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Caine's Arcade: A 2012 Highlight!

2012-12-14T09:30:00.000-07:00

The other night I watched the Google Zeitgeist 2012 Year in Review which features some of the most Googled things and highlights of 2012. I was tickled to catch a quick glimpse of one of MY highlights of the year: Caine's Arcade. (It's at 2:23 if you watch.)

Our visit to Caine's Arcade is old news now, but it's worth blogging about, because it really is one of the most heartwarming stories I've heard this year and one of coolest things I've gotten to see.

For a little background, you MUST visit cainesarcade.com to watch the short film about Caine's Arcade and get the whole story. I've watched the video more than a dozen times and can't watch without getting choked up. I won't do the story justice, but the gist is that 9-year-old Caine Monroy created a small cardboard arcade in the front of his dad's auto parts shop in L.A. Customers came and went and never took a chance on Caine's arcade. But one day, a man came along who became Caine's first arcade customer and has changed his life. Through a viral video, Caine's arcade became an overnight sensation and has inspired creativity all over the world, and has generated hundreds of thousands of dollars for Caine's college fund. Watch the video - it's amazing!

Back in April, we kicked off Gary's sabbatical by taking a week-long trip to California to visit family. We had just watched the Caine's Arcade video a week before and knew it was on our to-do list for our vacation. We made sure we knew the arcade hours, got our directions together, and loaded up the family in the van to head to Caine's Arcade.

We drove through Los Angeles looking for the auto part shop. The gray buildings and streets were a sharp contrast to the blue sky... and to the bright red auto parts shop with the hidden arcade that we spied as we turned the corner.

We parked the car a couple blocks away (the arcade was gaining popularity by now) and passed several sidewalk vendors along the way, who were taking advantage of Caine's success. The girls had watched the video with us, and were anxious to meet Caine and try out the games.

How fun to walk up and see Caine's Arcade exactly as it looked in the video! The same signs, the same games... and CAINE!

I felt like I was meeting a celebrity. And actually, he's as close as I've come to meeting someone famous. I was a bit starstruck.

We waited in line and bought our fun passes. It's a good deal, you know.

The games were so simple and fun. Emma even won a special toy from the claw machine!

And of course I had to buy a Caine's Arcade shirt. I was SO excited. AND... guess what? Jack Black and his family visited Caine's Arcade the day after we were there! So fun!

If you're ever in the Las Angeles area, take the time to visit Caine's Arcade. You'll be so glad you did. And get the fun pass. It's worth it.

After watching the video so many times, there are still two things that really strike me: First, how awesome is Nirvan, the man who "discovered" Caine? I hope I can see a glimpse of something amazing in someone some day and help them see it too. Secondly, Caine's dad. I think he's awesome. It would've been so easy to make Caine put away the arcade because it was making a mess, and crush his dreams. He didn't do that. I need to remember to encourage my kids' creativity and dreams, and not pack them up out of sight because they're silly or inconvenient.

Finally, last month, I read this article about a preschool that temporarily got rid of traditional toys and replaced them all with cardboard boxes and other common materials. The kids loved it and it really encouraged creativity.

I think that's a great thing to keep in mind as we scurry around the malls this Christmas season, don't you? I'm fairly certain that Brody won't be creating any cardboard arcades with his nose stuck to my new iPad mini. This weekend we're doing some SERIOUS thinning out of toys. I'm so excited, and I can only hope we get a few new good boxes for Christmas!

Because Saturdays Should Be Fun

2012-11-17T08:15:00.000-07:00

In an effort to make Saturdays fun again, we've made a big decision at our house.

It is with great excitement and reservation, that I am here to publicly announce that...

We are K-State football fans.

But hold on to your horns, Buff fans! We are not giving up on our beloved team. We have always been, and will always be Buffaloes. Should the Buffaloes and Wildcats ever face each other again, we will be cheering for our Alma Mater. We are not fairweather fans, we just need another team to get excited about. K-State is our Plan B.

But seriously, you guys. Waking up on Saturday mornings is accompanied by a sense of dread when we turn on College Gameday. There is never any mention of "our" team. The College Gameday crew will never congregate at Folsom Field. Lee Corso is never going to don Chip's head. Poor Buffs.

And so we had to take drastic measures. We need a team to cheer for that might actually win. It would just make weekends a little bit better. After careful consideration, K-State was the obvious choice. And yes, it's EASY to pick the #1 team right now. But there are other, bigger reasons.

Reasons Why We Picked Kansas State:

We've spent a lot of time in Kansas. A detailed tally determined that Kansas is the state we've spent the 3rd most amount of time in as a married couple. 98.3% of that was in a tent not far from Manhattan.
Bill Snyder is a family friend. No big deal.
Being Colorado Rockies fans, we already have a lot of purple in our closet! Hooray!
My friend Brooke is a Wildcat and taught me how to say "Go Cats!!!" Gary and I already cheered for K-State from a hotel room last weekend with Brooke and some other K-State friends.
Our buddy Jack McDonald ran track for K-State and bleeds purple.
Kansas isn't Nebraska.
Manhattan is within driving distance to see a game.
We love K-State's prayer chapel. We've taken many a nap there because it's air-conditioned (see #1).
My friend Jenn is a professor at K-State and she let my kids do cool experiments in her lab a few summers ago. That was SO fun!
The Buffs still have a winning record (12-6-1) over K-State under Bill Snyder, which helps to justify cheering on the Cats. So we can still cheer, GO BUFFS!

See? Those are all very valid and well thought out reasons, don't you think? Sorry, Buffs. But you're killing us.

We need sweatshirts or t-shirts to make this official. So if anyone has a good reason why this team allegiance shouldn't happen, let him speak now or forever hold his peace.

GO CATS! (okay, that hurt a little bit.)

Food Dye Dangers

2012-11-12T07:44:00.000-07:00

I remember finding out years ago that a friend's son was allergic to red dye #40. My first thought was wondering if dyes #1-39 were okay. What about red dye #41? But mostly I wondered how they'd survive. I mean, a quick glance around the grocery store proves that so many products we buy for our kids contain food dyes: marshmallows, fruit snacks, pancake mix, even children's Tylenol. If you have an allergy to food dyes, are there alternatives?

But what if you don't have an allergy to food dyes? What if you do a little research and find out that these food dyes could be negatively affecting your children's behavior?

A good friend of mine began eliminating food dyes from her girls' diets earlier this year as a result of behavior issues. They have been dye-free for eight months now, and if it weren't for her incredible stories about the impact this has made on their lives, I'd probably shrug it off.

Brooke is doing an entire series this week on her blog about their journey with food dyes. I'm going to be reading so that I can learn more and find out if this is worth pursuing for our family's health. I invite you to read along!

