Our Story

How is it December?!

2009-12-02T11:21:00.000-08:00

Wow....I can't believe it's been almost 5 months sinced I've blogged! Life has been pluggin' along at full speed and our summer was fun and busy! Life goes by so quickly and I still can't believe it's December and almost Christmas! This California weather sure doesn't make it seem like it could be that time of year, although we have had some colder days. I haven't had the time, energy or too much desire to blog lately, especially now with Facebook, but here's a quick snapshot of what we've been up to since July......

In July, we did lots of stuff together as a family and the kids took swim lessons for the first time (Davis and Maddy).

I had a litter of Labradoodles go home (always a busy time).....

Threw one of my best friends, Chanel, a baby shower.....

At the beginning of August, we flew to Kansas City to visit my parents. My sister and her family drove down from Canada too and we all had a blast together! Some of the best times were spent together at a "woodsy" resort called the Big Cedar Lodge. Each family had their own little log cabins, which were very cool, and we swam, rented a boat, played miniature golf, went fishing, horseback riding...fun!

Days after getting back from KC, my big girl started Kindergarten. Still can't believe it! She loves it and loves to do her homework! If only she knew......

Then we took a train to San Diego, spent the night and had fun!

Then I had my first litter of Goldendoodles.....

Then I realized that my Lab was super fat and was surprised with these....which meant things got EXTRA crazy! 13 puppies total between the two....plus the adults. Whew.....that will hopefully be the one and only time I have 2 litters at the same time...at least so close in age. It was too much!

In September, we celebrated Davis & Emma's birthdays

We went to Mammoth for the weekend and stayed in the most fabulous house. It's owned by a Hollywood producer and we got it really cheap through a friend of a friend..... Gorgeous!

Chanel delivered the most beautiful boy (Kingston) and I was able to be with her the whole day, except when they decided to do a c-section. Very special!

I went to a Women of Faith conference and was gone 2 nights...only to come home to this.... Hubby got
a dirt bike!

At the end of Sept we had our annual trip to Yosemite in a motorhome. The weather was just beautiful and a wonderful reminder of our awesome God. Davis & Maddy really perfected their skills of riding their bikes without training wheels and joined us on a couple long bike rides! There was a huge group of us that went....I think 14 families in all. Lots of kids....it was great!

In October, John & I celebrated our 7th anniversary.......and on the same day, one of our favorite couples, Nate & Becky, delivered their 4th.....Ella! So beautiful when your friends have babies!

October flew by with all the weekly activities and halloween.

And then where did November go? I just don' know.... Thanksgiving was celebrated at a friends house and I was able to get out and do some Christmas shopping by myself on Black Friday, thanks to my dear hubby. It was wonderful, even tho the whole town was out shopping too! That same day, we got our Christmas tree and John put up a string of lights on the house. When we were first married, John decked our house out in lights. It was awesome! But the older we get and the crazier/more stressful life gets, the more of a chore it is..... Thank goodness we have our kids to help keep us young.

:)

I'm a Winner!

2009-07-24T09:07:00.000-07:00

No really I am! I never, ever, ever win anything....... but this time I finally won....YEAH!

My friend Summer works for a fab jewelry designer, Lisa Leonard, who's blog is one I read just about every day. I love her stuff (got a necklace for my mom & MIL) and entered a contest she had on her blog and was totally shocked to see my name listed as a winner. YEAH! Too bad it's not one of her pieces....which I'm determined to get one day.....but it's a great prize and one my kiddos are gonna totally LOVE! I think we'll have so much fun doing it together. Thanks Lisa!!

Check out Lisa's blog and her beautiful works HERE

Fun Times Together

2009-07-06T23:55:00.000-07:00

Signatures

2009-06-12T01:15:00.000-07:00

My kids have "signature poses" that they always do when I take their pics..... especially Miss Maddy Mack, Mack, Mack (all dressed in black, black, black with silver buttons, buttons, buttons all down her back, back, back...... sorry..can't get that song out of my head! Try it...it's addictive!)Anyhow, Maddy's had her signature pose for quite a while and it cracks me up...and can sometimes be a teeny weeny bit frustrating too. LOL.... No, no it doesn't frustrate me.....my kids NEVER frustrate me, (what kinda mom do you think I am?...geesh).....I just have 500 pictures of her that are alllll the same look. Kinda funny actually! Now that I think about it, it's kinda nice when I'm in a pinch, I can count on her to whip out that signature and then continue on her merry way, whether it's throwing a fit or skipping down the street. And there are a few different variations of it too.

Davis & Emma are still figuring theirs out, but Maddy obviously had a head start being the older child and having been constantly hounded by her wonderful mommy to "say cheese for the camera" for a bit longer.

What about you? Do your kids have their own signature pose?

Here's a little sample of what I'm talkin' about....

Here's she's trying it out sitting down....

And when she has something in her hands.....

And the "Puppy Signature Pose"...... I got lotttttss of these cute shots...

I have a small inkling (sp?) that Davis & Emma's may be something along the lines of these..... which usually involves a cheesy smile or the tongue....

Signatures Continued

2009-06-12T00:31:00.000-07:00

Or just straight up PWT Goofball....

And this is what I get when I try to put it all together....

Wait, wait....WAITTT a MINUTE......LOOK what I just came across....OH MY!!! Hilarious that I even wondered for a moment where they got it from!

The Graduate.....

2009-05-31T21:03:00.000-07:00

The past Tuesday, Maddy graduated from Grace Kids, the co-op Pre-School program we do through our church. I can't believe it's over! I think this graduation was just about as fun as some of the college ones I've been too, if not better. It was short, there was entertainment, some great laughs and yummy dessert. :)

Maddy was VERY excited to graduate and the kids created a life-size drawing of themselves that we used to decorate the room. They sang some of the songs they learned, recited some verses, had little "interviews" and a slideshow. Maddy was one of the kids that was "interviewed" and she did very, very well. All the moms surprised their Grace Kid with a scrapbook of the year and Maddy looks at hers every day! It was worth those 3 sleepless nights I spent doing it.... at the last possible moment. Thanks procrastination! :) The only thing missing from this great night (besides Grandparents that live in another state...) was her daddy. He was gone for 10 days on a trip for work that took him to Dubai and Paris, but we took lots of pictures and videos for him. :)

Rising Star

2009-05-22T17:53:00.000-07:00

I'm so proud of my hubby that I just have to brag for a moment. And unfortunately, I don't have much to show you but I had to post anyway....

John recently received a phone call from someone that wanted to interview him. Unfortunately, he was at work and it was a bad time so they didn't get to talk.....and I don't think he was able to connect with the man again..... BUT, he found out that someone nominated him as a "Rising Star".....or an employee that's

performing really well at his job and one to keep your eye on.

From what I've gathered, the San Fernando Valley Business Journal puts it together and it's for the Santa Clarita Valley and several surrounding areas. John never mentioned it again, but I found info on the internet about it. He was 1 of about 50 nominees, and some of those others are very well known. Needless to say, I'm so, SO proud of him!! Here's a link to the flyer I found.... http://www.sfvbj.com/Events/SantaClarita_Flyer.pdf

Does Anyone Know?

2009-04-30T14:31:00.000-07:00

Ok, on a scale of 1-10 for importance, this is a negative -5......BUT.......does anyone know what causes random "grease" stains on clothes???

I've noticed for a while that, AFTER washing clothes, there will be a random stain that never comes off. Initially, it just looks like there's a wet spot......but it's actually not wet at all and I can't get it out. It's always a circle....like a spot of water....and ranges from about the size of a penny to the size of a quarter. My washer & dryer are pretty new (3 1/2 yrs) and I primarily use powder detergent over the liquid. I stopped using the "downey ball" because I thought that's what was causing it and I also stopped using dryer sheets in case that was it. But it still happens! And it's not every load or every item.....just a shirt or pair of shorts now and then. But of course, the stain shows up in a spot where it's noticeable and I end up making those items "play clothes." I thought I was going crazy, but then John commented that he noticed it on clothes too.

Any ideas?????

In Christ Alone

2009-04-26T14:04:00.001-07:00

Last year I had the pleasure of hearing Natalie Grant sing at a Women of Faith conference. Although I totally love music, my days of listening to anything usually consist of a big purple dinosaur or princess music or kids praise, etc. So.....the WOF conference was the first time I heard Natalie and she totally blew me away. Not only was she adorable, but her voice was absolutely incredible!

That was last September and the 2 CD's of hers that I bought then are still in my car today and I listen to them constantly! I've been thinking so much of what our pastor taught today and it reminded me of one of Natalie's favorite songs. Just wanted to share the lyrics:

"In Christ Alone"

In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song;
this Cornerstone, this solid Ground,
firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
when fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my All in All,
here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone! who took on flesh
Fulness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones he came to save:
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied -
For every sin on Him was laid;
Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain:
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave he rose again!
And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me,
For I am His and He is mine -
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is the power of Christ in me;
From life's first cry to final breath.
Jesus commands my destiny.
No power of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home,
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand.

She's a clever girl....

2009-04-22T21:45:00.000-07:00

Maddy.......if you know my lovely girl Maddy, you know that she's a girl who fits the stereotype of the first born perfectly. Strong. Smart. Knows what she wants. I mean....BOSSY. :) I say a hundred times a day.... "Maddy, you aren't the mommy, don't tell them what to do...."

So on Sunday, she was telling Davis how to rock correctly in the chair (or something like that). I turned around and gave her a mommy look--with a raised eyebrow-- and said in a firm mommy tone "Maddy!" And she says, very matter-of-factly, "Oh yeah. Sorry Mom. I was just giving Davis a little bit of advice."

I had to turn around so she wouldn't see me smile. She's a clever girl that Maddy!

Sisters

2009-04-18T15:38:00.000-07:00

M.I.A.

2009-04-15T09:50:00.000-07:00

I've been MIA from my blog, partly from being unmotivated to update it, but mostly because we've been so busy! I was blessed to have my Aunt, Uncle and Cousin visit for a few very short days while my cousin was visiting a local college. That was a special treat because they haven't been out since my wedding, which was almost 7 years ago! And then, another totally special treat, was a visit from my sister all the way from the Great White North. And White it is since it snows practically 364 days of the year! And then, my parents celebrated their 40th anniversary in Carmel a couple weekends ago and we drove up there to see them. So fun!

Emma giving herself a breathing treatment! lol... (she has asthma)

My lovely Aunt....

