12?!

I don't have any early pictures of him on my computer because, well, I don't think digital cameras were around back then!

But I've been taking care of this face since 1998.


Stelzer Park, Summer 2004

And this week he turned 12. I can hardly stand it.


Las Vegas, Summer 2008



Disneyland, Winter 2009


Lake Morena, Summer 2009

Lover of anime, amazing sketch artist, fan of all colors of duct tape, entrepenuer (seller of hampsters and duct tape wallets), with shaggy hair that is so thick water rolls off the top without ever reaching the scalp, constantly bare-footed and cartwheeling or upside-down in some manner, sloppiest eater I've ever met, and the boy who gives the bestest snuggly hugs and always says "I love you" a hundred times in a weekend!

Happy 12th birthday to my stepson, may the teen years be kind to ya!


Swimming, Summer 2009

Call me!!

Carrying a cell phone everywhere is fairly new for me. In fact, I never really used my cell phone until my fiance put me on his phone plan and picked out a basic phone for me. We don't have anything fancy, no GPS tracking, or internet, not even texting. I wouldn't even use any of those features even if I had them on my phone, so that's all okay. I'm just fascinated that the phone tells me who is calling before I answer!

Yeah, yeah, I know that's Caller ID and it's been around for a long time. But my parents are old-school and don't have Caller ID on the home phone. So yes, everytime the phone rings there is still that startle-reflex...WHO IS ON THE OTHER END? Could it be Aunt Teresa calling from Iowa? Or a telemarketer? Is it the school calling to say my son is sick and needs to be picked up? Or could it be someone taking a political survey? Is it good news, or bad? One might never know, until we answer the phone!

I love the option of Caller ID on my cell phone. If I don't recognize the number, then most likely it's someone calling for "Tammy", the deliquent who had the phone number before I had it. "Tammy" apparantly didn't pay her bills, thus the many bill collectors calling to speak with her (and the likely reason she doesn't have the phone number anymore!). I still answer the phone though and let the person calling know that Tammy doesn't have the number anymore because if I don't they will keep calling...and calling...and calling...

Just Yesterday?

Wasn't this just yesterday?



I mean, seriously, didn't we just do this?




It really just seems like yesterday that I was taking him for his first day of school. Kindergarten! He was excited, nervous and terrified all at the same time.




And now the backpack seems a little less gigantic when he walks through the gates in the morning.



The missing tooth spot has been replaced by a permanent tooth already.



And the uniform pants are a tad bit shorter too!

The smile is just as bright though because now he has his first real summer vacation on the horizon! Only 4 more weeks...the countdown to first grade begins!

Content

I've been thinking about this issue a lot...Why are some people content and others struggle to find their happiness? Why do some people feel satisfied with how their lives are progressing and others struggle because their lives aren't turning out exactly how they planned? Why can one person be so happily full of life and the next person be so miserably empty of joy?


Snuggling with Grandpa - 2006

Why can certain people feel a song in their hearts when they hold a sleeping baby, or when they see light shining through the clouds like rays from the Heavens, or when a particularly difficult task is finally complete? Yet other people can only see the "glass half empty" side of these same scenarios ("I can't get anything done around the house if I keep holding this baby" or "Those look like rain clouds" or "Finally got that job done, but there will be even more to do tomorrow").


Happy Boy - 2004

Are these people feeling empty because they are trying to plan their own lives instead of following the path that God is leading them down? Are they unable to find contentment because they have their minds set on something completely different than He has already carved for them? Certainly we were all given free-will to do with ourselves as we decide. Maybe the next time that we are feeling crabby and stressed out about something being out of our hands, remember who's hands our lives are really in and let it go. Easier said than done for sure, but something to think about just to see where it takes us when He guides us instead of us attempting to do what we think He wants us to do.


Brothers - 2004

One Year

Last year was my son's first year of t-ball. He was one of 12 little guys learning the game, remembering which direction to run, practicing fielding (and doing lots of running into the outfield when the ball rolled past them) and figuring out who to throw the ball to once it did somehow land in their glove!


The Hooks - 2009

He's always been very attentive when learning a new skill, respectful to the coaches and pays attention when being taught. He may not be the strongest hitter on the team but he is going to be focused and alert. So I was very surprised that after "try-outs" earlier this year, I found out that he was not chosen for a team in the new level up and would be repeating t-ball again this year. Turns out that many of the team parents had put in coach requests and most of the slots had been filled in that way and any overflow kids who weren't chosen for a team (there were two, my son and one other boy) ended up back in t-ball for the second year.


