Yard Sign

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New Mantra

My friend at work shared this with me and I love it. It is applicable for kids and adults alike!

"YOU GET WHAT YOU GET AND YOU DON'T THROW A FIT"

• I will say this at dinner time to the kids
  
• I will say this (to myself) at 4:30am when my 2 year old is ready to face the day, loudly
• I will say this (to myself) when I am grumpy about work, with husband, with the state of the economy, the elected President of the U.S. etc. etc. etc.

Don't you just LOVE it?! Why have I never heard it before? It must be in the Bible somewhere...

"My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have [its] perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." James 1:2-4

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" Phil 4:6-7

God is good...all the time. And I love my new mantra!

I pray you enough

(part of a nice email I got today)
I pray you enough sun to keep your attitude bright no matter how gray the day may appear.
I pray you enough rain to appreciate the sun even more.
I pray you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive and everlasting.
I pray you enough pain so that even the smallest of joys in life may appear bigger.
I pray you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.
I pray you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.
I pray you enough hellos to get you through the final good-bye.

Do you text?

WW: Grandma meets Gavin

(3 months old)

Slacker Redeemed

Jackson's preschool assignment - bring in a family picture. School started at the end of August! Well, mom has been lagging! I don't have one you see. We haven't taken a picture with all five of us yet. Wow, there are five of us. Finally, this morning I decided to just whip something up. Improvise, as it were. My husband is out of town and I don't want another week to go by letting Jackson be "family picture-less" at school. So this is my quick little creation via Picasa collages. Thank you Katie for the beautiful photography and Picture People for the cheap stuff =). I'm picking up an 8x10 of this today from Costco and dropping it off at school.

Total cost: $1.49 and about 15 minutes of time.

Feed the Hungry

Anyone walk to walk/jog for a great cause?

Father Joe's Thanksgiving Day 5k at Balboa Park. I'm there. Who's with me?

Register HERE

Inspired to save

I've been recently inspired to save some money. Just a little every month. Then in about 2 years I'll be the happiest person on the block and the owner of this fabulous machine.

I took photo classes in high school and in college and have a nice 35mm camera... but it's just not practical anymore to use film and a darkroom.... I've been wasting all these years dreaming instead of saving. So starting this month, I'm starting a camera fund. Any donations? Please send them my way. I'll do a photo shoot for you absolutely free! Darn, I'm dreaming again. Seriously though... my passion has always been photography but I didn't want to be a starving artist so I went the practical route - to Hygiene school. Now my passion is still photography and since becoming a mother, birthing. When I finally get said camera, I will specialize in pregnancy, birth, and baby photography. Won't that be lovely? I'm so excited! I also love still life and nature shots. AAAHHHH warm fuzzies.

UCSD Births

FF: Conquering the Mud

Flashback to summer 2008: we were running, training, in shape, and both of us were 20 lbs lighter. We Mastered the Mud (especially Mike!) - read here.

The only thing that's the same this year is my shirt and the race. I still have it and am wearing it tomorrow to the Mud Run. When I wrote that post last year I was training for a half marathon. I weaned Owen at 17 months and 3 weeks later I was...pregnant! There went the running.... but we now have our 3rd blessing =)

Fast forward a year: I just gave birth 4 months ago, am nursing every 2-3 hours, have NOT been running/training, am NOT in shape, and am 15 lbs heavier. BUT I'M STILL DOING THE MUD RUN. Hmmmmm. More like Mud WALK. Thank goodness my husband is going to stay with me since he has been too busy with work to train either. He certainly is not in shape to WIN like he did last year. So we're just going to kick back, socialize, take pictures, and maybe jog a little. We will still be sore! Ha. Prayers needed! I hope we finish within the time limit....LOL