Marti's World

Sports Fan

2012-01-27T22:07:00.001-07:00

I don't think it is a secret that I love sports. Any sports. During the Winter Olympics, I even watch Curling. Curling: the sport that basically consists of people sweeping ice.

I also love football (high school, college, or pro), baseball (pretty much only during the playoffs), swimming, gymnastics, skiing, freestyle skiing, golf (yes, GOLF), and pretty much any other sport except NBA Basketball (I have no idea why I can't stomach that sport, but I can't).

Next week is the event of the year: The Super Bowl! Since the Donkeys will be in Denver rather than Indianapolis, I don't really have a preference (except I am not a Brady fan). And then when the festivities are over, we have the sad wait until the new season begins again in August. Bummer.

And then there is tennis. It is really fun to watch...until you get stuck watching a player that adds "sound effects" to her game. You know the ones, they hit the ball and let out a very loud moan or sigh. Over. And over. And over. I hate it. I should mute it, but then I wouldn't be able to hear the fascinating commentary of Chris Evert (insert sarcastic eye roll).

So, this weekend will be filled with the Tennis finals from Australia. I'm hoping only the quiet girls are in the finals - I'd hate for someone to walk by my window and get the wrong idea...

Funny Friday

2012-01-27T09:59:00.002-07:00

Wordless Wednesday - Santa Barbara in November

2012-01-25T10:36:00.000-07:00

Sunday Reflection

2012-01-22T12:59:00.002-07:00

Love All...

Friday Funny

2012-01-20T12:59:00.003-07:00

Happy Friday!

Thankful Thursday

2012-01-19T20:57:00.003-07:00

Today I am grateful for:

Crock Pots - for nights when both kidlets have swimming, Mr. C is at the gym (and can't help shuttle said kidlets), and I am at the pool for two hours with them. Coming home to a hot dinner that is ready to serve is a God-send.

Excedrine Migraine - 2 days of a major migraine attack was no fun this week.

Fat-Free Oriental Snack Mix - I found this stuff in Santa Barbara in November and ordered some online. It is awesome and crunchy and semi-healthy!

Wordless Wednesday

2012-01-18T10:34:00.001-07:00

Augusta National

The Masters Tournament 2011

MLK, Jr. Wisdom

2012-01-16T08:36:00.000-07:00

In the end, we will remember not the
words of our enemies,

but the

silence of our friends.

----------------------------

I have decided to
stick with love.
Hate is too great a burden to bear.

-----------------------------

Still fits today, don't you think?

Sunday Reflections

2012-01-15T12:42:00.002-07:00

Nope.

You are also not:

your upbringing.

your past.

your failures.

what people say you are.

your pain.

your weight.

your family secrets.

your looks.

But here is the question:

Do you know what you are?

Funny Friday

2012-01-13T09:43:00.003-07:00

Thankful Thursday

2012-01-12T08:48:00.001-07:00

I am thankful for...

...the opportunity to stay at home with my children. This helps on days such as today when one of them wakes up sick and needs to go to the doctor for a throat culture.

...a supportive and caring husband who is my biggest cheerleader, strongest protector, and best friend.

...for good friends, crafting, books, walking/running, Starbucks, music, laughter, and all the blessings in my life that make it fun and worthwhile.

Wordless Wednesday

2012-01-11T16:01:00.004-07:00

2012 Goals

2012-01-07T18:49:00.002-07:00

I think the word

"resolution"

has a negative feel to it.

I like the word

"goal"

a bit better.

These are three of my goals for the coming year:

Run 500 miles before January 1, 2013.

Be more kind and understanding of others.

Update my blog at least once each week.

The first one should be do-able.

Mr. C and I have signed ourselves up for another half-marathon.

Training will begin next week so I don't tear my feet up like I did in November.

Two of my toenails are STILL trying to grow back.

The second one shouldn't be too difficult. I am not a mean or cruel person, but I tend to have a low tolerance for negative people, those who consistently make bad decisions, and people who lie.

I need to try to have more patience in these situations.

My goal is to work on it, I'm not aiming for absolute perfection here. ;)

The third goal hasn't been broken yet.

Notice that today is still technically the first week of the new year.

Yay, me!

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and New Year's.

I've been fighting another bout of strep throat this week

(hence the lack of blogging so far this year).

Right before Christmas, I received an e-mail from one of my favorite
scrapbooking magazines.

A few weeks earlier I had submitted a photo for one of their publication calls.

They chose it!

It will be published this summer.
It is a "photo", not a layout, but its a start!

Merry Christmas, Marti. ;)

Christmas Dresses

2011-11-29T22:53:00.001-07:00

Every year Katie gets a new Christmas dress.

It has always been an easy task:

I find a dress I love for her,

I buy it,

I give it to her and she loves it.

Some years she comes with me and chooses,

but we always agree on the style.

This year, however, it was a bit different.

I had visions of something like this:

or this,

I loved this one, too!

Even this one wasn't bad.

My little Fashionista nixed every single one of them.

She had other ideas.

She said those were pretty, but she wanted something else.

What did she choose?

Something that didn't look like a sweet

"little girl dress".

It looked a bit more grown up.

In fact, it was way more grown up than I had in mind.

She chose this one.

Sigh.

My baby isn't a baby any more.

SBIM Half-Marathon

2011-11-16T18:16:00.001-07:00

I was able to go to Santa Barbara on Thursday after all. Katie was feeling better. And I left her in VERY good hands. My dear friend, RoseAnn, kept the kidlets for us so we could go. I love that sweet lady.

We arrived Thursday afternoon and checked in to our hotel. I love staying at Fess Parker's Resort. Yes, THAT Fess Parker. He built an amazing hotel along Cabrillo Blvd. in SB. After we checked in, Andy & Mariah came to pick us up for dinner. Mariah and I are really close. She is my cousin/fellow foodie/half-marathon partner/etc. Andy is her fabulous husband. I wish we lived closer together - we would be together all the time. Dinner was amazing: good food, good wine, and fabulous company.

Friday morning we woke up and went for a jog on the beach path. It was beautiful and I wish I could exercise on the beach every single day. I have a feeling I'd be in far better shape than I am if I lived on the coast. After our run/walk, we went to the SBIM Expo to pick up our packets and shirts, then we went to wander around downtown for a while. We made reservations at Enterprise Fish Co. to celebrate our anniversary. The food was incredible, but my favorite part of the evening was just spending it with Mr. C. After 17 years of marriage, I still can't get enough of that man.

We got up bright and early on Saturday for the race. We were both nervous and excited so neither of us had slept well. We caught the shuttle to the starting line and met up with Mariah. We decided to take some "before" shots:

Mr. C warming up

Mariah and I even found Big Bird. He ran the entire race in this outfit - and the dude had the sexiest accent ever. I am a sucker for an accent.

My race bib.

They printed our names on them so spectators could yell encouragement to you throughout the race and call you by name - and the DID!

It was awesome!

Some crazy man ran it in sandals. Ouch.

These were the people behind us in the starting area.

These were the people in front of us in the starting area.

They started the race in waves. There were 3600 runners entered in the Half. The first group to go out was the "under 8-min. milers". Next came the "8-11 min. milers", which was Mr. C's group. Last was our group, the "over 11-min. milers". When our group was started, they were playing "Highway to Hell" on the audio system. Hehe.

Along the race route, musical groups were set up every couple of miles. There were string quartets, Accordion groups, Beach Boys singers, a dude dressed as a king playing a ukulele, etc. It was incredible. There were also spectators shouting to us and holding signs.

THIS sign was my favorite:

This is Mariah and our new friend Julie. We didn't know Julie until that morning, but she found us at the starting area (I have no idea HOW with so many people there, but she did) and decided that we looked nice and she wanted to walk with us. She dubbed us "Team Half-Crazy" because of our shirts (which, by the way, were very popular with the spectators and contestants all day long). Julie is a doll and we are so glad she decided to join us for the day.

After Mile 11, we could finally see the ocean. It was such a welcome sight for us because we knew the finish line was close.

When we started down the final hill, look who we found! Mr. C decided to come back up to give us some encouragement for the final leg of the race. He had a goal of finishing in under 2:10 - he actually finished in 2:04:27.2!!!! He was shocked that we were already that close to the finish, he thought we'd be further back still. :) At this point I could barely walk. I had developed a rather large blister on the ball of my foot during Mile 4 (which meant I had to walk on that sucker for NINE miles)! I also could feel one of my toenails coming off and several smaller blisters. I was in so much pain!!! Mr. C said that when we saw the finish line, we would get a burst of energy and start running. I did NOT believe him because I was exhausted and I hurt so badly.

However, when we saw this...

we grabbed hands and ran our fastest until we crossed the finish line. My goal had been to finish in under four hours. We finished in 3:55! It was the most incredible feeling I've ever had. After being unable to participate in PE or sports at any point in my childhood (due to severe asthma), and suffering from 3 knee surgeries (including my left knee having the cartilage scraped out from underneath the knee cap), and 2 herniated discs in my back...well, let's just say this was not something I ever dreamed I could accomplish. Mariah and I were both overwhelmed with emotion at the end. I can't believe I actually did it. This was the most difficult thing I've ever done, both physically and mentally - but we DID IT!!!!!!!!!!!!! Mariah is the mother of four boys. I am the mother of three boys and a girl, and a grandma! The odds were stacked against us, but we proved that it isn't always physical ability that gets you there - it is your determination and attitude, too.

Mr. C took a picture of Julie, Mariah, and me after we received our medals. I look like crap (I pulled my hair all the way back that morning because I didn't want it in my face - NOT a good look for me), but I was so happy that I decided to post these pics anyway. LOL.

This is the medal we received. I will cherish it forever. And I can look in the eyes of my beautiful grandson and tell him,

"I am a half-marathoner".

Rough Day

2011-11-09T22:05:00.001-07:00

I'm supposed to be packing for our getaway to Santa Barbara, but I'm not sure I'm going yet. Katie woke up with the stomach flu at 1:00 this morning and I've been doing nothing but steam-cleaning my floors and washing towels. Ick. I am praying it is the 24-hour bug and not something more severe. If she isn't better, I will try to reschedule my flight for Friday so I can still do the race. If she still isn't better by then, I'll have to cancel my trip completely. I have worked so hard for this and it is so disappointing that the past month I have been sick and couldn't train very much, and now Katie is sick and I might not be able to go.

Gratitude Day 8

2011-11-08T20:38:00.005-07:00

I am thankful I was born with a grateful heart. Even in the midst of pain and sorrow, I have always been able to find the blessing in each situation. There were times when all I had was my faith that things would get better. During those times when things seemed hopeless, He always gave me the knowledge that they weren't. I am grateful for my difficult childhood because it taught me self-reliance, empathy, and inner peace. I am grateful that the experience of being a divorced mom taught me that I was strong and capable. I am grateful for the four babies we lost because I cherish my four living children so much more than I might have otherwise.

Mercy

2011-11-06T13:35:00.001-07:00

I missed yesterday. I have been sick for three weeks and went back to the doctor on Thursday where I was given an injection and a new antibiotic. Hopefully it works quickly. I have a race in 6 days and I need to be 100% in order to finish. Anyway...back to my post...

Forgiveness.
Mercy.
Understanding.
Empathy.

How is it that we all expect these things when WE mess up, but we find it so hard to extend to those who have hurt us? Why do we hold grudges against others when they fail our expectations? How can we teach our children about unconditional love when we don't live it in our daily lives?

I always had a hard time grasping the concept of a "loving" God. My idea of God was more of a "judgmental" or "just" God. The idea of Him loving me unconditionally was so foreign. I thought I had to earn it, but I never felt I could because I fail daily. I am not perfect, so how could He love me perfectly? I was constantly trying to live up to what I thought I needed to be in order to be loved and accepted.

Fortunately, I found that God is not like that. He loves us lavishly. He rejoices when we succeed, and he weeps with us when we hurt. His love is not based on our behavior. He extends mercy and understanding, even when we don't deserve it. And He loves me so much more than I deserve.

Now, the challenge for us is to try to model that kind of love and mercy to others - especially our children. When someone hurts me, am I as quick to forgive them as I hope I'd be forgiven? Am I as quick to extend mercy as I am to accept it? Do my children see the love of God in ME? Will they be confident of my love? Will they be confident of His love? Or do they witness me holding grudges, or doling out excessive punishment? Do they see understanding, or do they see "justice"?

I once heard a question that has stuck with me for many years: "Do your eyes light up when your child enters the room?".

I know that our Father's eyes do.

Do yours?

Love and Marriage

2011-11-04T05:00:00.000-06:00

Tomorrow will be our 17th wedding anniversary. In some ways, it seems like just yesterday that we met because it has gone by so quickly. In other ways, it seems like we've been married forever because I can't remember what my life was like before. Each and every day, I thank God for putting that man in my life. I don't know where I would be without him.

I didn't have an easy childhood. There was not a lot of safety, security, or stability in our home. My parents certainly didn't model an example of what a healthy marriage looked like (they hadn't had those models either). We moved constantly so I never had a stable support system in my life, and by the time I was in 6th grade, I had attended eight different schools (in as many towns / states). I was insecure and constantly seeking approval, but never seemed to find it. My escape was reading, which I did constantly.

My first marriage was difficult, as well. My ex-husband isn't an ogre or anything - but we had very different ideas of what our family should be. We were young, ill-matched, and neither of us had the tools to fix things when they began to fail. The divorce was painful and left me feeling like a failure.

So, when I met Mr. C, I was carrying a lot of baggage. In fact, I think my baggage would've filled the entire luggage compartment of a jumbo jet. I didn't trust men. at. all. I had built up tall, thick walls. I had dealt with rejection and abandonment my entire life. I was also a people-pleaser, so I never felt comfortable asking for what I needed because I didn't want to inconvenience him, or seem too needy.

But my husband is an amazing man. He slowly proved that he was different. He encouraged me to share my thoughts. He taught me that there ARE good, honorable, gentle, and decent men in this world. This wasn't a quick, or easy, process - it took him years to tear down those walls I had built up. I can now honestly say that I trust him completely. And because it took so long to earn it, he works hard to not break that trust. He respects me as a person and as an equal.

He is the BEST father I've ever seen. He is patient, loving, and encouraging to our four children, even though he is only biologically related to the younger two. He doesn't consider my boys his step-sons, they are his sons. Period. He is the best father a daughter could have. He takes Katie on breakfast dates every Saturday morning. He treats me with love and respect so our children know how a man should treat his wife. He thanks me for cooking dinner every night, in front of the kids - and makes sure they thank me, too. He is loyal to his family - always. He is always a good example to our children and all four of them feel comfortable going to him for advice. They know they can rely and depend on him for anything - and he will always be there. His love is unconditional, and he would never, ever abandon them.

Even with all of these glowing words, don't assume the years have all been easy for us. We had a few really rough ones - so rough that there are times I am amazed that we made it through. Early in our marriage, we had some major adjustment issues. After moving to Cheyenne almost fifteen years ago, my boys tried attending school here, but both decided to go back to live in our former town with their father. I was devastated. When you combine this with the fact that Mr. C was working and/or golfing constantly...well, I was one unhappy and lonely girl. I began looking for a job back where my boys were (this was before the two littles were born), and was seriously planning on moving. If it weren't for my husband being such a stubborn and persuasive man, we wouldn't be where we are today. It took love, forgiveness, grace, and a whole lot of work (on both our parts), but we managed to do it. Our marriage is one of two content and grateful people who truly enjoy being together. We have been told many times that we still act like newlyweds. He is my dearest friend and the love of my life.

I have learned a few lessons through the years: 1) a bad childhood does not have to equal a bad adulthood. 2) you can overcome pain and uncertainty to create a joyful and happy life. 3) Even when your marriage looks like it is hopeless, you can rebuild it into something more wonderful than you ever dreamed.

And, for Mr. C - thank you for the past 17 years. God has given me more than I could have ever imagined or deserved. You are His greatest gift to me and you have my heart until the end of time. Happy early anniversary, my love.

30 Days of Gratitude

2011-11-03T11:49:00.001-06:00

I created a layout to keep track of my
30 Days of Gratitude
posts on Facebook.
You can check out the deets at the
Ormolu Blog!

Last Supper

2011-11-02T20:26:00.001-06:00

If you knew that whatever you ate next would be your last meal, what would you want it to be?