Plus, Brooke is hi-lar-i-ous and I promise you'll laugh with her. She's all about keepin' it real. And she's super fun.

I'm excited to see what she's learned, even if it means our days of green and pink mashed potatoes might be coming to a halt...

Not Your Average Birthday Party

2012-11-09T13:39:00.002-07:00

Last year when we planned a joint birthday party for the girls at Skate City, I swore that never again would I do a big birthday party. Never again would I do a joint birthday party.

But then they asked to pack meals for Kids Against Hunger at their birthday party. What could I say? The more the merrier!

And so we planned this party. And it was awesome.

They each invited roughly 10 friends, for a total of 22 kids at the party. We suggested to their friends that in lieu of gifts, that maybe they could bring a cash donation instead to put towards meals that we would pack for Kids Against Hunger. We told their friends that 25¢ packs one meal, which feeds about 6 people.

So when kids arrived, Gary gently explained to these 6-9 year olds that hundreds and hundreds of kids around the world die of hunger every day. He explained that we have it so good here, and that no only do we get to eat three meals a day, but we get snacks in between. And not only do we get to eat those three meals a day and snacks in between, but it's yummy, different food all the time. The meals we would be packing might be the only food a kid their age might eat that day. And they might get the same exact thing tomorrow.

Gary went on to show them the meal packing process: two tables would be in charge of filling the bags with rice, soy, vitamins, and dried veggies.

Are you loving Addie's style here? Hat OVER the hairnet... only Addie.

After that hey would pass it to the middle table who would weigh it and add enough rice to equal about 395 grams. The weighers would pass it to the sealers who would press extra air out of the bag and seal it shut.

The sealers passed the completed bags to the back table who would pound it flat and put it in the box. When the box was full (36 bags per box), it was taped shut, set aside, and the next box was opened to be filled.

I was SO PROUD of these kids for working for an hour straight without complaining or stopping! They were all so excited and worked together so well. I think they "got it" too - I heard many conversations about helping others and amazement that this is what some people eat. And despite it not being your usual birthday party with games and fun activities, I saw lots of smiles and heard lots of laughing. Love.

At the end of the hour, these awesome kids managed to pack about 2,000 meals for hungry kids!!! This is the best birthday present that we could give to others to celebrate my girls' birthday! I was so thankful to the Lord for the generosity of my kids' friends (and their families) for providing the money to help kids across the world. I'm telling you, this was much better than getting another toy to be set aside and forgotten. It helped spark conversations in our family about needs vs. wants.

The kids sitting on top of the boxes of food they packed!

In keeping with the non-traditional birthday party idea, we headed to the backyard for s'mores and hot chocolate instead of birthday cake. The perfect ending to a slightly chilly afternoon! We also prepared one of the meals for the kids to taste. I was surprised by the response - half hated it and half loved it, with a few even asking for seconds!

A BIG THANK YOU to the parents who supported the vision of this birthday party by letting your kids come, to the moms who stayed to lend an extra hand, and to Karen Dittman with Kids Against Hunger who helped us out. And especially to my hubby who ran the show so well and taught these kids how to care for others.

But mostly, thanks to God for giving my girls such giving, sensitive little hearts. I'm so proud of them.

Wanna do a Kids Against Hunger birthday party or event?

Click here to find a location near you!

Five Ways We Celebrate Birthdays

2012-11-05T23:17:00.001-07:00

I really want birthdays to be a big deal in our family. It's the one day a year designated for celebrating someone, and I want my kids growing up knowing that we're so glad they were born!

But let me be honest: all of the lofty, amazingly executed, creative ideas on Pinterest are intimidating. I can't do it all, especially with four kids with back-to-back birthdays (two birthdays five days apart in August and two birthdays two weeks apart in October/November). So aside from the usual party, cake and ice cream, we have a few traditions that our kids look forward to and that are easy to do.

1. Decorate their door: My kids KNOW they're going to wake up to streamers and balloons on their door, but they always act so surprised. One look at Pinterest, and it's clear this could be very cute and extravagant. But here, it's always done at the midnight hour, just as I'm going to bed and see their naked door. (I'm not a planner.) But it only takes a few minutes to whip up a cute sign for their door and tape up a few streamers. (Confession: These streamers were leftover from last weekend's birthday party, and I moved them from downstairs to her bedroom door at midnight.) Instant party on their birthday morning!

2. Kisses: When we tuck in our kids on their birthday eve, we make a point of telling them it's the last time we'll kiss them as an (8) year old. And they know that we'll sneak in and give them the first kiss as a (9) year old right after midnight. Last night when I snuck in to kiss Emma, she woke up and smiled, and hugged me. In the sweetest, most heartfelt way, she said, "I love you, Mama!" Melt me.

3. Breakfast with Dad: If it's not a weekend (in which case we'll make cinnamon rolls with sprinkles and a candle), Daddy takes the birthday kid to the place of their choice for breakfast before school/work. Addie's choice on her last birthday? The gas station for Hostess donuts and chocolate milk. Livin' large at age seven.

4. Birthday Dinner: I tell our kids that I can make whatever they want for dinner, or we can go to the restaurant of their choice for birthday dinner. I can't remember the last time I made dinner on their birthdays... happy birthday to ME! ;)

5. Desktop Picture: This is a new tradition that I love! Addie had the idea last month when it was her birthday month. For their entire birthday month, the desktop picture on my computer is of the birthday kid. I love it and so do they! Every time we open the computer together to do email, homework, look at pictures, play games... they light up when they see themselves and know it's their month to celebrate. It's been so fun!

Happy birthday to my sweet Emmaline Grace. Nine years old today! I can't believe it.

Flea Market Adventure

2012-10-01T17:17:00.000-06:00

We were looking for something new and different to do with the kids last weekend and stumbled across the idea to go to the Mile High Flea Market. I grew up seeing commercials for it on TV and hear random mentions of it all the time, but have never been. So off we went!

We took a pit stop at Krispy Kreme on the way. Glazed donuts. 'nuff said.

I've decided that the Mile High Flea Market is definitely the ultimate destination if you're in the market for tight, blingy jeans, or for toy guns, or for shoes and purses. Those were the things I kept seeing over and over again. (And lingerie!!! Who buys lingerie at a flea market?!)

But there were also other treasures too...

And there was a whole section filled with fresh fruit and veggies. I'd just spent a rockin' night at the grocery store the night before (seriously - goodbye Muzak, hello Axl Rose and Ozzy Osbourne on the overhead speakers), so we were all set on our produce, but it sure was pretty!

Just when the kids were majorly let down when had to break it to them that there weren't actually fleas there (I think they were thinking flea circus), we walked down the row with the carnival rides, and all was well with the world.

We tried to tell them this is just like the Carsland ride at Disneyland...

