Rolling in the Dough

I always knew that someday I would teach my kids how to make bread.  All children deserve the right to have the aroma that only bread baking in the oven can bring burned into their psyche.  After church on Sunday I wanted to make rolls for our Mothers Day dinner, and then immediately thought, "Marie, get Emry in here, she can do this".

I gave her the recipe and just stepped back while I walked her through each step.  We talked about water temperature, proofing, what dough should feel like,  how to love it (not really, didn't want to scare her, her first time out) rising time and finally how to shape those babies.

They turned out perfect.

Kind of like the girl herself.

Splash

My kids spend half their life in the water, so it was bound to happen sooner or later that they'd turn into Mermaids.

A few weeks ago we were swimming as usual when a mom brought her two daughters to the pool.  They put on their mermaid gear and swam around the pool like something out of a fairytale.  My girls were mesmerized.  Their breath was taken away as they longingly watched these girls living out a childhood dream.

As frugal as my girls are, they stood no chance against the mermaid outfit, it HAD to be theirs.  They both pitched in money and 4 days later it was on our doorstep.

Amidst a busy night Emry pleaded with me to take her to the pool that night.  She even opted to go to an unheated pool because it was bigger and she wanted to have maximum room to swim around.  Even when the sun started to set and a light rain started to fall it didn't faze her, she was living out a dream after all.

And sometimes ..................... dreams really can come true.

Amazing Youth

I work with the youth in our church, specifically the Young Women.  Last night my friend Theresa & I were in charge of putting on a combined Young Men/Young Women activity. We planned an Amazing Race theme which included: Hula Hoop race, pizza dough toss, ice stacking, eating disgusting food, finding safety pins in a huge bowl of rice while blindfolded, jigsaw puzzle, scripture fill-in and a fitness test.

There were 6 teams with about 7 youth per team.  They ran around the building looking for the next country and challenge. 

This challenge had some of the kids almost hurling.  If you ate the pig's feet you got to move on right away.  The sardines, wait 3 minutes, and the beets wait 5 minutes. I told Theresa I did not support the kids eating disgusting pig's feet, but she would have none of it, so pig's feet it was.

One of the boys reluctantly ate the sardines and then asked for more!

I am not sure why this challenge is under Mexico as we all know Mexican Food is the BEST!!!!!

 Here is Emry and one of her teammates Devin eating the pigs feet. I almost couldn't watch. I think they're breaking into a cold sweat right about the time I snapped this.

Here are about half the teams.  My camera really tried to keep up with them but those young'uns are fast!

It's really a privilege to be around all these kids.  They're fun, smart and are really trying to do what's right.  I am thankful to belong to a church that puts such an emphasis on teaching these youth correct principals and giving them lots of opportunities for growth & FUN!

These kids got it going on!

New Job, Career, Life

Glenn had been in the High Tech Industry for 10 years.  Many years it was great.  Towards the end it was a little frustrating for him. An inability to move into positions he felt more suitable for him never materialized. There were major layoffs happening in the Summer of 2011.  Glenn would always say how he hoped and prayed he would get laid off with a severance instead of being forced into quitting by a complete unhappiness with the direction, or lack thereof, his career was headed. 

I was making the kids pancakes when Glenn came downstairs and told me "I am done".  

I was completely in shock.  I couldn't believe that the life we'd had, the job, the stability, the paycheck, the health coverage, was over just like that.

I went to bed that night thinking 'I should be homeless instead of sleeping in my king size bed'.  Isn't that what happens to people without jobs?

I knew Glenn was unhappy.  I knew it was inevitable that his career was going to change.  It just stands to reason that when you're miserable in a job they don't lay you off.  Murphy's law or something like that.  Yes he wanted a change, but it still stung. 

For a few months he joked that he was retired.  But severances don't last forever, and pretty soon he was in full on job search mode.  A small dream in the back of his head was to go into law enforcement.  He went for it and was soon in the thick of the application process, which in law enforcement means picking apart your entire life, friends and family.  No stone is left uncovered.  Every bad choice you ever made is put on the table.  Luckily for Glenn he has always been an upstanding guy and had nothing to hide.

During this time he also started a successful Construction Management Company with a good friend.