Saying Good-Bye

2009-03-09T22:50:00.000-07:00

So, as you know, our household sees lots of puppies (Faithful Doodles) come 'n go and usually I have mixed feelings about them leaving. They're SO darn cute..... and sweet and fun.....and I'm so thankful I'm able to do something from home and give my kids a neat experience..... but right around the 7 week mark, they start to get a bit more obnoxious (or maybe I'm just burnt out!), so I'm usually ready for the break. Even though it's sad to see them leave, I've been totally blessed to have great, wonderful families take them and keep in touch with me. I wave good bye, shut the door kinda sad and give a sigh of relief at the same time.

But this last litter has been a bit different. My kids love to play with the puppies. They're still young and need to be watched, but Maddy can pretty much play with them by herself and I

don't fear too much of her doing anything wrong. This last litter she spent the most time she ever has playing with them. Up to this point, it hasn't been hard for her to say goodbye to them either and I often joke that she has her Daddy's emotions more than mine. In fact, when 2 of the pups almost died at birth, she matter-of-factly told her brother that they were going to die & went off to play, while I was crying over them. lol.... But as we said our good-byes to them this past week, Maddy has cried harder and longer than I ever imagined her doing, especially over the 2 girls, Hope (the one that almost died) and Yellow Girl....whom she named Ashlynn (Summer!). When Hope left, she literally cried for 3 hours and every day since Yellow girl left, she has either cried about missing her or whined over wanting her back. So sad! It was almost easier when she didn't care, but I totally relate to how she feels. I hope she doesn't have to go through this each time we have a litter! She has asked me to make her a little photo album of some of the puppies for her to remember they by and look at when she is sad. She also drew a picture of one of them "so she would never, ever forget him and will keep it forever and ever."

What We've Been Up To

2009-03-02T14:11:00.000-08:00

The Amgen Tour of California always has a stop in Santa Clarita and John, being the cyclist that he is, is sooo excited for it's arrival. He and some friends went and watched the Tour pass through Solvang (actually, I think they were having time trials there), then we watched them head out of Santa Clarita and drove to Pasadena to watch the finish. Before they headed out of SCV, we had a great spot and were able to see most the guys up really close. I know their names, just don't know which name goes with what body. :) Oh.....except we all know that guy covered in yellow and "livestrong" and "hope rides again"....2nd picture.... you know.....Lance Armstrong? If I know who he is, everyone else must too. :)

This weekend we headed up to Hume with our annual trip with some friends! Kids had a great time playing in the snow....except Emma. Miss Emma didn't like the snow and cried most of the time she was in it. :)

Freeze!

2009-02-12T20:12:00.001-08:00

Anyone have any special tricks to keep these guys from growing up? Seriously. No, really.

My babies are getting too big. Puppies too! I want them to stay exactly the way they are. Except I would love for Davis to be about 1 1/2 too. He was the cutest little boy. :)

He's 30!

2009-01-22T01:20:00.000-08:00

My DH finally turned 30!

Progression of a 5 Yr Old

2009-01-18T16:25:00.001-08:00

Last week my "baby" turned 5 years old! I just can't believe that she's five and SO ready for kindergarten!

I had this great idea to show a Progression of my 5 yr old and started scrolling through allllll of my photos, originally searching for just Maddy's b-day photos. But then I kept coming across all these cute pictures of her so I decided to add those too. And before I knew it, I had a couple problems. 1) I have THOUSANDS of pictures (yes, literally) and wasted so much time just looking and reminiscing and trying to narrow them down. 2) I had too many photos and was only at year 2 and then 3) I got tired and lost the desire to post them on my blog. LOL... so here is a qucik, partial review of "The Progression of my 5 Yr Old......

2009-01-03T22:26:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-22T23:33:00.001-08:00

I seriously can't believe Christmas is almost here! Another year so quickly gone....

Merry Christmas!!

Yosemite

2008-12-02T14:32:00.000-08:00

For Thanksgiving, we headed up to Yosemite in an RV for 5 days with a bunch of friends. It was such a great time! Unlike So Cal weather, it was actually cold and we were able to introduce our kids to "coats, gloves & hats." :) :) It actually felt like fall instead of a mild summery day....yeah for me!

Anyhow, we drove up half of the way on Monday night; spent the night in a Walmart parking lot and then headed up to Yosemite Tues-Sat. The kids had so much fun playing outside, getting dirty, going on bike rides.......plus having their daddy with them for several days in a row.

I think there were about 8 families total, each with lots of kids. Most of these families do this trip together every year and two years ago we joined them for the first time. You can click HERE to see pics of that trip.....and how small my kiddos were (sniff, sniff...). Our RV this year was bigger and much better than the last trip!

"We" (aka...the men) created this huge room out of about 6 easy-ups attached together and then an enormous tarp was thrown over the whole thing. There's a little door, several heaters, lights and lots of picnic tables. It's so warm under this tarp that no jackets are needed, even late at night. That's where everyone gathers in the evening, playing games and hanging out. A fire is going on right outside the tent for all the smores you want to eat.

On Thanksgiving day, we had lots of yummy turkey and everyone brought sides and desserts to share. And our special friends, Nate & Becky, were the biggest troopers as they decided to tent camp instead of RV camp. :) Yosemite is too beautiful for words and pictures don't describe how majestic it is. Such fun memories and great reminder of who our Creator really is!!!

The BEAST:

Davis's secret girlfriend Samantha and best bud Collin:

Doing what they love to do best....THROW ROCKS! (usually gets me in trouble with my neighbor....)

1955's Guide to Being a Good Wife....

2008-11-09T17:51:00.000-08:00

I have seen this passed around many times, but I always love to read it and thought I'd post it. It is a real article that was published in 1955. You'll probably need to click on the image to enlarge it and read it.

My how things have changed!

Halloween

2008-11-02T21:42:00.001-08:00

So the older I get, the less into "halloween" I am and struggle with letting my kids dress up or not. But our church does a great Fall Festival and we have gone every year and manage to just have a great time being silly and getting all sugared up without being apart of the junk that day can bring.

Anyhow, I'm also cheap when it comes to costumes and have my kids wear what we have or multiple times! Davis really wanted to be Goofy, but they didn't have one in his size, so I bought him a gorilla costume from Home Goods. I thought it would be fun for him to be a

gorilla and the two girls to dress in princess costumes and they could be 2 Beauties and a Beast....but on the day of Halloween, he wanted to wear Maddy's old chicken costume. Kinda

girly, but it worked! Emma was a giraffe and Maddy was Snow White. She even put on her best "princess" manners and was great! I didn't get any good pics of the 3 of them before it got dark, but here's what I have...

2008-10-26T15:32:00.000-07:00

This weekend Maddy and John had the fun opportunity to fly to my parents house for a quick visit. Maddy got spoiled by Grandma while John and my dad went hunting for our Thanksgiving dinner.

That left me with the the fun chance to spend time with just Davis & Emma. I was wondering how Davis would do without his partner in crime, but it was so neat to have a little bit more alone time with him and to see him in a different setting than the norm. Maddy called Davis about 3 times because she missed him....they're little phone conversations were pretty cute!

And Emma was a doll, even with about 4 teeth coming in at once!

And here's the man with a kiddy toilet seat stuck on his head and another one of "The great half-white hunter" & my dad with a couple of their prizes.....!!! :)

A Little Bit of Random...

2008-10-18T09:13:00.000-07:00

I love reading blogs but don't always have the energy or desire to keep mine up. If it wasn't for my family being far away, it would probably never get updated!

Sooo.... Miss Emma had her 1 yr checkup at the beginning of the month and is doing well. She's a lightweight compared to her siblings at this age and is just about to the point where she can have her car seat turned around (they have to be 1 yr AND a min of 20 lbs). I think Maddy was 20lbs at like 8 months...lol. Anyway, she was 19 lbs and is in the 25% percentile for her weight and the 75% percentile for her height; so she's a long 'n lean string bean. She's fairly quiet and serious but has the normal 1 yr old selfish streak that comes out fairly often. But that girl can cuddle and it will melt away your blues....

Last week Maddy's preschool, Grace Kids, had a field trip to a pumpkin patch. We set to go to a really cool one in Simi Valley, but went to a local one instead due to the fires. Soo...the kids and I packed up and headed to Lombardi Ranch, where Maddy & Davis were given a little tour, got to see lots of farm animals and go on a little train ride. It was really windy and dusty, but the kids were given a free little pumpkin. I had my hands full with all 3, so we went back to Lombardi this weekend with our good friends and I was able to pick up some pumpkins of my own.

Life seems to stay pretty busy with kid stuff, a little photography and puppies. Chica is pregnant and due as early as Sunday. Pray for lots of healthy babies! John is crazy busy at work and amazes me at how he manages to do it all... help run a company, stay in shape, be a husband and daddy......all without loosing him sanity!

OH....2 funny stories... last Thursday I met my friend Renelle at the park and when I was leaving, found out a nice man (or woman) decided they needed to break into my car and steal my purse. I had a good amount of cash and gift cards in it, plus all my personal info of course. More annoying than anything. But the funny part is that 3 days later John received a phone call from a man who found my purse along the crazy 405. John met him yesterday to retrieve what was left and thinks they are running a little side job of returning stuff they find for a little reward money. My "stuff" was put into a very ugly little purse, plus a few extra things like someone elses's birth control. Ewww.... At least they could have kept my ugly, very, very old and dirty wallet.

The other funny story is that today at Grace Kids it was dress up day for "harvest" aka Halloween. We have another field trip next week, which is why it was today. I briefly read the e-mail to the moms reminding us to dress our kids and self up for harvest and we would have a little parade for an elderly Sunday School class at church. I got Maddy's halloween costume ready and woke her up early to get her dressed and ready to go. I didn't have anything specticular to wear, so I just put on one of my crazy wigs (an afro) and was ready to go. At church, I went along doing my thing, kind of noticing that everyone was dressed as cowboys or farmers. I thought....humm....guess they didn't want to put in the extra effort like I did with Maddy... " LOL...joke was on me. What I DIDN'T read in our reminder e-mail was that we were suppose to dress in HARVEST. So....Maddy and I were the ONLY one's not dressed that way. :) I was quite embarrassed ! We bring the spark. :)

2008-10-07T21:40:00.000-07:00

2008-10-05T14:56:00.000-07:00

I love sharing life with you J.K. Long....

Happy Anniversary!

The 3rd Birthday.....

2008-09-23T15:12:00.001-07:00

Davis's 3rd birthday was Sunday and we celebrated him by having a get together with some friends for a little BBQ and cake. John rented a jumper and the kids had a blast!