I thought it was tons of fun. It was a great place for people watching, there were great snacks for sale at every turn (churros, funnel cakes, kettle corn - quality!), and there really were great treasures tucked away everywhere you looked. We got a few super cute headbands for the girls for cheap!

I want to go back! Who wants to come with me?

Thirteen Reasons

2012-09-19T11:21:00.000-06:00

Today marks thirteen years since Gary and I said "I do."

What happened to those young kids?

It's been a GREAT thirteen years, and I can honestly say that I can't think of anyone better suited for me to do life with. It's been a fun thirteen years, but not easy all the time. But we know that marriage requires work and effort, and I think it's knowing that and doing that that has made it work. We've been rewarded with so many blessings from God, and a ton of fun through the years.

Long story short: we started dating, got engaged on our 3-month anniversary, and got married 4 1/2 short months later. Not exactly a recipe for success! But we've been committed since day one and have never, ever looked back.

I LOVE THIS MAN!

Thirteen reasons I'm glad I married Gary:

1. He's ridiculously cute. C'mon!

2. I knew he'd make a great Daddy one day. And it turns out he's an awesome one.

3. He loves Jesus and wants others to also.

4. He regularly takes me to Kauai.

5. He works so hard for our family - a responsibility he takes very seriously.

6. He embraces and supports my crazy ideas.

7. He's good with numbers. Me? Not so much. I'm good with words. He... has other strengths. :) We balance each other out and make a good team!

8. He's adventurous and pushes me to do crazy things.

9. He's from California, so we have a pretty sweet place to go on vacation!

10. I love his family - I have awesome in-laws!!!

11. He makes me feel safe.

12. He's good at EVERYTHING. No, seriously -- e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g. It can be intimidating, but mostly it makes me so proud.

13. He makes me think through things, and pushes me to be better.

I can't imagine life without this guy. I'm the luckiest girl in the world.

From Zero to Sixty in One Month Flat

2012-09-17T21:18:00.000-06:00

Oh, man.

Goodbye lazy summer days filled with sand and sun.

Goodbye leisurely lemonade stands with good buddies.

Goodbye fun days at the pool teaching my girls the finer things in life, like George Washington hair.

Goodbye splashing in the creek.

Goodbye watermelon.

Goodbye hours on the trampoline.

Goodbye midday naps.

Goodbye zoo trips with cousins.

Goodbye summer nights with dessert on the deck with friends.

Goodbye late nights on Pearl Street.

Goodbye no schedule and all day to play.

I feel like we went from doing nothing to doing it all. School must be back in session!

But school isn't all! Let's add into the mix a little MOPS, Bible Study, book fairs, back-to-school night, planning meetings, carpool, Brownies and every other extracurricular activity possible. (Not to mention Gary's hard-to-keep-up-with schedule!)

We were that family that had never signed our kids up for anything "extra." But for some reason, this was the year for that to end. And for us, it's go big, or go home.

Enter football:

Enter tennis:

Enter swimming lessons:

Enter rock climbing class:

Enter ballet and tap:

Tired yet? Me too!

Aside from summer swimming lessons and one fall season of soccer for Emma years ago (I didn't make a good soccer mom), this is the first time we've really delved into lessons and sports with our kids. I don't regret not starting all of this earlier; I knew once we got into it, there'd be no turning back. Despite juggling schedules and running kids around to their events, it's actually been a blast. I love, love, LOVE watching my kids do stuff. They amaze me! And also, we're doing all of the activities through the rec center, so they're just getting a taste of each of these things, it's all nearby, and it's all very low-key. Another good thing is that aside from dance, they all just last 4 or 5 weeks, so it's not a huge commitment. But the best part is that the kids are LOVING it and learning so much.

So although it's sad to say goodbye to summer, it's kind of fun to say "hello" to this new season of busy-ness. I'm NOT a fan of being busy, and LOVE being at home, so this is an adjustment and kind of a stretch for me. As long as we don't lose sight of our family time and sacrificing our sanity to the insanity of an overscheduled household, I think we'll be just fine.

But next summer can't come soon enough! ;)

Top 5 Reasons to Buy a Massive Bear

2012-07-26T15:21:00.002-06:00

You've seen those gigantic teddy bears filling up shopping carts at Costco, haven't you?

The HUGE ones. The ones that fill up the entire colossal Costco shopping cart so there isn't even room for a 120-oz. jug of apple juice or 500-count bag of chicken nuggets. They're super soft and bigger than the children who beg for them.

Last fall I went into Costco to buy my usual: two huge loaves of bread, an enormous bag of meatballs, and a giant jar of strawberry jam, when I stopped in my tracks. That bear was staring at me with his big brown eyes and begged me to bring him home. My kids - who I never give in to (seriously, I don't) - said, "Can we have him?" And I said yes without hesitation.

I can easily say it's the best $29.99 I've ever spent, and I have no regrets. The kids love to read and snuggle with the bear and he's well loved here. They've named him "Gary Beary Osborne." And BONUS! It will never, ever get flushed down the toilet.

A few months ago, I went to Costco with my sister and she couldn't fight the lure of the 53" bear. He's pretty irresistible. Before she could say no, the bear found its way into her cart (which ousted her children into mine due to lack of space).

Oh, I wish I had pictures of that bear safely buckled into her car's front seat, with his arm and paw out the window. I nearly wet my pants watching her drive out of the parking lot.

But the fun was just beginning. A few hours later, I began getting texts from her, showcasing just how well her new family member was fitting in.

Perhaps he was checking his Facebook page?

Oops! Bare bear.

He likes it "over" not "under."

Snuggling with Justin... whose smile is bigger?

It just looks so natural.

Not to be outdone, our bear had something to prove. I hauled "Gary Beary Osborne" upstairs to snuggle with his namesake. Gary was peacefully sleeping and had no idea I was taking this picture. In fact, until he reads this, I'm not even sure he's ever seen it...

So in conclusion, I URGE you to run to Costco and buy this bear. Not only will your kids love him, but sleeping husbands will too.

Oh! My title! (Which I totally forgot about as I was actually writing the post, so now I'm just making these up...) My top 5 reasons why you should buy this bear:

5. Your kids will think you're awesome.

4. You will think you're awesome.

3. I will think you're awesome.

2. The bear is super awesome.

1. You can send late night picture texts to your sister about it.

(Notice I never said your husband will think you're awesome.)

Convinced? I thought so.

Now Showing!

2012-07-20T10:32:00.001-06:00

It's opening night of "Narnia!"

For the third summer in a row, the girls are part of the Peanut Butter Players - a children's theater in our community. They've been practicing for a month, and finally tonight is opening night! They are sooo excited!

Emma is a Narnian Eagle and Addie is a Christmas Squirrel.

Let's revisit summers past...

