randomality

random + reality= randomality
caution: this post is a lot of random 
from my reality.
here i go...

we took emilie and noah to youth group this week for the first time.  youth group...for JR.HIGHERS!!!  michael and i deserve some sort of emmy for playing the part of grown-ups and taking our babies {who are officially 7th & 8th graders} to youth group!   we totally rocked our roles! we were calm, cool, collected...on the outside anyway.  on the inside we were all 

when did this happen!?!

and 

we're way too young to have jr. highers!

and

"AHHHHH!!!!'

and  

we were   i was thinking of cher's lyrics  
"if i could turn back time, if i could find a way." 

but the kids had no idea we were wigging out...i think.  we picked them up 3 hours later and  emilie was all, "that was awesome" and noah was like "it was coolawesious" {a combo of cool, awesome, and righteous. noah creates words.. i wonder where he gets it from}. so youth group was like totally tubular and we're like totally gonna take them back like next week like for sure {just getting in touch with my inner jr. higher from 1987}.

while the big kids {gasp} were doing their teenagery stuff we took josie to a farmer's market.  i thoroughly enjoy people watching, food smelling, and yogurtland {conveniently located near the farmer's market} eating. watching a man paint with is hands and feet was surprisingly moving and beautiful.  the farmer's market will most definitely be seeing us again.

my kids have been enjoying the Summer Fun list we created, that is when they're not watching something on netflix streamed through the wii {to the person who created netflix streamed through wii, THANK YOU!}  i guess i should have added the Dick Van Dyke Show  to our Summer Fun list.

a few summers ago i would have been all 'i'm a horrible mother for letting my kids watch t.v. and not be fully productive,' now i'm totally over feeling like a bad mother for letting my kids watch t.v.  i have too many other things to make me feel like a bad mother, Dick Van Dyke isn't one of them.

speaking of being a bad mother, guess whose kids have never had a slurpee or an iceee???  uh huh, mine.  yeah, i'm a total failure. however,  i like to make up for my failures in BIG ways.  i'm currently planning a 7/11 day on 7/11/11.  i know, i'm like totally coolerrific {cool+terrific}!  as of now the plans are to set the alarm for 7:11, go to a 7/11 and get slurpees, and do things in 7's, but what and when and how and where i do not know! i welcome  really need your suggestions.

i've mentioned a couple of times that michael and i are going to maui this summer.  i started working a little job from home a little over a year ago and decided right away that i wanted to spend every bit of the $ to take michael on a trip for our 15th anniversary.  he has worked two jobs for nearly our entire married life so that i could be a sahm.  he is awesome...actually he is "coolawesious."  i'm thrilled that i have the opportunity to give him a "honeymooniversary {honeymoon=anniversary}." 

so the verdict on my wiww post is in, and it is official NO ONE is a fan of the blue dress. i'm okay with that and am grateful for everyone's opinion.  let me say that i hate dresses.  i have tried on at least 40 dresses in hopes to find something fantabulous to wear in maui.  i see dresses that would have looked great on my pre-baby body... you know when things use to be where,well, they use to be.  i have had some altercations with a few dresses {no i don't mean alterations, it's altercations}.  they ticked me off so i punched them.  yes, the dresses. i punched them hard.  really.  they looked at me with that "you'll never look good in me" look so i hauled off and hit'em!!  apparently i have a mean streak and become violent towards clothing when i can't find something that fits me right. who knew?

after i cooled off i returned to another fancy department store to try on strapless bras {note- there is Godiva chocolate on the sales counter between the lingerie and swimsuit department... a woman thought of that for sure. i'm just say'n} i hate strapless bras more than dresses... needless to say i was escorted out of that department store by the security guard my husband.

mu husband hates my attitude after i've tried on 40 lame dresses and stupid strapless bras {he should have bought me some of that Godiva chocolate if he wanted my attitude to improve. i'm just say'n, again}.

thankfully my girls don't have anger management issues when it comes to clothing.  in fact they are quiet the opposite. they turned their room into a "dress-up room" today.

aren't they adorablative {adorable+ creative}!

when i grow up i am going to be just like my girls {i hope}.

maybe i should wear a hoe-down dress in maui?

after church on sunday we had a few errands to run, then grabbed lunch at IN-N-OUT.  while we were there vans and buses loaded with teenagers swarmed the place!  being the shy gal that i am i quickly approached the teens to find out where they were headed...HUME LAKE!  {i was rescued at Hume Lake 23 yrs ago}  IN-N-OUT burgers and HUME LAKE makes me ALL KINDS OF HAPPY! {note to self eat at IN-N-OUT and encounter Hume Lake bound campers when dress and bra shopping}.  my husband and kids weren't at all surprised when i walked up to the Hume Lake bound folks and shared my birth-story.