Seafood. Hands down. I would have lobster in drawn butter. Crab legs in drawn butter. Gee, I feel like Paula Deen... Anyway, shrimp cocktail. Scallone (Moby Dick's in Santa Barbara used to serve this amazing dish and I always ordered it - it is scallops and abalone chopped and cooked together in a thin egg batter - best served with lemon).

I would end my amazing meal with Creme Brulee from Ruth's Chris Steakhouse (they make THE BEST).

NaBloPoMo

2011-11-01T20:47:00.003-06:00

...stands for National Blog Posting Month. I am going to try to post something on the old bloggity blog blog every day during the month of November. On Facebook, I am doing a 30 Days of Gratitude, so I may also post that here some days.

November is all about gratitude and thankfulness, which is why it is one of my favorite months. I love Thanksgiving because it is all about family, football, and food. :)

So, join me each day this month as I attempt to complete the challenge of NaBloPoMo.

Strep Tease

2011-10-27T15:04:00.002-06:00

On Monday, Katie went to school, then came home to get ready for tap lessons. As we pulled in to the studio, she said her tummy didn't feel well, but insisted she was well enough to stay for dance. I told her if she felt worse to call and I'd come pick her up right away. I left to return some books to the library, then came back to watch her through the observation window. She wasn't visible anywhere. After a few minutes, I poked my head into the room to see where she was and found her sitting in a chair. She didn't feel well at all, so we left to come home. About five minutes after arriving home, she began to scream in pain saying her ear hurt. I put her back into the car and headed to Healthreach to have her checked out. We waited forever (6 pm on a Monday is NOT the time to go there, by the way), but finally made it to an exam room. After a few minutes of sitting there, my poor girl became quite sick to her tummy - everywhere. Not. fun. Although, I think it did speed things up so we were seen a bit more quickly. Verdict: ear infection and strep throat.

The next morning (after getting up with Katie several times throughout the night), I woke up with a headache and sore throat. Mr. C took one look at my throat and sent me directly to Healthreach. Two trips in 18 hours - score! The doctor took one look and diagnosed me with strep, too - she said she didn't even need to swab it because it looked so bad.

Katie has now fully recovered. I am still dragging. Why does it take so much longer to heal when you are an adult? Geez. I have felt like I was run over by a truck for three days now. Mr. C has been a great help - and not nearly as phobic about being around me as he typically is when I'm sick. And he hasn't "lysolled" me once yet - yes, he really did that one time. I was sick with bronchitis and fell asleep. I was awakened about an hour later gasping for air and found myself sitting in a cloud with my handsome groom standing over me holding a can of Lysol. True. story. I think I've forgiven him for that one. Maybe. But if he does it again, he is toast.

Now, I do not have time to be sick. I am training for my half-marathon (which is a mere two weeks away). I am not really on-schedule in my training, but I'm determined to do my best and just cross the finish line. I became much more excited about finishing after I found out that when you complete the race, you are given a gorgeous medal to wear on your neck. How cool is that? I may never take mine off. My thought is that rappers wear big old necklaces, why can't I?

Softly & Tenderly by Sara Evans with Rachel Hauck

2011-10-20T14:52:00.000-06:00

Description:

Maybe out there in the country she could catch her breath, learn to breathe again.

Happily married and owner of two successful boutiques, Jade longs to begin a family with her husband, Max. But when she discovers that Max has an illegitimate son—who he wants her to help raise—Jade’s life is turned upside down.

She flees to her childhood home, a rambling Iowa farmhouse, with enough room to breathe. There—while her mother’s health grows fragile, and the tug of her first love grows stronger—Jade begins to question everything she thought she knew about family, love, and motherhood. In the wide-open landscape, Jade begins to see a future that doesn’t rest on the power of her past but in the goodness of God's tender mercies.

This book surprised me. First, it dealt with subjects not typically addressed in Christian Fiction: adultery, deception, divorce, etc. Secondly, Sara Evans is a surprisingly good writer. Jade and Max have a seemingly perfect marriage. They are dealing with infertility and miscarriage, but everything else appears to be wonderful. Until Max has to come clean to Jade that shortly before their wedding, he fathered a child with another woman. He just assumes she will forgive and forget, but Jade is deeply wounded by this revelation.

On top of everything else, Jade's mother is dying, and her in-laws' marriage is crumbling. Her mother longs to die at home in Iowa so Jade, her mother, and her mother-in-law embark on a road trip to her hometown. While there, she re-connects with her first love and finds herself in a position of having to make some difficult choices. This is a story of love, hope, forgiveness, redemption, and faith.

This book kept me interested enough that I read it in two days. I liked the fact that the characters all had flaws...deep flaws. I found myself confused at times - typically during Jade's flashback sections - but I think that may be because I never read the first installment of this series. Other than that, this book was very easy to read and quite enjoyable.

Blingy Girl

2011-10-20T14:31:00.001-06:00

Katie has been begging us to allow her to pierce her ears.

After several months of putting her off, we decided to use this to our advantage.

We made a deal with her:

She keeps her room clean and minds us for two weeks solid

and we would get her ears pierced.

Much to our surprise, she actually did it!

Which meant we had to pay up.

Mom, Bren, and Katie headed to Claire's on Monday.

She wanted diamonds - huge diamonds - 6 mm CZ's to be precise.

We convinced her they were way too big for her little ears.

She finally agreed to go with the 3 mm ones instead.

Pre-piercing:

Cleaning her ears:

Afterwards - she finally believed me that it hurt.

Trying to smile through the pain.

Don't worry - she is totally fine now.

She loves her earrings and is glad she did it.

But I do believe she will not doubt me next time I tell her something hurts.

Also, I should have taken pics of Brendan.
The poor kid couldn't stand to see his sister in pain
so he paced the floor outside in the mall.
Kind of like a nervous expectant father.
After it was all over, he came in and saw her tears...
and he leaned over and kissed her sweaty little forehead.
He told her she would feel better soon
and that he was so sorry it had hurt.
He is the BEST big brother EVER.

New Project at Ormolu

2011-10-11T09:21:00.003-06:00

I posted a new layout at the Ormolu blog over the weekend. It is about one of the funny stories from our trip to The Masters. Check it out!

www.ormolu.typepad.com

Dug Down Deep by Joshua Harris

2011-10-11T08:59:00.003-06:00

I first want to say that I really enjoyed this book. It was easy to read, and kept me interested. Although I have never before read one of Joshua Harris' books, I had heard of his books on dating (or NOT dating, to be specific). His writing style is enjoyable and he didn't speak over my head in any way. Often, when reading a book on theology, I find I have a difficult time staying attentive to the bigger message - I tend to get caught up in trying to keep track of too many details. Not so with this book.

Harris seems to be completely authentic when writing about his beliefs. I like that he uses people he knows as examples in the book. His discussion of Jesus' birth and childhood , in particular, was captivating. All too often, we tend to forget that, although He was God, He was also a human. He had human experiences and human (physical) frailties.

I also really enjoyed reading the Reflection and Discussion Guide at the end of the book. This would be a wonderful Small Group Study. The questions contained within this section caused me to really stop and THINK about what I believe, and what I intend to do about those beliefs.
I highly recommend this book.

“I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review”.

There You'll Find Me by Jenny B. Jones

2011-10-04T21:57:00.005-06:00

Grief brought Finley to Ireland. LOVE WILL LEAD HER HOME.
Finley Sinclair is not your typical eighteen-year-old. She’s witty, tough, and driven. With an upcoming interview at the Manhattan music conservatory, Finley needs to compose her audition piece. But her creativity disappeared with the death of her older brother, Will.
She decides to study abroad in Ireland so she can follow Will’s travel journal. It’s the place he felt closest to God, and she’s hopeful being there will help her make peace over losing him. So she agrees to an exchange program and boards the plane.
Beckett Rush, teen heartthrob and Hollywood bad boy, is flying to Ireland to finish filming his latest vampire movie. On the flight, he meets Finley. She’s the one girl who seems immune to his charm. Undeterred, Beckett convinces her to be his assistant in exchange for his help as a tour guide.
Once in Ireland, Finley starts to break down. The loss of her brother and the pressure of school, her audition, and whatever it is that is happening between her and Beckett, leads her to a new and dangerous vice. When is God going to show up for her in this emerald paradise?
Then she experiences something that radically changes her perspective on life. Could it be God convincing her that everything she’s been looking for has been with her all along?

Although I am not in the target age group for this book, I loved it. It was charming and sweet, and I really enjoyed reading it. Finley Sinclair is from a wealthy family, but wealth doesn't make one immune to tragedy. After the death of her brother, Will, Finley takes his journal and follows Will's path to Ireland. While en route, she meets Beckett Rush, a famous young actor. Beckett appreciate's Finley's honesty and convinces her to be his assistant - in exchange, Beckett promises to help her follow Will's travel journal so she can visit the places he did. Will's faith had grown so much during his time in Ireland, and Finley desperately wants (and needs) to experience the same healing and growth. Her months in Ireland also coincide with Finley's preparation for her interview with a music conservatory in New York. She is writing a musical composition, but cannot seem to come up with the ending. Finley is convinced the key to completing the composition is in finding one particular location from Will's journal. As she and Beckett search the Irish countryside, Finley begins to see and feel the things Will did. She faces her fears, her dreams, and her emotions. Beckett also opens up to new goals and dreams, and finds he, too, has some decisions to make that will effect every part of his life. I highly recommend this book, and give it 5 stars!

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Ormolu Project

2011-09-23T14:33:00.003-06:00

I created this little project for Brendan's room.

Check out

Ormolu

for the simple instructions and product list!

Flee. Fly. Flu.

2011-09-17T14:41:00.004-06:00

This has been me for the past week and a half.
Of course, I haven't been in bed for most of those days,
but I wanted/needed to be.
In between short bouts of rest,
I closed out our PTO fundraiser,
shuttled kidlets to activities and school,
did laundry, loaded the dishwasher, packed lunches,
cooked, grocery shopped,
and went to the doctor.
He said it was viral so he couldn't give me an antibiotic,
but if I wasn't better in a few days to call him back.
Yesterday I phoned him.
I'm sure he'd missed me.
I know I thought about him all week long.
But I only called because I woke up without my voice.
We can't be having that, now can we?
Although I think Mr. C and the kidlets enjoyed the silence.
The nice doctor prescribed antibiotics for me.
And after a series of crazy mishaps and blunders
(on their side, not mine)
I finally got them late last night.
I hope they do the trick.
Quickly.
We have tickets to the Bronco game tomorrow
where they are celebrating Shannon Sharpe's HOF Induction.

I hope he is dressed exactly like that, too.
You're welcome.

Life Before...And After.

2011-09-10T17:11:00.006-06:00

I'm sure you remember where you were that day. Don't we all? I was home from work that day. A rare occasion. I worked 50 hrs./week back then. Brendan, who was not yet two years old, went to Montessori School each day. But on September 11, 2001, he was home sick so I took advantage of the opportunity to snuggle with him while we watched The Disney Channel (his favorite at the time). We were blissfully unaware of the horror that was unfolding in our country.

My brother phoned and interrupted our peaceful morning with stories of planes crashing and buildings falling...and people dying. I quickly turned the channel and sat stunned as I watched the endless replaying of the footage of the World Trade Center crumbling to the ground. Then I called Mr. C at the office. I needed to hear his voice. He was as shocked as I had been.

All day long I sat, immovable, in front of the TV praying that everyone would come home safely. I distinctly remember one girl who was trying to find her Dad. As she looked into the camera, she said his name was David, and he wore a necklace with a letter "D" on it. She traced the D onto her chest as she described it. She was desperate to hear her father was alright. He worked for Cantor Fitzgerald. We did not yet know that almost all of the employees of that company had perished in the attack.

What I remember most about that day though, was the feeling of complete hopelessness. My world was rocked, and not in a good way. I knew life would never be the same for any of us, and I was right. But, looking back, I can honestly say that some good came out of the tragedy. Do you know that the crime rate in NYC dropped significantly in the years following 9/11? People changed. Our attitudes changed. But, most of all, our values changed.

Up until that day, I had convinced myself that I was happy leaving my toddler for 50 hours each week while I worked in an office. I had convinced myself that my job was important, and that it was better for Brendan to spend his days at Montessori with other children than to be at home with no socialization. Even though he hated it.

Within six months of that fateful day, I had cut my hours to half-time, and pulled Brendan out of daycare completely. We began trying to have another baby. We began faithfully attending church as a family again. And we truly re-focused our energy back onto our family.

I still think of that young girl who was looking for her Dad, and I wonder where she is now. What has she become in the last ten years? I wonder if her heart has healed at all. I've prayed for her many, many times, as I have for everyone who lost someone that day.

That day changed everything for all of us. Fortunately, most of us have taken the opportunity to create something good from all of the bad, which means that terror didn't win...

love did.

One Call Away by Brenda Warner

2011-09-09T20:22:00.003-06:00

Book Description
Brenda’s life has taken twists and turns that are stranger than fiction. It always seemed as if she was just one phone call away from the next explosive change. Each time her plans fell apart, she had a choice: would she give up, or would she press forward and learn from the unexpected? One Call Away is the inspiring story of a woman who has prevailed through many of the circumstances that discourage women: tragedy, poverty, betrayal, and humiliation. But unlike most women, her life has been on display in the media.
Brenda’s faith and God’s strength enable her to face challenge after challenge: an accident that leaves her son blind and brain damaged, a crumbling marriage, a tornado that kills her parents, a new relationship with promising football player Kurt Warner, and the pressures his sudden success brings to their growing family.
Through food stamps and funerals, Super Bowls and serving others, Brenda’s strength is unwavering. Her determination to dream new dreams, willingness to learn from her mistakes, and commitment to giving back to her community make her a role model for women of all backgrounds.
Her dreams haven’t materialized as she had imagined, but Brenda has found that God has a much bigger plan for her. Conversational and candid, One Call Away invites readers facing their own difficulties to trust God and discover hope in the future.

I ordered this book with some hesitation. I love football, and was aware of the story of Kurt Warner, as well as his wife, Brenda. I had heard the negative press Brenda has received through the years, so I was unsure if I would even enjoy reading a book written by her. However, I was wrong. This book was really good. At times it was difficult to follow, but overall it was a wonderful story of overcoming difficulties, the power of faith, and perseverence. Reading her story of her time in the Marines, then dealing with her baby's injury, was just incredible. She is one tough cookie, yet I could also feel the tenderness as she wrote of the love she has for her children. Being a football fan, I found her "behind the scenes" perspective of the NFL quite interesting. I have always had a great deal of respect for Kurt Warner, but now I can honestly say I think his wife is just as (if not MORE) inspiring as he is.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Week In The Life

2011-09-02T08:19:00.000-06:00

My Week In The Life Album is up today at
Ormolu!

Go check it out. :)

Committed

2011-08-28T13:31:00.002-06:00

For the past six months, I have been training.

Hard.

I have been getting back into a routine.

Working out.
Like I used to.
Back in the day.
Before the two littles came along.
I hired a trainer.
I began eating a much more healthy diet.
So far I've lost 24 lbs.
I have a long way to go until I reach goal,

but at least I'm on my way.
To celebrate our 17th Anniversary,
Mr. C and I are going to spend a
nice weekend away in
Santa Barbara

doing a Half-Marathon!

I am committed.
Or maybe I should BE committed.

A Winner...or Two!!!!

2011-08-26T16:32:00.007-06:00

So I didn't get the drawing done last night.
I kind of caught a cold from some little darling
at the kidlets' school.
But we made sure to take care of business
right after they came home this afternoon.

Since they BOTH wanted to draw a name,
I decided I'd draw two and send a pack of
Scripture Tags
to two of you!

Here is Brendan holding the basket while Katie
drew a name.
She chose...

Tania Willis!!!!!

Here is Katie holding the basket for Brendan.
Way. up. high.
She likes to make things difficult sometimes.
Brendan chose....

Kelly Massman!!!!!!
I will contact you to get your addresses and your tags will
be on their way shortly.
Thank you to everyone who participated!
I wish I could send a pack to each of you.
Oh, and Angela,
I will be contacting you to get your address.
You liked the dandelion I created with my
Silhouette, so I'm going to cut one out and mail it to you.
Enjoy!

A Give-Away!!!!!

2011-08-18T17:10:00.004-06:00

Every month a new Creative Team member
will be spotlighted on the
Ormolu blog.
August is my turn.

