Saturday Spotlight

My SIL and I went to the Zumba class together at our gym this morning. Her first time, my thirdish time. It was packed, which turned it into Hot Zumba rather quickly. We had such a good time - and then chilled out at Starbucks for some healthier (she, not me) choices. Always fun to hang out with her. It was a great morning!!

My other SIL is in Disneyland chaperoning her seventh grade daughter's school's Choir class. The idea sounds like a great get-away, however, after hearing the run down of how the Director is handling the Chaperons and schedules, I think my in-city SIL and I had the better deal this morning. I am wishing my Disneyland SIL and niece well, and hopefully she will return with great stories how it all magically worked and came together.

My kiddos and husband have been working as a team today prepping and planting our garden. They are great workers and are highly task oriented. I opted to clear and clean the inside of our house while they worked on the  outside. They had the MLB baseball game on the outside speakers, and I had my Christian tunes blaring on the inside.

It was a great Saturday to get caught up with family, and to get our house in order for what we are hoping will be decent Spring, or Summer, soon. We're not picky, we'll take either - as long as the sun shines and we can wear those fun shorts and flip flops waiting to emerge from our closets.

The Wedding

I understand that all-things-Royalty may not be everyone's cup of tea. I understand that some could care less about today's matrimony of William and Catherine. But this girl was ten when she watched Princess Diana get married in 1981, and it was f-a-s-c-i-n-a-t-i-n-g!!!  At that age, girls dream of a Fairy Tale wedding of their own, and would adore being a Princess in a Royal Family. I was no exception.

While I did not set my alarm clock to watch today's ceremony Live, and while I did not join into any of the fanfare magazine articles, newspaper, or television shows leading up to the Royal Wedding, I did set my DVR and watched it fifteen hours later. I found myself with continued fascination over the entire process, but this time through the view of the Mother Of The Bride, not the Bride.

I kept imagining my daughter, who was sitting in the room with me admiring the dresses, the hats, the horses, the Cathedral ... and what it will be like to be the Mother of the Bride to my girl some day. Weddings in general are emotional, I can not imagine "giving her away" to such Royalty. Princess Catherine will certainly be taken care of monetarily, but emotionally will she have the love of family? Will she truly be cared for - or will she be lonely among the rules and regulations of the Royal Family? Once in a lifetime, absolutely ... but is she going to be okay?  I wonder what the thoughts of the Mother of the Bride were as she saw her stunning Princess walk towards the handsome Prince in Westminster Abbey.

I am sure my Royal naivety is shinning through, but those were my thoughts as I watched. I am sure the Princess if a very confident, independent woman who will be completely happy and secure - her mother not concerned in the least.

On a side note, I don't think it is fair to judge the expressions, nor mannerisms of the Royal couple on a day such as this. One may wonder and question, but it should stop there. The fiddling of the thumbs by the Groom as they were seated during the Bishop's Sermon should not be scrutinized, for example. Or the fact that the Groom did not stand entirely straight to eliminate the loose crease going across his chest during the entire ceremony. All of those should just be forgotten, and not judged. So I won't mention it.

While the ceremony was in full force, my daughter happily commented, "I always wanted to see a real wedding. This is amazing!"  I had to continue to remind her that this was a Royal Wedding - not a common wedding. She kept ignoring me, however, so I am not real sure if her reality is in check as she drifts off to dreamland later tonight.

But that is okay - she is twelve, and will remember her first Royal Wedding for the rest of her life.

Celebration of Learning

Ah, the time of year when my son's elementary school goes All Out on Celebrating Learning. The halls are decorated with artwork and projects, one library is filled with a Scholastic Book Fair, the other library has an Author's Mic, walkways outside display note cards handmade by students and for sale by the PTSA, the gym has an ice cream social, the band is performing on this platform, the choir performs at the benches, the kindergarten class performs their songs on the big grassy hill, the stage has a Silent Auction of classroom projects, and classrooms are opened for viewing with piles and piles and piles of student work on display.

It is the "finale" of the school year - never mind the fact that we still have State Testing next week, and another month and a half of learning.  It is a true Celebration! And tonight was the night. I always love this time of year for this Celebration. It is a fun family night for all 1,000 students who attend the Elementary School.

