my life. my loves. my lists.

i found this book at starbucks and it has a ton of questions, some thought provoking... some silly. there are quotes from people that are directly related to the questions asked. i love books like this. i started to do the book. so fun. here is my first question i've answered.

'recall as often as you wish; a happy memory never wears out.' libbie fudim

'what are the things i think of that always make me smile?'

-running around climbing trees with my brother as a kid.
-the day i found out i had a little sister (seriously feels like it was yesterday. my brother wanted a boy... i wanted a girl. i won. i wasn't gracious.)
-my dad.
-when my friend stephanie 'encouraged' todd to ask me out. (hilarious story that i had nothing to do with.)
-when i got married.
-when each of my kids asked jesus into their heart.
-ashlynn laying with my dad in bed and watching cartoons.
-talking to my niece on the phone.
-baking with ash.
-playing baseball with jeremy.
-hearing my kids talk about my dad.
-reading a good book.
-going to scooters jungle with the fam.
-mandy. anna. steph. alyssa.
-laughter.

over a month.

it has been a crazy month. i mean crazy! seriously crazy.
we packed. enjoyed christmas amongst boxes.
loaded a moving truck (2 trucks).
said goodbye to slo. and hello to LA.
enjoyed my niece and nephew a ton.
i started running again after a small hiatus.
spent new years watching jeremy do push-ups.
(see todd's facebook for the video).
went to arizona for a good friends father funeral.
ash got a library card.
sewing like crazy (more to come with that).
i am homeschooling the little hommies.
i love it. seriously love it.
enjoying the family.

T (minus) 10 days.

not until christmas, until we move. yep... 10 days.
so most of my house has boxes in every room.
it is pretty much a disaster.
i am learning to be okay the stuff not being put away (learning).
but amongst the angst of stuff being everywhere my mom sent me
this picture of me and my dad.
it was soothing. i was about 7 (ashlynn's age).
my dad had just had his thyroid removed.
he took me to the father-daughter banquet at our church.
this brought me peace amongst the chaos we are
choosing to call life.

monday blessing.

monday's generally have the same blessing. it is when eli comes over. yesterday was not different... it was just the same. that was my beautiful blessing yesterday. we had dinner. then we looked at 127 pages of peopleofwalmart.com and laughed hysterically at some of the interesting people who cross the threshold of walmart (while todd played super mario brothers). it is so nice when things are the same amidst change.

blessings.

blessings seem to come in droves when you need them. i suppose we are in need of them right now because we have been blessed beyond measure this weekend. which gave me a thought/ idea. we receive blessings each and every day. some little and some big. but often unnoticed. it got me thinking that i probably walk through my days without noticing those blessings. well... not anymore. i decided that i am going to find a blessing in each and everyday & hopefully pass those blessings on to someone else. this weekend our blessings were huge (in my book). here are just a few (seriously there is more than this).

friday: we found a load of free boxes! almost when we were going to give up on looking for them, there they were. just sitting there all nice and neat waiting for us to grab them. (if you didn't know we are moving. that is why we need boxes.)

saturday: someone paid our rent for us. we know who it was, but assume they will want to remain anonymous. it was their special gift to us. they had no idea how in need we were of that in that moment. it was so kind, generous, gracious, wonderful, thoughtful...

sunday: the students in our ministry showed us so much love and compassion when ken told them that todd would be leaving grace. it seems weird, but to watching senior boys cry blessed me. they were able to demonstrate through their emotions that they loved us. i was touched beyond words through so many students yesterday.

i have one for today... but i think 3 is enough for now. maybe i will post today's tomorrow.

best dressed.

ashlynn had some cal poly students come to her school last week
and help them put together 'the olympics'.
it was really fun. the students
help them pick names for their teams. come up with a
cheer for the team. and told them to come dressed
in theme! well... ashlynn's team ended up
being the dalmations.
their coach (aka a cal poly student) told them to come in black and white.
(well) we had to go ALL out... of course.
why wouldn't you ?right?
so here is ash... dressed up in her black and white.
she got best dressed for the day.

celebrating.

here are the invitations i made for the high school
&& junior high staff christmas party.
they turned out so fun! && so simple.