25 Random Things

Just like my mom, I too have been tagged to do a list of 25 things about myself. Here it is... (The same list is posted on Facebook.)

1. I got married at 20.
2. I LOVE spicy food.
3. I was in the Future Farmers of America in high school. I raised pigs.
4. I love to cook and eat soup.
5. My dad lives in New Zealand. (Not really about me, but interesting, I thought!)
6. I love to take pictures and scrapbook.
7. Mountains or Beach? Mountains for me!
8. One of my favorite things to do is go to the movies alone.
9. I didn't drink coffee until after I turned 30.
10. I love to read. My favorite book is Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.
11. I collect recipes.
12. I can play on the hard and expert levels on guitar on Rock Band! (A little embarrasing...)
13. I played flute for four years in elementary and junior high.
14. I am afraid of heights.
15. I am the oldest of three and the only girl.
16. I love going to the grocery store.
17. My favorite holiday is Thanksgiving.
18. I can sew.
19. Chad and I will be married 15 years this August.
20. I don't like tomatoes or fish of any kind, but I love brussel sprouts.
21. I want to write a book someday.
22. I love blogging.
23. I am the oldest grandchild on both sides of my family.
24. I love 80's music.
25. My favorite stores are Target, Old Navy and IKEA.

We live on a cul-de-sac, for goodness sake.

Chad says that I say this everytime I tell the girls to go out and play...

Reconnecting

This past weekend, one of Abbey's friends from Modesto called. She hadn't talked to this friend since the move. She was so excited.

"You sound so much older..."

"I'm taller now..."

"I haven't talked to you in so long..."

It was fun to listen to her side of the conversation and hear how pleased she was to talk to this friend that she still misses.

Thank you, Lord for technology!

Belated Christmas

I've had some things from Christmas that I've been meaning to send my dad in New Zealand. I talked to him the other day and asked if there was anything that he might need me to send him. (He has said the cooking style there is very similar to English cooking and sort of on the bland side. They don't have a very large selection of spices there, so last year we sent him some that we bought in the bulk section of WinCo.) He said he was still doing okay on the spices but asked if I could send him a tube of neosporin and a bottle of aspirin. They don't have anything like neosporin and aspirin is prescription only. Well, when he mentioned spices I told him all about Old Town Spice Merchants, the spice store my mom and I just discovered in Temecula. (She blogged about it here.) I told him that I'd love a reason to go there again and that I'd pick some things out and send them to him with the Christmas stuff.

So today I mailed off his box...


Inside I included:

New Mexico Green Chili Powder
Worcestershire Powder
Fire Chili Blend
Chipotle Powder
Smoked Black Sea Salt
Horseradish Powder
Hunter's Game Blend
Smoked Tomato Seasoning

Merry Christmas Dad!

A Prayer...

Dear Heavenly Father,

We have a new President today in the United States of America.

Please be with him and his family and keep them all safe as he begins to lead our country. I pray that you will give him wisdom and courage and restraint and good council. I pray that you will break his heart with the things that break Yours and that he would be the man that You would have him to be. I pray, Lord, that he would not take our country down a path of moral decay, but that he would protect families and marriage and unborn children.

Lord, I know that you love Barack Obama. You want him to do well and succeed. I pray that he will. Lord, please help me to remember that you are in control of all things. That we are all subject to You and that you have the final say in everything. Lord, help me to be a prayer warrior for President Obama, his Cabinet and all of the new leadership in this country. And when I am frustrated or don't understand, please help me to learn to lean on Your understanding and not my own.

In Jesus' Lifesaving Name, Amen.

Bikes at the Beach

Today was a school holiday. We wanted to spend the day out of the house. Do you know what you can do when you live in Southern California? You can just hop in the car and head on over to the beach for a little bike ride. A total blast...

And before you head home, you can stop and get yummy frozen yogurt...

Chad's Birthday - Part 2

At our house, when it is your birthday, you get to eat on the special "Birthday Plate."


Chad chose to eat tacos on the plate today.

Chad didn't want a birthday cake this year. We are both trying to cut back on the calories so we went and got frozen yogurt at our new favorite spot...Xtreme Frozen Yogurt.

The girls always go crazy with the toppings.

They have one of those stamp card programs where you buy so many yogurts and you get one free. Chad got his monster-sized yogurt for free tonight! A perfect gift!

When we got home, we sang "Happy Birthday" with candles in his yogurt.

The Day Chad was Born...

was 37 years ago today.

Even though his appearance has changed over the years, he remains one of the most constant people I know. He is steadfast and reliable and kind. He is honest and hardworking. He is an amazing father and husband.

Happy Birthday Chad! I love you!

P.S. It's also my cousin Jenny's birthday today...Happy Birthday, Jen!

She's home!

She made it! She's home! She's exhausted! We were so happy to see her!


Katarina even came over earlier in the evening so she could come with us to pick Emily up from the bus.

One last picture with her roomates...

Dennis MISSED her! He was SO excited to see her!

We'll post some of her trip pictures soon! We're just all so happy to have her back!

Her Last Day Away...

1/11/09

5:00am Wake-up call
6:30am Walk to Rockefeller Center
Breakfast at Rockefeller Center
Top of the Rock Observation Deck
Ice Skating at Rockefeller Center
Lunch in the city
Tour Central Park
Bus tour of upper Manhattan
Airport
7:15pm Flight to LAX
2:00am Arrive in Murrieta (Yaaaaaaa!)

One Sister in N.Y.C. and Two Sisters in the Kitchen

Emily's Itinerary for today 1/10/09 (One more day and she comes home! :) )

6:00am Wake-up call
7:00am Breakfast
7:30am BUS to NYC
Ferry to Statue of Liberty
Lunch in NYC
Walk around the city
Subway to hotel
6:00pm Dinner @ Mars 2112
8:00 pm Broadway Show: The Little Mermaid
10:00pm Curfew


While Emily is wandering around the most famous city in the world, Megan and Abbey are busy cooking in the kitchen. On the menu today: Abbey and Megan's Mini Fruit Tarts. The recipe will be in the next issue of the family cookbook. I love that in this family, everybody cooks!

Delicious!