Mrs. B - our AMAZING 4th Grade Teacher!!

The Fluffinator - the class Guinea Pig

Poems and Artwork

My son's fantastic Dragon

"Happy New Year"

The Class Quilt Handmade and up for Silent Auction

My son's handprint fish  on the quilt

My son reading his work at the Author's mic

Clickin' Around

Have you stopped by The Cupcake Kids site recently? As of today, the total funds raised during the national Cupcake Kids sales in April is now at a whopping $40,246.22.  Amazing Love!!

Sole Hope is featuring a great t-shirt redesign contest.  Check them out here. They are looking for t-shirt theme "Hope For The Sole". The winning design will receive $150 cash prize. If the winner is a kiddo aged 12 and under, they will receive a Sole Hope Tee and a pair of shoes. Get your creativity started and mail in your entry. What FUN ... regardless if you win or not ... the fun comes from thinking out of the box and enjoying your creative outlet. 

Help me spread the word about this great opportunity to host orphan teens from Ukraine for five weeks this summer. My friend recently traveled to the orphanages involved in this hosting program; she has met the children and profiled them for hosting this summer. My friend is amazing - her heart is solid in this very important ministry. These children will soon "out grow" the orphan school and housing where they live - and they will be out on the streets to "fend for themselves" by the time they reach 16. Some turn 16 within months. 

You do not need to be an adopting family to be a summer host family. For those not adopting, it is still a valuable experience for these children. To feel the love of a family, to give them hope, to give them encouragement, motivation, and a true sense of confidence before they are set off on their own. Granted, adoption would be an amazing end result, but strictly five weeks away from the orphanage, and time spent in America, would still be a major, life altering, for the better experience for these children. 

Please visit here - Always Wanted Four - and read, read, read, read ... and if you are not certain or feel qualified to host this summer - please pray, pray, pray for the summer hosting program, and for these children.  This is an amazing ministry - and an amazing friend.   

Easter in photos

I did not intend to take this long of a break from blogging. A little fever bug took over and I've been out for the count for a few days. I am slowly finding myself vertical, rather than horizontal. I thought I'd add some photos of our weekend fun while I am in this position.

We started the weekend with our 8th Annual street Easter Egg Hunt. It has been fun to see the children literally grow up in pictures year after year. We meet at the big rock monument at the front of our street - we receive the rules for how many eggs per child can be hunted by our sweet Egg Hunt Director, and then the kids are off searching in the designated front yards while the parents chase after for photos. Once the eggs have been gathered, the kids sit together to go through their candy and trade and talk - while the parents stand around getting caught up on a winter's worth of info. This year we were blessed with a clear, blue sky and temps that hit 70 degrees. It was a beautiful, relaxing day. (click on photos to enlarge).

My son - running to the eggs

My girl - chillin out with the kids after the hunt

My sweet and awesome friend - Egg Hunt Director 

Hanging out, getting caught up after a long winter

Bubbles the dog sneaking a fountain drink

On Easter Sunday we were happy to join my husband's family at Grandma and Grandpa's house. The five cousins enjoyed gathering eggs - never too old to enjoy a good scavenger hunt as a family. My kiddos dipped strawberry's in chocolate for Grandma. And their sweet dog, Gracie, was all part of the action under our feet being as cute as ever. We ended the evening watching some home family videos on the good ol'super eight projector. The cousins enjoyed seeing their Uncle and their mom, and their Aunt and their dad, as little tykes. They were so adorably cute and super blond - like in toe-head blond. It was a relaxing Easter.

Hand dipped Chocolate Strawberries.

My parent-in-law's dog, Gracie.

Five cousins who are really good friends.

So thankful for my family!

My sweet sister-in-law with her family.

My fun parent-in-laws with their children!

Happy Easter!

My husband shared this video with me, and while it does not have an embed code, I urge you to take the three minutes to watch. Turn up the volume on your computer, and enjoy the awesomeness in quality and ingenuity of the marketing crew that designed the concept to pull off this video. When you are ready - click HERE.