Last week, Maddy's preschool group had their first field trip: a ride on the Metrolink train down to Union Station in LA. We walked to Olivera St. and looked around, ate some Mexican food and were on our way home. Davis got to join us and the kids loved it! BTW...the Union Station is beautiful on the inside...very "Hollywood" looking. I thought it would be trashy, but would love to go check it out again!

Birthday Girl!

2008-09-08T18:55:00.000-07:00

Our Awana girl..... Maddy's 2nd yr of Cubbies started tonight and John's leading a group of 6th grade boys.

So we just got a chance to celebrate Emma tonight and a low-key birthday it was! Us Long's don't do big bashes for the 1st birthday and this one was about a low-key as it gets! I feel kinda bad that I didn't do more....... Oh well! Emma LOVED her little baby doll that we got her. She's carried it around all night!

So, as usual, I took a ton of pictures tonight. And, as usual, Emma has her eyes closed in almost EVERY picture! ARUGH! It's SO frustrating! I have so many pictures of this girl that are pretty cute, but her eyes are closed or partially closed in EVERY single one! It really is darn frustrating. Here's just a small example from tonight (and I have about 30 more, but I'm tired of posting pics!).......

Happy 1st Birthday!

2008-09-05T12:48:00.001-07:00

Today is Emma's big day and she's turning 1!!

It's a happy/sad day for me since she's my baby and this birthday is significant (to me) in that the chapter of having a very little one around is ending. =sniff, sniff= My favorite age, so far, is 6 months-1 1/2 yrs, so I'm excited to continue watching Emma discover and learn new things and change daily.

Emma has been such a joy to our family and I can't imagine life without her. She's the smallest of the 3 kids and isn't quite at the 20lb mark. I think Maddy hit that mark around 6 months! LOL.... She's also the quietest of the 3 and ADORES her big brother and sister....and they adore her just as much.

Since I am leaving to go to a Women of Faith conference this afternoon, we'll celebrate Emma on Sunday and I'll have more pictures to post then! Happy Birthday Emma!

My Preschooler....

2008-09-03T18:17:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Maddy had her first day of Preschool, Grace Kids. I mentioned it in another post, but we are doing a co-op preschool through our church that meets once a week and is run by all the moms. There is a limit of 25 kids and each mom has a job to help things run smoothly. We do the program alongside our kids, with the exception of 1 hour in which we have "mom time" and the kids have their lessons, etc. The church provides nursery for the younger siblings and it's wayyyyy cheaper than regular preschool, but it totally prepares them for kindergarten. I'm so thankful for this precious, uninterrupted time with Madelyn before she's off to school next year! =sniff, sniff....=

Family Gathering...

2008-08-30T08:23:00.000-07:00

I recently just got back from visiting family for about 2 weeks and have had something going on every day since, so I've had little energy to update my blog.

My family got together to see each other, of course, but mostly to celebrate my Grandpa Q's 90th birthday! My Grandpa is an amazing man and awesome example of godly character. His body may be 90, but his mind is so sharp. He's still very witty and crackin' jokes a lot...and still has it in him to razz my dad. LOL..... Not to mention, he drives a pretty cool truck! We love you Grandpa and it was soooo great to see you and celebrate you! And everyone else of course! All the little cousins had SUCH a great time playing together and for there being 6 kids 9 and under, they did really well! Since we don't get to see each other much, we felt it was pretty special that the cousins got to play 2 times together in 1 year. It definitely helped reinforce a relationship and fun memories! Oh....and I had all 3 kids by myself on the plane ride home, but the kids did awesome!!

I have a TON of pictures, but since I'm not in too much of a bloggin' mood, I will post just a few favorites....

11 Months!

2008-08-08T12:56:00.000-07:00

I couldn't bare to look at my blog because the snake pictures are SOO gross to me....they give me the creepies!! And I'm creeped out even more now b/c my neighbor 2 doors down found a snake in his backyard on Saturday! ECK! And at the bottom of our hill there is a boat storage place and they found 3 snakes in one day. AAAUUUGGHHH!!!! I'm packin' my bags and gettin' outta Dodge.

Ok, not really, but I am excited to post something different and not have to look those pictures anymore. :)

On a happier note...... Ms. Emma turned 11 months on Tuesday and is still darn cute, IMHO. For a month or two she's been taking 1-3 steps here-n-there, but has been really timid and unmotivated to walk much more than that. Makes it easier for me, that's for sure! But her big sister spent quite a while holding her hand and walking with her around the house 2 days ago and ever since then, Emma's figured out that walking isn't so bad after all and now she's getin' around pretty good. She's still wobbly, but it's amazing how much of a difference a day makes!

We leave early Tues morning to go visit my family in KC. My sister and her family will be driving down from Canada and we'll all get to hang out and just "be" for a bit over a week. I'm so excited to get away, get rejuvenated and see everyone! I'm also SO excited b/c John was coming for a few days too but I was going to have to fly with the kids by myself both ways. He surprised me and changed his flight so now we go there together. YEAH!!!! We're also getting together with my extended family for a grand ol' party to celebrate my special Grandpa Q's 90th Birthday! Can't wait! :)

Rattlesnake Slim....

2008-07-23T15:18:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I failed to mention that about a month ago my dear hubby saved my life!! And my sweet Daisy girl. :) LOL...well sort of anyway....

I was outside playing with the puppies & cleaning up some things and went to throw some trash away. Ol' faithful started barking and I didn't pay much attention to her, but then realized that she was barking at the sprinklers coming on. Silly Dog! But in about 2 seconds, I remember thinking that our sprinklers weren't on and it was either my neighbors sprinklers or something else. I peered over to the noise and FREAKED OUT when I saw a rattlesnake with it's rattle in the air giving us a warning! Daisy was definitely close enough for the snake to bite her, but she followed me as I bolted to the garage. I called for John and my strapping, strong man shot that bad boy good 'n dead. But I'm still freakd out! Everytime I hear the sound of sprinklers coming on, it reminds me of the sound of the rattle and even these pictures give me the heebie jeebies. I don't do snakes!! I'm definitely thankful it was me outside by the trash and not one of the kids though. And I'm most thankful for my little poochie and hubby. :)

All is good here on the homefront. Things are pretty much business as usual. Emma is sweet, quiet and smily and I'm enjoying this favorite age of mine; Davis is funny and charming and has his mamma pretty well wrapped around his finger; Maddy continues on with the terrible two's at 4 yrs of age, but always makes sure it's never a dull moment in the Long household! She's a great big sister and adores her baby sister!

The biggest thing for us is another job change! LOL..... I don't know if I ever updated my blog on the saga of John's work, but he prepared HARDOCRE for about a year for a job with law enforcement. It's what his heart really desires and I definitely support him. While he was waiting to hear fromt he Sherriff's dept, he interviewed with a commercial landscape company and an oil company. Things didn't work out and he was accepted into the Sherriff's Academy.

As things go, about the same time he started the academy, the landscape company called him back and offered him a position. It was a major, major decision, but my sweet man put his dream of being a Sherriff on the back burner and decided to take the position since it was local, regular hours w/not too much overtime and better pay. He really wants to make sure he's home to do things with the kids, coach when that time comes, etc. Anyhow, he took the job as Director of Operations and really started enjoying what he was doing and was able to work with several of his good friends. That was about 2 weeks after Emma was born.

Welllll...... 3 weeks ago the oil company that he had interviewed with called him back and offered him a job. They had fired the guy who John would have originally worked for and offered John that man's position..... Vice Pres of Operations! John was appy where he was at and originally turned it down. But, after thinking about it some more, this other company provided a greater future for him and seems to be on the brink of tremendous growth. So....John called them back and accepted the position! It was a happy/sad thing but we both felt the decision was right and he started on Monday. I'm SO proud of him!! Who would've thought he'd be a VP @ 29?!! :) As for what the company does, I couldn't tell ya cause it's SOOO over my head that I don't totally understand it. You can check it out at www.laturbine.com. OH...and the great thing is that it's about 2 miles from our house!

Family of 5......

2008-07-06T18:10:00.001-07:00

Wow....I can't believe it's been almost a month since I've posted. It's gone by quick! We've been busy playing with puppies and friends and just hangin' out. We've been to the beach, the pool and got to visit with one of my college roommates that I haven't seen in years! Her mom was there along with her 2 kids. So good to hang out with you Marcy!

For the 4th, we went with a bunch of people to the Rose Bowl. We don't go into the Bowl, but camp right outside @ the golf course and hang out all day eatin, talkin' and playin'. Then we enjoy the best show around and get home late. It's so fun! The fireworks are huge and loud and they're right by where we are. I think it's better than inside the Rose Bowl!

Emma turned 10 months yesterday, the 5th. She's pulling herself up on everything and doing the wabbling stand for a few seconds before she crashes. She's also getting her top 2 teeth for a total of soon-to-be 4 teeth.

John decided to have the ol' snip, snip surgery and so now we're stayin' a party of 5 in this house. Kinda sad and happy at the same time. No more surprises for us.....I think! Right? Right? Riiiggghhhtt????

Beach Day!
Renelle

Rose Bowl!

9 Months & Park Days

2008-06-10T13:52:00.000-07:00

Emma turned 9 months on the 5th and we celebrated by taking her in for a doctor appointment! :) It was her lucky day and she didn't get any shots....only a finger prick, in which she gave the nurse a dirty look. LOL...

We've also gone to the park with Becky, Renelle and the kids a couple times. On one of the days, our special friend Kristal was in town and we had the pleasure of hanging out with her and her 2 adorable kids for a bit. Debra was there too but unfortunately she had already left when we took a picture. So good to see your Kristal!

When going through my pictures, I found some old ones of all of us and the kids. Lots have changed since then!

Collin:Cole:
Davis pushin' his best buddy...

Samantha:
Renelle, Kristal holding Natalie, Me and Becky:
The Old Pics....at this time: Debra didn't have any kiddos (now has Annabelle & Ava), Kristal had just had Natalie (now also has a baby boy Landon!), I had Maddy & Davis, and Becky had Collin but was prego with Samantha (and now has another one...Lauren! Geez Becky, slow down! haha)!
Maddy holding Natalie:
Davis, Collin, Cole:

Myles of Style

2008-06-05T23:57:00.000-07:00

So did anyone catch tonights episode of HGTV's "Myles of Style?" I didn't post in time, but our friends Sean & Kathy were on the show! I've been so excited to see it because I've been thinking about applying for her to come re-do our Master bedroom but just am not sure I can handle the TV cameras in my face and am nervous they would do something wacky. We have a couple other friends applying for different shows, so maybe I'll see how their stuff comes out first! =)

Anyhow, I recorded the show and waited until 11:30pm to watch it, only---OF COURSE----there was an error in the recording and it didn't get the last 10 minutes. AUGHH!!! But thank goodness for re-runs because it's on at 12:30 and again on Sunday, I think. Check it out! They re-did their Master Bedroom and it looks pretty cool!

