling and beautiful thing.
These pictures of him were taken this past Sunday when we discovered that he can climb the stairs.

Today

2007-02-06T21:26:00.000-07:00

God sent us 62 degrees of warm weather today. The kids and I played outside all morning and then ate lunch outside as well. We were not at all anxious to be indoors. This is the first day Rana and Owen have been able to have fun in their "Pimp My Ride" jeep that Papa brought up for Christmas. They couldn't get enough. Rana called herself Lightning McQueen as she drove up on the snow banks putting the car on two wheels. I had fun soaking up the sun and enjoying the entertainment.

The only one not happy today was Jace. After the Super Bowl party at Senor Loco's (aka, Smiley) house, he woke up with a fever and congestion. Unfortunately for him, he cannot suck his thumb and breathe out of his nose, so sleep has been hard to get. Ahhhh.

Hillbillery

2007-02-05T20:17:00.000-07:00

One of my sister-in-laws sent this to me. I think it's hilarious!

Jace

2007-01-28T21:20:00.000-07:00

Our baby is 9 months old. Wow! Can't believe it. There's so much to look forward to, and so much I will miss. These are pics of him eating his first oreo cookie. He's a messy eater, just like his bro (and nothing like his sis). He doesn't inhale food like Owen did, but he can definitely eat his fair share. Today, he ate 2 biscuits with gravy for breakfast and a whole slice of pizza for dinner (not the healthiest meals, but it's Sunday, and we rest!). He looks so much like his Daddy's side of the family. Scott says he sees his uncles all over Jace's eyes. He crawls everywhere he wants to go, and wants desperately to climb the stairs. He doesn't like to cuddle or love much, but his favorite place to be is still in my arms. I don't mind. When Rana was 9 months, I began thinking about our next baby. Today, I found myself thinking about our next, and confirming that it shouldn't happen. There is so much I would miss out on. Namely, sleep, sanity and a life! We wouldn't be able to foster again either. So, I'm gonna enjoy the mess out of this little guy. He's a great third kid, and SO STINKIN' CUTE!

Colorado Fun

2007-01-24T22:53:00.000-07:00

My dear friend April is under the impression that there's not much fun to be had in snowy weather. And since I am almost ALWAYS in the mood for visitors, I decided to do a little marketing. Here are pictures of my sister and niece sledding with Rana and Owen. Notice the beautiful mountain scenery, and take note that it is FREE. Other free activities include snow-shoeing, building snowmen, ice climbing, ice fishing, ice skating and chillin while others have all the fun!!!

If you're lucky, you'll celebrate a birthday up here like my sister Gina just did. Rana will send out silly-tations (her new word for the art she puts on 4x6 index cards), and we'll have a PARTY. Rana will also cook and decorate your cake (yes, those are goldfish)! But who needs a birthday? Just come see us, and that will be reason enought to celebrate! We love our friends and family. (Note to Colorado friends: do not dillute this post in any way. We love 6 weekends of snow, right?!)

Public Restroom Etiquette

2007-01-15T08:09:00.000-07:00

I always (and have always) avoid public restrooms. However, this weekend we were on a 5.5 hour road trip (one way), and it was unavoidable. We stopped at Wal Mart to take a break. Because we have to hold Jace while helping the others, and ourselves, we opted to wait for the FAMILY restroom that was occupied. When the door opened a 350+ pound woman came out the door and left marks in the toilet and a smell that can't be sent in a blog. I know, DISGUSTING! Scott looked at me and politely asked, "Why didn't she use the regular restrooms." I very meekly and mildly, full of humility and understanding answered, "Because, she's fat." I pondered my response the rest of the way home. It was pretty mean. I was tired, and this woman had assualted my sensibilities on many levels. She was ONE person using the FAMILY restroom; she did something that I believe should only be done while shooting a scene for "Dumb and Dumber" (is it really impossible to hold?); my sense of smell took a hit, and I had no Lysol to remedy the problem; and did I mention my kids, for a moment, also had to ingest that? After all this justifying the little angel on the right reminded me of several Scripture, convincing me that my attitude was clearly wrong. I learned a lesson, but still don't think it's apropriate to go #2 in a public restroom. I think I chose to blog this because it is still bothersome to me.

The picture has no relevance. Just a cute one of the boys that Scott took a couple of months ago.

Call the Fashion Police

2007-01-10T16:20:00.000-07:00

Seriously. Today was the first day back to school for our kids. This is what Rana came downstairs in. The sad thing ... I had no time to make her change. I just pretended that she looked fabulous and asked her to brush her hair. I did manage to get her to switch shoes by convincing her she would need her snow boots outside at play time. I didn't know she had accessorized with the belt until I snapped the picture this afternoon. That belongs to Owen, but whatever. I asked her where she got the idea for socks and sandals. She said she saw a girl wearing flip flops and socks while she was with Jarrod and A.J. Ah-ha! I know I'm not up on the latest and greatest, but I knew she didn't get this from me.

