The Tie that Binds

What Happens at Sushi's House...

2011-12-31T16:31:00.004-06:00

You've seen the shirts for toddlers, "What happens at Grandma's, stays at Grandma's"? Well, what happens at Sushi's, gets on her iPhone for all to see. On our CA trip, I scrolled through Mom's and Michael's iPhones and emailed myself a few of my favorite pictures of FOOD and FRIVOLITY.

Sushi is a cook with gourmet skills; June just eats Vienna Sausage from the can.

Nothing says "235 years of America!" like a giant carbohydrate covered in dyed icing.

Clowning around with Sushi and Opa at the circus. Fun fact: every year as a kid, we went to 2 events. The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo in March (for my birthday) and the Ringling Brothers Circus in July (for my brother's birthday). Maybe next year, June and Gordon can join in too!

Does this hat make me look ridiculous? Or is it the nose? Or the lanyard? Or the oversized program? Or the boomerang? Or the Spiderman umbrella hanging off my wrist? Or the fact that I look pissed at my grandma for even daring to take this picture that proves I am one spoiled kiddo?

Would you like some hot chocolate with your whipped cream?
Triple cherries, say what?!
This one was out with Michael, but who says the grandparents are the only ones who get to treat the kids? Here's the mega muffin at the Snooty Pig.

Oh wait, I think we've gone too far. Nothing like the Fat Face app to put things in perspective.

Truly, I love living back close again because now these treats are spread out to about once a month vs consecutive days of a 2 week visit. Talk about some detox whenever we'd go back to LA or Fresno. Whew. Also note, June is growing into these treats. Right now, a Tic-Tac from Sushi's purse will do the trick.

Other random iPhone catch ups:

Owen's birthday at school (with both grandmas there!)

June deep sea diving in Sushi's tub:
June at the pumpkin patch. My favorite part of this photo is the sign.

Now this reminds me to hijack Grammie's phone and see what the kids have been up to at her house!

Favorite Grandparent Quotes:

I don't intentionally spoil my grandkids. It's just that correcting them often takes more energy than I have left. ~Gene Perret

Grandmas are moms with lots of frosting. ~Author Unknown

Grandfathers are for loving and fixing things. ~Author Unknown

On the seventh day God rested. His grandchildren must have been out of town. ~Gene Perret

With much love and appreciation to our parents, thank you!

Thankful for California

2011-12-22T14:20:00.013-06:00

Christmas came early for the McArnolds this year. Instead of exchanging gifts, almost all of us* traveled to California to spend Thanksgiving week with friends and relatives. *Steph had an exam at nursing school that could not be taken at any time but the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. That's my first (and hopefully, only) "BOO...HISS" that I've ever said towards the University of Texas at Arlington.

My little family flew to LA 3 days early to catch up with friends from our Pasadena years. We were able to see Bert perform in the final weekend of "Don't Hug Me! I'm Pregnant", worship with our friends at Agape Christian Church, and spend time with my teaching friends from my 5 years in Glendale. I did not spend enough time eating Armenian pastries, and we are growing accustomed to the feeling of walking away from our visits with tears. There is never enough time.

As we drove past our old neighborhood after church, the waterworks began for me. Owen tried to console me with, "You know, I used to see my friend Riley EVERY day in kindergarten, but now I only see him at recess. It's tough, but I know he's still my friend." Not too bad Therapist Arnold; a little bit of his dad in him after all. :) All of that to say that those 5 years were so extremely formative for me as a wife, teacher, friend, and mother. I am so thankful for the friendships and experiences shared in community there.

These days flew by quickly, so I only managed 2 photos. One of June on the plane
and the other of June and Owen with their favorite lap in all of California...Auntie Rae's. If words could express my affection for her, I still wouldn't write them here. Too much to say, dear friend!

Off to San Diego! All of Mom's family migrated from farms east of Dallas to California after WWII. They plopped themselves down a couple of blocks away from the Pacific Ocean, and her idyllic tales of growing up at the beach begin there. Owen did not hesitate to reacquaint himself with the ocean...he rolled up his pant legs and then proceeded to wade in up to his chest. He looked like a loon walking down the boardwalk with no pants and a hoodie afterward, but then again, there's no dress code on the beach either.

June's issue with dirt extends to sand. She stayed in her stroller, even complaining that her wheels were getting dirty. :p But she and Gordon did have some buddy time while they were parked on the beach with one of the best views in the world.

We checked in with Uncle Mo and Aunt Linda on day one because if Uncle Mo doesn't see those rascals within hours of a plane landing, you will hear about it! The kids loved playing with Aunt Linda's walker, and Uncle Mo engaged himself with each of his great-grand nephews and niece.

Day two found us ready to hit La Jolla beach, where Mom lived from junior high until her odd choice to move to West Texas. Nothing like Abilene, TX to make you miss home your freshman year of college, right? Owen wore proper swim attire...kind of. It is the last week in November and the water was ICE, but it IS a swim suit.

The Cove links me to some of my dearest memories of my grandparents. When I would travel there in the summers, they would walk the path along the cliffs or through town every day. The breeze, the grass, the sea lions, and the views...my grandfather in a seer sucker suit and straw hat...my grandmother with pearls and silky pants. To see Gordon crawling through the same grass, Owen playing on the same beach, and everyone gawking at those sea lions was a sheer treasure.

Finally, Turkey Day! I'm all for tradition, but this year it was nice to do something a little different and yet, still familiar (Unlike the year we had Del Taco for Thanksgiving dinner in Pasadena...that was just odd). We were able to eat the Thanksgiving meal at Mo and Linda's retirement center, and they did an AWESOME job! Uncle Mo and Aunt Linda are now in their 90s, but this is their first year to not live in that same bungalow they built in Pacific Beach more than half a century ago. So it was all of our first time to experience the center's Thanksgiving meal. Here we all are...dressed up and enjoying the dining hall. PS: That is not "The Dude" from The Big Lebowski movie...that is my Uncle Jerry (who secretly loves it when people do mistake him for Jeff Bridges' character).

And because my parents are not in enough of these pictures:

Michael and Lee are also conspicuously absent from many pictures too. I think that's a good thing. They were busy wrangling kids, riding bikes on the beach, and surfing. I was able to go on a great walk then stop on the beach to think about the week's events. As I sat on the continent's edge, listening to the waves hit the shore as the sun glittered off the sand, I couldn't help but recall this verse from Ezekiel:

Suddenly, the glory of the God of Israel appeared from the east. The sound of his coming was like the roar of rushing waters, and the whole landscape shone with his glory.

It was a beautiful moment in a long and satisfying trip.

Summer Reading and Beyond...

2011-12-22T13:44:00.003-06:00

I compiled this list mostly for Kelly S. I like to steal from her reading lists, but for anyone else looking to curl up with a good book over your break, here's what I've been reading since this summer:

The Centurion’s Wife

The Hidden Flame

The Damascus Way, all by Davis Bunn and Janette Oke

I enjoyed this trilogy, but I LOVE historical fiction. My fascination with early Christianity AND the Roman empire means that these were right up my alley.

Eleventh Quest, all by Bodie and Brock Thoene

Okay, I'll admit that I end up reading a lot of series. If a book has a follow up, I must continue reading. Even to a fault. Unfortunately for me when I began the AD Chronicles, I didn't know there were 11 (!) books. I also didn't know that one of the last books would be dedicated to Sarah Palin. But, let's not hold that against the authors. Some books were better than others, but I really appreciated the imagination it took to develop some of these minor characters in the Gospels. I don't think I'll ever consider the leper or the shepherds, in particular, in the same light again. All Zionist politics from the Thoenes aside, a good series overall.

The above books were my summer. I felt that with going back to work, I had to get all my reading in while the days were long...and when I could take a nap the next day after staying up too late reading.

Now for my school reading...you'll notice a trend away from the first century and in to dystopian fiction. That's my other guilty pleasure. Who wants to read about some unattainable utopia when you could get lost in the dysfunctions of human attempts to create viable and long-term societies? The Suzanne Collins and Michael Grant books are both in the young adult genre, but the Grant books I would save for a high school kiddo with an ability to discern and discuss the choices made by the central characters.

The Hunger Games

Catching Fire

Mocking Jay, all by Suzanne Collins (can't wait for the movie adaptation of this trilogy)

Gone

Hunger

Lies

Plague, all by Michael Grant (book 5 due out in April!)

The Handmaid’s Tale, by Margaret Atwood

The Other Boleyn Girl, by Philippa Gregory

(a brief relapse into historical fiction...fast forwarding to the 16th century, of course. Another Gregory book is my next read)

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

The Girl who Plays with Fire

The Girl who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest, all by Stieg Larsson

I won't be watching any of the movie adaptations of the Larsson books. One thing I appreciate about reading is that my mind tends to limit the amount of visualization I can do without having nightmares. If a scene is particularly graphic or gruesome, I can only imagine it as far as my fears will let me. In a movie, the scene plays out, presumably, as the director intends and that is often farther than my nerves or thoughts would prefer to extend. To sum it up, the Swedish title to the first book is translated to read "Men Who Hate Women"...I think that original title better illustrates a lot of the scenes that I'd rather not replay or have in my mind again. Still, Lisbeth Salander filled my first 3 days of Christmas break, including a last minute trip to the library to check out book 3.

Suggestions for 2012?

Owen's Definitive Guide to Cursing: Part 2

2011-12-22T13:35:00.002-06:00

About a week after our last chat about "bad" words, Owen asks me in the car:

"Mom, is a$$ a bad word?"
"Yes." I mean, I don't even like to type it. ;)
"I don't think it is." Of course you don't. Why believe anything I say? Why even ask me? What do I know?
"Well, some people think it is. Either way, it's not a word our family is in the habit of using." Define habit...
"I still don't think it's bad." A little Owen-sensor finally dings in my brain; it tells me we are not on the same page.
"What do you think it means, O?"
"I don't know exactly."
"Use it in a sentence." At this point, he's kind of fired up from me disagreeing with him, so in a raised voice he says from the backseat,
"THE SMOKE FROM VOLCANOES MAKES A LOT OF A$$."

Remind me to make an appointment with the school's speech pathologist.

Awww, Shrimp!

2011-12-20T08:38:00.003-06:00

Owen's Definitive Guide to Cursing

We have our friends Bert and Rae to thank for so many things in our lives...a deep and abiding friendship, a place to stay whenever we come to LA, Owen's love for all things Star Wars, and, most recently, a revelatory conversation of every curse word Owen knows.

Bert is a big movie buff, and the guest room where Owen slept over Thanksgiving led to many questions about the Indiana Jones, Star Wars, and Back to the Future memorabilia hanging on the walls and on the shelves. The tale of Marty McFly going back in time most captured his attention, and he wanted to know if he could watch it on Netflix.

"When you're older."
"Why? Is it inappropriate?"
"Yes."
"Does it have bad words?"
"Yes." (You see how I keep it simple. No need to elaborate on all of the other reasons he can't watch it...stereotypes of Libyans, explanations of "who is Calvin Klein?", the character Biff as a whole, etc.)
"Perhaps, Mom, I DO know a lot of bad words." Yes, Owen uses the word "perhaps" whenever he is trying to make his point. Read: he uses the word perhaps more than any one else I know.

Long pause..."Lay it on me. What words do you know?"
No pause. "The H-word, S-word, B-word, and a few SH-words."
I refrained from exhaling any of those words from under my breath. Another deep breath.
"Oh, really?" I pretend I know none of those words. "What does that mean..."the H-word"?

He whispers..."Hate."

My shoulders relax from the anxiety, I hold in a chuckle, and I ask him to go on.
"Also, Stupid, butt, and shut up."
I concur that none of these words build people up, and we enjoy a comfortable silence.

"Oh, and Mom...you know I don't say these words, but there is another one that is very mean...you know, "SHRIMP". You should never call someone a shrimp."

Now, I laugh.

Character Building

2011-11-26T15:55:00.003-06:00

Owen's school skirts the dressing up for Halloween issue by having a "Storybook Character Day". Moms across the neighborhood groan because the Halloween costume most of the kids are wearing is NOT literacy related. So, we end up with two costumes. The girls have a ton of dress up clothes (Angelina Ballerina and Pinkalicious were the most popular, Owen said), but the dudes? From where does the second costume come?