2008-06-03T15:17:00.000-07:00

What happens when you fall on one of these.......

Ok...so I just realized that these pictures don't look like much, but yesterday Davis was playing on daddy's spin bike and I kept telling him to get off. Of course, he slipped and fell and nailed his head right on the pedal. It was so sad! When he stood up, there was the perfect indent of the pedal right on this forehead. When you realize what it is, it's kinda funny!

The Lake

2008-06-02T23:40:00.000-07:00

So someone asked me a while back if I had anything to post about besides my kids. Umm....let me think about that for a sec...NOPE! LOL... I don't know if they were annoyed or just inquisitive, but none-the-less, this stay-at-home mom to 3 energy suckers 4 yrs and under doesn't have another wild life on the side, nor the energy/time to actually have one! I remember thinking I would NEVER, ever, ever be able to stay home more than 2 days in a row....and that was pushing it! Well I'll be dog-gone......I've turned a new leaf! I can do 3 days no problemo! (that's "no problem" for those of you who live in a city where English isn't the 2nd language). haha Plus, I don't remember how to have an adult conversation anymore, so I may be a bit of a bore anyway. I might start asking repetitive questions that begin and end with "Why?" Why?" "Why?" I could possibly jazz it up with a "What's that?" But then I'd follow it up with a "Why?" =)

Anyway, so this weekend our Sunday School class had a day at the Lake and we had a quick worship service, bbq'd, had lots of yummy junk food, good conversation and skiing/tubing! It was a perfectly beautiful day and there was a good turnout of families. There just happens to be quite a few sweet young girls in our class that were all fighting over holding Emma. It's pretty cute. I'm gonna have them all come over to my house and then they can fight over her all they want. All day long. No, really...I am. I don't think they'll notice if I slip out for a few hours or take a quick nap either! =) Now if could only get them to fight over the other 2, I may have a whole day to myself! Whoo Hoo!

I was only going to stay for about a hour and ended up staying the whole day. Emma gets an award for the best baby ever without a nap. She was a trooper! She did sneak in about 20 minutes right at the end of the day in Daddy's arms. Nothing like a nap in Daddy's arms, that's for sure. I won't ever forget falling asleep on my dad's arms riding in his truck..they were the best!

Here's a few pictures I took. I didn't take many, but the one's of Davis are pretty funny. And that's pretty much what he did all day. Remember how I told you he was sneaky, sneaky? I was a bad mommy and didn't really monitor (well, I sorta monitored but just didn't battle it out) all the junk he and Maddy ate. And did they ever. Cookies, cake, rice krispies, chips, chips and more chips. Oh..and a bite of hot dog for some protein. And soda. Mmmm......I'm a bit scared of taking them to the dentist! But, uh...next time I think I'll be a bit on top of things more since Maddy threw up in the evening after going to bed. Lots and lots of junk food + lots of sun on a 4 yr old=barfing in mommy and daddy's bed. Ahhhh...the joys of mommyhood! LOL.... Oh...and I didn't monitor too strickly (is that a word? why?) how much she drank before going nighty nighty in our bed and John & I both rolled over onto something very, very wet..... EEWWW!

Nice "background" ey? lol..
Handsome hubby holding sweet baby girl...

And here it is.... he was very quiet...a bit off to himself, while we were all listening to the service...
Oh..and notice his shirt? It says AWESOME with an arrow pointing up. LOL...love it! I'm surprised his daddy doesn't have one of those!

You Can Take the Girl Out of the Country.....

2008-05-28T22:50:00.001-07:00

So I grew up in a small town where agricultural things were the norm. Being surrounded by fields, farms, groves and such was just the way things were. I didn't give it a second thought about having horses, cows, sheep, pigs, rabbits, dogs, cats.... Or a garden of all sorts of flowers, every imaginable vegetable and trees that grew pecans, walnuts, lemons, oranges, cherries (hated picking them!), avocados (oh how I wish I would have liked them as a kid!), persimmons, kumquats, pistachios, and more! Most of my friends didn't have that, but it wasn't unusual to them that I did. The chores that came along with it kinda stunk (literally and figuratively....hahaha!), but I guess my sister and I were cheap labor....

I did think it was a bit different, and very cool, that my dad was a large animal vet who's clinic was on the same property as our house. It was a family business and I was exposed to so many awesome experiences. I loved it as a kid, but now I appreciate it so much and ache for my kids to know the life that I had and for them to see their Grandpa in action. It makes me sad that the experiences I had on a daily basis will only be stories that their crazy mama tells them. And that they will get tired of hearing. I hope to somehow let them experience a tiny bit of what is close to my heart.

So I now I live in a bigger town...not a city like LA is a city (YUCK!) but close enough to LA that life here is much different than the town I grew up in. In some ways it's so much better, but there is a part of me that will always be a "country" girl at heart.

All this to say that recently I stumbled upon a web site originally for photography tips, but I found a lady who I can relate to in a way that takes me back to the life I once knew and makes me miss it so much. I spent 2 days doing not much more than reading her web site and cracking up at all the funny things she says and totally just "getting it." I love her! I sorta turned "stockerish" for those 2 days because I could swear we'd be instant, good friends.... sipping coffee and talking non-stop swapping stories.... and I wanted to send her an e-mail to let her know, knowing that she'd be so excited to have found a new friend over the internet.....but then I realized that would probably be kinda creepy of me, so I've backed off a bit. But don't think I don't check out her site once a day! =)

Anyway, it's an awesome site and you should check it out to..... Her name is Ree and she's "The Pioneer Woman."

Did I mention that I love her site?!

Puppies

2008-05-24T08:05:00.001-07:00

Puppies are on the way!

Pictures

2008-05-18T15:31:00.000-07:00

From our crazy Canadian family......

Maddy wanted me to post these:

The Many Faces Of......

2008-05-18T15:30:00.001-07:00

The Jumperoo

2008-05-14T14:34:00.000-07:00

In the nursery at church, they have this "Jumperoo" thing (sorta like the Johnny Jumpers that fit over a doorway but it's stationary) that Davis used to LOVE and now Emma does too. At home, we have an exersaucer that she likes to play in, but she often gets confused and thinks it's suppose to bounce too. But it doesn't. But she tries. She tries really hard to make it bounce. !! (LOL...It's super funny in person and probably doesn't look that funny in this video, but neither are you.....Oops....did that slip out? I mean, but I know the grandparents will appreciate it). =)

Oops...

2008-05-08T18:54:00.000-07:00

Oops....accidentially posted this on my 366 blog instead of this one....

Maddy woke up today and the first thing she said to me was......"MOM....do you know what day it is today!!!?" =) She said it like it was Christmas or something....

8 Months

2008-05-05T11:35:00.001-07:00

Before Maddy walked into the room....

Emma is 8 months today and didn't feel like smiling very much for mommy.....and I didn't feel like taking too much time to get a good picture. She's been more serious lately than usual, but when her brother or sister walk in, she's all smiles! She has 2 bottom teeth, is crawling, although not too fast, and is pretty much sitting up. She doesn't have too much to say except a few funny noises and the occasional "mama." Maybe she'll be our quiet one!? I know she weighs about 17.5 lbs but her 8 month check up isn't until next month.

After Maddy walked into the room....

Another Blog

2008-05-02T16:24:00.000-07:00

http://366longdays.blogspot.com/

My favorite pictures.....

2008-05-01T14:27:00.000-07:00

My Little Ballerinas

2008-05-01T13:19:00.000-07:00

So a bit over a week ago my little ballerina Emma came down with a teeny cough. Last Tues, in a matter of hours, her breathing began to change from normal to more labored. Of course, it was evening so I spoke to the on call pediatrician, who felt that since she had no other symptoms (she had no fever, was happy, eating okay, etc) she would be okay with a humidifier and some rest. The next morning, her breathing was even more labored and wheezy so I got her in to her doctor. I don't ever want to be one of those moms that over-reacts to every little thing and was hoping I wasn't wasting anyones time by taking her in. But the second her doctor walked in the room, she was alarmed at how bad she was, how low her oxygen levels were and started a little breathing treatment right away, gave her steroid shots, etc. Unfortunately the next day Emma was worse and, long story short, I spent 3 days in a row at my pediatricians office where the doctor spent 2 hours each day treating Emma before they would let her go home. On Thursday the doctor was going to admit Emma into the hospital but thankfully was able to stabilize her enough to be able to go home.

The doctor wanted me to continue the treatments every few hours at home and I was suppose to go to Oxnard for a Women's Retreat with my church. It was hard for me to leave, but thankfully John was with her and continued her treatments at home and when I returned she had improved SO much. I just returned from the doctor today for a re-check and am so excited to say that Emma's lungs are clear and sound 100% normal. YEAH! My pediatrician was awesome and told me that she really thought Emma was going to need to go to the hospital, but I'm praising the Lord that she didn't! It's so not fun to see someone so little struggle. Yeah for Emma!

So my other little ballerina Madelyn has been in Awana and just completed her first year. John teaches a group of jr. high boys and Maddy & Daddy go together on Monday nights. They just had a little "award ceremony" and are off for the summer.

Maddy also LOVES to dance and dress up and has been asking me to take her to a "Ballerina class." Her little ballet outfit is pretty much her daily uniform unless we are going out. A new dance studio opened up just down the street so I decided to take her in for a trial class to see how she did. (I had put her in a soccer class about a year ago and it didn't go so smoothly. I hated it!) She's been counting down the days and trying to be on her best behavior and today was the day. She LOVED it and smiled & giggled NON stop the whole time! It was adorable..... I don't know what part she loved the most (in addition to the huge mirrors so she could check herself out!), but it was a combo class that did ballet, tap and free dance. She won't stop asking me if she can go back tomorrow. =) Guess I have to take her back now.....

