CHRISTmas 2012

Wow...I haven't blogged in a long time.  Sorry.  Life has been extremely busy! 

We decided to do things a little differently this year.  Since Christmas fell on a Tuesday, and The Hubby and I had to be back to work on Thursday, we decided to open presents on Saturday (the 22nd).  This way, the kids got to spend more time enjoying their gifts before having to go back to child care during the break.  Here's our Christmas in pictures (I chose the top 10 memories in pictures):

1. All Ready:

2.  The Anticipation:

3.  Smile before you can open your presents:

4.  Ok, one silly one:

5.  The Wreckage:

6.  Christmas Service (with The Hubby leading the singing):

7.  Making Christmas cookies:

8.  Making Gingerbread Houses:

9.  Making "Crystal Christmas Trees" (Dollar Tree, my friends!)

 

10.  And last but not least, Christmas Dinner:

 

Sometimes it's hard living so far away from our extended family, but we're grateful for each other and our friends-that-are-family here in NM.  We were able to spend a lot of quality time together making memories that will last forever.  I hope you all had a wonderful and blessed CHRISTmas!

Wanted: A Hobby

Often, I find myself wishing I had a hobby - something fun that takes up my free time and that I enjoy doing.  I've tried sewing, but got frustrated and traded my machine to a friend for babysitting.  (Oh, yes I did!)  I cook and bake, but not enough or "fancy enough" to call it a true hobby.  I like to decorate my house/rooms in my house, but that costs money, and to be honest, I only decorate every once in awhile.  Who has time and money to decorate and re-decorate their house over and over?  I blog here, but (obviously), not enough that it's a true hobby.  I love to shop and find good deals, but I'm not sure that counts as a "hobby". 

And to be quite honest, I don't have a whole lot of free time, and the time I do have, I spend with my husband and kids.

After mulling this over for the last few weeks, I decided that my hobby is my husband and kids...they are "the fun that takes up my free time".

And I'm good with that.

Thanksliving

Thanksliving...not a typo.  I know that Thanksgiving is the time of year that we all focus on being thankful.  And while that's a wonderful thing to do, I am challenging myself to be thankful as often as possible - to live a thankful life = thanksliving. 

So what is "Thanksliving"?  For me, it's taking time to be thankful for the little things and the big things.  It's choosing to focus on what is good and not what is bad (which is my habit).  I am being challenged by this verse:

1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NAS) in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus

Giving thanks in "everything" is not for the faint of heart.  This is a challenge - to be thankful in good times and bad = everything. 

We recently had to get our mini van fixed (yes, I'm a mini-van-mom).  It was still under warranty, but we were required to pay $100.  My first reaction was to be irritated, upset, and negative.  Thoughts such as, "If this is under warranty, why am I paying for it?" and "That's ridiculous!  I'm not paying a dime!" ran through my head...until I stopped myself.  Couldn't I just be thankful that I'm only having to pay $100 vs. over $1,000 worth of work that needed to be done?  And couldn't I just be thankful that we had the $100 to pay it, even if we were scraping the bottom of the barrel?  It wasn't easy for me, but I chose thanksliving.  To live out thankfulness in my actions...to be thankful we even have a vehicle, to be thankful that we were able to get it fixed, to be thankful that we could pay the $100...

AND GUESS WHAT???   My husband and I received a $100 bill from someone in our church the same day we went to pick up the van. 

I truly believe that God blesses us when we live out our thanks!  Take the Thanksliving challenge with me and see what happens!

Why not? My Election Soapbox.

Obama. Romney. Biden. Ryan. Democrat. Republican. Libertarian. Green. I agree.  I don't agree.  I'm not sure.  Pro-life.  Pro-choice.  ObamaCare.  No to ObamaCare.  Crumbling Economy.  Improving Economy.  Taxes.  More taxes.  Money. Money. Money.

These are just a smidgen of the thoughts that are bombarding us today.  And since politicians are using their soapboxes, just this once, so will I.  I'm not a "stand-on-my-soapbox-and-scream-until-I'm-heard" kind of girl, but I am going to take a small step onto my soapbox today.