Even though Owen had a Star Wars costume planned (and plenty of Star Wars literature to carry around school), he wanted to dress up like one of the guys from his current favorite book "The Official Guide to Lego Ninjago". Yes, I realize that this is a lame attempt at a "book", but give a 6 year old guy free reign at the school "book" fair, and you get what you get. I said fine, as long as he picked a hero.

You see, if you're going to emulate someone ALL day, I'd rather it not be Lord Garmedon, whose hobbies are "planning escape and revenge against Sensui Wu; lying and deceiving." (source: The Official Guide to Lego Ninjago). We need the villains as non-examples, but I don't need my son to be mimicking every evil move in an effort to stay in character all day. I steered him towards the heroes section and asked him to find a character who had traits he admired or would want to see in himself. He finally picked Kai, the red ninja. What character traits did he admire? "Mom, look at his hobbies: Music & breakdancing." Close enough...and they do have similar angry eyebrows.

As Owen sat at the kitchen table trying to brainstorm how to match the costume with what we have at the house (read: my mom is too cheap to buy a second costume), I read on about Ninja Kai...and immediately started laughing.

"Brave, reckless, daring, stubborn, inspiring, infuriating - all of these describe Kai, the Ninja of Fire. Of all my ninja, he was the most difficult to train...not because he lacked the skill, but because he lacked patience and was reluctant to listen to anyone else. Still, I saw potential in him." (again, "The Official Guide...")

If you know O, you are shaking your head slowly in agreement. If you don't know O, you do now. Psychologists theorize that core personality traits are developed before the age of 6. From this point on, I know that I am parenting the Ninja of Fire.

"Kai" with his Grammy (as the Cat in the Hat)

For those of you wondering how you can recreate this outfit at home:

black skeleton Halloween pj pants on inside out
red school shirt, also on inside out (a plain red t-shirt would be too classy)
Mom's black knee-high tied around your waist
put on another red shirt, then take it off, but not all the way. Stop it at your big melon. Then drape it around your neck like a lady and have your mom safety pin it.
Finally, get your mom's big hair-tie thingy...you know the one like the soccer girls wear and put it on like Rambo. I know you don't feel like Rambo...if you were any older than 6, you might realize that you actually look like a cross-dressing sleepwalker, but since you are 6, you happily march off to school as a ninja in a homemade costume.
Cost: $0 now, hundreds in therapy later.

Back to Work

2011-11-14T15:49:00.003-06:00

A lot* of people have asked how my new job is going. *By “a lot” read: an elder's wife, a neighbor, and my boss. After 3 months, I wanted to document where I am at with the whole "back to work" thing.

I’m a teacher with no “classroom”…but my life is still run by bells. Nothing hearkens one back to the sounds of industrialism's golden age like a bell set to ring at 2:03 pm every day. That’s the start of 7th period.

Gone are my 75 to 160 students; here are my 40 teachers. I’m not an administrator or evaluator; I am a support teacher. I am to Tim Gunn as the principals for whom I work are to Nina, Michael, and Heidi. I’ll leave it to them to figure out which one of them is Heidi. As for the teachers (contestants)? Well, it is one wild season. Does my Project Runway analogy reveal too much into my Thursday evenings for you? :P I have to cope with the stress somehow.

My unofficial job description is to support teacher growth in classroom management, lesson planning, instruction, and assessment. No day is the same, but in the course of a week, you could find me:

Co-writing lesson plans
Cutting out and laminating manipulatives
Compiling assessment data
Modeling a lesson
Emailing documents between two campuses (I split my time between 2 high schools)
Facilitating a team meeting
Daydreaming about the next weekend or vacation day with my family
Collaborating with the support teachers from other subjects
Researching end-of-course exams from other states
Doing any random task a teacher or administrator asks...and there have been some doozies
Listening…a lot of listening.

I’m still working on that part: the listening. If you marry your opposite, consider that my husband is a therapist. He listens all day long. I talk all day long. The discipline of listening to a teacher or team of teachers flesh out a problem, discuss a grievance, share a hardship, or elaborate on a plan has been good for me. I am so blessed to hear what our AMAZING teachers need to say and want to share. I’m working on being someone who knows more of what she says than saying what she knows. Toughest part of the job, by far.

Make no mistake, this job is a gift, but I would be remiss not to tell you that it is a gift that comes in a big box with 1,000 pieces and no instructions. And on most days, I am happily working with my eyebrows furrowed and chewing the inside of my lip as I tackle today’s unexpected opportunity.

Now, back to work.

PS: a post with no pictures and little mention of my children is a rarity. Don't worry, Grandmom, I'll return to our regularly scheduled programming soon with Halloween photos. :)

Trouble Sleeping??

2011-09-12T22:00:00.002-05:00

So, Mommy is at Back to School Night and can't tuck you in? This change in routine might be upsetting to some and impede their bedtime routine. What to do? I don't know.

But here's what NOT to do:

#1 Don't sleep on your comfy bed. Make a pallet for yourself on the floor.
#2 Don't bother with comfy clothes. Add an itchy, polyester tutu from your bottom drawer. Pull that over your monkey pajamas. Don't look at the monkeys...they'll give you nightmares.
#3 Don't invest in a sleep mask. A pair of sunglasses works just fine. Hint: wear them upside down so they pinch your nose. Might help with the sleep apnea or snoring...pending FDA approval.
#4 Don't cuddle with any of your soft lovies. Choose a naked plastic baby and cuddle her feet first. (Maybe her baby doll is a breech baby too?)
#5 Don't sleep on your regular pillow. Drag a boppy out of your closet to get your neck creaked just enough to let visions of chiropractic care dance in your head.
#6 Don't worry about a bedtime snack. Play Russian roulette with an old sippy cup. Could be water, could be homemade yogurt.
#7 Don't worry about bedhead. Did you look in the mirror before you laid down? Already there.
#8 Don't bother covering yourself up with a blanket. Leave it to catch the pee that would have otherwise been caught by the pullup you took off and left on the other side of the baby gate.
#9 Don't skip nighttime prayers. You've obviously stolen your brother's race car and Buzz Lightyear. Repentance is like a glass of warm milk.

Yet, she's asleep. Maybe she's onto something after all.

Whatever your bedtime routine may be, I say, "Sleep tight! Don't let the bedbugs bite."

1st Grade Boy (plus one Wannabe)

2011-08-29T18:46:00.002-05:00

1st Grade, here he comes!
Yes, that's a B-Boy shirt he's sportin'. Thanks to "The Electric Company" and "So You Think You Can Dance," Owen spends a lot of time beat boxing, rhyming, and working on his dance moves. It's a hilarious stage...if it's a stage.

June wanted to wear her skeleton shirt for her first day. That's the beauty of being 2: you can.

And for those of you wondering, Michael is still not a morning person.

As for my first day back, I forgot to take a self portrait. Stalkers can hunt me down on some high school's website. :P

Here's to a great year of loving and learning!

Excuse me while I lie to myself...

2011-08-20T23:26:00.002-05:00

You should be aware that the pictures in this post are not designed to show our full experience with swim lessons. They are designed to ensure that I enroll my kids NEXT summer because my brain will remember these photos...not the actual events that transpired before and after leaving the pool. Also, it was difficult to take pictures while motivating people to put on their suit, get in the car, drying tears, processing fears, discussing why we learn to swim, and handling the pent up post lesson emotions. So much for the lazy days of summer. :)

That being said, once O got in the pool, he was his typical "school persona". When at school, he listens very well, focuses on the task at hand, and aims to please. The coaches at the YMCA were AWESOME, and I would recommend swim lessons there for any beginning swimmer. The lessons themselves were never the issue; it was the emotions that came with them and how to handle those emotions.

O and Coach M. She was patient and calm and she followed up on an off the cuff promise she made to Owen. Two thumbs up!

After two weeks of lessons, Owen looked at me and said, "I thought you said I would be able to swim after two weeks." Hmmmm...am I a liar? What I should have said was, "I didn't realize that you would be carried into the swimming facility, literally, kicking and screaming. I'm sure the stress of such an experience might have limited your ability to acquire the skills necessary to swim or distracted you from absorbing the full intent of the lessons." So, we went back for two more weeks, wanting to end on a high note. Or, I'm a glutton for punishment.

Praise God (literally, for we prayed for a better behind the scenes experience), weeks 3 and 4 were better. Coach C was a gift! I kept wanting to ask him what he was studying in college because he is a natural teacher. The kids connected with him, and he navigated that tricky balance between motivating the kids out of their "safe" spot and pushing them too far where they were too anxious to try new things. Owen did much better these weeks. I guess I forgot what a creature of habit he is, and he finally adapted to the "swim routine". Sweet mercies!

June, on the other hand, LOVED the experience. So much, in fact, that she did spend most lessons in the YMCA child care center. She tried to take her clothes off and get in with Owen every time, so maybe one of my kids will be a swimmer after all. It was a bit distracting for all parties though, so she played with her little friends in the air conditioned play area. She didn't know how good she had it because it is a hot 30 minutes on the side watching people swim while you sit on hot concrete.

The last day, the kids get to go down the big slide. For most of the kids, this is a big motivator. For mine, it's an episode of "Fear Factor."

Did I mention we all got reacquainted with some verses from Joshua, sung in the car, in the locker room, at the pool side..."Be strong and courageous and do not be afraid. The Lord goes with you each and every day. He'll never forsake you. Don't be afraid." It's true...both for Mom and Son.

And here he is on the last day.

Oh, and the delicious irony of Owen...now that lessons are over, we go to this same pool and instead of splashing and playing, he does drills for himself. He picks a skill and does reps until he can go farther than he's gone before. Coach C had lifeguard duty the other day and just shook his head at Owen. He said, "Umm, where was this motivation last month?" Buried deep, Coach, buried very, very deep. All's well that ends well, right?

Our Home

2011-07-16T11:19:00.002-05:00

From McKinney to San Diego to Paris to Houston to Fort Worth to Searcy to Athens to Searcy to Pasadena to Fort Worth to Fresno and to Fort Worth...

Your decrees have been the theme of my songs, wherever I have lived.
Psalm 119:54

Praising God, once again, for His faithfulness, forgiveness, and provision,
shown to me through every age and stage of my life.

Catch Us If You Can...

2011-07-13T17:40:00.006-05:00

Summer is in full swing (103 degrees) and so are we. Summer schedules (packing, moving, unpacking, swim lessons, grandparent time, play time, popsicle time) are not for the faint of heart. Still, June is taking it in stride.

Yep, that's how she leaves the house. I said, "Let's go to Sushi's." She said, "I be right back." 2 minutes later, she emerges with her shades, purse, princess ball, and a discovered sucker. A diva moment, for sure.

Aside from grandma visits, we've been busy with a list of to-do's and to-go's.

Here's a pic of June smiling, getting ready for "my Bible class...my animals". That's June-speak for our church's vacation bible school. This year was the story of God's passion for us and promise to us, told through the story of Noah. She is still asking to go to class and wears her shirt as soon as it comes out of the dryer.

Owen has gone crazy from two back to back sessions of swim lessons. See how the chlorine is affecting his brain?

This is the tough guy face.
Even after a 2 year hiatus from swim lessons (or perhaps because of a 2 year hiatus), the daily trip to the Y was met by weeping and gnashing of teeth. Fortunately for his coach, he suspended all surliness during the lesson, tried his best, and summoned courage on a daily basis. We'll keep practicing.

Sadly, we won't be practicing here:
Yes, we have moved and will only be at the beautiful Lost Spurs Ranch pool if we trespass. Almost 2 years there (our 2nd longest stay anywhere as a married couple) didn't make for an easy goodbye. Blessings to our friends and neighbors there; you are loved and will be missed.

We packed the apartment in record time and were blessed to have some Gordon time in the process. Alas, the pack-n-play was at Sushi's, so Aunt Nat thought quickly and made a crib-o-boxes for our sweet nephew. Graco, eat your heart out.

June is naturally affectionate and that love for Gordon combined with wrestling moves learned from Owen leads to headlocks of love.
June, distracted by the TV; Gordon, engaged by the camera. He's so stinkin' cute!
McNeese grandkids, so happy together!
Owen calls him G-Money; Gordon cackles EVERY time he sees Owen walk into a room.
This helmet hair led to a summer buzz cut for Owen. Yikes!

We also caught up with the infamous Skippy Jon Jones at the Roanoke Public Library. Have you ever read one of those books? Loved by the boy, but they wear my tongue out. Anyone else?

