Anniversary Week! {2-26 to 3-3}

Hi! It has been a while since I've posted anything and I've been thinking about it and I really didn't have much to say. So I didn't say anything I guess. But I did want to write about this past week before I forget!

Robert took a vacation for the week and we celebrated our 8 year anniversary. :)

On Saturday night Kiera told me our schedule for daddy's vacation week. I like how she planned something and then had a "break/off day" between each activity. She's a good little organizer. ;)

Robert's vacation started on Sunday. My mom watched the kids for a few hours while Robert and I went for a drive. I was looking for some photo shoot spots and had some places in mind. We stopped to grab food for me, then a while later we stopped to grab food for him. We did find the place that I want our family photos taken at! On our way back we stopped at a mattress store which made me sleepy because you have to lay down to see if the bed is comfy. haha sleepy pregnant lady here!

Found some tracks, thinking raccoon

Those are some nasty claws that I would not want to come in contact with.

What do you see? A triceratops? 

We thought this place was pretty cool. I think the kids will like it.

Monday was our break-off-day so we did school, did laundry and dishes and picked up around the house and went grocery shopping. It was nice just being all together. Robert ended up making dinner because my back started hurting a whole lot during our shopping trip. I guess pushing two boys in a Costco cart could be a little strenuous but I didn't really think much about it since the cart wasn't full. Note to self... do not have abs of steel...
It also rained!

We heard it start to sprinkle so everyone grabbed their rain gear... as you can tell they were waiting for it to start raining. The sprinkling had stopped when they had gone outside.

Now it was starting to sprinkle. And within minutes it was pouring!

Domenic was the first one to come in. He was cold.

Tuesday, we went up to the snow just past Wrightwood to the Mountain High Ski Resort in the Angeles National Forest. Yay for real snow!!! It had just snowed 6" the night before so that was perfect timing. We don't have snow gear so we brought the kids rain boots. The plan was good but we did not forsee the snow falling into the boots, thus still resulting in freezing toes. Oops. They needed snow pants to go over their boots to prevent that from happening. Maybe next time! The kids got to see a real ski lift just like we had seen in our Curious George book and snow boarders doing tricks. Of course they built a snow man with Robert's help. Actually I think it was a snow lady. The kids (and daddy) got to throw snow balls! So fun! Just the month before was the first time the kids (and Robert) had actually seen and touched real snow but it was mostly ice. So this was the very first time they got to actually sink into the snow and the highlight for Kiera was being able to make snow angels. :)
In the evening we all went out to the softball game and watched Robert play. We don't go out to see daddy play very often so this was a fun ending to our day.
Oh, did I not mention that it was our 8 year anniversary this day! Yep! Spent the whole day all together with all my loves. Robert and I have been together for 11 years, which doesn't seem like very long but so much has happened, so many wonderful things in this short amount of time. I love being the head coach for the manager God gave me, while training our little team players. ;)

hehe

Haha Nathan wanting to throw a BIG snowball at Robert

Robert bombed him with a big snowball before Nathan had the chance to throw his.

hehe

And then Robert got Kiera who said, "Mom! Where are you? I can't see! It's coooold!"

:)

Team work on the base of the snowman

Thought this was cute!

Nathan at the ready with a snowball

Their snow lady. I had given Domenic my gloves because they were dry.

Kiera's snow angels

The drive home as we were coming down the road.

Watching Robert play softball

Wednesday was suppose to be another break-off-day but I ended up going to the doctor's for a rhogam shot and blood test that I was suppose to get a few weeks ago and they felt like I shouldn't wait any longer and then Robert had a doctor appointment with the podiatrist. So we called it our half-break-off-day.

My viewpoint while I was trying on a dress that I had bought when I first found out I was pregnant with Nathan.

Thursday the the other half-break-off-day so we did stuff at home again and then we went to the library. I had been needing to go to the library for a couple weeks and when we finally went the 2 books I was looking for weren't there. Despite that it was still a successful trip and we got some neat books.
Truthfully I couldn't remember what we did on Thursday. I had to ask Kiera. haha

Friday we read a lot of our borrowed books and then went to Disneyland in the afternoon. We all had a good time after the initial crying. Domenic fell asleep, Nathan didn't want to go on the Jungle cruise ride, his crying made Domenic wake up and start crying and then Mommy said "let's go home!" and then Kiera started to cry. Robert had a little talk with the boys and the rest of the time there was enjoyable. The boys and I got some good seats to see the Soundsational parade while Kiera and Robert jumped on a couple rides together. They joined us right before the parade started.
I told the kids during dinner that night that they were lucky they had a nice daddy to give them a second chance today because mommy would have taken them home and that would have been the end of our disney trip with all the crying. They looked at Robert and said "thank you daddy!"