I'm also so so excited becuase I just found out that Maddy was accepted to our church's little co-op preschool program. Lately Maddy seems so much older to me and I've been thinking that I didn't want her to go to preschool 3 days a week. Huge shocker, I know!! I'm surprised at myself! I've been waiting for a little break from my strong-willed ballerina for a long time but as it was getting closer for her to go, it hit me just how short of a time she's at home with me before school starts. I was struggling with doing preschool vs not at all when I found out that Grace offers a co-op preschool 1 day a week. They accept only 25 students and the entire program is run by all the moms. We (the moms) each sign up for a job and do everything along with the students, except about 45 min during the lesson time, where we get to go off on our own and listen to a speaker or just talk. I'm in charge of the Welcome Table and don't really know what that involves, but will soon enough. Plus, once a month, they take the kids on a field trip. Should be fun... actually, I can't WAIT! It's at the church and they even offer nursery for the younger kids. And Maddy is so excited that it's something special for just the two of us without distractions from the other 2. She loves that attention! =)

My "other ballerina" Davis is doing well and becoming secure in his manhood by enjoying dressing up with his sister and trying to join her dance class, yet being SUCH a boy and getting plenty dirty outside & throwing rocks over to our neighbor's house. You'll have to check out the short video clip of him on my sisters blog in a petticoat skirt at the beach. When we were taking pictures, the photographer had brought the skirts (my favorite!) for the girls but Davis REALLY wanted to wear one and LOVED twirling around in it! LOL....it was so funny (although John wasn't too happy about that!!)!

Happy Day!

One More Thing.....

2008-04-23T23:33:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I forgot to say that I have been a HUGE fan of The Biggest Loser this season. It's the only thing I really watch (okay, except for Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Tigger & Pooh) and it's the first time I've watched the whole season. I LOVED it and was hooked! I liked all the finalist (except for Kelly maybe) and they all worked so hard and looked great, but when it came down to Mark or Roger, I voted for Roger.....I really liked him! Anyhow, my sister spotted him at Disneyland and I spent about 30-40 min starring at every tall skinny guy that walked by me. No luck. =( I was so bummed. And then my sister ran into him again and stopped to talk to him. AUGH! I couldn't believe it.....and I couldn't believe I missed him. But she said he looked even thinner in person and was just as nice in person as he was on TV...along with his sweet wife and son. So, DeAnne, I'm living vicariously through you in this picture!

The Canadians Are Coming!

2008-04-22T08:39:00.001-07:00

Well....that should actually say, the Canadians Came! For about a week and a half, my entire family was able to come out to California and stay with us. It was great! My sister lives with her family (hubby and 3 kids) in Canada and my parents live in Kansas City. I haven't seen my sister's family in almost 2 years and it was definitely overdue. They haven't been out to Cali since right after my wedding over 5 years ago too. Her kids (8, 5, 3) have never been to the beach, so that was a huge "must do" as well as Sea World and Disneyland.

The day after they got here, we went to Ventura for family beach pictures and it was such a beautiful day. My sister lives in a place where it's cold, cold, cold and they still had snow back at home. The weather was a nice change for them! We also went down to San Diego for 3 days (which, by the way, was HOT) and went to Balboa park, Sea World, took a harbor tour and played in the water on Coronado Island. Then we went to Disneyland and spent the night there for 2 days of exhausting fun! It was a great time and so hard to say good-by. All the cousins had a great time playing with each other and Emma was a champ too because it left little time for naps. As a side note, Emma is on the brink of crawling and has 2 bottom teeth that have broken through.

I have a ton of pictures and haven't uploaded all of them, but here are some...

.

Happy

2008-04-05T22:39:00.000-07:00

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY to my amazing parents for surviving 39 years with each other!! Wow, that is incredible and I'm so proud of them for lasting (even when we all know marriage can be hard) and for being such a great example to my sister and I. LOVE YOU!

Little Miss Emma is 7 months old today. I was a bad mommy and didn't get a picture taken, but she had her 6 month check up (yep, we're behind) this past Monday and she is doing well, growing fast and weighs about 16 1/2 lbs. She's pretty much average on all things, except I think her height was in the 75th %tile...I think. And thankfully the hamengioma by her eye has not grown...in fact, I think it maybe a teeny bit lighter in color. She's a joy...most of the time anyway!

I've recently been turned on to a new blog that is an amazing, amazing story and I'm addicted to reading it....Check it out under my links....it's Nathan & Tricia

And just a little note to John....LOVE YOU. Thanks for being a great husband and father.

Precious

2008-03-18T22:33:00.001-07:00

I love my family. You all are so precious to me and I'm sorry for the times I fail to show you how wonderful you are. I love you.

The Tongue

2008-03-10T22:35:00.000-07:00

Tonight Davis and I were outside practicing his pedaling a bike. He usually doesn't have the time to learn such nonsense....he can just use his feet to push his hot wheels around and he's pretty darn fast. But tonight he was focused. Determined. And so proud. I was proud! He'd ride off and then look back as if to say "You still watchin' these moves mom?!" You can see by his tongue that he was in deep concentration in keeping those feet moving and pedaling.

Maddy & Daddy had Awana tonight and it was crazy hair night. Fun excuse to break out a wig and Maddy picked a blue one I've had forever. Madelyn couldn't wait for Daddy to get home and join in on the fun! Here she is posin' for me! Guess she's not too camera shy anymore. =)

Name Game

2008-03-09T22:59:00.000-07:00

How Rare Is Your Name?

Go to this web site called http://www.howmanyofme.com

Put in your first and last name and see how many people in the USA have
your name as well.

There's only 1 Julie Quakenbush and I don't think it's me, since I'm not technically a Q anymore.

6 months!

2008-03-05T22:32:00.000-08:00

Little Emma girl turns 6 months today! She is all sweetness and is in love with her big sister and brother. Maddy can get her to smile when she's super cranky...it's pretty cute. Actually, I need to record Maddy talking to Emma because it would melt your heart. Nothing but sincere love for her baby sister.

Swiper No Swipping!

2008-02-29T18:24:00.000-08:00

Have you ever seen Mr. Deeds? "Sneaky, sneaky....."

That's Davis. He's sneaky. He's Swiper from Dora. He's got a quick draw. One second there are cookies. Next second, they're missing. Anyone know why Davis has crumbs on his face? He's quick, he's fast, he's sneaky...

So the other day I made muffins for the kids. Lemon Poppy Seed with a bit of icing on them. There were 12. We ate 4 for breakfast. That gives us 8 (I'm so good at math, aren't I!?). I was on the phone for a bit. I should have known it was too quite. When I hung up the phone, the muffins somehow had walked all around the house. 2 here, 2 there. They looked strange though.....what was it? Strangely, somehow all the tops were missing from the muffins! LOL....sneaky, sneaky that swiper Davis!

2008-02-23T08:51:00.000-08:00

I have a feeling that this is only the beginning.....

Hume Lake

2008-02-19T07:10:00.000-08:00

This weekend some families from our Sunday School class went up to Hume Lake for a quick little getaway. We went last year and had a blast and couldn't wait to go again. Maddy & Davis had such a good time playing in the snow and Emma loved making silly faces when I was trying to take her picture! =)

2008-02-17T22:12:00.001-08:00

5 Months!

2008-02-06T22:09:00.000-08:00

Emma turned 5 months yesterday and she's definitely changing! Our usually quiet and happy girl has been an unhappy camper the last 2 weeks. =( We're trying to figure out what's wrong with her and will hopefully figure things out. And we're hoping it's not the case of being "high maintenance!" But when she is happy and smiling, she can light up a room!

Another Story for Moms

2008-01-28T11:39:00.000-08:00

I remember when I was a new mom, so many emotions and changes come with it that are unexpected and talked little about. Maybe they aren't the norm, but I'm trying to learn how to speak out about how I feel, even if it means I'm the only one who feels that way or will be looked down on or, whatever....

I remember holding my sweet new little baby, knowing I was in the right place but, at the same time, feeling like I had no identity and that I...the "me" in Me...was somehow lost. It's hard to explain. Anyhow, I still occasionally feel it, but the liked the following story. It's kinda long but hopefully you can hang in there to read it.....


I'm Invisible


It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the
way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and
ask to be taken to the store.

Inside I'm thinking, 'Can't you see I'm on the phone?' Obviously not; no
one can see if I'm on the phone,or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or
even standing on my head  in the corner,because no one can see me at
all. I'm invisible. The invisible Mom.

Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more:  Can you fix this?
Can you tie this? Can you open this?

Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a
clock to ask, 'What time is it?'

I'm a satellite guide to answer, 'What number is theDisney Channel?' I'm
a car to order, 'Right around 5:30, please.'

I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the
eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude -
but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen
again. She's going, she's going, she's gone!

One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a
friend from England . Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip,
and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting
there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was
hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself as I looked down at my
out-of-style dress; it was the only thing I could  find that was clean.
My unwashed hair was pulled up in a hair clip and I was afraid I could
actually smell peanut butter in it. I was feeling  pretty pathetic, when
Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, 'I
brought you this.'

It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe . I wasn't exactly sure
why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription: 'To Charlotte ,
with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one
sees.'

In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would
discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after
which I could pattern my work:

No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of
their names. These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would
never see finished. They made great sacrifices and expected no credit.

The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of
God saw everything.

A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the
cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny
bird on the inside of a beam.  He was puzzled and asked the man, 'Why
are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be
covered by the roof? No one will ever see it.'

And the workman replied, 'Because God sees.'

I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was
almost as if I heard God whispering to me, 'I see you, Charlotte. I see
the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No
act of kindness you 've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake
you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are
building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will
become.'

At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction . But it is not a
disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my
own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride.
I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As
one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see
finished, to work on something that their name will  never be on. The
writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be
built in our lifetime, because there are so few people willing to
sacrifice to that degree.

When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend
he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, 'My mom gets up at 4
in the morning and bakes homemadepies, and then she hand bastes a turkey
for three hours and presses all the linens for the table.' That would
mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself.

I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything
more to say to his friend, to add, 'You're gonna love it there.'

As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're
doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will
marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been
added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.

Great Job, MOM!

Picture Updates

2008-01-25T09:55:00.000-08:00

The ones that move the least get more pictures...... =)

the Dog Blog

2008-01-17T00:44:00.001-08:00

Ok, so I have a lot to update on, sorta, not really, but a bit. On Jan 2nd, we had a litter of puppies. Cute! On Jan 5th, Emma turned 4 months...already! On Jan 10th, Maddy turned 4....holy cow! And this coming Friday John will be 29! But I'm sooo tired and tired of being on the computer, so I'll have to update the pictures another day. But I have a DOG BLOG! Check it out! More when I'm rested.

Merry CHRISTmas!

2007-12-25T12:48:00.001-08:00

Twas the Night Before Christmas.....

2007-12-17T08:59:00.000-08:00

Twas the night before Christmas,
when all thru the abode
Only one creature was stirring,
& she was cleaning the commode.
The children were finally sleeping,
all snug in their beds,
while visions of Nintendo 64 & Barbie,
flipped through their heads.