I hope you all have a wonderful Easter celebration. I will be taking a blogging break while spending quality time with family and friends rejoicing in the promise that took place on the Cross. Happy Easter!!!!

1 Peter 1:3
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead ...

Grateful ... with a maze of comedy

What a day! In the big scheme of life - this one worked out super duper well and I am not taking the worry and stress I had for half of my day lightly. Fear is real. Worry is real. No matter the person, it is a real emotion. And while I try not to play into either of those - I am just a normal chick that can play into both. I'm human.

My son has been complaining for over four weeks of his right leg hurting. Knee pain. Leg pain. Ankle pain. Some days were worse than others, but it was consistent. The pediatrician that we loved when our children were newborns, and throughout the majority of their life, retired. Leaving us in amazing hands with the doc that took her place a few years ago. The kids enjoy this new doctor's personality, and I appreciate her frankness and education.

During our last visit with our prior doc, she filled us with a rattled off list of what to look for in the years to come. Some tips, and things to watch for - more in the fashion of a sweet friend wanting to make sure everything was in order before she left. I really appreciated her insight as she just rattled them off - and the one that has always stuck was; if growing pains don't leave throughout the day, and become constant pain, call the doctor.

Long story shortened to just the fun stuff ... after a serious discussion with our current doc today, blood work, and a series of xrays, our follow-up phone call was all good news. So Thankful!

After a little spell of nausea and weakness after his blood draw, two apple juices and crackers later, we were headed over the skybridge from the doctor's office to the hospital to Medical Imaging. My kiddos and I pass this skybridge every time we go to the doc, and they have always wanted to venture to the "other side".

We did today, and let's hope we never have to go back.

Talk about a complete maze! The nurse at the doctor's office showed me the map on the backside of the form I was to hand the xray technician. Although not very detailed, it looked simple. Go over the skybridge, take a Left, enter East Elevator, and go to the fourth floor. Simple.

Cross the skybridge, there is no left. We continue. Still no left, we are actually going right. Finally there is a left in the hallway, but no elevator. We keep walking. We keep turning. Eventually we find a set of elevators, but they are labeled Northwest. Kinda the opposite of East.

A tall man in blue scrubs finds me looking in circles and offers to help. He walks us further into the depths of the hospital floor to a set of elevators, pushes the button and says, "Just hit number 4 and you'll be there."

Easy.

Doors open and we are amongst rows of beds and curtain separations. My son does not want to exit the elevator, but I know we can't stay in the elevator regardless if it doesn't look right. We need to find more help.

Nice lady in blue scrubs finds us upon exiting and I show her my paper. She says that I have the correct floor, but that we entered through the backside. She walks us through more hallways until we finally reach the front desk of Medical Imaging.

When we leave, the nurse shows us to the elevator.  The door closes, and we have buttons with options of floors higher than 4 ... or floors 1 and 2.  We entered the hospital on floor 3. There is no choice of a floor 3.

I know if we went to floor 1, we'd be street level, and I knew we needed to be above street level to get back to the skybridge. I figure that the two buildings connected by the skybridge probably just had a different numbering system; so I pushed 2.

We exit the elevator on floor 2 to find ourselves in another mess of hallways. A nice man in a suit with a hospital ID tag asked us if we needed help. Yes, yes we do. I am just looking for the skybridge to N Tower.  He starts to explain to go to Level 1 and then turn .... he couldn't remember which way to turn ... so he said, "Just follow me. I'm going to Level 1".  Back into the elevator we go.

Upon exiting this time, we see the skybridge sign and I was good to go. Winding my way left, right, straight -following the signs - we found our way to our skybridge. Finally.

I am so grateful that every one was so eager to help the confused mother with her son bandaged on both arms from his earlier blood draw (I know, two arms to get the veins to work!). There was no way I would have found my location to, nor from!

I am glad we had that comedy added into our day to help out the situation of a boy that didn't feel good after his morning doctor's visit, and a momma's fear and worry inside.

Field Trip!!