Last year, the Peanut Butter Players performed "Hans Christian Anderson" where my girls were school children and also jellyfish in the "Little Mermaid" ballet scene.

I'm always so impressed by the do-it-yourself costumes the parents have to put together, and the scenery everyone pitches in to create.

The kids all audition and are then given a few lines to memorize, along with songs and sometimes a dance. It's SO fun to watch!

The first year they did it, they were mermaids in "Peter Pandemonium" - a play about a children's theater company putting on the play "Peter Pan" but experiencing a few bumps along the way. Such a clever show!

With about 50 kids in each of the two casts that perform, it's amazing how it all comes together by the end. The director, Jo Anne Lamun, has quite a knack for wrangling children.

One of the girls' favorite things to do is to sign autographs after the show - how cute is that?!

So hours before the curtains part, I just have one thing to say...

Break a leg - or a wing - girls!

Extreme Makeover: Basement Edition

2012-07-10T20:41:00.000-06:00

We were supposed to go to the zoo yesterday with some friends. But when it started pouring in Denver, we postponed our trip.

And instead, we cleaned the basement!

Because it's almost as fun as going to the zoo, right?

But actually, it was a GREAT day. When we started, it looked like an episode of Hoarders. Boxes everywhere. Toys strewn about. Outgrown clothes piled up all over the place. But now? Now... it looks amazing! It's clean! It's bright! It's a place you might really want to hang out!

Aside from getting everything organized and thinning out a lot of STUFF (14 boxes of Christmas decorations? Really?) (and does anyone else LOATHE sorting kids clothes?), we finished a fun project for the kids in the basement. And when I say "we," I actually mean my amaaaazing hubby!

"We" built the kids a stage!

Our basement is unfinished, so we had a completely blank canvas to work with. The alcove in our basement from the breakfast nook upstairs is the perfect spot to house a stage, complete with curtains, lights and a backstage.

So the night before, we started cleaning up the area. Gary painted the floor, walls and ceiling of the alcove black.

And then he started building and painting the stage. He also hung up two metal rods: one for the backstage curtain, and one for the stage curtain.

While I worked on the curtains, the kids pitched in to help!

The boring, gray, cement walls on either side of the stage needed some cheering up, so the kids helped to paint them a bright, happy yellow!

My small part of the project was the curtains, which were a breeze. I just used the flat sheet from a cheap set of Walmart sheets. I slit the sides of the large hem at one end to hang on the rod. That was it! No sewing, no trimming, just easy peasy curtains. For the top valance in front of the red curtain, I used the fitted sheet. I took out the elastic and used that small hem to thread a string through which we stapled to the ceiling beams. I "eyed" how long to trim it and didn't measure first, so... don't look too closely! But hey - it's done, no one will notice, the girls don't care and I'm happy with it!

Backstage, there's just enough space for the girls' dress-up trunk, and a storage shelf for musical instruments, props, shoes and more.

Since their plays usually involve costume changes, this was a very necessary feature. (Notice Brody's drumset back there? You can imagine how sad I am that it will no longer be in my living room. Those drums are L-O-U-D.)

The girls love, love, love it! Last night, just minutes after its completion, they performed their first show for Gary and I. They regularly perform plays and shows for us, so we know this stage will get a lot of use.

The last thing we need to do is mount some hooks or something so they can open and close the curtains without tying them each time.

Seriously, how awesome is my husband for making this? He could've had the perfect man-cave there, but instead launched the girls' Hollywood career by making them a stage.

I may start selling season tickets to our theater. Interested? :)

Christmas in July

2012-07-05T17:33:00.001-06:00

There's an additional beloved member of my extended family who has never been spoken of before on this blog.

He has nicknames (ohhh does he have nicknames), but mostly he goes by "Santa."

Santa first joined our family about 15 years ago when he was given as part of a gift exchange at my parents' Bible Study Christmas party. We immediately were drawn to his... um... shapely appearance and bushy wreaths. There's something different about this Santa... something I just can't put my finger on...

SERIOUSLY, who makes Santa look like this!?!?!

AND ALSO,

Who gives this at a Bible Study Christmas party?!??!!

Were they serious or was it a joke?

Did they think it would add a nice touch to someone's Christmas decor?

And what on earth does Mrs. Claus look like?

To this day, we don't know who the giver was, we just know that we love them.

Santa has caused quite a raucous over the years and we've gotten many a laugh at his expense. He makes surprise appearances throughout the year when my mom and I stash him in unexpected places to be discovered by the other.

After unknowingly taking him home from the Christmas celebration last December, and discovering him as I unpacked my bags, Santa spent the last six months at my house. My mom never exactly knew if he was here or there, she just knew that sooner or later Santa would reappear.

And so thanks to a 4th of July celebration at her house last night, Santa has been joyfully reunited with my Mom. It's Christmas in July, Mom!

Peek-a-boo!

Upon discovering Old Saint "Richard" nestled in the toilet paper, she sent me this poem:

‘Twas The Day After July 4th

by Kim Olson

‘Twas the day after the Fourth and what would I do?

But clean up from our party, starting out in the loo.

I emptied waste baskets and laundered the towels,

Replenishing toilet paper while moving my bowels.

As I reached for a new roll, there where I sat,

I thought to myself, What!? She’s gotten me back!

‘Cuz St. Nick reappeared looking right at my hiney,

I sat there and laughed, as I was just stymied.

He was perched in a new roll, in a bin on the wall,

Hoping someone would find him when nature would call.

Angie had to know… it would be me that would glean,

After all, it’s been months since he has been seen.

As I continued to clean, going about my day,

I left St. Nick there so I could show him to Ray.

I don’t think I’ll warn him when nature may call,

Knowing full well, he might pee on the wall.

Oh say, can you see, what fun St. Nick’s bringing?

Was he already hidden as we were all singing?

I wonder who placed him, and who was in charge?

Was it Gary, running back in after loading the car?

I guess it doesn’t matter as long as he’s safe,

Where he ends up is just a matter of taste.

But in the loo… seriously? Surely you jest,

One thing’s for sure, I was at my best.

Who knows where YOU will find him next,

You’ll know soon enough, and that’s a threat.

He’s ‘bound’ to turn ‘up’ without any strife,

But be forewarned, you may need a knife.

In your hunt he could be high,

In your search he could be low,

Just keep your eye out and don’t contemplate it,

You’ll have plenty of time if you’re constipated.

Another 4^th has come and gone,

When again will we see everyone?

‘Guess we’ll just have to try to behave,

In the land of the free and the home of the brave.

God Bless America!

But wait! There's more! This is the SECOND Santa-homecoming-poem my Mom has written. The first was written in January 2011 after I stashed Santa in the garland on Christmas day:

'TWAS TWO WEEKS AFTER CHRISTMAS

by Kim Olson

'Twas two weeks after Christmas, when all through the house,

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.

