Women's Tea

I am really posting this for my dear mother in law. We were supposed to host a table together, but a family emergency prevented that. So, Hannah and I set out on Tuesday morning to decorate our table, but after a few minutes of helping, she was off to run, and dance, and make new friends!! :) She doesn't have a strong work ethic yet.. but I am working on it......

Here are a few pictures to show my mil what everything looked like. I had the pleasure of sitting with Lauren and Shannon, along with a few new faces. Julie Benitez did a great job speaking, and if you weren't there, you missed out. :)

Woo Hoo... I am a genius!!

Well sort of... I got this off of my hubby's blog and it is a test to determine how skilled your readers have to be to read your blog. I was expecting elementary school level... but I guess not. :) You all must feel very proud as this test states you have to be a genius to read it. I knew my friends were smart!!!

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Wow!!

I am posting this for a few reasons....

1... It made me cry, and when something about God makes me cry, I feel the need to tell others!
2... It is Beth Moore, whom I have a deep respect/infatuation/appreciation with! :) I have asked God if I might meet her one day. I will let you know how that prayer request turns out.
3...Everyone loves a good story.. and this is one of the best. :)

Take 7 minutes or so to just listen...

Belated...

Tara's post reminded me that I have been shamefully late in posting Halloween pictures. Thie year we had a Darth Vader and a 50's poodle skirt girl. I thought they were so cute!!

We got to Journey's Fall Festival a little late and had to park at Dixieline, which is normally not a problem. However, my feet were not cooperating with me and as soon as we had crossed the street, I biffed it big time and fell face first into a bush.

I will just let that sink in a little.....

Ok.. so there was a line of cars and they all stopped, and people were asking if I was ok, and.... I was completely embarassed. Also, being on blood thinners doesn't help, so I was quite a sight when I called my husband. Apparenly, bushes were sticking out of my head and I had dirt all over my face, and blood running down my leg!! :) Woohoo... I know how to rock it.

My kiddos had fun, so that is a good thing!! So here are a few pictures (not of me of course)

I am a substitute...

So... I have to leave for work soon... I don't like saying that. Here's what happened. My former boss found out that I was back in town and called me wanting to sub as a library teacher for Jamacha. I wanted to, but it didn't work out with the schedule. So, then I get this call from a library teacher who needs to go out of town for a week. My boss had given her my number in hopes that I would say yes... and I did. :)

I am off to Crest Elementary school for a few days, and then I have a wedding to shoot on Friday, so I am going to be one whooped puppy!! Pray for me. :)

And... check back because I have got the best picture to post...I know you are dying to see it (especially Lauren) Let's just say it involves a baby in a place where you never thought a baby could go!!.....

Stay tuned!

Oh.. the memories!!

When I was in my teenage years, I sang at these county wide youth group events. They happened once a month, so I was always in the Christian book store looking for new tracks to sing. That was back when they only had cassettes!! Amy was one of my favorites. I have sung everything from "Thy Word" to "Breath of Heaven".... and I still love her.

I wonder if I can revive some of her old stuff. Think they want this song at Journey?? :)

Firestorm 2007

Total flashback to the last huge fire..... I am praying everyone is ok.

No school today..... What shall I do to entertain to elementary school children??? They are already fighting over which show to watch.

It's her party...

So... had a blasty blast on Saturday night with a bunch of super rad people. Todd and I were happy to attend Becky's birthday celebration. I read Lauren's post and she wished Becks a Happy 30th... so I wanted to post a very few pictures that I snapped a few minutes before we left. I put my camera away before Karaoke started... and I wished I had captured that hilarity!!

Thanks for having us you guys!! And, I only took about 10 pictures (which is so unlike me.. but I was having too much fun gabbing away!!) I was trying to capture some moments without flash, hence the bit o' grain and blurred motion. Here's the ones that turned out.

PS... Dontcha just looove Jason's serious face?? :)

My cuties..

Just wanted to show a few snaps that I played with in photoshop. These were taken on a school day before my kiddos got ready for school, and they just melt my heart!

Thought of the day....

How can one family have so much laundry???

Yet another moment..

Me watching Sabrina what's-her-name dance the Cha Cha to "Don't cha" (PussyCat Dolls song)

Me thinking Sabrina so-n-so is a really good dancer and I hope she wins!

My son Todd sitting at the dining room table, finishing his homework (read.. he was not watching it with me) saying...Mom, you know when the song says "Don't cha wish your girlfriend was hot like me." Well, that's my favorite part.

