Random Ponderings

Daily Photo- Inside Your Closet

2012-02-12T09:00:00.000-08:00

Today's daily photo has given me a bit of trepidation. I mean, does anyone really want to see the inside of my closet. Plus, I know what it really looks like. It's little. It's cramped. There's not a lot in there generally speaking. Plus, I am not the neatest person, (The biggest understatement. Ever.) and my kids often help me out by "organizing" it for me. If I just open the door, and snap a picture, it's not gonna be pretty. But, none the less, duty calls. I figured it would be best to highlight the things I DO like about our closet.

February 12

Daily Photo- Makes You Happy

2012-02-11T19:51:00.000-08:00

February 11

Absolutely nothing (Nothing.) melts my heart like the sight of one of my babies peacefully sleeping. I can just sit and watch them forever. Really. It makes me especially happy when they are fighting to keep from getting sick, like today, and all I want, is for them to get rest, and get better. It is almost beyond my will power to resist scooping this little guy up and snuggling and kissing him to bits, but that sweet sleep is just too precious a commodity right now.

Daily Photo- Self Portrait

2012-02-10T10:00:00.000-08:00

February 10

This is me

Daily Photo- Front Door

2012-02-09T23:44:00.000-08:00

February 9

This is our front door. It has so much potential! I can't wait to strip it down and refinish it someday soon!

Daily Photo- Sun

2012-02-08T22:56:00.000-08:00

February 8

The trail around the lake near our house.

Daily Photo- Button

2012-02-07T14:11:00.000-08:00

February 7

Love this button. From my favorite pair of shorts.

Daily Photo- A Stranger

2012-02-07T14:08:00.000-08:00

February 4

I don't know her. yet.

Daily Photo- Hands

2012-02-04T14:16:00.000-08:00

February 3

My daughter's beautiful, little artist hands.

Daily Photo- Words

2012-02-04T13:51:00.000-08:00

February 2

LOVE- Taken of a small part of a lovely piece of artwork I own, painted by my amazing friend "HELLA". It hangs by my bed. Words I see every day, a reminder of the greatest gift, and of my precious friend, who I miss very, very much.

Daily Photo- My View Today

2012-02-03T09:07:00.000-08:00

February 1st

My view today was of my family celebrating Mark's birthday. The photo isn't great, hastily snapped on my phone at the Thai restaurant, but it was a great day!

Personal Challenge

2012-02-03T08:15:00.000-08:00

So I just stumbled upon this little bit of inspiration to pick up my camera, and make it go to work again, but I am already a little behind the ball. Knowing my typical rate of efficiency, it will be a challenge to catch up and keep up. But the idea was just too motivating and fun to pass up. The photos that follow this month, will be for my personal enjoyment!

For the record, since i am only 2 days behind I am going to try to catch up and post all 3 days at once, but if I fall behind again, I will just take the photo for the day I am on. Not trying to create extra guilt for myself here... :) God knows I deal with enough of that as it is!

Love + Photography

2012-01-28T23:21:00.000-08:00

Such an inspiring couple, Scott Shuman (of The Sartorialist fame) and Garance Doré (from her self titled blog ). Love this sweet intimate video of them photographings couple together.

Waiting

2012-01-05T00:15:00.001-08:00

I have been frequenting the blog of a girl, who has been on quite an intense personal journey in her life the last few years, and she often relates her ups and downs, triumphs and stumbles, to the idea that, God is like an author, writing the story that is our life. It isn't a new concept. I've heard it used numerous times, in a hundred places. In fact it's almost over used, to the point of loosing the impact of what that image implies for each of us. But tonight it flashed through my mind again as I was thinking about the concept of waiting on His timing for our future, and the dreams Mark and I have. The thought crossed my mind that, we can either relinquish the pen so he can write our narrative, or wrestle with him trying to hold the pen to write our own plan for the story, and end up with scribbles all over the page. It is a comforting thought though, that even when there is a scribble in the middle of a chapter, he doesn't stop writing. He writes right through the ink blots and scratches, and it doesn't change what he is writing about you, or the outcome of the story. He is in the role of the narrative voice in the book, who knows the main character (our self) better than even we do, because he is the one who has written into the story every nuance and trait. He knows the plot twists and turns, because they are being directed and honed by his hand. And he knows what happens in the last chapter. And that, gives me deep peace.

F O G

2011-11-08T07:28:00.000-08:00

There is just something so transcendent about fog. It is both comforting and mysterious. I don't know why I love it so much, but it is so good for my soul. Fog softens all the hard edges, covers all the unlovely, brings peace to the busy-ness. Love to walk in it, drive in it (within reason... pea soup, not so much), look at it out my window with a good book in my lap. It is like that soft quiet of an early morning after the first snow fall, without the extreme cold. Sigh. It is my favorite.

A penny saved is a penny earned!

2011-06-22T19:07:00.000-07:00

My advice to new parents? (or a young couple contemplating parenthood...)

Don't even bother having nice things until your kids are out of the house. There just isn't any point. If you just had a new little one, and are thinking you should replace that old couch or table, etc, force yourself to wait. 18 years. Truthfully. If you already have nice stuff, sell it quick while it is still functioning and resembles it's original state and put the money in your savings account! How's that for a money saving tip?!

Or are my kids just more ____________ (fill in the blank with your own word choice)-
Rowdy, energetic, "creative", destructive, exploratory, messy, curious, clumsy, "artistic", daring, crazy, busy, exhibistionists, dirty, accident prone- than the average child?

Balancing (or toppling over, whichever you prefer)

2011-06-21T12:04:00.000-07:00

Blogging has just not fit into my life lately. But I miss it! Even on a good month I only manage about 3 or 4 posts, and only write a small fraction of the thoughts I mentally blog about. Having time to sit and process thoughts, muse and emote is just such a rare thing... And, being the possessor of so little selfdiscipline as I am, if I let myself get on the computer for one minute, even just to balance my checkbook, it's pretty much guaranteed that an hour later, I will suddenly realise that I manged to catch up on all of the BBC, Facebook, Drudge and blogging world latest, but in that time, all my past week's work has been entirely undone by my WONDERFUL, creative, numerous kids. So I have been trying to keep some semblance of restraint lately, and actually DO the things I'm supposed to do, WHEN I'm supposed to do them. (After all, that is the mantra I am pounding into the young, impressionable minds that live in my house... ) Which means blogging has joined many other lovely things in my life, such as journaling and writing personal letters, up on that dusty, top shelf of my priorities; the one that's up so high I can't see what's on it and need a step stool to get something off of it. There are just different phases of our lives, where the things that feel important shift places for a while. I love to write randomness for my own off loading and perhaps for the mild amusement of others at times too, but for a while at least, those moments may need to be few and far between so I can function more effectively in the areas that demand more of my presence. But unpredictable and inconsistent IS what this little blog is all about anyway. Which if you follow, you know, I'm not joking when I say, you never know what you're going to get here... So now that my left arm is asleep from holding my 27 pound, sleeping baby boy, and I have written this entire post one handed, I am going to excuse myself to go climb a mountain... the one waiting for me down in the laundry room. (Not quite as fun and exciting but JUST as hazardous!) Thanks for always stickin around and being willing to take what ya can get! :)

Tooth Fairy Parenting

2011-04-27T11:52:00.000-07:00

THIS... is the "Large-item-/-so-excited-they-are-jumping-up-and-down" gift giving tooth fairy at our house

And THIS......

.....is the "small-but-would-have-been-really-nice-before-this-other-guy-showed-up-and-ruined-everything!" gift giving tooth fairy.

No longer is a pack of bubble gum or mere money exciting to discover under your pillow! Not when you got an entire make up set last time, or a Lego Ninjago box (which was so bulky it was pushed out of the way by the sleeping tooth looser, causing panic on awakening). I think I may end up chewing that gum myself...

Mark, you have an incredible gift of giving great gifts. I will never be able to keep up with you, but I sure am trying to share in the glory! haha

It's Crazy...

2011-04-06T19:33:00.000-07:00

How I never seem to be able to keep up with more than one area of my life at one time.

It's Crazy...

How time slips through my fingers.

It's Crazy...

That I still haven't learned some of the lessons I've been in the process of learning for 20 years.

It's Crazy...

To know that, no matter what I do-
The people that matter love me,
God's mercy is new every morning,
And all things work together for good in the big picture.

And not much matters when you have this in your life!

Bet you can't help smiling.....

2011-03-13T18:34:00.000-07:00

The Tranformation

2011-03-08T18:55:00.000-08:00

(Back in November-)

My Son

And his hair.

1/2 way there...

(look at his nervous little grin)

I think he can wear any hairstyle.

(and believe me, we've tried em all!)

But don't worry, the hair hasn't affected much else...

I just love this boy! So, so much.