The dad was snoring
in front of the TV,
with a half-constructed bicycle
propped on his knee.

So only the mom heard
the reindeer hooves clatter,
which made her sigh,
"Now what is the matter?"

With toilet bowl brush
still clutched in her hand,
She descended the stairs,
& saw the old man.

He was covered with ashes & soot,
which fell with a shrug,
"Oh great," muttered the mom,
"Now I have to clean the rug."

"Ho Ho Ho!" cried Santa,
"I'm glad you're awake."
"your gift was especially
difficult to make."

"Thanks, Santa, but all I want
is some time alone."
"Exactly!" he chuckled,
"So, I've made you a clone."

"A clone?" she muttered,
"What good is that?"
"Run along, Santa,
I've no time for chit chat."

Then out walked the clone -
The mother's twin,
Same hair, same eyes,
same double chin.

"She'll cook, she'll dust,
she'll mop every mess.
You'll relax, take it easy,
watch The Young & The Restless."

"Fantastic!" the mom cheered.
"My dream has come true!"
"I'll shop, I'll read,
I'll sleep a night through!"

From the room above,
the youngest did fret.
"Mommy?! Come quickly,
I'm scared & I'm wet."

The clone replied,
"I'm coming, sweetheart."
"Hey," the mom smiled,
"She sure knows her part."

The clone changed the small one
& hummed her tune,
as she bundled the child
in a blanket cocoon.

"You're the best mommy ever.
I really love you."
The clone smiled & sighed,
"And I love you, too."

The mom frowned & said,
"Sorry, Santa, no deal."
That's my child's LOVE
she is trying to steal."

Smiling wisely Santa said,
"To me it is clear,
Only one loving mother
is needed here."

The mom kissed her child
& tucked her in bed.
"Thank You, Santa,
for clearing my head.

I sometimes forget,
it won't be very long,
when they'll be too old
for my cradle & song."

The clock on the mantle
began to chime.
Santa whispered to the clone,
"It works every time."

With the clone by his side
Santa said "Goodnight.
Merry Christmas, dear Mom,
You will be all right."

Silly

2007-12-11T08:36:00.000-08:00

Here are a few silly pictures of the big brother and sister......

My sweet Emma girl is 3 months now and just the happiest baby ever. She smiles constantly and coos all the time. It's too cute! She can definitely make a bad day better with her smile. I've been trying to capture it on camera to share with you, but every time she sees the camera she just stops and stares! LOL...but I did catch a couple the other day.

In loving memory.....

2007-12-07T22:28:00.000-08:00

In loving memory of my Grandma Q...

Tagged

2007-12-07T21:26:00.000-08:00

Here are the rules:

1. Link to the person’s blog who tagged you.
2. Post these rules on your blog.
3. List seven random and/or weird facts about yourself.
4. Tag seven random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.
5. Let each person know that they have been tagged by posting a comment on their blog.

I was tagged by Kristal..thanks. =)

* Seven random things about me...

1. I love, love flowers...from their delicate, intricate details to their smell... and would love to have a quaint little flower/candy/home story in a really cute little town.... And I would LOVE it if I could have fresh flowers in my house always. I would just love to have my yard overloaded with flowers and plats (think beautiful English garden), but I don't even know where to begin planting them to make it look nice! When I've tried planning it out, I overwhelm myself. Kinda silly I guess! Oh, but my very, very favorite is the Peony. LOVE 'em

2. Sometimes when I clean my ears with a q-tip, the back of my throat itches! LOL...

3. My gag reflexes are heightened when I'm pregnant. Just brushing my teeth gags me. (Are you sure Kristal that you want to know these random things!!)

4. Being a mom is the hardest, most frustrating and happy thing all at once. Kind of like marriage!

5. My very favorite Holiday is Christmas. I love everything about it and the memories it brings back to me from being a kid. I want everything to be so special for my family too and I really love traditions. But for some reason, I'm SO not into it this year. I have NO desire to decorate and am forcing myself to put some things out. But I'm already planning on when I can take it down. Kinda sad! Oh..and our Christmas tree has NO scent. Sad too.. =(

6. My sister had the choice of naming me or the cat. Thankfully she decided to name the cat because I don't think 'Grover' would fit me very well.

7. I didn't realize just HOW wonderful my husband was when I decided to marry him. I thought I knew then, but he's so much more than I imagined. =) (But I do wonder what his issue is with dirty laundry. We use to have an open laundry basket, and he would put his clothes right NEXT to the basket, not in it, if he decided to do anything with them at all. Then I got one with a lid and now he just sets the clothes on TOP of the basket. ARUGH! But usually he just leaves them right where he took them off. =) Love ya babe!)

Who I'm tagging:

DeAnne
Sarah
Laura
Renelle

2007-11-26T23:02:00.001-08:00

In a previous post, I shared a couple pictures from my friends wedding, but I had to share these too. Chanel, the beaming bride, is just as gorgeous on the inside as she is on the outside!

Why?

2007-11-06T11:18:00.001-08:00

Why is it that you can dress a baby in all pink, from head to toe, and covered in a pink blanket and you will STILL have someone say, "Oh....is it a boy??" (or vice versa). It happened to me yesterday with Emma (and happened with the other 2 when they were little) and a few snide comments came to mind but instead I just politely smiled and said, "No, she's a gril." I mean...are you kidding me?! LOL... I just don't get it.Emma turned 2 months old and had her 2 month check up yesterday. She's 10.5 pounds and is "average" on her height, weight and head size and is doing well. Last night she slept from 10pm-4am...awesome! She flashes me lots of smiles and coos and it can make the worst day so much better. I should also state the obvious b/c just about everyone asks us, but Emma has a bright pink/red mark under her eye that has been growing. It's a Hemangioma, which is a group of blood vessels that did not grow normally. The doctor said it can continue to grow until she's about one and then should slowly disappear on it's own. The only problem with Emma's is that it's right underneath her eye and could cause problems with her vision if it gets too large. So we'll just keep watching it and if it does grow too much we'll go to a specialists. She also has a tiny one on her tongue but it doesn't appear to be growing.

Harvest Festival

2007-11-03T16:56:00.000-07:00

Halloween is obviously a least favorite holiday, but we have a great time at our church's harvest festival. They have a little concert, trunk or treating, face painting, a cake walk, free kettle corn and cotton candy, a box city, photo areas, jumpers, chili cook off and more. It's a great 2 hours and the kids have a blast. Originally Maddy was going to be Pipi or a princess and Davis a dinosaur, but as we were getting dressed, they saw their costumes from last year and decided to wear them again. Sounds good!

2007-10-30T14:26:00.000-07:00

Things here are moving along. I still have people asking about the fires, but things have calmed down. We had friends staying with us who were evacuated from their home and then we were evacuated from our home the next day, but we were able to go home that evening.

Here are a few pictures for you Grandpa! Emma's 7 weeks and growing lots. On Sunday we took the kids to a pumpkin patch here in town. Part of it was closed due to damage from the fire, but it was open and busy nonetheless. We went with our friends and tried to get pictures of all the kids, but as John says, "It's like herding cats!"

2007-10-14T16:33:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that it's already been 2 weeks since I've posted anything. The days go by in a flash. I have been meaning to post a little something, but my days are obviously kept busy with 3 little ones right under my feet.

Last Friday Emma turned 1 month old (hence 5 weeks now), John & I celebrated our 5th anniversary and the following day one of my best friend got married. YEAH! She's been engaged for about 1 1/2 years and I've been helping her plan and prep since then. It was fun to see everything come together and she looked AMAZING. Davis was the ring bearer, Maddy was 1 of the 5 flower girls and I was a Matron of Honor. I don't have good pics of the kids but am posting what I have b/c they were so cute. Davis was especially cute in his tux!

3 Weeks!

2007-09-26T12:22:00.000-07:00

Times a flyin'! In the last picture, Maddy was reading Emma stories from the Bible. So sweet!

2 weeks/2 years

2007-09-22T08:36:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday, Emma was 2 weeks old. At her 2 week check-up, she had gained a bit and is now up to 6 lbs 12 oz, which is great because she was only 6 lbs 2 oz at her 2 day check up. She is only in the 25th percentile for her weight, 40th for her height and 50th for her head. Quite a change from the other 2! Maddy's head was always in the 90th percentile!

Yesterday was Davis's 2nd Birthday. I can't believe he's already 2!

1 Week 2 Days

2007-09-15T14:57:00.001-07:00

Wow...it's amazing how fast a week goes by. Here are some pics that I thought I'd share with ya! Please click on the link below:

Emma Newborn Pics

Introducing....

2007-09-06T22:18:00.000-07:00

We'd like to introduce you to our new little blessing, Emma Faith, born 9-5-07 at 9 am weighing 6 lbs 7 oz and 20" long. Praise to the Lord for a healthy baby!

"Cha cha cha Changes.....!"

2007-08-31T16:06:00.000-07:00

This is what happens when daddy is in charge! The PWT hair cut.... LOL! He's much cuter in the "after" picture!

So.....if any of you live in the SCV with us, you'll know that it is incredibly HOT. I mean HOT...gross, yucky, life-sucking, melting HOT. It's gross. 110 gross. And let me tell you, you don't know what HOT really means until you are lugging around a 39 week child in your belly while you do your normal things. I really don't think I've ever been so hot before. Can't say it enough. As my friend Renelle said in her blog, I can't WAIT for cold weather...to be able to put on a sweater, for the leaves to change, etc. I wish we lived in a state that actually had different seasons, but cooler weather is my wish right now!

Wednesday afternoon we decided to drive down to Disneyland for one last adventure before Baby #3 arrives. We planned on staying the night and then spending the whole day Thursday there and coming home that evening. On Thursday, we got in to the park around 8:15 am and by 10:30 I felt like I was DONE! I didn't want to say anything and be the party pooper, but around 11 or so, John said, "This is too hot! Let's go home when it's the kids nap time." I can't even tell you how excited I was to hear those words! So we ended up leaving around 2, but it was fun while we were there and thank goodness for season passes! The only major bummer was that I had turned the air off when we left and we walked in to an 87 degree home that took the whole night to cool down. Crappy!

