Starry Nights

Innocence

2010-03-11T18:59:00.000-08:00

Thats not the beginning to the end,

thats the return to yourself

the return to innocence

Love-Devotion

Feeling-Emotion

Love-Devotion

Feeling-Emotion

Don't be afraid to be weak

Don't be too proud to be strong

Just look into your heart my friend

That will be the return to yourself

The return to innocence

If you want then start to laugh

If you must then start to cry

Be yourself don't hide

Just beleive in destiny

Don't care what people say

Just follow your own way

Don't give up and lose the chance

To return to innocence

Working again

2009-04-13T20:22:00.000-07:00

Well, I started my new job on February 26, 2009. It definately is taking some adjusting to. I miss being at home! The first couple weeks were rough cause I just wanted to stay home and do mom stuff. It seems like I work all day now and then by the end of the day its time to go home and the night flies by and its already time to get up again for work.

I'm so thankful I got to stay home with my kids for the last 7 years. I had fun taking care of my babies. I loved to read everything about parenting and what I could do better. It was fun meeting up with other moms to let our kids play or go to the zoo together. I truly believe that a mother should stay home with her children. I was very important as a "stay at home mom," even though I thought I was useless.

I am also thankful I got to complete my goal of going to college and graduating. I never thought I would get it done. Four years of school was hard with two little kids at home. I did it though. God helped me through the whole x-ray program even though I was so sure I would never make it. I got so discouraged when 6 months flew by and I still hadn't found a job. I knew if I was just diligent in prayer and asking for prayers that God was help me find the right job for me.

Now here I am, doing x-rays. I still have that panicky feeling every time I do somebody's x-ray. Hopefully that will go away with time and repetition. My goal now is to find a house. We have already started looking a bit. It seems like it will never happen. Alex is already almost 11 years old and I thought I would be in a house by now. I know I need to learn to let go, and let God's will be done.

Spring comes in February

2009-03-05T06:32:00.000-08:00

Well, I guess we have already entered Spring here. .........

In Texas, Fall & Winter happen......all in December

2009-01-18T19:18:00.001-08:00

Leaves are gone in just a couple weeks.......

then.............Ice (my birdy friend's still hanging out)

Have you seen this movie?

2008-12-21T17:09:00.000-08:00

I decided to join netflix and try it out. I like it because you can watch movies instantly on your computer and I can get movies mailed to the house. I just have to return them in an envelope they provide. Don't have to worry about lines or traffic, just mail it back when I'm ready.

I watched this movie called Goya's Ghosts the other night. It is based on a true story. It took me a few days to get the images out of my head. It stars Natalie Portman who I really like.

This movie kept me in a constant state of interest and also anxiety for the main character and her family. The cruelties of the church and war were definately chilling. It makes me so thankful that we have so much freedom in today's world.

Disney World was fun

2008-12-15T07:34:00.000-08:00

I can't beleive I haven't wrote a post since October. Well, our trip to Disney World/Florida on November 10th was a blast. We stayed a week and went to Disney for 4 days. My favorite part was Expedition Everest. Its this great roller coaster that goes up a mountain and goes in the dark forward and backwards. I also loved Cinderella's castle. I have always loved castles. For the rest of our trip in Florida, we stayed at my grandma's house in Cocoa.

Chris and the kids got to see their first shuttle launch and it was a nightime one too. It was awesome! I also got to be a bridesmaid for my cousin which was alot of fun. This was my second time to be a bridesmaid. I am happy that I she asked me.

Finally I we visited the ocean. I thought it was pretty cool that I got to be standing on the Pacific Coast and the Atlantic Coast all in one year!

Armadillos are gross

2008-10-27T20:54:00.000-07:00

I have never seen a live armadillo. My son is trying to find pictures that make you want to say, "WOW." I think this tops the list so far.........................

10 best Towns for Families

2008-10-06T08:39:00.000-07:00

I liked looking through Parent's Magazine 10 best Towns for Families:

http://www.parents.com/family-life/work-money-politics/buying-home/best-family-towns/?page=1

I'm still trying to decide where I want to settle down and buy a house.

