friends are great

Check out my scores from the garage sale today! CFL people have great junk! Yes, it's Amy Butler fabric! And 4 craft books. Yes, yes. And the basket! Yay!

Today was an unexpectedly really great day. One friend totally organized and put on a garage sale to bless another friend- and lots of others helped, raising 1,800 dollars! Wow!!

And there was another friend working on their new house with more friends....

And a new friend...

And then some more friends....

I love, love having so many cool people in our lives!! ...and also great garage sale buys!!

the coolness of snow...

There is just something about the snow that makes my heart happy...

and something about the thought of it that makes my heart leap for joy.

(The bible says "the coolness of snow refreshes the Spirit")

My favorite thing to do in the snow is, after climbing the sledding hill,

to just fall straight backwards,

landing in a perfectly formed bed,

and just laying there for a while to catch my breath.

I love that.

this is from the porch of the lodge where we had dinner. (wuksachi)

this is the crazy beautiful sledding area. see me with the red coat down there?

big, old trees.

and chains.

I guess I'm not a "fanboy"

Blogs are so funny. I so often think they are so self-indulgent. A little page of mine... just an outlet for something I might have to say. But you don't have to visit, so I won't apologize :)

So I was thinking...

I waited for the Apple live-blog-announcement yesterday. Mostly because I am considering getting the iPhone, but what if a new and improved version comes out this summer? Some people are saying so! I thought MAYbe there would be a hint. I should have known better, since we all knew they were announcing a NEW product. So no new iPhone news, and the newest (try-to-get-everyone-hyped-so-we-all-need-it) apple product: The iPad. Which brings me to something I read... I went to this blog today and was totally impressed by the simple, yet true statement in the short 22 words. It reminded me of apple "fanboys" ...which I am apparently not. :)

(Not that there are not some probable great uses for the iPad, I am sure it will be pretty cool in some scenarios... and I wouldn't refuse one, just in case... you know.)

day trip

Day trip to the snow... to see the big trees with uncle Jimmy.

That is a big tree!! :)

prime

We accidentally subscribed to Amazon Prime for the next year... ah! Tricked by the you-can-cancel-after-the-1-month-free-trial, which we, of course, forgot to cancel. We get free two day shipping now for the next year.... I guess I better take advantage of it!! :P (clicking over to amazon....)

rain in CA

• lightning... I'm awake!
• thunder makes me dream a wooden benches slamming on the ground
• power goes out, no phones, no lights, no vacuuming
• power back on.... storm is gone
• roads are closed
• I get lost on the way to pick up kids from school b/c of closed roads
• forge flooded roads b/c no road is open to get kids
• hail!
• flash of lightning and.... power out again
• dark
• power on and storm is gone!

putting on love

This morning I woke up to Emma screaming "You're SO STUPID!" (at the television) with very loud Super Mario Brothers music playing in the not-so-background... and Evie poking me in the eye while saying over and over "juice? ah juice? ah juice, mommy!? MOMMY! AH JUICE, mommy!"

OK, I admit.... vacation has lasted an extra long time around here and we are all very settled in to this pattern of staying up late & sleeping in and pretty much doing whatever we want. But this is getting ridiculous.

So after grumpily getting out of bed to scold the foul-mouthed Emmy, finding water soaked new Christmas books... and the house that was semi-clean last night torn to pieces....

I am attempting to put on love this morning.

"Put on then, as God's chosen ones, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another, and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you forgive. And above all these, put on love, which binds them all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your heart... And be thankful."

Todd likes to tell me that the word of God is a fire-starter for my soul. And this morning is proving him to be true. So I will. Put on love. And be thankful. And then, this is helping too... yes, again. :) :)

cleaning up and the idog

Today we have the music going and I have declared no TV or video games... we need to tackle this Christmas/Birthday mayhem! We have new toys everywhere! And it's not just the kids :)

We might get a little done. In the meantime, the idog is grooving to the music.

(there was going to be a video here, but I have little patience)

7

Abigail's birthday this last weekend provided the opportunity for another giant slumber party! Painting nails, watching movies, giggling laughter into the wee morning hours. They had a great time!

yes

this year I am going to learn. it has been decided. :)

i miss the snow :)

new things for 10.

Todd said something the other night that made me think. This is a new decade. In this decade, Bella will turn 10. She will also turn 19. Within the next 10 years, we will have 4 teenage girls instead of 4 little ones. That is crazy to think about!! What an exciting next 10 years!!

making stuff cute: the tourist edition

When we are out and about, I always have my camera in hand. Although I am not a skilled photographer like my friend, friend, friend or sister...... I still like to try to capture the cool things I notice and the way I see things. Sometimes it works... sometimes not so much.... A while back, we explored Port San Luis. It is AMAZing. Ocean life, sea culture... fishermen, pelicans, crabs, sea lions, dolphin... so much to take in. And the pier itself is super cool, too. These photos are my attempt at 'making stuff cute: the tourist edition'.

christmas is over

We took down more decorations today- this time at the church. It was not quite as sad as taking my own down. It wasn't really sad at all... and it went fast, so that was good. While we were there, Evie stole almost all of Aubree's Red Vines and Emma made some paper carrots for the horse in her office. They love her. :)

For the record, I still have one more Christmas tree upstairs to take down.

first post of a new year.

I took down all of the Christmas stuff today. It was sad. BUT.... it does feel good to have our house clean and uncluttered again. It always fun to kinda start fresh at the start of a new year. Yay!