Wal-Mart Etiquette

You know those kids who play in the isles at Wal-Mart? And their parents are right there watching and won't even make them stop? Well that's us. We are that family! Actually, we even play with them! Sorry if that was you trying to get around us. No wonder they'd rather go to Wal-Mart than the park! I recognize that this is NOT proper Wal-Mart etiquette, but please tell me we're not the only ones?

After the Rain

On my way home from work yesterday, I could clearly see a rain cloud where it was raining on one side of the street and sunny and blue on the other side of the street. I tried to capture it on my cell phone. Our house was right in the middle and only got a short shower.

Alisia was enjoying the rain from the front porch.

The sun quickly came out and Caleb just couldn't resist. Take note of his white shirt.

I guess this looked like fun because before long, Alisia joined him.

The end result: Two very happy muddy children!

From head to toe

It's amazing how children take delight in the smallest joys of life. Just as the heavens and the waters praise God, these two children were enjoying His creation. They had so much fun playing in the puddles. They got hosed down in the back yard then came in for baths. They're both squeeky clean now, we'll just see how their clothes wash-up. Any tips for getting mud out?

"Praise Him, you highest heavens and you waters above the skies."

Psalm 148:4

Thankyou

For your sacrifice

Get-Together, Celebrate, Relax.

We had ended up having alot going on this weekend. We had friends and family over and we were still able to relax some. We just love having a reason to get together with others. We celebrated Angel's birthday, enjoyed a baby shower for the Caradelli's and had a Memorial Day grill out. Alisia had fun at camp and Caleb made some new friends.

The only bad thing is, since Alisia was outside all weekend, her allergies got very bad! We had to start her on Zyrtec right when she got home! She did feel much better though after taking something. I'm just not really prepared for this allergy trip.

Jarrod and Stephanie came over to we played cards. After midnight, the conversation shifted to that crazy talk that only comes out when it's hours past your bed time and the silliness is to stay awake. We actually googled google and looked it up on dictionary.com. Did you know google is now considered an actual verb? This picture I took is funny because it reminds me of our conversation about being silly. Just look at my silly family! Thanks guys for the fun times, talks, and laughs.


Caleb with his new friends Micah and Asher.
On the way home, Caleb asked "What's my new friends names?"



Angel's fried ice cream


"Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. "
Psalm 62:5

3 Little Monkeys

....jumping all around


.....and they all fall down!


Since Alisia was at camp, Caleb did such a good job keeping these girls entertained! He's just loves making people laugh!

30 Things I Love About Him

Angel has hit a big birthday milestone today! While I won't give away his age, I will share 30 things I love about him!

1. I love seeing Christ in him.
2. I love seeing him strive to be the best dad.
3. I love how he makes me smile.
4. I love trying something new with him.
5. I love hearing what God is teaching him.
6. I love hearing him pour his heart out to God in prayer.
7. I love that he me made an extra set of keys because he knows how our mornings go sometimes.
8. I love that he calls me just to say "I love you."
9. I love that he’s a morning person goes to the panaderia for fresh bread on the weekends and makes coffee before I wake up.
10. I love that he tries to fix things around the house before calling the landlord!
11. I love his love for worship.
12. I love watching him play the bongos every Sunday in church.
13. I love his laugh and smile.
14. I love that he can never win a bet with me.
15. I love that he takes care of my car.
16. I love that even though we're so different, we are so much alike.
17. I love that he takes his turn doing dinner and cleaning up.
18. I love watching action movies with him, but I love that he'll watch a "girly" movie with me.
19. I love snuggling on the couch. I love when we have to make room to fit all four of us on the couch like there's no place better in the whole world to sit.
20. I love that he's warms me up when I'm cold.
21. I love that he surprises me with a date and already has a babysitter lined up
22. I love that he might not always know what to say, but he’s always there.
23. I love that I know where he's ticklish.
24. I love when he tells me I'm beautiful even at my worst.
25. I love that even though he doesn't like shopping, he'll do it just to be with me.
26. I love that he rubs my back any time I ask.
27. I love that he's patient and forgiving.
28. I can be myself with him.
29. I love talking about growing old together. I love finding his gray one grey hair.
30. I love that he inspires me to be a better person.

I love YOU mi Amorito soo much! Feliz Cumpliaños!! God has blessed me through you. May we continue serving the Lord together all the days of our lives.
"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." Psalm 23:6

Heart of Praise

I wish I got this on video!
While we were getting ready for supper, Caleb was singing Agnus Dei (Worthy is the Lamb). When he sings something, he usually sings the same part over and over and over as you probably noticed on the video posted from last week.

Alisia: Caleb, can you stop?
Caleb: I'm praising the Lord.
Alisia: Caleb I'm sure God loves your song, but it's kind of annoying me. Could you please stop.
Caleb: Ok, After I'm finnished.
Alisia: ::Loud Sigh::

"I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips." Psalm 34:1

When You Get Married

When we got back from our anniversary, Caleb asked what we did. I told him we had fun and spent time together. Then he asked with this half-way grossed-out look on his face "Did you kiss?"