Being Busy

2008-10-03T10:57:00.000-07:00

A few years ago, I was sitting on a plane. I pulled out a magazine left on the plane and begin to read this article about how all of our lives are way too busy nowadays. I have never forgotten that article and wish I would have ripped the page out because it was very impactful.

This is definately "the age of being busy." Many of us live in busy places and have busy lives. Even the roads are busy as we try to get from here to there. The grocery stores are packed, the pharmacy lines are endless. There is working hours, soccer practices, birthdays and on and on........

I guess busy isn't bad, necessarily. If you're not busy enough you might be bored. But when I'm busy I feel totally overwhelmed.

Being busy could be seen as a sign of accomplishment. I admit I'm pretty impressed when someone opens their calendar and I see all kinds of appointments and events scheduled there. I also fill up my calendar and I noticed that I felt a rush when I tried to tell my husband about all the events we had planned for the week.

According to CNN, United States workers put in the longest hours on the job in industrialized nations, clocking up nearly 2,000 hours per capita in 1997, the equivalent of almost two working weeks more than their counterparts in Japan where annual hours worked have been gradually declining since 1980.

There are lessons to be learned from workers in Europe. American need to open up to learning a little more from other countries. We don't always do it best.

Time will tell I guess. We will soon learn a lot more about whether well rested Frenchmen are happier than wealthy Americans

There is a better lifestyle, and we can start living it. In the New Testament you find how Jesus handled a demanding schedule:

Jesus was never in a rush.
He didn't take on more than he could handle.
He was clear about his purpose.
When he needed rest, he took it.

One thing I know for certain. I need some quiet time, some silence. I need to talk with other people and connect. I need to have a relationship with God that is my number one priority.

I can't just will myself not to be busy. I will schedule in that time, to make sure I take it, until it becomes an integral part of my balanced life.

Does Zicam Really Work?

2008-09-23T19:51:00.001-07:00

Well, I went a long time without getting a cold. Now I have one again and I am so annoyed.

I was told that these Zicam Q-tips you stick up your nose would make it go away faster. I'm curious how many people have tried it and if it works for you? Leave me a comment. I'm going to sleep. Maybe when my head stops pounding I will have something interesting to write about.

Our California Trip

2008-08-30T17:34:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful time in California. I had no idea that I would love it so much! We saw the Grand Canyon from the plane so that was an added bonus. It was exciting to see the Golden Gate Bridge and all the people there. Next it was on to Bodeg Bay. Bodega Bay is a cool place with its eery fog coming and going. Our room at the Bodega Bay Lodge and Spa was so nice. We left the window open each night to feel the cool breezes.

Day 2 we went horseback riding on the beach. I had a hard time getting the trot down even though I use to ride horses when I was a kid. The waves on the beach are so big compared to the ones I've seen in Florida. Next it was on to the Redwood Forest. It was beautiful and serene there. Alot warmer than by the sea though. That evening we visited the Charles Schultz museum in Santa Rosa. The dinner was very fancy and there was alot of wine tasting going on.

Finally we saw the race at the Infinion raceway. My husband one a VIP pass to go down to the pit when the car takes a pit stop during the race. That was my first race and so it was pretty cool.

The last day we finally went and put our feet in the ocean. That eery fog came and settled so the day looked kinda gloomy. The water was freezing, but I had such a smile on my face because I finally made it to the Pacific Ocean!

Going to California

2008-08-20T22:16:00.000-07:00

We are leaving for California tomorrow. I am so excited to see the Pacific coast and put my feet in the water!

My husband won another trip for being the top producer for Gainsco in the North Texas region. So the trip is paid for.We will stay in Bodega Bay Lodge and Spa. We feel very blessed.
We hope to see the Redwood trees, the Pacific Ocean and the Golden Gate Bridge. We will be back on Sunday. I'll let you know how it was!