As far as the house goes: fireplace removed, lighting installed, tile laid, floors laid, paint on, odd jobs ALMOST done, 3 more boxes to unpack, one garage to organize (our first!!), and an Arnold open house will be here soon! With that and the unpacking, I'm exhausted but happy. Many a morning, I have to slap on my "fake-it-'til-you-make-it" face

but we are loving the life we've been given and cherishing every moment with friends like you!

June's House Hunt

2011-06-10T09:33:00.004-05:00

The house hunting bug was contagious. Who needs a realtor, iPhone apps, and Sunday afternoon drives through random neighborhoods when you have June?

According to her, any good house needs

a welcoming entrance:

A good view:

An efficient kitchen layout:

A place to entertain with friends:
(Embry had an important phone call to take)

A nice porch:

Fortunately for us, our new home has all of that and more. Unfortunately for June, Miss Andrea's playhouse was not included in the purchase price.

Ch-ch-ch-changes...

2011-05-31T20:54:00.003-05:00

As posted to our community newsletter for this month:

" Thank you from your CARES team!

It is with sadness that we share the news that this will be our last month here at Lost Spurs, serving you as your CARES team. Since we moved here, almost 2 years ago, we have been privileged to

· Celebrate births, marriages, new jobs, and more with you

· Mourn with you over divorces, death, and foreclosures

· Greet your children at the bus stop and at school functions

· Present local charities with your gifts

· Eat more than 100 meals with you (!)

Basically, we have been blessed to share life with this unique community and we thank you for the welcoming spirit shown to us and your fellow neighbors. We’ve lived in apartments for our entire 11 years of marriage, and there is no place that laughs like you guys! The memories are so rich!

When we drove over the hill last week, I cried when June said, “Dat my home” upon seeing the cluster of buildings here at Lost Spurs. Thank you for the love shown to our children."

As for what's next...a new home and a new job. But before I go into that, let me just cry over this one.

2 on the 2nd!

2011-05-31T13:25:00.009-05:00

Happy Birthday to Miss Independent!

You've come a long way, baby! From day one...well, I can't even finish it. My heart overflows with tenderness towards this girl! Unique in a way that brings her Creator glory every day, we had to celebrate!

Getting excited!

Gordon, your cake is coming soon!

Wrestle time with Uncle Lee. I didn't know I had a nickname for Lee until June started calling him "Lee-boy." Now, I realize that I rarely call him anything else. The girl is a sponge for words, so be careful. ;)

Grammie with June's soccer ball.

I requested shoes this budding Imelda Marcos could take off and put on by herself!

This is as far as I went with the theme:

Taste testing. June is a little neat-nick, so the cake smashing thing is not her style.

Now that she has a spoon...and now that you see my back molars...

Hello, Hello Kitty balloon!

We try to keep the parties small while we can, so we had a crawfish boil on Mom and Dad's back porch. Joe was in town from LA and had never eaten a mudbug, and that's reason enough to sling some crawdads, potatoes, sausage, and corn in a pot. Digging in...

More food...bacon wrapped jalapenos.

Blog Silence...

2011-05-25T14:16:00.005-05:00

When a kid-focused blog goes silent, it means either

something has happened to the kids
something has happened to the mom

Um, both. My sweet 6 year old (see last post) has morphed into a crazy man which has turned me into a discipline diva by day and a crying/praying mess at night. Oh yes, the blog world sees this:

but the pictures don't show the meltdown that happened roughly 30 minutes after these sweet photos were taken. I mean, I could have taken pictures, but then I wouldn't have my hands free for self-defense. Still, I'm trying not to let my memories of Mother's Day dwell on a rage fit (his, not mine) and instead think about a great weekend in Tyler with my grandparents.

Here's my dad with his parents. I'm sure he NEVER pulled any of these stunts as a child, right, Grandmom?

I don't want anyone to ever think that my life is only the pictures I post...smiles and special events. That's not life. And yet, not every challenge we face is meant for immediate public knowledge either. In the blog/Facebook world, I struggle for that balance between sharing and what some might perceive as bragging, being transparent and being too raw. I want people to see how our relationship with Christ transforms ALL parts of our lives, especially the ugly ones. For my child, though, some things are his story to tell another time. Some experiences are better left shared when someone asks to hear our story. As for us, no matter how today looks or tomorrow, I know Owen's story will be one of the transformative power of God. If you're a believer, isn't that your story? How I was...and how I am?

For me, every day is a new one, and it all brings me back to the example set before us. The psalmist said about our God: "He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him."

I'm clinging to that example as we dig in with our firstborn. Not just for him, but for me. I am so grateful that my mistakes are not my identity. The forgiveness, the freedom, the love, the compassion set me back on the right path every day. So, we start today with a fresh start and clean heart and go at it again.

The good news for Owen, we're in this for the long haul, and he's worth every minute of it.
The good news for us, this behavior is not his norm. Most days, he makes great choices, works hard at the goals he sets, loves friends and family with a fierceness, and shows a determination and focus that would make any obstacle quiver in fear...and he can beat-box.
The Good News for all parents, the Lord has a plan and purpose for our children and loves them with abandon. I trust in that for me too.

We take our jobs as his parents seriously: to love, protect, and help him bear the image of his Creator. We are praying for wisdom as we do some course correction on some of our bad parenting habits. And hopefully, one day, when Owen is tempted to list all of our mistakes, he'll extend some mercy to us too. ;)

6 Years of Being Surrounded

2011-04-06T19:38:00.025-05:00

Look who is a smiling SIX year old?? Nope, not the cardboard self-portrait of Mrs. Butley (though look at those lips!). It's OWEN!

Who knew he'd still have the baby cheeks at 5 years after this?

Reflecting on our life as parents and on Owen's personality (a WHOLE 'nother post in itself), I well up with gratitude at the network of support we have. There have been many days where I felt like we were going at this alone, but I was SO wrong. For every moment of Owen's existence, he has been surrounded.

To our friends in Pasadena who helped us to welcome him home from the hospital, thank you for being there for us in our first years as parents. (yes, Joe was our only "family" at the hospital until my mom arrived. Hysterically funny to me now that he and Michael were my only support team and I was happy as a clam!)

My teacher friends, our seminary community, our relatives, and our church family all encouraged us and loved on Mr. Owen since day 1. So many of you are still an integral part of our lives that I kick myself when I doubt God's future provision for us...look at what we have been given thus far! To my knees with gratitude!

To our family in Texas who rejoiced as the moving van and little blue car pulled in the driveway with the 3 of us (plus Joe), we love you! Through toddler tantrums and potty training, the relatives got introduced to daily life with Owen at such a crazy age. And even still, they cried tears as we loaded up the truck again.

To our friends in Fresno who welcomed us, thank you for jumping in to our lives in what could have been such an isolated adventure. Our neighbors at the apartments, Miss Nazeli, our coworkers, our friends at church, Bert and Rae (via LA road trips) and our dear Peter and Jen...we look back with nothing but fondness for each relationship we made in Fresno. Owen remembers Fresno for the sun, the pool, and our friends. They are some of his first articulated memories, and for that reason, Fresno will forever be a part of our family.

And now back "home"...another cross-country trip in a moving van and little blue car with 2 kids (and Joe)! Owen is now spoiled by grandparents, worn out by cousins, entertained by small group couples, nurtured by teachers, adored by a sister, and loved by neighbors and school friends.

So, if you're reading this and you love him half as much as I do, THANK YOU for helping us to surround and polish this little gem we were given 6 years ago.

To the Lord: your word says that you "surround me with songs of deliverance" and that for those who trust in you, your "lovingkindness will surround him." May Owen never walk alone!
Happy Birthday to my favorite 6 year old!

PS:
For those of you who can't remember what Mrs. Butley really looks like:

Cold

2011-03-31T19:57:00.003-05:00

A snap of cold weather this week brought back memories of our CUH-OLD winter! With snow days upon snow days, life in the apartment got a little crazy, but I realized that we are on the go more than necessary. We played with almost every toy and board game (and the ones that we didn't are now bagged up for another family to enjoy) in the house and enjoyed some much needed time as just the 4 of us.

Because snow is a rarity, our deep-freeze outfits were a little hodge-podge.

Yes, this is June in a silver parka (the best coat of us all), footie fleece pajamas, rain boots, and a random hat. I took this picture before I put her brother's socks on as mittens. You say "trashy", I say "clever".

And in the picture below, can you tell one of us was starting to get cabin fever?
Thank goodness that Michael was willing to go up and down the 3 flights of stairs to play in the snow with these fickle friends. We'll be missing that fun when the temps hit 100 in a few months.

And the last pic, I give you for free. Buddies walking down the hall at Owen's school:

First Haircut

2011-03-27T22:07:00.003-05:00

March 17, 2011. 21 months old. Tangles upon tangles...mullet status approaching...uneven growth patterns...it was time for...June's first haircut.

After much debating among family and friends, I made the executive momma decision to have June's hair cut. By a professional. I know my limits and the world of curly hair is one of them for me. I'm not trying to have June's hair always chin length in a bob (Momma is the queen supreme in that department), but it was getting out of control. Yes, it was sweet to others but a tangled mess to me. The hairdresser promised that trimming a little off the back and even-ing up some of the layers would help decrease tangles, increase bounce, and lead to less upkeep overall. What girl could refuse that? So, let the snipping begin...

Yep, they put a bow in her hair and glitter on her cheeks. Um, they obviously don't know my style...but I think they saw a glimpse of June's. So, we went with it. She did great the whole time. Very much in "thoughtful eyebrows" mode the whole time.

After, she went with Mom to catch the eye of every lady at Costco while Mom picked up flowers. Yes, she rode on the pallet cart the whole time.

And the hairdresser was absolutely right...the curls look so much better, healthier, and sweet. For still being my baby, she quite the little girl!

Time with Gordon

2011-01-31T09:29:00.002-06:00

Have I told you lately how much I love this little guy?

Gordon met the cousins and me at Sushi's house for a mid-day playtime while Aunt Nini went to her scholarship's award ceremony. Yep, that brilliant lady is not only starting nursing school, but she's doing it on a full scholarship too! Blessings abound!

I don't want her to be too busy, but then again, if it means more Gordon time...happy studying!

Chain Letters and Coloring

2011-01-28T07:06:00.006-06:00

Thanks to the Carders , Owen and June received their first chain letter. Yep, "The Sticker Club" letter arrived. The thing about having a reader in the house, is that it's a lot harder to hide things.

Things I've been caught on lately:

The menu offering at school (Oh, you're right. It IS sloppy joe day. My bad. He loves those things.)
The time it actually is at night (What? We weren't trying to put you to bed at 6:30. Really...We weren't.)
Mail addressed to Owen and June (from the Disney video club...that's right, I don't care when or what is released from their vault of profit and mass merchandising...I'm not buying. I know my friend Heather just had a small stroke reading that statement. Sorry H.H.)

So, when Owen found the sticker club letter from E & E, he read it to find out that if he sent this to 6 friends, he could receive as many as 36 sticker sheets in return. He loves getting mail and June loves stickers. Jackpot!

We began addressing envelopes and apologizing to friends ahead of time. It really wasn't that bad, and I kept hoping our friends didn't feel obligated to send anything. My favorite part about it all was watching Owen hype it up to June every day as they checked the mail.

The result:
A happy baby and content mail box checker.

Along with the stickers, June has discovered the world of markers.

Determined...
Maybe I'll finally get through the leftovers of my class sets of markers from my teaching days.

Showing off to Mini-Spooky.

Mini-Spooky came from Michael's grandmother's things (she passed away in October). The kids have always been drawn to it when they would visit her, and Michael's mom sent it home with June. June loves to be like her bubba and love on her "Pooky Beh".

What are the odds of finding another hideous orange teddy bear? If you look closely, his nose is a MasterCard logo. Dave Ramsey, eat your heart out!

Fun with Friends

2011-01-20T14:42:00.002-06:00

Our college friends Crystina and Ryan came down from Oklahoma for a weekend visit. Pictures of adults? No. Pictures of kids? Some.

With 5 kids in our apartment, our hands were full of fun! Thanks to the Stumps for giving us a reason to go north on I-35. :)

June inspecting Morgan.

More investigating...

Where was Hendrix? Exploring Owen's Star Wars helmets, I'm sure. But, here's Gentry added to the mix. I love this girl. She would follow me around and say, "I hold you?". What a cuddle bug! June didn't know what to do with someone else receiving so much Mommy love.

No Gentry, but more genuine smiles from my crew. So, I added it to the mix.

