MIA

I know it's been FOREVER since I posted but I've been on vacation for the past 15 days, and havn't had much internet access. We'll be boarding our cruise ship to ALaska in 2 hours!~ woo hoo! I'll be without internet for a while, but when I get home, be prepared for TONS of pictures of our vacation! =)

Go vote go vote go vote~!

My husbands cousin is in a photography contest right now trying to win some money for college. She took a beautiful picture of a flower, and if you go to the link below and vote for her photo every day, she could be a winner...so if you're reading this, and have a moment, pleaes vote for her. Thanks! =)

http://www.brickfish.com/Pages/PhotosAlbums/PhotoView.aspx?qsi=13695779

ADOBE DAYS

I took pics with my camera phone when we went to Adobe Days in Yucaipa a couple of weeks ago, but it seems I forgot to post them..oops! Mom wanted to take the kids to an "educational" experience at the Yucaipa Adobe, so I agreed, and the girls had a blast. Jacob's in his "that's boring, where's the video games" stage, but he didn't complain too much!. Here are some pics from the day. I might just throw out my washer and dryer and dabble a bit in child labor for a while.....


They made "whirlygigs"






Homemade candles (I made one but I dipped it in pink and then blue, and it ended up looking like a flesh colored severed member, so mom got embarrassed and made me throw it away...lol)


Corn husk dolls (mine's the cool one on the left with the bandana and tank top) lol


Beating the rugs (the girls wanted to do this forever and I had to PULL them away to go home...good therapy..I think I'll have to buy some rugs they can beat!


washing clothes (obviously these pics are in the wrong order but I'm lazy)





And mom holding ALL the things they made so they can continue beating the rugs. Have I mentioned lately that she's over 60 and looks THIS DARN GOOD? I'd be lucky to look HALF this good when I grow up! (not that I'll be ready to grow up any time soon!)

Camping out

In the livingroom!
So I just got back from the Great American Scrapbooking Convention in Arlington Texas. We had a total blast! I got some great deals, we swam every night, and we sold sold sold! Anyways...I brought some stuff home to sell to my friends, and I spent the morning going through them and sorting them, and meanwhile, Jordyn and Jadyn said they were gonna "go camping" in the livingroom, and started grabbing blankets and dollies and pillows. SO then they said they were making "fire" so they could roast marshmallows. I started to WORRY a bit, so I peeked around the corner, and this is what I saw....omg how freakin cute is this? I don't even know where they found the marshmallows and the sticks, but I'm sure glad the fire is made out of LEGOS! =)

It's a blessed day

Every day when I say goodbye to Aster at the busstop, she always leaves me with saying "have a blessed day" That's how I felt today when I gave her the gratitude journal I made for her. She was able to read what I wrote in the front of the book and she started to cry, and so did I ...right there on the street corner for everyone to see...lol

She hugged me tight and told me she loved me...even though she doesn't know me. Making her feel good made my whole day. I love knowing that I have the ability to make people feel good about themselves, it's easier than we all think, and we should all do it more often!

Here is a picture of Aster and her new Journal.




Have a great day!

Another gratitude journal

So there's this lady at the bus stop. She's the only other mom that ever comes, while everyone elses wild brat children are running wild up and down the sidewalk, hitting signs, tearing limbs off trees, throwing rocks at cars etc...we are the only ones that supervise our children. Aster is her name. She's from a small tribe near Isreal. She doesn't speak much english, and she doesn't have any friends around here. She is genuine, she is caring, giving, understanding, and a great listener.
The other day I was talking to her about my "diet woes" and how the scale doesn't seem to want to budge no matter how much I try to make it budge. No matter how many times a week I exercise and no matter how little calories I eat. She started telling me in her broken english how I am beautiful, and how my body is fine, I am HEALTHY, my kids are healthy, I have a roof over my head, and a great husband, and to just be happy with what I've got. She told me how her brothers were both killed in the war, and how her family is so far away that she never sees them, and we should both praise God for what we have, and not worry about our bodies so much. She made me cry...and then she cried..this lady that I hardly know..and then we stood on the corner crying and hugging eachother. It was awesome. I love my life, I love my friends, and I love the amazing people that I meet that make a difference In my life.

I made Aster a gratitude journal today during naptime, to thank her for putting my mind in the right perspective, and reminding me that I really DO have it good.

Here are some pics. I'm going to give it to her tomorrow at the busstop before I leave for another convention in Texas.





I'm sure we'll both cry again once she reads what I write on the inside cover...