The stockings were still hung by the chimney with care,

In hopes that the Olson’s would remove them from there.

Their kids in their own homes were doing the same,

Putting away decorations…it all looks so plain!

With mom in the house and dad in the yard,

Both were busy packing so it wouldn’t be so hard.

When up on the balcony mom burst into laughter,

Dad came running in to see what was the matter.

As Mom unfurled her garland to show Dad her find,

They thought to themselves, Angie’s out of her mind!

So that’s where Santa went, they thought to themselves,

‘Can’t wait to hide him next year on one of her shelves.

Away to the phone mom flew like a flash,

As she tore down more garland to add to her stash.

She thought to call Angie, to tell her the news,

But found herself laughing, about the ruse.

What fun we have with Santa, all at his expense,

We never know who got him last, or how, to what extent.

It’s fun to play this silly game, with those who are just as sneaky

The scheming and tom-foolery could cause one to take-a-leaky.

Mom’s surprised she didn’t catch you when she saw your hiding place,

She spoke and looked right at you girls, atop her grand staircase.

Santa may not look the same, when you see him next,

He lacks a little detail that leaves him a bit perplexed.*

Mom thought it best to add to him to make him feel complete,

So she’s going to add a wreath or two just above his ‘feet’.

I know you’ll miss poor Santa for another year,
‘Just know he’s taken care of until we meet my dear!

*After many years of man-handling, Santa had lost his "wreaths"... 

and so my Mom touched him up and adjusted him a bit... so to speak.

 How funny is my Mom?!
Stay tuned for when Santa pops up again!

It will grow back. It will grow back. It will grow back.

2012-06-13T00:25:00.000-06:00

My Brody.

Those big brown eyes, those freckles, his silly personality... the boy has stolen my heart.

Oh - and those red curls.

A curly-haired boyfriend once told me that "curls get the girls" - he must've been right because Brody's curls melt me.

But a few weeks ago, he took those ginger locks into his own hands one night after we put him to bed. The next morning, his "bed head" looked a little suspicious. When we looked closer, we found that a chunk of hair was cut (some to the scalp) right in front, leaving behind a tiny fringe of bangs. Nice.

And no matter how he tried, the comb over (or comb forward) just wasn't cutting it.

So off to the kid salon we went to fix things. She tried to blend the cut in as much as possible, but there was no hope. Bzzzzzzz...

I could barely stand to watch.

The camera in front of my face hid my teary eyes!

When the stylist was finished, he couldn't stop touching it.

Poor little guy. He was not happy with his new hair. He told me he was afraid people would laugh at him, and he wanted his "Brody hair" back. He asked me if we could go to Target on the way home to get him a hat.

Fast forward a few weeks, and it's grown out a little bit. I'm getting used to it, but I do miss his hair. His sisters keep affirming him about how handsome he looks. The timing couldn't be better - it's actually a great summer cut.

Of course, he's the same Brody he was before, and just as cute as can be, but I'll just keep repeating this in my mind until those curls are back: "It's just hair. It will grow back. It's just hair. It will grow back. It's just hair. It will grow back..."

Color Run = Color FUN!

2012-05-14T01:12:00.000-06:00

One of the super fun things we did to kick off Gary's Sabbatical was to run our first family 5K!

And by first family 5K, I mean the first one for every single one of us. Need I remind you I'm not a runner? Miraculously, my legs did not break by the end of the run.

Before you read another word, go to the Color Run website NOW and register for the 5K near you. They are selling out like crazy, so seriously, don't waste another second. We ran the SoCal (Irvine) race last month. I'm sorry to report that the Denver race for next weekend sold out long ago, but I assure you that we will be among the first to register when it comes back around next year. This is easily one of the funnest things our family has done together!

It works like this: every runner is encouraged to start wearing white t-shirts. Here is Team Osborne all in white and ready to run:

The starting line is a sea of white t-shirts, just ready for a color explosion. Here's Chloe, gearing up for the race with her white t-shirt, Color Run tattoo and headband. Check out that game face.

Along the race route, volunteers are stationed at every kilometer marker with buckets of colored powder which they toss at you when you pass.

(Image taken from http://thecolorrun.com/about/)

Seeing the "poofs" of color in the distance was exciting, knowing you were nearing the next marker.

And here's Chloe again after the 2nd kilometer, with the yellow and green color on her. As you can see, she was having the time of her life.

But Brody, who was in and out of the stroller along with Addie, really was having fun. Do you see Aunt Heidi and Emma over there on the right? Emma ran the WHOLE TIME. So proud of that girl!

Just before the last kilometer marker where pink powder awaited us, Addie hopped out of the stroller and BOLTED. We actually weren't sure where she was for awhile, but it turns out she finished before any of us! Who knew a little pink powder would motivate her to full-on sprint to the end? Here are Heidi, Emma and I crossing the finish line - look, I'm even smiling! Running didn't kill me!

And here is our happy, colorful family at the end of the race.

Ohhh, Chloe. All that running wears a girl out, huh? Somewhere between the 3rd and 4th kilometer, Chloe succumbed to the color coma and fell asleep. Adorned in her technicolor dreamcoat, we think she was very likely the most photographed little person at the Color Run. After the race, we couldn't walk a few feet without someone jumping in front of our jogging stroller to take a picture of her, or asking permission to pose with her:

After the race, it was party time. Loud music, tons of happy, free Slurpies and more.

Everyone was given a color packet like this (with the option of purchasing more):

They're filled with the fine powder that is responsible for colorfying the entire race. At the finish line, it's a color explosion and an absolute free-for-all including every color of the rainbow. Everyone gathers together and tosses powder in unison. SO FUN!

Emma and Addie became the life of the party when they got to go dance for the crowd up on stage and throw out color packets. They loved every second!!!

A lot of people have asked if all that color came out of our clothes, our hair, the stroller... the answer is mostly. After the race, there are volunteers with blowers to blow a lot of the color off. But once we got home, we used an air compressor to really blow the powder out of everything. Our jogging stroller is fairly clean, and any color left is faint, and a good reminder of the fun we had.

My advice would be to maybe cover it in old towels or trash bags if you really want to protect it. The white shirts are not a crisp, clean white anymore, but we're okay with that! After a couple of showers, our hair and skin were back to normal. A few items didn't get the powder blown out completely and have some faded color stains from going through the water/laundry. But you know what? It's all worth it.

I've also been asked if the colored powder hurt our eyes. Nope! We all tried to wear sunglasses (I was additionally concerned about my contacts), but even when a little powder got in it wasn't too bad. It's easy to just close your eyes when you're running through the color stations.