Until next time...

Afters...

2011-01-12T11:10:00.003-06:00

In October of '09, I posted some before shots of our apartment.

Um...it's January of '11. So for those of you who have been on the edge of your seat for over a year now, these are for you. ;)

Now for those of you who I've been blessed to host in our home, I know you're saying, "That's not your apartment. I've been in your apartment. I almost suffered a high ankle sprain from stepping on toys and 'bout near tore my ACL weaving through books and action figures on the floor. And that couch? It's only slightly covered with the behind of a baby, not fully draped in piles of folded laundry."

And to you all, I say, "You're right."

I put away the Christmas decorations, and I figured this will be the cleanest my living room looks in 2011. I should document this for posterity. And PS: at least the laundry is folded.

More pictures:

A close up:

The dining area. Yes, that's the most cleared off the table will be this year too. I'm trying to have realistic goals for myself.

And this is my kitchen...at least the floor. I might get around to deep cleaning it and showing it in its glory sometime before 2012. But if you didn't learn your lesson last time, let me give you a hint...don't hold your breath. Just come over instead.

Why the difficulty cleaning? Same reason Juney-pants wears no pants. We have other priorities. Like wearing fur lined boots.

May 2011 be a year that you love where you're at, enjoy your space, and share it with others...no matter if it's tidy or not.

A Few of Our Favorite Things

2011-01-02T20:11:00.004-06:00

Since Owen can write now, he crafted his own 10 (!?) item list for Santa. For posterity, it read:

1. Kong Zoo (Um, yeah. It's the phonetic spelling of the fighting hamsters. Real hamsters would be cheaper and more entertaining.)
2. iFon (even more hilarious! an iPhone)
3. ubrlu (his own umbrella...so he can be P. Diddy's umbrella man?)
4. Toy Store 3 (almost there...Scripps Spelling Bee, here we come)
5. Nija trtls (heroes in a half shell...turtle power!)
6. DS (what? is there something wrong with the used GameBoy your grandma scored for you this summer? Ingrate.)
7. Baklgan (the devil toys that have come into our house thanks to an "innocent" McDonald's happy meal...HA! Bakugan. No thanks)
8. Mreo Wii Game (happy to oblige! Mario rocks)
9. PSP (again...what are you trying to tell me about your GameBoy?)
10. Olr cok (an alarm clock. Your wish to wake up to the world's most annoying sound has been granted. Now, how is it that you and June can sleep through the buzzing but if I dare to step into the kitchen with the pipedream of enjoying a hot cup of coffee from start to finish, you hop out of bed like rabbits?)

Now the list didn't matter in the end because his answer to every adult's prying inquiry ("What are you asking Santa to bring you for Christmas?") was "a Pillowpet". Seriously. I hope the offspring of the Pillowpet and Snuggie inventors marry and have children. I can't wait to see what thing I'm convinced to buy next. Oh wait, it's a Kung Zhu.

Santa had a good time trying to follow the list and still have fun surprises. The robot grabber was a hit. I'd show you a picture, but the camera keeps getting grabbed out of my hand. And ignore the price on the link. A Wal-mart $5 special!

We know some folks who do product review blogs for side income. We earn no income from the following endorsements, but I can pretend...

What else do the Arnold kids love?

Books...oh, wait. That's the instruction manual from Super Mario Galaxy 2. Still, books. And June loves her new cat shirt from Aunt Nini. She's worn it 2 out of 5 days and it was in the dirty clothes for 3 of them.

Books in Sushi's chair with a snuggly cousin too.

Boba Fett the Bounty Hunter Helmet. Thanks to Lee and Nini (Stephanie's nickname), guests may now choose between Boba Fett and Darth Vader helmets when they light saber battle in our home. Thank you. Really, thank you.

Ah, wish #3. Thank you Santa! Good thing we don't believe in the open an umbrella inside and get bad luck because if we did, 2011 is NOT our year.

Now, what I REALLY love!
Not those little buns (though the Christmas Eve pjs were SO cute), but June's new kitchen hutch.

This was a Craigslist find from October, and it is my new favorite purchase from a stranger's home. ;)

Now, if you had $35 to spend, what would you have chosen? Kung Zhus or this beauty?

Sometimes Christmas shopping is a no brainer!

What was your favorite present?

Christmas at Sushi and Opa's

2011-01-01T15:59:00.002-06:00

This marks my 31st Christmas Eve spent with my family.

Gordon and my dad, already in their Christmas jammies.
Owen, writing his note to Santa.

Owen and mom making homemade ice cream.
June flipping the switch.

When to open presents? I love reading about when and how everyone does it. As for us, we always open one present on Christmas Eve, and it's always pajamas. It wasn't until I was in the 8th grade that I picked up on the pattern. A little slow.

Then Christmas morning we open up all the rest, and Santa does NOT wrap gifts at our house. How about at yours?

Stage Mom

2010-12-27T19:54:00.004-06:00

When our church said they were looking for young ones to participate in the elementary school musical, Mr. Owen's ears perked up. So, after much deliberation, we took the plunge and dove into the world of children's productions.

Aah, his father's son...

Thankfully, Miss Patty has this gig near-perfected and the organized practices were only once a week for one hour after church. The rest of the practice fell on our shoulders. How so? Miss Patty gave all the kids a recorded CD of the music and a DVD of the dances to practice at home...and in the car...and at the park...and anywhere else the songs popped into Owen's head.

Ready to go...He even wrote invitations to all his teachers at school and invited his best friend from preschool, Trinity.
That's Owen and Trinity runnin' wild after the performance and sugar cookie reception. I did say Miss Patty has it near perfected. Sugar cookies at 7:30 pm on a school night? Well, it was the holidays.

By the time the performance rolled around, you could tell which kids in the audience were younger siblings because they were the ones singing along and doing the hand motions in the pews. Even June sways in the car to the 3 songs Owen performed in the musical.

His part? A cowboy.
The kids retold the story of Jesus' birth from the perspective of toys at a store. The cowboys acted like the shepherds, and in the end, the kids and toys realized that the greatest gift anyone could receive at Christmas was the gift of love that God gave us through his son Jesus.

Here's the cast of toys. Lots of cowboys, cowgirls, Bo Peeps, and aliens to be had at this store! The aliens as the wise men ("Take us to your leader!") were a hoot!

Owen got to be on the first row which was great for his safety and difficult for his focus!

Owen and his posse.

Owen was fascinated by Miss Glamour on the left. Those 5th grade girls!

He found me during dress rehearsal. June found Owen during the performance and yelled "OWEEE! OWEEE!" more times than the family in front of us appreciated, I'm sure.

The opening number! Yep, that's more than 200 elementary school kids. God bless Miss Patty and her crew!

Happy as a clam!

It was a blast to see Owen enjoy himself in a new environment, and it was great to share the night with friends and family!

That's How He Rolls

2010-12-27T19:30:00.002-06:00

I think the last time I posted about bowling was the summer we moved to Fresno (check out how much Owen has grown), but we love to bowl as a family.

Thanks to a great Groupon, Michael and I treated the extended Arnold family to an afternoon of bowling over Thankgiving break.

Cool breeze Owen wanted to wear his shades.

The comeback walk...

We had 10 adults and 7 children rockin' the Brunswick Lanes, and it was great! It was so much fun that we convinced my side of the family to do the same for our Christmas get together (where we had 8 adults and 7 kids). We added prizes to that shin-dig, and I'm proud to say that Owen won for High Score: Kids/Bumpers. He bowled a 99!!!!!

So, who says Wii bowling is a waste of time?!

Also, here's a shout out to my uncle Art for his clutch performance, beating me in the last frame with a strike for High Score: Adults. Kudos to you, sir!

Auntie Again!

2010-12-27T17:15:00.002-06:00

On November 10, 2010 I became an aunt again. Michael's siblings all have children, and this year, my brother announced to the family that he and his wife Stephanie were also expecting a child. Stephanie asked me to attend the birth, and I was elated to do it. So elated in fact that I received my first speeding ticket EVER on my way to the hospital to meet up with them. Actually, I was so distracted by the corn dog I was chowing down on the way that I didn't notice the speed limit. I think the mustard still on my lip might have offended the officer, and thus, I am on probation in the city of North Richland Hills. :( Back to the important part of this story:

GORDON HALL MCNEESE

Stephanie keeps us updated on all things Gordon, including his birth story on her blog, so I'll let her tell about that wonderful evening. Plus, she has way more pictures than me of that sweet baby. When I'm around him, my hands are full of him, not a camera!

As for me, here are 3 Great Things About Being an Aunt Again

*It makes you appreciate how big your own "babies" are. Seriously, when did June become 38 inches tall?

*At a birth, you get to scream out of joy, not effort! I was so honored and overjoyed to be a witness at Gordon's birth. You'd have to ask Stephanie about my future as a birthing coach, but I love being able to help Lee and Stephanie in whatever way they needed me then, now, and in the future.

*You appreciate your sibling in new ways. Lee is an amazing husband to Steph, and if you know them, you've seen it yourself. Still, to see him love and support her in the ways that she needs, both as a wife and as a mother, is so affirming of the man he is. He'll never be my "little brother" now that I've seen him as a father!

Overall, this experience has reminded me that, although my parents never had another girl, in Stephanie, I have a sister. I love her, the wife she is to Lee, and the mother she is to Gordon.

Join me in praying for them to bask in the richest blessings God is pouring out on their family!

While the Cat's Away...

2010-12-07T21:30:00.003-06:00

...the June-bug plays.

Game of peek-a-boo in Owen's boots.

One Day, My Wife Will...

2010-11-29T11:48:00.002-06:00

Before I tell silly stories about Owen, let me brag for a moment. Here are some pictures of Mr. Kindergarten in his school's library.
Owen was picked to "teach the teachers" at their recent faculty meeting. The topic was goal setting, and he was asked to share his reading and writing goals and what he was going to do to meet his goals. It was precious to see him read from his writing journal and talk about his plans to use more lowercase letters in his stories. Big goals for a big guy, I tell you!

Owen reading to June; June inspecting the soles of her shoes.

He did a great job! And then there are mornings like yesterday:

(For those still waiting around for the end of the title post, here we are.)

Yesterday Owen had all Wii privileges taken away, not to be restored until he allowed a personal hygiene ritual to take place. He screamed, yelled, fussed, pouted, and finally de-escalated until he said he was willing to be bored for the rest of his life. Then, he started to smile. Thinking he might be ready to talk, I asked, "What are you thinking about?"

His reply: "Well, one day I will get married. And my wife will buy me a Wii. So, I don't need to cut my toenails."

Me: "Um, it might be difficult to find a wife when you have dragon nails, O. Most girls don't like that."

Mr. Dragon Nails: "Well, I will just wear socks or be lonely."

So, for all my friends who would like to arrange their daughter to be married to Owen, ask yourself this before you consider the match: does she like year-round socks and Super Mario Brothers?

A Knight and His Lady

2010-11-12T21:10:00.005-06:00

Happy Halloween from Knight Owen and Princess June!

Getting ready to go trick or treating:

On guard!

Princess Junie-pants was too cool to walk. She rode in her stroller most of the way...and yes, that is an Easter basket being used as a Halloween bucket.

Our friends' neighborhood went all out for Halloween. This was the scariest house that Owen and his friend Trinity were willing to approach. Braver than I am, for sure.
Playing with the loot. Aah, to be so innocent that you don't know the sinful treats awaiting underneath each wrapper!

At our apartment Halloween party, we entertained over 100 residents and volunteers. Here was June's favorite helper, her PeePaw.
This kid was out of control; where were his parents? Oh yeah, in charge of musical chairs. Nothing builds community like musical chairs. Try it some time.

All I Needed to Know I Learned While My Son was in Kindergarten

2010-11-12T20:45:00.004-06:00

Self control: when a kindergartener is assigned a project to do at home, I will let said kindergartener do the project himself. Really. If I have to sit on my hands, I will let him do the project himself.

And this is the result:

Great job, eh? Lesson learned. He had to take a science word and make a hat, and this is his:

A dead wasp nest from my dad's house, packing tape, an old hat, and a working definition of "Habitat". Owen loved it and received a lot of compliments at school.

Class photo. Look, Mrs. Butley's got her listening ears on.

Where's a hall monitor when you need one?

Pleasure Reading

2010-10-28T09:01:00.002-05:00

Nothing beats curling up with a good book...

...while sitting in a bucket full of wooden blocks.