My thoughts....."Oh CRAP!!!"

One of those moments....

Me getting a phone call from my husband about the complete unstability of his job.

Me trying not to worry about it.

Hannah and I laying on the my bed, snuggling before sleep time.

Hannah asking to sing one of our songs.

Me starting in with..."It is good to praise the Lord" and raising my hands.

Hannah copying me, her little chubby fingers stretched out as far as they can go.

Me silently crying while singing because the moment was so precious it made my heart hurt.

Me realizing that God knows even when I do not.

The Muppets Show..

This was only one of the few shows that we were allowed to watch growing up. I can still sit through a show and laugh because it is just a classic!! :)

My favorite character... Beeker. Poor guy.. no one ever understood him, and I can totally relate. :)

It's Paula time.... POSTPONED until you all get back to me!! :)

Who is ready to discuss our first book?? I am.... I need to, or I will forget what I read.

So, because school has started, I am thinking THIS Thursday morning at Java Mama. And..... even if you haven't read the book, please come because I am a middle child and it hurts my feelings when no one shows up. :)

Comment and let me know if you can make it!! :)

10am, Thursday September 6th... Java Mama.

Tea for 2, and 2 for Tea...

News of the day... I sang on worship team today.. such a blessing to me everytime I get to be up there with the team. I teared up on Friday night during "Still I will worship" because of some of the things that God has been speaking to me. I thought I was over it, but I was wrong. Sunday morning the words hit me like a ton of bricks and I had to bow my head and try to hide the fact that I was crying... tears even got on my shirt!! :) I am sure God had a purpose for that, but I was a little embarassed.

I hope they don't kick me off..... :)


On another note... My kiddos are trying to occupy their time while staying cool. We don't go outside when it is this hot!! So, today they decided to have a tea party. I made them real English tea (but the trick is to use hot tap water instead of boiling so there are no burns) with honey and cream and they have a blast making their own concoctions. Today the pastry of choice was Chocolate Chip Teddy Grahams. I know.. I know.. my kids have such refined taste buds. It can't be helped. They come from a long line of gourmands! :)

Here's a few snaps to share the day. Go make some tea.....


Ps... new post will be here soon regarding the first book club meeting....

The first day... all over again.

Our family has had quite a transition year, and last Monday was just the beginning of stability for all. For a while now, we have had in our minds that the kiddos would go to Trinity Christian School, but God had a different plan for our family. Meridian Elementary is our school home for this year and we are grateful it is a mere two minutes away from our house.

Todd began his 4th year in school as a 3rd grader and he is having so much fun. Hannah also began her journey into elementary school... (and that was a harder transition for mommy than Hannah) She is getting into the swing of things, yet every night.. when she is exhausted beyond words... she tells me that she doesn't want to go back to kindergarten!! :) I cried on and off the first week, partly because I am in a new stage in my life, and partly because Hannah had a rough go of it at first. My heart just aches for her as she tries to figure stuff out and that has been the toughest part.

Here are just a few snaps of my kids to mark this day in our memories. I hope as all of your kiddos start the blessed school season, we can think of each other.... and also plan a great coffee date!!

The past few weeks....

Do you want to hear what I have learned in the past few weeks... Ok!!

Kidney stones are far more common in men than women.
60% of people who have had kidney stones will get another one.
The basic cause of stones is too little water to dilute the minerals in the kidneys.
Eating too much meat without enough hydration can cause stones.
Drinking too much of any liquid (soda, coffee, juice) without enough water can cause kidney stones.
Kidney stones are one of the most painful experiences ever... but they weren't more painful than childbirth!!

Hmm.. you might be saying. Why is Sarah spouting off facts about kidney stones. Well, my friends, that is because I have just now, today... this very day... finally recovered from my round with these tiny beasts!! This is the first day that I can sit, walk, sleep.... without pain in my back. Last night was the first night I slept without waking.

I went to the ER on Saturday for a bunch of tests and CT scans (that will be fun to pay without insurance!!) only to find out that I had already passed my stones and I was feeling the residual affects of this awesome illness.

The moral of this story... Drink some water people!! I have given up soda and have limited my coffee intake to one a week. I never, ever, ever, never want to experience that again!! Consider yourself warned.....

Cue the scary music.....

I love cheerleading...

So, it is only natural that I would get a kick out of these commercials. This is the newest one and it makes me laugh everytime. :)

These are a few of my favorite things....

My delightful husband brought me two of my favorite breakfast items this morning... A decaf Carmel Macchiato and a muffin... Just thought I would share a pic with you! He does little things like this and it makes me feel loved!