I'm not going to get into the whole issue of parties, platforms, or politics.  But I AM going to say:  IF YOU ARE OF AGE, GO VOTE!  This is a much-coveted freedom that many in the world do not have, and many Americans are so apathetic, indifferent, or undisciplined that they will not exercise this freedom, this right. 

It's sad to say that we live in a country where if you don't completely agree with any candidate, you simply don't vote.  When my husband and I were buying a house, I'll admit, we were pretty picky.  Finally, our realtor told us that it's very unusual to find EVERYTHING, 100% the way you want it.  She told us to find a house we could live with (and in), to hold on to our "must-haves" and be willing to compromise in other areas.  If we weren't able to see it that way, we would still be living in a place we were un-happy in.  I apply this same logic to my voting.  I'm not going to 100% agree with anyone.  I have to look at which candidate I could "live with" being in the White House.

I will also give fair warning: If you are able to vote and choose not to, please do not bombard me with your complaints, negativity, and/or propaganda.  I understand that it's your right (freedom of speech), but this is my request.  You had your chance to let your voice be heard.  You didn't.  Your choice, I  get it.  But it's somewhat ironic that the people you choose not to vote for are the ones upholding your right to "not vote".

Stepping down from the soapbox now.

Halloween Fun 2012

Boy #1:  Hawkeye from The Avengers

Boy #2:  Gynka from Beyblade

The Girl:  Minnie Mouse

Cleaning out our Pumpkins:

Boy 1 had fun!



Boy 2 thought it was funny for some reason... :)  He's just silly that way!

The Girl kept saying, "Ewwww!  This is disgusting!"

The Final Results:

And my favorite part...roasting up the seeds!!!

By the end of all of our events, even the dogs were tired:

 It was a GREAT day!!!



Glowdeo

What's that you say?  You've never heard of a Glowdeo?  Well, my friend, you are missing out!

Glowdeo's are the evening events here in Albuquerque during Balloon Fiesta.  The hot air balloons all inflate, but they stay on the ground and "show their colors".  The night we went started out really windy.  We were SO disappointed, as this was the 2nd time we had attended a Balloon Fiesta event (this year), and the first one we went to was cancelled due to weather.  As sunset approached, the winds started to die down, but none of the balloonists were unloading their gondolas or balloons.  We were pretty bummed.  Then, finally, one balloon team got brave.  Here is the first lone, brave balloon to inflate:

We were exited, but didn't want to get our hopes up since we still weren't sure on the weather situation.

Then, just at dusk, it happened.  More balloons started going up.

By the time dark came, we were like kids at a party with larger-than-life party balloons!

Then, the countdowns began over the loudspeaker...

10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1...NOW!  ...And instantaneously, all the balloons light up!

I'm tellin' ya...if you've never been to Balloon Fiesta, you MUST add it to your "Bucket List".  There's nothing else like it!

 

Not According To Plan...

Well, my friends...we had QUITE the eventful and uneventful weekend, all at the same time! 

Our plan was to:
1.  Wake up before the crack of dawn to go to Balloon Fiesta. (check)
2.  Get a good parking spot and get to a good sopt on the field (check)
3.  Watch in awe all of the magnificent hot air balloons going up all around us.  (non-check, as the weather was too windy for any of the balloons to go up.)  BOO!  We got up for nothing really.
4.  *Un-expected*:  Boy 1 and I were on the news. :)  We stood behind the channel 4 weather man, Steve Stucker, while he gave one of his reports.  We even got texts from friends who saw us! :)

IN OTHER NEWS...

We had to get rid of our cat, Zeke.  We've had him for over 13 years, but for family reasons, we just couldn't keep him anymore.  Even though he's "just a cat", pets (even obnoxious ones), become part of the family.  He was my companion in college when Darrin was working or was away for long periods of time with the National Guard.  He will be missed. 

We had always told the kids that if Zeke died or we got rid of  him, we would consider getting another dog.  SO...We now have "Gizmo" with us.  If it all works out, we will keep him.  We still have McGee (pictured above with Zeke).  McGee is HYPER, to say the least.  He's jumpy, loves to run around, and will play with the kids for hours on end...and we LOVE him!  Gizmo, on the other hand, is pretty much the polar opposite of McGee.  He's calm, loves to snuggle up next to me, and is content to just follow me around the house as I do "regular stuff".  Here's a picture of Gizmo:

I think he looks like an Ewok. :)

So, as far as the weekend is concerned...things didn't go according to plan, but it was still GREAT!  We will try Balloon Fiesta again this weekend.  Hopefully the weather cooperates!