Six Flags Over Texas Day

2008-08-06T15:10:00.000-07:00

Well, it was time to cash in the kid's free six flags tickets. We went with our friends Seana and her kids. Chris met us there later on in the day. Emily got to ride the Judge Roy Scream for the first time and loved it. We convinced Sean to go on a few roller coasters he has never been on. It was very hot out all day. It helped when we got soaked on the water ride. The highlight of the day for me was my first ride on the Texas Giant! It is this old wooden roller coaster and it is huge. I have rode the Titan and loved it. It was closed yesterday. So I go with my son on the Giant and it was awful!!! I felt like a ragdoll being jerked every which way! I have bruises on the sides of my legs from the jerking, and it gave my head and stomach aches for at least an hour. I will never ride that one again! Not for me! Have you been on this and what do think of this????At the end of the day we relaxed in front of the Cirque Dreams Coobrila Show. That was really cool!
Here is a pic................

Trip to Colorado

2008-07-30T20:12:00.001-07:00

Crossing the border

Well me and the kids made our first trip alone to Colorado. Chris flew up on Thursday July 24th to join us. We noticed this bear right after we crossed the Colorado border. We tried to pet him but he ran away too fast :)

We stopped at the lake by my mom's house to throw some rocks and enjoy the view. This is where I grew up. I must have walked around the lake a dozen times.
.

I went to my mom's back porch,and was surprised by a beautiful full sky rainbow. This was also the view from my bedroom window as child.

Chris arrived just in time to help with our two day garage sale. So did my aunt Barb. We cleared out most of my mom's basement. Here is the crew helping set up for the sale and then the other picture is my husband Chris and my brother setting up an old track we used as kids in the basement.

My aunt Barb came down from Denver. She was able to celebrate my mom's birthday with us, help with the garage sale and for us to take her to the castle. She had never been to Bishops Castle, so we just had to take her. This castle is amazing and is only 14 miles up from my mom's house. This man has been building it by himself for over 20 years.
Bishop's Castle

Western Colorado
After visiting my mom all week we decided to drive out to Western Colorado. We traveled over the Sangre De Cristo moutains and ran into this little museum with a buffalo, a tee pee and even an old indian home built underground. I was a bit apprehensive climbing down into this small hole in the ground but it was neat to see how indians used to live. The temperatures in those structures stays at an amazing 70 degrees in the summer and winter because they are underground. I should have taken a picture of it.

Buffalos are cool

Great Sand Dunes National Monument and Preserve

We finally made it to the Sand Dunes National Monument just before Alamosa. Chris thought it was incredible how all this sand just piles in this spot and it even has a little creek in front of it.

Streams with a Pulse
At only a few places in the world can one experience "surge flow" a stream flowing in rhythmic waves.
Questions you may ask..........
Why are the creeks low during the day and high at night, the opposite of what one would expect from mountain snowmelt during the daylight hours? How pure are the waters? How long has the water under the dunes been there? (I saw these on their website if your wondering)

Creede, Colorado
Next it was on to Creede, CO an old silver mining camp. We did a 12 mile rafting trip with the kids down the Rio Grande. It was a smooth, scenic ride. I don't have pictures yet. I had to use a waterproof disposable camera, and am waiting for those pics to get developed.

We stayed at a little cabin in Cottonwood cove. There is a picture above of the restaurant. You can see the huge cliff behind it. It was neat to stay in a cabin instead of a typical hotel room.

Here is a pic from the ride home. The Spanish Peaks!! Aren't they beautiful!! We had a great time in Colorado. I thank God I got to grow up in this beautiful state. I'm glad we get to visit too so my kids can see it as well.

First day of my new exercise regime

2008-07-14T21:07:00.001-07:00

I was trying to post a picture of a Texas sunset, but I guess their is some kind of problem attaching photos right now. Maybe I'll add it later.

I am very happy to say that I went and ran around the park this morning. I made myself get up at 6:45 a.m. (I am not a morning person). I jogged/walked around the park with my friend. My friend Jeni was so encouraging, telling me to keep on going and not to give up. It sure does help having somebody push you to do your best! I'm hoping we can start going regularly b/c I really need to get in shape! I have to be a bridesmaid in a wedding in November. I want to look pretty in the dress, so that is my real motivation right now!

It is so different doing exercise in Texas. In Colorado where I grew up, we had high altitude which I never noticed and all these hills/mountains. I had very strong legs for years. When I first ran in Texas it seemed so easy. Now the only thing that bothers me is that heat. It was so warm already even at 7 in the morning. People were riding past us on their bikes saying good mornin to ya! So cheerful when I was panting and dying of heat! I still to this day don't see how they do it. Will I ever get used to this heat??