My deep thought of the day... I bet the war in Iraq would be over if muffins and Macchiato's were shared among enemies. Life changing stuff that Starbucks is....

Tara tagged me.. so here they are!!

Tara's tag requires the taggees to post the last 5 pictures from their camera. So, here are mine!


Here is Hannah and Maddie after they were rolling down the hill at Sea World. We were waiting for Maddie's Daddy (my brother-in-law Jamie)to start his music set.. and they were bored, so rolling was answer.



Todd was laughing hysterically at the Cirque de La Mer clowns!



Hannah was very sad because her ice cream was taking too long to get there!!




My beautiful sister, Amy... have you heard she is totally my B. F. F. She bought my kiddos their tickets so they could have a wonderful time. Thanks nerd!!



This is what we were watching. I have seen the dolphin show about a billion times, and that Dolly the Dolphin still amazes me everytime. Look at her jumping!! I don't know how they do that!


Anyway, there you go. :)

A new amendment... maybe I should go into politics!!

Ok.... since no one other than Tara has commented about the book club... I am just going to pick the only book she and I agreed upon. Here it is... "Paula Deen. It ain't all about the cooking." by Paula Deen. I think this will be a very interesting read. She talks about her first marriage, her vices, her Christian walk, and her agoraphobia!! I think it will be really fun to discuss. :)

Because everyone's summers are sooo crazy, I am going to extend the time frame until the end of summer. So that will give everyone a few months to read it, and in September, I will post the date for a get together! :) Ok??

Get to reading folks!!

So they say it's your birthday....

I have very conflicting feelings about birthdays. On one hand, I want that day to be as special as it can be for the birthday person. Yet, on the other hand, it means that said person is another year older, and hopefully wiser, and closer to leaving my house, which is bittersweet.

My son turned 8 on Sunday. I know it is not the biggest birthday, nor the most celebrated, but each time one of my children ages... I get a little pang in my heart. I want to freeze each moment in time because I have been told that I will blink and he will be off to college and on his own. I can get misty just thinking about it. However, I can push all of that aside because I want my kiddos to know that the day they were born was a life changing event for our family, full of love and wonder and hope. This is why birthdays are recognized in our home.

Here are a few 8 year old pictures of my wonderful bubba! He had a blast hanging out at the park with family and friends. But, his favorite moment was playing laser tag with his dad (and uncle and cousins and aunties) and pretending he was shooting aliens. Every boys dream!! :)

Happy Birthday Todd Jonathan. You are everything I could ever ask for in a son. :)

This is where I have to be...

Thanks Tara for finding the coolest blog quizzes for all of us to take. I will just have to tell my husband where I need to go this summer!! :)

You Should Spend Your Summer in Europe

You're in to almost all forms of culture - art, music, architecture, food... And spending a summer at the beach sounds pretty darn boring to you. So head off to Europe, where you can have your tiramisu (and even eat it on the beach!)

Where Should You Spend Your Summer?

Amendment!

Okay... so I am changing the book title. I think the book I picked was a little too ambitious for young moms to finish in a month! So sorry about that!

What I would like to do is have you all leave your ideas (top three books) for our first read, and I will pick from that. After our first book is done, we will go in alphabetical order, and that person will get to pick our book.

Also, I wanted to open this up to readers not just in San Diego (Erin... Amy...).. so I thought that we could post our discussion questions at the end of the month, and just leave our answers via a comment. Doesn't that sound easy enough??

So, leave me your titles asap so we can start on July 1st! :)

Here it is... the first book club assignment

So.. a few posts back, I was mentioning that I wanted to start a book club. I think it is a great way to get to know friends better, while stretching that mind!!

So, here are the rules. I will pick the first book title, then you must all run out and get it from your library (or you can purchase it, but that is highly frowned upon for the budget conscious!!) then we will have 1 month to finish it. At that time, we will plan a get together (coffee anyone?) and meet to discuss. This is a very cultural and respectable idea... and you all had better do it!!

Leave me a comment to let me know you are in, and we will get started. I am sure my book club will generate as much buzz as Oprah's so you'd better get your book!!

And the title is..... The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger... it is a long one, so get to reading folks. :)

I love my sister..

So, you know that friend that you can't go a day without talking to, who knows your favorite ice cream, what songs you like on their Ipod, and the person who makes you laugh without doing anything.. even when no one else thinks it is funny... Well that is my sister, Amy. She and I are best friends and are completely opposite, but love each other to bits! When we were little, we didn't get a long and I made Amy do lots of things that she didn't want to do. I would say those days are long over.. but last night I made Amy do something I would never do...