So, some major UPDATES!! Wednesday morning I had a doctor appointment and my doctor decided to induce me the following Wednesday! YIKES! There are a variety of reasons for doing so and I'm pretty against people being induced unless medically necessary, but my doctor assured me that it was totally fine, etc, etc., plus it's only 3 days before my actual due date. He's going on vacation and wanted to deliver me before I left. I'm fine with another doctor, but my parents are coming out Monday to help and since we weren't sure what was going on with the Sheriff's dept, we wanted John to be home for it as much as possible. SOOOOO.....Sept 5th at 6am the party begins! CRAZINESS!! I almost don't like knowing the exact date but it's fun at the same time. I just can't believe it's almost here. I can't believe the Lord is entrusting me with another child! YIKES!

More great news is that after a huge, long, drawn-out, ridiculous process, John FINALLY has a date for the Sheriff's academy! HIP, HIP, HOORAY!! Let me say that again....HIP, HIP, HOORAY! Most of you know the drama, but this process has been unbelievable long and for the stupidest reasons....seriously. It has been so ridiculous and drawn out that it almost felt like someone was playing a joke on us. But I think it is obvious to see God's hand in the entire process, for reasons we may and/or may not realize, but it is all coming together in/for His perfect timing. (And I'm so sorry, but I don't have the energy to type out the entire story for those of you who don't know!). So, Sept 17th, he'll start their "off the street" program where they start out doing office stuff and pre-training, and then the academy will begin Oct 3rd. YEAH!

Words can't describe how proud I am of John during this almost year long process and he has shown more discipline, dedication and patience (some of it forced on us! LOL) than anyone I know. And now he has an amazing body...so back off girls! =) The only problem is that the kids and I are going to miss having him around so much. Davis has gone from a mamma's boy to a daddy's boy and he's gonna hate it! Congrats babe...we love you and are SO VERY proud of you!

2 Weeks and Counting

2007-08-25T08:15:00.001-07:00

If you look at my little ticker at the top of the page, you'll see that I'm now at 38 weeks, which is officially full term, and I only have 2 weeks remaining. CRAZY! When I was pregnant with Maddy I definitely wasn't "done" being pregnant like a lot of people at this point, with Davis I was a little ready and with this one I'm pretty much ready to be done havin' this belly. I've just been sooo hot this time around, and of course, more tired and emotional. Not totally sure if I'm truly ready to go through the newborn phase but I'm anxious to meet her, know what she is going to look like, what her personality is and all that. I am very, very thankful though that I have such easy pregnancies and smooth deliveries. I still have a few things that need to be done before the arrival day but I'm definitely not as stressed as I was a few weeks ago. I felt like my mind and emotions were in this crazy turbo mode and had to have everything done right away. I was also planning a bridal shower for my dear friend and I think the combination of it all was a part of the "nesting" mode that us pregnant girls go through, even though I'm usual in denial about it. =)

So I wanted to share with y'all about what I'm doing for my devotions because I'm really excited about it and think it's pretty cool. A couple of my friends told me about a "90 day Bible" that is just that....you read through the entire Bible in 90 days! I've been wanting to start it for a while, but haven't made an effort to do it. Even though I just started (today is day 3), I love it and am anxious to read more. I know it will be a struggle for me because I'm very undisciplined and lazy when it comes to stuff like this, but I think it will get easier as I go along. Kinda like getting myself to the gym....I battle going but once I start I enjoy it and look forward to it. I didn't buy the actual 90 day Bible but am just using my own Bible and following along with their schedule. A friend from my Sunday School class is going to try it too and if you'd like to join me, I'd love it! You have to keep reminding yourself that you are just reading and not studying. I already have lots of questions about the first parts of creation, but I think when I'm done I will go back and try to find out the answers! You can read more about it here: http://www.haventoday.org/blog.php

I also wanted to wish my dear nieces a special HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Emily is turning 8 and Natalie is turning 5 today. Wow! And how fun that these two sisters share the same day. I wish I could celebrate with them but they live in Canada and I don't get to see them much. HAPPY BIRTHDAY GIRLS!

2007-08-07T22:19:00.001-07:00

I thought it was time for an update since it's been just about 2 months, but I have little to report and haven't been too motivated to update my blog! I feel like I've been busy but can't think of anything significant to write home about. I think all the busyness is more in my head and on my huge "to do" list that I don't seem to quite get to. I'm a month away from my due date and there is so much I'd love to get done before then, but sometimes I tend to be unrealistic as to what can be done in a specific time period.

Right now I'm putting away clothes that the kids can't fit into anymore, going through their toys, cleaning out closets, and switching the kids rooms. We are turning our office into Davis's room and I just finished painting it and need to move his stuff over, hang things up, etc. But he now has a big boy bed (a full bed at that too!) and slept in it for the first time today. He looks so tiny in it! Maddy will be moving into Davis's old room and the baby will take Maddy's room.

Today Davis had a nice little crash and it left a little bruiser on his eye. I tried to get a good picture of it, but he wouldn't hold still and I couldn't quite capture how swollen it was. I didn't see it happen, but Maddy said he was trying to jump on the couch and missed. Sounds about right! But 10 minutes later I caught him doing it again so I guess it didn't quite register with him to stop! =) Below are pictures of Maddy during her soccer class and Davis's eye ( a "before" and "after"). Hope y'all are well!

Happy Father's Day!

2007-06-17T14:35:00.000-07:00

I'm blessed to have an amazing dad of my own and a husband whose an incredible father to my kids. Happy Father's Day you two!

vacation

2007-06-14T13:47:00.000-07:00

gosh...i can't believe it's been a month since i've posted anything! we always keep busy doing things 'round here, but it's never anything too exciting to blog about. over the past month, i was busy with the puppies, who are now all gone and it's back to normal life for ol' daisy. i haven't deicded if i'm going to breed her in the fall....it will depend on when she comes into heat again, when she will be due, etc and how that all falls in line with my due date. but i already have a waiting list for her next litter, so there's some motivation!

the past 2 weeks we've been on vacation. we spent 2 days down at disneyland and then flew to kansas city to visit my family. we had a great time, of course, and the kids just loved spending time with grandma and grandpa. davis can't say grandma and grandpa so he says "ma ma" and "pa pa." it's pretty cute. so at this point, mommy (or mama), grandma and maddy all sound like "ma ma" or "mommy!" =) he's a man of few words compared to maddy at this age, but he's definitely trying to say more and understands a whole lot more than most people think! maddy seems so big now and i know both of the kids are going to seem it even more after baby #3 arrives. the past couple days i have been looking over pics from my parents house last year and it's amazing how much maddy has changed. she's potty trained, sleeps in her big girl bed with no guard rails, gets herself ready (and is very picky about things matching!), is really smart, etc. and it's great and sad at the same time to see how fast it goes! before i know it pre-school (maybe) and kindergarten will be here! =sigh= we'll no more time to reflect on anything too serious.....i've got lots of cleaning, laundry and unpacking to do, but here's a few pics from the past few weeks. love-julie

Happy Mother's Day!

2007-05-13T08:34:00.000-07:00

To all the mother's that I get to call my friends or family, Happy Mother's Day!! The story below is just for you and will touch your heart. =)

So, we had this 10 year old cat named Jack who just recently died. Jack
was
a great cat and the kids would carry him around and sit on him and
nothing
ever bothered him. He used to hang out and nap all day long on this
mat
in our bathroom. Well we have 3 kids and at the time of this story
they
were 4 years old, 3 years old and 1 year old. The middle one is Eli. Eli
really loves chapstick. LOVES it. He kept asking to use my chapstick and
then
losing it. So finally one day I showed him where in the bathroom I keep
my
chapstick and how he could use it whenever he wanted to but he needed to
put
it right back in the drawer when he was done. Last year on Mother's Day,
we were having the typical rush around and try to get ready for Church with
everyone crying and carrying on. My two boys are fighting over the toy in
the cereal box. I am trying to nurse my little one at the same time I am
putting on my make-up. Everything is a mess and everyone has long forgotten
that this is a wonderful day to honor me and the amazing job that is
motherhood. We finally have the older one and the baby loaded in the car and
I am looking for Eli. I have searched everywhere and I finally round the
corner to go into the bathroom. And there was Eli. He was applying my
chapstick very carefully to Jack's . . rear end. Eli looked right into my
eyes and said "chapped." Now if you have a cat, you know that he is
right--their little butts do look pretty chapped. And, frankly, Jack didn't
seem to mind. And the only question to really ask at that point was whether
it was the FIRST time Eli had done that to the cat's behind or the
hundredth. And THAT is my favorite Mother's Day moment ever because it
reminds us that no matter how hard we try to civilize these glorious little
creatures, there will always be that day when you realize they've been using
your chapstick on the cat's butt.

May Days

2007-05-09T14:29:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've posted anything and thought I'd update ya on a few things. My pregnancy is going well and we're just over 1/2 way. As it often does, the next several months are busy and will fly by! It's funny how different the 3rd one is versus the 1st and even the 2nd one are! I'm curious to see how I'll adjust with 3. It seems like it would be so much easier if I had 3 arms! LOL.........I have heard so many different opinions as to what was a harder adjustment...going from 0 to 1 kid, 1 to 2 or 2 to 3. So far, for me personally, the adjustment was hardest from 0 to 1, but we'll see if that changes in Sept! One thing that everyone agrees on is after 3 it doesn't really matter! Oh....and most of you know, but several weeks ago we had an ultrasound that showed our little pumpkin is a girl! Poor Davis is stuck with sisters! =)

The puppies are getting so big and fun and turn 6 weeks tomorrow. The new families are very anxious to take them home and will come pick out their specific puppy sometime in the next week. Maddy and Davis love them, but the puppies are so excited to see them that they mall the kids when they go outside and try to nibble on their little toes & feet, and jump on them. The kids end up crying and don't know what to do. It's sad but kinda funny at the same time! The puppy above is the female that I'm keeping for future breeding. She'll be staying in a "guardian" home for me.

As most of you know too, my handsome hubby started applying for the Sheriff's dept, etc back in Sept. That's why half of his body has disappeared b/c he's been working out super hard to loose weight for the academy, and of course, for his health. He's been at the same company for the past 7 years and has moved up lots and into a great position. His boss (the VP) told him he was his most talented employee and most of his peers in similar positions are at least in their 40's. (I know, I could go on bragging about him forever!) The only problem is that he has been completely miserable there and became burnt out months ago, which is why he started the process for the LASD. Very long story short, he gave his 2 weeks notice at work and was shooting for a May academy that still had openings. During his final 2 weeks of work, another great opportunity came up with a landscaping company, he interviewed at another law enforcment dept. and his work is scrambling to get him to stay. Needless to say, he (we) now has lots of praying to do and decisions to make. His last day was this past Friday and he's taking some time off to relax, de-stress and spend with us before he decides which direction to head. The kids and I are so excited to have him home for a while! I'm so proud of him for hanging in there for so long for the sake of our family and the blessing of me being home with our kids. It will be exciting to see where he ends up but I'm in no rush for him to go back to work!