Along with the spotlight is a giveaway
of my favorite Ormolu product:

Scripture Tags

So, in order to be entered into the drawing for these beauties,
just leave a comment and check back after Thursday
so I can get in touch with you if your name is drawn.
The drawing will be held in one week!!!

Be sure to go to the

Ormolu Blog
to check out my scrap room
and a layout of Katie.
While you are there, be sure to check out the shop.

There are some really fabulous things there.
Happy Thursday!

Ormolu Projects

2011-08-18T13:52:00.004-06:00

I've had a few projects posted on the
Ormolu Blog.
I thought I'd share the ones that have posted
thus far:

Give Thanks Plaque
Ormolu Products Used:
scripture tags
Vignette Dots & Spots

The Masters

(for Mr. C's office so it is heavy on pics and not overly done-up)
Ormolu Products Used:
2-Day Hooray numbers
Vignette Dots & Spots
Vignette Circle Tags
Soft Petal Circle Tags
Examiner Storyteller Cards

Mother's Day
Ormolu Products Used:
Excellence of Love Dots & Spots
Soft Petal Circle Tags
Vignette Dots & Spots
Framed Stickers
Examiner Storytellers
(including one with hidden journaling tucked underneath the title)

Trust Card
Ormolu Products Used:
Scripture Tags

I will doing a giveaway for my favorite Ormolu product!
Info will be posted later today or in the morning.
Can you guess my favorite?

Regret Free Parenting by Catherine Hickem, LCSW

2011-08-10T08:48:00.003-06:00

Book Description
A motherhood expert teaches the seven essential principles every mom needs to confidently raise her children.
Every mother wants her children to grow up happy, healthy, and fulfilled. But reaching that destination can be full of indecision, worry, and second-guessing. Ask any mother, "Do you think you're doing a good job?" and she’ll likely give you a mixed answer. In her groundbreaking book, Regret-Free Parenting, Catherine Hickem offers seven principles for mothers to raise their children well . . . and know they’re doing it right.
With nearly thirty years of experience as a psychotherapist, speaker, women's ministry director, and founder of Intentional Moms, Catherine Hickem shows how to build respect, companionship, trust, and emotional health as well as how to usher confident, centered, and secure adults into the world. If any mother has ever wondered, Am I raising a good kid and am I doing it right? she needs the impactful teaching of Regret-Free Parenting.

This review has been a long time coming. I read the book a few months ago, but have struggled with actually writing my thoughts and opinions about it. I truly enjoyed reading it. It confirmed to me that a lot of what I am doing as a mother is "right", but that is where the struggle for me comes. Is there a "right" and a "wrong" way to parent? If parenting was cookie-cutter, wouldn't everyone be able to do it well? Maybe the author's children are different then mine or yours and they perhaps respond to methods and practices that other children would not.

I am a very intentional mother. I try to always think long-term where my children are concerned. I rarely react in anger to something they do or say. I try to explain to them why I do things so they know that I have reasons for making decisions. I try to explain the lessons they are learning about life, etc. But that does not mean my way is right and your way is wrong, and that is almost the attitude I felt the author conveyed in her book. I also have to question the fact that she used her own children for most of her examples. There were a few instances where she used another family in a story, but it was mainly her experience with her children that made up the bulk of the text. I do feel that she is a very effective mother. It appears that her children have grown into well-adjusted and productive members of society. She obviously did a terrific job in parenting them. But there are times when, no matter how "intentional" you are, and no matter how involved and loving and Christ-like you are, our children don't choose the path to where we've led them. Sometimes children even make choices and decisions to live their lives in a way that we have intentionally steered them away from, but that doesn't mean their parents weren't attentive, loving, and well-meaning.

With all of that said, I would recommend this book. I feel it would best be utilized by parents of younger children, who still have time to put into practice the things the author discusses, but I also feel any parent would benefit from reading it.

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Junior Club Championship

2011-08-07T14:58:00.001-06:00

The Junior Club Championship was August 1 & 2.

I just thought this was a pretty picture. It is a gorgeous hole.

The B-Man, Luke, and Ben waiting for their turn on the 13th hole.

I see these three playing lots of golf together in the years ahead.

On the green waiting for his turn to putt.

Bren took third place.

He didn't play his best on Monday, but came back strong on

Tuesday and shot the low round of the day.

I am so proud of him.

Not because he won a plaque.

But because his attitude is so positive.

He encouraged the kids who were struggling.

Even the day he was struggling, as well.

He didn't throw a fit or get grumpy.

He just continued to grind it out and try to get through it.

And even when he knew he had won 3rd Place,

he asked the other kids how they did

without mentioning his own accomplishment.

I admire that boy so much.

Steamboat Pics!

2011-08-07T13:33:00.003-06:00

Water gun maze. Bren and The Mr. loved it. Katie wasn't quite as fond of it. She loved squirting people, as long as she didn't get squirted back. But we all know life doesn't work that way. ;)

Bren was thrilled to find a bronze statue of Einstein downtown.

Fish Creek Falls

We hiked up there to see the waterfall and I am so glad we did.

Bren found this sign for me.

He insisted I photograph it.

He knows his mother so well. ;)

A VERY rare photo of me.

Bren took it at Fish Creek Falls.

I may actually print it and scrapbook it.

Katie and Bren at the top of the ski slope. We took the gondola up there so we could hike. It was absolutely beautiful up there. The view of the valley was amazing.

This shirt just cracked me up. I had to share. I almost got it just for the novelty of owning it, but I knew I'd never actually wear it in public so I refrained.

Brendan's first lobster dinner.

He had eaten lobster before, but never had his very own order.

Time Away

2011-07-29T22:11:00.002-06:00

I'm sitting on a patio listening to life.

Mr. C and Bren are watching a movie.

Katie is laying in bed watching Disney Channel before going to sleep.

There are some baseball kids in the hot tub next door.

The air is cool and I am enjoying a very slight breeze.

The sky is dark, but I see lights twinkling across the valley.

It is beautiful.

We are in Steamboat this week.

Enjoying a short break from the every-day.

With Cheyenne being so busy this week, we decided to leave town.

We arrived last night, a bit later than we'd anticipated,

but we did arrive, and that is all that counts.

Today we hiked to Fish Creek Falls.

I was wearing flip flops

because I am dumb sometimes and go for fashion before function.

Then Mr. C and The B-Man went golfing at Haymaker.

Bren scored just one shot higher than his Dad.

Mr. C is getting nervous.

Katie and I went downtown and were blessed to spend the afternoon

with one of my oldest (in longevity, not age) and dearest friends.

She drove all the way from Grand Junction

(3-1/2 hours away)

just to see me.

What a gift.

We laughed, shopped, had lunch, and just caught up on things.

I loved hearing about how all of my Junior High friends are doing.

It was so nice to see that time hasn't changed us.

We have grown and matured, certainly.

And life has thrown each of us our share of curve-balls.

But our relationship just picks right back up where we last left it.

I just love that girl.

We missed the third person in our little trio.

Hopefully we can remedy that one day.

Tomorrow we are going to take the gondola up

to the top of the world

(or it'll just seem that way)

and hike around for a few hours.

I am so grateful we took the time to do this.

Our lives get so busy and harried sometimes.

I love getting this time away to focus on US.

To feed our marriage.

To build memories with our children.

And to refresh our souls.

Do you need to do any of those things?

I challenge you to actually take the time to do it.

Even if you can only go for a day or two,

it'll be worth it.

I promise.

Well, hello there.

2011-07-27T16:54:00.004-06:00

Wow.

I've been an absent blogger.

I have been busy with my children all summer.

Playing at the pool.

Taking them to golf and swimming lessons.

Washing countless loads of towels and swimsuits.

And just building memories.

Right now I am watching my beautiful daughter play on her playset.

Two ponytails.

Sundress.

Flashy light-up sandals.

And her new purse hanging across her torso.

My third-born is in his room.

Cleaning up after our basement flooded this weekend.

Large hail, heavy rain and 60 mph wind gusts sent water into our window wells.

And into his bedroom.

The Water Restoration team was AMAZING.

If you ever need one, I highly recommend

BDR Fire & Water Restoration.

Highly.

I am in the middle of a little blog re-do.

Which is why I haven't been here much.

I'm waiting for my fabulous graphic design star

to make this place new and epic!

The Big news right now is:

I was chosen to be on the

Ormolu

Design Team!

I am stoked!

The products are so fun and clean and fresh!!!!

Check them out.

I will be posting some of my projects in the coming weeks.

I will also finish my vacation photos and updates.

Fun times.

With more to come!

Here are some pics from the end of school:

Katie dressed for Kindergarten Graduation

Katie and her teacher, Mrs. Hiser.

Every year on the last day of school, we do an activity. This year the kidlets chose

mini-golf and the library.

The Oscar Meyer Weiner Mobile hit town in June so I loaded everyone up

to go see it in downtown Cheyenne. Katie was in her jammies. :)

The Pirate Queen by Patricia Hickman

2011-05-10T17:48:00.000-06:00

I received this book for free from Waterbrook Multomah Publishers in exchange for a review on my blog.

I loved this book. It was well-written and the characters were varied and believable. Saphora Warren has spent her entire marriage being a good wife and mother. Her husband has spent his entire marriage chasing other women. Saphora finally has enough and is packing her bags to leave when her husband walks in and tells her he is dying. Shortly after, her son drops off his child with her and, even though he finds out his father is terminal, he insists Saphora babysit his son all summer. What was supposed to be her summer alone at her beach home, is now long days at hospitals and appointments, as well as supervising her grandson and his new friend. But even when our lives don't go as we'd like, they always work out exactly as God plans. I will definitely recommend this book to my friends. It was warm and uplifting and had the sweetest ending.

Vacation Wrap-Up

2011-05-10T14:17:00.003-06:00

We went on vacation from March 30 until April 12.

We went to Disneyworld, Augusta, Savannah, and St. Augustine.

We spent the first 6 days staying at

The Port Orleans French Quarter.

This is Nancy.

Nancy was waiting outside for us when we arrived at the resort.

This lovely soul informed us that we had been chosen as

Family of the Week.

What does that mean?

Well, we got an awesome room upgrade,

gold keys

(which means VIP - so people thought we were far more important that we are),

our room was decorated with balloons, mardi gras beads, and gifts,

and the kidlets got the joy of going behind the counter

to check us in and make our fancy keys.

We loved our resort!

Brendan especially loved the begnets!

After checking in, we headed to

The Magic Kingdom

where Katie got to see

Cinderella's Castle

for the very first time.

Then it rained,

and rained,

and rained.

The next day was still wet and rainy,

which was fine because Katie had reservations for a

Princess Makeover

at The Bibbity Bobbity Boutique.

We spent the rest of the day at Downtown Disney shopping for cool

Mickey stuff...
like these golf ears.

And these awesome $80 Tron ears
(which we did NOT buy).

The kidlets also wanted to make their own Light Sabers
'cuz Jedi Princesses rock
and so do their awesome brothers.

Apparently there is a special recording for girls who are dressed as

Princesses.

Every time we got on the bus that day, the voice-over guy from the

Disney movies came over the speaker and proclaimed,

(cue the fancy royal trumpets)

"Everyone use your best royal manners because today

we are traveling with a Disney Princess!".

We met some friends at Chef Mickey

(they live in Denver but were at WDW, too).

The kids were not very hungry because we had eaten a very

late lunch, and a late snack.

Which worked out well because the food was not all that great.

Mickey needs to take a few more cooking classes, I guess.
And I think they use the term "Chef" quite liberally.

Katie and Mom began Day 3 at the Magic Kingdom

while Brendan and Dad hit the links.

When we got on the bus to go to the park

there was no fancy Princess proclamation.

Katie leaned over to me and whispered,

"They forgot to announce my arrival".

I told her the bus driver figured she wanted to be

incognito that day.

Katie found the most girlie Mickey ears ever

of course.

We met up with Dad and Brendan that afternoon

and had a great time riding rides and watching parades.

Next time:

Epcot and Animal Kingdom

Coming Soon:

The Masters

Mother's Day 2011

2011-05-06T15:53:00.000-06:00

I get to see all 4 of my kids PLUS my grandson this weekend!!! I am so excited for all of us to be together. Marc leaves next week for Alaska and will be gone until November. I will cherish each moment with him this weekend.

Katie brought home my gift: a darling magnet she made. The card was beautiful, too. It said:

If I could give you any present, I'd give you... some of your favorite flowers and I would give you the best day ever. You will be so proud. You are my best friend ever. I love you so much. I will give you a big kiss. Which is your favorite kid?

LOL.

I will be back soon to update on the past couple of months...including pictures of Disneyworld AND The Masters! Life has been busy and wonderful and we are so blessed.

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Hearts Day!

2011-02-13T20:32:00.000-07:00

Wishing all of you lovebirds

a very

Happy Valentine's Day...

especially Mr. C.

I am grateful to be married to my

very best friend.

Even after nearly 17 years together,

there is not a day that goes by that I don't

discover something else

new and wonderful

about that man.

Someone recently told us that they couldn't believe

we've been married for so long because

we still act like newlyweds.

Best. Compliment. Ever.

Life isn't perfect

and it hasn't always been easy

(by any stretch of the imagination)

but overall it's been pretty darned great.

And each day I gain a deeper and greater

appreciation

for this life we share

and the family we've created.

Searching For God Knows What

2011-02-07T15:02:00.001-07:00

by Donald Miller

Book Description:
New York Times best-selling author Donald Miller explores the origin and meaning of redemption in this fully revised and redesigned bestseller.

Hysterically funny, wryly provocative, and disquietingly insightful, Searching for God Knows What invites readers to examine their deep need for redemption, to feel it, know it, and live like it is true in their lives.

Miller weaves phenomenal characters and true-to-life spectacles into his acclaimed memoir style to enrich, inspire, entertain, and ultimately challenge readers to see life in a new way. He shows that one of the greatest desires of every person is the desire for redemption, to have brokenness repaired. Instead of the chaotic relationships, self-hatred, wreckless consumerism, and anxiety that overrun a life without redemption, Miller uncovers the beauty and power of the Gospel to fulfill one of our deepest needs.

I'd like to begin by saying that I really WANTED to like this book. I really did. Unfortunately that was not the case. I can usually read a book in one sitting. It is rare that it takes longer than a couple of days for me to finish even a mediocre book. This one took months for me to complete. Every time I picked it up, I just could not force myself to read more than a chapter (if that).

I didn't get his humor. The parts of the book where he tried to be funny didn't strike me as even mildly amusing - and I have a great sense of humor. :) I found it bizarre that he mentions attending a writing conference, yet didn't know the difference between fiction and non-fiction. What?!?!

I could not, in good conscience, recommend this book to anyone. It was almost painful to read.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

Lady In Waiting

2011-02-06T22:03:00.001-07:00

Lady in Waiting by Susan Meissner

***I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group and was asked to review it on my blog.

Let me begin by telling you that I love historical fiction. I love reading a novel that has a bit of truth and history behind it. This book was no exception. I began reading it and could not put it down until I had finished. Susan Meissner has written a delightful and entertaining novel.

This is the story of two ladies named Jane. Jane Lindsay lives in current times and is trying to make sense of her husband's sudden decision to take a job in another state without her. She manages her aunt's antiques shop in New York. She has spent her life trying to please everyone else, but never fully realizing her own wants and needs.

Lady Jane Grey's story is set 400 years ago and involves English royalty. Her life has been ruled by people who were more concerned about position and politics than with her happiness and welfare. It was heartbreaking to see her used as a pawn by so many people.

Their lives are intertwined when modern-day Jane finds a ring in an old prayer book. Thus begins the story of the ring's journey from 16th Century England to present-day New York City.

While one Jane is trying to figure out her life, love, and marriage, the other Jane is focusing on obedience, discipline, and duty. The characters in this book were believable and endearing and I highly recommend reading it.

38i

2011-01-25T11:38:00.000-07:00

38i sounds like a model of BMW, doesn't it? I would've loved that! Unfortunately for me, that was my bra size until two years ago. You have to realize that bra sizes aren't a straight "A, B, C, D, E . . . " it is actually "A, B, C, D, DD, DDD, E, EE, EEE . . . " and mine went all the way to I. Ugh.

I get a lot of questions about my breast reduction surgery so I thought I'd so some Q & A posts to answer some of them.