Eat some cancer fighting, virus busting, incredibly hot wasabi!!

And yes, I took pictures, but I could hardly stand still to click the shutter because I was laughing so hard. She did it just for me.. and also she is a sucker for dares and pain and all that kind of stuff....



Look at that chunk o' wasabi!! Huge, ain't it?



Ok... no turning back! She looks a little scared, don't ya think?



This is where she is starting to feel the burn.... No pain, no gain baby! She loves me a lot.



Just to let you know.. wasabi is a paste and it takes a lot to chew it down. She spent a good 2-3 minutes just working on it!! Her eyes are starting to shut down involuntarily from the heat...


At this point, I believe her words were... Oh my sweet Lord Jesus... :)


Finally I let her drink some water. She was crying from the wasabi, and I was crying from laughing so hard! Her virus has run for the hills and she will be cancer free forever... not that she had those problems, but you know.. just in case.

Good times Ame.. thanks. :)

Ewwwww.....

Just wanted to warn everyone that hadn't heard... Moran's beef is contaminated with E.coli... so umm, you are not supposed to eat it!! It was sold at Albertson's and Stater Brothers.

My mil had some in her freezer that she had purchased a while ago and the number's matched, so make sure to check your beef people!!

Hahaha

Anyone who can watch this video and not laugh... doesn't have a heart. I just want to squish this little Danish beeb!! :)

The power of laughter.. it's a good thing folks. :)

Brooke Fraser - Shadowfeet

Wow... this is one talented songwriter. She is part of Hillsongs United band.. but also a #1 pop star!!

She is able to write words that really speak to people. Amazing stuff!!

Anyone who knows me, knows that I luuurve Max Lucado. His books bring inspiration, contemplation, and tears, without fail. So, I found a site that has great quotes that are from Christian authors, past and present. I thought I would start sharing a few that speak to me. So today... read this and decide.. what will you choose?

"It's quiet. It's early. My coffee is hot. The sky is still black. The world is still asleep. The day is coming.

In a few moments, the day will arrive. It will roar down the track with the rising of the sun. The stillness of the dawn will be exchanged for the noise of the day. The calm of solitude will be replaced by the pounding of the human race. The refuge of the early morning will be invaded by decisions to be made and deadlines to be met.

For the next twelve hours I will be exposed to the day's demands. It is now I must make a choice. Because of Calvary, I'm free to choose. And so I choose.

I CHOOSE LOVE…

No occasion justifies hatred;
no injustice warrants bitterness. I choose love.
Today I will love God and what God loves.

I CHOOSE JOY…

I will invite my God to be the God of circumstance.
I will refuse the temptation to be cynical…
the tool of the lazy thinker. I will refuse to see
people as anything less than human beings,
created by God. I will refuse to see any problem as
anything less than an opportunity to see God." - Max Lucado

A visit to the Islands....

Literally.. We went to Islands a few weeks ago to celebrate my in-laws 31st anniversary. They went to Hawaii last year, so this was in remembrance of that trip. I found out something new about Islands... they have a great drink menu inspired by the Tropics. You know why I didn't know... because I am so cheap that I can't stand paying 6.50 for a smoothie with rum in it!! And, yes, let's be honest, that is what a Lava Flow is.
Todd and I aren't drinkers (not that there is anything wrong with that!!) so Hannah and Todd haven't experienced the "you can't have that.. it is just for adults" line. Hannah wants to share everything.. so imagine her surprise when Grandma couldn't share her drink! If you know Hannah, you will know that her lower lip started to jut out, her brows furrowed, and there might have been a few fist pounds on the table...while I tried to tell her that I would make her a Hannah version when we went to the store next. She finally gave up the pity party and we enjoyed a nice (free.. thank you in-laws) dinner.
So, all that to say... here is my version of a Lava Flow. I think they call it a Volcano when there is an absence of rum!!

I added 1 can of coconut milk and about 4 cups of Coconut Pineapple juice together with ice. You can just use Pineapple juice... but I was at Henry's and they didn't have any. To make it a Lava Flow, a drizzle of strawberry syrup is supposed to suspend itself throughout the drink like lava (hence the name)... however, I am not that coordinated, so I just threw some strawberries in there. I am not a huge smoothie person, but this drink was a blend of creamy coconut swirling with flecks of strawberry, with the tiniest hint of pineapple, all icy chilled to perfection. I mean, yum!