What's your favorite place to read?

A Hillbilly and a Home Office

2010-10-25T13:15:00.005-05:00

Owen told me to close my eyes while he picked out his own outfit for church yesterday. This is what I saw:

Um...that's my boy? I like to think that I'm flexible enough to let my kids express themselves, and if we were hanging out in the house (read: no one would see me out with this kid), I'd have let him keep it on. For public consumption, we kept the WORLD SERIES bound Rangers shirt and new shoes and ditched the golf hat, bubba teeth, and jean shorts. We did put on long pants, for those who read things too literally.

Yes, these bubba teeth were a PRIZE from the treasure chest at school. Maybe it was for knowing facts about dental hygiene?

We are BLESSED with a 3rd bedroom, which we use as a playroom/home office. Sometimes I play when I should be working, and sometimes June works when she should be playing.

I know, for someone as particular as I am, you'd think my workspace would be neater. And yet, I share it with children. I'm dealing with it. Deep breaths.

I tell you, though, she does a better job connecting with residents than me on most days of the week, so keep up the good work, June!

2010-10-18T21:26:00.009-05:00

It's fall, our kids are mostly out of cribs, and they don't put everything in their mouths anymore. So what are two families with young kids to do? Go camping, of course.

So, the Cruiser headed west this weekend to join up with dear friends. Michael and Scott took the big boys on an overnight Father/Son campout. S'mores were plentiful, but sleep was not. I think the dads secretly recruited extra families to fill up the campsite because by the time the moms came out with the babies Saturday after lunch, the state park was full! Hmmm. Next time, advanced reservations will be in order. For this Type-A person, I was actually proud that we took a last minute trip, so we made the most of the day anyway.

We had a full cooler, so we parked at the picnic areas and made a day of it. Big boys fell asleep on the way home, babies fell asleep within minutes of the mattress, and adults fell asleep in the living room trying to watch this week's Office. You know you're tired when Andy Bernard can't keep you awake.

So, here's the mega post of pics for grandparents and us:

June, looking forward to the Father/Daughter campout

Gathering firewood, high steppin', and chasing an armadillo

Pile on Michael, girl time with June and Wendy

Sibling love and belly buttons

Bocce ball boys

Keeton joining in, an accident waiting to happen, and their own personal court jester

More play, more play, and June's typical eyebrow face (and that's after Wendy shared)

Boys with food and sticks...no additional entertainment needed

Sibling love!

What I didn't get enough pictures of was the cross-family sibling love. Keaton following Owen everywhere and Casen being so gentle and sweet to "Juney-boy". Yes, he just realized this weekend that she is a girl. The short hair and angry eyebrows negate her pink high tops and outfits everytime.

We had a great time, and it was nice to travel with like minded parents who know that a little dirt never hurt anybody.

Exhibit A:

Exhibit B:

Exhibit C:
Would be a picture of the nastiness floating at the bottom of the bathtub after the 4 bathed together Sunday morning...but that would be nasty and might have the health department visiting Wendy's guest bathroom

One thing we learned: let the boys clean each other's faces. Casen definitely had the more difficult job and Owen's t-shirt might have to be used as a garage rag. Wait, we don't have a garage. Well, you get the point.

Our favorite family (and ACU's too):

(I would have included more pics of Chef Scott, but this is the only one where he did not dare me with his facial expressions to publicly humiliate him by posting his pic...don't worry, Scott, that time will come!)

Tired, but happy! That about sums up the weekend. Here's to next time.

Self-Interests and Sweaty Socks

2010-09-20T12:44:00.005-05:00

A major decision was to be made at our house last week. All parties had evident self-interests at play.

When one member of your family has suffered a traumatic brain injury, he may tend to be cautious about certain aspects of child safety.
When one member of your family is primarily in charge of putting children to sleep, she may tend towards keeping children in their cages, I mean cribs, for longer.
When one member of your family shares a room with his sister, he might see this as the long awaited opportunity to also share a bed.
When one member of your family is tired, she doesn't care where you put her to sleep.

That being said, one fall out of the crib was one time too many at our house, so say goodbye to one more piece of childhood:

Nope, it won't go lower than that. The crib Owen had lasted much longer, but it was left behind in Fresno to a dear friend. This second-hand crib is now dismantled on the porch. Any takers?

It's been a week since the dismantling. I'll confess to doubting June's readiness (15 months?!), but after a few days of catching her asleep at the door or off the mattress, she's figured out that the bed is a lot more cozy than apartment grade carpet...or brother's pee pee sheets.

Yes, these are the pee-pee sheets that were in that black hamper awaiting their laundering. Oh, and those are also his sweaty socks. You see, some mothers perfume their child's sheets so that their child will be comforted by their scent. Evidently, June misses Owen so much while he's at kindergarten, that she too must find some remnant of him to cuddle with. Maybe this is a sign that I need to bathe Owen more often if eau de sweat socks and urine is his signature perfume. BLECH!

Even Hello Kitty rolled over in disgust! But I say, sleep on sister!

As for me, it's naptime here, so I'm off to do some laundry.

For those concerned: we will be covering up the electrical sockets soon and getting a bed frame for Christmas. :)

3 Cheers for Pre-Arranged Friendships

2010-09-08T14:15:00.003-05:00

My east Indian neighbor and I had a conversation recently about my love-match and her arranged-match. She had questions about how Michael and I met, our wedding, and how our families got along. I wondered if she did the traditional week-long wedding and how her family knew his. All that to say this, I'm all for arrangements. For example, here are Owen and June with their arranged friendships.

Now, Casen may not be thrilled by the idea and Keaton is hiding his head in shame, but Owen seems delighted with the arrangement and June is looking longingly at my best friend's boys. You will all be friends, like it or lump it.

June, chillin' in Abilene with her boys.

I put another one in just so you could see that Keaton isn't so upset about the idea. And in Casen's defense, he doesn't always wear a helmet to swing. Sometimes it's difficult to decide to swing or to bike; leaving the helmet on gives you options. He's clever like that.

Speaking of helmets, who can come to our house without putting on the Darth Vader helmet? You have an open invitation to come over and test your will power, but I warn you, "Your powers are weak."

Casen and Owen dual it out.

Victory!!

Crazy girl! Walked 6 steps this week and crawled (fell?) out of her crib. We are on the move and going to level orange on baby proofing the house.

How Did That Happen?

2010-09-01T16:15:00.004-05:00

How did that happen? #1

PBS: said something about being an American
Owen: chortle
Mom: What's so funny? You're an American.
Owen: No I'm not. I'm a Texan.

For my non-Texan friends, we don't intentionally teach them these things...they just know.

How did that happen? #2

Ten years of being married to this guy:

To be fair, he was following through on his disc golf shot in this picture. No, don't call it Frisbee golf...that would imply that it's a juvenile hobby.

Seriously, 10 years?

How did that happen? #3
We hadn't been away as a couple more than one night since Owen was born (that's 5.5 years!).
So, for our 10 year anniversary, we took a road trip down to San Antonio.

Thank you to Priceline hotels and a compassionate concierge for a great stay at the Emily Morgan Hotel, right across the street from this beloved Texas landmark:

That's the hotel (with the flag flying at the top):

We caught up on movies, went to Schlitterbahn, went disc golfing, and ate so much that I couldn't button my shorts on the last day. Let the workouts resume, I mean, begin!

My main squeeze and I out on the course.

Me, the night of our best meal in a LONG LONG time.

A filet with a chimichurri, fried plantains, deep fried jalapenos, and shoestring potatoes.

I'm so spoiled, I know. Here's to less than 5 years before the next big trip!

A Happy Boy

2010-08-22T20:33:00.004-05:00

Owen literally skipped into school on Friday for "Meet the Teacher Night" while reminding Michael of the rules of his school (which may or may not include NO SKIPPING). I cannot do justice to his level of anticipation and excitement, but Michael and I went to bed marveling at how THRILLED Owen was to be back.

Here's the big kindergarten dude at his desk (after looking over the entire room with curious questions about the year to come).

He caught up with some of his pre-K friends in the halls, saw his Grammie welcoming students in the atrium, and came home with a school shirt. It's funny to watch how geeked out he got about it all. After a long summer, I had forgotten how much school lights up his rule-loving, structure-needing, and learning-driven heart. And it made me miss school for myself too. ;) Takes one to know one, right?

This afternoon he told me that we needed to buy him an alarm clock so that he doesn't sleep too long and miss a minute of school.

And this is his teacher, Mrs. Butley. It's nice to put a name and a face to our prayers for this year.

The Lord has been so generous to us in Owen's caregivers over the years. Our Fuller friend Karin helped nanny Owen on the days Michael had class his first year. Miss Gloria spoiled her "muneco" (Spanish for doll baby) at Altadena Christian Children's Center in Pasadena until he was 2. Miss Raquel was Owen's go-to lady at PreSchool Enrichment in NRH for year 3, and Miss Nazeli is still talked about when he remembers his Fresno days and First Steps Preschool.

Friday, he got to read for his Pre-K teacher Mrs. Garcia, and on the way home, he kept saying, "I saw Mrs. Garcia. Woot! Woot!" Mrs. Butley has no idea that Owen is about to become her biggest fan. Reflecting on these fine ladies and one fine dad, I'm reminded that no parent can do it alone, however one arranges one's work and home schedules, and this time of year reminds me of that even more.

May all my teacher friends value the precious ones with which they are entrusted. I have friends who teach at public schools, private schools, online schools, missionary schools, and home schools. We love you all and send blessings for a fantastic school year!

Rollerskating Like It's 1985

2010-08-22T13:36:00.005-05:00

Owen's cousins came up to visit for a week. I'd like to say that I had them at our apartment for the whole time, but Aunt Natalie deferred to Grammie's judgment and met them down at her house everyday for some fun. We did have one sleepover though in preparation for next year.

One of our first outings was to the roller rink. After skating with the kids for over an hour, I saw a sign that said no parents on the rink. Come on, momma needs some exercise! AND, no one else was skating backwards, so how are these kids ever gonna learn?

Here is my 10 year old niece and me:
Isn't she gorgeous?

Here's the whole crew. I wish I could tell you what Owen's sign represents, but all I know is that I'm glad we're not in some of my old neighborhoods when he throws that thing.

Owen and I have a silly picture every summer, so here is the one that represents this year.

Owen and my nephew, who turned 7 this fall. I like how he squatted down to be on Owen's level. It was nice to see K-dog being the leader (good practice for a second born) and Owen being a follower (even better for a first born) some of the time.

Siblings...at least Owen and June helped distract them from each other. No shame, it's just a long summer at home with your little bro or big sis...arguments are bound to happen. Thankfully, this was a temporary truce.

I think Keely is stretching her neck a little bit...she compares our shoe sizes every time we meet to see when she will pass me. I think I only have a few months left before I'm dwarfed by a tween.

Last observation, the limbo is not as easy as it once was...

Perfect Pairs

2010-08-22T13:24:00.011-05:00

After several overnight trips with friends, I've decided I should move to a commune...or start my own. Seriously, communal living is the way to go. Kids playing with each other, one mom cooks lunch while the other entertains, one mom cleans the kitchen while the other cleans the kids, etc. Being a stay-at-home mom in the summer time is a tough gig, but other families joining in makes it so much fun. A suburban kibbutz...that's all I'm sayin'.

So, in making my short list of who will be on the commune, I'll start with my niece and nephew. Kaden & Owen are truly a knock-out! Sure, Owen gets taken advantage of as a naive younger cousin and Kaden is subjected to kid shows like Dinosaur Train, but most of the time, they kept each other laughing and both spent less time in time-out than normal. (wink, wink!)

Handsome dude!

Hmmm...trying to think of an appropriate adjective for the picture below. So many places to start...the eyes, cheeks, ears, hair, fingers, and mouth. Ok, the adjective is AWKWARD!! Could not one part of his body be normal here? Ha ha ha! Still, it's good for a chuckle. That's my kid!

The boys doing the dino-dig at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History. To families going, there is no shade out at this part, so it is like digging for bones on the South Dakota badlands. Be forewarned.

Keely and June. Keely has my mother-in-law's nurturing and caretaking side. K is tenderhearted and empathetic to the hurting. It's often a discipline for me to be merciful, but Keely and her Grammie remind me how it's done. June loves being with the Keelster.
Speaking of Grammie, no one should pass up an opportunity to hula hoop in public, right?

