WOOT-Flip Video

Hey all! For those of you who were interested on that little gem I snagged on www.woot.com last month it's for sale again and this time its only $69!!!! They only have the flip video recorder left in black but its a great deal and shoots great. (see video below) It also comes with the program to make the music videos like I did and also Cd's etc. You can even plug the little baby into your TV and show friends and family what you recorded. Have a great day and I hope you get one.

Date Night Rocks!

We went on a date night with some friends last night and we had the best time! I decided we needed to try something different, you know get out, explore, live a little. So we went indoor rock climbing. There is this great place in Riverside called ThreshHold if you ever get a chance go online and check them out. The owner is a Christian and it had a great family atmosphere. We climbed for over three hours and I have decided that rock climbing is the ULTIMATE full body work out. It works every part of your body and is a great core exercise so my abs are feeling it today. After the rock climbing we went to the Claim Jumper for dinner. YUMMY! Thanks Jeff and Allie for a great date night, next month I'm seeing................................ race car driving!!!!!

Snakes, Snakes Go Away!

I'm glad none of the little boogers in this photo got hurt today. It's only April and the snakes are alive and well in Wildwood Canyon. The other day Dan was out on his bike and didn't see one along the curb until it reared up at him. The problem with that is Dan' shoes are locked into his race peddles so reaction time is a bit off. Yikes!

So all the boogers were playing on the rocks in front our two houses (trying to catch lizards of course) when the second booger yells to the fourth booger,"hey, come catch this funny lookin' lizard!" The fourth booger walks over to catch said lizard and says to the second little booger,"Uh OH! That's a baby rattle snake! Run!" So all the little boogers come running into our garage screaming givin' mama' a near heart attack!! Yikes! I am oh so thankful to God tonight that none of the cute little boogers in this picture got bit today. The last two summers there have been snake bites in our area and small kids have had to be airlifted out. Scares me to death.

I think for the most part I have adjusted to the bobcat that frequents our back door, the coyotes, the fox and even the skunk who lives in our backyard. Owls? Loud but love em'. Lizards and even the tarantula........OK maybe NOT the tarantula. I just CAN'T get used to the rattle snakes though. Oh and right before we bought the house they shot a bear out of the tree across the street from us; hhmmmm.......I think you will be able to hear me scream from there! ;)

My Birthday Weekend

I gotta' say as far as husbands go Dan is pretty much at the top of the list in way of making me feel loved all year long but this weekend was really needed. Close to home, not complicated and lots of sunshine. We stayed at the Hilton Regency Hotel in New Port Beach and it was ooohhh so relaxing. We shopped a little, soaked in the spa a little and ate ALLOT! :) We were walking on the pier last night after dinner enjoying the sights and sounds and just in time for me to catch this beautiful shot.
Our good friends went away with us to help us celebrate and that made it extra special.


My mom kept the girls and from what I can tell a fun time was had by all. I think the torture to her was kept to a minimum at least from what she is telling me. She did mention to me that she was T-I-R-E-D!! He,heee welcome to my world! :)
When we got home we were greeted by happy, soaking wet kids who were playing outside in the water, a homemade cake and the sidewalk decorated with birthday wishes all the way to the door. So stinkin' cute! Oh and my mom had made us dinner so I could end my weekend on a high note.

Seriously, I LOVE birthdays; mine, yours, every ones! Thank to everyone who called me this morning and sent cards, truly I was blessed by your thoughtfulness. Thank you also mom for letting me get away and not have to worry about the girls. It was so relaxing. Are you busy same time next year cause I will need another break by then? :) Have a great night everyone!

Dear Jesus

"Dear Jesus, I know I ask allot of you and am constantly knocking at your door with requests. It must get exhausting to clean up mess, after mess, after mess. I really think this will be my last plea and I promise to keep it short, but do you think you could just come back NOW because I am NOT going to survive 4!"

"You see Jesus, she is really so dang cute, but the buttons she knows how to push with me make me realize how much I missed 3!!
" I was on a walk the other day enjoying your creation when it dawned on me that I had been praying all wrong. Instead of give me patience, kindness, guard my anger and tongue, I need to be praying you will just come back today because I am not cut out for teenage daughters. Don't worry you still have time they are only 4 and 8 but the longer you take the more grey hairs they make."

"I appreciate all the sweet old ladies you put in our path at the grocery store and bank who smile ever so sweetly and say,"enjoy this time honey it won't last!" And in the back of my head I am thinking,"Thank you Jesus, that is the hope I am holding onto lady!"

"I found a grey hair and I am waking up in the mornings much slower, I think it's all part of their bigger plan to take over! So if you could find it in your heart to just answer this one last prayer, please come quickly cause I'm pulling out all my hair!!!"

