YUMMYY!!

Ok, so I can see the confusion on your face already. Why a picture of a box of Veggies? Actually it's not just any box of veggies this is a box of veggies from the CSA (community Supported Agriculture) Because I buy all organic and natural products (yes even down to the deoderant) my friend suggested I look into buying a share in one of the farms that delivers to our area. I looked into it and found this huge waiting list and figured I would just have to go on paying the very high prices at Clark's and Trader Joe's. I don't mind if that is the only option but when I found out you could cut the cost of your produce by skipping the middle man (shipping from who knows where), support local farmers and get great tasting food that is chemical free I was so thrilled. So about a week ago I meet this couple whos son is on my daughter's swim team and we started talking about different health issues (another blog another day) and they casually mention they were getting ready to sell half of their share to this farm I was interested in becuase it was to much food.(ha, thank you God!) Well, being the savy business women I am (ok not!) I jumped in front of the waiting list (see, again cutting the middle man) and offered to buy their other half. So today was our first pick up & this is only half because my friend next door and I are sharing. We got so much good fresh food. We got fresh carrots, garlic, Pears, Potatoes, squash, the list goes on and on. We decided to take our fresh Tomatoes, basil and garlic and make homemade pasta sauce for dinner. Ya-hooo!! The girls we're just plucking the carrots out of the box and eating them with a little dirt and all. They were excited as well. :) So maybe a silly post but it's something I have become passionate about in the last 11 months and in a couple weeks I will tell you why! :)

Blessings In The Strangest Places

(I don't usually take pictures of flowers but I couldn't resist this one)

Ok, so I had this really cool thing happen last week and I am going to do my best not to ramble as I share my heart. There is this older couple (probably in their late 70's early 80's) who I have seen walking every morning together for the last three years. They hold hands as they tredge up our steep hill rain or shine in thier matching grey sweat pants and shirts. I always look at them as I am flying by to get Morgan to school and wonder about them. I also cringe to think I complain about walking to the mail box and here they are actually "working out". So anyways, last week I noticed the women was walking by herself; no husband for like three days. I felt this sinking feeling that he may be really sick or even worse. So after like five days of wondering I felt God tug at my heart to go and befriend this women and find out how I could pray for her. I was really nervous as I rounded the corner back up the hill & secretly I was hoping she had finished and God would let me off the hook just for today. My hands were all sweaty and very clearly I heard God say I needed to share with her my heart and offer up prayer. "What, right here?" "God are you crazy, what if she rejects me?" So then at the last minute I saw her coming down the path under the old oak tree and I knew being faithful to God was a must. I pulled over and nervously introduced myself telling her that I was concerned that I had not seen her husband with her. She informed me he was at home recovering from surgery due to colon cancer. I told her that I was going to pray for him and asked how long they had been married; 57 years! I told her how proud of her I was, she seemed so surprised and happy. So then yesterday I was driving to school and guess who I saw waking up the hill after only being down a few days? Yup, the couple who I thought I was going to minister too but instead encouraged me in my marriage. Now I drive by say good morning and wave. I love knew friendships that pop out of the unexpected don't you? God opened yet another door that I cautiously walked through and WHAM-O!! He blessed me. Love it!!

Not to be left out

So that Ryanne doesn't get left out in all our craziness I thought I would update you on what shes been up to. She is doing great! I think her arm is healed because she is swining from the kitchen counter again and attempting stunts that give us grey hair. She misses her sister during the day but loves going to run errands with me and her daddy and when we sneak in those little perks like lunch out or a special treat she knows still being home all day with mom is good. Here is she coming to greet me before leaving for school and yes it was a cold morning and yes the hat was HER idea! She already has a fashion sense of her own.

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These are the kind of photos that I have to look back on when I want to scream. Ahhhh so sweet. My husband says she looks like an angel. I think its all a cover up but hey who am I? Ryanne memorized her first 2 bible verses this past week and is so proud! So thats just another day in the life of Ryanne.