Side note for my Camp Deer Run friends: Yes, I know my kid is a city slicker. I did not need this photo of him riding a virtual horse to prove it, and yet, here it is. The boys loved this area of the museum that shows Fort Worth's cattle connections. Taxidermy, barbed wire, gun cases, and cowboy hats...the boys were loving it!

Shame these cousins live 3 hours away, but we take 'em when we can get 'em.

East Texas Road Trip

2010-07-12T19:49:00.010-05:00

Growing up, every summer included a trip to Camp Deer Run. Michael knows it is my favorite place on earth, and that if he decides to spread any of my ashes, I want them there. Whenever any meditation exercise asks me to picture a place where I can relax completely, I picture a quiet time just off a trail in the woods at camp. As a preteen, teenager, and young adult, this is where I had some of my first and formative encounters with God and learned a lot about how the community of believers can work for his glory!

So, Michael didn't roll his eyes (much) when I told him I felt like I was approaching the gates of Jerusalem as we drove up the little road to camp and underneath the Deer Run sign! It was middle Sunday at 4th session, and a bunch of us old campers and staff met together to have a good time, see the new pool, and let our kids meet each other. Most of them are blog friends already (we parents show them pictures of their long-distance buddies), and many of them will be camp friends as well.

Here is the gang:

Sparky did a great job recapping the day, so click to the Deer Run Alumni blog for more pics and details about the day at camp.

Here are some of my favorite pics of my kids:

Wet heads

June showing off her fat roll tan lines

Feeble attempt at family picture and fraternal drowning.

The new pool has a new slide too. I love that Owen was brave enough to attempt it, but I love the background view even better. I love swimming with the trees all around.

June wants you to visit Camp Deer Run!

We also were able to go to Tyler and visit my grandparents. June was loving on Granddad big time, and I'm so glad that Owen could visit Grandmom. After praying for her a lot these last few months, it was nice for him to see her in good spirits and improving health. Keep up the good work Grandmom!

In other random photos, the best souvenir I have brought home lately was a cocktail umbrella from a beach themed baby shower. Owen had a mocktail every day for longer than I'd like to count...pointy end pointed at baby sister one too many times led to its eventual demise.

June is starting to talk a little bit more. She says Momma, Dada, Bubba (Owen), hi, buh-bye, Shu-shu (my mom, Sushi), Den-den (my mom's dog Denny), and dis (as in, "what's this").

Still, with all the talking, I don't think it's time for talking while in the car.

As for talking naked, she is wearing a diaper...really. After the day at camp, June didn't make it back into her clothes for the road trip home. Michael changed her out of her swim suit, buckled her in while he put away the stroller and got a new outfit from the trunk, and came back to find her already asleep. 2 hours later, she woke up to take a call.

That's a catch up post for us, friends! May your next road trip be as sweet as this one!

Thailand Pictures with "God's Character; Our Identity"

2010-07-11T08:00:00.001-05:00

You are God. We are women.

You are holy. We are redeemed.

You are faithful. We are returning.

You are glory. We are your image.

May we be your image bearers.

Credit to Mariana Long for all of the pictures, taken at the
Come before Winter: Renewal for Women in Ministry,
Chiang Rai, Thailand, June 2010.

Thailand and the Trickle Down Effect

2010-07-01T22:54:00.011-05:00

One thing I love about the whole concept of Come before Winter is that it acknowledges, no, it relies on, the Trickle Down Effect. The leadership and the board of directors know that when women reconnect with God's call for their lives and are renewed in their passion to pursue it, there is an effect on those around them. When people who are disconnected from their value in ministry find their identity, their entire sphere of influence is altered.

So, before we left for Thailand, my prayer was that future generations of Christians in SE Asia and beyond would look back on their family tree (of faith) and there would be a direct link back to this renewal. People could ask their grandparents in 50 years, "How did you become a believer?" or "How did our family become believers?" and somewhere in their heritage of faith, there would be a person who attended this renewal. And if not for this renewal, their story would be different. That was my prayer.

Now, after spending the week with the team and 36 amazing women who serve in the Philippines, the United States, Singapore, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, Brazil, Cambodia, and China, my thoughts and prayers about the trickle down effect get a little more specific. The thoughts often drift back to "What if this person fully embraced the transformation they experienced at the renewal? Could God do this mighty work he's been saving for them?" Now, theologically, I know and believe that God can do a mighty work without this person's help (if he so desires), and yet I know they each have gifts that would make it a mighty work with a cherry on top. :)

So, I pray for the Trickle Down...

What if a harried school principal fully embraced God's provision for her and her academy? Could hundreds of school children know what security is through observing their headmaster?

What if a woman full of resentment towards her man came home as a woman full of grace? Could the children she's only yet prayed for be born into a heritage of compassion?

What if the women on a team of missionaries returned to their teammates united as one? Could an entire town bear witness to what reconciliation truly is?

What if a tired family that trains social workers bounced into their next workshop? Could the bondage of abuse that spans generations be broken through the fresh anointing these trainers receive?

What if the frustrated mom met her children at the airport with a new appreciation for her family? Could her tender strength sustain her sons and daughters through future struggles in their faith?

What if the isolated single working in a country where proselytizing is illegal found herself whole again through reunion with friends and sisters in Christ? Could just her smile at work spark a co-worker's search for meaning and lead to the revival of a nation?

Just one woman's transformation could alter the course of an entire people. A heritage of faith is my prayer.

But what if none of it trickles down? But what if it only sticks with one? Would Come before Winter be worth it if it only revived one? Would the hours of preparation and execution, the tens of thousands of dollars sacrificed, or the knees aching from being bent in prayer be worth it for just one spirit to be renewed?

Yes.

The joy in seeing a woman being able to reenter into the presence of God, freely and without condemnation, was my biggest takeaway from this time in Thailand. If even for one, it would be worth it.

It was so worth it!

More Thailand Pictures within My Response to Psalm 103

2010-06-28T21:44:00.012-05:00

Created and Creator, we are forever linked together. My name was on your lips long before I spoke my first word. It is a shame that it took me...no, that it takes me...so long to remember you.

You are the one who
forgives
heals
redeems
anoints
satisfies
renews
justifies
and reveals.

I bow to you,

as one
forgiven

healed

redeemed

anointed

satisfied

renewed

justified

and enlightened.

Oh, praise you Lord!

I will rise up to walk among my family and my neighbors

extending your forgiveness

offering your healing and redemption

sharing an anointing

encouraging satisfaction and renewal

perpetrating justice

and making known your ways.

Yet, I am a woman who forgets. Have compassion on me Lord when I forget our covenant and its benefits. Have mercy on me Lord when I forget our covenant and its cost. In my lack of remembrance, stir my heart to return to you. And then, with all that is within me, may I praise you Lord!

Thank you Mariana Long for the AMAZING photographs.

Land of Smiles

2010-06-19T03:03:00.003-05:00

There have been many nights in the past few years where I have cried myself to sleep, but last night, a first...I laughed myself to sleep. Literally.

When I woke up, I just smiled thinking of it all over again. Thank you to all the participants and the team for a difficult week (processing, sharing, growing, etc.) that ended in a freedom that could only lead to joy!

What a way to end a wonderful Come before Winter trip in Thailand, the land of smiles.

Honey, I'm headin' home. Pics soon to come!!

Thailand!!!

2010-06-11T02:03:00.003-05:00

I will tell you up front: no pictures yet. I have a quick log-in to share that our group arrived safely in Bangkok last night.

From Brazil, Abilene, Austin, and Dallas, the Come before Winter team is here safe and sound. Today, we travel to our renewal site in Chiang Rai (about 1.5 hours via plane). The participants will arrive Monday, so we have a day to finish preparations and meet up with one more team member (who is in Northern Thailand visiting her daughter for a few days before the trip).

I am already crying at how amazing the trip has been...and it's not from back pain induced by a total of 19 hours on a plane! I am savoring every bite of amazing food (Michael will vouch for my love for all Asian food), soaking up all the new cultural nuances, and enjoying the conversations with the team. These women are AWESOME servants in the kingdom with a wealth of experiences, both in international travel and in their respective ministries. The stories, the stories! I'll save some for later, but I'll tell you one that happened to my roomie this morning.

Cara and her husband Chris are former missionaries to Thailand (8 years ago). He is a Fuller grad (like Michael) ,and she is a therapist on a college campus (also like Michael). It's a generous gift that we are matched to room together this whole trip, for we have a lot in common.

Cara answers the phone this morning, thinking that it's one of our teammates. She quickly switches to Thai, and now I'm wondering, "Who is calling her that she is speaking Thai...and why is she so giddy?" She says that a former church member from Chiang Mai is downstairs in the lobby, and she wants to meet with Cara. "How'd she know we were here?" is my question.

This woman, in the 8 years since Cara moved back to the states, has married an American, who works for Coca-Cola in Papau New Guinea (a renewal site last year, btw). They were returning to PNG from Australia with an overnight in Bangkok. Guess which hotel they stayed in? Yep, ours.

So, while we were checking in late last night, this woman caught a glimpse of Cara in the lobby, and thought, "Could it be her?" She called a friend in Chiang Mai to double check Cara's last name, verified it with the hotel, and called us up this morning!

Cara was able to catch up with this woman, meet her son, and be immediately immersed back into a sweet, sweet time in her life. She said, "God knows me so well. He knows if I had time to plan a meeting like this, I would get so nervous and freeze. But instead, he surprises me, and to my amazement, my Thai came right back to me and we were able to share a special time together."

And this is day one people!

So, keep praying on us and loving us from afar. I am off to try NOT to take a nap (we are exactly 12 hours opposite the clocks at home), but after all the Pad Kraw I just ate, that might be a problem.

What a Difference a Year Makes

2010-06-06T06:40:00.004-05:00

As we are ending the school year and celebrating June's 1st birthday, I'd be remiss not to reflect a little on the past year. And in doing so, I keep thinking, "Wow! What a difference a year makes!"

Last year, I was literally doing somersaults in the pool to try to turn a breech baby. This year, that baby is LOVING the pool herself.

PS: If you're local and want a pool break, call me. Watching 2 kids at a busy apartment pool is no joke, and I'd love the company during the long summer days!

Last year, June was 8 pounds & 7 ounces; today she's 23 pounds.

Last year, she was 21 inches; today she's 31 inches.

Last year, I took a 3 day old baby to Owen's day care for his end-of-year ceremonies.

This is him last year.

And this year, a took a squirmy 1 year old to watch him confidently finish a year of pre-K.
This is his "cool breeze" photo. The teacher told the 3 answers every kid replied to these questions:

What do you want to be when you grow up?
What was your favorite thing about pre-K?
What do you want to learn in kindergarten?

Owen said:

doctor
recess
to read

On the reading front, I marvel at the human mind! What a gift to watch him learning more and more of what is really such a complex process. If you can read this, take a moment to appreciate the value of your education. We are blessed to have access to such amazing educational opportunities here in the US, are we not?

One more pic of my handsome dude!

Last year, Michael wondered if he'd ever finish his degree and start a career.
This year, Dr. A received a successful mid-year review from his employer.

Wow, those 2 tiny sentences carry a lot of weight for me. Tears of joy!

Last year, I was a full-time teacher whose favorite student was born in Thailand.
This year, I'm a stay-at-home mom, work part-time in apartment ministry, and am traveling to Thailand in less than a week!

Please be praying for the whole Come before Winter team and the participants at the renewal in Chiang Rai.

It has been so odd to not be in the classroom this year; I often have dreams that I am teaching or managing a class. Very surreal in the morning when I can't figure out if I need to be getting dressed for work or a day with the kids. Being at home had a steep learning curve, and in fact, I feel like I have more off-days than successes.

I laugh when I recall the nights after a long day teaching, picking Owen up from daycare, making dinner, and doing the bedtime routine when I'd collapse on the couch and tell Michael how if I was home all day, maybe I'd have more energy or patience. Now, after a long day parenting and doing stuff at the apartment complex, making dinner, and doing the bedtime routine, I still collapse on the couch and tell Michael that if I was working, maybe I'd have more energy or patience. Ha ha! I just have to remember that we are parents of young ones, and sometimes the days are long. But the years go by quickly. So here's to another year. I cherished and loved it.

And these pics are just because I still can't believe she's this big...trying to figure out how to ride this toy her cousin Abby handed down to her.

And this is the "I see you trying to sneak up and steal this precious Dora card, and I will throw down, if necessary!"
On your mark, get set...

