Happy Independence Day - Patriotism is Not Dead!

We are a country of innovators and achievers.  We aren't afraid to take the path least traveled, and understand that often comes with hard work (which we're not afraid of, either).  We speak freely, and sometimes forget that not everyone has that right.  We take up after our own, and we try to take up for others who no one else will bother with.  We're not perfect, but, for the most part, we're trying to make the world a little better than we found it.

Today, as you're celebrating with your family and friends, eating good BBQ, swimming at the pool, and watching fireworks, don't forget the reason why today is significant.  Fly your United States flag proudly, and remember that being a United States citizen is a gift and a privilege.

Happy Independence Day, and may God bless the USA!

Where did the time go?!?

I cannot believe it is already almost two weeks since my last post.  :(  Yikes!  Guess life has got me busy. 

Here are a few pics from the last two weeks - we spent Christmas at home then the last week of the year traveling over 2000 miles driving from Vegas to northern California, then down the coast to San Diego.  Whew! 

 

 

We got home last night and it may take a week to recover.  This morning, however, both girls were rarin' to get to school - D started preschool today.  This morning, I overheard her asking her sister for advice about meeting kids in a new school.  She wanted to be sure that she did all she could to make friends and thought B would have some good tips.  (are they like 25 already??  so cute!) 

When I went to pick her up, she asked me if we were going to have lunch then come back to school for the afternoon.  She was disappointed to hear she'd have to wait until tomorrow to go back - guess she liked it.  :)  Then, later this afternoon when we got in the car to pick up her sister from school she said, "I'm not so lucky.  B gets to go to school all day long." 

This is a good thing, right?!? 

A Bookmark Gift Idea

Those of you who know me well know that I'm not gifted in the "crafty" department. Oh, sure, I can copy other people's ingenuity, but coming up with it on my own is, well, a challenge. I'm craft-challenged.

Anyway, my MOPS group (Mothers of Preschoolers) has a craft for us to do every meeting, and our last craft was so cute and functional (and cheap!) that I immediately thought of all the people in my life (and my daughters' lives) who needed one of these bookmarks for Christmas!!  (I only wish I had the time to make that many...)

Maybe you, too, are stumped about what to give your child's teacher or another friend or family member and maybe you could use a craft to copy like I could. So, here goes:

Step 1: Buy wax string and beads of your choice at your local craft store. Cut the string into strips about 18 inches long.

Step 2: Make a double/triple knot about 3-4 inches in from one edge of the string and then string an ornamental bead (like a silver charm or large bead) on the end, knotting it, so it will stay. Then add a bead or separator (small bead), doubling the end of the wax string back on itself, so that it will go into the beads and be concealed. 

Step 3: Add several beads (I did 5) in any pattern you like, knotting the string after the last bead to keep them from moving (it might take a double knot).

Step 4: Starting at the other end, make a knot 3-4 inches from the end (it might take a double knot). Add beads (I did three medium sized with small ones for spacers) to that end, then tie a double knot at the end. Snip off the remaining string and wa la! Homemade bookmark!

Spreading Some Christmas Cheer

Because I could use a good laugh right about now, as I'm knee deep in another Christmas "season" (see my previous post), I thought I'd share this with you.  I hope you are finding the cheer this month!

The Christmas "Season"

Christmas stresses me out.

I know I'm not the only one, and, honestly, I know that right now, from where I sit, things are pretty darn good and that isn't the case for everyone.  Too, I know all the reasons why this "season" causes me to focus so much on things instead of the real reason, the birth of Christ.

The problem is, knowing all of this doesn't keep me from falling into the stress trap this time of year.  There are a ton of things to get done.  Presents to buy, trees to decorate, lights to hang, cookies to bake, cards to address, carols to sing, etc, etc.


Don't get me wrong, I love our family traditions - that is why we continue them.  I'm an absolute fan of this Christian holiday during which we, as believers, publicly pronounce our faith (even though many work to mold it into a commercialized mess) and are tangibly reminded of the fact that our God came to earth to teach us, and serve us, and sacrifice all for us.  I just wish my personal experience of this "season" wasn't so busy that I often miss the most important parts.