What did you do this weekend?

Hot Air

YAY!!!  It's "That Time" of year again...Balloon Fiesta!  If you don't know what Balloon Fiesta is, you're missing out!  It's the largest hot air balloon gathering in the world, and it's hosted right here in Albuquerque!  We usually have 600-800 hot air balloons attend this event. 

We're going tomorrow morning, not-so-bright and early.  We usually leave the house around 4:30 am so we can see dawn patrol which looks something like this (picture taken last year):

The trucks with the gondolas and balloons roll onto the giant field at Balloon Fiesta Park and begin unrolling the balloons and filling them with air from giant fans.  You can literally be right next to the balloons like Boy 1, Boy 2, and I last year:

It is truly magnificent to see hundreds and hundreds of balloons launching one after another after another...

If you've never been, ADD IT TO YOUR BUCKET LIST!

Later this weekend, I'll be posting TONS of pictures from tomorrow's fun!!!

Hoarding

Have you ever seen the show "Hoarders"?  It's a show about people who save EVERYTHING, and I mean EVERYTHING.  They have no room in their homes because it's so packed with junk that they think is important.  Often, because of their hoarding, they don't have any more livable space in their home. And the thing is, they've become so accustomed to the clutter, they don't even notice it.  In fact, they value it.

I don't often watch this show because, quite frankly, it grosses me out.

I recently cleaned out my dresser and closet.  There were some great items of clothing that I love, but for one reason or another, I don't wear them anymore, so they have become "closet clutter".  I used my trusty old slogan, "When in doubt, do without" and went to work weeding out clothes I don't wear.  It was time to get rid of the stuff I don't need anymore.

I started thinking about life and how I'm pretty sure that I hoard old feelings, old memories, negative thoughts, etc. and how "cluttered" my heart must be.  And just like the houses on the show "Hoarders" grosses me out, it is quite possible that I have trash in my heart that should gross me out too.  Is there any more livable space in my heart?  The answer is, yes.  There is some livable space in my heart, but I'm sure I can clear out some of the clutter that I have become accustomed to. 

So my challenge to myself is to de-clutter my heart.  I need to work on weeding out unhealthy thoughts, feelings, memories, etc.  I know that I can't ever forget certain things, but I can choose not to focus on them.  I can't erase past hurts, but I can choose to forgive.  I can't take back harmful words/actions directed at me, but I can choose to give someone another chance.  I can choose to label junk, as "junk"...to stop valuing it, and to put it in the trash where it belongs.

Life truly is about choices.  What will you choose?

Muchness

mad hatter, a photo by **tWo pInK pOSsuMs** on Flickr.

"You used to be much more muchier. You've lost your muchness."
~The Mad Hatter

I love this quote from Alice in Wonderland! And even though it sounds non-sensical, it makes sense. It's Lewis Carroll's version of "Carpe Diem". Lately, I've found myself examining who I am, who I've been, and who I want to be. And I have to ask myself, "Have I lost my muchness?" Am I living life to its fullest?

I like to think that I am. But I also must admit that it's very easy for me to put all of my time and energy into the "here and now" instead of thinking of the long-term. Will my kids remember me as the mom who worked all the time, or the mom who took time to help them with their homework, took them out for ice cream, or read a book with them?

I don't really have any answers, advice, or tutorials on how to keep your "muchness", but I'll be thinking on it. If I come up with any great ideas, I'll be sure to share.

Until then, what do you do to keep your "muchness"?

Ego Check #1

Proverbs 25:17 - Seldom set foot in your neighbor's house - too much of you, and he will hate you.

I read this verse the other day and actually laughed out loud...because it's true.  As much as we want to be wanted, sometimes we can be too pushy.  As humans, we tend to push our way into friendships and relationships that aren't good for us.  We push to get our own way.  We honk our horn when someone makes us wait 5 whole seconds (*gasp!) after the red light turns to green.  We all need space sometimes.  If a friend is acting "distant", don't take it personally.  Let them know that you're there for them, and then give them space (i.e. back off). 