This style has been fun, but aparently we are growing it back out again... =)

Seven things

2011-02-27T01:47:00.000-08:00

If you know me even a little, then you've probably become familiar with how I feel about extremely cold weather. It's right up there with my feelings about doing dishes. I am just not a fan of every muscle in my body being tense for long periods of time, of taking 20 minutes to get everyone properly dressed just to run a 10 minute errand, or every other way life gets more difficult or unpleasant as a result of the weather.

I tend to be extremely vocal about my dislike of all things frigid. Too vocal. I am often to be found yelling at the evil cold that had the nerve to come ruin my day, whining about it in my Facebook status, grunting, groaning, exclaiming, and complaining, always complaining. And this year, I felt downright convicted about it. I tell my kids to find the good things in the stuff they don't like, to have a good attitude even about the stuff they think they hate, and not to complain even when it's hard. Yet here I am, throwing myself down on the floor, kicking my feet and crying. Over the weather. So- I have been trying to shut my mouth,(doing ok on that one) change my attitude, (nope, haven't gotten that one down yet. Still just sooo cold) and EVEN, trying to think of-

Good Things About Winter and Cold Weather-

*Hot beverages

*Enjoying staying home

*Eggnog

*Ice Fishing. Um. Ok, no, strike that one.

*Looking out at the snow (if there is any) from inside a warm house.

Gotta admit, it is so lovely

*Spring. Winter makes it that much more lovely!

*You don't have to put your drink in the fridge to keep it cold. Ok, that's reaching.

Yeah, that's pretty much all I got. Do you have a favorite thing about winter? Something? Anything? Please share. I need help.

P.S. Ok. there's a lot about beverages in this isn't there? Well, eggnog is practically a food...

Snow Day*

2011-02-03T11:34:00.000-08:00

Today was a snow day. Another one. It's been awesome.

I love snow days! No dragging tired, grumpy little kids out of their warm cozy little beds. And if we end up snowed in with our Daddy around, it's like a mini-vacation jackpot! And while I am a little prone to let them watch too many movies, and people start to get cabin fever after 3 days in the house, I still appreciate the chance to be together. Helps us to feel ready to get back to the grind.

The kids are playing a million pretend games today. The current one is "Ancient Egypt". They are an army, preparing to invade "the city of Egypt" and are in Tré's room gathering provisions and putting on their armour.

Eranae is in charge of bringing the food. She must have found a magic basket of food, because she informed everyone that they had anything they could want or need, "Bread, water, sushi!"

Trévan is the General giving his army (the 3 girls) a rousing speech to prepare them for the many dangers they may encounter such as rolling boulders, spikes coming up from floor and down from the ceiling, snakes... I think Indiana Jones may have snuck into this game... Just before they ride out to certain death, he sits astride his noble ~~stick~~ horse, raises his sword in the air and cries, "People of London, Greece, and... Colorado!" ... followed by an Oscar worthy performance, urging his "men" to fight bravely.

It must have inspired courage for it was met with shouts of, "If we die, we die with love!" (what, does that mean, exactly?)

It pays to turn off the TV every so often... Lol!

Time Warp

2011-01-21T15:56:00.000-08:00

Going backwards....

I have fallen quite behind in my duty of keeping the Grandparents in the loop of what the kiddos are up to, SO here is a bit of what happened in October, and November! (We'll do December later!)

Mark was gone a lot in October. And we are all pretty fond of him. So when he is not around, we all start to feel it! Including him! On a whim- and because we had the perfectly good excuse of both Mark and the kids being home on the same day, we decided to take a short road trip a little farther south into Missouri. Since we came up with the plan so last minute, we left a bit late and didn't get as far as we'd hoped or get to do the hiking around in the national forrest that we wanted to, but we still had a lot of fun just being together.

Stopping for dinner-

Goofing around in the car-

Then the biggest event of October for our family-

Little Miss Zaria turned 2!!!!!

(sigh) So big.

And last but not least!

Halloween costumes!

L-R Eranae: Pocahontas, Zaria: Super Girl,

Cahira: Ninja, Tré: Cowboy

Everybody was Kung Fu fighting! Or just Cahira...

Two six-shooters

Taking aim with her bow

Trévan kept the tooth fairy busy!

(How cute is he?!)

And no, he didn't get his two front teeth for Christmas, even though he really wanted them!

Brown paper packages tied up with string...

2011-01-17T10:45:00.000-08:00

These are a few of my favorite things!

~Traveling! Whether the trip takes me to amazing places on the other side of the globe or on a road tip just a few hours away, I love the journey. I do have to say that a place requiring an airplane to get to, tends to trump the other destinations though. I love to be swept up into another world and be immersed in it's culture, to meet wonderful people, and to realign my perspective.

~Getting a handwritten letter in the mail from a good friend. (that almost never happens anymore, and no one EVER gets one from me these days... sigh. I miss snail mail!) My wonderful friend Brooke gave me a set of handmade, monogram, wax seal stamps a bit ago, and I am dying to try them out!

~FOOOOOOOOD!!!!!!! Now I know everyone likes food, but I truly love food! Like obsessively. I enjoy cooking, but what I love most about food, is eating it! I love to try new things! And when I travel, food is always a huge part of the experience for me. If I'm not eating, I'm thinking about when I will eat next and what I will be eating. haha. It can't be healthy.

~IKEA. It's a passion fueled even more by the simple fact that- I can never get to one!!!!

~Tea, mmmmm, I feel wonderful just writing that. Be it a cuppa British tea (PG Tips? yes please!), or chai (Oh India, I miss you! "Cafe!") or sweet southern iced tea, or even a lovely herbal tea with my mother, it's all wonderful! I DO enjoy coffee too, but I have to be in a coffee mood, and even then, it really just serves to flavor my milk and sugar and various additional flavorings... =P

~Colors! I pretty much love them all!

~Shoes. oh yes! Lot's of shoes! Especially heels! High ones! Yay! (but I have to admit I'm a bit of a contradiction to my own fetish, since I am barefoot most of the time. And yes, barefoot and pregnant quite a lot too... HA!)

~The Beach! The sandy, warm kind. One of my most favorite things in the whole world! And if there happen to be mountains in the distance, well then it's just that much better!

~Reading an amazing book. (I thought about about making a list because it seemed silly to just say that, and then not give a couple examples, but the mental list of just the "essentials", was about 12 books long in 30 seconds... and growing)

~Chocolate. Oh chocolate. Need I say more? (and Hershey and Nestle are NOT on the list)

~Spring and Summer Spring could not be a more perfect season. Positively sublime! And Springtime in Missouri is absolutely lovely. Especially coming from a childhood in Wyoming where Spring lasted a total of three weeks. Summer is so much fun! No school. Family trips. Playing in, around, and with water. Long days. Sunshine. Grilling out. Healthy food. Families sitting around the fire. S'mores, iced tea, fresh lemonade... Road trips. Camping. Yes, even the humidity (remember- childhood in WY- extremely dry and arid). I love it.

~Kisses. I think this goes with out saying. Kisses are one of the most delightful gifts God gave to humans, whether they are coming from a sweet cheeked 8 month old baby, the man you love, or your 80 year old Grandma.

~Wine. I am no connoisseur, but I do know a good glass when I taste it! And I like, like, like it!

~Photographs. Pictures are doorways. They open our memories. They open new worlds to us right in our hands. And they really ARE worth thousands of words! If there was a fire... and my family was safe, I would definitely be grabbin the photos! I also love takin photos. But I currently own a camera I have no business owning, because I don't have a clue how to use it! If I get a good shot, it's pure luck at this point. Someday... I will learn how to use that thing the way I dream of! lol

5

2011-01-15T10:01:00.000-08:00

I've come to the conclusion that 5 is my checkmate. 5 kids. I now seem to have peaked in my capabilities as a mother.

I used to be on time or early pretty much every time. Now, I'm lucky if I'm only five minutes late.

I have never lost a child in a store before. Now I can add "left store without a child" to my list of parental faux pas. (thank goodness it was only for a minute, but I still had a heart attack.)

I literally have to count on my hands to keep track of my kids now. "OK- two little girls out on the neighbors trampoline, one little boy playing video games in the Living Room, one 2 year old putting an entire roll of toilet paper in the toilet, and one baby sleeping. Good. 5 children, still alive!".

I have also realised that when Zaria arrived, I was still able to keep up with pictures and blog updates and baby book entries. In fact, as the label cloud below attests, I posted a lot! It didn't hurt that we'd just gotten a new camera ~~that I didn't know how to use~~ but with Van's arrival I am seemingly incapable of accomplishing ANYTHING! I'm doing good if I get one thing checked off my ~~getting seriously long~~ To-Do list in a day, so posting pictures or blogging and the baby book are getting sorely neglected. Which is a shame because Vanden is soooooo fun and might I say, extremely cute!

I am hoping this is all just a stage... I have a toddler. And a baby. AND 3 older kids who each have 2 hours of homework a day. And it's winter. It takes 20 extra minutes to just walk ~~fall~~ out the door. So, I'm just trying to be ok with it. Because in six months, hopefully, I will look back and be able to say, "Whew! Glad we got past that one!"