Kiera wore her wings and dressed like Fawn.

She wouldn't look at the fairies while they were talking to her. She answered them but she was being all shy. I thought that was pretty cute because she's usually not.

She posed this way because they told her that's how Fawn would stand. :)

Saturday was Robert's last day of vacation. We got up early to head to the Whittier Pregnancy Care Clinic to participate in their annual Walk 4 Life. Nathan walked half and Kiera walked the whole way. Domenic just chilled in the back seat of the stroller. Before the walk started Kiera got a butterfly painted on her face while the boys and I decorated a sign to hold while we walked. Our sign said Jesus <3's You and had foot prints and hand prints and other drawings the boys wanted to add to it.

Robert got a picture of Kiera before she took a bath.

That was our fun family week!

Oh! One thing I forgot to mention was we finished our taxes before their due date! Seriously, we usually are rushing to get our taxes postmarked on the final filing date. Last year I even had to drive to Robert's work so he could sign the papers before I mailed them. So it only took us 8 years to finally get them done early and I told Robert it's because this year we did not say "we'll get our taxes done early".

Mom Heart Conference-Part 3 {Becoming a Heartshaping Mother}

After going to dinner and not having to repay for parking (woo hoo!) we headed back to the conference for some worship and the first session. Both of Sally's sons got up and talked. The one, which I believe was Nathan, though I'm not positive was talking about his book Wisdom Chasers. He gave the 3 key points of being a wisdom chaser.
1) Teach Children
Not just to know about God but to truly know God.
2) God Chasers
Your kids need a coach, show and train them
A coach doesn't protect the player from the game but prepares them to play the game.
3) Make sure your kids see you chasing after God.

Good stuff!

Session 1: Message 1, Becoming a Heartshaping Mother-Getting Out of Your Children's Faces and Into Their Hearts

What is your legacy? What is the story you're telling with your life? God created women to teach, instruct and model Christ. Also to civilize and train.
The missing pieces-people don't have God's purpose in their life. They're relying on just works which equals toiling and stressing.
In Acts 1, the uneducated men speak boldly about the Word of God and chaged the world.

The Wise Woman Builds Her House (Proverbs 14:1) "The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish tears it down with her own hands."
She has a plan: The Word of God
You can build a condo or a whole estate. In our culture today, someone will always give you an excuse to quit.

She understands and knows God (Jeremiah 9:23-24) "Thus says the Lord, "Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things," declares the Lord."
Be changed by scripture, have passion about it in front of your kids.

She delights in God's Word and ways (Psalm 1:1-3) "How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. And he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers."

She has a focus: The heart of her children
She raises them in the Lord (Ephesians 6:4) "And, fathers, do not provoke your children to anger; but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord."

Be an advocate, not an adversary.
Adversary-stands in the way of or against. In your face parenting.
Advocate-encouraging. In your heart parenting. Protect, educate, lead. Practice being an encourager.
God is our advocate.
When someone has an advocate they will not fall so easily.

A heartshaping mother is one who shapes a relationship that opens her child's heart with grace.
Heart-who you really are, the personality and drive God gave you. Jesus is our biblical model of grace. Through Him was manifested all truth and grace.
Ask yourself, How many ways can I inspire them?

A heartshaping mother shapes the influence that fills her child's heart with truth.
Sally and a couple other women talked about putting groups together for their children, usually when their a little older for positive peer pressure. They would get together and have discussions and games nights. How neat is that!?

A heartshaping mother shapes with culture that holds her child's heart with love.
Fight the battle of the souls for the next generation.

A Heartshaping Mother's Heart Is Shaped by God's Word

She talked about how the heart has 2 beats, an intake and an outflow.
How can you pass on the holiness of God if your not around that which is holy?
Deuteronomy 6:6-7, "And these words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart; and you shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up."
You can not teach diligently to your child's heart what is not already on your own heart.