Why did you do it?

Let me give you some background: I began developing at the age of 8, and I was teased about it from that point on and throughout my years in school. Boys can be cruel and very rude. So can girls, for that matter. After years of tolerating men having conversations with me while never once looking me in the face, I decided I needed get serious about surgery. I had wanted to do this for many years, but wasn't sure if insurance would cover it, and I also wanted to nurse my babies so I wanted to wait until I was finished having children. But, honestly, the main reason I did it was because I was tired of my back hurting all the time.

Did Insurance cover the surgery?

Yes. I was blessed to have excellent insurance. It is standard for companies to approve the surgery if there are at least 450 grams per side to remove. Even with my large size, it still took several months for approval. And the process was horribly degrading. During my surgical consult with my plastic surgeon, the nurse had to photograph me for submittal to the insurance company. I was horrified. I was always extremely self-conscious - and Mr. C had not seen me without a shirt on in broad daylight (we'd been married for 15 years at that point). But the insurance companies require it to determine if the surgery is medically necessary so I had no choice. I had to have my back problems documented with my physician, as well. After review, the company approved the operation and it was scheduled.

How did you decide what size you wanted to be?

During my initial consult, my surgeon asked what size I'd like to be and I replied, "I'd like to be a B, but I want you to make me a C, and tell my husband it is a D.". He laughed heartily at that and I explained to him that I was serious. Mr. C was less than thrilled with this idea of mine because he was, um, quite fond of that area apparently. My surgeon explained that he would determine final size while in surgery. It is easier to gauge at that time because he tries to make your post-op body look natural with your build.

Did it hurt badly?

Holy buckets, yes!

How much did they remove?

I ended up having 6 lb. 4 oz. (THAT'S THE SIZE OF A BABY!) removed. The first thing I noticed when I woke from the anesthetic was how much easier it was to breathe. Mr. C was standing there telling me how well I'd done and he said,"You look great and you are a D now!". My first thought was, "But I might be a C...". LOL. But after recovering and the natural settling process, I am a D. My doctor told Tom that he made me a size that we could both be happy with. There are times I wish I was a bit smaller, but Mr. C wishes I'd have gone a size larger - so I guess we both compromised. ;)

How long was the recovery process?

Recovery from the surgery was about 6 weeks, but it still took several months for my muscles to stop getting sore so quickly. I also find that, even now, I get phantom itching and it drives me nuts. I have heard about amputees having this issue, so I assume it is a similar condition. I have areas of numbness (and probably always will).

What was the initial recovery period like?

In a word: horrible. I had drains coming out of my incisions. I had hundreds and hundreds of stitches (both internal and external). Someone in the OR forgot to look at my bracelet (where it indicated I was allergic to steri-strips) so they placed them on my incisions. I didn't discover this until 5 days post-op when the itching was unbearable - almost burning. I asked Mr. C to look and he saw large welts coming out from underneath the bandages. He called my dr. who had us go directly to his office. He took one look at me and took all the bandages/strips/etc. off and had to scrub my poor wounds with alcohol and peroxide-soaked gauze. He then put me on a steady regimen of high-doses of benadryl and pain meds. The next week is a blur. I was also unable to raise my arms for several weeks. Mr. C had to wash my hair for me for the first couple of weeks (before I could shower) and nearly drowned me with the sprayer. LOL. He isn't used to washing so much hair. I was not allowed to lift more than 10 lbs. for 6 - 8 weeks, which made grocery shopping difficult.

Are you happy with the results?

Very. I would go through all of it again in a second to get the results I have.

If you have any other questions, you can post them here, or email me at marticobb@bresnan.net .

Mi Vida Loca

2011-01-20T18:18:00.001-07:00

I cannot believe I haven't updated since November. I'd like to be able to say I was accomplishing great things during the past two months. But, I can't. I have, however, been busy caring for our family, including having Sean, Chloe, and our gorgeous grandson Landry live with us for eight weeks. Basically I spent that entire time thoroughly enjoying being a Grammy. Maybe I was accomplishing great things. ;o)

In mid-December, Katie came down with her first case of strep throat. She was into the spirit of giving so she shared it with me...only somehow I also acquired pharyngitis and a sinus infection. Our December was brought to an abrupt halt, and I still have not even sent out our Christmas Cards. Maybe I'll mail them for Valentine's Day. LOL

Christmas was wonderful. We had all of our children under one roof this year! I don't know that I've ever spent a more enjoyable Christmas. Brendan, Katie, and Landry were in the Christmas Pageant at church on Christmas Eve. Brendan was Joseph, Katie was an angel, and Landry was Baby Jesus. We enjoyed chili and clam chowder in bread bowls for Christmas Eve dinner, then opened gifts.

Christmas Day was spent together watching football and playing with all of the new toys. Marc made Prime Rib for Christmas dinner and it was delicious!

Mr. C and I went to the club for New Year's Eve dinner. Sean drove us over there, and picked us up in case we decided to celebrate excessively (we didn't). He and Chlo kept the kidlets and made sure they got to watch the ball drop.

Sean and Chlo moved back to the other side of the state a couple of weeks ago. And they had the audacity to take Landry with them!!! LOL. Sean was not able to find a job here, which made things difficult for them. He did have an interview today, and another one tomorrow, so he is feeling pretty hopeful.

So, there is the update. I do have pictures I need to download from my camera so I can post them.

One of my goals for the year (I like that word better than "resolution") is to update more regularly. I still need to do my "Q&A" from my surgery, as well.

Until next time...

Which of these have you done?

2010-11-27T18:34:00.001-07:00

Got this from my friend Tobi's blog. I'll update soon, I promise. But for now...

Bold these if you’ve ever…

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disney World
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped (nope, never, nada, un uh)
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb (Held one? I had one for a pet! He had painted hooves and loved orange popsicles).
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business (Does Mary Kay Cosmetics count?)
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving (um, never happening)
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been a passenger on a motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Kissed a stranger at midnight on New Year’s Eve
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Got a tattoo
94. Had a baby (or four)
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

Love Lives Here

2010-10-19T15:31:00.000-06:00

I made this banner for our entryway.

Maya Road Scalloped Banner Chipboard Album

Daisy D's Patterned Paper and stickers

My Mind's Eye red glitter alphas

Martha Stewart doilies

Martha Stewart butterfly punch

Making Memories acrylic paint (white)

Colorbok Chalk Ink (black)

Our Little Man has Arrived!

2010-10-13T21:19:00.000-06:00

I haven't updated in weeks.

School has kept us busy. and sick.

And then, two glorious weeks ago, we received an amazing blessing...

our sweet grandson.

Introducing:

Landry Augustus Weston

Born Sept. 29, 2010

5 lbs. 12 oz.

18" long

Isn't he stunning?!?!

So are his parents.

This picture shows just how tiny he is.

Sean called while Mr. C and I were at lunch that day to inform us that

Chloe's dr. had decided to induce her.

I came home, packed, farmed the kidlets out for the night

(Mr. C had a huge deadline the next day and was going to be working late),

and I left.

Landry was born 2 hours before I arrived in Evanston.

Bummer.

But he is beautiful and healthy and the most amazing little person I've ever met.

Chloe and Sean are FABULOUS parents.

I am so proud of them both.

They are naturals.

Also, the 2-year anniversary of my

breast reduction

is coming up in a couple of weeks.

I get a lot of questions about the surgery,

and my post-op life.

I also have people who are interested in having the surgery,

but are to embarassed to call and ask me questions.

So, I've decided to do an informational

blog post

answering any questions you may have.

You can post the questions in the comment section of this post,

or, if you are uncomfortable doing that,

email them to me at

marticobb@bresnan.net .

I will be writing the post within the next week or so.

September Already...

2010-09-05T12:48:00.000-06:00

I cannot believe summer is over.

I was not ready for school to begin...

for my kids to be gone all day...

or for the cooler temps to hit.

But, in spite of my unreadiness, all three have come to pass.

We always walk the kids to school on their first day.

This is what they looked like this year...

When we got to the playground, Brendan just kind of stood there.

Katie ran off in search of new friends.

She quickly found two girls (who just happened to be wearing pink)

and introduced herself.

Then she went to play tetherball.

All the way across the playground from us.

That child knows no fear.

The first day of school always includes

cupcakes.

It is our tradition.

The kids love it.

so does Mr. C.

After school was over, I went to meet Katie at the exit from the school.

She didn't see me...

She only saw Brendan.

This was how they looked as they walked onto the playground.

They didn't even notice I was there.

He was asking her about her first day in Kindergarten.

She was telling him all about it.

He is seriously the best big brother a girl could have.

And, believe me, she tests that all the time.

He will be a great example to her in the years ahead.

She will be good for him, too.

He is serious. She is funny.

He is shy. She is outgoing.

He doesn't play enough. She doesn't know when to stop.

They couldn't be more different.

Yet they are so close and they love each other so much.

Kinda like me and Mr. C.

For the Love of Goop!

2010-08-20T13:34:00.001-06:00

There are only a few things I miss about living in Utah:

I miss my boys (obviously).
And Chloe and Carter. :)

I miss everything being so family-friendly.

And I miss goop.

Goop, AKA fry-sauce, is available everywhere in Utah. It is even widely available at burger places in neighboring states, but once you get east of Rock Springs, WY, nobody even knows what it is. There are a few recipes for this delectable condiment, but the one I use is: 1 part mayo, 1 part ketchup, and a splash of pickle juice. Mix well. Serve with fries, chicken nuggets, burgers, etc. I love it with chicken strips and homemade fries the best.

Mr. C and Bren refuse to use it, but Katie and I love it. You can get a bottled version in the grocery stores (Some Dude’s Fry Sauce – yes, that is the actual name), but it has HFCS and doesn’t taste quite the same as the good old burger drive-in variety that I grew up on.

So, try making it one night when you are having fries!

Enjoy!

Jumping into the Deep...

2010-08-19T08:53:00.001-06:00

Disclaimer: I wrote this post last week when I was hanging at the pool - before the (in)Courage blog posted a similar one.

I’m watching Katie jump into the deep end of the pool. This is a huge accomplishment for her. At the beginning of the summer, she wasn’t even comfortable getting her face wet. Now she jumps right in and swims around with her floaties.

When we began coming to the pool in June, she would only go in the baby pool. Then she saw all of her friends wearing those cute pink arm floaties and decided she wanted some, too. Once I bought them for her, she went into the big pool but refused to let go of the side. She was so frightened.

One day Mr. C was here with her and he took her out into the middle of the pool and held her. He showed her she could float and not go under the water. He showed her that she was safe. She slowly became more confident and began going a few feet from the edge, then swimming right back. Each day she would venture just a little bit further out. Each day she felt a little more secure. Now she just jumps right into the deep water because she knows her floaties will keep her from drowning.

Katie and her floaties remind me

of myself and my trust in God.

I know He will be there for me, but sometimes it is so hard to let go of the edge. When I test Him with the little things, I gain more confidence and swim a little further into the shallow. If I would only let Him take me in His arms and carry me out to the middle of the pool, I would gain the trust to know He will always be there to keep me above water. I am frightened. Yet, I know that it is only by letting go and venturing out into the deep, rough waters of life that I can truly find my faith and confidence in Him. I won’t find it by holding onto the edge. I must force myself to take that leap and jump, with both feet, into the deep.

Have you jumped in lately?

Pool Days...

2010-08-12T08:12:00.001-06:00

I brought my computer out to the pool yesterday. I’ve been thinking of doing it all summer long, but didn’t actually do it until then. Unfortunately, I have found there is no wireless access from my little poolside table. Rather than just sit there reading yet another book or magazine, I decided I’d write my blog post anyway, and then post it when I get home.

I registered the kidlets for school yesterday. There was some slight confusion as to which teacher Katie had been assigned, but in the end both of them got the teachers I had requested last spring. The gals in the school office thought Katie was do very well with a particular teacher because they apparently have similar personalities. Brendan’s 4th grade teacher told me which 5th grade teacher she thought would work best for Brendan. In all the years my kids have been in school, I had never requested a specific teacher until last year. There was an awesome teacher that I really wanted for Brendan so I asked the principal if he would put Bren her class…and he kindly obliged. Brendan’s year was the best one yet and I am so happy I spoke up.

As I mentioned above, we are hanging at the pool. With only two weeks left of summer, we don’t have many days left where we can come and swim all day long. The kids have enjoyed their time out here so much. I was really nervous in April when we signed up out here, but it has been one of the best things we’ve ever done for our children. They golf several times/week with Mr. C, they swim almost daily, we enjoy coming to breakfast here on Sunday mornings after church, and the extra activities have been so much fun. It has almost been like being on vacation every day.

A few weeks ago I mentioned to Mr. C that I haven’t been home at all this summer and that the house isn’t as clean as I’d like it to be. He replied that summer in Wyoming is so short and to just enjoy the time with the kids. I can worry about cleaning after school starts. I am so blessed to have such an understanding hubby. He is more concerned with the kids enjoying their summer rather than having the house cleaned and spotless. I love that. There are some days when I almost think hanging out at the pool is a waste of my time and that I could be accomplishing so much more if we’d only stayed home that day. But, then I look out and watch the happy smiles and hear the laughter coming from my children and I know I am doing the right thing. They are only this age once and this time in their lives is so fleeting. I need to remember that more often. This is the stuff they will remember when they are adults: summers spent at the pool with their friends, playing lots of golf and tennis, and all of the fun times.

Mr. C has been busy again this week. Not quite as busy as a couple of weeks ago, but busy. I am grateful he has such a good job and I am VERY grateful that he is appreciated there. I look back to February when we found out he was being laid off from his former job. We were nervous and afraid of what the future would hold. But, he had another job within a week, with a great firm, and with that came this opportunity to join the country club. Never, in our most crazy dreams, did we ever anticipate things would work out as well as they have. Things couldn’t have turned out better for us if we had planned it. Mr. C is really happy with his job. He works for (and with) some really wonderful people. I’ve always known that the plans I have for myself pale in comparison to the plans God has in store for us…and this is just another example of that.

School Registration

2010-08-10T22:30:00.000-06:00

I have to go register the kidlets for school tomorrow.

Their first day is two weeks after that.

I am bummed.

I think I need 3 more months of summer

before I'm ready to relinquish my little cuties again.

I love summertime.

I love having my children with me all day (most of the time).

And I love not having to send them off to a building full of virtual strangers every day.

But Katie is very excited for Kindergarten.

Brendan is excited to be going back to school,

but not necessarily for the daily walk there with his sister.

Every school year I contemplate homeschooling my children.

I love the idea of homeschooling,

but don't think I'd do well with the reality of it.

I'd be great with the arts & crafts part of their education,

and the field trips,

but not so great at the actually "schooling" aspect of it.

I just don't do structure very well.

I am not overly disciplined about keeping strict schedules any longer.

I used to be.

I got up and worked out every single day at 5 am.

I came home and showered before waking the kids up for school.

I cooked them a hot breakfast each morning.

I always cleaned my house from top to bottom on Mondays.

I baked bread 3x/week!

(Long story)

I was a stickler for keeping my babies on schedule for naptime

(but that was mostly self-preservation, I think).

Now?

Well, not so much.

I clean when it needs to be done.

I rarely work out in the mornings

(heck, I rarely work out, and it shows).

If the kids want cereal for breakfast, I let them have it.

I buy bread at the store.

Always.

Maybe I should use this school year as an opportunity to get back on a schedule.

Maybe not as strict as I used to be.

But a happy medium between

where I was

and where I am now.

But I think I'll allow myself a week or two

to mourn the return of school first.

My Crazy Life

2010-08-08T23:51:00.000-06:00

Well, Days 6 & 7 of "Project: Week Without Kidlets" were a bust. I ran errands, cleaned, did laundry, etc. on Friday. Then, went to Santa Fe all by myself on Saturday. Mr. C had to work all weekend, in addition to his long hours all week long. I think he ended up with 89.5 hours total Monday-Sunday.

In a quicker version: it sucked.