Months went by.  Then a year.  Glenn went for interviews, meetings, was turned down, more applications, tests, physicals, tons of paperwork, and round and round it went.

Last month, after almost 2 years of this process, Glenn was hired by the San Diego Sheriffs department.

When he was laid off from Cisco he said "I'll never work in High Tech again".  Apparently he meant it.

He is excited beyond belief to be entering into a career where he will interact with others.  Do good.  Be physical.  Better his community.

I think it's a perfect fit for Glenn.  He decided to follow his heart with this career, and at 40 years old he made it.

He has spent more time than a supermodel getting his hair cut, recut, shorter, shaved.  Workouts have been stepped up, uniforms washed, ironed, folded.  Shoes shined till they're mirrors, gear in order,  making room in his closet for a ton of new work clothes, and of course mentally preparing for this new career ahead of him.

Heraclitus is credited with saying "The only thing that is constant is Change".

I concur.

Helloooooo Savers!

So we got a new thrift store here.  Actually it's in the next town over, but still really close.  I was hurt I wasn't on the VIP list for the grand opening, don't they know who I am?  Guess not.  But maybe I don't deserve to be because it's taken me a whole month to go and check it out.  I had other things to do today, but it just felt right, and shopping as we all know has to be done when you're feeling it, so today was the day!

In the picture above - This dress is stunning!  Thrift stores should be thrifty, but I've seen dresses like this go for $20 and up, so I was delightfully surprised when this "Samantha" dress as Lila calls it was only $4.  I got it for dress up or Halloween but Lila said she wanted to wear it to church.  Great!  I am all for putting on the fancy at church.

Ethan is in dire need of new church clothes.  We got him some slacks from Target but Glenn was unimpressed with their selection of shirts.  I took a chance on this purple shirt hoping Glenn would like it for Ethan, he did!  $4.  And for the record there was no way I could talk Ethan into putting on the rest of his church clothes for the picture.  I barley got him to take the picture.

I LOVE my outfit.  I picked up the shirt, put it back, then later had to go find it.  It's not fitted and I am not a big fan of tucking shirts in, but I couldn't shake it & paired with these pants that I adore, it goes so great.  Shirt $5, Jeans, $2.50  (half off).  Seriously, how great is the waistband on those jeans?  In love.

The linens were calling my name as I am always excited to see if there's any quilts I can score for a deal and then pretend I made them.  There were no quilts, but the book section was stocked and I found a few the kids would love, 69 cents each.

Ethan's been busy reading the Brain Busters Book, my kids love riddles.  The kids will be sucking on their popsicles as Ethan throws out riddle after riddle and we all rack our brain trying to come up with the answer, it's the best fun.  The only hard part is not yelling the answer when I know it, but kids kind of don't like that.  I am only allowed to answer after they see the answer.  But usually I know it, then I feel super smart and they think I am smart and everyone wins.  For the record this means a lot to me in Emry's presence.  It is rare I know something she doesn't, so to impress her is downright awesome!

I am forever putting cookies out on the same white oval platter, so I've been keeping a lookout for some fun new serving dishes for bars and cookies, these 2 fit the bill.  I also got some small, food storage containers.

The platters were $3 each and the containers $2 each.  Not the deal of a lifetime, but pretty good.

Last but not least I found Lila a pair of skinny jeans.  Her pair from the beginning of the year are worn out (she likes her skinny jeans).   It's always a risk when you're buying things that can't be returned, but luckily these fit and Lila loves them.  $4.

 Grand total - $35.70.  Not my best effort, but everything I bought I needed. 

Yes, my new outfit was a need.  Sometimes the line between need and want is extreeeeeeeemely thin.  Right?

Right?



*So a HUGE, GINORMOUS shout out to Kelsey at Kreated by Kelsey who solved a myriad of blog problems for me and gave my blog the fresh, new, lovely design. 

Seriously I can't say enough about how easy this process was for me.  If you've read my blog for any length of time you know technology is not my strong suit.  At all.  At all!!! 

She was super fast, efficient, beyond reasonably priced and did everything I asked in a matter of days.  Her expertise was just amazing.

Anything (meaning Everything!) I didn't know how to do I threw at her and it was done!

She does custom work as well as pre-designed templates (which I chose).  If you want a blog makeover I highly recommend visiting her site.