And this stage has it's benefits too! I love where each of the kids is at. I have no desire to rush through these moments with them for the sake of convenience. I will never get a chance to be in this moment again. And I wouldn't miss it for all the punctuality in the world.

2011-01-14T11:03:00.000-08:00

Is it possible to be madly and genuinely in love with 6 people at the same time?

Yes.

Yes, it is.

A House Full of Princesses!

2011-01-09T16:18:00.000-08:00

I love my daughters!

Each of them so beautiful!

And so amazing.

A fresh start.

2011-01-02T20:22:00.000-08:00

Everyone posted their New Years thoughts and resolutions yesterday. Just to be different I thought I'd wait till January 2nd. Actually that's not true. I just didn't get around to it! HA!

A lot of people seem to have negative feelings with regards to making New Years resolutions ranging from indifference to hatred. I think it stems from fear of failure. They don't want to set specific goals because they are convinced they will fall short of the mark. So it is better ~~easier~~ not to make any resolutions. But I rather like them. It feels like a great opportunity to draw a symbolic line in the sand of my life and step into a new season. I know that I will not carry out all those aspirations, fulfil each hope or reach all my goals, but what a wonderful chance to renew my efforts. I think I make "New Years" resolutions all year long, repeatedly. The purpose of a goal is not to attain perfect completion of it but to have a vision, and a direction to head in. Remember this is coming from me- the Queen of Procrastination! I know I'm going to get lazy. I know I'm going to forget. I know I'll fall back into old habits a few times. But I have that idea out in front of me keeping me focused on where I want to be. And if we never push forward to some place farther than where we are now because we might only get half way there, won't we end up stranded right where we started? I want to look back in a year and see that there was growth, and that I at least made a genuine effort in the areas I struggle, and movement toward my goals.That doesn't sound like failure at all to me

Sometimes...

2010-12-13T21:02:00.000-08:00

Sometimes life just goes crazy.
It takes off and doesn't wait for me to come with it.
Look, there goes December!
Looking forward to a holiday, a trip, and seeing my family!

Goodbye November

2010-12-03T10:44:00.000-08:00

One whole month without a single post! Wow! That went fast! My appologies November! I was not trying to discriminate and have no ill feelings toward you, nor was it that I had nothing to say the entire month! In fact it was a great month! Just very busy. Mark was gone lots so we were always either adjusting to him being home again, or to having him gone; over and over... Looking forward to a break from all the out of town trips!

Running from Camera #1

2010-10-25T09:00:00.000-07:00

Totally and completely inspired by this blog; in fact, out-right copying his idea. I thought it would be fun to do it with the kids, random places we go...

Here's the rules: Set the self timer on the camera for 2 seconds, then try to see how far we can get!

First results!

Grocery Store; Grandview, MO; USA

(SUPER) Random Facts

2010-10-16T09:12:00.000-07:00

I love hands. I think they are amazing. You can tell so much about someone in the little details of their hands. They are things of beauty no matter what they look like.

I've always thought it would be so fun to voice an animated character. I have such an odd voice anyway, I think it might lend itself well to a cartoon character. Probably a crazy, old lady. Fun!

I make weird faces. Lots of them. It's not intentional. Most of the time... I've tried to stop. It's not the most dignified of habits, but it's no use.

A major pet peeve is when people actually move their cell phone from their ear, putting the phone directly against their mouth to talk, yelling into the phone. Seriously?! Oh my gosh! I can't stand watching them! It makes me insane! Not to mention feeling soo sorry for the person on the other end who's ear is bleeding from the abuse of garbled, screamed words.

I tend to forget that Customer Service Representatives that I'm talking to on the phone are just there to help me pay my bill. They are not my new best friend, probably don't get my sense of humor, nor want to hear my entire life's story or every detail of what happened in my life to make me late paying my bill.

I've never broken a bone, sprained anything, had a single stitch, or indeed ever been in a hospital (other than the 5 times I had a baby). And God knows I should have had all of the above! Angels I tell ya! Mine are the best in the biz!

I yell at other drivers. I have serious road rage issues. Yes, even with my kids in the the car. But I don't cuss or call them really bad names, so I think that's a pretty good example I'm setting, don't you?!

I prefer my apple cider ice cold. (I told you these were random!)

I actually like feet. It's not an obsession like hands are for me, but some people can't stand feet, and I think that most (healthy) feet are pretty cool. They can even be beautiful. Mark has great feet! And baby feet are on a whole other level!

I am almost always typing one handed, (including about half this post) which lends itself to tons of typos, and takes much, much longer.

How to Ensure Your Blog Stays Tiny

2010-10-12T22:10:00.000-07:00

Recently the writer of Single Dad Laughing posted some tips on how to get a bigger following for your blog. I felt completely inspired by his list! And since I've been blogging for a couple years now, I wanted to share some of my own tips that I've garnered through experience and dedication!

1. Never write more than two or three times a month so people will both forget about your blog, and have no urge to check it to see if there's some new tid-bit of delightful information!

2. Even have a title that informs passersby that anywhere between 30-90% of the time, there will be nothing relevant, useful or entertaining here for them.

3. Make sure you don't have one central theme, other than the copious number of posts with mass amounts of pictures of your kids. This will also ensure, if you're lucky, that only your Mom will read your blog regularly!

4. Encourage both your Mom and your best friend to keep comments to a minimum. Lack of feedback will be sure to make your motivation fizzle. If you had tons of followers, you might feel obliged to post something new AND interesting on a regular basis, and who wants that kind of pressure?!

In all honesty though, I would never want a huge following. I'm pretty ok with my blog getting lost in the 100,000 blog sea, I don't write it for any of "them" anyway! I didn't start this blog to promote a business, offer a service or pander for fame. It's ultimate purpose is to let all the wonderful grandparents who are so very far away keep up with loved ones. It is also for me, to provide myself with an occasional place to let "it" out, whatever "it" is at the moment, which I can then share with you wether you want me to or not! It's great! =D I love my ity bity blog, where I can be real and relaxed. So if you are one of my faithful few- THANK YOU! I know you are here because you love me and know who I really am. So I guess, this blog is yours too!

All New- All Van

2010-10-08T15:08:00.000-07:00

My appologies to the Grandparents for whom this blog was originally created... I know these have not come as often as desired. As a result there will be an excessive number of photos of my son following. My appologies to anyone who is not quite as obsessively in love with him as I am. ;)

In chronological order from 3 mo to 4 1/2mo.

He looks like a 2 year old in this one! Eeep!

And the haircut...

And a mini photo shoot

@4 1/2 mo

Rrrrroll!

Hello. It's nice to meet you!

2010-09-02T10:00:00.000-07:00

I'm realizing that I am terrible with small talk. I've concluded that I only relate well to people on a deeper level. I CAN just "make conversation", but I'm not very good at keeping it superficial, and what is the point really? At parties, or in a club, where everything is just on the surface, it kind of makes me crazy. Obviously there are some occasions that require being comfortable operating on a certain level of formality. In general though, I want there to be substance in all my interaction with people. Even if I just met you, and I will never see you again, I still want to get to know YOU for who you are, not just the fact that you drink the same coffee as I do! I will invest 100% of myself into the relationship for the 5 minutes we know one another! If we were to meet at a mutual friend's soiree, I won't just compliment you on your shoes, (but they ARE great!) I want to know what you are passionate about and what defines who you are! I find it is especially hard with people I've known for quite some time, but only as acquaintances, with whom things have never moved past casual association. "Oh, how are your kids? Great! This weather sure is hot! So nice to see you!" The End. How can I know some one for three years and yet have no insight into who they are?! We can give so much to one another and bring so much blessing into eachothers' lives by being willing to engage and be vulnerable. Basic formalities do not equal relationship. I do try to not freak people out by coming across as nosey or prying. I'm not trying to invade privacy. However, I would rather spend 5 minutes being genuine, than waste them being trivial.

even the desert

2010-09-01T23:38:00.000-07:00

The valleys, the plains, the plateaus, are all good in their own ways, for their own time. And yes, they all build character. But I could really do with another mountain top right now. It's been awhile. I miss the view.

No, I am not talking about hiking in Colorado. Yes this is entirely figurative. And yes I mean spiritually.

Once again,

2010-08-26T21:00:00.000-07:00

I promised myself I would blog tonight. When my beautiful crazy, kids were all tucked into bed and the house was peaceful, I'd sit and let my mind be creative for a while. I wasn't sure what it was going to be about, but I was going to write! Alas, my night did not go as planned, (really?!) so there is no time to let my thoughts ruminate into something solid and worth reading. You see- I told you this blog was primarily about my amazing skills in the art of procrastination!

But here I sit anyway, stealing a few moments I shouldn't, because though I may procrastinate, I DO NOT break promises! So at least now at the end of the day, I can check ONE thing off my mental to-do list.