Lord, you are faithful in all things, and I praise you for your constant companionship through the ups and downs of this year. There were times I hesitated to go down the road you have called us to as a family, but you have been a light to my feet. That you may be known...

Look and see what the Lord has done...

2010-05-31T21:03:00.008-05:00

...baby June is turning one!

Our Fresno baby celebrates her one year birthday this week in Texas. But a little California came to town! My 90 year old great-uncle Mo, his wife Aunt Linda, and their son Uncle Jerry were in town too! Did you know that I celebrated my first birthday in California? So, they were at my birthday too (over 30 years ago). What a sweet, sweet thing!

Here's my dad with the birthday babe!

Cousin Abilene came in town...thanks to Tammy and Bryan for being her drivers. ;)

Uncle Lee and Aunt Stephanie (with baby due in Nov.)

Mommy and lil' sister

What is this thing you are lighting?

Hmmm...still not interested.

Not buying it...
Plate, yes. Cake, no.

Presents opened by my 2 favorite guys? Yes.

Card with a dog on the front? Oh, yeah!

Bubble guns are always welcomed.

The Dude abides. Make that Dr. Dude. Jerry is a nautical archaeologist and professor in San Diego...also like my mom's brother (cousins only 3 months apart).

Uncle Mo

Sweet Aunt Linda

Big Mike

Dad, cleaning up. He smoked ribs and chicken for supper...so GOOD!

Man talk on the porch.

Tamsters lovin' on June.

Kiddos playing with the toys

Grandparents with their tiniest grandbaby

McCunes (who have been at 4 of 6 Arnold birthday parties).

I guess this is what you would call the "Hall Picture". Uncle Mo and his sister (my mom's mom) are Halls. The rest of us come from the births and relationships that came after their move to California in the 1940's. Missing my mom's parents today!

To friends, family, and a wonderful year as June's mom! More posts to come to celebrate year one!

A New Job?

2010-05-10T12:08:00.005-05:00

You know that it was an especially long pledge drive for our local public radio station when today Owen says, "Mom, I know what can be your new job. You can be a proud supporter of KERA."

He did give me his top reasons for this new career:
"#1 You can still be my mom
#2 You can still work at our apartments
#3 You can be on the radio
#4 You can also be on TV...did you know KERA is the TV's pbs? I heard that.
#5 You do listen to it and so you can be a proud supporter."

He then proceeded to practice his radio voice. "Good morning, ladies and gentlemens. This is me, and you can hear me on KERA." I don't know what my next job will be, but at least I will have a career coach when the time comes.

Here he is in line for his first field day. Pre-K all had light blue shirts (from home or to buy from the school). I will not detail the drama that occurred when he found out I was not buying a shirt. Let the mother's guilt continue...

June, watching brother from the sidelines. Yes, she is holding a sippy cup, but do not be fooled. It is just to play with; to drink from it would be too much.

All activities were with water, so I'm sure his teacher and her assistant earned an extra jewel in her crown getting all 20 Pre-K kids changed into dry clothes before going home.

Our neighbor Janya is in his class too. Ladies first...

And in the future, maybe Teacher Appreciation Day (extended to the whole week at our school) should happen AFTER Field Day. You guys rocked! Owen had such a great time, and afterwards marveled in the fact that "MOM, we got there, ate our lunches, and DIDN'T EVEN WORK!" Oh, the joy!

On sister's side, she's figured out how to feed herself finger foods. Here she is delighted with this new skill:

Now though is the time I wish we had a dog to lap up all the failed attempts. Instead, I will be scrubbing the apartment grade carpet below the high chair. Never fails to miss the washable mat under the chair...it's like it repels the food onto the carpet. Oh, designers of multi-family housing, why carpet in the dining room? Why?

Last one for the day: June and her main squeeze.

5 Predictions for Year 5

2010-04-18T08:21:00.011-05:00

5 Things I See for Owen this Year:

#1 BIKE RIDING

Lucky guy received a great hand-me down bike from his cousins in Austin for his birthday. Thanks Keely and Kaden! On a side note, I also predict that Michael will begin the corrective chiropractic care needed to remedy the hours spent hunched over trying to teach Owen.What was your first "big kid" bike like? Mine was a Strawberry Shortcake one that I soon ditched for a blue BMX-ish bike to ride around the neighborhood with Cameron Enterline. Aaah, elementary school!

#2 STAR WARS WILL LIVE ON

Thanks to our dear friends Rae and Bert, Owen was introduced to the old Star Wars movies last year, and his affection has not waned. So, this year, we did a themed party at the house. We had a lightsaber cake, asteroid hunt, and homemade lightsabers to take home (none of those an original idea...what did moms do for ideas before Google?). I do not see this interest fading, especially after generous family members helped him along with some cool vehicles for his action figures.

#3 HE WON'T BE LONELY

These friends from church, school, and a couple of "arranged" friendships have been an answer to prayer for us. Owen loves these guys and was very clear about his invitation list.

His seat partner at school, "Ci-Ci". That's his nickname for Crystal.
Caleb, Ryan, Jadeyn, and the birthday boy. Owen loves J because "she likes Star Wars just as much as me!"

Trinity is another buddy from school. She has the best laugh...this huge trucker laugh comes out of this little petite preschooler. I love it!
Casen...who won the award for farthest distance traveled for cake (from Abilene).

#4 HE WON'T DISOWN US

Wait...kids can't disown their parents can they? What I mean is that he knows a good thing when he sees one, and our family is a good thing!

Owen mentioned the other day how he likes being here in Texas. He said, "I like this apartment better than going back and forth, back and forth on the plane and in the car." Me too, me too. Here's to loving family and friends.

Grammy and Trish (Trinity's mom and my friend)
Aunties Wendy and Julie (whose sons Ryan and Casen are in an "arranged" relationship with Owen...friends because mommies are friends...luckily, the boys have fully embraced it!)

Molly and Mr. Tim (Miss Debbie was in class with Mom)...Molly gets the non-family award for most Owen birthdays attended. She has signed 3 of Owen's 5 birthday books. (Every year we get Owen a book for his birthday and all party attendants sign it with a message).
Miss Kristen (Jadeyn's mom and Owen's Tuesday Bible class teacher)
My absolute FAVORITE pic of Owen lately. Genuinely enjoying his Opa. Sushi had her end of semester presentation for her grad. school class, so she was not there this time. :(

Grammy and Pee-Paw

Aunt Stephanie and Uncle Lee (and "Biscuit"...my niece or nephew, due in November!!!)

Auntie Julie again with Baby Chloe...last time we were going over to their house, Owen ran up to June when she woke up and said, "Guess what, Junie?! You get to see Chloe today!" in his best smoopy-woopy-saccharine baby voice. Yes, June and Chloe are also an "arranged friendship".

#5 READING, READING, READING!

No pictures of this one yet, but I am so excited about the pre-reading skills that are transforming into actual reading. I try not to project too many of my interests onto Owen, but as a bookworm, my heart does flip-flops when he identifies a sight word, sounds a new word out, or asks me to read with him. Reading was my favorite thing about kindergarten...which is only a few months away. I hope that reading gives him freedom to explore his interests more deeply, nurture a passion for God's word, and foster the awareness that there is a greater world outside of himself.

Lastly, I'm just putting this one in to remind ourselves that some little apples don't fall far from the tree. Here's Ryan K. at Owen's party...And his dad Charles K. with June last month...

I love our friends! Thank you all who were able to come to celebrate Owen, and thank you to our "faraway" friends who called, emailed, texted, snail-mailed, and prayed birthday blessings to Owen. We love you!

Easter Bunnies

2010-04-18T07:55:00.005-05:00

He is Risen! What a joy to celebrate Easter with our family. Here are some pictures from Easter Sunday. The Arnolds and McNeeses had brunch at my mom's house (amazing!), and the little ones got all dressed up for the event!

June's first Easter. Yes, if you look closely on the sides, you will see some curls sprouting. She will have hair! It might be a "skullet" for the next few months, but locks of love, here we come!

Showing off the cute bib Donna Jo made for June...also showing off a bit of flexibility. I see a gymnastics class in her future!

Tired, but happy.

My niece Abilene thought the hunt started a little early.
Hurry, sister, because Owen is on the hunt!

Cheerleading!

Little big man:

Who needs toys when you have paper? June's favorite objects of interest are #1 paper or any other "crinkly" object #2 bags (I often fill a canvas bag with random household objects and she will unload that for a loooong time) #3 shoes.

I won't wear a bow on my head, but one foot tall bunny ears, why not?

May you too experience new life in Christ! Happy Easter!

Need a Little Laugh?

2010-04-02T19:57:00.002-05:00

Michael's mom figured out how much June likes this giraffe, so we've been trying to teach her how to do it herself. Giggly video.

This was a couple of weeks ago. She is army crawling pretty quickly now.

Babe in Arms Class

2010-04-02T19:50:00.003-05:00

The Roanoke Public Library has a free Babe in Arms class conducted by Miss Ann. She leads songs, reads books, teaches signs, and demonstrates new infant massage techniques. Big brothers and sisters bring dolls or stuffed animals to be their "babies".

June got to be her "model" for a bit last week.

Here's a zoomed out shot to show how fascinated Owen and Ryan were by the whole process:
Next time, I'll remember to take pictures of Spooky receiving his massage.

Owen and Casen

2010-04-02T19:43:00.002-05:00

We hit the road during Spring Break to visit our dear friends in Abilene. Among A-town's attractions, "The Grace". A former hotel now serving as a museum and cultural hotspot, they also have a children's space upstairs.

Here are the pictures we will show the boys later in the whole "you've known each other FOREVER" conversations.

Driving the ambulance...

Playing in the tree house bubble...
I like this one because you can see Wendy's reflection.

10-4 Good Buddy...
Owen's "Our friendship might soon be strained if I don't get my turn next" face

Solo-driving...coming to a road near you in 11 years.

Easter at the Ranch

2010-04-02T19:25:00.003-05:00

The school where my mom works (aka The Ranch) had an egg hunt for teachers' kids and grandkids. Here is June, happy to hug on Sushi's neck.

Here's Mr. Cool, putting out the vibes to all the kindergarten ladies. How you doin'?

Sibling love (in front of the matching Aslin girls too...they are SO cute!...shame I cut their heads off).

Got one!

Here, you want it?

June surpassed her previous bow wearing record (10 minutes) by being distracted enough to keep it on for over an hour! She may be a true Texas girl after all.

Owen inspecting the loot. When asked why we celebrate Easter, he responded, "Treats." With a lot of reteaching this week, he's able to share the Resurrection story. Shame we're undoing all of that effort with more treats! But then again, I can't raise the dead so my object lesson there may be a little weak. ;)

And finally, June with Charles. We made a trip to Dallas for Ryan's 4th birthday, where June got to wear a ring toss tiara and develop a life-long attraction to men with extreme facial expressions.

Snowmen, Old Friends, and Darth Spooky

2010-03-23T21:33:00.004-05:00

Here is our obligatory "What? It's snowing (again?) in Texas?" picture. Michael, Owen and our neighbor Sterling built this bad boy during our 4th or 5th snow of the year...it's been difficult to keep track this year, but it has confirmed that only the Lord himself could call us to serve in a cold climate. Brrrrr!

In February, we hit the road (first road trip in the Cruiser) to Oklahoma. There we reunited with dear friends Crys and Ryan. Crys and I were college roomies, and Ryan and I first met in un clase de espanol. 13 years later, we have 4.5 kids between us and a shared love for Rock Band. Yep, Crystina is expecting numero tres! Yahoo!

Here's Owen trying to fend off the groupies early. Owen had nothing but love for Gentry, which showed me that he's good with most babies.

Hendrix tapping out a beat!

Did you know there is Build-a-Bear for boys? Hendrix had a costume from a trip, and Owen quickly dressed his favorite companion.

Meet Darth Spooky!

On a Spooky note, he has been found in June's crib several times (Owen and June share a room). Owen says that "sometimes Junie needs him more than me". Melts my heart to see their attachment forming. A definite gift of grace to me.

And Suri Cruise Is Overexposed?

2010-02-11T23:00:00.003-06:00

If Suri Cruise is overexposed, what about this kid?

Owen flexing his muscles...June flexing her rolls.

So happy together!!

Owen cheesing it up; June finally questioning this outfit choice.

FINALLY, my mother put pajamas on me. Thanks Aunt Tammy for these cutie pajamas! I wish I had a matching set.