You'd never believe she's standing next to the sign proclaiming "The Happiest 5K on the Planet!" But really, it WAS the happiest. I love that our whole family could do this together. The run isn't timed, it's all about FUN. It's for every age, size, and athletic ability. So great!

Oh, and eventually, Chloe perked up. On our walk back to the car, she decided to strut her stuff and get into the groove. She's ready for next year!

To see The Color Run in action, watch this short video. AND! Watch for Emma throwing yellow powder at the crowd at 1:32. She's famous!!!

We can't wait for Color Run 2013!

Sabbatical

2012-04-29T05:00:00.000-06:00

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Do you hear that? It's the sound of life being AWESOME.

Gary is in week 2 of his 12-week Sabbatical. Our church is generous in giving its pastors a Sabbatical every 6 years, and we are enjoying Gary's second Sabbatical this spring/summer. We're so grateful for this gift. And so are our kids; they are unbelievably glad to have Daddy around all the time for the next three months.

And I have a confession: when he went on Sabbatical six years ago, I was nervous about having him around all. the. time. But it turned out to be incredible, and I can't wait to see what God has in store for our family this time around.

The purpose of the Sabbatical is to offer rest and rejuvenation for pastors, and to get healthy in all areas of life while seeking the Lord. During this time, he won't be going to work (although he will be planning and praying along the way), and so we won't be attending our church on a weekly basis. Instead, we'll get to see how other churches do things and he'll get to learn from other leaders in his position. Exciting!

What Sabbatical doesn't mean: We are NOT in solitary confinement! Are you reading this, friends and family? We love our church family so much and it's actually difficult to think about not being intimately involved in your lives over the next few months! We're still "allowed" to hang out with you, so don't be surprised when you see us and hear from us. :)

We just got back from an amazing week-long kick off to Gary's Sabbatical in California. Here's just a glimpse of some of the fun we had...

We celebrated Gary's Granny's 90th birthday.

We had a blast at Legoland...

Gary and I spent two days away (sans kids!) in Laguna Beach and Dana Point for silence and solitude, and during that time we saw WHALES just 40 yards from shore. Amazing!

We had several days of fun family time at the beach, complete with sand burials and dolphins.

And a couple of other SUPER FUN things that I'll blog about later this week...

We don't intend to keep up this kind of pace for the next 11 weeks, but what a joy to launch into Sabbatical in this way. Gary's posting a picture a day on his Facebook page to track his Sabbatical, and I told him that the pictures might start getting dull now that we're home. A picture of him helping with the laundry... a picture of him taking the girls to school... but that sounds pretty awesome to me!

Our Most Expensive Toy

2012-04-04T18:16:00.000-06:00

Any guesses how much this little yo-yo costs? Maybe this will help you: it's the first thing Emma ever bought with her very own money.

Here's another clue:

The plumber was here this afternoon, fixing the toilet that's been clogged since yesterday. We immediately interrogated Brody, who denied that he or his toys had any part of the cloggeration. We plunged that thing to death with no luck, so we had to call the big guns. Brody waited by the door, so excited to see all his tools.

After draining it, he showed me on his magical plumber camera, that indeed, a toy was clogging the toilet. I sort of thought that might be the case. He put on some gloves and reached up there to try to get it. After having no luck, I suggested that I could try, since my hands are smaller. He looked at me incredulously and said that if I was serious he could give me gloves, but that it was up there pretty far.

Was I serious?

Heck yes, I was serious! Nothing grosses me out. Little did he know I'd removed a floater from the toilet just minutes before his arrival. Little does he know how many bottoms I wipe every day. Little does he know about those aquadumps that seem to happen every Sunday morning during bathtime. He either thinks I'm totally disgusting or totally rad now.

But I decided that if he said it was up there pretty far, I probably couldn't get it either, no matter how petite and delicate my hands are.

A little more work later...

...and out came Emma's beloved yo-yo. Brody said he didn't do it. He said Chloe did it.... but admitted that he flushed it. Hooray for teamwork.

As he pulled the yo-yo out, the plumber laughed and said, "I doubt you want this anymore..." but just as he was about to toss it, I lunged forward exclaiming, "ACTUALLY...!"

His wife must not be a blogger.

Anyway, that yo-yo? $328.46.

To put that in perspective, that would buy about 90 pints of Ben & Jerry's. And thus begins my diet. *sigh*

What is... mortified?

2012-03-20T06:00:00.006-06:00

Last June, I blogged about a little crush I had on a Jeopardy contestant back in high school:

Ahhh, Matt Morris. Yep, there he is in all his Teen Tournament glory. And there I am, in all my awkward high school glory. I thought he was so cute, and it seemed totally normal that my mom would snap a picture of me posing next to him on TV. Totally normal.

Well, last weekend I received an email that caught me by surprise:

Wait... WHAT? So let me get this straight: Matt Morris read my blog? He saw that awkward, stalkerish picture? I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. In the end, I decided to laugh, and I laughed HARD. And then just when I didn't think it could get more ridiculous or embarrassing, I got a follow-up email from the girl who dated him:

Wait, wait, wait. WHAT?! Seriously? I had to use my excellent stalker skills to find his Facebook profile. Sure enough...

Need a closer look?

Lovely. When I asked Gary what he thought about his wife's picture on some guy's Facebook page, he said, "What is... disturbing?!" Ha ha! I think it's hilarious. I can guarantee you that 18 years ago when that picture was taken, I never thought it would be on Facebook, I never thought I'd be blogging about it, but most of all, I never in a million years thought Matt Morris would ever see it.

Hey, Matt Morris: What is... a restraining order? :) Just kidding!

The girl who gave me the inside scoop about my Jeopardy crush blogs at www.eminnyc.tumblr.com. Check her out!

Last, last, last, last-minute Valentines

2012-02-14T14:30:00.000-07:00

Happy Valentine's Day!

It's not like I didn't know WEEKS ago what our plan for class valentines was, but in typical Angie fashion, we were finishing them up in the car on our way to school this morning.

Yes, I could've taken the pictures WEEKS ago when we decided what this year's valentines would be. But instead, the pictures were taken last night around 5:30.

Off I sent them to walgreens.com. They'd be ready in an hour, but since I had a hot date last night, I thought it'd be no problem to pick them up on our way home. And that would've been fine... if the store was open that late. The darkened entrance was a dead give away that my lack of planning skills had once again done me no favors.

Walgreens opened at 8:00 this morning. School starts at 8:30. Uhh, no problem. I scrambled to get four kids and myself ready this morning in order to be there when the doors opened, but we got there at 8:15 instead. With the tape dispenser in the back seat and the girls' hands working furiously to finish their Valentines, we drove the one block to school and Emma dashed inside, just a few minutes late, but with adorable Valentines in hand. Addie finished hers in the car on the way to school after MOPS while eating her lunch. Some may call it rushed and bad planning, I call it teaching the the life skill of multi-tasking.