I was listening to the radio today in the car, and _The Little Drummer Boy_ came on.  Shortly before that, a song by Amy Grant titled _Silent Night_ (not the one you're thinking of) was played, and the lyrics spoke of the busyness of the Christmas "season," and the singer's pleas for a truly silent night amidst the craziness of shopping for gifts and holiday parties.  Later, the disc jockey came on and invited the listeners to tell their friends about that radio station and how it played Christmas songs with "real meaning."

That got me thinking.  I thought about how wonderful it would be (and stress relieving) to not feel so obligated this time of year to buy and do.  How, that night, when our King was born, a little boy's gift of music was appropriate, and even valued.  How we create such a burden on our time and financial resources this time of year to show appreciation for those in our lives within a small window of time.

What would it be like if we all took time to truly appreciate those around us all year long and didn't need to do so just in this "season?"  What if we showed our appreciation in the currency of our choice - one that we could, beyond any doubt, afford?  Would we then be freed up to be still in the moment, reflecting upon the meaning of a God child and how that would forever change our world?

I don't know.  I'm very aware of just how much I, in my humanness and uncanny ability to get distracted by the tiniest of things, need an annual reminder of Christ's birth and all the relationships in my life that I appreciate.  Otherwise, I suspect that due to sheer distraction, years might go by before I would find myself reflecting upon all things Christmas that matter.

I suppose the trick, for me, is to avoid the common pitfalls that come with what is a worldly, highly commercialized and often exploited holiday, and express my faith and the overflowing love that it produces to those around me in a way that is uniquely mine.

I suppose that is really the challenge to all of us.

Just some thoughts I'm pondering this month.

Presidential Quotes

In honor of Election Day (which is today, for those of you who aren't heading to the polls in your state), I thought I'd post some interesting Presidential quotes. At least, they're interesting to me...



We must never despair; our situation has been compromising before, and it has changed for the better; so I trust it will again. If difficulties arise, we must put forth new exertion and proportion our efforts to the exigencies of the times.

~ George Washington

A pen is certainly an excellent instrument to fix a man's attention and to inflame his ambition.

~ John Adams

That government is best which governs the least, because its people discipline themselves.

~Thomas Jefferson

I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. My own wisdom and that of all about me seemed insufficient for the day.

~Abraham Lincoln

The only man who makes no mistake is the man who does nothing.

~Theodore Roosevelt

I have never been hurt by anything I didn't say.

~John Calvin Coolidge

We should not let our fears hold us back from pursuing our hopes.

~John F. Kennedy

Every new day begins with possibilities. It's up to us to fill it with the things that move us toward progress and peace.

~Ronald Reagan

Cupcakes and Gingerbread girls

Here are some pictures from Halloween 2009. Enjoy!

Writer's block and some pics

So, I'm facing a bit of a writer's block here... Which explains my lack of posting lately - I'm just stumped on what to ponder next! We're headed to the Grossology exhibit at a local children's museum this afternoon, maybe that will stir up some thoughts I can share.

I'll leave you with some pics of the 4th of July holiday - in the morning, we went to a parade in our neighborhood, and had to leave early because we were so hot (it was over 100 by 11 am).

We had lots of family here, and got all the cousins' kids together, which was fun. That evening, our neighbors invited us over for a big fireworks show they explained that they do every year, but with all the family here, we politely declined. Then, when they began their show, the kids started asking to be lifted up so they could see over the fence.

Turns out, we were those neighbors, who turned down an invitation, then ended up gawking over the fence. Hopefully they weren't too offended!

Happy Mother's Day!

In honor of my children who love to rock out to Go Fish, and as a tribute to all moms out there on Mother's Day today - enjoy!