The good news is this; I am getting in the car with my husband this afternoon and driving away to the beach for the weekend for a nice romantic birthday getaway. My mom is staying and no I won't be leaving the camera; I don't want any proof that this little one tortured her all weekend. Thank you again mom and God bless you for rescuing me this weekend. Very much needed.

Now for all you first time mom's out there who have sweet little 8 month old babies in your lap as you read this who think you hung the moon and you could never imagine WANTING to get away from your kids this weekend (WAKE UP! They are still to young to talk back!) No seriously I will miss my kids and everything will make me think of them and I will be ready to come home on Sunday. Well, it depends on how nice our room is! Kidding!!!

Welcome to 35.......

So let me lay out the scenario for you so you can totally picture this and mentally go there with me.

I've needed my eyebrows waxed for over a week (yes I put myself through that torture) anyways, I didn't feel like driving all the way down the hill to the same girl I have been going to for like ever and so I decided in all my years of eyebrow experience that it would be fine to try the little hole in the wall place in our town to save myself some time and energy. OK, are you with me so far?

I pop into the "salon" if you want to call it that and ask the girl up front if someone can wax my eyebrows, I know brave huh? Hot wax. Strangers, Not usually a good idea. Any-who, in all her broken English she says, "Sure!" Way to excited to pour hot wax on my eyes if you ask me.

I sit back in the chair and after trying to make small talk I decide she must only speak Spanish because she just giggles and keeps on;

Hot wax, paper, rip, OUCH! Pluck..........

Hot was, Paper, rip OUCH!!! Pluck some more......

She then hands me the mirror and says,"alright?" I take the mirror and......I know what you are thinking and NO both eyebrows were still there and they actually didn't look bad. Pretty good I say in all my cheery self. I lay back for her to put the cooling gel on and she says in perfect unbroken English and I kid you not............."Do you want me to wax your mustache as well?"

Seriously Clark?? My mustache? I mean I know I am half Mexican and I have to say for most of my life I have embraced all the goodness that comes from that. I get to have olive skin and never burn. Dark eyelashes, no mascara required. I LOVE hot spicy food and need no excuse for eating it like 7 days a week but a mustache? No it can't be. I AM turning 35 in a few days, maybe it's hormonal. Ya' that's it hormones! After composing myself and crawling back into the chair I in my very oh so drippy sweet voice said,"No thank you I think I will leave it there today."

The worst part is I just don't see it....................

I mean really I have come to love and trust all you faithful readers so I know you will tell me the truth, really? A mustache?

I just wish I could see what she was talking about....................maybe I am blinded by the hormones or the fact that I am going to be 35 or that my husband has always loved running his fingers through my mustache...................I just don't know.

The very worst part? I think my kids might be inheriting my facial hair. What do you think? Do they resemble me?



OK, maybe just a little but they definitely have Dan's eyes! He,heee!!


Hope I made you laugh today. I know I am still laughing! Ha,haaaa! If I had a dollar for every time I have looked close in the mirror in the last 24 hours I would be rich.
My mom asked me if I was going to ever go back? I thought about it and I think going to the other salon where the Caucasian girls lie to me is much more enjoyable. Well, at least until my 40th birthday!! :)

Easter Sunday

Happy Monday morning after Easter. Whew....it was hard getting up this morning for school. The girls were up and ready to go but I was dragging. We had a really fun day with family and friends and lots of yummy food and desserts. The girls went outside to introduce their cousins to their friends and we snapped a few photos. I don't know why but this photo of Caleb and Morgan makes me want to hyper ventilate. She looks so grown and it seem like yesterday that they were 6 months old fighting over toys. And is it just me or is she totally posing all up close to him? UGH!!! We might have to move or send her to an all girls boarding school. ;)
Luke, Morgan, Lillie, Ryanne and Caleb

Morgan's cousin Nate thought playing the piano was the best! Whenever he heard her playing he would run over and climb on up to help her out.

I think this is Ryanne and Dan hitting a sugar low. :)

I love my girls enough said! Thanks to everyone that came and made our house a place of fun, laughter and chasing kiddos around. Oh and thanks for helping us eat all the goodies. We were truly blessed by having you! :)

Today...........................

Today we took advantage of the cold rainy weather and stayed in doors for the most part. First we colored Easter egg's which is getting to be more fun as the girls get older.

I love this photo of the girls because this is the conversation they were having;

Ryanne: "Morgan, I have a great idea on how we can decorate the eggs this year."

Morgan: "Ryanne, Ryanne, I have been doing this for years so I totally know what I am doing here."