It looks like I don't need to worry about valentines for another 364 days! Whew.

Last year their valentines looked like this:

In case you want to plan ahead and make similar ones for next year (you could start now!), they're a breeze to make. I just hung up a sheet/blanket as a backdrop (optional). Then I took a picture of the girls with outstretched arms.

Next I uploaded the picture to picnik.com to add the text and hearts, uploaded it to walgreens.com to get them printed, attached the candy, and voila! Adorable valentines that are cheap, super easy, and totally cute.

Yesterday I was ready to wimp out and do the traditional perforated valentines, but the girls insisted on these. I'm glad! The scramble and the effort are worth it.

Maybe I should start next year's valentines tonight. Brody will be in school and I'll have three sets to worry about. Oy.

I Am A Material Girl

2012-02-05T14:25:00.001-07:00

Even though the Broncos aren't playing, if I think hard enough, I can probably name the two teams that are playing. But I can tell you who's performing at halftime in a nanosecond.

Madonna is set to take the halftime stage at the Superbowl later today, and I admit, I'm excited to watch. I feel a kinship of sorts with Madonna. You might not know it, but I was in the Material Girl video.

Well, okay, it was a remake.

A long time ago when MTV was barely born, my 2nd grade music teacher, Mr. Dennis, had us break into groups to create music videos. There was a catchy new song out called, "Material Girl," and Jessica, Kristen and I were going to nail it.

We had a couple of days to choreograph and plan our big video debut. We'd lip synced our song a hundred times, our hair was perfectly crimped and teased, and our neon leg warmers were in place.

I'm absolutely certain we had no idea what the song was about. Madonna's message of living an affluent, extravagant life was lost on us 7-year-olds. I'd never seen the video and it was probably many years later when I finally saw it for the first time. And maybe that's when it hit me: our version of Material Girl was so... different.

For a solid four minutes, my innocent 2nd grade friends and I traipsed around our music room, bobbing our heads, dancing, and flinging brightly colored fabric strips.

Fabric strips. You know, material.

It's a version you won't see Madonna perform at the Super Bowl show today. But as I sit and watch her perform today with some like-minded crafty friends, it seems appropriate that a bunch of material girls would be cheering on the Material Girl.

Happy Super Bowl Sunday!

Feelin' the Christmas Love Until Valentine's Day!

2012-01-31T06:00:00.002-07:00

The Christmas decorations have been packed away for almost a month now.

Except for the Christmas cards.

I just can't bear to put them away! I have them displayed on a large stretch of wall that I walk by a million times a day. I love seeing the smiling faces all day long of so many people that I love.

And so, I've made the executive decision to display Christmas cards until... Valentine's Day! It's the holiday of looovvve, so why not have a daily reminder of the people God's put in your life to love?

And besides... um... I *still* haven't sent out our Christmas New Year's Valentine's Day cards, and I know there are others out there who intend to send them out as well, and so I will keep them up while I wait for them in the mail. And for those reading this who have yet to receive our card, you need to know that being nixed from next year's Christmas card list would break my heart and is among my biggest fears.

Okay, that might be just a little exaggeration, but I do love getting your cards.

When I took down all the Christmas decorations, I switched out the red velvet ribbon I had the pictures hanging from for a simple piece of twine. Now it seems less Christmasy. I think next year I'll use these teensy little cute clothespins since they'd be less distracting. And I might need to add another row. It's getting crowded!

Gary and I made a sign to display over our cards. It says, "I thank my God every time I remember you." (Philippians 1:3) At Christmastime, it's perfect with sprigs of holly and pinecones garnishing it, but take them off and... voila! A perfect way to display cards through Valentine's Day.

When I finally do take down the cards, I think I might make one of these ideas that I found on Pinterest.

These prayer sticks are such a cute idea... if I can get the guts to cut up the beautiful pictures!

But if I chicken out, I love the idea of these little books. The link will take you to printable covers to make your own. Love it!

Are you still displaying your cards? Do you think I'm just in denial and will display them until Mother's Day after I've finally sent out May Day cards? What do you do with old Christmas cards?

When massages go bad

2012-01-19T19:53:00.000-07:00

The girls' latest bedtime stalling technique?

Nightly massages.

I mean, how are you supposed to stop them mid-backrub and send them to bed? Smart girls.

They start by laying out a big, soft blanket and put pillows side by side, right next to the warm fire. Then they instruct us to lay down so the massage can begin. Seriously! I'm supposed to deny them this loving, selfless act of service? ;)

So there we were the other night, getting our romantic couples' massage. Emma hit this spot that was just right. I groaned a blissful groan.

That's all it took for the massage to take a quick turn. Addie lit up and exclaimed, "Let's see what noises DAD can make!" And with that, she gave his back a few good rubs and soon she was delighted to hear a deep, "HUBBA HUBBA!"

His outburst was met with uncontrollable giggling. Next, Emma couldn't wait to see what sound I would make.

Oh, there it was. That spot on my left shoulder. "Aaaa-OOOOOO-gah!" Mimicking an old-timey car horn brought on squeals of laughter.

Daddy was next. "Sweet Betsy!!!" I'm pretty sure Addie fell off his back at that one.

Our soothing massages were no longer relaxing, but had turned into a competition of ridiculousness.

"Ohhhhh yeah!"
"Sweet mother of pearl!"
"Kowabunga!!!"
"Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!!!"

It's hard to believe they were wound up when we finally ushered them up to bed, isn't it?

In these moments of delirious laughter, I am so in love with my family. Thank you, Lord, for those fun, unexpected minutes before bedtime!

Pinterest Dinners By a Former Idiot

2012-01-17T11:20:00.000-07:00

A common evening conversation:

Gary: "What's for dinner?"
Me: "Something new! I'm trying a new recipe!"
Gary: [all color is washed from his face and panic sets in.] "Oh."
Me: "Get excited! Yipppeeeeee!"
Gary: [ulcer begins to form over aforementioned new recipe]

The last two nights for dinner, I tried new recipes from Pinterest! Gary was so thrilled.

Sunday night I tried the Brown Sugar and Balsamic Glazed Pork Loin.

Picture and recipe from ww.candcmarriagefactory.com

It was so-o-o-o-o-o-o-o good. Everyone liked it and I've been given permission to make it again.

What I'd do differently:
1. The recipe says to cook it in the crock pot for 6-8 hours. I tasted a little at 7 hours and it was perfect. In my crock pot, 8 hours made it just a little bit too dry.
2. Also, an hour before it's finished, you're to brush on the glaze. At that point, I poured out the fatty juices/water in the bottom of the crock pot. No no. I shouldn't have done that. It probably contributed to the touch of dryness when it was finished.
3. I wish I would've either made more glaze or saved some to serve with the pork upon completion.

