Lake Havasu!

A friend invited the boys to Lake Havasu. A free vacation! You can't get better than that. He has a large SUV, a house in AZ with a pool, and a boat. My boys had SO. MUCH. FUN! His son attends the school across the street from our house, so B pulled into our driveway on Friday at 1:30. He left the SUV for us to load and walked over to pick up J. And they were off....

Early Saturday morning, the took the boat out. Early is good...then all the "big kids" in Havasu for Spring Break aren't up yet. These boys don't need to see what those girls wear at the river.

Here's 7 driving!

8 didn't want to drive. His comment to me, "Isn't it illegal for a kid to drive a boat?" Well, technically...

And the pool...the boys had loads of fun in the pool. I'm so glad M took video for me so I (and you) can see the fun they had.

Isn't this an adorable shot?!

Point of Grace

They are one of my FAVORITE groups. I love that I've "grown up" with them. I've been listening to POG since before I was married. Now the girls in the group are married with children too. The song that I'm trying to live by right now.... How You Live.

Check out the Point Of Grace giveaway on We Are THAT Family.

Treasure Box

Yesterday I got a blessing in a phone call. My church has started participating with Treasure Box. Here's a video a local news station did about this program. It's something I had looked into when we were first unemployed, but I was nervous about spending money on something that I wasn't sure we would like. Well, I'm not sure if there was an surplus order at my church or if this was planned for (I personally don't believe in coincidences), but I was able to pick up a box today even though I hadn't pre-ordered. The woman who organizes this for our church was calling select families (those who have need) to let them purchase the treasure boxes at 1/2 price. So, what you see below is what I was able to buy for $30! The regular boxes cost $30...as a gift from my church, I was able to buy 2 boxes for $30. Praise God for His faithful provision. I was overwhelmed when I opened the boxes. Here's 4 (almost 5) with the cookies that were at the top of the box...she was so excited.

The regular Treasure Box included Peaches, 2 pkg Sausage Links, a math game, Instant Apple Oatmeal, Hot Dogs, Tomato Basil Soup, Chicken Fajita Strips, Broccoli Cheese Soup, 1 pkg Bacon Cheddar Burgers, Stouffer's Mac&Cheese, 2 @ 1# Ground Beef, Egg&Veggie Wraps in Whole Wheat Tortillas, Chicken Fried Rice, Broccoli/Cauliflower Mix, a Whole Cut-Up Chicken, Chili with Beans, 2 @ TollHouse Cookies, 1# Dried Black Beans, Tortillas, Ham, and French Fries.

This is the protein box. It's a good supplement to the regular Treasure Box. A Turkey Meatloaf with a Cranberry Glaze, a pkg of Chicken Thighs, a roll of Turkey Bologna, 2 pkg (6ea.) Bacon Cheddar Burgers, 4 single servings of Lemon Herb Tilapia, 4 pkg (2 serving ea.) Imitation Crab, 2 pkg of ham slices, Split Chicken Breasts, and a Roast.

Did you catch all of that?!?! This isn't a program that's just for those in desperate need. This is for EVERYONE. If you think this might be something that would help you, go to the Treasure Box site and search for a pick-up site near you. I was nervous, but I should have done this sooner. I am allergic to fish, but M will enjoy that. And while I wouldn't normally buy frozen french fries, I think my kids will be blessed by the treat.

By the way, I'm experimenting with Swagbucks. I added a search widget at the bottom of my page. I think I get credit when I use that search box. I might get credit if you use that search box. And I know that I get credit if you use that link to sign up for your own Swagbucks account. I've heard that some people earn enough to buy all their Christmas gifts here. It's not like I can buy yarn, and I don't even have enough bucks to buy a PinkPearl eraser now, but I think it's worth a shot.

Just a Quick Update...

My blood is all good. No RA, No Lupus, and good white cell count which means No Cancer.

I saw the orthopedist yesterday and came home with 3 new prescriptions. I started 2 yesterday and I'll start the 3rd today. I'm just careful. I had a reaction to the new prescription I had about a week ago. A muscle relaxant and 2 for pain. I wasn't realizing this, but my back muscles are still spasming. Before we (me and the team of DRs) can make progress, we have to stop the pain cycle. It is good to know that this is not anything BIG. Although, none of this rules out Fibro...

Knit Stop-Motion

You HAVE to see this commercial!