{hymn}   

"i love to tell the story, 

'twill be my theme in glory, 

to tell the old, old story, 

of jesus and his love."  

 

 do you love to tell the story? 

so that about sums up my randomality, for this week anyway.

what randomness is happening in your life?
please tell me so i can live vicariously through you!  

wiww, with just a bit of sugar

i'm linking up with my s.i.l. lindsey for another edition of wiww!

i'm also linking up with blog sugar 11's  who will be there, because I WILL BE THERE!

now back to our regularly scheduled wiww programming...

pig-tails... should i or should i not?

maybe someone in their "lower upper 30's" should not pig-tail?

or

maybe i don't look like i'm in my "lower upper 30's" so i can pig-tail.
{"lower upper 30's" is 37. for those of you who think it is the "upper 30's" you are mistaken}. 

top- forever 21

pants- h&m

sandals- old navy
 kid in the background- me {almost 12 years ago}

OKAY, this is where i NEED your help.
be honest.

don't be all bloggy-nice.
i can handle honesty.

i'm going to maui in a few weeks with my husband to celebrate our 15th anniversary...

is this dress a maui yes or a maui no?

maybe "lower upper 30's" and this dress don't mix.
{maybe the expression on my face and this dress don't mix...
maybe i need pig-tails with this dress}

dress- old navy {tag still on}
sandals- old navy

 

 this final outfit i'm wearing whether you like it or not because it is COZY!

dress- target

sandals- target

black tank- somewhere

necklace- lisa leonard, gift from kristen {who is also going to blog sugar}

see you next week for wiww when i ask your opinions
on my maui swimsuit selections...
{bahahaha) yeah, that will never happen...because I AM in my "lower upper 30's."

proactive

a couple of years ago i read the following words on a favorite blog, 

and i have never. forgotten. them.

"if i'm not proactive

i'm reactive

and that can be very unattractive." 

can i just get a resounding "amen!' on that one. 

i've memorized these words and recited them to myself in countless situations...

and ESPECIALLY

when it comes to motherhood.

something that always brings out my reactive and unattractive self is 

the  summer "i'm boreds"

i have spent too many summers with the "i'm boreds"

lingering around here, pestering me. 

frankly, i have little tolerance for them, 

and zero tolerance for the me that surfaces at their arrival. 

creating the summer fun list was me being PROACTIVE! 

and it has 100%

90% helped alleviate 

the "i'm boreds."

YEAH!!!!!

my kids have commented a number of times that they are having a "fun summer!!"

this makes me SO. HAPPY! 

let's be honest the saying 

"when mama's happy everybody's  happy." 

 goes both ways...

because

"when everybody's {i.e. the kids} happy, mama's happy!" 

here's a bit of what's been checked off our list thus far

Camp-In

2 nights of tents in the living room, s'more popcorn, and movies. 

{2 days of mrs. o.c.d. practicing "letting go" while living with a camp-site in the house}

PVC Pipe Sprinklers

 less than $20 for pvc pipe and attachment pieces 

providing HOURS of creating and recreating 

sprinkler mazes!!
this was $ well spent.

Croquet

1000 piece puzzle with Root Beer Floats at it's completion

{they finished the puzzle in 2 days... 2 days of peace and quiet for me}.

Photography Lessons

Sewing

How are you proactive, so your not reactive, and then very unattractive?

wiww, the inside out edition

i'm linking up today 

with my super fabulous 

s.i.l. lindsey, 

from the pleated poppy

for another edition of what i wore wednesday. 

i sang in a wedding last tuesday {yeah, tuesday}

and wore this little number

from my i-wish-i-could-shop-there-ALL-THE-TIME-store,

white house black market

i took the photo when i got home.
{the expression on my face is so serious}
do you see what i noticed when i looked at the photo?
need hints?

look closely at my left shoulder.

still don't get it? 

what's the title of this post? 

YES!!!  MY LACE TOP IS ON INSIDE OUT! 

yes. yes i did attend and sing in the wedding with my top on inside out. 

 am i awesome or what? 

{i'm going with "or what}. 

****************************************************

this next number makes me look like an employee at the store i do shop at ALL-THE-TIME.

let's call it the "yes, i do work at target" outfit. 