I feel better now!

Three months ago today...

2010-08-19T12:34:00.000-07:00

THIS

handsome little boy arrived in my arms.

And in the three short months since,

he has grown

and grown

and grown!

Into absolutely the cutest, roundest little boy, I've ever kissed and snuggled!

He is a delight. So sweet spirited and patient.

He is sleeping through the night, which I am LOVING!

And he has just discovered his laugh! So. Darn. Cute!

Little Van has charmed us all.

The whole family (and a good number of our friends) are absolutely smitten with this quiet, happy "little" chunk of boy! I am so grateful that he is mine!

And this smile...

My Girl!

2010-07-08T08:59:00.000-07:00

New fun on Cahira's Blog!

Princess of Glamour Power

Failure.

2010-07-05T12:51:00.001-07:00

Lately I have been feeling like my life should be one big post on "Fail Blog". That's perhaps being a bit dramatic. I know I'm not actually a ~~complete~~ looser. In my head. But I have been mildly depressed lately with how ~~awesome~~ I'm doing with the very smallest things and every day responsibilities, as well as some major issues I struggle with. People are sweet and make excuses for me- "oh you just had a baby" "you've got 5 kids" .... as if now it's ok for me to be a slacker in life, drop the ball on all my responsibilities, and hand my children a bunch of baggage. And yes, obviously those ~~minor~~ details affect my life in a very real way, but I'm talking about my own personal struggles in certain areas of my daily life that have been a problem forever. Those bad habits that I never seem to get better at, but always seem to get the better of me. Why do we have personal "issues" that seem to cling for years? I feel overwhelmingly discourged by my apparent inability to change my behavior. It's a daily struggle to "do better" and yet, at the end of EVERY day, I look back, and I'm disappointed in myself again. I tell myself "Tomorrow is a new day, I WILL do this, NOT do that and FINALLY get around to accomplishing that!" Then have the same conversation with myself all over again the next day, and the next... And I have been dealing with the exact same personal issues for years, with almost no true success or forward motion. Will I ever grow in these areas? Or will I look back in another 10 years and still be in the same place, daily failing in my personal goals for myself? Will my every journal entry still say the exact same things they've been saying for 15 years? To make it even harder, I have all these wonderful friends whose circumstances are just like mine, or even more overwhelming, who apparently are all super woman! You are all amazing and I want to sit with each of you and take in all your wisdom!

"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I can not change,
Courage (read- self discipline) to change the things I can..."

So, once more, here's to a new day. A chance to try again. And fresh grace.

Now I'm going to get off the computer and go do something!

Wait.... is that the baby crying?

My Moody Artist.....

2010-07-03T08:22:00.000-07:00

My son, who is six, just wrote his first song. Complete with tune and a pretty darn good rythm! So proud!

Oh! Oh! Oh!
Life! Life! Life!
Is just
So! Hard!
Oh, oh my hart,
Wut shold I do!

We're still in conversation with him about just what exactly, in his long six years of life, has been so very hard... But he IS an artist after all!

sO FUn!

2010-07-01T09:21:00.000-07:00

So I just discovered that there are SOUR candy neclaces!

AWESOME!

Maybe you knew, But I didn't!

Now we all do!

Easy as pie

2010-06-19T11:06:00.000-07:00

My little "Mom" secret weapon for newborns?

SOCKS!

My kids would wake themselves from almost asleep, because they got a handfull of their own hair and would just just keep pulling. Socks over the hands- problem solved!

Can't keep them from sucking on that thumb? (yes, I know it's so cute but...) Socks! My poor kids wore socks for like 3 months if they had to. No thumb suckers in my house! I mean it!

Beautiful porcelin doll baby face. Horrible red scratches. Not a good combo. Plus, it hurts! A simple pair o' socks! Beauty preserved!

They are cheap and always around. And you could always decorate them if that makes you feel more fashion forward. :)

Powell Gardens

2010-06-05T19:21:00.000-07:00

Figure it's about time for a new post. I don't have anything profound to say at the moment, or at least, not enough time to let the thoughts ruminate into something deep, but pictures of my kids are always a good substitute, right?! Haha!

Mark & I aren't as cute-

but I know you all still love us!

ohhh, baby boys...

The princess after a dip in the fountains

My rocker-

thankfully this is water, not sweat.

This time.

My entertainer

= JOY

Just loove this one.

There were 4 grandparents in tow on this trip as well, but for the sake of space, I will save the 127 pictures for a Facebook album! :D

me < life

2010-05-16T11:43:00.000-07:00

Why, oh why can't life be just a little bit simple?

Change is good!

2010-05-13T18:46:00.000-07:00

With the birth of my son just around the corner, literally, I am thinking so much about my littlest girl, and how she's not so little anymore. I am treasuring this past year and a half of knowing her, watching her grow from the new one in the family, into a tiny little girl who isn't quite a baby anymore, and about to become a big sister!

Here she is- brand new, sweet, and absolutely perfect

And then suddenly, half a year had past!

And then another second passed and she was stuffing her first Birthday cake in her face!

And now- I have this lovely little "almost-big-girl" who has created her own amazing place in our family.

And I adore her even more than that magical day I first held her.

Yep- Random Ponderings indeed!

2010-05-09T11:18:00.000-07:00

I know it's Mother's Day. I should be writing something deep and meaningful that will make my Mom cry. I just don't feel like it at the moment. Besides, I did that back in November '08 after Zaria was born, you can go back and read it if you want to know how I feel about my mom and being a mother. ;) As a matter of fact, I have no idea what I am writing about at this moment, just felt like writing something! The past few weeks have been the epitome of how my life is, just an endless run of days where I try and try to accomplish the same things over and over, with out ever quite getting there. I'm feeling pretty ready for a change of pace! And although having baby #5 will certainly mix things up a bit, (haha) that's not quite what I'm talking about. I'm ready to go on a road trip, or a 2nd honeymoon, or move to another country (sorry Mom, it's just how I was built). Basically, I am feeling the need for some change. Most people hate change or at best, tolerate it but prefer to keep it at a distance. And I do have those parts of my psyche that enjoy some consistency, and the feeling of stability, but I can only go for so long before I need to have my "normal" dramatically altered, at least for a little while. For the past several years I've struggled to just be content with my life, because it's pretty darn awesome, so how can I complain? Nevertheless- I find myself complaining all the time. I actually love Kansas City, and all of our amazing friends here. Something in me just needs to have a new challenge, new surroundings and new experiences on a regular basis. I think if we were able to travel a bit more (OK- allot more) I would be able to come back to KC and settle in for a few months of nice, consistent routine. Maybe. I would still want to have a fundamental change, but it would be easier to stay content. Mark and I have been feeling for quite awhile that this season of our lives is coming to a close, and that God has something new on the horizon. We just have no idea what form that something might take. Is it a drastic, physical change, like moving? Or just as simple as the focus of what we are doing with our life being shifted? Inside I find myself holding my breath, that my dreams are going to come true and we are going to find ourselves some where sophisticated, or exotic. But I am feeling pretty sure that we either need to just keep waiting on His timing and direction, because a big change is not immanently pending, or that we are in the middle of the change of seasons, and when we look back, we'll discover just what it was, and be amazed. One thing I am truly grateful for, is that I know I have a God I can trust, that I don't have to trust my own wisdom exclusively, and that his timing has always been, and always will be, perfect. So I will keep sitting here in the exotic Mid-west USA, and enjoy the good things I have. Even if my day to day life consists primarily of cleaning and trying not to loose my patience with my kids. My life is pretty sweet. So, here's to waiting! And to hoping for at least a date night in the next month or so!

My new favorite quote-

2010-04-29T12:05:00.000-07:00

"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts." -Mark Twain

Wrapped around their finger?!

2010-04-18T21:35:00.000-07:00

How is it possible to adore someone utterly; and in the same moment, have them make you absolutely nuts?! I think maybe it is something that moms experience on a higher level than the average person, with those little creatures we call our kids. In one moment we are stifling a scream because we just don't know if we can handle it if they do "that" one more time! The very next, our heart is in a puddle at our feet, melted by the deep, sweet love of a child. No other relationship has quite the ups and downs, nor do they happen so often and with such rapidity! Makes a girl's head spin! (perhaps this explains the "Mommy Brain" phenomenon)

So much of the time, it is the very same trait in my child that will both make me a lunatic, and also a marshmallow of emotion. My son's extreme emotional responses can bring the most exasperation or the warmest, fuzzy feelings of being adored by a child, depending on how he has directed them. My daughter's beautiful free spirit, and tendency to dream, can cause my heart to soar with her, ear to ear smiles, in awe of who she is, or send me to the brink of insanity because she was completely unaware of something important, and made a mess of it, all for lack of thinking her actions through.