Colossians 2:6-7, "As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude."
You cannot overflow with thankfulness unless your spirit is rooted and built up in Christ.

The Goal of a Heartshaping Mother


What is your goal?
1 Timothy 1:5, "But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith."

I want my children to be lovers of people. Have a high value for morality. Right is always right, wrong is always wrong. Practice morality and love in front of your children.

God wants us to take care of children because He values children.

Parents, as we are, so they will be. What we sow is what we reap.

Heartshaping is a choice and commitment.

Mom Heart Conference-Part 2 {The Importance of Daily Fellowship}

Friday afternoon, the session speaker was Angela Perritt (GoodMorningGirls.org)who talked about The Importance of Daily Fellowship with God...and Your Girlfriends.
My friend and I plan on starting a group when the next session starts, which I believe is in May. Please join us!

Angela talked about how it is important to be in the word and share scripture with our children. Also, how it is important to keep each other positively encouraged to stay in God's word. This is where the idea of Good Morning Girls started. It's something manageable/doable because it's mostly through email. Sending prayer requests and praise reports, encouragements, etc.

What is God saying to me today? Proverbs 27:17, "Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

The studies that Good Morning Girls host/lead are 3, 3 month sessions a year and all online. The study time can take as little as 10 minutes and the outline of what to do each day is laid out in an acronym SOAP.
Scripture-write it out
Observation-what can I see (contemplate)
Application-God's word becomes personal
Prayer-asking God to help me use His word

I like how she said, God is passionate about His word and about His daughters too and how God is calling us to build a strong spiritual legacy, women of action and prayer.

He gives us just what we need for that day.
Pray to God, asking for favor for children.
Pray without ceasing.
Be willing to build our portion of the wall. Nehemiah 2:20, "So I answered them and said to them, "The God of heaven will give us success; therefore we His servants will arise and build, but you have no portion, right, or memorial in Jerusalem."

Encourage each other to love God greatly with our lives.

Mom Heart Conference {A Mom Like Me}-Part 1

I first heard about the Mom Heart Conference with Sally Clarkson last year but because I heard about it so late I was unable to attend the conference. I was however able to attend the PossibiliTea that was in the morning and only $25. The PossibiliTea was to encourage the Mom's that lead Mom Heart or Mom groups. After I had attended I lead a book study through The Ministry of Motherhood and was so blessed and totally felt like the book was written for me. All last year I planned on going to the conference this year. I asked Robert to buy me a ticket as my Christmas present. :)

I told friends about the conference, especially the ones that had gone through the book study with me and a couple of them were also able to attend, along with my mom.

So this is how Friday started.

The conference started with a panel discussion titled "A Mom Like Me". Sally had asked a group of women, her friends, various questions to help encourage all us moms. I should have written down the questions that she asked, because my answers would have made more sense but you'll still get what they were talking about.

~You have to receive grace in order to give it. 

                       Romans 5:15-17 "But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many. And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for on the one hand the judgment arose from one transgression resulting in the condemnation, but on the other hand the free gift arose from many transgressions resulting in justification. For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ."

~Apologize and be intentional with your time with your children

~Ask yourself, How does the gospel change this?

                       Accept your limitations.

                       Discipleship takes loner but it's a lasting change.

~You cannot hand out water from a well that's empty.

                       Hebrews 10:25 "not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more, as you see the day drawing near."

                       Proverbs 18:1 "He who separates himself seeks his own desire, he quarrels against all sound wisdom."

~Proverbs 21:9 "It is better to live in a corner of a roof, than in a house shared with a contentious woman."

                      I can't expect my husband to hold my burdens for me.

                      James 1:19-20 "This you know, my beloved brethren. But let everyone be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God."

                      Give my husband the gift of undivided attention regularly

~To change our self image, we need to change our image of God

                      He delights in us.

                      Advice from her son, "read the bible everyday to your kids and play legos with them". :)

                      God is at work, He will do great things with your children

                      Don't get distracted by the soul killing things

~Keep our focus on Jesus

                      We are not the light, we simply reflect the Light (the moon has no light, it reflects the sun's light).

~We need support/community.

                       We all need someone to help us but sometimes we need to ask.

