5:30 AM

this morning my alarm went off at 5:30...
i hit snooze.
then it went off sometime between 5:30 and 5:40...
i hit snooze.
i heard sirens in the far off distance.
as i SLOWLY opened my eyes to another day i saw lights flashing on our bedroom wall.
i went to look out and i saw lots of smoke and very bright lights!
i told jacob there was a fire and he came to look.
i was very worried and he said it was really far away...
it wasn't far away!
it was not our neighbor, but our neighbor's neighbor.
jacob went out and i stayed in the house thinking of what all we would need if we had to leave.
here is the volvo...we couldn't leave if we wanted to at this point.

what is irreplaceable?
what is really important?

the homeowner/renter...which i have never met was standing across the street looking at their house on fire, visibly upset. i know i would be very upset in this situation too!

we have insurance...but what would we have to get out?

we know that our treasures are in heaven and the things in our house are just things!

i am going to start making a list and compiling things that we would need to have with us in case of a fire. things that we would like to have with us...but really all that is important is our well being.
***can you help me?
****what is in your emergency box?
*****what are the things that are irreplaceable to you?
******what is important to have with you in case you had to leave your house?

surprise.

on my birthday...dec. 21, 2009, i turned 29! (that is sooo old)
and i made a list of 30 things i wanted to do before i turned 30.

i quickly started planning a surprise for jacob.
i wanted to go away for the weekend, just the two of us...
we had never been away by ourselves in over 3 and a half years!

we weren't about to leave a tiny baby at home and then her brother followed soon after...
so here we were with a three year old and a 16 month old...so it was time!

i planned a trip to pismo beach!
this is a special place to both of us because our families went there growing up (when we didn't know each other) and best of all it is where we got engaged!

i made all of the plans and told jacob which way to drive and where we were going...it was so fun for it to be a surprise.

we arrived in pismo and went immediately to splash cafe!
there is always a huge line, but it moves fast.
it was delicious as always.
we went to see the blind side. great movie.
we caught a few waves.
and even ate dinner after 5pm!!!
it was lots of fun to do whatever we wanted, whenever we wanted.
on the way home we saw this!
how is this comfortable??
jacob thought he would try it...
not so easy in a car:)

well one thing is off of the list, number 24!
but i won't lie, i would love to do this again before i turn 30!

a big fall.

gabriella fell a few days ago and hit her head...
really bad!
she cried...but not much. she didn't throw up and her eyes were dilating just fine...so we figured she was ok.

jacob felt really bad for her, so he painted her nails.
it was one of the cutest things i have ever seen!
i love my husband so much!
and i love my little girl so much too!

1 Corinthians 10:31

"So whatever you eat or drink or whatever you do,

do it all for the glory of God."

soccer.

last week, when it was not raining yet, we went to a soccer field and played a little ball.
the kids all loved running around playing soccer!

we are going to try to do this about two or three times a week.
when we were done we went to play at the park.
i enjoyed the fact that they got a lot of energy out.
we went home and they all had baths.
that night they slept like BABIES!

crying.

crying over spilled milk...

before dinner, jakey grabbed gabi's cup off of the counter that was full of milk.

he was covered!

he must not know that you are not supposed to cry over spilled milk.
at least it wasn't chocolate milk!

please pray.

please think of this family frequently and pray for them and their little guys!
we know that the Lord will hear our prayers!

THANK YOU!

huckleberry pond.

saturday we took the kids fishing for the first time.
the girls practiced their reeling and casting here at home.
melonie had her pants rolled up because she didn't want them to get wet!
(there was no water in sight:) that i could see anyway:)
gab had on her best fishing shoes she could find!

then we went to huckleberry pond at santa ana lakes.
for some reason i thought it was going to be cold so i packed extra pants
and jackets, beanie's and many layers for everyone!
we got there and it was about 80 outside:)
we could do nothing but laugh!
there were ducks, goats, peacocks, rabbits, geese...all just walking around.

the kids were all waiting for the fish to bite!
melonie sat down and asked "when they were going to get on her pole?"
about one minute later she said "it's taking them a really long time!"

each of the girls caught one fish!
on a totally different note, doesn't jake look sooo old! he is growing up so quickly!

this is the day that the Lord has made.

this morning when i woke up i looked out our front door and this is what i saw!

i didn't edit these pictures at all...
this is just how God wanted today's sunrise to look!
i think it is magnificent and i am so glad i was up to see it!