I left here at 6:30 am so I could hit Trader Joe's in Santa Fe again. I had picked up a FAB shopping bag there when Houston and I went the week before, and I had several people ask if I would pick one up for them, as well. I went in, grabbed my lemon curd (Mr. C loves my lemon chicken made with lemon curd), some shampoo and conditioner for Houston (she fell in love with the Tea Tree Tingle), and went to grab 5 shopping bags....and they were sold out of them. Bummer. I then drove out to McYuck's to meet Jess & Joey with the kidlets. We made the switch, and hit the road. We stopped in Las Vegas, NM (which isn't nearly as exciting and cool as Las Vegas, NV, but I digress) for a quick late lunch/early dinner. The kidlets didn't even want to go in. They just requested I drive through so we could get home that much earlier. They were awesome little travelers. No fighting, whining, or complaining. They just hung out in the back seat, and watched the, um, uh, scenery (of which there isn't much in southern Colorado). We arrived home around 10 pm.

Sunday was spent recuperating from the trip, and catching up on laundry (my souvenir from Arizona was a ginormous bag of dirty clothes!). I knew we had a busy week ahead, so I tried to get laundry/housework done.

Brendan had a golf tournament on Monday and Tuesday...

and he came in 3rd!!!!!

He was so excited. It was such an awesome day for him. Then, after his round on Tuesday, Mr. Miller (his swim coach) brought him his ribbons from the City-Wide Swim Meet held the day before he went to AZ. Bren came in 3rd in Butterfly and 5th in Freestyle! It was a great week for him. He needed some positive experiences after the baseball disaster in June. We had a banquet Tuesday night where he received a plaque.

Wednesday brought recital rehearsals for Katie. It was a dress-rehearsal even. Ugh.

Thursday (5th) was my birthday. I turned "29+13". Sean congratulated me on being in my "teens and twenties at the same time". I also received a package from Chris Hertel the day before, which helped me celebrate that much earlier! I had won a drawing on her blog last month. This is what she sent me!

THANK YOU, CHRIS!

What a wonderful birthday surprise!!!

Mr. C and I went out to dinner that night. I had pistachio-crusted halibut. It was wonderful! They brought out a slice of chocolate cheesecake with a pink candle in it for me. It was so thoughtful of them. I also liked that they did not sing to me. I hate being sung to...especially in a crowded room full of strangers. I also got another birthday surprise that day...Sean and Chloe called to say they were coming to see us that night and staying until Sunday!!! I think that way my favorite part of the day.

Friday was busy: Katie had ballet recital rehearsals at the Civic Center all afternoon, I went to work to catch up on things a little, then we had a luau to attend that night. We had a BLAST!!! They had a roast pig (which Katie, Brendan, and I were unable to eat because it was a whole pig...including the head and face...blech), coconut shrimp, crab legs, ahi tuna, etc. Katie refused to eat any of it so the sweet wait staff went and had the cook prepare chicken strips and fries for her. Then, one of the servers brought her this because she said it looked just like Katie that night:

After dinner we went outside and watched the kidlets swim, then the band kicked up and lots of people started dancing.

Including Katie and her friend Sabo. They danced all evening long. We couldn't drag her out of there until midnight. Bren had gone home with Sean and Chloe long before that, but Katie was having too much fun to leave.

Then is started to get really fun when people started getting tossed into the pool fully dressed. Luckily I was able to avoid that.

Saturday brought Katie's ballet recital. She was beautiful and danced so well. Mr. C and I ~~had to endure~~ got to enjoy 3-1/2 hours of variousl dance performances. We took pity on Sean, Chloe and Brendan and let them leave at intermission.

All in all, it was a wonderful, albeit busy, week.

A week packed with busyness and blessings.

Days 3 - 5 of "Project: Week Without Kidlets"

2010-07-29T20:49:00.000-06:00

Day 3
I went to work again and caught completely up. It was such a good feeling! Mr. C and I went to dinner at the Country Club, then he had to go back to work. With CFD in full swing, it is nice to be able to go out there to eat because it isn't crowded like everything else in town is. Mr. C then went back to the office and I read another book for the Summer Reading Challenge at the Library.

Day 4
...was fairly uneventful. I just cleaned and hung out at home. It felt good. The house was quiet...almost too quiet. I got some more reading done, which meant I only had 1 more book to read to complete the library's challenge.

Day 5
I went and did a little shopping for Mr. C, then came home to read again. I finished "The Man Whisperer" finally, which meant I finished my 25th book this summer for the challenge. I can now go pick up my prize tomorrow at the library! Last year I finished 25 books by the end of June, so I was a month behind this year, but at least I completed the challenge so I won't beat myself up too much. Mr. C came home for dinner, then went back to the office. He is working on a new project, so at least it isn't the same one that has been dogging him - but he is getting tired and worn out.

My bottle of Moscato sits unopened in the fridge and we've spend almost NO TIME TOGETHER at all this week. And so far, the score for the week is:

Mr. C's Projects 6

Romance 0

I'm thinking of demanding a re-count.

Where do I go to file a complaint about this one? :)

Tomorrow is Day 6 and will be filled with errands because we go pick up the kidlets on Saturday. Hopefully Mr. C doesn't have to work too late tomorrow night. I don't want him to be tired on our long road trip. I may just have him stay home and go by myself if he works too late. I don't want him to get too run down and get sick.

I have to complete my final layout for The Good Grief Blog. I am sad that it is coming to an end, but I know it has helped so many people. The final challenge will be posted on Sunday, August 1. Check it out.

Also, my favorite scrapbook store (The Treasure Box) is closing. I am heartbroken about it. I have been going there for 12 years, and been on the Design Team for almost 6. It will be sad to not have a scrappy place to call home, well..except for my scrap room at home - but I don't have a store in there so it isn't the same. I will probably be doing my shopping online or driving to Denver to get my fix...er, supplies.

So that is my childless week in a nutshell. Totally relaxing and completely uneventful - just the way I like it. Except I would've loved to have Mr. C around a little more. ;oD

Days 1 & 2 of "Project: Week Without Kidlets"

2010-07-26T22:30:00.003-06:00

Day 0
The trip to Santa Fe was actually quite nice. The kidlets are actually great little road-trippers (who knew?). Except when Katie puked while we were in the Starbucks drive-thru in Monument. I have a very weak stomach when it comes to that sort of thing. I almost couldn't even drink my Green Tea Frappuccino. Almost.

We arrived in Santa Fe at around 1 in the afternoon. Jess and Joey still had an hour or so left of their trip (we forgot about the time difference when we set our meeting time) so Houston got on her handy dandy phone and found a Trader Joe's! What a fabulous store!!! We then fed the kidlets some lunch at McYuck's while we waited. After handing them off to Jess and Joey, Houston and I somehow found our way to the downtown area. We were in search of Mexican food for lunch. We thought it would be easy to find such cuisine in Santa Fe, New MEXICO. We thought wrong. We did get some amazing pictures during our search, however. After finding bakeries, american food, chinese, and yes, even french restaurants...we finally stumbled upon The Blue Corn Cafe. The Queso/Guac/Salsa appetizer was to die for! Neither of us could choose between the stuffed sopapillas or the tamales, so we ordered one of each and split them. They were sinfully good. I think I need to take Mr. C back there this Saturday when we go back.

After we ate, we realized we'd better be on our way home. We drove through a few strong rain storms, and even ran into some scary looking biker dudes and biker women. I was afraid to get out of the car to gas up, but Houston promised me she'd be on the lookout for trouble. Of course, when they all decided to start their uber loud motorcycles at the exact. same. time...she was hiding in the car while I was outside with the gas pump in my hand. Yes, we are brave women. So glad she had my back on that one! (wink)

Day 1
I dropped Houston off around 11 pm and I made it home at 12:48...and Mr. C was waiting up for me. He is such a sweetie. I was so excited to sleep in on Sunday morning. I was tired from the trip and my back was somewhat stiff (I have 2 herniated discs in my lumbar spine that cause me constant discomfort). Unfortunately for me, I forgot to inform the neighbors that I wanted to sleep in - so they made sure their car alarm went off at 7 am sharp. Once I am awakened, I can't go back to sleep. Needless to say, my neighbor 2 houses down won't be getting any Christmas cookies this year. ;)

Since we were awake, Mr. C wanted to go for his morning run at the track and invited me along. Since I couldn't really think of a good excuse not to go (well, nothing that wouldn't make me look like the lazy girl that I know I am), I thought I'd join him. After about a mile, my sciatic informed me it was unhappy. So I decided to punish it by continuing to walk for another couple of miles. I guess I won that battle, huh?!?!

When we returned home, Mr. C had 2 messages informing him that he had a tee-time at 1:26 pm with Steve, Jeff, and Ron (Jeff had travelled from California the previous day). We showered, grabbed a quick lunch, and then he headed to the course. They also had a BBQ planned for the families after their round. We had a really great time catching up with everyone.

Day 2
Mr. C went to work, so I decided maybe I would, too. I actually put in an 8 hr. day at the architect's office. I haven't done that in YEARS. I have barely worked this summer so I was way behind on my filing. Way behind. As in "I spent 8 solid hours catching up on only filing today" behind. Tomorrow I get to go back and do it all again! Well, I'm not filing, but I am going to be working on some archive projects. Yea, me!

When I got home from my marathon filing workout, I had a phone call from Joey & Jency (see my side bar for a link to their blog). They were in town for CFD! I was so excited they called. They came to visit us before their PBR show tonight. They are the most adorable couple!!! I've known Joey since he was born (he is 2 mos. older than Sean), but this is the first opportunity I've had to meet Jency in real life. After they left, we made dinner, went for a walk, and then Mr. C went back to the office. His project is lingering on for far longer than it was supposed to. Grrr. Since he was gone, I decided to write a mini novella and disguise it as this highly entertaining blog post...

Thelma & Louise...

2010-07-22T15:25:00.000-06:00

...without the cliff-diving.

Mr. C has a super busy week,

and it looks like he will be working this weekend, as well.

Which means he will be unable to go to

Santa Fe

with me to drop off the kidlets.

But, my bestie
Houston

has agreed to step in and travel with me

so I am not all alone on the return trip.

We are going to have a blast!

We'll pick her up on our way through Denver Saturday morning.

Then I'll deliver her back home that night.

I'm sure we'll be hoarse when we get back.
The drive to and from won't seem nearly as long
as it would if I were by myself.

Whenever we are together we just

talk and laugh

the entire time.

Then, Mr. C and I will return

next Saturday

to Santa Fe to pick the kidlets back up.

And hopefully then

we will be able to enjoy a quick tour around town

and some of his beloved

Mexican Food.

If I don't update the blog for a while...
well, it means I probably am busy
doing things that parents don't get to do
when they have kidlets underfoot...
sleeping.
scrapbooking.
reading.
shopping.

and...

that's pretty much it.
What were YOU thinking? :)

Goin' to Santa Fe...

2010-07-18T21:41:00.000-06:00

Well, we're going to drive to Santa Fe next weekend, drop the kidlets off with our niece and her husband (who are driving up from Tucson), then driving home. Jess and Joey are taking the kidlets to Tucson for an entire week! You know what this means, don't you? We will be childless for the first time in forever. Sean and Marc were 8 and 9 when we married, and aside from the school year they returned to Evanston (right before we had Brendan), we’ve always had children around.

I am hoping we can at least have lunch and wander through downtown Santa Fe before we head back. That town holds special significance for us...it was on a trip there to visit my mother over 16 years ago (before she moved to sunny Florida) that

Mr. C proposed to me.

The story of when we met and began dating is a long one, so I’ll just talk about when we became engaged. I was working at the community college in Evanston, and Mr. C was working as a project engineer for the highway department. Spring Break was upon us so my work schedule was light that week (and the boys were with their father) so I decided maybe I’d go visit my mom and step-dad. My friend Sandy told Mr. C he should go with me and he said he would (she was good at being direct like that).

We were supposed to leave on Friday morning, early. Unfortunately, Mr. C had to go in to the office for an hour or so…and ended up spending about 4 or 5 hours there instead. By the time we got on our way, we were several hours late. We drove across I-80 and got a flat tire just outside of Rawlins. Mr. C put on the spare (thank heavens he had come along with me because I STILL haven’t the foggiest idea how to change a flat), we found a service station, I bought a new tire, and we headed back out. We arrived in Cheyenne (where HIS parents lived) at about 9 pm. Mr. C had failed to tell his family that his “friend” was female so they were quite interested in ~~grilling me~~ asking me about myself. We stayed a while to chat, then headed south on I-25. It was very late, we were very tired, and we were behind schedule. But, we enjoyed the journey and spent the time talked about life, hopes and dreams, goals, plans, and everything else under the sun. If you ever want to REALLY get to know someone, just plan a road trip. We arrived at my mother’s house at about 5 a.m., utterly exhausted.

I knew if I slept in my mom’s room, I wouldn’t get much sleep because she’d be asking questions so I opted to sleep in the guest room with Mr. C. Now, mind you, we were just sleeping – our relationship was not yet a physical one. After a few hours of sleep, we got up, had breakfast, and went sight-seeing around town. Mr. C is a huge Mexican food ~~freak~~ fan and he was looking forward to trying some of the local flavors. My mother didn’t know this and was so excited to take us to her favorite dinner spot. We pulled into the parking lot that night . . . at a Japanese restaurant.

We left to come home the next morning and Mr. C and I, once again, talked all the way back. He proposed to me during the trip home. I am convinced he was delirious from fatigue, but was too nice of a guy to take it back after he’d rested up. LOL. He promises that wasn’t the case.

I was afraid. I had a strong distrust of all men. My first husband had been less than kind and loving (to put it mildly). But Mr. C swore to me that my heart would be safe with him…and he has kept that promise. He has nurtured me and helped me grow from a frightened, naïve 25 year old to the happy and content woman I am today. He has shown extreme patience during this process. For the first 2 years we were married (he claims it was 3), every time he tried to put his arm around me, I’d flinch and duck away from him. I didn’t even realize I was doing it until he asked me about it one evening. He felt truly awful about it so I worked hard to overcome that reflex. He taught me how to speak my mind and share my thoughts and opinions. He has encouraged me to grow in ways I never knew I could. I am forever in his debt. He is, by far, the greatest blessing I’ve received in life.

So, to get back to my original story…I am really hoping to at least make sure he gets some real “Santa Fe Mexican Food” before we come home next weekend (and/or the following one when we pick up the kidlets). And I am so excited to have 5 or 6 whole days with just us. He’ll be busy at work during the days, but I am hoping we have some evenings where we can go on long (quiet) walks, hang out in the back yard drinking moscato, and just focus on US.

So, Jessy & Joey… If you are reading this:

THANK YOU!!!

You are my very favorite niece and nephew-in-law! I am going to re-write my will to include you both. Seriously, thank you both for loving the kidlets enough to go to all this trouble. Thank you for all the fun things you have planned for them. Thank you for being so trustworthy that I won’t have to worry about them for even a second. We love you both very much. And when you are blessed with children of your own, I will drive down to pick them up and bring them home with me for a week, too. And, only then, will you realize what a gift you are giving to us.

July!

2010-07-11T18:54:00.005-06:00

The B-Man made it home from his

camping trip

at about 3:00 on July 4.

He was greeted with

angry skies,

wind and rain.

So we couldn't get our traditional

July 4 Photo Shoot

fit into the schedule that day.

Instead, at about 9:00 pm that evening, I had to take this one:

Yes, notice the

jackets and pants.

I won't complain much though.

The first year I moved to Wyoming

(way back in 1982 - when I was technically a fetus because eveyone knows I am ony 29)

I was greeted with

snow

on July 4.

I seriously wondered to what kind of

God-Forsaken place

my parents had relocated our family.

Teen angst doesn't even begin to describe it!

But slowly I came to appreciate living here.

Because most evenings look like this

during the summer.

The beautiful pink, purple, and blue skies

are unforgettable.

It is those kind of evenings that make the

long winters

totally worth it.

On quiet summer evenings with a beautiful sunset greeting us on our patio,

I occasionally enjoy a ~~glass~~ bottle

of this

~~Usually~~ Sometimes I share it with Mr. C.

The past week has been wonderfully busy and joyful.

The B-Man decided to join the Swim Team.

His very first meet was Friday and he

loved it!!!!

He did well in his races, but more important was what

one of the boys told his mother that day.

She was one of Bren's teachers from school in 2nd grade.

Her son pointed at Bren and said,

"He is the nicest guy I've ever met before!".

Then the next day, Bren's swim coach ran into Mr. C at the pool and
said that Brendan is the most

respectful

kid he's come across.

That made Brendan's mom's heart smile.

Because that is what life is about.

That is all that matters.