{no, i don't really work at target, but i'd obviously wear this to work if i did}

shirt is from {drum roll....}- target.

pants- h&m {they are COZY}. 

****************************************************

this outfit is causing me to recognize that my outfits this week leave little to be desired...

with exception of course to the two silly girls who had to get into my wiww photo shoot. 

shirt- forever 21

ruffle capri's- nordstrom rack

necklace- lisa leonard

flops- some surf shop

****************************************************

the next pic. is the mess on the bathroom counter
beside me as i take my w.i.w.w. photos.
i conveniently edit it from all  my wiww pix,
however
i figure i wore my clothes inside out AND dressed like a target employee this week
so i might at well just throw in the towel
and let it all hang out!

no matter how hard i try
{and apparently i do not try very hard}
i cannot keep my bathroom counter tidy.

yes, i do need a curling iron plugged in on each side of the counter...
that's how i roll {bahahaha, get it? roll.. my hair!}

don't let the double sinks mislead you like they do my husband~
who also seems to thinks we are suppose to "share" the bathroom.

i {heart} lush products, and this aveda hair volumizer,
and my milk-glass candy dish filled with flower pins. 

****************************************************

stay tuned for next week's edition of w.i.w.w.
when i wear my clothes backwards.

"Nachooooooooo"

thank you to gina, from not so random stuff

for inspiring us to add a Nacho Libre night

to our Summer Fun list!

on the menu: nachos & corn-on-the-cob, of course!

 

Nacho Libre quotes:

"it is true. i am Nacho. maybe you have seen me on tv. NACHOOOOOOOOOO!"

"underneath the robe you find a man. underneath the man you find his nucleus."

"you are crassssy."

 "they don't think i know a buttload of crap about the gospel, but i do. ok?" 

"i know it is fun to wrestle. a nice pile-drive to the face; or a punch to the face; 

but you cannot do it because it is in the Bible not to wrestle your neighbor."

"I don't want to get paid to lose. I wanna whin!"

 

what better item can one wear to a "nacho libre night" then a red cape with a big "N" on it! 

 nacho: "hug hug kiss kiss hug hug big kiss little hug kiss kiss little kiss."

this movie is rated PG. it is NOT suitable for all children.

{thank you to chad & sarah markley for introducing us to Nacho}.

Daddy

"Yet to those who receive Him

to those who believe in his name

He gave the right to become

children of God."

John 1:12

it was 23 years ago today, on june 19th 1988, that i received Jesus.

Believed that because of God's unconditional love for me,

Jesus died on the cross,

to be my Salvation,

to give me eternal abundant life.

it is so fitting that every so many years this day falls on Father's Day.

for though i've had 7 "dads" i was fatherless... Until God.

And i wanted a daddy.

i wanted to be scooped up into a daddy's lap and be

held.

treasured.

nurtured.

affirmed.

provided for.

disciplined.

directed.

given a blessing; a future.  

and God has done all these... and so  much more.

He

is

my

Daddy.

and the joy in my heart 

from this child so grateful 

to her Daddy 

is His Father's Day card

today.  

and  the only gift He wants

today

and everyday

is

me

i am all He wants.

 

"I will be a Father to you, and you will be My sons and daughters, 

says the Lord Almighty."
II Cor. 6:18

Summer Fun List

i've been inspired by fellow bloggers to create a Summer Fun list for our family!

with one week of summer vacation complete
this list has already helped us to 

avoid the "i'm bored-s"  

(my 8th grader {yikes!} informed me of my sp- it's croquet not crocket). 

 

can you guess which item on the list i am especially looking forward too?!?

8 days with michael in maui  to celebrate our 15 anniversary while the kids are at camp!!!

and the event that is going to cause quiet a SPLASH...

"dive-in movie" night at the roger's pool!

i'm dreading this one, but yet am SO excited about it too.

 ( MOVE! to where and when we don't know yet) 

what's on your Summer Fun list this summer?

S.Y.T.Y.C.D.

cue music...