I had the thought recently that God has given each one of us some amazing and specific gifts, strengths, and traits. We all have some part to play in His great story, if you will, that only we can fill; and those specific character traits are not something that we suddenly acquire when we turn 21. God has placed a blueprint of qualities in each of us from the moment we are conceived. The interesting part is, when you are in your childhood, you are in the process of figuring out what those gifts are, how to use them, and how to walk in them the way God designed you to. They are already present; they just aren't fully formed, nor do we know what in the world to do with them.

The amazing thing that I think I am discovering is that, as a parent, my job is simply to walk with my kids through their process of discovering what their unique qualities are, and to provide guidance as they learn how to handle their strengths in a godly and mature way. I can get so frustrated because I see behaviors in my children that I don't like, and I fail to see in the heat of the moment that the personality trait doesn't need to be removed or changed, broken or disciplined, it is just in the process of becoming, of being matured and developed. I am not here to alter who my kids are, but rather to help them discover who they can be! The passionate emotions that will be the strength of a family, the ability to defend an opinion that will win hearts for the truth, the curiosity that will discover a cure for a disease, the desire to fight that will be a desire to defend the innocent. The possibilities are endless of what our kids can do with their God-given strengths, when those qualities are given room to grow, even encouraged, coupled with Godly direction and sensitivity. The challenge for me, and what I want more than anything, is to love my kids passionately for who they are. Indeed, to love them in the middle of being imperfectly who they are!

I'm just sayin

2010-03-29T12:03:00.000-07:00

What follows is a little list of my personal fashion pet peeves. It is by no means conclusive since a simple trip to Walmart can send my fashion sensibilities reeling. It's hard being so delicate and sensitive.... (snicker) A better word may be "judgemental", since, after all, people are entitled to have their own taste when it comes to fashion. But there are a few things that really poke me in the eye when I encounter them.... So these are the big offenders on my personal list. (please don't feel offended if you love any of these things... it's all very tongue in cheek)

The "Bump-It". I am not a fan of this little gizzmo because it makes it even easier for girls to create a hairstyle gone wrong. It was bad enough when it was just teased hair... but you can always tell when there is a bump-it lurking beneath that first layer of hair. It's like implants for your head, just never quite looks right....

This is what infomercials have done to us! Don't buy it! But if you must, they're on clearance at Target...

Pajama Pants- IN PUBLIC! Now this complaint comes with a disclaimer- because I am actually pretty lazy when it comes to walking out the door without making sure I'm presentable. There have been days when I realize that I have been out of the house for a few hours, and never had a chance to look in the mirror. My excuses are that I have already made 4 other people presentable; and I'm blessed (or maybe cursed, depending on the day) with hair that looks exactly the same, no matter what I do to it. So yes, I've gotten pretty lazy, cuz I don't want to get up at 6 am, if I can get up at 7 with essentially the same results... But I have my limits! And wearing your bedroom attire out in public is WAY past the boundary line! First, just from a fashion perspective, the look doesn't do anyone any favors. It is as schleppy as you can get! And it is made worse by usually being stuffed into a pair of Uggs boots, which seems so incongruous, or Adidas "sandals" which are hideous things when worn appropriately already, but paired with pajamas, reaches new levels of terrible taste. And more importantly, wearing your PJ's to the store or post office says some unattractive things about our culture. Have we actually gotten this lazy? And this careless about what we are telling other people about ourselves? How have we gotten so casual, that we no longer feel it necessary to put in some effort to look nice? I don't want to make an overly big deal about focusing on how we look, it is certainly is secondary to how we act and what is inside; but there is a case to be made for making some effort. "The clothes make the man" is not fundamentally true, but there IS some truth in it, that how you look communicates ALLOT about what is going on inside! "Hi! I'm incredibly lazy, and can't be bothered to put my best foot forward!" is probably not a message most of us want to be shouting. I mean, if you do, you could always just get it printed across the butt of your pajama pants!

Crocs- Crocs. Oh how I loathe thee! Pure and simple. I just can't stand them! They are the most
atrocious piece of attire the "fashion" world has recently forced on the public, who apparently is perfectly incapable of thinking for themselves and will wear anything Walmart tells them they should! "Look at all the pretty colors!" One problem- they are hideously ugly! I've heard all the excuses- "They're comfortable." No- they're not. I tried a friends pair for a bit to be nice. (I was NOT in public I'll have you know!) They are made out of rubber, they will not mold to your feet! Perhaps after a few years, your feet can mold to them! Ducks have lovely feet! "They're so easy to clean!" Perhaps- but just as easy, more comfortable and so much cuter- Flip- flops! And also, the idea of sweating, and walking in a little puddle, is so nasty! Good thing they are easy to clean! And with socks- argh, I can't even tell you!

The only way it can get even worse-

Enough said.

Now this one is just all about me, not because high waisted pants are necessarily so hideous from a fashion perspective, but because I can't wear them! If you are incredibly long waisted and thin (aka- 6'11", size 2, super model) they can look quite chic and sophisticated. Alas, I can't actually pull off this look due to structural complications. But even Jessica Simpson is struggling to make it work. And if you can't do it right, don't try to force it to work anyway, it won't. Fit is everything! So- these pants get a thumbs down from me. And those of you who can wear them without the waist band landing an inch under your bust- go for it! I shall admire your silhouette from a distance.

Added to this list could perhaps be: socks with sandals (I mean- REALLY?! If it's chilly enough to need socks- perhaps different foot wear altogether would be appropriate...)

Funny enough-

2010-03-04T08:39:00.000-08:00

-the last 8 words of the previous blog were written an hour after the rest of it, because I had to go clean up a baby who just randomly threw up. Ah the life I lead! And I actually love this!

Another blog entry about not blogging...

2010-03-04T07:22:00.000-08:00

I write amazing blogs. In my mind. While I'm in the shower. Or doing dishes. Or cooking. Or changing poopy diapers. Basically anytime that I don't have a chance to get to a computer to write down my wonderful and deep thoughts for the rest of the (very tiny) world of people who venture over to actually read my blog... Could someone please invent a thought translator that automatically enters my thoughts (but only the brilliant ones, ofcourse) into my computer where I can blissfully copy and paste them into a blog, or one of those letters to a wonderful friend I've been meaning to write for the past year? Someone? Anyone? Please.... Ok. well then, I'll continue to write about how great it would be if I had time to write....

SLEDDING!!

2010-01-26T07:51:00.000-08:00

The Obligatory wipe-out!

23 degrees doesn't feel so cold after -14!

Who needs a sled?!

Why is it that it seems you spend twice as much time climbing back up as going down?

Ch- ch- cheeeesezzzzz......

Even Zaria went down the hill a few times!

Winter blues

2010-01-12T09:03:00.000-08:00

I am sure that my creativity, my motivation to write, to clean, to photograph, to decorate my house, and to organize my life, will all come back in the Spring! But right now, all I want to do is sit and read a book, huddled under a blanket, with a cup of tea. Yes. That sounds about perfect. I have the hardest time making myself be responsible when I'm cold! So I apologize (especially to the grand parents) for the lack of updates and pictures. I'll try to get some up asap!

Ignorance is bliss!

2009-12-09T21:04:00.000-08:00

I just found a chunk of... something... in my hair. I have 4 kids. I think I'd prefer not to know! But hey, at least it was a chunk and not a gob, right?

I openly admit to occasionally choosing ignorance. Like when I hear an over abundance of noise coming from the room, or a lack of it; or when I know what they are doing and just pretend not to so I can put off dealing with it. Yeah. I also admit to often regretting that choice. But at the moment, it feels great to just keep reading that book, or Facebooking, or... Ahhh. is that wrong?

She's not a baby girl anymore!

2009-11-19T16:23:00.000-08:00

Zaria is 1!

I can't believe how fast this year has gone! I know we always say that, but it is SO true! It was a very short time ago that I was holding a tiny baby girl in my arms who was completely dependent on me. Now I have this toddler (gasp!) who can walk anywhere she wants to, climbs up stairs, talks on the phone, feeds and kisses her baby dolls, and is actually playing with her older sisters and brother! All in the space of one year! It's a bit of a shock to a parent's system I think, but it is an amazing process, and I never tire of watching it happen! She has such a fun and sweet personality, and she gives amazing hugs! I love this little girl and can't picture a day without having known what her smile can do to lift my spirits or imagine what our family would be like with out her! I am so excited to watch as she grows into a little girl with her own unique traits this next year and in the years to come.
We had a little party to celebrate HER on her day! I don't know if she realised it was all about her or not, but she had fun!

Opening presents-

Hugging the little coat from her friend Maizie-

Happy Birthday girl-
(with a feather in her ear... I have no idea)

Loving her birthday cake!

oh yeah!

Sugar high in 4,3,2...

It's been a long time!

2009-10-28T17:45:00.000-07:00

But this says it all!

Did you miss us?!

Happy Birthday little brother!