It's a busy week here. I had to visit the lab yesterday for a blood draw. Today is my last physical therapy appointment. Thursday I visit the orthopedist to have him look at my back. I've been not talking a lot about it because I'm trying to pretend it isn't happening. I've been in pain since Thanksgiving. I take advil with each meal. At first I didn't go to the Dr. because everyone that was going had H1N1 or some other germ/cold/flu. I didn't want to get sick in the waiting room. I held out until January (the holidays were over) and then I went to the Dr. Trying to handle things with non invasive treatments she sent me to physical therapy. I've been working on core strength. That is something I needed, but now it's obvious my pain is more than just a weak core. If you think of it, could you pray that the Ortho DR really sees what's wrong? And that the blood tests show what they need to. At this point, the DRs are thinking RA or Fibromyalgia or something else in the auto-immune spectrum. I really don't want to be needing a DR with all the HealthCare DRAMA!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Bear with me. I think I broke a personal record for number of photos in one post. Our GreenDay kind of turned into GreenWeek. We celebrated with all things green, gold, and rainbow.

The kids embroidered rainbows. I'm glad the boys still find crafts with mom fun. And wow...4 is really good with a needle and thread. She wants to learn to sew.

4 is in a book club with some other 4 & 5's from our homeschool group. They meet once a month. Since not all of the little ones are reading...the mom's each take a turn bringing a book to read, craft to do, and snack to eat. A. is Irish and loved sharing some of her St. Paddy's traditions with the girls. After the story they hunted through the house for magical leprechaun beans. The leprechaun left the seeds for them to find. On the 17th, the seeds were to be planted and at sunset they would find a treat.

The boys helped 4 with the planting. 7 watered each seed.

8 decided to make plant stakes for each of the seeds.

A's seeds grow lollipops, but we were short on candy here. Our magic seeds grew golden dollar coins.

The kids strung rainbow necklaces with Fruit Loops. This is such a treat as we normally eat Kashi cereal or others with very low sugar. My only stipulation was that they use a pattern while they were stringing. I like how 8 mirrored his pattern.

We had an Irish dinner with G. We'd discovered that 8 no longer has green shirts. He's more into blue these days. His one green shirt was a polo...so they decided dinner needed to be fancy. 4 picked out a dress. I pulled down my chargers...they're gold.

G. prepared a corned beef and baked a loaf of Irish Soda bread (his family recipe).

I steamed carrots, fried cabbage, and M. put the potatoes on the BBQ. We didn't want to heat up the house...it was 92 in So. Cal. Maybe not completely traditional, but it was so Yum! and lots of fun.

For dessert, we enjoyed a pot of gold. Lemon pound cake, Lemon Curd, and fresh whipped cream.

20 questions

I saw this tonight on Jessie & Chan's blogs. I laughed. These were fun questions. And not the kind where you feel you're answering information that could be used for identity theft.

1. Explain what ended your last relationship?

I’ve only had one real relationship. In April we will celebrate 15 years since our first date. We’ve been married 10 ½! I hope it never ends.

2. When was the last time you shaved?

This morning. It was going to be 85 and needed to wear Capri pants.

3. What were you doing this morning at 8 a.m.



Sleeping in because I was up from 4-6am after the earthquake. It wasn't a strong quake, I just couldn't fall back asleep. I kept waiting for the big one.

4. What were you doing 15 minutes ago?

Cleaning up from a great dinner. I'll post about this tomorrow...or Thursday.

5. Some things you are excited about?

Except the fact that I’ve slept in every morning so far and the kids are having a hard time going to bed at night…I’m really enjoying the time change. I’m excited for it to be light later every day. I’m looking forward to dinners in the backyard.

6. What is your favorite flavor of JELL-O?

It’s a tie…Peach or Lime

7. Your prom night, what do you remember about it?

I didn’t go.

8. Do you have any famous ancestors?

None that I know of…

9. Last thing received in the mail?

A Starbuck’s card from my mom. And yes, I see her every week, but she still mailed me an encouraging card.

10. How many different beverages have you had today?



Coffee, tea, water, lemonade (from our lemon tree)

11. Do you ever leave messages on people’s answering machine?

Yes…but they’re not as funny as the messages other people leave on mine. My friend J. leaves messages for my cat. It's a joke she has with my kids.

12. Do you draw your name in the sand when you go to the beach?

Yes. And I collect shells.

13. Any plans for Friday night?

No…

14. Do you like what the ocean does to your hair?

As long as I can wash it before I go to bed.

15. Have you ever received one of those big tins of 3 different popcorns?

Yes, but not since I was a kid.

16. Do you re-use towels after you shower?

 Yes. I couldn’t possibly wash enough loads of laundry to do 35 towels a week

17. Describe your keychain(s)?

A purple whistle for emergencies and some Brighton hearts.