~Galatians 5:25 "If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit"

                       Not being perfect, being obedient.

The Moon 2/5/12

Last night after we got home from our friends house Robert looked up and said, "Wow, look at the moon!" We all got out of the car and saw this ring around the moon. Super cool! Robert asked if I'd be able to get a picture of it. So I got out my tripod (that he just got me for Christmas) and with the kids sitting on the front porch got a few shots.
I checked out some information about the ring around the moon and though I haven't been able to finish reading  this article I got out of it that the ring is ice crystals and the moon basically magnifies them or lights them up. It also means that we're going to have bad weather according to folklore. I bet that's how farmers knew when they needed to harvest before the ground froze!
So here are some of the images that I got. If you click on them it will enlarge them.
Let me know what you think or if you have some information about the halo around the moon.

 

 

Garden Planning

So I just got our Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds catalog today. There are some awesome things in there!
Last year was the first year that we had our planter boxes so I bought some organic seed packets at Lowe's/Home Depot, read the instructions on the packets and started planting. Most of it seemed to work out pretty well. The strawberry seeds that I did order didn't grow, I planted carrots and onions but either birds or lizards were eating the sprouts. I had also planted corn and one day the sprouts were there, the next they were gone. I think I planted the watermelon a bit late and then ran out of space to plant any pumpkins. I put a carton around the remaining tomato sprout and broccoli which seemed to save them and then planted a few more things and attached some netting to the top of the boxes to give them a fighting chance. We did grow some amazing and large zucchini, some sugar snap peas, pickling cucumbers, yummy green beans and sweet tomatoes.

But it was a learning year and the kids were still able to help plant the seeds and watch them sprout and grow and produce vegetables. They would say, "look the seed I planted sprouted!" with excitement and pride in their voices.

Over the fall I pretty much just let the garden go. The weeds (mostly tall grass) grew in and around the boxes. So this past week while Robert took Kiera to her gymnastics class Domenic and I went out back and started weeding. Nathan had gone to watch Kiera. I was able to clear out 1 box and most of the weeds around it. Today I cleared out another box. Two more to go! I figured if I work in the garden at least a little bit every day/every other day I'll be able to start planting soon.

This year for planting I drew out what I want to grow and where I want to plant it. I've researched how to amend the soil (though I need to look at that again) and we have netting to protect the little sprouts.
So our list off the top of my head is, more strawberries, sweet onions, zucchini, garlic, pickling cucumbers, green beans, spinach, carrots, corn and cucumbers. We still have our grape vines and tomato plants that I need to fertilize along with our few fruit trees. Along the side of our driveway we're going to plant watermelon and then in the summer pumpkin.

So, I'm excited and if you have any suggestions or helpful tips those would be greatly appreciated! Please don't hold back. I could use the help. :)

At the Tidepools in January {Lots of Photos!}

This past Thursday we had our nature studies down in Corona del Mar at the Little Corona tidepools. I think we go to the beach the most during the winter and spring. Sure we do go in the summer but we tend to swim at my parents more when it's really hot.
I gave Robert my camera and briefly told him how to focus after I had put in the settings. So He went rock climbing (pretty much) while the boys and I were exploring all the hermit crabs and sea anemones. Kiera was more interested in playing in the sand and water with other friends that were there.
Here are some of Robert's pictures. I think he did pretty good!

 Purple Ochre Sea Star

 Sea Anemones

 I like this one!

 A ton of mussels

 I like this one too

 Shore crab

 He was bummed that this one was a little fuzzy

Kiera and friends 

 What do you see in this picture???

 Purple Sea Urchins

"Come on boys, let's see what else we can find."

The boys and I got over to were Robert was after this picture and then we climbed back to the sandy area so we could have lunch, and some water. The boys were ready to play in the water and sand so Robert hung out with them while I took the camera to do a little exploring myself. :)

sea hare eggs

 Sea Hare

 more eggs

 California sea hare, the eggs next to it

 I'm pretty sure this is another sea hare, though it looks very similar to a sea slug

 Snowy Egret

 It was posing for me. :)

 There it goes!

 sea urchin skeletons

 It looks like an old wrinkled sea star

 Abalone? What do you think?

 Sea star caught a mussel for lunch

 So much fun!