The Sea Dogs - 2010

As it turns out, it really was the best thing that could have happened. Though I was disappointed at the time that he wasn't moving up with the rest of his friends, being in t-ball for the second time has really boosted his confidence. Last year, he fussed about games & practices being too boring, but now he seems to really enjoy each part of learning new skills (having the coach put him in at first base a lot doesn't hurt either!). Though he's still not the strongest hitter on the team, he is switch-hitting and is turning into a fantastic fielder.

Sometimes what seems like a disappointment at first ends up working out better than you could have imagined in the end!

The Power of Prayer

In between my usual daily activities this week, I've been interspersing my day with strong prayers. Someone I know and love is struggling and I feel helpless, which I hate. I am a helpful person, someone who is always ready to listen, someone who jumps in when asked (and sometimes even without being asked, oops!), someone who loves unconditionally, someone who hates feeling helpless.



It's been very difficult this week to sit back and allow this person to come to me. I want to call but instead I watch my phone, waiting for it to ring, waiting (impatiently). They need time, I keep reminding myself, time and space to think things out, to figure it out on their own, to figure out what they want.



And in between work, reading bedtime stories, sewing and broken sleep, I pray. I pray for each of us. I pray that our hearts will be opened. I pray for clarity. I pray that our spirit and morale will be strengthened. I pray that we figure out if it's really God's path we are on.



And then, I get a call. They are asking for my help. A big step, I am hoping that will lead to better things. And I say, "thank you" and continue to pray.

ROAD TRIP

It had been many years since I'd been on a vacation of this magnitude. We plotted out each stop very carefully, mapped it out on Rand McNally.com and set out on our adventure during the kid's Easter break. It was a weeklong trip, a meandering drive up the coast alongside the ocean, cutting across to the snowy mountains and then back home through wine (and raisin!) country.



The kids were wonderfully behaved, I was so pleasantly surprised. From the backseat there was no whining, no crying. They were content to drink from juice boxes, snack on beef jerky, look at the passing scenery, sleep and play quietly with the little Easter basket gifts they'd received during our trip.




Packing was a challenge because of the wide range of temperatures we were going to be crossing through. We started off in light layers, built up to snow coats and boots and finished off with the kids in bathing suits (though it probably WAS still too cold to swim, how can you distract them from a hotel pool? LOL).





Highlights included an ocean-side Easter egg hunt in Pismo Beach, a lovely walk through Big Sur to see a waterfall that dropped into the ocean, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Dennis the Menace Playground's metal rolling slide, driving through an unexpected snow storm & having to buy chains at the last minute, eating taffy in Virginia City and standing in front of the giant raisin box outside the Sun Maid factory. It was a trip that I hope the kids will recall fondly as they get older, I know I will.

Our Tree

It was under this tree in my parent's front yard that I met him for the first time.

It was under this tree that we had our first real connection, where I first thought, "I like this man a lot".

It was under this tree that he asked me out on our first date.

Watching this man give the kids a push on the swing, run circles around the trunk and play a spontaneous game of soccer, it was under this tree that I fell in love with him.

And this weekend each of our children sat high in the tree, giggling at the excitement of being in the branches, of the ability to see the rooftop, of being able to look down at us as we looked up at them.

My Son


His Daughter

The holidays turned him into a wild thing!

My son is into his second week off from school and I'm realizing now what a benefit putting him on a schedule has been. Since he started school in September, his days have been fairly regulated, starting with rising at 6am, school till 2:30pm, home for a while with Grandma & Grandpa until I come home from work, dinner, school work, reading, brushing teeth and off to bed before 8pm. The schedule has been working, he seems to enjoy the routine actually.

With him off school for two weeks though, we've been a little lax on the routine. He's home with my parents while I go to work so he's not waking until around 8am which of course pushes back the bedtime. Last night he couldn't fall asleep until 9:45pm! He's been playing a lot of video games during the day while I'm at work, lounging a lot inside, watching TV, and as my nephew hasn't been coming over (since his mom is off work), my son hasn't even been going outside to play. I think that the excess energy isn't getting burned off during the day because he's been a bit of a WILD THING come bedtime. He's been back to his old habits, getting goofy, not wanting to brush his teeth, asking for another snack, anything to delay getting into bed really. I mean I'm all for relaxing a bit but when I can see that it's affecting the mood and behavior of a child who is so much better behaved with a little structure, I'm anxious to get him back onto his routine and see my sweet and cooperative kid again!