18. Where do you keep your change?



In a Beer Stein with M’s name engraved on it. It was a groomsman gift.

19. When was the last time you spoke in front of a large group of people?

It's been a long time. Probably something with the youth group 5 years ago. There were 500 people in the youth group.

20. What kind of winter coat do you own?

Black Pea Coat

Color Days

I'm off to Physical Therapy and the Dr again today. These appointments 2x a week are eating up my blogging time. I'm praying that we can find out more about what's causing my back pain.

We've got a friend coming for dinner tonight to celebrate St. Paddy's Day! It will be fun. I'll take lots of pictures. But, to give the blog some life in the mean time...here's some fun links to our old color days.

It all started with GreenDay. Then came...

PurpleDay

BlueDay

OrangeDay

We did celebrate RedDay but I forgot to take pictures. And YellowDay didn't happen in 2008 because my hubby was laid off. These color days have been a favorite in our family. We continue to celebrate colors and letters. This week, for example, is "Y" week. Every Monday, the kids have Muffin Tin Monday lunch.

This time it included Yoplait, Yo Go's, and other yellow things. I had left over puff pancake that they dipped in lemon curd. I love that my kids LOVE lemon. I added the carrots and apple just to keep them healthY. And YES, my 7 loves Yellow mustard. He sucked it right out of that little packet.

The others didn't get mustard in their MTM. The rest of "Y" week includes "Y" manuscript practice for the boys (8 learned cursive this year). 4 has been learning her letters all year. She'll be writing well before she starts Kinder next year. She has a page that is manuscript practice, a page that is phonics practice, and then we make a collage with magazine pictures of the "Y" sound. We started these letter days/color days when 8 was in Kinder and now 7 & 8 like to go with to the store to pick out the fun foods for our letter day.

I Will Never Leave You

From the NKJV, Hebrews 13:5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

2 weeks ago, I copied a Devotion (that I have emailed to me daily) to my Facebook notes. I tagged a friend. I'm still processing how F.A.N.T.A.S.T.I.C it felt to hear how much my note meant to Karen.

Here's the note from FB:

Author: Charles Haddon Spurgeon
Morning: The Promise is for You
"I will never leave thee."
--Hebrews 13:5
No promise is of private interpretation. Whatever God has said to any one saint, He has said to all. When He opens a well for one, it is that all may drink. When He openeth a granary-door to give out food, there may be some one starving man who is the occasion of its being opened, but all hungry saints may come and feed too. Whether He gave the word to Abraham or to Moses, matters not, O believer; He has given it to thee as one of the covenanted seed. There is not a high blessing too lofty for thee, nor a wide mercy too extensive for thee. Lift up now thine eyes to the north and to the south, to the east and to the west, for all this is thine. Climb to Pisgah's top, and view the utmost limit of the divine promise, for the land is all thine own. There is not a brook of living water of which thou mayst not drink. If the land floweth with milk and honey, eat the honey and drink the milk, for both are thine. Be thou bold to believe, for He hath said, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." In this promise, God gives to His people everything. "I will never leave thee." Then no attribute of God can cease to be engaged for us.
Is He mighty? He will show Himself strong on the behalf of them that trust Him. Is He love? Then with lovingkindness will He have mercy upon us. Whatever attributes may compose the character of Deity, every one of them to its fullest extent shall be engaged on our side. To put everything in one, there is nothing you can want, there is nothing you can ask for, there is nothing you can need in time or in eternity, there is nothing living, nothing dying, there is nothing in this world, nothing in the next world, there is nothing now, nothing at the resurrection-morning, nothing in heaven which is not contained in this text--"I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."

Today, this was a great reminder about how "it's not all about me." Even the blessings that HE sends to me...in overflowing ways bless so many others. When God shows me His Power... it is for everyone to see.

Karen, The letter you're requesting for Jenni goes so perfectly with the devotion I read this morning. When God blessed you (through Jenni)...HE BLESSED ME! I'm SO encouraged to see God bless my family...because I KNOW the ripples will touch many.

Now...go watch her vlog. I'll wait. I almost can't stand it that God used me to speak his truth to encourage a friend. Somehow it's been easier for me to BE encouraged than to feel that I have anything to share...to encourage another. I feel so unworthy to be a vessel for the outpouring of HIS LOVE...even though that is my heart's desire. I'm still soaking it in, that all we've been GIVEN is not because we're special (although we are Loved by a Heavenly Father who's LOVE is unmeasurable)...but because He intends to use this vessel to display How M.I.G.H.T.Y HE Is!

I pray that you might be encouraged too....