How was your 4th of July?

2008-07-07T10:44:00.000-07:00

Let me know what you did to celebrate! We wanted to go to the Botanic Gardens. They have this event called, "Concerts in the Garden." We have gone twice in the last few years. It is so fun! You bring your family and a picnic. The symphony plays, and then fireworks go off around 9:30. They are right above your head, and it seems like they may just fall on you. It is beautiful! Too bad this year the tickets were all sold out! So we had to park the car and walk to a spot where we could see them.

We got pretty close and I think the kids were satisfied, but I'm going to remember to buy those tickets early next year!

Of course I forgot my camera too. I took three pictures with my cell phone. It takes really bad pictures. I'm checking into getting an upgrade on my cell phone today. I'm posting one of the pictures I took of my husband and the kids playing dominos.

American Doll Mania

2008-07-02T17:34:00.001-07:00

We went to see the new American Doll Movies out in Theatres today. We went with our friend Seana and her girls. It was a great movie! We are going to have to see all of them now!

This is a picture of Emily's doll enjoying the popcorn. She named her Michelle.

I never knew about American Dolls till my daughter became interested in them. Now we are collecting them.

Its amazing how much stuff they have for these dolls! Now they even have an American Doll Bistro and Boutique in Dallas. If you want to have a birthday party there it only costs $450. Thats not happening!!

New family car

2008-06-28T00:11:00.000-07:00

We pulled up to church last Sunday and my car began smoking. I don't know what was wrong with it. My husband's car's engine was knocking so we new we had to get a new car.

Well, we searched and found a good deal on a 2005 Chrysler Pacifica. I really wanted one of those hybrid cars or something with good fuel efficiency. I really want to help our growing global warming problem.

I think that this is a good car though, because it has extra seats for extra kids. It also has a sunroof and leather interior. Since we found a good deal we don't have to make car payments which is great.

Hey! I'm kinda joining the soccer mom club now, I guess!! It is going to take awhile to get use to driving such a big car.

We still have to fix my old Silver Dodge Stratus. Chris was taking out the compressor last night on it and I helped a bit. Well, I held the flashlight and tried to tame his frustration.

Hot Summer Day in the Backyard

2008-06-23T13:56:00.000-07:00

My son Alex chillin'

All the kiddos. My two

and my nieces Avery and Jordan.

Whoever invented this shark

slip and slide is a genious!!

Grandpa Ed and Chris and

Avery trying to cool off.

Raising Awesome Kids

2008-06-18T18:37:00.000-07:00

I finally started reading this great book called "Raising Awesome Kids." It was given to us from our good friends Pat and Betty.

It says," some of us to make up for the affection we lack from or for our spouse, have poured all our love into our children which ultimately damages the kids. They are not meant to be in that special position. That place is reserved for the husband and wife alone." I am guilty of this.

"Much of the anger and rebellion in kids today can be traced back to problem marriages. Children living in fear and tension cannot relax and enjoy life. They worry their little hearts out. They try to fix everything. They end up resenting their parents, disliking themselves and possibly even blaming themselves."

Anyways, I am going to continue reading this book and try to apply some of it to my family life. I was very involved with college and now that I am done I want to do a better job as a mom.

Things I want to work on:

Learning how to be a warm, affectionate person. Hug my kids, smile at them, and encourage them more.

Discover their abilities and talents and learn their character strengths. Build up, encourage, and develop these areas of their lives.

Make bedtime special-talk about their day

Prepare nourishing meals at regular times. Instead of fast-food and grazing all day.

I did it!!!

2008-06-16T22:47:00.000-07:00

Wow! I have been in college for 4 1/2 years! I have two kids and it has been rough! I have an Associate of Arts degree and now I have an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Radiologic Technology. The Science degree was the hardest thing I have ever done. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. It took everything out of me. I did it though! I even passed the state license exam and I am now officially a RT (R). Registered Radiologic Technologist. Now I just have to find a job. I have been enjoying the last couple weeks off spending much needed time with my kids.