Here he is, celebrating the holidays (by jumping in front of the tree when I was taking pictures!)

huh??

It's been soooo long since I posted on my blog! And do you know WHY? It's not like I neglected to visit, in fact I check my blog every day so that I can go visit my favorite blog sites, so that's not it. And it's not like I haven't had anything to write about either...lots to discuss, including my son starting school, Halloween, his birthday, etc, so that's not it either.

It's a really silly reason....


I forgot my password!!


Seriously! I kept trying to log in and getting rejected. I tried so many different incarnations of my usual password, adding letters and numbers.

Finally today I tried something different...I signed in with my other email address...duh! LOL It worked, so here I am!

And because it's been so long, here I am catching up...

Soaking it all in

Sometimes life just hits you, a surprise slap in the face. Sort of like this waterplay area that my son wandered into completely unaware. It looked like a wide expanse of concrete but then suddenly the water fountain started to spurt and spray out of the ground and caught him by surprise.



And before you know it, you're soaking.



I would not have guessed 5 years ago when my son was born that I would be raising him without help from his father. And 4 years ago when his dad left, I would not have guessed that I would find love, a great love that I have found with the wonderful man that I have in my life now (especially since I found him right next door!). And last year, Kindergarten and that first day of school seemed so far away yet it's currently knocking on our door, a mere two weeks away now. And we are soaking in life, caught unaware but surprised & dripping with His love.

Swimming along

This picture was taken a few weeks ago, when my little guy still insisted that he needed floaties in the swimming pool.



My fiance suggested this weekend that we pick up some pool toys and the kids settled on some dive balls with long tails that stand up in the water. My oldest showed the little one how to dip below the surface of the water. Just a few weeks ago my little guy was very reluctant to even go under the water and get his head wet, but with goggles on tight, floaties off and dive balls to collect, he dipped under the water, kicking his feet to reach the bottom.

And then...suddenly...he was SWIMMING.

He kicked and paddled his way around the shallow end, braving to go across the sides of the pool, even swimming underwater. It was so fun to watch! A few weeks ago he'd been crying because my fiance had taken his floaties off and was attempting to teach him the back float and today here he was, jumping off the edge, swimming under the water and so proud of himself for the giant leap he'd taken with his courage!

In my excitement, I didn't take any pictures :( But I'll be sure to get some soon, probably this weekend. In the meantime, here is my oldest, the very patient teacher.

Taken the Fourth of July

Feeling nostalgic

Last week my littlest hit the half-birthday mark. We didn't celebrate it or anything but it made me nostalgic for when he was a baby. I recalled him learning to walk at the tiny age of 10 months (too small!), his voracious appetite (he still has that!) and his first words.



Even though the pace has slowed, he still has so many new changes coming. He'll be starting school for the first time this fall after only spending his days with Grandma & Grandpa at home for the first five years. He'll be starting Karate classes, something he's been requesting for years! And of course, the change in his face with the anticipation of more lost teeth (see photo below for the first example!).



I'm nervous, worried and terribly excited for all these changes coming in his life. He's taking it all in stride!

May, oh May! Where have you gone?

What have I been doing for the past month? Neglecting my blog, that's for sure!

Here is our month in pictures to catch you back up to speed.

We modeled for lovelandavenue. This amazing set made us jump for joy! (search Ebay soon to find it at auction)



We went fishing and caught a catfish (and threw him back).



We lost our first loose tooth while eating an apple! The Tooth Fairy delivered a dollar with a reminder note to keep brushing.



We went to Disneyland and California Adventure and rode a really fast zipline.



Listed this beautiful Elfi dress (find it on Ebay)



We also got registered for Kindergarten and bought uniforms, had a Dance/Gymnastics Recital, got 2 more "Game Balls" for being a good listener during T-ball games, and went camping but haven't uploaded the photos for that yet!

Splish Splash

What is it with kids and water? They want to be in it, they want to be near it, they want to throw things in it, they really just want to get WET!



We recently went to the science museum in Balboa Park and we could hear the fountain before we could see it. Once we rounded the corner and the kids got a glimpse of the fountain they were off like a shot! They ran up and started jumping around the edge, the mist spraying on them as they danced.