My best friend through high school and college and I had this down to a science!  We were ALWAYS together.  In college, we were either sleeping at my house or hers.  We took classes together.  Our breaks were together.  We hung out with our boyfriends together.  We pretty much shared all of our clothes.  We TP'd people's houses together...you know, all the normal stuff BFF's do.  :)  But every so often, enough was enough.  We would back off for about a week...sleep at our own houses.  We would go out with our boyfriends alone instead of double dating.  Then, we would start all over again with hanging out 24/7.  Neither of us got our feelings hurt.  We knew it wasn't personal, we just needed some space.

So this verse made me laugh, as it is a not-so-subtle-reminder that we can be annoying too.

Give people space when they need it.

The End.

The Witness Protection Program

What do you think of when you hear the word "Witness"?  Many Christians will think of things like, "spreading the gospel", "preaching to the lost", or "to tell people about God".  And while these are great Sunday School answers, that's not really what "witnessing" is.

Just take the word "witness".  A person who witnesses a crime was there when the incident happened.  They experienced part of the story.  When you watch the news, they don't interview a friend of a friend who "saw the whole thing happen".  They want the the person who was there.

The thing about people who have witnessed a crime is that they're human.  They will see things from different perspectives.  They will have past experiences that may play a role in how they viewed the crime.  An ex-police officer will see things differently than a nurse will.  Do you see (witness) what God is doing in your life each day?

As Christians, it's easy to tell other people's story.  But what's YOUR story?  How did God change YOU?  It's great to be encouraged by the stories and lives of others, but what have YOU witnessed?  Have you become so stagnant in your walk with God that you no longer know how to share what God has done for you?  Or worse, have you failed to see how God is in your life and how He is working?  Or worse yet, have you abandoned your relationship with God for the day-to-day "Christian Acts" of doing the right thing?  Do you solely rely on the stories and experiences of others to drive your faith?  Or ARE YOU WINTESSING NEW THINGS ABOUT GOD EVERYDAY?  That's where I want to be.  I admit that I'm not there now.  But I want to be there.  Because to "be there", means that I have new and fresh experiences with God each day.  To "be there" means that I am daily surrendering my selfishness for His will.  And you know what?  When I do that, no matter what the obstacles, He promises to be a shield around me -- my protection. 

Psalm 3:1-4

Lord, how many are my foes!
How many rise up against me!
Many are saying of me,
“God will not deliver him.

But you, Lord, are a shield around me,
my glory, the One who lifts my head high.

I call out to the Lord,
and he answers me from his holy mountain.

David wrote the above Psalm while his own son, Absalom, was trying to kill him.  Boy, talk about a time in his life when he probably felt like he wasn't "witnessing" God's love.  Even though at the time he wrote this he was "witnessing" a lot extremely difficult situations, he also was "witnessing" God's protection.  

What have you witnessed?

First Day of School

Here they are.  Boy #1 and Boy #2 on their first day of school.  4th Grade & 1st Grade.

 

 

Aren't they the cutest???

It's That Time of Year...

"I would buy you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address."  Who knows what movie that's from?  It's one of my favs!

Well...it's time for school to begin.  I say it every year, but this summer went by FAST!  I can't complain though.  I was able to spend some quality time with my kids, hubby, and even my parents!

As the school year begins, I probably won't be blogging as much as I normally do.  I'll do my best to post when possible, but no promises.  :)  Life gets crazy when school starts, but it's an "exciting-kind-of-crazy". There are the new school supplies to buy, backpacks to pick out, snacks and food for lunches, and most importantly (to the kids): new shoes.

There are always new challenges as each school year begins.  Right now, my family is facing some personal challenges.  We are trusting God to provide what we need.  If you think of us, I would appreciate some extra prayers sent our way.  Until then, we will:

Trust in the Lord with all your (our) heart(s)
    and lean not on your (our) own understanding;
⁶ in all your (our) ways acknowledge him,
    and he will make your (our) paths straight.

Proverbs 3:5,6

Creative Organization!!!