Thanks Grammy and Grampa for watching the kids! They enjoyed their weekend and so did we! Grandparents are wonderful!

A Growing Love

Celebrating our Anniversary has become a special time for us to look forward to each year. Mostly because we never imagined that God would bring us to where we are today. We always enjoy looking back over where God has brought us and where He might be leading us. I am thankful for what God can do with two people who are very much sinners, but rely on God in the center of their relationship. In times of trail, God has used that to point us right back to where we should be, at the foot of the cross.

I've been amazed at how God can grow our imperfect selfish love into something so much more than that for His glory. I knew that I loved my husband the day we got married, but I never knew how much God would grow and multiply that love. Today, I love him so much more than the day we got married. I've heard people say "I love him/her just as much as the day we got married." And I think "That's sad!" Because I feel like that should grow and does grow when God is in the center. Over the past few years, we've learned a lot about what love looks like and what love is. Here are just a few. Please add to our list and leave your own "love is" in comments!

Love is God-centered
Love is always growing and learning
Love is truthful and trusting
Love is beautiful
Love is dependable
Love is being able to quickly say "I'm sorry"
Love is forgiving
Love is that last moment of sleep to cuddle before getting out of bed
Love is letting the other person have the last bite
Love is sunshine on a rainy day
Love is inspiration to be a better person
Love is strong
Love is real

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. " I Cor 13: 4-7

Little Drummer Boy

Hearing this made Angel proud, so of course he went to grab the camera!

Oh, and by the way, he's singing two songs we sing at church in Spanish - so that's why you can't understand what he's saying. A child's heart singing praise to God, reminds me of the Psalmist's heart when he wrote:
"My heart is steadfast, O God; I will sing and make music with all my soul."
Psalm 108:1

Mother's Day Reflections

I've really enjoyed being home this past weekend and reconnecting with my family. I guess that's one great thing of being away from home, is the sweet reunion. My great kids and husband really made me feel special, getting home from my trip along with Mother's Day. I can see such a sensitive heart growing in the kids as they are at the age where they look forward to making other people feel special. Alisia was full of ideas in making it a special day. It was a real challenge for Caleb to keep a secret. I am thankful to be a mother and felt special all day. We had such a fun weekend together.

Angel had the house straightened up when I got home and and the kids had precious "love notes" and pictures all over the house for me. (I love when men clean! But why do they only load the dishwasher half-full?)










Angel took the kids to pick out these beautiful hanging flowers for me! What a surprise!

On Sunday, Angel made me breakfast before church. Then we went to a cabin for lunch with other families from church. Alisia and Caleb even made up a Mother's Day song for me. It went something like this (sung partly to the tune of Happy Birthday):

"Happy Mother's Day to you
Mother's Day, Mother's Day
You are my Mother
You are so special
You are so pretty
Happy Mother's Day to you
Mother's Day, Mother's Day'"

I am thankful for the godly example I have in my own Mom. I felt bad because we were pretty busy and I didn't get to hang out with her until that evening. My mom went out to eat with my brothers and my grandparents. I didn't go because of plans with my own family...and that was OK with her. She's told me before that she enjoys seeing me as a mother. I am thankful for the friendship I have with her and hope to have that with my own children. Even though the gifts and fun times were great, the best were all the hugs and kisses and seeing a heart in my children being molded after Christ. I hope all you other moms had a great Mother's Day. Even without the gifts and special moments, remember what the Bible says about mothers who point their children to God.

"Her children rise up and call her blessed..." Proverbs 31:28

The Real Deal

Today was a very long day at the conference. Perhaps the longest yet. Today was day number 3 and I'm getting tired of workshops, not to mention ready to see my family. Tomorrow is the last day, and thankfully, we'll be headed home around noon.

We have been trying to have fun while down here. Ok, so it' hasn't really been that bad. For the most part, it's been quite refreshing. It's been beautiful weather (apart from the tornado warnings tonight). My co-worker, Della and I have been relaxing by the pool.

We've been on an Olive Garden craze as well, which has been a real treat!

To end a long day, we decided to go shopping at the mall that almost touches the conference center. This is one of the Pros of out-of-state trainings! It's a 3 story mall...much bigger than I'm used.

The Disney Store was have a "going out of business sale."

AND Gymboree was having a great 30% off anything in the store sale.

Serious shopping!

I just had to share these deals! Since I mainly shop the Clearance racks, these mark-downs were a great deal after another 30% off. A head start on school shopping!

Precious in His Sight

I've been in North Carolina this week on a job training conference. I've been enjoying the time to myself, while missing my family like crazy! My awesome husband is enduring the week as a single father, with the help of my wonderful parents of course.