A few little known facts about coconut...
- a substance in coconut milk has been shown to fight the HIV virus among others
- it promotes vascular (think veins) health
- it helps your skin look healthy and vibrant

A few little known facts about strawberries...
- they are packed with antioxidants
- they are an excellent source of Vitamin C and fiber and a good source of iodine, B6, copper and others
- they protect against macular degeneration

Why do I tell you all this? Because I think it is important to feed our families healthy foods that taste delightful, and you can feel confident knowing this is a "chock full of health" dessert! Make the Volcano.. tell me what you think! :)

Yet another plug for TJ's... and I will be done.. for now...

My kids are allergic to dairy. Well, more like sensitive to dairy. So, we don't drink cow's milk in our house. I never realized how inexpensive cow's milk was until I had to start buying substitutes. Soy Milk is cheaper than Almond Milk, but I don't want my kiddos having that much soy. And, we don't even need to talk about how Rice Milk tastes, do we??
So, Almond Milk it is. At the grocery stores, Almond Milk can run from $2.19 to $3.49 for a quart. Yikes!! Lucky for me, (and you) Trader Joe's carries Almond Milk for 1.99 a quart. So what, you say. That is only .20 cents a quart cheaper. Well, let's just add this up...4 quarts a week (which is what we use)equals .80 cents savings a week, which adds up to 3.20 a month. No.. that is not a big deal, but when you look at the savings yearly (nearly $40 bucks) that makes a difference. It is the little things you do weekly, that can save you money over time. Who wouldn't want an extra $40 in their pocket.

...And, my kids are 7 and 5.... if I buy this much milk until they are in college.. I will have saved almost $500 just by buying the cheaper version at TJ's!!

It pays to save people!!

Let's hear it for TJ's....

I have to say it. I love TJ's. It is a store that is full to the brim of good deals. I know, I know... not everything they sell is cheaper. But a majority of the stuff I buy there is... so sit down and listen to me! I have decided to start blogging about my good finds there, so check back often!

Trader's sells orange chicken in their freezer dept. Who doesn't love orange chicken?? It is a delightful concoction of crispy chicken bathed in a slightly spicy ginger orange sauce. YUM!! TJ's brand is $5.00 a bag. I usually get 2 bags for my family and a bag of rice at around $1.50. So, we are looking at $11.50 for an authentic, MSG free Chinese dinner. If I am feeling ambitious, I will mix peas, carrots, soy sauce and garlic (staples I always have) into my rice... and call it dinner!

I challenge you to find a cheaper Chinese dinner that feeds 5-6 people and is this good... go ahead... let me know if you do. :)

My belated Mother's Day

So, seeing as how my extraordinary husband is still currently seeking employment... I requested a weekend alone at my mom's instead of a gift. I wanted some time to sleep in if I wanted, wear my pj's all day, watch my Grey's in peace, drink a Chai Latte and not have to share it... and that is what I got.

I also was able to travel to downtown San Diego and get my hair colored by a wonderful stylist and the kicker... it was only $15 bucks!! (She was a student at the Paul Mitchell school... it is a really frugal way to get your hair did!!) My sister and I also went to a cute little restaurant on Clairemont Mesa Blvd. called "The Godfather." When you walk in, you can hear the signature song from the movie playing in the background. The room is dimly lit, yet you feel like everyone is watching your every move. Upon sitting down, you are served by waiters in tuxedoes. They bring a plate of freshly made fried zuchini medallions and your coke glass is never empty. My Portobello Ravioli was divine, and when asked by the sweet Italian chef if I liked my lunch, I heartily shouted my praise for fear of the mafia weighting my legs and tossing me in the fountain outside. Yeah.. it was that authentic!! You should go... no really.. you should!


So, I was able to arrive home refreshed with glossy carmel highlights (well at least...that is what I think they look like...) eager to see my beautiful, squishy children and snuggle on my AeroBed with my husband. Thanks babe!!

She's a redneck woman...

So Little Miss H has been loosing teeth left and right, all last week. Meaning the tooth fairy is broke! Well.. the tooth fairy was broke anyway because the tooth fairy in our house doesn't have a job! But that is another story.

I thought I would document the in between stages of the lost tooth escapades. This picture was the most hickville of them all... One lost on the top and one lost on the bottom. Isn't she a cute little redneck? :) So, now she fits in around these rodeo watching, hay chewing, 17 broken cars in the driveway kind of people!! Holla, Santee! :)