So, as I've mentioned in previous posts, I'm a purse-a-holic.  This has caused some unrest in my household, particularly in my bedroom, as there isn't a good place to keep my purses organized and out-of-the-way-yet-accessible. We don't have a walk-in closet, and the storage in our bedroom is lacking, to say the least.

Here's the problem...a jumbled mess of purses:

I've been trying to figure out a creative way to store them that doesn't use a lot of space.  Then, I had a brainstorm. (Cue excessive thunder and lightning.)   I took a quick trip to Lowe's.  In 30 minutes I was out-the-door with the necessary items, which cost right around $40.

The first thing I did (actually, the Hubby did it), was to hang a curtain rod on my bedroom wall.  I wish I would have taken a picture of the curtain rod, but I forgot.  (You'll see what it looks like in later pictures.)  Life will go on.  I chose the cheapest silver one they had (right around $16.00).  It extends up to 84 inches.

I also purchased shower rings like this:

They're easy to open and close and are pretty sturdy.  These were right around $9.00 for a package of 12.  I bought 2 packages.  I looked at the "S hook" styled shower rings, but I didn't think they'd be sturdy enough to hold purses.  I also looked at the cheap plastic rings that "snap" together.  Even though they were significantly cheaper (apprx. $2.00 for 12), they were VERY difficult to open and close...and let's just say it;  they weren't very pretty.  :)

Next, I started "hooking" my purses onto the rings like this:

I'm sure you can see what's coming!  :)  Then, I simply hung the shower rings on the curtain rod like this:

(See, there's the curtain rod!)

TA-DA!!!  (Cue thrilling music)  THE FINAL RESULT :

I was very happy with the way this worked!  I know it isn't fancy, but since I don't have a lot of room for extra shelves and "stuff" in my room, this was the *perfect* solution!

13 years

13 years ago, Darrin and I said, "I do".

The "Highlight Reel" of our life thus far...
1.  moved into our first apartment together in Springfield, MO. - 1999
2.  graduated with our Bachelor's degrees from Central Bible College (Darrin - Pastoral Studies & Bible / Me - Education & Bible with a minor in History). - 2001
3.  accepted jobs, moved to Albuquerque, NM, and moved into our second apartment together. - 2001
4.  bought a brand new townhouse. - 2002
5.  had Boy #1. - 2003
6.  had Boy #2. - 2006
7.  sold the townhouse and bought our first house. - 2006
8.  had The Girl. - 2009

Here's to adding to our "Highlight Reel".  Cheers!

Just for kicks and giggles, here's a picture of Darrin and I on one of our first dates:

For the Record:

Why does it seem that in today's society the words "disagree" and "hate" have become synonyms?

I disgree with people on various issues and at various levels.  It doesn't mean that I hate them.  I disagree with my 6 and 8 year olds when they want to eat donuts instead of dinner. 

That does not equal hate. 

I disagree with my husband when he wants to watch golf (borrrrrrrrrrrrrrring!), and I want to watch Gone With the Wind.

But that does not equal hate.

I disagree with those who support abortion.

But that does not equal hate. 

I disagree with those who support same-sex marriage.

But that does not equal hate.

I disagree with people who wear black pants and brown shoes.

But that does not equal hate. 

I know that everyone has their view on what's right and what's wrong.  I'm not here on Earth as judge and jury to mankind because that's not my job (Matthew 7:1-6).  I'm here to love people.  Period. 

Romans 13:8 - Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another...

I will share my opinions, stand by my beliefs, and take action when convicted to do so, but that does not mean that I hate anyone who disagrees with me.  And although I cannot (and do not wish to) control someone else's words, responses or actions, I surely hope that hatred isn't pointed at me because I disagree with you.

Just for the record.

Training

With it being the Olympics right now, I've found myself listening to how much these athletes train.  It's crazy!  Some of these Olympians, who are still in high school, practice from 5:00-6:30 am before going to school all day, then train more after school.

I can't think of anything I've "trained" for like that.  Whether it was a sport, playing piano, even "life things" like marriage or parenting.  It's not that I didn't work hard at those things.  It's not like those things aren't important to me.  So should I feel guilty about that?

I'm a hard worker.  I'm a wife, a mother, a friend, a daughter, a sister, a pastor's wife, an educator, a fine arts coach, a Sunday School teacher, and I carry a more-than-full-time-job.