Randomness

2007-01-08T09:58:00.000-07:00

It's been a while, but I have to post this for anyone who does not have kids at home. This is a great gift idea, and its FREE ... For Christmas my parents, my niece Tiphanie and my sister Nikki came to Colorado. My sister's gift to me was to let me sleep in every morning. It was great! I hope she gives the same gift next year. If you're a mommy, let me know if I need to drop any hints to someone!!!

In unrelated news, here is the latest on my kids ...

Last Thursday the Riley's came over for dinner. We were having great conversations, so the night got pretty late. Rana finally fell asleep in my lap around 11pm. Scott took her to bed, but at 3am she came to our bed and tapped him on the shoulder, "Dad, you forgot to read me the Bible." Love that!

Owen discovered 10 king sized Hershey's bars (christmas gift) on my nightstand one morning. "Mom, whas dat?" I said "That's Mommy's." "No Mom, dat's CHOCWIT!" His eyes were so full of excitment. In the following days I found him under the bed with the chocolate, hiding in the closet with the chocolate, and in the bathroom with the chocolate. The chocolate is now on the highest shelf of the pantry.

Jace has just figured out how to pull himself up in his crib. The only problem is he can't figure out how to get back down. At naptime he cries his angry/hurt cry because he is so tired, but can't get to his tummy. It took me a couple of days to figure it out. Not my proudest Mommy moment.

I love it when I take time to notice how precious they are. Not sure why it doesn't happen more often. Maybe that should be one of my resolutions for 2007.

Christmas Card

2006-12-20T16:23:00.000-07:00

Merry Christmas everyone! This is the best I can do this year, which is more than what we've done the last 2 years. Got the idea from a dear friend who thinks cards with letters are cheesy. Since "Cheese" is my favorite nickname, I'm going to make her proud and complete this "card" with a nice letter. I love to read them, so please keep mailing your cards and letters to us. And, maybe if we're not pregnant or moving, I'll get a real card/pic/letter in the mail next year!

2006, in a word ... incredible! We moved from Colorado, to Kansas, to Texas, and back to Colorado. Why? Scott was busy opening a few new markets with his business partner. He loves a challenge, and sees new opportunity as a big adventure. He led our family through a crazy and very unsure time, but his trust and whole-hearted belief that we were in the hands of God was unwavering. This was such a gift to our family, and provided stablity that I needed. I learned this year that he's a hard worker and expects himself to use his giftedness to serve God and others.

Rana is our social butterfly and a really bright kid. This past summer her Aunt Liz gave her reading books, and she is reading like a champ. She also tried gymnastics and swimming this year and excelled in both. She takes pride in doing things well. Another thing she does well is fashion. She loves to dress herself and style her hair. This pic is her latest do (click on the photo to enlarge). It is actually not bad compared to the 6 ponytails she made me put in her hair to go to the park this past summer. She got lots of compliments. Really, she did!

Owen is our quiet, but mischievious little guy. He's quite funny too! I have high hopes that he will be a great athlete. This past summer Rana played soccer. We couldn't get her in a game, but we couldn't keep Owen off the field. He even demanded that he wear her soccer jersey to bed at night. He also learned to fish, and got to practice his luck at Papa's pond the first half of the year. He loves it! Owen is definitely in his "terrific two's!"

Jace is our big blessing for 2006. He is such a happy baby, and loves to laugh at his big brother and sister. I think he will be a very decisive little fella. He seems to know what he wants and what he doesn't, and doesn't mind sharing it. He's a bit larger than Rana and Owen were, but still a big sweetie. When he was 6 weeks old, we moved back to Colorado, and at 6 months we moved him to our new house. He took it all like a champ, and gave us only one week of grief when his 4 teeth came in. Three kids is tough, but I wouldn't choose a day without him.

For me, this year started weird and ended great! I love our new house, and am asking God to keep us here for a very LONG time. We have 5 college buddies up here, which is unbelievably fun, and we've met some really great new friends since we've been back. It's hard to believe that this time last year I was packing all our belongings into storage and daily asking God what the next day would hold. It definitely was an adventure and even fun. However, I'm equally grateful for a little calm in the storm.

Can't wait to see what 2007 holds for our family and yours. Merry Christmas! We hope that your holiday and year is filled with Jesus.

Scott's Birthday

2006-12-16T15:17:00.000-07:00

I DID IT! I finally pulled off a surprise party for Scott. He ALWAYS figures it out, but not this year. He had no idea that new friends and old were coming to celebrate his birthday. We did a white elephant gift exchange, which always seems a little more fun with the right beverage. Troy and Corinne brought Natural Ice beer as their white elephant gift, and people actually drank it! Here is a picture of Chris modeling his gift. There were some great ideas given for all the fun ways it could be used. Even still, that ridiculous pumpkin got left at our house! One of my favorite gifts was the Christmas '94 framed picture of our college buddy, Cody Earl. Here is a before and after for all our DCC friends to enjoy. This is so crazy-hilarious. We love ya, Cody!!!

We had such a good time. Scott and I have talked about it every day. He was so surprised and honored that everyone came. Can't wait to do it again!