Gotta' love the first born! ;)

Here is the finished product. I painted the plate at a ceramics place when Morgan was a baby. So far it's held up pretty well. Oh and a few of the eggs are missing cause the girls decided this year they like hard boiled eggs. ;)

On to my next project of the day. I made these little Easter basket cupcakes for the girls to hand out to the neighborhood kids. The idea is courtesy of www.bakerella.com She has some really fun ideas if you ever get a chance to check her web page out. She takes the cake balls to whole new level.

After I was done with the baking and decorating I wrapped them in these bags with cute spring ribbon. I cut out little cardboard circles and placed them under the cupcakes to give them stability. A few did get smooshed a little in transit but by the looks on the kids face when they received them I don't think they minded.

I then drove the kids around to deliver them and snapped pictures from my dry, warm car. :)

What? I don't like being cold and wet. He,hee!

We wish everyone a blessed Easter tomorrow. I can't wait to take pictures of our day and post next week. The girls have asked to go to our church's sunrise service so we will see if I post a picture of myself at 5:30am, doubtful. ;)

Something Sweet..........

You thought by the title there was going to be a picture of me now didn't you? Just kidding! :) I have been making those little "love bites" as Christy P. calls them, for teachers, neighbors, and friends and so many people have asked me how I made them that I thought I would let you in on the secret. First you start with any standard cake mix and follow the mixing and baking directions. Here we used a Chocolate mix.
Then when the cake comes out of the oven you scoop the hot cake into a large mixing bowl. Immediately adding a can of frosting. We stuck with the chocolate theme here. :) After it is all mixed and gooey you cover it and put it in the fridge for a few hours. I prefer to make mine and let it cool over night so it is nice and firm for rolling.

After it is nice and cool you roll it into bite size balls and dip into chocolate and place on wax paper and back in the fridge for 10 minutes to set up. Let me save you a LOT of heartache and tell you DON'T USE CHOCOLATE CHIPS. They don't melt as evenly and they also don't set up as nicely. Go to Michael's or Joann's and get the melting chocolate. It works great and is always on sale! :)

After they have set up you can drizzle any color you like over the top. It comes in every color you can think of so use your creativity and have fun. I did yellow for Easter. Oh and don't worry , the ones that look smooshed or not worthy of going to friends went in my mouth. :)

I decided to branch out from the chocolate and since my family LOVES carrot cake I made a carrot cake and mixed in a container of cream cheese frosting, HELLO YUMMY! Then dipped them in white chocolate and drizzled lavender for Easter. I gotta' tell you I am a HUGE chocolate fan but I think the carrot cake might just be my favorite. You really can do any that sound good. I think this summer I may try lemon cake with lemon frosting dipped in white chocolate.

ENJOY!!!!

Cute kiddo and a Quote

It's always fun to share what comes out of my kids mouths first then get on to the other stuff. :)

Last night we were next door eating dinner with our friends when I heard this conversation:

Ryanne: "Luke, when we grow up can you marry me?"

Luke: "No sorry I am going to marry Jessica."

Ryanne: "Ok, well when you are done being married to Jessica can you marry me?"

Luke: "I don't think I can do that Ryanne."

Aren't kids so dang cute!!!!

In my quiet time (or lack there of) this morning ;) I came across this quote in my book and I just though at a time when I have a friend who just miscarried, marriages struggling, people loosing jobs, and just what seems to be a general feeling of helplessness in the world that it was a good quote to share.

See God in everything, and God will calm and color all that you see. It may be that the circumstances of our sorrows will not be removed, their condition will remain unchanged; but if Christ, as Lord and Master of our life, is brought into our grief and gloom, He will compass us about with songs of deliverance. To see Him, and to be sure that even His direst dealings with us are for our deepest spiritual gain, is to be able to say in the midst of bereavement, sorrow, pain, and loss, The Lord gave, and the Lord taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord. Nothing else but seeing god in everything will make us loving and patient with those who annoy and trouble us. They will be to us then only instruments for accomplishing His tender and wise purposes toward us, and we shall even find ourselves at last inwardly thanking them for the blessing they bring us. Nothing else will completely put an end to all murmuring or rebelling thoughts.

Hannah Whitall

Last week our pastor said,"Let the joy and love we have for the Lord just "slip" out this week wherever you go." I have been thinking about that all week. Just letting my love "slip out" so that others can see Gods love is my hearts desire. Lately I have had this sense of urgency for people I know that don't know the Lord. I am certain he is coming back and as I watch people I love around me hurting it gives the desire even more to let his love "slip out." Let your excitement about being a child of God slip out this week people, let it slip out! :)