2009-06-20T23:31:00.000-07:00

My baby brother is now officially grown up! He has entered into the realm of, well, I never really could figure out what the new "privileges" were to being an adult according to the written laws.... But never the less, John is now able to attain them! :) He turned 21 at the beginning of June! It hardly seems possible! It was just moments ago we were running like crazy people through the woods behind our house, Caleb and I would give John and Daniel "rides' in the laundry baskets and and we'd tear the house down chasing each other in that brilliant circle our old house made. through Mom and Dad's room. (that was mom's favorite...) Then I was gone, off doing things on my own, and I missed out on so many moments of his process of growing up. I would come home and realise that a new person stood in front of me, usually about a foot taller than when I'd seen him last! He and Daniel changed from boys to men so suddenly it caught me off guard. Suddenly we were peers again! It has been nice to get to know John (and Daniel) all over again as friends and equals, not just as my kid brothers. I have felt privileged to have John here this year! It has given me a chance to get to make up for some of that lost time! And now he is 21!

To celebrate on the day, the kids and I took him down to the Plaza for dinner at O'Dowds, a right propper old Irish pub, right in the heart of the midwest! We had fun and especially had good food! John got to order his first pint o' Guiness all by himself! But funny enough, the waitress didn't even ask for ID! Uh!

Then to properly set the occasion off right, Mark and Jason and Athena took him out to go some place that didn't allow infants... haha. They spent the night telling stories and laughing at McCoys in Westport. And once again John didn't get carded!

7 months old and still counting

2009-06-10T14:37:00.000-07:00

Zaria is 7 months old! She is now closer to 1 than to 0! And this past month has been a very full one! She got her ears pierced and looks so pretty! She is the proud owner of two teeth with the third not far off! She has discovered FOOD! She's my girl, that's for sure! She wants it and wont give it up once she lays claim to whatever is in her (or your) hand. She is drinking out of a cup and sippy cups. The way she plays with her toys and all of us is so diferent now! She seems so big, and aware, and you can tell she is learning constantly! She is trying to scoot even though she would prefer to NEVER be on her tummy. She is taking steps when holding on to our hands! I never cease to be amazed at how fast the first years goes, or how much they change!

She continues to be so content (when her teeth aren't bothering her. They were really a bugger!) and is so sweet and happy. Her will power is starting to show as well. Don't even TRY to take away that box that she's chewed to a slobbery mass of "eww"- she will tell you off! haha

catch up ball! post #4!!

2009-05-26T22:20:00.000-07:00

And

NowShe

Is...

6 months old!

Or, at least she was when these pictures were taken! At the end of April...... I'm getting there! Almost caught up! Heh, Heh.

The Family

2009-05-19T08:12:00.001-07:00

catch up ball! post #3

2009-05-14T17:38:00.001-07:00

4 1/2 months!

Look at all her hair!

Cahira

2009-05-08T07:20:00.000-07:00

Somehow, some way, known only to God and the mystery of time, my beautiful first born became a lovely 7 year old! How did this happen? I am amazed at the lovely young lady I see her becoming. She is truly kind and loving to everyone, and such a good friend. She is smart, fun and crazy, graceful, conciderate and creative. And I adore her. And now she is 7! I am in awe.

Cahira wanted to have an Island theme for her birthday, so on the day, we took the family to one of our favorite special occasion spots on the plaza, Kona Grill. We had delicious Pacfica food and sushi. So proud of my kids being willing to try unfamiliar food, using chopsticks, and eating sushi!

Then we sat by one of the many fountains while Cahira opened her gifts from the Grandparents, and family.

That weekend we had all her friends over for a "Luau". Nothing like swimsuits and island print shirts in February!

complete with hula contest!

which Esther won decidedly!

catch up ball! post #2

2009-04-25T23:45:00.001-07:00

And this is -

4 months old!

catch up ball! post #1

2009-04-25T23:25:00.001-07:00

This was mid February-

3 1/2 months old!

so proud......

2009-03-09T08:28:00.000-07:00

My son is going to grow up to be a "real man"! Trévan just changed his first diaper! Almost entirely on his own!

Double Header

2009-02-27T06:40:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was quite the day in the McDowell household. Both Cahira and Trévan had a music program at their school, at the same time! Oh yeah! Mark made it home from work just in time to grab a camera and take Cahira to her program. I grabbed a camera and took Tré to his. Fun, fun! Cahira loves the stage and handles herself like a seasoned performer. :) Trévan was very brave and sang great helping lead the group. Here's a couple pictures. Mark was quite far back from the stage and had the little camera so it's a little harder to see Cahira.

What we're doing

2009-02-21T12:17:00.000-08:00

Our house is full (literally) with life and activity. Although Zaria is a born performer has taken the spotlight for awhile since her arrival, I thought I'd fill you in on all the other people who occupy space on our grand stage.

Eranae has grown up so much in the last few months. She is finding her own way of doing things and her personality has blossomed, even though she still loves to follow the lead of her big sister and brother. She has discovered a love of all things ART! All of the kids have art in their veins and genetic talent, but there is something special in it for Eranae and it is closer to the level of passion for her. She is just now learning to create realistic pictures but mostly enjoys abstract still. (haha) She is also getting very good with her letters and numbers and writing her name. She cannot wait for PreSchool to start this fall!

Trévan just had a birthday and is 5 now! That is a little hard to swallow! Where did that little chubby boy go? I am grateful that this tough, warrior, miniature man, still has a tender heart and a desire to protect those who need him, especially his sisters. Whenever there is a struggle of good over evil, this boys will come running! He has taken one Kung Fu lesson so far and loved it! His newest passion is playing Lego Star Wars on a borrowed PlayStation2. He eats, drinks, and breaths it. He would have no problem skipping every meal just to play.

Cahira is doing so well in school and we are really proud of how hard she's working. She has a special class for advanced students every Wednesday that she is really enjoying. But the best part of school for her is her relationships with her classmates and teacher, who all love her back. She is the most open, loving and accepting little girl I've ever met, and she is friends with the kids who don't have any other friends. The thing she is currently enjoying most is to read. She has a gift and reads with fluency and expression. she can sit and read for hours. I wonder where she gets that....

And the newest edition to the family doesn't quite fit in the category of one of our kids... lol! It has been great to have John living here. He has been adjusting to life in Kansas City and is starting to look for a job and developing relationships. Looking forward to seeing what the next year has in store for him.

Hello again!

2009-02-16T06:59:00.000-08:00

I have been with out a computer all week due to the desktop getting a major virus and having to go to the "Dr." (aka Trevor) and Mark needing the laptop with him at work. Ah the pain of letting go of my addictions! LOL!

But I have the laptop today so maybe I can get a little update on the family posted later! Zaria is kind of the star of the show right now, but she's certainly not the only one who is doing new and exciting things!

But for now, breakfast and house cleaning are calling my name! So I shall return!

Three Months Old!

2009-02-11T10:02:00.000-08:00

When did my tiny newborn suddenly become this little girl? It has gone so fast! We are already in the world of laughing, cooing and teething! I am glad that she still lets me cuddle with her! May that continue for a very long time!

Look how big she looks sitting up here! Ah! We are having so much fun with her as she gets more and more interactive with us. She is so sweet.

Groundhog Day!

2009-02-02T08:56:00.000-08:00

I wish Punxsutawney Phil had just lied.

"Shadow? What shadow? I don't see my shadow! Spring will come next week!"

Even if it turned out that there were still 6 more weeks till winter is really over, at least I could go around thinking that Spring was coming any minute! Thanks allot Phil!

Hats!

2009-01-31T08:30:00.000-08:00

Zaria was given so many lovely gifts, and has been very loved. And many were handmade, and sweet gifts of time as well; beautiful blankets from my Mom and friend Sara, and these-

My wonderful Sister-in-law Marnie made this beautiful Bonnet and booties. There was alot of time and care put into them. They are beautiful! Thank you Marnie!

And then this adorable "Anne Gedde's" esque hat that just makes me happy! I meant to do a photo shoot of Zaria in it, back when she was brand new and always sleeping, but never got it done. But she still looks pretty cute in it! Thanks Steph! I love it!

Heart breaker

2009-01-20T12:54:00.001-08:00

All of the kids have been sharing a nice little bug this past week. I captured this picture of poor little Eranae yesterday when I was photographing Zaria. Doesn't it break your heart? I hate when my babies are sick. I would do anything to make them feel better

A little beauty for your day...

2009-01-20T12:10:00.000-08:00

Where did she go?

2009-01-16T10:51:00.000-08:00

My mom is begging me for some new photos! I'm working on it! Both of our cameras have been sadly underused lately... but I will get it together, I promise! soon...