Just for the record I paid full price for my re-design.  I am just gushing because I never knew I could get such thorough, professional, and utterly awesome help for such a reasonable rate. 

Thanks again Kelsey, you've been an absolute DREAM!

A Year in the Making

Judging by how much attention Ethan gets for his hair, then yes, blondes do have more fun.  When he was little it was white, and now it's just stayed super blonde.  People always comment and ask where he gets it and I just say with a straight face it's because he's an angel. 

As fun and cute as it is having his hair long, there's actually a legitimate reason we haven't cut it in a year.  And that reason is 'Crazy Hair Day'.

Last Year Ethan had long hair as well and cut it into a Mohawk and got so much attention he wanted to do the same thing this year.

I had crazy hair day on my calendar for weeks.  I was so excited to cut off all those locks.  But literally moments before we were going to shave his head Lila says that crazy hair day was canceled.  What?  I called some friends and sure enough it was.  Hence the long hair on his baptism day.  After all this time he wasn't about to cut it before crazy hair day.

So as we're getting ready for school this morning my sister calls and says that TODAY is crazy hair day.  Say What?   I was chaperoning Ethan's class on Monday to Legoland.  I was sick yesterday, and I guess my kids didn't get the memo because we ran around like chickens with our heads cut off this morning shaving heads (Ethan's cousin Nathan's as well) making Mohawks high with hair spary, running to Walmart to get said hair spray. Spraying on color and taking pictures.

But we made it.  Kind of.  Walmart doesn't carry the hair spray that Glenn's prefers for this feat, but we made do with some gel.

And poor Lila, she had to make do with a few pony tails and some spray color as we spent most of the time on Ethan.

Enjoy your Cool Punk Rock status while it lasts Ethan and Nathan, cause it's all coming off today!  Love you little Crazies!

* A Huge thank you to those of you who talked me off the ledge of no comments and made me relax with the whole issue.  Seriously, thank you, I appreciate it a ton.  The words of wisdom are heard, noted and being put into place.

No Comment

I've started a journal at least a dozen times in my life.  A dozen times I've stopped.  When I started blogging it was just little things here and there, snippets of our life.  But the more comfortable I became with it, the more open I became about the reality of my life, reflecting in more honest posts that dig a little deeper into this here home we've created.

It was always my intention to create memories for my kids.  Let them know how I feel about them and life in general as well as let family and friends in on our life.

But as it goes with blogging you create friendships and acquaintances. It's been fun and great but at the same time stresses me out a bit.  Do I have time to comment back to all the comments I receive?  Are they going to be sincere?  Do I even want to? 

And if no then why not just put pen to paper and stop blogging altogether?

There is something I truly love about blogging.  I love weaving our life into a story with pictures.  I love how connected I can stay with those I don't see or even talk to.  Friends I grew up with, family I rarely see, and new friends I've made here. Plus, this is the most success I've had documenting my life, ever!

But the comments.  Aaargh, the comments are killing me.  I love them but it's too time consuming at this time in my life.  I feel my focus needs to be elsewhere.  On studying, on creating, on learning and growth.

More time to annoy the neighbors with the music channels 'Pop Hits' turned up full blast while dancing with the kids.  Less time at the computer.

Sometime I feel myself holding back because I don't want pity, applause, whatever.  I want to put myself out there, I want those interested to read for enjoyment, to learn, or just to laugh at me and my mistakes.  But I don't want you to feel obligated to feel the need to come up with something to say.  This is my life.  My kids.  My heart.  It's too close to me to bear someone throwing out a few words hoping to get a follower, or wondering if my comment is just another tally mark, that's not what I am about. 

This doesn't mean I don't care or am not invested in you.  It just means I need freedom.  Freedom to blog when I want, what I want with no pressure on either of our sides.

I've gone back and forth, back and forth and I think the only thing that will truly work for me, give me the truest sense of freedom is if I turn off all comments.

Our family has some Big, small and I am sure unexpected changes coming up in the very near future.  I am excited to see what happens. Maybe these changes have pushed me to make some changes in my own personal life.  This is the first step, and I have many more to go.

I'll still check in on you.  You're my friends, and I appreciate all the inspiring words I've read and will continue to read.