Is it more important to focus on ONE THING to master or to spread out your attention to many different areas?  I definitely spread out my attention to MANY different areas.  I'm not an expert on any one thing, but I'm pretty good at several things.

What do you do?  Would you rather be really good/an expert at one thing or really good at several things?

Deep Breath...My Own Personal Challenge

^{I Peter 3:3-5
3} Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. ⁴ Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.⁵ For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to adorn themselves.


Wow.  I'm gonna be honest...These verses are a personal challenge for me.  Let's be real...I like outward adornment, wearing jewelry, and fine clothes.  I've always liked to look nice.  I like jewelry, clothes, purses, and shoes.

Does having this stuff mean that I'm un-Godly?  Heavens, no!  (No pun intended...)

There is nothing innately wrong with outward adornment, wearing jewelry, or fine clothes.  The question here is, "Where is your beauty found?"  Do you count on perfect make-up, coordinated accessories, expensive purses, your version of a "perfect body", or fancy clothes to define you?  Or is your beauty found in who you are and WHOSE you are?  The way you choose to see the world.  The way you choose to respond to difficult situations. Who you choose to model yourself after.  In real-life situations, nice clothes, jewelry, purses, and shoes will not help me see the world the way I should.  They will not help me respond to difficult situations in a Godly manner.  And those nice "things" are not the measurement of my integrity. 

My beauty should come from my inner self. 


Now, this does NOT mean that I'm going to start ignoring how I look, dress in unflattering clothing, and stop wearing make-up (that might scare small children!).  But I AM going to focus on beautifying WHO I AM, with less focus on HOW I LOOK.  

This is my own personal challenge:  To be sure I don't overlook my inside in a quest to perfect my outside.  In fact, to focus on my inner beauty.  To take time to truly reflect on the person I am now and the person I strive to be. 

Where do you find beauty?

The Square Root of 5.91607978. Bromine's Atomic #. 30 + 5.

This weekend is my birthday.  35.  The age you have to start "rounding up".  I'm ok with that.
Instead of be-laboring the fact that I'm getting older, I thought I would focus on the good in my life.  Some things on my list are considered incredibly important and some things are simple, yet I am still grateful for them.  So here it is:

35 Things I Love In My Life Right Now:
1.  My Husband.  Our story is a twist and tangle of "near-meetings" until God brought us together at the right time.
2.  Boy 1.  He's smart, funny, compassionate and tender-hearted.
3.  Boy 2.  He's a pistol, a stinker, and has the best one-liners ever.
4.  The Girl.  She's sassy, silly, and loves "sparkleys" and crowns.
5.  Family.  I have an amazing family, and I know not everyone can say that.  I'm blessed!
6. Church Family.  Because we live away from our family, we've found so many people here that we consider our family--that we can call anytime of the day or night, and they'll be there for us in a snap.  I am so thankful for each and every one of them!
7.  Milestone:  I earned my Master's Degree this past year.  WHEW!  I am SO glad that's done!
8.  Friends.  What would I do without them?  We laugh together, cry together, pray together, shop together, and have fun together.
9.  People Who Love My Kids.  We are so blessed to have people in our lives that love our kids.  And I mean, LOVE our kids.  What would we do without you?  (You know who you are!)  :)
10.  My Faith.  It defines me and my actions.  It is who I am.
11.  Time With My Family.  This is something that I'm trying to get better at.  Recently, we took a couple of trips that gave us life-long memories.  I'm so grateful for these times.
12.  Laughter.  Yes, I'm thankful for laughter.  And if you know me, I love to laugh.  :)
13.  Trials.  Yes, I'm thankful for trials too, because through them I learn, grow, and become stronger.
14.  Snuggling With My Kids.  I'm so glad that my kids are still young enough to climb into my bed Saturday mornings and ask to snuggle.  I know it won't be this way forever, so I'm loving every minute of it now.
15.  My Camera.  Clicking away pictures is a fun hobby for me.  I'm not by any means a great photographer, but I've found something I enjoy doing.
16.  Pandora.  Hillsong Radio.  Christian Rock Radio.  Michael Buble Radio.  Motown Radio.  Beatles Radio.  Golden Oldies Radio.
17.  Burrito Day.  It's a Brown Family Tradition:  Every Saturday morning, we get breakfast burritos at Golden Pride.  #11 = YUM! :)
18.  My Job.  Even though it can be stressful at times, it's also immensely rewarding.  I know I'm where God wants me to be!
19.  Our House.  It isn't perfect (I HATE our yards), it isn't big, and it isn't fancy, but it works for our family.  I am thankful!
20.  This Blog.  I love having a place to type/vent/jot down my thoughts, ponderings, and other such nonsense.
21.  Zeke the Cat.  We got Zeke the month we got married.  Darrin was still in the National Guard and had to be away quite often.  We knew we didn't have the time for a dog, so we got a cat.  Even though he can be annoying, he's been my faithful companion for many years.
22.  McGee the Dog.  He's hyper, loves to play, and adores being petted.  He's the perfect fit for our family.
23.  Shutterfly.  Yes, Shutterfly.  I'm a wanna-be scrapbooker with tubs full of scrapbooking supplies that I bought with good intentions but will never use and about about a ba-jillion pictures.  Enter, Shutterfly.
24. Caffeine.  No, seriously.  Caffeine.
25.  Pinterest.  Because of Pinterest I know just how non-crafty I really am.  JK...seriously though, I have found and tried recipes, crafts, projects, and more from Pinterest.  Love it.
25.  Life Lessons.  I think this past year, one of the biggest Life Lessons I had pounded into me over and over, was to "Just Let It Go"--to stop dwelling on what I can't control and fix what I can.
26.  Instagram.  Hello, my name is Erin, and I'm an Instagram-a-holic.  Hello, Erin.
(PS-my Instagram user name is erebear7)
27.  Milestone:  This year = No more diaper changing!  Woo-Hoo!
28.  Forgiveness.  Because without it, I'd eventually be all alone.
29.  The Smell of Rain.  It's not very common to smell rain here in Albuquerque, but that smell brings to mind a clean start, new growth, and fresh beginnings.
30.  DVR.  The Pioneer Woman.  Bizarre Foods With Andrew Zimmern.  Giulianna and Bill.
31.  Life Lesson.  I need to do the right thing regardless of how someone else responds.
32.  8, 6, 3 = The Ages Of My Kids.  They are in a wonderful stage where we can truly enjoy spending time together without worrying about diaper changes, nap times, bottles, or sippy cups. 
33.  My Local Farmer's Market.  I'm trying ("trying" being the key word here) to eat healthier and lose weight.  My local Farmer's Market has really good fresh produce that makes me excited to eat a salad for lunch everyday.  Sometimes it's the little things...
34.   Legos and Barbies. 
Dear Legos and Barbies, 
You have occupied my children and given me many 30 minute naps this year.  You have my sincerest thanks. 
Your Friend, Semi-Rested Mom
35.  LIFE.  I love life!

This is my Birthday List.  I challenge you to make one too...and it doesn't even have to be your birthday!  Link up and share your list!  :)

On Adoption: Part 2 "DON'T ADOPT!"

There are some who just don't understand adoption.  I've actually heard people say, "If I can't have my own baby, then maybe I just won't have kids.  I could never raise someone else's child." Or, "I'll always know she/he isn't really my flesh and blood."  Or, "I just can't see how it's the same as having my own baby."

Speaking as an adoptee, let me be frank.  If that's how you feel, I'm asking you NOT to adopt. 

If you can't see that baby/child as your own baby/child, then DON'T ADOPT. 

If you feel that you're doing the world a favor and that adopting makes you "Humanitarian of the Year", then DON'T ADOPT. 

If you have children that are biologically your children and you don't think you can treat an adopted child the same, then DON'T ADOPT.

If you are adopting to simply "remove a child from a bad situation", but are not longing for a child to love, teach, and raise, then DON'T ADOPT.

If you are not willing to understand and deal with a child who may have issues with their identity later in life (which btw, is an issue not limited to adoptees), then DON'T ADOPT. 

If you are looking for a child to "fit your mold" and are not willing to understand that this child may come with emotional and spiritual baggage (and btw, who doesn't have baggage?), then DON'T ADOPT.

BUT...

If you are willing to lovingly, openly, and whole-heartedly, accept this child into your home as your own flesh and blood, then PLEASE ADOPT.