Resurrection, Redemption, and a Reprieve

I admit it, I'm overwhelmed. I know it's been almost a whole week since I've last posted, and it's not because tons of things that I could write about haven't been on my mind. In part, I suppose I've been a little shy to write over this Easter holiday because so many other writers have so many profound things to say, and what I'm thinking may not be quite so profound. But, I do want to share some Easter thoughts and pictures, especially as a record of what has gone on for the kids over the past several days. So, here goes. :)

As usual, this Colorado Easter was marked by significant snowfall from a storm that swept through overnight and all day Sunday. I think we got about a foot when it was all finished. I have to laugh at it, because for those of you who know me, you know I'm done with snow about 10 minutes after it starts every fall... Anyway, it was clear to me that this Easter was a certain kind of "send off" for us, as next year the girls will be wearing those typical sleeveless Easter dresses with no sweaters over them or turtlenecks underneath to keep them warm. Next year, they'll hunt for eggs outdoors with no fear of snow melting the jellybeans before they can find all the eggs. Next year, we'll be settled into our new church home, and we'll have to be the ones to host an annual egg hunt for all of our friends (instead of enjoying an afternoon hosted by our dear friends here in Colorado). Next year, well, things will be different. This Easter, being so different from what I expect next year will hold, was a unique gift.

Easter morning was, as usual, an exciting time for the girls as they woke up early to find what the Easter bunny had left for them. They came running into our quiet bedroom where we were still asleep to announce that "the Easter bunny left poop on our couch!" (purple jelly beans, of course (what else fits the Easter bunny?), next to the plate of cookies Aubrielle left out for him). Then they gobbled up what he'd left behind, thinking they were especially funny to do so. Aubrielle had, just days earlier, announced that she was hopeful she'd get a "big girl Bible" after reading all the way through her beginner's Bible, so she was thrilled to see that is just what was sitting in her Easter basket. Denali was equally excited to see that she now had some new _Adventures In Odyssey_ DVDs to watch (we're used to listening to them on CD, not watching the cartoon version). They then rushed around both inside and out to find all the eggs that were hidden, eating as much candy as they could shove into their mouths before breakfast.
Yesterday, as I was watching the snow melt in the sun and listening to the rush of water coming down our downspouts from the roof, I was struck how just 24 hours ago how different things looked. And the 24 hours before that. And the 24 before that. On Good Friday, we were in a somber mood recalling the sacrifice Christ made when he took His last breath on the cross, saying "It is finished." On Saturday, even though we knew what was coming, we were still reminded of what His disciples were going through immediately after His death, in their grief and loss of Him in their lives. As the anticipation built, Sunday finally came with its triumphant announcement that He is risen, He is risen indeed, Alleluia!

The snow came and blanketed our little town and the clouds kept the sun from shining through. There seemed to be no end to the cold, wet snow coming down from the sky, and it just kept piling up on the ground. Everywhere I looked, I could only see pure, white, clean snow. Covering everything. Making it clean and new. It was impossible for me not to be thinking about His blood that has covered every one of us in just the same way.

Then, just as quick as they came, the clouds dispersed and the sun shone through, bringing its warmth to melt all of the snow away. Today, there is little evidence of the magnitude of that snow storm here in our yard. All of the Easter eggs have been put away for next year, leaving little trace of our celebration on Sunday. Our regular daily schedules have resumed this week, work, meetings, school... Life goes on, but it will not be the same ever again.

I know next year will bring lots of change. I'm so humbled and incredibly grateful to be able to place my security in the knowledge of His sacrifice, making what is old and ugly, new and clean again. There's no changing that. I hope you all had a blessed Easter and it stays with you through the year.

Also, I should mention that in addition to the incredible gift of eternal life that was received at Easter over 2000 years ago, this year, because of the snow, Kyle's plans to go back to Las Vegas for the week were postponed! So, we're happily together and starting to tackle our ever growing 'to do' list! It's so ironic to me, this year of all years, that I (of all people!) would find the snow to be such a blessing. But gifts don't always come in packages that we recognize right away, do they?