My son is in the Honor Choir at school, which is about 80 students in the fourth and fifth grades. They sound great together - blending nicely with good tone - and they sing very upbeat songs. The kind that make your feet tap and your body dance in your seat. Kinda fun!

The unfortunate thing about our district is that it is so far away from any Field Trip that our school plans. Seriously, I have yet to be on a field trip that does not require a minimum 45 minutes drive one way on a school bus just to arrive at our destination. Which means that once we arrive, we are there for a maximum of 2.5 hours, in order to turn around and return before the afternoon school bus routes need to resume.

So the field trips are always fast and furious. But the kids don't seem to mind, nor the chaperons. Especially when you consider that you are grouped with six high energy boys that found a candy store right next to our picnic spot. Talk about sugar high for some.

Kidding aside, the boys were a great team and very respectful. I am truly not complaining. Just the odds were against me, but I rolled a win. My row of six below:

My buddy with his buddy.

Thankful for the sunshine that released its warmth and perfect glaze of yellow for our long bus ride and day in the city.

I Am Shaking ... is that a good thing?!

I have gotten back in the kick of my gym workout routine since I posted that I was going to on March 1st. Yea - Me. But as my 40th continued to creep closer, I realized that my enthusiasm was already waning. I had to get a grip. I was feeling like I was sliding back into not wanting to get up at five in the morning to hit the workout, shower, and wake up my kiddos in time for their morning routine. I needed a good motivator.

In addition, I have been set in my ways of working out for so long, and I'm not real sure I am seeing the results that I am wishing to see. And I'm not necessarily talking weight loss. I am mainly talking about muscle. I have visions of what I want to see when I look at pictures of myself or into the mirror. My visions are not unrealistic. I am not looking for body building material. Just simple muscle tone.

Why keep going in circles? Why keep doing what I've been doing if it is not resulting in what I wanted to see. No wonder I was getting back into my slump of not wanting to get up and out the door first thing in the morning.

Personal Training. There is no way out. 

My husband is very thoughtful and gifted me four private lessons to start. I met with my trainer to get all the paperwork handled, the weigh-in, and the goals in place last week. I met with her today to start the four weekly sessions. 

I am shaking. I am shaking because she had no mercy; quote by my Personal Training Guru "Zero to Sixty, Babe". I am shaking because every muscle group in my legs and arms and abs are crying. But I enjoyed every minute. 

I am not sure if it is a good thing or a bad thing that I am shaking so quickly after working out. I am not naive to think that I was in "that good" of shape. My favorite above all is Cardio. I can commit to the statement that my heart and lungs are strong. However, I am the first to realize that my muscle groups are below par. Hence the shaking? 

But ... I asked for it ... I am so glad to have a focus at the gym!! Hello, summer shorts and tanks!

handmade africa

My children have a growing heart for others. It has been a sweet journey to see my children open their heart, their hands, their mind, their eyes to those that are in need around them. Whether it is a friend that has lost their dad, or a child taken from her mother, or a friend sick; they bring their worries and concerns and hope to God. And it is so touching every night to hear them share their prayers.

When I opened this on my birthday, my heart melted right there. They made this out of clay - together - knowing that they were going to gift it to me. Our family, really, because it will shine proudly for all of us to see and keep our eyes upon.

They share a similar heart as ours for the people of Africa. I don't know how their personal journy, or ours really, will unfold as the years continue to pass ... but I know right now, they have a heart for all of His children in Africa. They talk about it daily - whether in passing, or in a sit down style to ask questions. Their world has grown bigger than our small town. And as a parent - that just is something pretty cool.

The day I picked up the remaining donations of our Cupcake Kids sale from my friend - I turned on my car radio as I left to the bank to get that awesome cashier's check to mail to SixyFeet. The song that immediately came on the radio was the same song that immediately came on the radio when I clicked the button to register as a sponsor with Wiphan.

You must listen to the song here. How appropriate and how awesome for the signs of affirmation that we are following our hearts - not just our emotions - and that we are following Him.

My Spontaneous Saturday Fun

My husband had a volunteer commitment with one of his clients who owns a fitness center. They were having a marathon-boot-camp-type-of-thing, so he volunteered to take photographs and help with the marketing side of the event.