Sleigh Ride in the Neighborhood

2006-12-11T12:47:00.000-07:00

Got a kick in my blogger step last night at our neighborhood sleigh ride. It was fun, though it seemed really fun to those families that new eachother. I look forward to that day. I have met the neighbors to our left, who talked to us a lot before we moved in. I haven't seen her since. And, I just got a note from our neighbor to the right letting me know that I run over her sprinkler heads every time I back out of our driveway. In my defense, it is a really awkward shaped driveway. I don't give it much attention at 8:45am when I'm rushing to get 3 kids in the car to take only 1 to school. I did tell her I would make an attempt to stay on our driveway and out of her yard (it's okay to laugh). Let's hope I have the presence of mind to follow through! Conclusion: It may be a while before I have friends in the neighborhood. We may be sleigh-riding alone again next year!

2006-11-18T14:39:00.000-07:00

Well, its official. The church we've been attending (which was also the inspiration for my blog) will be closing after this Sunday. Why? Something about being a consumer-minded culture in a 1st world country. Oh yeah, and not having enough money. When I start to get down about it, Scott quickly reminds me, "Trust the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding." Oh yeah.
It's really unfortunate. We've met some incredible people. Hopefully, these relationships will not be lost. My prayer is that we will all find a place where God is working and join Him there. It is a powerful lesson I learned in the Experiencing God study several years ago. We were all reminded of it a few Sunday's ago in the interview Bill Hybels did with Bono. Love to all.

2006-11-11T22:46:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday night Scott took me on my dream date. A great date to me = NO $ SPENT! We dreamed up the date a few weeks ago, and Scott made it happen -- a pretty tough feat considering our busy season of life. So here it goes ... the Jops watched our kiddos -- for free (thanks a ton!). We drove up to Red Rocks, put the 3 car seats in the front seats, and watched a movie , from our collection, in our car. As if that's not great enough, we found a spot on the side of the mountain (Scott doesn't qualify Red Rocks as mountains, but above sea level is a mountain to me) where we could see Denver and beyond. It was an amazing view. We had a great time, and will definitely do it again. Thanks, Babe for making our dream date a reality. I think I told you once or twice that I loved it! (the photos arent' great because they were taken with a camera phone.)

2006-11-05T22:51:00.000-07:00

Friday was my birthday. Ironically, the day began almost exactly like it did last year. I woke up, checked my email, and had a note from my sister-in-law. She was my first birthday well-wisher last year as well (thanks, Laurie). After that, it's all a blur. Seriously, my 30th year is a fog in my mind. All I know is how it started, and that when it was over, I had landed in Colorado with an extra kid. So, I decided to do 30 over this year. In an effort to make it more memorable, I made breakfast, got Rana ready for school, changed a couple of diapers and hit the ground running... just like I do every day. Scott did take me out for lunch, and we went to a carnival at the kids' school Friday evening. The highlight of the day was winning the train table and train set in the raffle.

2006-10-31T20:45:00.000-07:00

Tonight we went trick or treating with some of our Colorado family in the new hood. We haven't moved into our place, but we took full advantage of the opportunity to mingle with neighbors. The weather and the atmosphere were perfect --a cool, crisp night (not too cool or crisp) with children and parents everywhere.
The real treat for me this Halloween was my little Owen. While the other kids were hustling from house to house with candy on the brain, he couldn't help but take time to celebrate each piece of candy he received, and also to marvel over all the Halloween decor. At one point he even stopped to sing "the itsy bitsy spider" to a gigantic-sized inflatable spider in one of the yards. Because of this, he spent most of his time sprinting to the next door to catch the others. As I marveled at him, I realized that he possessed one of his Dad's personality traits. Some call it "stopping to smell the roses." Embarrassingly, I have not shown much appreciation for this quality in my husband lately. My treat was the reminder from Owen to enjoy and even celebrate the present, and to take time to sing to inflatable spiders. Thanks, son for being like your Dad, and teaching me a lesson. You're a true joy to your Mommy.
I was obligated under Mommy law to give equal time to my daughter. Fortunately for me, it doesn't take long to notice Rana's redeeming qualities. In good big-sister fashion, she was notifying each treat-giver that "her brother, the lion" would be arriving soon. She made sure the door remained open while Owen made his way up, and didn't have much kind to say to, or about, the elderly man who didn't hear her, and shut his door. I could only smile because there is no mistaking it... she is definitely my girl!

Snow Days

2006-10-26T12:41:00.000-06:00

Growing up, there were few things better than a snow day. Probably because they NEVER happened in Texas, and if they did, they were better categorized as ice days. Nonetheless, today was a snow day in Colorado. My kids absolutely love to play in the snow. Even Jace was content to be in the cold with snow hitting his perfect little face. I love to see my kids having fun, and being snowed in also gave me the opportunity to clean my house! Thank you, Lord.

We completed our snow time with hot chocolate and a Christmas movie. For Owen, "snow" and "Christmas" are synonymous. The only thing missing was Dad. He had to do something. I think it's called work!