♪  ♫ ♩

"play that funky music white boy

play that funky music right
play that funky music white boy

lay down that boogie and play that funky music
till you die"

a few weeks ago we had the JOY of attending a Jones' family wedding.


i ♥ weddings.

and
i ♥ my jones family!

we jones' know how to 
bust a move 

on the dance floor

{or we like to think we know how to}...

the following are clips {pix} from~ 

So You Think Your Mother-In-Love Can Dance

So You Think Your Grandmother-In-Love Can Dance

So You Think Your Husband Can Dance

"pump up the jam

pump it up
pump it

pump it

pump it...

get your booty on the floor tonight

make my day"

So You Think Your Family Can Dance 

there is no "keepin up with the joneses'" when we're on the "hot tamale train!"

caught up

{caught up: preoccupied, consumed, engaged, head over heels, hooked, turned on, immersed, captivated} 
 
because michael and i were already in the bay area for the extraordinary  U2 concert, we decided to take full advantage of our babysitter {thank you tia toni!} 
and savor 2 days together in san francisco.

san fransisco has many appealing historical sights to take in.

pier 39

alcatraz

fisherman's warf

china town

the golden gate bridge
ghirrardelli square  {you had me at chocolate} 

the painted ladies (houses from Full House}

golden gate park {which is larger than central park in new york}
and much more...

but no sight captivates me more than that of my husband.   

i love michael.

really love him.

i have been counting down the days for months till we'd be away together. 

it is him i've wanted to see. 

i've wanted him completely to myself.
wanted his hand firmly in mine.
wanted his time to tick-tock-tick-tock with mine.  

wanted his words and his quiet to be entirely mine.  
i am selfish when it comes to him...

and he is okay with that. 

likes it in fact.

it is so easy to get caught up in the kids, 

in the places-to-be-things-to-do, 

in the bills, 

in the day-in-day-out. 

so easy to become

so caught up in everything else 

that we are no longer caught up in each other...

 as we should be.

Get On Your Boots!

509 days ago {our christmas 2009} i surprised michael with these tickets.

but Bono had back surgery and the U2 360 North American tour was postponed a year. 

{we had babysitters lined up for the original dates so we made the most of it}.

This concert was like no other, and was well worth the wait!

Lenny Kravitz opened and was fabulous!

" du du du du dunt du dunt, American Woman stay away from me..ee," 

 and U2 was "MAGNIFICENT!"

{Bono}

{the lyrics from U2's song Magnificent are delicious soul food... here is a taste}

"I was born, I was born, to sing for You

I didn't have a choice but to lift You up

and sing whatever song You wanted me to 

I give You back my voice from the womb

my first cry it was a joyful noise, oh, oh

only love, only love can leave such a mark, 

only love can heal such a scar

justified until we die you and i will magnify, 

oh, oh, Magnificent."

{The Edge}

our friends john & sylvia were also at the concert.  

they won a raffle and were standing at the edge of the outer stage!  

AND 

while they were waiting in line to enter, U2 walked past their line, 

and Bono reached out and took sylvia's hand then 

kissed her on the cheek!  

{i'm still swooning over it}. 

{this is an old  pic. of me with beautiful sylvia. that is the cheek that was kissed by Bono}

michael kissed me, and told me he loved his gift, and that the concert was a.maz.ing., and that i am the coolawesomest wife ever! 

{i'm still swooning over that too}. 

Maycation 2011

"Maycation all I ever wanted,

Maycation had to get away"

{Maycation: Vacation at the Bass Lake house 
which begins in May but is not limited to May, 
when blog friend turned real life friend, Kristen,  
travels from Idaho to Cali. to be with me!}

We kicked off Mayaction with a meet up in Central Ca.
of the "Snow-Cheney's" and the "Pepper-Cheney's."  

Kristen's husband Lance and Lindsey's husband Sean are second cousins
{you can totally see it in the upper lip}. 
When Sean's g-parents moved to Cali they changed the pronunciation of their last name from {pepper) Cheney to {snow} Cheney, hence the nicknames.

If you have been following my blog for a bit then you know that I love Kristen for her cookies...

she is okay with that.

The weather for Maycation was HORRIBLE.

Instead of basking in the sun, we spent our days curled up by the fire.

The few moments of sunshine we had were spent kayaking and 

fudge-bucketing.

{yes, fudge-bucketing is a verb}.

Our  local friends Ginger & Spinner popped by for an evening to meet Kristen

and her family.

Ginger & Spinner  are awesome.

They think I'm awesome because S'more Egg-rolls were on the menu for desert.

Spinner {who likes to toss things} is tossing marshmallows to my mother-in-love.  

My m.i.l. is awesome.   

Michael Landon.
'nough said.

Regardless of the weather  "Maycation" was WONDERFUL.  

I am grateful to have a friend {who I made blogging} that wants to be with me rain or shine.
Kristen's friendship has become invaluable to me.

I feel blessed to have a friend who wants to share her life, her family, and...

her cookies

with me.