It isn't about sports, fancy cars, big houses, job promotions, or annual compensation packages.

When it comes right down to it,

life is about

relationships,

kindness,

love,

respect,

and being a good person.

And no matter what my children ever do in life,

nothing will ever make me more proud

than that.

Pictorial Update

2010-07-04T14:37:00.004-06:00

June is history.

July will be in no time.

Boy, this time of year goes by quickly.

Katie participated in her

Performance at the Park

on June 24.

She had lots of fun dancing with her friends.

Katie always loves an audience.

She has performed this dance several times in the past few weeks.

And even does her own singing so everyone gets the

full effect.

Edited to add: Katie is the one wearing the stylin' sunglasses:

The Mermaid Dance...

Katie is the one in the very center.

Go figure.

After her performance, she wanted to stay and watch some of the other numbers.

And insisted on using Daddy as a recliner.

Sean surprised us the following night

by showing up to visit us

with only 90 minutes notice.

That weekend we decided to make pizza on the grill.

We do this every summer.

Every summer we say it's our last attempt.

This time it really was.

Really.

On the bright side, our roses are blooming and gorgeous!

We are waiting for The B-Man to arrive home from

camping.

We aren't camping people, but Mr. C's sister is.

Every once in a while they'll take our kids for a night or so

in the wilderness.

This time they took Bren for 10 days.

We have missed him terribly.

But he has had a blast.

I camp at hotels.

My idea of

roughing it

is a hotel with no room service.

I figure that if God had meant for me to camp

he wouldn't have created

The Four Seasons.

I want to take a quick minute to express my deep

gratitude and appreciation

to all of those who have served, or are currently serving

to keep us and our country safe.

Thank you also to the

families

of these

brave men and women.

The sacrifices are immeasurable.

Thank you.

Happy Birthday, America!

Katie-isms # 27,963 and #27,964

2010-06-26T16:05:00.000-06:00

On the way to pick Bren up after his golf lessons the other day, we went thru an intersection and Katie sees a motorcyclist...

Katie:

Mom, there was a

GRANDPA

on a motorcycle.

Me:

Yes, Katie?

Katie:

Well, he can't do that?

Me:

Why not? Lots of grandpas ride motorcycles.

Katie:

But he might break a hip or something!!!!

Me:

Your Daddy is going to be a grandpa. Does that mean he can't ride a motorcycle.

Katie:

No, he can still ride a bike so he'll be ok.

The next day, we were driving to the office for an hour or two, and then to the pool.

She was being unusually silent in the back seat...

Me:

Katie? Are you ok?

Katie:

Yes, I just don't want the wind to

disturb my hair.

Yes, I know. She is way too much like her mom.

Me:

OK. I'll roll up your window and turn the air on.

Katie:

They should put people

like me

in magazines, huh, mom?

Summertime in Wyoming...

2010-06-26T13:10:00.000-06:00

Brendan is camping at

Brooks Lake,

which is near Dubois.

Apparently the lake is partially frozen,

there is snow on the ground,

and the nearby campground

where they usually go to shower

is closed.

I doubt he'll be gone through next week.

I have a feeling he'll be home a wee bit earlier than that.

a few clarifications...

2010-06-25T16:35:00.002-06:00

This whole baseball situation has exploded into something very, very ugly.

I misunderstood,

they misunderstood,

and now everyone is upset.

In no way

did I want to accuse coach of intentionally hitting my son with the pitch.

I did not for one minute

think he did it on purpose, or I would've called the police immediately.

My whole point of frustration was that I felt nobody had really checked to see how bad the injury was.

That was it.

I guess the coach asked if Bren was ok,

and Bren nodded.

What they didn't realize is that Brendan always says he is ok when he gets hurt. He tries to be tough and strong. Once he nodded, the coach assumed he was fine and sent him to the dugout - then turned around , put his back to the plate, and began to pick up balls to throw to the next kid.

I guess players who are having hitting issues are often told to

bunt

so they can at least make contact with the ball -

then as they become more confident, they can start swinging.

I feel absolutely horrible that I even said anything now.

I am fiercely protective of my children, I know that.

I can't help it.

I'm a mom.

But I am a very sucky whistleblower.

I can't handle guilt.

Drama Mama

2010-06-23T11:10:00.001-06:00

I've long held fast that I keep a "No Drama Zone" around me and my family. I don't like tension or unhappiness. I don't like to butt my nose into other peoples' lives. Their decisions and choices are just that...theirs. I try so hard not to judge others.

So imagine my surprise this week when I found myself adrift in a sea of it. It began innocently enough...at baseball practice. Brendan has had a difficult time hitting this year. We thought it was just him - we recently realized that his coaches made him nervous and he froze up when he was at bat. He can hit at the batting cages, off assorted pitching machines, for Mr. C, and even for other coaches - but not for his. This has been frustrating for all of us involved. The coaches were putting more pressure on him and threatening to make him bunt when he was at the plate, he was just about at the point of a nervous breakdown, and Mr. C and I were just having to suffer through watching it.

So...fast forward to Monday night. Baseball practice before the big game on Tuesday. We arrived already nervous. Tension was high. Bren got up to hit and the coach was throwing too fast. Rather than slow it down, the coach kept correcting everything Bren did - "you moved your foot!", "you swung below the ball!", "you shifted in the box!", "stay in the box!". . . Suddenly, one coach decides Bren will just practice bunting. The coach was throwing outside pitches and Bren was having to lean over the plate to make any contact. Then he got yelled at for hitting off the tip of the bat (but if he is having to lean over the plate, doesn't it make sense that only the tip would be hitting the ball?). Anyway, coach become frustrated, I am ready to go all ninja and jump the guy, and Bren is a bundle of nerves. The coach gets right in his face and yells,

"YOU WILL NEVER GET A HIT IN A GAME

IF YOU DON'T BUNT!!!!".

The camel's back broke and I said, "Actually, Bren can actually hit the ball quite well, he just can't hit it for you. You make him nervous. He subbed in a game on Saturday and hit 8 balls in a row to the outfield during batting practice with their coach.". The coach shot back, "Well, I have yet to see that!". I informed him he could call the other coach and ask. The next thing I know, coach is zinging the next pitch at my son and hit him square on the elbow. I know accidents happen, and I would've been "ok" (barely OK, but OK nonetheless) if he had showed any sort of care or concern. Instead, rather than asking if Bren was hurt, or even apologizing, the coach turned his back toward home plate, faced the outfield, and stayed there until my son went to the dugout . . . alone. I ran in and within 10 seconds, the elbow was already pure blue from bruising. I spoke with the other coach, then took Bren home.

Meanwhile...Mr. C arrives on the field via another entrance (so he doesn't see me as I leave with the kids). He watches the pitching and makes a comment to the other coach that the pitches are awfully fast for these kids to hit. He notices the coach is throwing at least 50-60 mph. Mr. C then asks where Brendan is and he is informed that we had left due to Brendan being hit.

The elbow looks bad and we decide to take him in for x-rays. Luckily nothing was broken (thank heavens because that bone usually requires surgery).

Neither coach calls to check on him or apologize.

I am upset and I email our league board member to discuss. The league is now furious at their behavior. All I want is an apology for Bren (not for the hit, but for the coach ignoring him after the hit) and to make sure the kids are safe. The league shows up before the game last night and the coaches try to say Bren had leaned into the pitch - then tried to say they didn't know he'd been hit. They are threatened with permanent removal from coaching (which is not what we wanted), and the game commences.

After the game, Mr. C tried to talk to the head coach (NOT the one who threw the pitch that hit Bren), and the coach is mad at US. WE are the bad guys. Several parents are mad at us now, as well. all I was trying to do was keep these boys safe. What would've happened if I had done like 90% of the other parents do and just dropped him off for practice, then returned to pick him up when it was over? Would he have sat alone in the dugout with a possible broken elbow for 2 hours? I just told the league rep that we need to be sure these kids are safe when they are on the field.

So, we are sending Brendan to Brooks Lake with Mr. C's sister until July 5 so he can get away from all of this. Hopefully the furor will die down in his absence. He'll be home in time for playoffs, and can decide if he even wants to play again.

Now, I realize I made mistakes in this, too.

I should not have argued with the coach in front of Bren and the other kids. I should've taken him aside and spoken to him privately. My bad. I accept that.

What I did not know before contacting the league was that there had already been several complaints lodged against these two coaches. I was not the first. I was unaware that the league was already watching things on the team. But, nobody remembers the first two outs in an inning, they only remember the final one that ends it. We are the heels in the situation.

So, after coming home at 9 pm last night, I emailed both coaches and apologized for my part in this. Of course, neither have responded, nor do I expect them to. They are angry and want someone to blame. I also want to say that, usually, these two guys are really great. They are fathers and husbands who are eager to volunteer for their children. I didn't want to be involved in any of this either. Oh, how I wish Bren had not been hit. I didn't want him injured. I didn't want to watch him suffer physical, as well as emotional pain. I wish I had kept him home from practice that night like I wanted to.

But, I cannot change the past. All I can do is move forward and re-enter my

"No Drama Zone".

I am not a Drama Mama.

I plan to keep it that way.

Happy Father's Day

2010-06-20T11:26:00.001-06:00

Happy Father's Day

to Mr. C.

Thank you for the

constant love and support

you give to both me and our four children.

Thank you for nursing me through

6 pregnancies,

which resulted in

4 miscarriages,

and

2 c-sections.

Plus the surgeries and countless rounds of

fertility meds.

Which made me

weepy

and grouchy.

Thank you for being such an amazing example of what a

real man

is and does and says.

Thank you for teaching us all about

love

patience

caring

integrity

and kindness.

Thank you for teaching THEM that they are important and valuable.

Thank you for working so hard so we could play so hard.

And for being a man of God

who isn't afraid to show his children that he

needs faith to carry him through.

And for being a man who is WORTHY of the

love and respect he receives from his children.

Because they do love and respect you so very much

...and so do I.

Happy Father's Day

to the love of my life

and the best Dad in the world.

My love and gratitude know no bounds.

Report on a Holiday...

2010-06-18T17:00:00.000-06:00

There is a new challenge up on

The Good Grief Blog.

Here is my layout.

We were asked to report on how a holiday has changed since the passing of our loved one. I wrote about Christmas just isn't the same any more. This particular layout is about Quincey, but Mr. C's mother also died during Christmas two years ago.

Go check out the other contributors' layouts, as well. They all did a great job!!!

Photo Recap

2010-06-12T17:06:00.002-06:00

Marc

arrived on Memorial Day and left that Friday.

While he was here, he performed some minor surgery

(removal of a splinter)

on his little sister.

In order to keep her calm, he put his headphones on her and turned on his iPod.

She was instantly hooked...

and wore them all over the house for the rest of the day.

Marc and The B-Man

pssst. Notice the awesome necklace Marc made for Brendan.
The kid won't take it off and wears it 24/7 now.

After Marc left, we swam.

and swam.

Here is Katie modelling her super cool

Hello Kitty Diva Goggles

(yes, their real name).

And here she is at swimming lessons.

Katie has a new friend, Barrett, who also takes lessons.

Barret's mom is awesome and has made my days at the pool

much more bearable.

Here she is socializing, rather than paying attention to class.

Hmmm.

That doesn't remind me of anyone...

No comment, mother.

showing her great form in the back stroke...

sort-of.

The B-Man loves hanging out with the kids at the pool.

and sliding.

Katie posing, sans the Diva Goggles, but PLUS

the pink floaties.

All the cool girls are wearing them this year.

Brendan was trying to coax her into the pool, but she was happiest

just hanging out on the ladder.

Yes, those floaties really did the trick, huh?

When we got home from the pool on Thursday, I found this in her bed.

Yes, that is her

Hawaiian Hello Kitty

(hence the suntan)

wearing a tiara

and a swimsuit top.

Katie is

all about

the accessories.

Weekend #1 of Summer 2010

2010-06-05T20:17:00.002-06:00

...was spent having fun! Right now I am enjoying an icy cold mug of Sunshine Wheat with an orange wedge (who knew oranges and beer went so well together?). I just LOVE summer!

Last night we went to Bren's baseball game. They won, and B scored 2 runs. Then we came home, put the kidlets to bed, and drank some wine on the patio. It was wonderful. I hope for many replays of THAT in the months to come (the wine part, not the baseball part)! Ha! Seriously, we sat out there for over an hour just talking and catching up. How I adore that man... but you already knew that.

This morning, Mr. C and Katie went on their weekly Daddy-Daughter Date to Hotcake Saturday. Every Saturday they go to McDonalds for pancakes. It gives them some time together (alone) and gives me and the B-Man a short respite from Katie's antics. I delivered Bren to the ball fields at 8 am sharp for pre-game warm-ups. We watched the game (they won 24-2), then went to the pool for lunch. Mr. C and the kidlets stayed to swim while I came home to get a few things done (my choice - I'll be spending the whole summer with the kids at the pool, today was Mr. C's turn). I went back a while later for dinner, then Mr. C and Bren went golfing.

Tomorrow we have church at 9 am, then Mr. C will be playing golf in the Opening Day Tourney.

Katie begins swim lessons on Monday. She will have a lot of fun with that. And hopefully she'll be swimming like a fish by the end of summer. Bren will be taking swimming this summer as well, in addition to golf lessons.

I'd like to take a moment to brag... Brendan brought home a Presidential Educational Excellence award this week - signed by President Obama (well, I'm sure it was an electronic signature, but I didn't tell HIM that). He was one of just 3 students in his class to receive one. He is such a good boy and a good student. I am so proud of him. He reads on almost a 12th grade level, and is just going into the 5th grade. He reads like me...constantly!!! It is a struggle just keeping him supplied with books, I swear (again, just like his momma). One day he brought home his vocabular testing results and he tested in GRADE "16"! He asked me what that meant. My reply? "Uh, it means you're smarter than your momma!". LOL. Wow. He amazes me. I spend a lot of time talking about Katie and how funny she is, and how she makes me laugh constantly - but I really neglect talking about the B-Man. He is an AWESOME kid. I never, ever have to get after him for anything. He is sweet and thoughtful and quiet. He loves to read and play with his LEGOs. He is a good big brother to Katie, and a wonderful son to us. He is kind and sensitive and he tries SO HARD in everything he does. He is a great golfer already, and will be beating his Dad on the links in the not-so-distant future. I love you, B-Man.

Summertime!

2010-06-02T21:16:00.001-06:00

Summer begins Friday morning at 10:30. I am so excited that I can hardly stand it. I love summer!!!

My favorite things about summer are:

 Warmer weather
 Having the kidlets home for 3 months
 Hanging by the pool
 flowers
 BBQ’s
 Eating dinner on the patio
 Watching the kidlets play on the playset
 Sleeping with the windows open (well, except when my allergies are bad)
 Long walks in the evening
 Picnics
 Baseball and golf seasons

The week has been full of fun! Brendan and Mr. C had a FAB time at the golf tourney on Sunday. Brendan was able to follow his favorite golfer, Tom Watson. Mr. Watson smiled at him several times, and autographed B’s hat after his round. Brendan was overjoyed! They were also able to watch Freddie Couples quite a bit, which thrilled Mr. C. Marc arrived on Monday. It is so good having him home. Monday night we attended a graduation party. It was so great to see the graduate (he is an awesome kid), and to catch up with longtime friends. It was a fun evening and we kept the kidlets out far too late, but it was well-worth it.

My diet is going well. I have lost 7 lbs. so far. Not a huge amount, but a good start. I haven’t been working out as much as I need to – that would help tremendously. But it’s not going to be a speedy process, so I need to be patient.

Is anyone else surprised that Al & Tipper Gore are splitting up?!?! I am shocked. After 40 years together, one would assume that they had made it. They’ve lived the hard years of raising children, building careers, etc. It just seems so sad that just when things should be quiet and easy, they throw in the towel. Oh how I pray this never happens to Mr. C and me. It is just so terribly sad.

I am currently reading a terrific book called “The Man Whisperer” by Rick Johnson. This book talks about the influence we women have on our husbands – for the good and for the bad – and how careful we need to be with this power. Our attitudes can have a tremendous impact on their self-worth, their attitude, and their faith. We need to be working to build our husbands up – to let them know they are loved and appreciated. I think that any man’s greatest desire is to be respected and loved (and you thought I was going to say something else!). This book is really great and I highly recommend for all wives to read it. Your husband (and your family) will benefit greatly from it.