This past Saturday, I had the pleasure of going to Palm Springs for our yearly "girls only" trip, thanks to my friend Sarah (and her mom...who goes with 10-15 of her friends every year). There were only 3 of us this year and it was definitely a moms weekend away! Our sweet hubby's all stayed home with our kids while we took a much need break. It was a vacation for the kids to have daddy all to themselves! We got home on Monday afternoon and I'm excited because we leave tomorrow to go back again overnight. Sarah always goes for the weekend with the girls and then returns the following weekend with her husband Brian. This year, they invited John & I (and kids) to join them. Unfortunately I have to be back Sat morning, but at least we get to go one night!

Yesterday we drove down to Long Beach and took the kids to the aquariaum, which was so cool. It was surprisingly small, but still fun to go to. Below are some pics!

I've written more than I planned on and am now tired. Plus I've been using this time to put of cleaning up, but should go do it since the kiddies are snoozin. Love ya!

Dove Evolution

2007-04-25T21:52:00.000-07:00

Gotta watch!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYhCn0jf46U

Pictures

2007-04-12T23:25:00.000-07:00

Hope you all had a wonderful day celebrating Easter! I have some pics to post but haven't gotten around to posting them. They're kinda random, but oh-well, right? Davis is the funniest kid...really, he's a comedian, and he makes the funniest faces at the silliest times. John was able to catch a glimpse of some of them on camera, although it doesn't do him justice! I took a couple quick shots of the kids on Easter, but it's hard to get them to both look at the camera at the same time, both smiling, esp when there were friends, easter eggs and candy around! It's crazy to think in another 5 months we'll have another child running around! Daisy's pups turned 2 weeks today and they are growing like WEEDS! They seriously change over-night. They started opening their eyes yesterday and today so a whole new world is about to begin. I think I sold my last 2 today, but need to make sure the checks arrive and clear. I have one going all the way to Florida and the rest are around Cali; from Thousand Oaks to San Jose. Later!

Puppies Are Here!

2007-03-29T20:38:00.000-07:00

Daisy delivered 7 healthy beautiful pups today! 4 black babies (2 girls/2 boys) and 3 cream babies (2 girls/1 boy) =)

She started the first stages of labor about 1 1/2 days ago and below is a pic of Maddy making her "soup" to feel better and having tea with her dolly.

The pups nursing away in their cool retro whelping box my awesome hubby & dad made. Thanks guys!

Oodles of Doodles

2007-03-11T20:48:00.000-07:00

So our dog Daisy had an ultra sound to confirm that she is in fact pregnant (with 6 pups) and is due at the end of this month. Yikes! She'll be having "Labradoodle" puppies and you can check out her web site at www.faithfuldoodles.com I'll post pics of the puppies when they arrive!

Hume Lake

2007-03-04T15:11:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago we went to Hume Lake for the weekend with several families from our church and I never posted pics. It was great to get a way and just hang out. The kids had a blast and they got to play in the snow for the first time and John took them ice skating around The Ark for a bit.

Rainy Day

2007-02-19T23:55:00.000-08:00

The Most Incredible Song....

2007-02-05T23:04:00.000-08:00

My days have been a constant struggle lately but this song,which I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE helps puts things back into perspective for me...

The splendor of a King, clothed in majesty

Let all the earth rejoice

All the earth rejoice

He wraps himself in Light, and darkness tries to hide

And trembles at His voice

Trembles at His voice

How great is our God, sing with me

How great is our God, and all will see

How great, how great is our God

Age to age He stands

And time is in His hands

Beginning and the end

The Godhead Three in One

Father Spirit Son

The Lion and the Lamb

Name above all names

Worthy of our praise

My heart will sing

How great is our God

How great is our God, sing with me

How great is our God, and all will see

How great, how great is our God

(artist: Chris Tomlin)

Expectations

2007-01-30T16:10:00.000-08:00

So, I just thought I'd let y'all know that we are expecting! Yep, we are hoping that Daisy, our sweet dog, will be having puppies toward the end of March. If she is pregnant, she will be delivering some Labradoodle puppies. More about them later. I'll find out in about 3 weeks or so if she is in fact prego and will give you info to her web site, etc.

Oh, and I almost forgot to mention that I am pregnant as well!! Yep, the third little Long baby is growing healthy inside me and is currently 8 1/2 weeks. We had our first ultrasound yesterday and saw the baby and heartbeat. The baby is measuring about a week behind, but the doctor is going to stick with the 8 1/2 mark since I'm positive about that date. The due date is Sept 8th and, no, this one was not a surprise. Exciting stuff!! Click on the small link "comments" and drop me a line sometime. =)

My Dear Husband

2007-01-19T10:52:00.000-08:00

Today is my sweet, handsome, skinny and crazy husband's 28th b-day (he's a youngin') HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! We can't do too much celebrating in the way of eating because John started a crazy 21 day "detox" diet today where you only eat organic fruits and veggies and protein shakes. He's also taking sooo many vitamins (something like 30 pills in one day...??). CRAZY! Sounds good, huh? But it's all through a doctor so it's a legite thing. I'm not sure what I think about the whole "detoxing your body" so it will be good to see how he feels when he's done. We did go out to dinner with our good friends on Tuesday for a great steak at Flemings and tomorrow John & I are going to some bike thing...not sure what it is....bike race or something, I don't know...anyway, that's how we are celebrating his special day!

John....you are an incredible husband and father and we are all so blessed to have you in our lives. Thank you for loving us, loving the Lord and being the amazing provider that you are. I hope your day is as special as you deserve...even though you can only eat veggies!! =)

LOVE YOU!! Maddy, Davis & Me

Pretty Pink Party

2007-01-10T22:01:00.000-08:00

Today is Madelyn's 3rd Birthday!! We've pretty much had a 3 day celebration for her and have made some wonderful memories. On Monday we drove down to Disneyland and went to their newest park, California Adventures. We spent the night at the Disneyland Hotel and then went to Disneyland on Tuesday. It was great!! We had breakfast with the characters (which Davis was terrified of!) and went on most of the rides. Today, her official b-day, we had a little party for her, complete with pizza, a pink cake and pink ice cream.....all of her requests! Grandma Ann and Aunt Traci come over, as well as Brian, Sarah & Lincoln, and Nate, Becky, Collin and Samantha. It was a very special day! Here are a few pics to share....

My Favorite Pic

2006-12-16T16:53:00.000-08:00

3 of my very favorite people....

2006-11-30T22:53:00.000-08:00

We're back...gobble, gobble!

2006-11-30T22:13:00.000-08:00

So we got back from Yosemite 2 weeks ago and I just haven't felt too motivated to update the ol' blog. Yosemite was great. Very beautiful and very peaceful. If you're going to camp, a motorhome is definitely the way to go. I wasn't able to move around and play with the kids the way I had hoped, as I get car sick pretty easily. Of course the best part was just having John around for a few days of uninterrupted time. The kids always love it when daddy's home. =)

We didn't do too much in Yosemite.....we took daily walks and/or bike rides and just appreciated the quiestness and God's glorious creation. There were 6 families total, all with kids, which made it very nice. The couples we went with go every year for Thanksgiving and have a whole little system down. They all bring easy-ups, put them together, throw a gigantic tarp over all the easy-ups, make a door, add a bunch of tables and a couple heaters and it's a warm, cozy little common area. It's so warm with the heaters, that you can be in a t-shirt and be fine. I thought I'd loose weight...camping and all...but with a motorhome you still eat soooo good. We saw a bear from a distance and several deer. In fact, a couple of times, we came VERY close to the deer. They didn't seem to mind us too much. I'm sure they are very used to having lots of people around. =) Anyhow, it was a good time. Fun memories forever.

Thanksgiving was fun too. We spent time at my sister-in-laws home and ate and ate and ate. So hard to believe that Thanksgiving has come and gone and Christmas is literally a few weeks away. It has actually been cold here the last couple days, but it still doesn't seem like it's even near the Christmas season. It's my favorite holiday, but I think it would be hard for me to get into the spirit of things if it wasn't for the kids. All I really want to be is in the Spirit of things. If you know what I mean.

That's about it for now. Here's a few pics of our trip to share....

Okay...so the pics won't post. I'll try again later.

Augh..no pictures!

2006-11-15T01:49:00.000-08:00

So my parents came out for a visit this past week (Friday-Tuesday) and the time FLEW by. I seriously felt like they were here one day. I can't even remember what we did, it went so fast. And, as always, it's hard to see them off and Maddy misses them so much when they leave. It's a bummer that I won't get to see them for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Distance stinks. What's a real bummer is that I didn't get one....yes 1...picture of them with the kids. I'm so sad about that! Augh!

Tomorrow we get to pick up the motorhome we rented and pack up our stuff. We'll probably spend the night in it (parked in front of our house) and leave early, early (4-5am) on Thursday. I can't wait!! We are off to Yosemite for 4 days with 6-8 other families and it's going to be a BLAST! I'm excited to go in the motorhome (our first trip), just be together as a family, spend time with my mother-in-law & good friends and enjoy God's beautiful creation. We've been busy getting everything together, making meals, etc. and I'm glad it's finally arrived. Kinda like the feeling you got when you were a kid waiting for Christmas to come. Take care! =)

Happy Fall!

2006-11-01T15:38:00.000-08:00

"Come and meet the animals on the farm...."

Last night we went to our church's Fall Festival and had so much fun! They put on a little concert for the kids, have kettle corn, cotton candy, a cake walk, chili contest, "trunk or treating", hamburgers/hotdogs, "box city" (mazes made out of cardboard boxes), jumpers, and games. It's a blast and the 2 hours goes by very quickly. John and I have helped with the Trunk or Treat for the past 4 years or so, but this year he helped cook the hamburgers while I took the kids around to the activities. The trunk or treat is a section where people back their cars up together, open up their trunks and the kids go from car to car "trick or treating." There's no tricks though, the kids have to answer an age appropriate Bible question and get candy, regardless if they answer the question right or not. It's great fun and a great outreach to the community. The kids have a blast and so do the adults! Happy Fall!

Kiddies

2006-10-16T12:25:00.000-07:00

Today both kids had a visit with the doctor. Maddy had one shot in her arm for hepatitis (?) and Davis had his 1 year check-up, with 3 shots. Maddy weighs about 32 lbs and Davis weighs 24 1/2 lbs (75-90% for his age), is 31" long (95% for his age). Getting big!