If you are willing to not only accept any emotional or spiritual baggage, but to do whatever it takes to help them work through their baggage, then PLEASE ADOPT.

If you are longing for a child to love, teach, and raise as your own, then PLEASE ADOPT.

Please understand.  I'm not looking down at people who may feel like they can't adopt.  It's not for everyone.  I'm simply saying that if you can't fulfill the requirements of a "PARENT", regardless of genetics, or if adoption is something you "really don't want to do" but it's the only way for you to have children, PLEASE re-think adoption, or pray and ask the Lord to change you heart regarding adoption.  

Adopting is NOT about practicing Christian charity.  (Although I DO believe that God blesses adoption.)  It's about creating a family. 

Where We Went...What We Did: Part 2

4.  Bass Pro Shop.
When we first arrived in Denver, we were looking for something fun but cheap/free to kill some time.  The perfect answer was Bass Pro Shop.  It's a fun place to look around and was perfect for a nice walk since we had been in the van for a few hours.  We giggled at this sign as we walked in:

***I don't know why this picture is so small...but it says, "Welcome Fisherman, Hunters, and Other Liars"

5.  The Denver Aquarium. 

WOW.  Besides the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, this is the best Aquarium we've been to.  It could seem a little pricey at $16.99/adult and $9.99/child plus $7.00 for parking, but it was well worth it.  (***NOTE***When we went up to the counter to purchase the tickets, they had this huge banner that made it look like there was only 1 ticket option for around $22.00/person.  NOT TRUE.  That includes a short movie and face painting or something like that.  There IS an admission-only ticket.)

There are MANY, MANY tanks and exhibits to look through.  We were there for over 3 hours.

They also have animals besides fish, eels, starfish, etc.  There are tigers, otters, snakes, frogs, and MOST importantly (to The Girl), MERMAIDS!

The Girl could NOT keep her eyes off of "Ariel".  During this little show that they do, there are speakers in the room where you watch.  A scripted dialogue comes on, and the mermaids in the tank mouth all the words so it looks like they're talking to you.  The mermaid appearances are every 15 minutes from 10am-2pm.   

After the show, the mermaids come out of the tank and you can get your picture taken with them!  And the coolest part:  it was F-R-E-E!  They have their own photagrapher there and you can buy a picture in their "special paper frame", but they also let you take your own pictures. 

In the picture above, one of the divers was playing "rock, paper, scissors" with Boy 1 through the glass.

They also had 2 really cool touch pools.  One of them had different varieties of starfish and horseshoe crabs.  The other was a large tank with Stingrays.  You could touch them, and if you wanted to purchase little cartons of fish, you could hand feed them.

6.  Pagosa Springs, CO.

Pagosa Springs is a sweet little town known for it's abundance of natural hot springs.  We stopped here because it was a good 1/2 way point for us between Denver and Albuquerque.  They have a well-known resort with over 20 different soaking pools.  You do not have to stay at the resort to soak in their pools.  It is $22/adults and $14/kids (children 2 and under are free with a paying adult).  It was our intention to go to the pools, however, we got into town around 6 pm and no matter what time you enter the pools, it's still full price. 

So instead, we walked along the San Juan River and explored the natural hot springs along the way.

And, of course, the kids' favorite thing to do...throw rocks in the river.

FOOD ON THE TRIP: We all know that one of the most expensive things on a trip can be the food.  It's not like you can go without it, so we had to figure out how to save money.  We brought a cooler with lunch meat, cheese, apples, grapes, drinks, etc., as well as a box with snacks.  We made sure the hotels we were at served a free continental breakfast.  Whenever we were out and about, we brought our own snacks, so we didn't have to pay $1.50 for an individual-sized bag of chips.  We ate picnic-style lunches with our cooler food pretty much everyday.  We would find a nice park, let the kids run and play, and have lunch together.  We usually ate dinner at a restaurant.  Sometimes it was a nice place (like the restaurant in the Denver Aquarium), but more often is was Mc Donald's, Wendys, or the like.

Well...this is the second and last re-cap of our family vacay.  If you have any questions about our trip, where we went, what we did, etc. just leave me a comment and I'll get back to you!