Memorial Weekend

2010-05-30T10:56:00.000-06:00

Mr. C and The B-Man went to Parker, CO today to see

Yes. That is

Freddie Couples.

My favorite golfer

(Phil runs a very close second).

The Senior PGA Tour Championship is going on right now near Denver.

And I was not able to go.

Ugh.

A knife through my heart....

We decided that Katie-Bug is too young to go to an

all-day golf tourney.

And with this being

Memorial Weekend

I did not feel good about

asking someone to babysit her - especially on a Sunday.

I know how much Mr. C likes Freddie

(he was Mr. C's fave golfer before he was mine)

so I told him to make it a "guys day" and take Bren.

I opted to stay home with Katie.

The sacrifices I make....

One day she'll appreciate it, right?

Because she owes me...

BIG

for this one!

Actually, we've had a fun morning.

So far:

I have served her watermelon...

in MY bed.

I turned on her favorite kids shows.

I painted her toenails.

And selected her wardrobe for the day.

Tonight when my guys arrive home, Mr. C is going to grill Baby Back Ribs for dinner.

Then tomorrow he and Bren will drive back to Denver to pick up my

Traveling Fisherman

from the airport!

While Katie and I help a dear friend decorate for a graduation party.

Marc is coming home for the week before he flies off to

Alaska

for the summer.

I'm so looking forward to spending some time with him!

Happy Sunday!

New Project on the Good Grief Blog!

2010-05-28T18:43:00.001-06:00

I created this layout about my

Grandmother.

The story and journaling are on

The Good Grief Blog

Go check it out

The blessing and the curse of being Martha

2010-05-25T21:43:00.003-06:00

I am going to admit something that I NEVER EVER admit. My name is Martha. That is truly the name given to me at birth. I've always hated it, even though I was named after a really fabulous lady for whom I have immeasurable respect and admiration (my mother's dear aunt). I remember being incredibly embarassed by my name when I was younger. It was horrifying to me when anyone found out my real name. I have gone by the name "Marti" since I was a small child. But lately I've realized that my mother named me correctly.

The name Martha has been used in conversation much more frequently than in the past. First, there is the Biblical Martha. The woman who worked and worked and refused to see she should be sitting at Jesus' feet rather than trying to do everything. I am so guilty of this. If Jesus came to my door, would I be able to take the time to sit and listen to him, or would I be running around trying to make sure his visit was perfect? I'm guessing it would be a little of both.

Then we come to the other Martha: Martha Stewart. I have a cousin who jokingly calls me "Apple Pie" because she thinks I am super-domesticated. Ha! I told her that if she could see my house right now, she wouldn't be calling me that. Seriously, I have 3 baskets of laundry waiting to be ironed. I have a trail of powdery pixie dust (super-fine glitter) leading down my hall and into both my scrapbook room as well as Katie's bedroom (thanks to my super crafty daughter who was making me a project - and the blasted stuff will not all come up off of my wood floors), and I desperately need to dust. But, I must admit that I am a huge fan of Martha. She just does things right (with the exception of her investments). She makes it a point to go the extra mile when caring for her home. I bought her Homekeeping book a year or two ago and it was wonderful!!!! But I am sooo not even close to being Martha Stewart (how can one even aspire to such perfection?).

I truly believe that homemaking is becoming a lost art. We are so busy in our daily lives that we don't have any extra energy to do those small finishing-touches that make our families feel special. So, while I am not Martha Stewart, I do feel the pressure of the name. Life would be easier if I didn't care. I know that. But, I do care. I enjoy making my family feel special and loved, whether by ironing their clothing or by cutting the kidlets' sandwiches with cookie cutters when I pack their lunches. I want them to remember these small things and I hope they know I do them with love.

Nope. I am not Martha Stewart. I'm just Marti.

Twister

2010-05-19T08:51:00.000-06:00

No, not the game - the weather event. It is one of the scariest things I've ever been through. I had taken Katie to the studio for ballet and tumbling, then come home to wait for Brendan to arrive from school. He was only here a few minutes when the sirens started going off. We ran downstairs and turned on the TV to see what was going on. It took a few minutes for the news and weather channels to break into programming with the tornado warning. They then informed us that the twister was 13 miles south of town...which is right where Mr. C's construction project is located. I called him, and fortunately he was in town for a County Commissioner meeting and had just left the site. I asked what I should do about Katie and he told me to go pick her up. I drove down Carlson and turned onto Powderhouse when I was faced with a ginormous funnel cloud in this distance - but it was all I could see in my windshield. It was far away, but not far enough that I wasn't terrified for my daughter. I drove to the studio, ran in and grabbed her and her things, jumped into the car and came back home - all in 14 minutes flat. We went downstairs with Brendan to wait out the storm. Fortunately, the tornado went back up in to the clouds, but there were a total of 8 tornados in Cheyenne yesterday afternoon.

I asked Mr. C to take a night off from his gym workout just in case another one hit, so he came home at about 6:30 pm. The rest of the evening was just filled with thunderstorms, thank heavens.

The kidlets went to bed at their normal time, while we watched our DVR'd episode of The Biggest Loser. Best show ever!!! I love this group of participants (well, except Melissa - she was horrid). I love how supportive they are of one another and how there is no back-stabbing going on. I am also hoping that Michael and Ashley end up dating. They seem so cute with one another. It's just sweet.

After watching BL and the news, we went to sleep...only to be awakened at 3:30 by a miserable little girl who could not sleep and had a sore throat and fever. She climbed into bed with us around 4 am, which meant we've been awake ever since. Ugh. She seems a bit better this morning, but I couldn't send her to school with a fever and no sleep so we are hanging out in our jammies today.

Have a happy Wednesday!

Sundays...

2010-05-16T13:04:00.001-06:00

I love Sunday. It is pretty much my favorite day of the week. Well, except for the fact that it means the weekend is coming to an end.

Every week, we go to church at 9 am, then take the kidlets to breakfast. We have done it this way forever - well, probably 9 years anyway. It is a nice way to spend our morning...worshipping

Him,

then enjoying one another's company.

This afternoon, Mr. C and the boys went to play golf and I have a baby shower to attend. Katie did not want to go with me so she gets to hang with Chlo until the guys get back.

After the shower, Mr. C is going to grill steak. Truly, he makes the

best steak

I've ever had. Seriously. I haven't had a better one anyplace. ever.

Chlo is leaving Cheyenne this week to head back to Utah for her Mom's college graduation (she is a super incredible lady!), and then staying until Sean arrives.Sean will be following her soon. He will remain here to pack up the apartment, then load everything up and head west so he can begin his new job.

We decided we needed to have one last Sunday dinner with them before they make their big move.

On most Sundays since they came to Cheyenne, we have enjoyed

Sunday dinner

with them. It is one more wonderful thing I love about Sundays - family time with even the big kids!

But this one will be bittersweet.

It's the last one in a long while.

I will miss them both so very, very much.

I love you three bunches!!!

Katie-ism #20,936

2010-05-12T20:13:00.000-06:00

We were having Mother's Day brunch and everyone had gone to get breakfast except Sean, Chloe and Katie. Katie is out of her chair and looking through a little window behind her chair...

Sean: Katie, sit down.
Katie ignores him.
Sean: Katie, sit down.
Katie: Did you say something?
Sean: Yes, I said sit down.
Katie: Oh, because all I heard was blah blah blah blah blah.

Sean: sits with a shocked look on his face and doesn't say another word.

Photographic Recap...

2010-05-11T16:35:00.000-06:00

This arrived for me on Saturday afternoon from my Mom and Jimbo. I love it. It is beautiful and it smells wonderful.

Brendan made me this for Mother's Day. I have always wanted to learn how to work with wheat, but haven't yet. Now I don't have to...I can just put him to work creating little wall hangings for me. :) Really, I just love it and was so excited when I opened it.

Here is Marc and Joon. It was difficult getting either of them to pose for a picture so this was the best I could do. Isn't that face just adorable? Joon's, too!

I did get Katie to agree to pose on her biggest brother's lap. It is always so fun watching Marc play with the younger children. He is awfully patient with them.

Katie couldn't go a minute without loving on Joon. Obviously, the dog didn't mind too much.

Here is just an awesome picture of my B-Man. I love that sweet smile - it only cost us $2600 so far. A bargain, in my opinion.

And, finally, here are Sean and Chloe. This picture was taken by an amazing photographer named Katie. She is slightly vertically challenged, but held the camera steady nonetheless.

We are expecting a winter storm tonight and tomorrow. I've heard we're getting anywhere from 4 - 15 inches of snow. Heavy wet snow. Yippy. Skippy. The only redeeming thing about storms like this is the possibility of having a snow day tomorrow. I love snow days - little unexpected breaks from the every-day. Sigh. One can only hope...

Happy Tuesday!

Mother's Day

2010-05-09T15:40:00.003-06:00

First, I want to wish my Mom, Patti, and my amazing aunts a very Happy Mother's Day. I love and appreciate you all!!!

We had a really nice day today. It began when Mr. C and I woke up early and had a few minutes to just relax and talk without the noise of the kidlets invading our conversation. Then, Katie woke up and climbed into bed with us to cuddle. We got ready for church, went to Mass, then met Marc, Sean, and Chloe for brunch. It was delicious and the mimosas were divine! After brunch, we came home and the guys all got ready to head back to the golf course. No, they weren't being selfish - I TOLD them to go. Today is the only nice day we're going to have this week, and Marc will be leaving for Alaska next month, so I knew this would be their only chance to go out together to play this spring. Brendan was very excited that he got to go and hang with the guys. Katie, Chloe and I have been hanging out at the house with Joon (Marc's dog...AKA the Grand Puppy).

I am so grateful for my four children, and the opportunity God has given me to bear them (although I do wish it had been less painful :o) ), nurture them, and love them. My entire life is devoted to my family and my gratitude is boundless for these four beautiful souls. I want each of them to know how much I love them and that being their Mom has been the best thing I've ever done in my life. I am not perfect, and I blow it all the time, but I have always tried my hardest to do what is best for them.

Mother's Day isn't a day where I expect to be catered to, or treated extra special. To me, Mother's Day is a day to be grateful for my children - and the joy they bring to my life. It is a day to remember the good times, and the times that were not-so-good. It is a day for me to reflect upon the areas where I can improve. I also love that Mother's Day falls right before summer. I like to sit and think of all the fun things I can share with my children this summer. Nope, it isn't about "me" - it is about them.

I want to thank my children for their patience and their understanding when I have screwed up royally (and there have plenty of times THAT happened). I want to thank them for the joy, the tears, and the laughter. I am so looking forward to the years ahead, and the fun that is yet to be had. So, Marc, Sean, Brendan, and Katie...my heart is always with you. I love you more than I can ever say. You four have blessed my life immeasurably. Love, Mubs

Happy Mother's Day!!!

Missing Them Already

2010-05-06T16:29:00.003-06:00

This has been a sad week for us. Sean was presented with a great job opportunity...in Evanston. We are so sad that they are moving (and taking that precious baby with them), but we know that they are doing the best thing for their little family. Chlo will be just an hour from her parents - and she won't have to work on her feet all day (which will be much more difficult in the months to come). Plus, we have done that "Cheyenne to Evanston" trip a kazillion times over the years. I think I could almost drive it in my sleep. Five hours isn't THAT far. Sigh...

Brendan had his first baseball game this year - and he did great. It was FREEZING and windy, but he scored, and played great defense. We were so proud of him. Unfortunately, he woke up again this morning with the flu. If we could stay healthy for just a week, I would be shocked!

Here is my Ad Inspiration layout from the Creative Cookbooking NSD crop this past week. We had some great participation and it was a lot of fun. I wish I could have spent more time online with everyone, but with all of us battling the flu, it just was not possible.

I am excited to be attending the Women of Worship Hope's Alive concert with Kathy Troccoli tomorrow night. I am sure it will be an evening of inspiration and great music!

Have a great weekend!

Tropical Breezes...

2010-05-04T09:31:00.004-06:00

...not. It is an incredibly windy day here in Cheyenne. Right now, we are gusting to 75 mph. That is hurricane-force, people! aaack! I wish I were back in Hawaii enjoying the Trade Winds instead of this. For some reason, the wind always hits on Tuesdays, which are Katie's ballet days. It is always so interesting to try to get Katie, her ballet bag, and her tutu all delivered into the dance studio in winds like this. I am always convinced that I will lose SOMETHING (preferrably not Katie) along the way and it'll end up somewhere in Nebraska.

I went to Design Team last night at The Treasure Box. One of our team-members had a baby a couple of months ago so we had her baby shower last night, too. I got to hold sweet little Jude for a while. He was screaming his little head off because he was tired, but even with the screaming, I just loved cuddling and holding him. I cannot wait until October when our grandbaby is born. I am going to enjoy just sitting and rocking him for hours. It is going to be heaven!!!

While I was at DT, I bought some of Jilli Bean Soup's corrugated alphas! They are fabulous! I cannot wait to use them - hopefully this afternoon.

Aren't they great? I bought the white, but they also have Kraft and an awesome Green.

Have a wonderful Tuesday!

...and we're off!!!

2010-05-03T09:39:00.002-06:00

Another busy week is upon us. Between Design Team, school for both kidlets, ballet, tumbling, 2-3 baseball practices, Mr. C's work schedule, Mr. C's gym schedule, my work schedule, and a minute amount of family time, we are booked solid. It's all good though. School is almost out for the summer (yea!) so I can see a light at the end of this crazy tunnel.

We had a fun weekend. On Saturday we went to Ft. Collins for the day. Mr. C and the kidlets hung out with Uncle Don while I spent the afternoon with my girlie, Houston. We had lunch at The Red Table in Old Town, then walked around and shopped. I scored some new clear stamps and some cute MM butterflies at Tuesday Afternoon (what a fun store). Mr. C then picked me up and we headed south to Centerra for a little shopping and dinner. I talked Mr. C into going to PF Chang's. It was a hit! Katie even ate her dinner (which is rare). She also charmed our waitress- who slipped a dozen extra fortune cookies into Katie's "to-go" bag. While we were there, Katie let us know that she had learned what "Senior Citizen" means (it's someone who has grey hair and is a grandma or grandpa - Mr. C and I are thrilled that we will be qualifying for that definition in the fall...not). Anyway, she then proceeded to point out (in her nice, quiet way) each and every one of the senior citizens in our section of the restaurant. Ugh.

On Sunday, we did our usual: church, then brunch with the kidlets. When we arrived home, Sean and Chloe were waiting for us. Mr. C put on a pot of his famous chili (it is soooo yummy), then everyone just hung out watching TV. The big screen in the family room had NBA Playoffs, and our bedroom TV had the final round at Quail Hollow. It was a nice, quiet, relaxing day. I even snuck in a very short nap.

I am so looking forward to Mother's Day weekend! Marc is coming home to see us. He hasn't been here since Thanksgiving so we are really excited for his arrival. He will get here either Friday night or Saturday. I think they will try to fit some golf in while he is home, as well. On Mother's Day, we are going to church, then to a Mother's Day Brunch that looks just amazing (lobster quiche, crab, shrimp...). I began my diet and work-out program again this week, but I think I'll let it slide for brunch on Sunday.

Speaking of Mothers, Chloe looks just amazing. She has the cutest little belly ever. And she doesn't even mind when I touch it. I've never been one of those people who has to touch pregnant bellies, until now. It is the most wonderful thing ever!!! I can't wait until I can feel the little guy kick.

Have a super week!

Fabulous Friday!

2010-04-30T19:17:00.002-06:00

Friday!!!! I just adore Fridays. Friday means I have 2 full days ahead of me before we are slammed with another busy week. Right now, I am celebrating Friday by enjoying a nice glass of wine, listening to the kidlets plan their sleepover together downstairs, and waiting for Mr. C to get home from the gym. He doesn't appreciate Friday evenings as much as I do, I guess. He told me he would be just an hour...two hours ago.

Tonight, he wants to watch the Quail Hollow golf tournament on the Golf Channel when he gets home. He does not yet know that Mr. Tiger Woods has missed the cut and won't be playing the weekend. He will be thrilled with that little tidbit of info. We aren't Tiger fans in this house, we are Phil Phans. :o) I, however, do not really care to watch golf tonight. I will probably just enjoy some (more) wine, and read a book. Maybe a romance novel. I am thinking I need some of that. LOL. Yes, the fun never ends in this house.