While he was away in another city, we ventured to the soccer fields to cheer on our niece who plays for a Premiere League. They were in the State Cup and were battling for the #1 spot. While they didn't end up winning their close game this morning, they continue outstanding status with a ranking in the top ten (perhaps even the top five!) in our State! Yep, she ROCKS!!!!  

Love her casual attitude, but full force focus on the field. She is so lovable!!

Here's the fun part about our family.  My brother and my husband's sister grew up going to the same schools starting in Junior High. They had classes together - they knew each other very well. They are here: 

My brother was dating his sweet girlfriend (wife) during those growing up years, and she was close friends with my husband's sister. My husband's sister was dating a cool dude (husband) who happened to be close friends with my brother. Here I am with my two SIL's and my MIL. 

They all got married, my husband and I met at their weddings, we ended up dating and getting married ... and now we are all one big happy family!!! So all the kiddos are my children's cousins, and all the kiddos who are not technically blood-related cousins ... are all super close friends. Yes, again, one big happy family. 

The Crew all came out for the soccer game; here they are: 

After soccer we celebrated with my niece at a yummy Mexican restaurant.  Then one of my SIL and I, and some of the kiddos, went shopping at a fun boutique. The owner of this boutique concept is a friend of ours, and her business sets up shop in brand new model homes. You walk through the model home, vendors are set up in every nook of the house, and you shop!  

It is really nice, but I can't share what I purchased - as the gifts are for some of my readers. Just imagine handmade, quality, fun, creative, professional looking finds throughout a huge, smells-brand-new, house. 

That was my Spontaneous Saturday Fun! So in love with The Crew of Kids that we call "ours" and so very happy for my adorable Niece that worked so hard all year - all her life - playing Soccer!  To M - xoxo!

*And you know my husband wasn't there due to the poor quality of some of my photos - I did not know how to switch the setting on my camera so the picture would not wash out. Sigh. 

Humor and Heirloom

Leave it to my parents to put the humor into my 40th birthday. You know leading up to my day, I really  thought about turning 40 as just a big leap into a new series of "bigger numbers".

It wasn't until my parents gifted me their bag of surprises, did I get the reality check. And then it really hit me ... so much will change within my family during the years of my 40's. Gulp. Life is moving too quickly. 

Four different gift bags, each with a tag written by my mom, which read:

#1: Age 40-42.

Your daughter will be 14

Your son will be 12.

Life is good. You still feel "in charge". However, you begin to realize that life is .... 

Ah, yes, I will never know what I'm gonna get with Teenagers. I hear every hour can be a different emotion from the next. 

#2: Age 42-44.

Your daughter will be 16.

Your son will be 14.

Your son is a teenager! Your daughter will be old enough to drive. You'll need rest ... 

Absolutely!!! Oh, this just makes my stomach turn already!

#3: Age 44-46

Your daughter will be 18.

Your son will be 16. 

So many Kodak memory moments .... 

Just as my son is learning to drive, my girl will be college bound. Talk about emotions!

#4: Age 46-48

Your daughter will be 20.

Your son will be 18. 

2 kids in college .... 

Of course - these will Bling! up my old shoes and flip flops perfectly!

LOVED the humor - and the reality check. I guess turning 40 is a big deal! Look at how much my family will be changing in my forties. 

At the bottom of the gift bag was another gift. This cross necklace was given to my maternal Grandmother from her sister-in-law many decades ago. My Great Aunt was a world traveler and bought this handmade necklace and chain in Jerusalem for my Grandmother.  

The Jerusalem Cross was the coat of arms for Jerusalem. During the Crusades it was referred to as the Crusader's Cross. The four small crosses are symbolic of the four Gospels proclaimed to the four corners of the earth beginning in Jerusalem; the large cross symbolizes the person of Christ. 

What a perfect gift!! The chain is long so it hangs nicely and can go with fancy or casual attire. I just love it - especially since it is an heirloom piece from my wonderful Grandmother, and Great Aunt.

Thank you so very much, Mom and Dad!!! I Love you!!! xoxox