But it was still really, REALLY good. I'll definitely make it again. Easy and yummy!

Last night I made Crockpot Italian Chicken.

Picture from homeiswheretheholmansare.blogspot.com

Looks good, right? Well, Pinterest is a funny thing. I kept seeing this recipe pop up, so I decided to finally click on it an make it. The blurb under the picture gives crockpot directions:

4 chicken breasts, 1 packet Zesty Italian dressing seasoning, 1 8 oz. cream cheese (softened), 2 cans cream of chicken soup; Cook on low for 4 hours. If sauce is too thick, add a little milk. Serve over pasta.

Perfect! But when you click on the picture, it's a totally different recipe. It's for White Cheddar Chicken Pasta. Hmmm. So I made the crockpot version (which is not pictured, by the way), and my family liked it and has requested it for future dinners. I thought it was okay, but I'm really curious about the recipe that's actually pictured. I'm putting it on my to-try list!

And not to worry: Even though I've critiqued a few recipes, this is not turning into a recipe blog. I've said it a million times, and Gary's panic over a new recipe proves it - I'm not really a good cook. At all.

See Exhibit A:

I bought this 2 weeks before my wedding day, when it dawned on me that I'd be cooking for someone THE REST OF MY LIFE and I'd only really made chocolate chip cookies and cereal. I was scared out of my mind, and wishing I'd paid attention when my mom was trying to teach me to cook.

I still use the receipt as a bookmark.

Fast forward 12 1/2 years, and I can proudly say that my husband is still alive; I have neither starved or poisoned him. I still don't claim to be a great cook, but I've come a long way. In fact, I'm ready to get rid of this book... but I can't. I'm kind of sentimental like that.

What Pinterest recipes have worked for you lately?

wiww {8} {on saturday?}

2012-01-14T16:43:00.001-07:00

First of all, I'M OKAY.

That last post was a tad emotional. I felt like I was a weepy mess all day, and while I really feel like there's never a need to justify or explain away any tears for any reason, I can admit that there may have been just a teensy weensy little touch of *MPS that came into play. (*I've scrambled the letters so ordinary people will have no idea what I'm talking about! Sneaky.)

That darn MPS. It makes intensifies everything.

Moving on...

I'm a few days late in joining the wwiw party over at The Pleated Poppy, but better late than never. I only have pictures from one day...

This is what I wore to church last Sunday.

dress - Old Navy

leggings - WalMart

cardi - Kohl's

boots - DSW

belt - very old, no idea where it's from

necklace - made by me!

But I got home from church and immediately changed into this:

GO BRONCOS!

Okay, so I probably wouldn't have posted wwiw this week since I'm so behind, but I just had to share my Broncos love. Because, as you've probably heard, they WON on Sunday!

And I'll admit - I've worn the hat 4 times in the last week, and I'm wearing the exact same outfit at this very moment, because they play TONIGHT!

(Yep, I know it's all backwards. Thank you, webcam!)

Kick off in 1 1/2 hours! GO TEBOW! GO BRONCOS!

Updated to say: BUMMER. Love my Broncos anyway!

Go over to Lindsay's blog to see what other bloggers wore last week!

(They probably didn't wear any Broncos gear. Just sayin'.)

Tears

2012-01-11T22:30:00.000-07:00

The kids are finally in bed, and I just collapsed on the couch for the first moment of not being "on" all day.

And the tears started coming. I've been a little weepy all day, in fact.

I cried first thing this morning when I received sweet emails from a friend who I miss so much.

I cried when I remembered that one year ago today, I received news that my friend Joanne had had a life-changing stroke. And I cried when I thought back on the past year. Tears of thankfulness that she's still with us, and tears of compassion for the trials she's endured this year.

I cried out of frustration mid-morning when Chloe would not stop crying and throwing herself on the floor in fits. I felt like such a big baby crying right along with her, but I was at a complete loss. I was probably the one who really wanted to take a nap at that point, but decided to put her down instead. Lucky girl.

I cried when Gary called home late this morning. Poor Gary, he didn't say a thing to earn those tears. Those ones just happened. I tried to explain why I was crying, and he responded with, "You want out of our family? Our marriage? Out of being a mom? I don't understand..." I smiled through my tears and said, "Nooo, not 'I want out' - I'm WORN out!" BIG difference!

But then I cried again after lunch as I helped a new friend process her grief after losing her baby recently when she was 18-weeks along. My tears were stirred by memories of my own baby Joshua, and for the heartache I know she feels.

I cried later this afternoon when parenting seemed too much to handle. I feel so inadequate to do this mom thing sometimes.

I cried when Gary stopped by home in the midst of his busy Wednesday and helped me deal with our kids for a few minutes. Tears flowed as I watched one of my beloved children wrestle with matters of the heart. Oh, how I need the Lord's strength and direction with this little one.

Finally, just before I set out to tell this tale of my tears, I read another message from a friend. This time, tears of joy came as I read great news of a sustained pregnancy. Tears filled my eyes as I thanked the Lord for answering prayer in bigger ways than we imagine.

I'm glad today is just about over, because I'm a little tired of all the crying. I wouldn't even say it was a bad day. It was just a day filled with reminders over and over again of how we just can't do life without Jesus. Just can't.

And now, I'm thankful that tomorrow is a new day.

"Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.

They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."

Lamentations 3:22, 23

When One Pin Leads To Another

2012-01-06T21:05:00.000-07:00

When I joined Pinterest, one of the first things I pinned was a delicious, cheesy chicken enchilada dish. In fact, it looked so yummy that I pinned it again a few weeks later without realizing it. It's on my "Oh My Yumminess" board twice. Here's the picture and link to the recipe: White Chicken Enchiladas.

Source: www.joyful-mommas-kitchen.blogspot.com

Anyway, I made it last night!

I thought it was really yummy, although I might add more green chiles next time. Gary thought it was just okay. Chloe devoured it.

Emma loved it:

And Brody loved it too:

Addie... not so much:

She did NOT like it, and made it quite clear to us. In our house, you eat what's served, or you don't eat. No alternatives, not even PB&J as a back up.

So we compromised, which is when Pinterest came to the rescue. I had seen this idea about a month ago:

Source: www.realsimple.com

The number on the dice is the number of bites you take. Easy.

And so we got the die (lucky for her we could only find one) and she rolled her fate.

And when she wasn't happy with that, she rolled again.

And again until she got the ONE. And that's when Gary and I made the decision to add all of the numbers up and told her she needed to take EIGHT bites before being finished.

I chose not to take a picture of the ensuing melt-down.

Speaking of Pinterest... need an invite? Give me your email address and I'll send you one! Also, you can follow my boards here!