Broseph John the Mannon

2008-12-29T23:33:00.001-08:00

So on Saturday night, Priscilla and I were hanging out with Jason & Athena, and the phone rang around 11:30. It was Cilla's younger brother John, and he was wondering if there was room at the inn! We had talked with him for about 6 months about coming out to KC, and he told me that he was thinking about doing it. I asked him when he thought he'd come, and he said, "well, I'm driving around now, and I guess I'll just leave." So he drove through the night from Woodland Park, CO, stopping in Colo Springs to pick up an atlas and say goodbye to Errol & Gretchen. He has a 1988 Jeep Cherokee which has a leak in the rear main seal, so he had to stop every 70 miles to put oil in it. But he made it, arriving in KC around 2pm. It was great to see him, and although he was exhausted, he went out with us to run some errands and grab some essentials like toiletries, etc. He moved to KC with nothing but his Jeep and a change of clothes, but he did it because he felt God directing him to do it. I can't think of anything cooler in the entire world than spontaneously following God. There's a great story in the bible of another man who did that. His name was Abraham, and God did some pretty cool stuff with him, too. Here's to John the Mannon. Kudos to you, bro. May 2009 be a year of incredible discovery, change, and fun for you!

Mark

Family Christmas 2008

2008-12-29T09:34:00.000-08:00

Christmas is always a busy time of year, as are most holidays at our house. Christmas Eve, the family went shopping for gifts for our friends, and then got to visit with the LaChapelles and the Nerias to deliver the gifts. Christmas Day, we opened gifts from both sets of grandparents, and then our friends Brooks and Raena came over for an awesome brunch! We had the afternoon to recouperate, and then Joe and Sara came over, bringing a really great roast with them for dinner. Jason and Athena showed up shortly after that, and we all had more food and gifts, and then hung out well into the 26th!!

Brooks & Raena

Joe & Sara & Aryah (Joe holding Zaria!)

Merry Christmas to all

2008-12-25T03:20:00.000-08:00

* * Merry Christmas!* *

I am sitting all snug in my warm little house, in PJ's and fuzzy slippers, while the perfect Christmas snow, slowly disappears... Just in time for Christmas. Ha ha! And I decided to stop cleaning, and wrapping, and cooking, and for a brief moment to sit down, nibble on a cookie and wish every one we won't get to see today, a very Merry Christmas! We are definitely missing grandparents, parents, siblings, cousins, and many wonderful friends today! We hope you are all having a beautiful day! But at the same time, I am really excited to be home with my own little family and create memories that can become our personal traditions over the year. We hope you all have a very blessed and special day, loving your families and friends, and remembering the coming of our salvation and our closest friend. Happy Birthday Jesus!

New Addition!

2008-12-16T07:24:00.000-08:00

I am once again a pround Auntie! My sister in law Laura just gave birth to her third child, a beautiful little girl! They have named her Tatiana Angelina Grace! Isn't that beautiful! Congratulation Lucian, Laura, Gabriel and Nathaniel! We are so happy for you! I will update this with more details and hopefully somes pictures as I get them!!!

I am in love!

2008-12-07T18:15:00.000-08:00

Here it is! Real smiles! Finally caught it on film! And I am in love!

Eranae is so delighted with her baby sister! Can you feel the love?

Check these out!

2008-12-07T18:05:00.001-08:00

I love these little boots!

Hehe! Ahhh- Girls are fun!

One month, three pounds and 3 & 1/2 inches later...

2008-12-02T19:48:00.000-08:00

Here are a few photos of little Miss Z, taken by her doting Daddy, on her 1 month birthday! If only you could see the rolls, and double chin that are forming! It's pretty amazing! She is still such a sweet, content little girl. She is teasing us with half smiles and really starting to recognise her brother and sisters and especially Daddy! I think I can safely say I am the favorite though! After all, I got the goods! Ha ha!! And there is no question that we all adore her! Can you blame us?! :D

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-12-01T20:54:00.000-08:00

My kids make me smile! On Thanksgiving day they were talking about the first Thanksgiving and decided to be the native Americans, so they grabbed some random belts and leaves for feathered headresses and viola! Thanksgiving pagent! The resulting photos were were pretty cute so I wanted to share them!

3 weeks old!

2008-11-27T21:31:00.000-08:00

I'm a little behind on posting pictures and I'm trying to catch up for the granparent's sake! At this age they change so quickly in just a week or two so I don't want to let it get away from me!

Here is the little lady in her sweet, sleepy, growing like a weed glory!

I know her expresion is the same in all three photos, but I still had to post them all. She's just so cute I can't help myself!

Motherhood

2008-11-24T20:17:00.000-08:00

With the birth of my third, beautiful daughter, I have fallen in love with being a Mom all over again. It is an experience that I truly thank God for. It is an incredible honor to be given these precious little lives to be a caretaker over and to be so overwhelmingly blessed by them in return. I am more grateful now than ever for the wonderful examples of Motherhood that God has placed in my life. There have been many tremendous ladies that I have observed and garnered wisdom from, but the two greatest gifts and examples in my life, are the Mom's God gave ME. My Mom always said that you don't appreciate how much your mother loves you until you become a mother yourself (or how hard she worked) and, of course, she was right! She would say, "Just wait til you have kids, then you'll get it!" And I do. And now that I know the blood, sweat and tears, as well as joy, I appreciate her even more than ever! (yes I have always appreciated you Mom, even when I was 14 and it wasn't quite as obvious as those rolled eyes...) I feel truly thankful to the Lord for giving me the mother he did, I am deeply fortunate to have been so loved, guarded, nurtured and taught. I have been doubly blessed, because now I also have a wonderful Mother-in-law in my life to learn from, who is a beautiful example of Godly mothering as well. Not many people get to actually enjoy their Mother-in-laws. What can I say? I lead a charmed life! (it's just an expression momma, I know I'm blessed... ;) wink, wink)

So to all the beautiful and amazing mothers in my life- thank you for shining a light into the often overwhelming world of being a mom, and for just being able to relate to what I'm going through! But thanks especially to my Mom and Pat, for for sharing from their years of experience and dedication!

Mom-thank you for showing me Jesus, for extending grace for me to be myself, for your years of sacrifice, for always thinking I was the smartest, sweetest, prettiest, etc. unfailingly, for being honest about your own mistakes so I wouldn't have to make them, and for loving me like only a mother can! I love you back!

Pat- Thank you for accepting me and loving me as a daughter, for raising your son to be such an awesome person who loves the Lord and loves people, and for exemplifying graciousness and selflessness. I love you very much and am so grateful to call you my mother-in-law!

This Thanksgiving- I am thankful for YOU!

Thank Goodness...

2008-11-24T00:06:00.000-08:00

...for friends who will tell you when you have a diaper stuck to your jeans, hanging by the velcro, from your butt! At least it was an unused one...

First time!

2008-11-22T21:16:00.000-08:00

We took Zaria on a walk at Longview Lake, the first of many to come! It was a little chilly but she seemed perfectly content bundled up, cruising in her new, amazing stroller! (Thanks Stan and Susie!!)

He He! you can't even see her in there!

Sister Kisses!

Rock On, Baby!

2008-11-22T21:04:00.000-08:00

It's in her blood!

1 and 1/2 weeks old!

A few more pictures!

2008-11-07T10:28:00.000-08:00

Thought it was about time to add a few more pictures of the new little lady who is now a week old! Sorry for the delay!

On October 29th we headed to the hospital, to see if we could convince Zaria to come out of hiding. I don't know if any of you know, but I've never had to have an IV for any of my other labors and have pretty much concidered the idea of one worse than labor itself. But here I am, all plugged in..... (and still alive! )

Then began the wait- since my Dr. (bless her little heart) wanted to sleep that night so she decided to wait till the following morning to induce.

Cahira was my companion and hung with me that night and the following morning,. She and Mark made the 24 hours of sitting strapped to a bed much more pleasant! THANKS girl, for being such a sweet help to your Mommy! I'm so glad you were with me! And Mark, I would never want to do this with out you by my side! Thanks for just being.

And then- She was finally here! Beautiful and healthy, so the rest doesn't matter!

Three generations!

First family photo!

FINALLY HOME!

One Week Old!

Zaria Horizon McDowell

2008-10-30T21:49:00.000-07:00

Ladies and Gentlemen, here she is!!!
DOB - 10/30/08 2:41pm
Ht - 19 1/4 inches
Wt - 8lbs, 4ozs
Enjoy!

One for the record books...

2008-10-24T14:19:00.000-07:00

Here's the last picture taken of our family unit as it is now.

We'll never be a family of 5 again, and that's a very exciting thing. Shortly, we'll be posting pics of our new arrival, Zaria Horizon, and the step of us becoming a family of 6. Check back often!

Laundry day

2008-10-20T04:50:00.000-07:00

I don't mean to be a walking advertisement, but Tide liquid detergent ROCKS! I love snowy whites, flower fresh pinks... it makes me happy! And, just between you and me, I think it is worth the extra money, because dingy and greyed out clothes still feel dirty and are kinda depressing to fold and put back in your drawer! So here's to Tide and Shout stain remover! They are my friends! (and my little secret, is that I use Costco's store brand powder on everything that doesn't really matter, to stretch my moula out a tad. hehe) I know you were all wondering... So now you know!