Productive September

Ok so I was thinking today about how October is peeking it's head around the corner very quickly and I must say I think I am ready. I mean I had a VERY productive month this past month. We started school, Morgan started the swim team along with continuing guitar, Dan started his racing, and is started to get that itch that says,"get moving, do something fun and creative." So after three years of living in our home I finally decided on a color scheme for our bathroom. Browns and Blue's. Here is a before picture which is not very good but you get the idea; white and boring. I like color, no let me say that again, I LOVE color!!
Here is a picture of the final product. I love candles and decided it was time to make this more "my space"
This amazing part about this shot is that there are no Barbies filling the whirlpool tub. Infact I banned Barbie and her little friend Ken from ever vacationing here again. It was always full of Barbie, hot wheels, monkeys in a barrel, you name it and it lived in my tub! Wait a second what's this? My bathroom almost looks like a romantic spot for me and Dan to hang out. I mean look at all those candles and smelly good things!! Heaven!!
My friend Jessica had her baby shower this morning and this is what I made for her. I bought all vintage looking material and made her baby boy Ethan (due here in Nov.) a quilt. I almost didn't get it done in time as I was bouncing all over the planet this month, painting my bathroom etc. and when I was done you could really tell I had not been sewing much all summer. I made lots of mistakes but it was made with love.
Here it is all wrapped up and ready to go! Hope you like it Jess. I am so excited for you and Matt and know you will be blessed by your son.

Room With A View

I couldn't help but post this picture. This was taken off my back patio the other morning. Morgan gently reminded me that it was God's promise to us. Ahhhh....I love moments like this. Of course the girls ran and got daddy out of the shower dragging him dripping wet to the back bedroom door to view this show God was putting on for us. I hope my kids never grow up so much that they don't stop to take this kind of stuff in. Gods beauty and love for us should really never get old.

Wow what a weekend

We spent the rest of our weekend watching Dan compete down in Long Beach for a triathalon. This was our view VERY early this morning as we stood on the beach waiting for the race to start. Amazing huh? I mean it made being up at 5am all worth the while.
We snuck in one last good luck hug before he ran off.
Ok, so this is his age group going into the water but I have no idea where he ended up, it was madness, but he is in there...........somewhere.
Here is he is coming out of the water. Hes behind the lady in the blue cap. He came out of the water REALLY fast. I was shocked to see him already. I had lost the rest of my cheering section to sand castles on the beach by this point.
Here he is coming across the finish line looking pretty good I might add! My camera died right after this so I didn't get a shot of the clock but he cut 35 minutes off his last time so we were soooo excited. Plus he had lots more color in face this time and didn't feel like he wanted to die. I think he is getting the hang of this race thing. I was on edge for both Dan and Morgan all weekend so I don't know how much more I can take. :) We left here and met up with our cousins who had a soccer game in Long Beach so as you can imagine we are all exhausted. Fun but tired.

The Results Are In

Sorry it took me sooo long, trust me when I tell you I was dying to post about the meet; but we left directly from there to Long Beach for the triathalon Dan was in on Sunday morning. I am just now sitting after two days of watching my sweeties compete. We woke up to find it freezing cold and raining on Saturday and also discovered that when on the swim team you swim.........rain, shine, snow whatever! Here is a picture with Morgan and her mentor Christina (a high school swimmer assigned to guide her through her first meet.) Her heat is coming up so shes getting some pointers.
Morgan is in the water and ready for her first swim of the day, I felt like I was going to throw up at this point. I was scared to death. She was really quiet all morning so I know she was nervous too!
And she's off!! She came in 2nd in both of her swims, although she did get DQ in her first for failing to touch the wall. She did the backstroke and freestyle. One of the timers was so excited for us when she did the swim in 30 seconds he told Dan he had to take a picture of his stop watch! I was screaming my head off!
Ok, just so you know what to compare it to the little girl she was competing against had the best time of 31 seconds that she was trying to beat. When Morgan got timed in practice on Thursday she did a 55 second swim so this 30 second time was huge!!
Here she is treading water and getting instructions from Coach Austin.

It was a very exciting day! I am much calmer now that it is over. Morgan loved all the intensity of the races and is looking to her next away meet in October. She was so composed and I kept telling Dan how I didn't know if I wanted to burst with pride for her or cry because she is only 6 and just taking off...............like the flying fish she is; a little of both I guess.