Just because...

2010-02-03T21:29:00.001-06:00

Just because she's mine, and I can post as many pictures of her as I want. I love her, I love her, I love her!

May the Force Be With You

2010-02-03T21:23:00.002-06:00

The old Star Wars movies have found a place in our home...and after doing unmentionable acts at a Dirty Santa gift exchange, our family now has a Darth Vader helmet with voice modulation device. Jealous?

Perfect to go with the light sabers Owen received for Christmas. Here's Jedi June...Owen loves to give her one too.

The Object of His Affection

2010-02-03T21:06:00.005-06:00

As if we needed proof of how much Owen loves June, the following pictures were taken on a car ride home from Austin. Owen asked to borrow my camera to take pictures of June-June. Here are a few of the over 60 (!). It was like he was doing a "study of June" collection.

Sleeping June.
Yawning June.

Grumpy, putting myself back to sleep June.
Gripping my security burp cloth June.
"For the love, let me sleep" June
"Seriously, am I that interesting?" June
Eyebrow furrowed like Big Brother June.
"Okay, I forgive you" June
"I'm getting sleepy again" June
"Hold my hand" June.
"Give me my burp cloth back" June
Now back to "Broke Neck Sleeping Baby" June.

Oh, there are other women in his life.
It's just a shame he can't get good shots of us. ;)

Our "Pre-Owned", "Gently Loved", New "Used" Car

2010-01-17T22:40:00.004-06:00

Because I must have some lot in life to own cars with distinctive body styles, I introduce you to our new car, a 2005 PT Cruiser.

Who would've thunk it? But, there we were, face-to-face with an amazing deal from Huffines Dodge/Chrysler/Jeep in Lewisville. What can I say, they made us an offer we couldn't refuse.

So far, we've been impressed with the cargo room for all of our junk (with no garage and an apartment on the 3rd floor, my trunk is often holding non-perishables that I can't carry up the stairs with 2 kiddos at a particular point in time), head room for tall man, and gas mileage for our pocketbooks.

Yes, saying goodbye to the truck was difficult, but I'm looking forward to making memories with the Cruiser too. With a hundred thousand less miles than the truck (151,000 vs 45,000), we've got some catching up to do.

We've already eaten in the car (Sonic was it's first meal), switched the carseats over (easy cheesy in this ride vs the truck), and filled up with gas. So any suggestions for our first road trip? ;)

Peaches 'n' Cream

2010-01-16T15:40:00.002-06:00

Peaches on her face and creamy skin...yep, June has decided this food stuff is not so bad after all. That being said, she's tried rice cereal, prunes, peas, peaches, carrots, apples, and her favorite bananas. Sweet potatoes and avocado are coming up soon, so munch on, little monkey. A world of flavors awaits.

Looking out for more.

Proud of herself.

May you enjoy your food today (and not have to wear a bib to keep yourself presentable)!

"Huffines Has It!"

2010-01-16T15:18:00.002-06:00

D/FW friends will recognize the tag line "Huffines Has It!" and perhaps can even sing the tune from their car ads on the radio. You may have asked, "What exactly do they have?" Well, they have my first...hold on, let me compose myself...

...they have my first car. Yes, friends, the "Japanese suburban" is now owned by someone not of McNeese blood for the first time since 1991. It has faithfully traveled across countrysides, traversed over highways and byways, and sped through the backwoods of East Texas, but, alas, it will not hold two car seats or get Michael to his job without leaving our pocket books empty of gas money. So, it was time.

Vanna, show them what they've won...

Precious memories...
I wish I had pictures of me the first day I had my license getting into this truck, but we McNeeses are generally not a sentimental bunch...so there is no picture of that day. But I did take "adios" pictures on the lot of the Huffines dealership. For what did we trade this beauty? I will tell you, dear friends, when I have at least 10 memories of the red truck in the comment section of this blog or on Facebook.

To help us all walk down memory lane, let me ask a few questions:

Tell me about the time you first saw me in my vehicle. How old was I or what were your impressions of such a hot chick driving such an amazing machine? Ha!

Best road trip you ever took in the truck with me?

Have you ever ridden in the back seat of the little truck? Did your legs ever unfurl?

Have you ever hidden in the camper, waiting for me to get in the truck after a long night of working at the mall, and then bang the back window, making me almost wet my britches? (I'll let them post and repent of such a sin)

Has the truck ever moved anything for you because you didn't have room in your car?

What else?

I'll start with my first memory of the truck. I went shopping with my family for the red truck when we lived in Houston. My dad wanted a little truck, and I remember sitting in the back seat of several extended cabs with my brother Lee, "test sitting." I was in junior high, and he was in elementary school. We preferred the Toyota PickUp over the Nissan because in the back of that one, you sat facing each other...not appealing to stare at your sibling across the backseat. At our ages, the Toyota actually seemed roomy (because we both weighed under 100 pounds and we under 5 feet then). Aaah, 1991....actually, we might have both been in that category until we went to college. Oh, well.

Comment friends and you'll see the new ride.

Thanksgiving with the Arnolds

2009-12-08T21:01:00.008-06:00

Our little family has not participated in Thanksgiving with the big family on either side in a LOOOONG time. Living far away, we have usually chosen to fly home for Christmas instead of Thanksgiving. We've entertained family at our house for non-traditional Thanksgiving (one at Del Taco I recall from our Pasadena years), but now that we're back in Texas, we enjoyed Thanksgiving with the Arnolds.

Here's Tammy with June. June loved all the attention from family members.

Rodney celebrated his birthday over the weekend as well. I hear after 40 you need some help with the candles.

Michael, Grandmother, and Shannon.

Rodney jealously wishing he was holding June. Rodney LOVES babies, so Michael did eventually pass her over to her uncle.

The amazing Keely with June. Keely was so good with all of her Arnold cousins. Owen says he "loves her because she is so sweet to me".

Keely with Abilene.

Growing up fast, eh?

Kaden...soccer stud and proud supporter of his daddy's longhorns.

Owen making his grandfather proud. Gag 'em Baggies is what I say. Hee hee.
Abilene giving her mommy a pat on the back.

And with all of the feasting, June tried rice cereal for the first time.

And this is how she's reacted to all food presented to her then and since:

We'll be taking a break on the solid foods for a week or two, but I have a feeling June will catch on soon. :)

June and the granddog, Tasha.
Still working on the stable situp. Mom says her hair looks red, but it is light brown.

This is a leftover from Kaden's house in October, but these are our boys...rowdy, active, and missing each other already. Kaden got to spend the night at our house, so it was Owen's first sleepover. We are so blessed to be back with family, Owen especially!

And June is drooling over the prospect of our next get together...Christmas in Austin.

And three cheers to Glynda and Mike for having all of us over for several days. It was loud and crazy. Three cheers to all the parents for going with the flow away from home. Here are all the grandkids and 1 granddog...in a more "interesting" moment.

Whew, that's better. :)

Until next time...next year, Thanksgiving with the McNeeses. You were missed.

Happy 92nd Birthday!

2009-12-08T20:00:00.003-06:00

We were recently excited to celebrate Grandmother's 92nd birthday.

And when I say we were excited, I mean, Owen was especially excited!

A godly woman with a heritage of 2 daughters, 6 grandchildren, and 8 great-grandchildren...with one more on the way.

(oh, that's not mine on the way...Michael's cousin Tiffany is expecting again.)

Here are Owen and Glynda getting the cake ready.

If red velvet cake leads to 92 years, slice me another, please.

I'm sure this reminded Grandmother of when Michael was Owen's age. I hear they are very similar.

Tracie (Michael's cousin), Peyton, Chandler, and Cameron with Grandmother.

Arnold boys with Grandmother.

Thank you Grandmother for your example. You are loved and cherished!

I Know He's Laughing At Me

2009-11-30T11:02:00.002-06:00

I can't help but acknowledge (and chuckle) at the way God is providing for me today.

Three goals for the week:
to have a morning quiet time
to work out (my sister-in-laws have reminded me by their example)
to get ready before the kids wake for the day

Mission accomplished by Michael taking my car keys to work so I have to walk Owen to and from school (4 miles total today)...there's my workout (for the week?)

June woke up at 5 am, sleeping again at 5:30, leaving me just enough time to get ready until Owen woke up. I grumbled about it (she usually sleeps longer) until I realized that the Lord was actually making an early morning time EASIER for me. Funny, God. That's funny.

And now, to see what time I collapse tonight. Lord, you are generous...and reminding me that when I pray "however you want it to be done, just help me", I better mean it, right?

:)

One More Advantage of Cloth Diapers

2009-11-12T19:48:00.004-06:00

Yes, some cloth diapers are bulky...but they do make for a wide base to SIT UP!!!!!!!

At least until you fall over and land in your brother's lap.

"What, you want me to do this every day now?"

Way to go, Juney-pants!

Amazon Baby

2009-11-12T14:17:00.005-06:00

I'd like to tell you that the proportions in these pictures are distorted, but, no, June is actually that big.

She turned 5 months last week. She's only 11 inches shorter than Owen, and she weighs 19 pounds. It's madness that she's almost half a year old, and I get a little misty thinking about it. So, I'll stuff that emotion and move on.

Owen missed school last Friday when his buddies were in town. His sweet teacher gave him his "make up" work on Monday. The letter of the week was "N", so he made a Fruit Loop necklace. He hates cereal, so there was no temptation to nibble.

Once we tried to put it on Owen's noggin...we realized that our necklace was more of a headband. Good thing the letter of this week is, in fact, "H".

Rock star headband. This is really the face he takes with every picture, but sometimes he gives me another pose after.

Try again, please.

The Three Amigos

2009-11-12T13:59:00.003-06:00

Wendy came in from Abilene, Julie drove over from Dallas, and the three amigas were reunited...but this post (as most do) turns to our children.

The three amigos proud of the cars puzzle they built. As usual, Casen is holding something related to Buzz Lightyear, Owen is holding Spooky, and Ryan is ready for action.

3 cheers for lunch! Keaton liked standing at the table with the big boys, trying to mooch their food. Pardon my son's "see-food".

Prepare to zone out, I mean, enjoy the movie.

I'd love to show you all 6 kiddos together, but June and baby Chloe slept through the whole experience. Until our next get together...Great Wolf Lodge for the annual K/K/A holiday event.

Perks of Texas Living

2009-10-29T09:14:00.002-05:00

Perks of Texas Living? BBQ, Blue Bell, and dinner with grandparents every Tuesday.

Michael's mom and her chubby grandchild #5

June: always entertained by facial hair

And Owen enjoying some Blue Bell ice cream. A definite craving when we lived in Fresno!

Before...

2009-10-29T08:59:00.002-05:00

It's only been a month since we were placed as a CARES team for an apartment complex in Roanoke, but in that time, we've been doing events, meeting residents, and recuperating from illness (save Michael...maybe his height keeps him safe from the air-borne nastiness that Owen sneezes straight in my face).

What has not happened is decorating our apartment. I told Michael how badly I wanted this apartment to look more like our home instead of our temporary residence, and he has given it his full support. Lee and Michael painted accent walls in two rooms, and my dad built an awesome console for our new-to-us TV. Now, somehow I haven't quite made time to hang pictures and the like (you know, the kids and part-time job are taking up a teensy bit of my day).

But no more! We're having one building of our apartment complex in our home every month...and the first group comes in 1 week. So, here's the before...

Living room: Yep, that's a 3rd floor balcony. No more using the car to help Owen "give up" and give in to the nap...because then I have to carry 2 children up 3 flights of stairs. Bummer.

Dining nook next to kitchen. Kitchen table coming soon...eating off a clean shower curtain on the floor for one month...not good....shower curtain no longer clean.

View of entrance to the apartment:

I wish I could think of a good joke here. I know some of you enjoy potty humor.

Hey, it's a window in a bedroom. Actually the office/playroom. Owen and Juney-pants share a room.

Thrilling, no? So, wish me luck on wrapping it up.

"New" Activity Mat Review

2009-10-29T08:47:00.003-05:00

Some people we know do product reviews on their blog...the following is proof that we don't need any fancy new gadgets at our house when Owen can just reinvent what we do have.

Elephant Activity Gym: not sold with "Bad" Spiderman (which was found under the couch at the apartment clubhouse...blech)

The wrench mobile is also not included.

And I think the pliers dangling over baby's head would lead to a product recall.

That being said, watching her brother work for 30 minutes in "her space" was the most entertaining part of the day for June.