Politics Suck.

2008-10-14T08:10:00.000-07:00

I am, at the moment, kind of reeling from the realisation that so many of my very good friends, hold such drastically differently perspectives on life than I do in some areas. I am deeply saddened by some of the things I am hearing come out of the mouths of people I love. Not that I in any way feel that I have all the right perspectives and opinions, but to see people that you thought were on the same page in allot of ways, seem to have either gradually changed over several years or just out of the blue blown me away with things I didn't know about the way they thought, is hard to ignore. Nothing like a brutal Presidential election to bring it all out either! Ugh! I am open to talking about different opinions on just about any topic and more than willing to have my own perspective broadened or changed entirely, as long as it still falls in line with the word of God and MORALS!!! But even peoples view points on what the Bible says and what morals even are, can be so different, that even a discussion based on them can be a bit volatile. Sigh. It's just hard. I want to say something because some times my heart is broken by seeing what my friends believe, but they aren't able to receive it, especially since I often fit into a stereotype they've invented and judged already. So I just sit back, and trust that God is greater than human error or our limited perspectives, and then I will go vote as well as I can and not worry about what the future holds; because it doesn't matter in the long run anyway! God is GOD, and even though he has given us free wills and the ability to makes choices that affect us and those around us, his plans will prevail and indeed our choices are already taken into account. The truth is, all that matters is that he loves us all, and has a plan to prosper us, to give us a future and a hope. People all around the world will continue to come to know him, the wonder of his love, and the power of his grace, no matter who becomes the President of the United States or what happens to the economy!

It's now or never!!!!

2008-10-06T09:41:00.000-07:00

Since our beautiful, new little girl is due to arrive in about 2 1/2 weeks, I figure, given my track record, that if I don't write something now, it will be a very, very long time before you hear from me!

Life has settled into a bit more of a routine, for now, which is actually nice. Both Cahira and Tré are doing great in their respective schools. Cahira got her report back from the yearly testing they do and she scored really well on the national scale last year! We are so proud of her and how hard she has worked. She loves to read and Mark and I can definitely see ourselves in her, as we are finding her with her nose buried in a book all the time now. We are really encouraged that even though the school she attends, and in fact the entire school district we are in, doesn't have the highest educational reputation, that the Lord is so faithful and has made sure she has had great teachers the last 2 years, and she is actually still walking away with a good education!.

Trévan is enjoying himself at preschool so much that he usually cries when we come to get him. I feel a bit offended that I don't hold more sway over his heart! Ha ha! But I guess I would rather have him crying on that end, instead of when I'm trying to leave him there! He is figuring out how to write his letters and lots more fun stuff and is pretty proud of himself.

Eranae is learning that it's not all bad to be home by yourself with Mommy! We have had allot of fun together and she's done some "school" at home with me too, which makes her feel so big. I've enjoyed these precious weeks before the baby arrives, to just appreciate Eranae all on her own! She is super excited to become a big sister though and will be allot of help with the baby. She is a natural mommy for sure!

Mark and I celebrated our 9th anniversary last month which is hard to believe! I am so very grateful to the Lord for blessing me with such an amazing man, who I am still madly in love with.

This is reading like one of those Christmas news letters, which is a sign that this is not the wittiest thing I've ever written...... But there you are anyway! A little encapsulation of our family's life at the moment!

Handy Manny

2008-09-19T16:32:00.001-07:00

Recently Tré has been watching "Handy Manny", a Disney show about a repairman with talking tools, and he is so into it. He has been wanting to get Mark's tools out to fix stuff in the house and wearing Mark's new hard hat around. So this afternoon when he disovered that his lion flashlight needed new batteries, he jumped at the chance to really be a handyman! Look at the concentration! And the sense of pride when he had unscrewed the cover, changed the batteries, and replaced the cover, entirely on his own, and the light worked!

might as well be now....

2008-09-10T11:48:00.000-07:00

I am probably never going to find time to write a proper, detailed post about the past month so- why wait for that elusive moment? I will settle instead for a brief summary of the last little period of McDowell craziness!

Beginning at the middle of August- We arrived home from our brilliant trip to Canada on the 15th just in time to try to get back to proper sleep patterns so we could survive school starting on the 18th! All went well for Cahira's first day of 1st grade and Trévan's first in preschool! I will post some pictures when Mark's laptop is available again... On the 19th our wonderful friend Elin from Sweden arrived to visit for 5 days! We had a wonderful time running around the city visiting all the places she had haunted during her year living here in KC as an Au pair. Then 4 days after she left, Mark drove away in a semi for a 6 day job in South Dakota. That night our friend Kelea from New Zealand arrived with his friend Leoni to work on the beginnings of a music album with Mark for 3 weeks. (kinda botched the timing on that didn't we! haha!) Since Mark was MIA we played tourist and experienced as much of Kansas City as we could in 6 days! Since then Mark and 'Lea have been holed up in the garage creating music and in the off time we have been keeping hours completely non-conducive to a school schedule. But alas. All the fun is quickly coming to an end and Lea leaves tomorrow and Leoni the following day. So I apologize for the lack of blogging/emailing/calling or visiting! hopefully life will return to "normal" this coming week and we will reconnect on every level!

Ode to Michael Phelps, etc.

2008-08-15T21:38:00.000-07:00

I'm back from the land of beautiful lakes and cottages and visiting with wonderful friends! But more on that in another blog!

We got to enjoy the benifits of cable for 5 days, at my in-laws. And it was great timing too, to catch the first week of the Olympics! (Even though we got back from cottage country about 7 hours too late to sit in awe of the phenomenal (we heard) opening ceremony! drat!) I love the Olympics and I'm not even sure why. I think I get caught up in the personal stories of struggle and triumph, the moments of celebration and disapointment. Michael Phelps is amazing if I must say so; the bionic fish-man! Wonder what the next few days will bring him... But he really isn't the only reason to I enjoyed watching. I think I'm really much more of a cheering-for-the-under-dog kinda person than following the Michael Jordan's and Tiger Wood's of the world. I like un-sung heros. I've NEVER understood how getting a silver or bronze medal or making it to the Olympics and not placing could be SO dissapointing. I get that they work so freaking hard for so long and the dream is, of course, to be the one to walk away with a medal, preferably gold; but they made it to the OLYMPICS! That's amazing! I don't think I could stand on a podium clutching a bronze medal and have tears of dissapointment on my face.

But all that aside, I just love the whole experience of watching the Olympics. And now- we have no more access to them. So those of you with cable may expect to see me on your doorstep this next week with a bag of popcorn. Hope you don't mind! :)

Waiting for, um...

2008-07-27T08:22:00.000-07:00

The problem with me and blogging, is that I have to be inspired to have anything to say worth reading; but moments of inspiration are few, or tend to come when I can't find time to write it down for posterity. (I write great blogs in my head all the time! They are lost to time and space.) When I do have a topic or bit of inspiration to talk about, I can write endlessly and be mildly entertaining; even, in especially brilliant moments, funny. Unfortunately, this is not one of those- so don't expect to be entertained, or to have a good chuckle. I'm really just writing cuz I'm tired of waiting for inspiration! My other problem with blogging is, I have a tendancy to think that, to be worth posting, my blog should be something profound. Though, the blogs I enjoy reading the most are the ones that let me hang out with someone as they tell me about their day or give me a glimpse into their mind for a moment. And that is what this blog was meant to be- (other than a photo log of my beautiful kids) a sort of out-loud journal so you can hear my brain in all it's fabulousness! LOL! Perhaps it is just a matter of dropping what I'm doing to run in and type what ever comes to my head at that moment. Maybe some of the really great bloggers can give me some tips! :) For now-

- I will leave you with one gem- Isn't she beautiful?

See the tooth in her hand?! Hehe! love it!

A perfect outing

2008-07-10T09:31:00.000-07:00

Several weeks ago we discovered a wonderful new activity here in Kansas City; the Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Gardens. It has miles of lovely trails through the woods, a beautiful garden and lots of stuff for the kids. And- It's FREE!!! I love free stuff! We spent a great day wandering the trails, hanging out in the bird watch, eating lunch and enjoying the beauty of God's creativity. Here are a few photo highlights, including the after shot of Cahira and I after we slid down a particularly muddy slope. She did a perfect backwards somersault! LOL! Luckily there was a little stream at the bottom so we could wash up. If you come to visit us, it is a must that we find time to go. Or if you live in the area, be sure to check it out!

I'm baaack!

2008-07-08T16:14:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lack of presence here! We have been enjoying our summer and I have been avoiding the computer for the majority of the time! Thus I have fallen dreadfully behind in keeping you up to date! There are many stories and many MANY pictures. I will try to make several posts from the last couple months and try not to bore you or overwhelm you! Until I get that done though, Merry Christmas to all! And to all, a good night!