This is the first time I've been on a conference of this type. It's called the "National Smart Start." There is a ton of great break out sessions offered to choose from that focuses on a particular area for growth and learning. I feel like it has better prepared me for situations I face in my job as well as with my own children. Then, they pull us together as a group and encourage us to continue to fight for early childhood initiatives. We hear success stories, examples and statistics. "Write your Legislators. Come Together. Unite. Be one voice - One strong voice for children."

I've been thinking a lot about this. For me, it is important to be an advocate for families and children. I have been amazed at how much advocacy actually makes a difference. I love having this part of my role in my job. While I understand the early childhood initiatives and programs are important for all children, I guess my reasons for being here are different. Sure, it's great to further your professional knowledge in a particular area, especially when you can relate personally, but for me, it's much more simpler than all that. While working with children on a daily basis, I am reminded how much Jesus loves them.

He took a little child and had him stand among them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them, "Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me." Mark 9:36

For me, that is reason enough - To share Jesus' love and pray that a seed is planted in them and the lives of their family.

Weekend Fun

Taking advantage of this beautiful weather




From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the LORD is to be praised.
Psalm 113:3

Tooth Fairy Confessions

Alisia has lost many teeth, so she knows the drill. She has a small tooth pillow that she puts her tooth in it and puts it under her pillow. The Tooth Fairy takes the tooth and replaces it with 1$. The pillow is great because it's alot easier find than a little tooth. With questions like "Why does the Tooth Fairy take teeth?" and "What does the Tooth Fairy do with the teeth?" I know she's very much starting to go along with this because they are fun but wonders how this happens without her waking up. I pretty much figured I could just start handing her 1$ and she'd be just as happy. The fun is the wondering.

Who in the world invented the tooth fairy anyway? Just so parents would have to set their alarm for the middle of the night and have to try to find the tooth under their pillow without waking them up and replace the tooth with the money. There's just too much that could go wrong with that.

I feel like I'm spending more time making up excuses for why the tooth-fairy must not have come, than just putting the money under the pillow and waking up with a happy morning.

Either I'm not a very good tooth-fairy, or I'm a really bad mom! This time was no exception. She lost a tooth while eating out at Burger King, so she put her tooth in the french-fry bag! Doesn't everyone know that the Tooth Fairy can't get the tooth from the french-fry bag? She put her tooth under her pillow with the bag in all....and guess what? The Tooth Fairy didn't come! Uh....I guess the Tooth Fair doesn't like french-fries? She sure came the next night though...with $2.00!

It seems like every Tooth Fairy Adventure is just as risky as this one! Last time she lost a tooth, she went to bed excited to wake up to find her dollar. It wasn't a good night for the tooth fair to visit either. I got up in the middle of the night, and she had moved to sleep with Caleb in his bed. Between her sleeping in her own bed, Caleb's bed, or on our floor I didn't know where to find her little tooth pillow. I looked under her pillow in her bed and under her pillow on Caleb's bed...no tooth pillow.

"Great, Now what!?" I thought.

She started to move a little bit and I quickly escaped the room. But by this time she woke up and wanted to check on her tooth, and she too couldn't find it. She came to my room and wispered "Mommy.."

I "woke-up" to see what she needed.

"I can't find my tooth."

"I don't know Alisia, can we just look in the morning."

She went down-stairs to use the bathroom. I jumped up and took the oportunity. I saw the little tooth pillow on the floor under some stuffed-animals. The tooth wasn't in there, but I quickly put 1$ in the pocket and put the pillow back under the stuffed-animals. She came back up and saw me "searching."

"We'll look in the morning. I don't want to wake up Caleb"

With that, she was back off to sleep. In the morning she found the pillow on the floor and the dollar. WHEW! That was close. I was relieved! I don't really know why though. I'm sure she knows it's me!? I never did find that tooth though! I just wonder where it went! I guess the Tooth Fairy must have it!

Oh yeah, another excuse I found myself saying once "The Tooth Fairy must not be able to come when it's raining?!"

Why do we do this to ourselves as parents? Soon, this will all start over with Caleb. Maybe I'll learn from my experience and be a better Tooth Fairy. I sure hope I have better luck!

Whoever invinted the Tooth Fairy, sure must not have had children! I'd be interrested in hearing what other parents do with this type of thing. Please feel free to leave a comment.

She sure looks cute though! I just love that toothless smile!

Who Will Be My Neighbor?

This house is for sale right across the street from us:
So will we be getting new neighbors?
I seriously doubt it!
It's listed for $555,000
3bd/3ba
3600 sq feet

You gotta be kidding me!

If I had that kind of money, here's my type of deal:

more conviently located
almost the same amount of land
5 bd/3ba
3038 sq feet
Listed at $369,900

Regardless of who my neighbor is I will love them (as long as their prepared to buy stuff to support my kids school - LOL).

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and, Love your neighbor as yourself."
Luke 10:27

If your interrested in either one, let me know and I can send you the link.