It's been a crazy week around here. It began last Friday when Mr. C's car got hit in the parking lot of his office. Luckily, the gentleman who hit it left his info. The car is currently in the shop and should be done by the end of next week. He doesn't mind his rental car so all-in-all, it hasn't been too bad of an experience - just a nuisance more than anything.

That evening, however, things went downhill fast. We had made dinner plans with some friends and shortly before we left, I began feeling bad. Really bad. It got progressively worse the entire time we were at dinner. I couldn't eat a thing, and I was feeling very fevered. By the time we got home, I had a high fever and was very sick. It hit Mr. C in the middle of the night that night. Saturday we were worthless so Bren had to take care of Katie (and us). I lost 11 lbs. by Monday morning. Don't worry - unfortunately, it found it's way back to me. Bren's reward for being such a great nurse-maid? His own case of the stomach flu. We missed his field trip to Ft. Laramie and everything.

But, it is once again FRIDAY! We have a fresh new weekend in front of us so we can make up for not having one last week. I'm sure this one will be fabulous and we will enjoy it so much more. :o)

Friendship for Grown-ups

2010-04-27T10:11:00.005-06:00

Booksneeze recently mailed me a free copy of Lisa Whelchel's lastest book, "Friendship for Grown-Ups", in exchange for me posting my review on my blog. I jumped at the opportunity, as I was actually eagerly waiting for it to hit my local stores so I could purchase it. I have long been a fan of Lisa's: first as Blair on Facts of Life, and later as an author. I find her books are written from the heart and are easy to read and understand. This book was no exception. Her words just exude her love of God, and her desire to do His will in her life.

One would imagine that Lisa would have spent her life surrounded with wonderful friendships with amazing, glamorous, and godly women. This was not the case. She was an actress and learned how to put on a happy "front" for everyone. This makes others happy, but they never get to know the real person underneath the mask. Deep friendships are not always pretty and perfect and it is intimidating to have a friend who always appears to be that way. Then, when she did try to get real and honest and deep with a trusted friend, that friend withdrew from her. Fortunately for Lisa, she found an "Emmitt" (you will understand this term after reading the book) in her dear friend Ney Bailey. Ney has loved and mentored Lisa. She has been a true friend, which has enabled Lisa to establish other true and meaningful friendships in her life. This book is all about the steps and processes involved in getting to this point. I learned so much about women, communication, and something more important than finding a good friend: I learned how to BE one.

I also liked how she added Reflection and Discussion Questions, Practical Steps for Developing and Growing Friendships, as well as "Conversation Prompts" to assist you in your own friendship journey.

I highly recommend this book. In fact, I would encourage you to purchase one for yourself, and one for a friend. It is that good.

Iron Chef Crop

2010-04-18T09:47:00.005-06:00

I am a Chef on the Creative Cookbooking Team. This is a fun website devoted to those of us who want to scrapbook our recipes and capture the memories created in our kitchens. We are going to be hosting an Iron Chef On-line Crop April 26 - May 3, in honor of National Scrapbook Day. Here is the linky-loo to the message boards.

Creative Cookbooking

Come join us and sign up! We have some really fun challenges planned for you!

I am in love!

2010-04-15T18:03:00.004-06:00

with this necklace at Lisa Leonard's amazing website!

I found it while reading

Audrey Caroline -

Angie Smith's blog.

Little Audrey passed away shortly after her birth

and this necklace was made for her by

Lisa Leonard

to commemorate Audrey's life.

I so want one with

Quincey's

name on it!!!

So, if you are wondering what

wonderful gift I might like for

Mother's Day this year

(coughcoughMr.Candthekidscoughcough),

this necklace would totally make my entire year.

Actually, Mr. C just got me my

fab pink laptop

as a gift, which will

encompass the next

kazillion holidays,

so he won't be jewelry shopping any time soon. LOL.

I just wanted to share it in case

YOU wanted to get one for

yourself.

She has some really beautiful designs so go look around.

And, for the record,

I am in no way affilliated with Lisa Leonard,

nor does she have even the

foggiest

idea of who I am.

I just really like her designs.

Too Soon

2010-04-14T15:17:00.002-06:00

My layout is spotlighted on The Good Grief Blog today. The challenge this time was "Just the Facts". Since Quincey lives such a short time, I really only had a few facts to list. I decided to focus on his birth and death dates only, then added "not enough time in between". We didn't have many pictures of him without all the tubes, etc. so I used this picture. His kidneys had stopped functioning so his little body is swollen, but I liked seeing his face without all of the medical stuff on it. The little pocket rosary was placed there by Sean, who also took the photos.

Fabulous Weekend

2010-04-12T20:06:00.003-06:00

I had the best weekend. Friday, Katie and I spent the afternoon at a playdate. She played with her friend, Issy, and I got to hang with Issy's very awesome Mom, Jamie. It was such a great day! The girls played well together, and Jamie and I nearly lost track of time and forgot we had school-aged kids coming home. We are planning another one soon. I cannot wait!

While I was hanging out at Jamie's, my new baby arrived via my UPS Dude. Mr. C got it for me because he is such a sweetie-pie.

He spent all day Saturday transferring my files from my old computer to this one. I love it! It is gorgeous!!! And it works so much better than my old one (which kept locking up on me and was running very, very S-L-O-W-L-Y). I'm not wireless yet - we need a router for that - but I plan to be as soon as Mr. C can get to it. He also took the kidlets to Target to pick out a cute pink mouse for it while I was in Ft. Collins that day.

Speaking of Ft. Collins, I was down there on Saturday with more than 20 of the most fabulous scrapbookers ever. Seriously, I am in awe of the talent that is concentrated right here in the Rocky Mountain region. But the best part of my day was just spending time with these beautiful ladies. They are all so giving and kind and fun. I could go on all day about how wonderful they are, but suffice it to say, I feel blessed to call many of these girls my friends. We laughed and shared ideas (well, I didn't share, I just soaked it all in - but you get the idea). Liz Qualman has a fabulous wrap-up of our day on her blog. She also has some terrific sketch ideas so be sure to check them out while you're there.

After having such a big day on Saturday, I overslept on Sunday and missed going to mass. Mr. C took the kidlets though (he is always so good to take them even if I can't go). Afterwards, we went to Lion's Park for a picnic and let the kidlets play in the Children's Discovery Garden. They had a blast. I would post pictures, but my camera decided to rebel!!! I tried to turn it on and it wasn't working, so I assumed it was a dead battery. Nope. Dead camera. Grrrr. After calling around, I have had to accept the fact that it is cheaper to purchase a new camera than to fix this one. I am very sad.

We have a full week ahead: baseball practice has begun, ballet and tumbling are in full-swing, dentist appointments, school, work, etc. We are getting closer to the end of school, and I am so excited for summer. I have the kidlets signed up for some fun classes at the college, they'll do their religious ed in June, and we are thinking of getting a membership to the outdoor swimming pool. I am so looking forward to spending my days just playing with the kids.

Check back soon. I will have some layouts to post, hopefully. I didn't manage to get a LOT done on Saturday, but I did get a few pages completed. Plus, the Good Grief Blog has another challenge posted and mine will be spotlighted this week.

Have a blessed day!

It has been forever and a day...

2010-04-08T13:19:00.003-06:00

...since I've posted. No excuses - just busy living life with the family. We also battled bronchitis and the stomach flu within the past month.

First, the winner of my "Help Marti Come Up With a Cool Grandma Name" contest was Christyn with "Meme" - and Karen with "Mimi". I love it. Christyn, I'll bring your Starbucks GC to the crop on Saturday. Karen, I know you don't go to Starbucks, so I'm going to come up with something else to send you. :o) So, we will be "Meme and Papa" to the Grandbaby - mainly because it is easy for the baby to say. LOL. And, speaking of the Grandbaby, here is his first picture!

Yes, I said "his"! Apparently, there was some strong evidence that they are going to be having a man-child! We'll know for certain in about 8 more weeks, but the tech was fairly confident it wouldn't be changing. Look how cute he looks just all laxing and sucking his little thumb! Personally, I think he is awfully handsome already.

Katie celebrated her 5th birthday on March 13 at The Party Pony. She had a fabulous time with 18 of her closest friends! I can't post party pics yet because I haven't asked permission from the other moms. I need to do that because we got some really fun shots of the kids playing on the carousel!

We had a really wonderful Easter. Easter has become my favorite holiday for so many reasons. I like that it is much less stressful than Thanksgiving or Christmas. I also enjoy the significance of the resurrection - new life, new beginnings, and a fresh start. Easter Mass was beautiful and we had a nice dinner here with Sean and Chloe. Here are the kidlets' Easter baskets:
Katie has been begging us for a suitcase for a while. She didn't like using Brendan's old one (it was black, red, and blue). The Easter Bunny brought her a cute pink one (complete with the Eiffel Tower on the front) filled with candy and treasures.

The Easter Bunny brought Brendan a new baseball mitt filled with candy. He begins baseball next week. He didn't want to play last year due to a bad experience the previous one, but he has decided to give it another try this year. I am praying it goes well.

I am going to be spending Saturday in Ft. Collins scrapbooking with more than 20 of the nicest women I know. I am looking forward to catching up with everyone - it seems like forever since I've seen everyone. There will be some new faces attending this time, and I am really looking forward to meeting them, too! I feel so incredibly blessed to have met so many amazing women (and many of my dearest friends) through scrapbooking.

I also wanted to give a quick shout-out to my firstborn. Marc turns 25 tomorrow. Wow, do I feel old. This past quarter-century has zipped by at lightening speed. It seems like he was just placed in my arms for the first time. He somehow survived all of my early years of mothering - when I was filled with fear and nervousness. It seems so unfair that he got stuck with a mom who knew nothing about raising a child. We grew up together, in many ways. I miss him like crazy, but am so proud of him. He has 2 more semesters of school before he earns his degree in Wildlife Biology/Fisheries. He has grown to be such a handsome and kind man. I love him so very, very much and I am so very grateful that God entrusted me with him. Happy Birthday, Marc...my first sweet babe. I love you!

Katie-ism #17,368

2010-03-13T20:07:00.002-07:00

Katie: Dad, can we have a "Daddy-Daugher" talk?
Mr. C: Of course.
Katie: Do I look like a man or a girl?
Mr. C: Why would you ask that?
Katie: (pointing to her non-existent breasts) Because of these.
Mr. C: Girls gets those when they are 11 or 12.
Katie: Why?
Mr. C: For when you are a mommy when you are older and have babies.
Katie: Why?
Mr. C: So you can feed them their food.
Katie: What do I do with them the rest of the time?!?!

*insert hysterical laughter from mommy at this point....

Mr. C: They're just to show that you are a girl.

The smallest surprises....

2010-03-08T10:35:00.004-07:00

...are often the biggest blessings!

No, we aren't pregnant! We are going to be grandparents!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And this sweet little bundle of love is due on Mr. C's birthday (10/3). The greatest gift ever. We are so excited to meet him/her.

Thank you Sean & Chloe!

I feel too young to be called "Grandma" so I am thinking that "Grammie" sounds a little younger - you know, like the award...all gold and sparkly! If you have an idea for a more hip and young version of grandma, I'd love to hear it! If I choose your suggestion, I'll send you a gc to Starbucks!

Have a fabulous day!

Perspective...

2010-03-05T05:25:00.003-07:00

It is amazing how much one's perspective can change in just a few moments. Yesterday, Mr. C called me to tell me some awful news. His former company sent their corporate officers in to the Ft. Collins office...and shut. it. down. Everyone (except for 2 people - his former boss and a surveyor) got laid off. And their severance packages weren't as much as Mr. C's was last month when he was let go. Wow. We were stunned.

Mr. C had been telling me for several months that he thought this might happen. That this was bigger than just "him" and "his job". We'd been expecting for them to start slowly slashing jobs. He was just surprised that he was the first manager to be let go. Well, after yesterday, we weren't wondering any longer. We were just grateful that all of this is behind us, and he already has an amazing job (that he just LOVES, by the way). Our hearts are broken for his former co-workers, many of whom are AMAZING people.

So, the anger has been replaced by empathy and sadness. And we continue to trust in God and in His timing and in His plan for us. We always knew it was for the best and that this would work out, we just didn't expect to see it in THIS perspective quite so quickly.

Character

2010-03-01T15:05:00.004-07:00

Mr. C started his new job on Friday. He really likes it. I think it's going to be a nice change for him - a balance between a small firm, and the corporate world. He really got tired of all of the corporate garbage. He says that everyone in his new office is nice and nobody is trying to climb over anyone else - they are truly a team.

He has a bit of work that he has agreed to do for his old company. I was not happy about this. First of all, they put themselves into this bind - he wasn't responsible for the fact that they hadn't researched his projects before they laid him off. Second, he has given up WAY TOO MANY evenings and weekends for that place. I do not want to lose one more moment to that company. Third, his former boss wanted a flat-fee because they were almost out of budget on it (again, not Mr. C's problem). Well, he decided to help them out anyway. And for a cheaper rate than they'd offered. I told him he was nuts and he was selling himself short. again. He replied, "Marti, you loved me and married me because of my ideals and my values. This is who I am. I cannot control what they did. All I can do is control myself. I refuse to let THEIR decisions dictate MY character. This is how I live my life and I won't allow their behavior to change it.". Yes, I felt like a heal. He was right. And, for the record, I DID apologize and tell him that. Oh, and he is going to use the money he makes from this project to purchase two (count them - TWO) new laptops: one for him, and a ca-ute pink one for me. I think he only added the pink one so I would help him with his report. teehee.

It was wonderful having him home for 3 weeks. We got the living room painted (I will post pics when the finishing touches are complete). It was so nice to spend so much time with him. I miss him now that he is gone all day. Although, he did get home on Friday at 5:15 pm!!!! That is the earliest he's been home in many, many years. It was wonderful! His new office is only a few blocks from our house.

I will post more later. Just wanted to let everyone know that we're still around and doing well. Life is good. We are blessed.

Yessssssssssssssssssss.

2010-02-12T18:16:00.002-07:00

Tom's interview this afternoon went very well. He was told he will have an offer letter in his in-box on Monday or Tuesday. He is really excited and feels energized about his career again. One week ago, he was contemplating getting out of engineering - he was so burned out. He was seriously thinking of possibly going back to school to become a Science or Math teacher. Now, he is amped-up and ready to start a new adventure.

I want to, once again, thank everyone who has helped, called, emailed, prayed, etc. for us this past week. Your thoughts and kind words have meant so much to us both. I told Tom that he would be surprised by his friends - both the ones who WERE there, and the ones who WEREN'T there. I found this out during my divorce years ago. The people you think will always be by your side, just disappear - but in their place, God inserts some really amazing and wonderful relationships. Tom has had both old and not-so-old friends display amazing support throughout the past 10 days. We are forever in your debt. We cannot thank you enough.

I will update more next week. We're going to the Denver Golf Expo tomorrow (oh, yippy) - and then painting the living room for a couple of days. We got all of the supplies the other day. Tom hasn't had any time to do this type of thing forever, so we thought we'd take advantage of his break from work to accomplish a few household tasks.

Have a super weekend. Again, our gratitude knows no bounds. Much love to you all.

Cautiously Optimistic...

2010-02-10T20:24:00.002-07:00

Tom has an interview on Friday - with a firm that he really likes and with people for whom he has a great amount of respect. Prayers are appreciated.

His interview on Tuesday went ok. He is hoping he doesn't get short-listed though. The job would require him to be out of town (in various parts of Wyoming) for 3 days each week for two years. This is NOT something we want for our family. We may have no option, but I would rather move than have him gone 3 days/week. He has already been gone so much these past several years...I just want him to be home again.

I am getting all ready for our big Olympics Opening Ceremonies party. We always watch the ceremony while eating "food of the hosting country" for dinner that night. I am cheating a little for Canada though - nobody else thought salmon, rice, and blueberries sounded very good. So we are doing Canadian Bacon pizza, Moosehead beer (for the adults), and Beaver Tails (crisp cinnamon/sugar pastries). Beaver Tails are a traditional canadian dessert, according to the nice couple seated next to me on my flight home from Santa Barbara in November. I cornered them when I found out they were from Canada. They were quite helpful though and told me all about Beaver Tails and how popular they are in Canada.

I will update when we hear about the results of the interview.