Liven the Good life...

I am soooo incredibly blessed...I am feeling so thankful for my life today...here is a little part of my morning...look at these handsome faces...(it was sports day at school today)

Colton and his buddies waiting to be dropped off for school...(Colton, Domenic and Alec...)

God, help me to never take for granted all the blessing you've given me in this life...

AI Girls!!!!

OK so......Carly Smithson is still my favorite!!!!

AI Guys!!!

I have two words for ya...David Archuleta...Oh my gosh what a voice and all around great kid...so far I think he's going to be my favorite....I think????

They're Growing!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yippee!!! I can't believe my seeds are already growing!!! I am so excited...it's time to plant more.

Todays Challenge

God is challenging me at the moment...but...this is one of those times when I'm not quite sure what the challenge is. I know the general direction but I am definitely not seeing the whole picture...sooooo...obviously part of the challenge is to seek after him...I know I've been caught up with and distracted by life in general and all that encompasses...which I am sure is yet another part of His challenge...

I've decided to start this process with Romans12:2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is his good, pleasing and perfect will.

So today I am challenging my self to put on the mind of Christ...and to keep it on...Sometimes I think I need a beanie that represents the mind of Christ and in times like this when I'm finding it difficult to do I could just whip out the beanie and put it on to remind me through out the day...but then I'm sure I would forget the beanie was on my head...like an idiot!!!!

I think counting on Christ to remind me is a much better plan...

Lord, transform me into your image, renew my mind...help me to see all that you want me to and hear all you are trying to tell me...I love you...thank you for taking the time to work on me...

Worship of the spoken word...

I love Amena Brown...her expression of worship speaks to me...Thank you God for your limitless creativity...you have no bounds...your reach is forever...

Fabulous!!!!!!!!!!

So you have to watch this video...I love it...my friend Jen made this video with all of our kids when she watched Brittani and Colton for us over night for our anniversary earlier this month...they had a blast making this music video to the song "Fabulous" from High School Musical 2...and she posted it on youtube...Thanks Jen!!!!!!

Big Gardening Project!!!

So as you can see I have my work cut out for me in the gardening department this season...we bought our house last August and there just wasn't enough time before fall and winter to get into landscaping...sooo...we pulled out a bunch of overgrown grass things and dead vines growing around the porch...tore out a tree etc...now I am planting some of my seeds which is just the beginning of my adventure...now lets just hope they grow...my biggest hurdle is the fact that we are in the Central valley (Zone 8,9 for you gardening buffs) and the hot did I say HOT dry summer poses an issue...but I'm doing my homework and I will prevail.......I hope....

AI Girls!!!

Simon...Simon...Simon...my favorite girl this evening was Carly Smithson...2 girls and 2 guys heading home tomorrow...I definately wont be heart broken to see some of these people go...

AI Guys...

I love American Idol...Isn't it getting good...I must say my husband drives me crazy giving his opinion on every performance...like he knows what he's talking about...sometimes he makes me laugh but most of the time I just have to roll my eyes and shake my head...so here is my favorite performance of the night...Michael Johns

"Strawberry Oreo"

Well we've set the date...we will be buying Brittani's hog on March 22nd. Yahoo!!! She is very excited...Brittani has already settled on the name "Strawberry Oreo" Oreo for short...don't ask me how she came up with the name it makes perfect sence to her...more news to come...I'm sure you can't wait...ha-ha

BOYS...UGH............

Oh man!!!!! Today Brittani (my 13 year old) had a BOY over for the first time...EVER!!! We are entering into the boyfriend phase and let me just tell you it's going over like a lead balloon with daddy...I new something was up today when Brit called me after school to ask me if she could walk home with some of her friends...it felt like a set-up...but I decided it would be ok as long as she called me when she got 1/2 way home so I new she was still on her way...well she called 1/2 way and asked if this BOY could come over for a while and visit...my first instinct of course was to say NOWAY!!! But my more rational side said I'de rather he be at my house with me under the same roof and hey lets get a look at this little brat that's trying to steel my baby girls affection... I called Darin right away to warn him and to make sure he didn't come home and embarrass his little princess...I accomplished the first but not the second half of my goal...all considered I think it went pretty well...we stayed in our room pretending to watch TV while listening to them playing Guitar Hero in the living room...2 hours later the BOY finally left...and Darin and I came to the horrible realization...

THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING!!!!

Mom and Dad...

Longing: An Intense Desire

I've often struggled with the word " longing "...referred to in the bible..."longing for Christ"...I've asked the Lord "do I long for you God"...in moving to Hanford I believe God has given me a glimps of what longing is...I LONG for my parents desperately the majority of the time...I miss being able to pop in whenever...going thrift store shopping with my mom...them coming to see me when I'm sick...showering me with their love they are always so ready to give me...having my dad playing guitar for me on a Sunday morning...being able to bounce song ideas off of him and him playing the perfect chored that I just can't hear on my own...and so many other things...

I must admit in learning what longing is it's painful...and I haven't longed for Christ as I should...I'm still working on that...and I have learned something else...the more I know Him and depend on him for ALL things...even filling the holes I have longing for my parents...the more I will be unable not to long for Him...

So...He comforts me in my longing and continues to show me grace on my journey to know him more...Thank you God...

Take me out to the ball game...

Yippee!!!! Colton is trying out for baseball and we couldn't be happier...This is his first time playing an organized sport, believe it or not...he just hasn't shown any interest until now and Darin is on cloud 9...can you believe that fog??? Just another morning in Hanford...Colton is the little guy in in the green shirt with white long sleeves and black pants...he's the one batting in that last picture...I'm a baseball mom...

"See What Happens When A Pretty Girl Talks To Me"

I remember the first day I laid eyes on my honey...it was the summer of 1987...he stood against the wall at Lakewood Pacific Theater (were I worked) waiting to be interviewed standing between the managers door and the breakroom door...with one leg propped up on the wall, hands in his pockets of a grey pair of levis with a big ink stain were he claims a pen had broken earlier that day...he thought he was soooo cool...he'll argue that fact but he knows it's true...little did I know I was looking at my future as I huddled up with a group of girls gossiping about who he might be...He got the job and absolutely irritaded me always...he thought he was funny but he wasn't...until one evening I was working popcorn and he was next to me working drinks...we were in conversation and he was so intently listening to what ever trivial story I was telling him...his large soda began to over flow on to the sleeve of his lovely brown polyester suit coat...and he, with all his charm, unleashed the now famous quote..."see what happens when a pretty girl talks to me"...something changed that night...WOW here we are 21 years later celebrating our 13th wedding anniversary tomorrow...I love you honey...#67 Rules...D+B forever TLA...little did I know when I was writing that on my peachy folder it was going to be true love forever...what a lucky girl...oxoxoxoxxx