When i consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained. psalm 9:3

O Lord, our Lord, How excellent is Your name in all the earth! psalm 9:9

this is what i read in my devotion right after seeing the most beautiful sunrise and it reminds me how in awe i am of our Lord and His creation!

this truly is the day that the Lord has made and i will rejoice and be glad in it!

my list.

30 things before i turn 30!

1. get business cards
2. pedicure with gabriella
3. remind myself daily that i'm not guaranteed tomorrow
4. organize craft room
5. do once a month cooking
6. sew a quilt
7. go camping every other month
8. sell more handmade goodies on etsy
9. get family pictures taken
10. send out new address cards
11. have a scrapbook night with friends
12. make a gingerbread house
13. take class to do notary
14. start daycare-1 kid
15. finish Christmas scrapbook
16. pick apples to make a pie
17. make a snow angel
18. get our debt snowball rolling
19. plan a seasonal party
20. make more gifts
21. make stockings
22. get on a regular devotion schedule
23. make homemade salsa
24. weekend vacation with my husband (1/1/2010)
25. start baby books
26. give garden goods to the homeless
27. plant a garden
28. start kids' scrapbooks
29. redo chandelier
30. go through 1 to 2 boxes in the garage per week

how do i respond?

sometimes i just don't know how to respond to things the kids say!

quote:
so yesterday i was reading to the kids and i was showing them a picture of mary and baby jesus was on her lap... Melonie said, "But i thought Mary had a little lamb?"

response:
that was a different mary.:) i couldn't think of anything else to say at that moment.
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quote:
"my ears are hurting." (melonie's had an ear infection about a week and a half ago and for circumstances out of her control she was not give all of the medicine, so it never went away.) i asked her which ear was hurting and she said, "the one on the side."

response: (in my head of course) oh, thank you for clairifying that it was not the one in front:)
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quote:
we just started a sticker chart and one of the things the girls can earn stickers for is going to bed with no crying. so i said, "alright if you take a nap with no crying then you can put up a sticker when nap time is over!" mel said, "if auntie erica takes her nap with no crying then she can have a sticker?" (i thought this was a valid question)

response: i didn't really know what to say, so i just said, "does she cry when she goes to sleep?" and mel said, "Yes!" so i just said, "then yes she can have a sticker if she doesn't cry."
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quote: while the kids were having a snack i made a huge mistake and left the crackers on the table. gab stood up in her chair and started to get on the table to get the crackers. I said, "gabi get off of the table and sit on your bottom! i will hand out the crackers!"

response: gabi said, "but i am big! i can reach the light! and my feet are really big!" (she and jake actually wear the same size shoe right now...size 5! he is 16 months and she is 3 years old) but to her, her feet are REALLY BIG:)

i can't wait to see what they will come up with next!

29. part 2 santa clause

i had been wanting the kids to see santa,
but i figured we were going to disneyland,
so they could see the jolly old chap there.

gab was YELLING "hi santa!" and waving at him like 5 inches from his face!
then as she was still saying hi she started to pet his beard...
he was a VERY old santa and very patient!
then nana was up!
the kids were all still good and happy, Mel was very happy to see santa!
yes gab is holding his hand at this point.
then it was grandpa and grandma's turn.
i heard someone say, "maybe jake wants to sit on santa's lap!"
BAD IDEA!!!!!! BAD IDEA!!!!!!!
the result was NOT a good one!!!
but gab finally made it on his lap!
then uncle and auntie!
i honestly think this santa will have to retire...he looked SO OLD!
no offense santa....if you read this blog, you were great!:)
none of the kids knew they were supposed to ask the old geeser for anything,
so that worked out good for us!