TADA!

I decided a while back that I was ready to redo our living room. Most of our stuff was purchased at a garage sale or made for us so it's a little modge podged together. I thought it would be fun to make things little more cohesive and modernize some of our vintage stuff. Don't get me wrong I LOVE VINTAGE and I want all my stuff pre used. It's cheaper and way more fun - kinda like Pheobe, I want all my stuff to have a story ("Friends" reference)
But thought it would be fun for an updo in the house.....

BEFORE!!





AFTER!!!!!

TMNT

A new favorite in this house

Thanks to my pals who helped me get this banner together, the kids love it!!






Jack enjoyed licking chocolate off the donut bag and grabbing orange slices when he got the chance






It was a hot morning but the Black Bats were doin awesome!



But this last Saturday Caleb chose to give up from the beginning. He didn't make one effort to get the ball, to run down the field, and by half time he chose to sit out for the rest of the game. We were sad only because he chose have a bad attitude. We never ask much of him only that he have fun, and try!







We told Caleb only kids that try get snacks at the end of the game. That if you don't play the game you don't get snacks...this was his response

Grandpa

I got a call from my sister Friday afternoon that my dad was experiencing pain in his arm and chest and that my mom was taking him to the hospital in Quincy (my parents were on a retreat for the last week, and they were driving home).
The doctors said they would need to air lift him to Chico hospital for an angiogram and possible stint , cause it looked as though he had a heart attack.
I talked to my dad that night and he sounded at ease and positive about the procedure and that he was ok because he knew this is routine for the doctors here. He went in at 9AM on Saturday morning. We went to Caleb's soccer game and then off to a birthday party when I got a call from my mom that it looks like dad was going to need to go in for a quadruple plus bi pass. That he had at least four arteries blocked and that it is a miracle he is alive!
I borrowed a phone from a friend at the party and made all the calls I needed to and told my sisters that we needed to get up there as quickly as possible. The procedure was going to take at least 6 hours and Chico is about 8 hours from here!
A friend dropped me off at home so I could pack while I waited for John to come home from Ventura. Called my sweet friend Javai to watch the boys, she said not worry about anything that she would take care of everything and that the boys would be fine. It put my mind at ease to leave them with someone they LOVE and know they would have a great time!
While packing I got 3 knocks on the door from dear friends from church who just handed me wads of cash to get us up there! I CANNOT THANK FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH ENOUGH FOR BEING OUR FAMILY HERE! You have taken such good care of our family and we are so blessed by your love~
We got all packed up, dropped off the boys and headed to Santa Clarita to pick up Auntie Coco (who had to reschedule her trip to Paris, she was supposed to leave the next day). Then headed to Tulare to get Auntie Cay!
Then we were off. We thankfully got a call about dad early on in the trip and heard he was out of surgery and in recovery. That everything went fine and that they had to do five arteries but that he was doing well.
We got into Chico about 10:30pm and they let us in to see him briefly. I could not believe it was my dad! Totally sedated, covered in tubes, hooked up to so many machines I couldn't even count, legs wrapped up, bandages everywhere. It broke my heart to see him this way. To know we could've lost him the day before but knowing that God had ordained all of this in such a way that he wasn't in Uganda (They had recently canceled the Uganda trip due to lack of funds), that he was in one of the best hospitals in the country for this procedure, knowing they had good friends here that never left my moms side, that housed us and fed us! GOD was so active and present I had never felt so much peace in such a chaotic, uncertain time.
The next two days dad began to wake up from his sedation and could talk to us, could smile but beneath it all I saw how sad he was. Sad that he was there, sad that we all had to come so far, sad because he felt as though he was burdening so many, sad because he knew he just wasn't taking good care of himself, sad that he was supposed to go home and look for a job but instead had to lay low for a long recovery. My heart broke for my dad. I hated seeing him that way. He is such an active man who can't sit still for a second, who is constantly helping around the house, comes to my place and cleans for me, a man who is so used to serving others, but find sit hard to receive help from others cause he doesn't want to be a burden and now the Lord was going to have him take it slow for at least 8 weeks, have friends and family come alongside and make meals, clean house and serve him for a change!
We have been reassured over and over that those who go through this feel better then they ever have. That he will come out a new man feeling like a million bucks. I hold tightly to those words and pray that this will be a time of revival, renewal, new revelations, and ultimately God's will to be done for my parents future here on this earth. I love them so much and I pray this draws the two of them even closer together~

Please keep them in your prayers as they are unemployed and without health insurance at this time. Pray for God's provision and for the body of christ to come alongside my parents and care for their needs.

A very busy Tuesday!

This last Tuesday was a busy but fun day!
We first had a visit from our friends the Pettit's. We had not seen them in a while and as a bonus she brought her scissors:) Caleb and I were in some serious needs of a haircut, and Im not a super fan of taking him to a salon/chasing him around while I get a haircut. So she chopped us up while the kiddos played, ate apples and watched movies on a very gloomy tuesday in Ojai.
BEFORE


AFTER





THANKS KRISTINA!

Then we got a visit from GG. The boys Great Grandma! She came up to give John and I an anniversary gift and Jackson an early Bday Present! It was so sweet to catch up and spend some time with her.

Thanks for coming up GG

We then had dear friends of ours drop off some items for our upcoming garage sale, everything was neatly in four giant garbage bags, but the boys got to it rather quickly and this is how my garage ended up.


They are asking that we keep all of it:)


Then we met Daddy at soccer practice, where Caleb did AWESOME!! He was out there, runnin the field, dribbling, doin his very best and there is nothin more we can ask for:) I love him out there!

Then it was home for dinner then off to AWANA's registration/ice cream social! I cannot wait to see both Caleb and Jack in AWANA's this year! It is going to be so much fun for them plus mommy and daddy will get free tuesday night dates:) YAHOO!

This season of our life is very busy and we are not huge fans of being busy bodies. Mondays are usually cleaning days for me as well as us taking a financial class on Monday nights, Tuesday will be our homeschooling Day with the evenings filled with soccer and AWANA's, Wednesday will be a "golf" class at our church for Caleb ( HE LOVES IT), Thursday's we have our friends the Clarks over and in the evening Daddy has a guys group at our house. Then the weekends fill up fast with prayer nights, friends over for dinner, and band practice!
We are trying to hold tightly to our time together, trying to not let these moments slip away where we begin to wonder where the time went. We love all of these new stages and moments of memories made but we are looking forward to things slowing down in the winter! We just want to make sure we "SOAK IT ALL IN" :)

Saturday morning has never been more entertaining

still totally disinterested but he tried a lot harder this week:)


He likes to make sure he is in the back of the group, herding the sheep! (sheep= those who choose to follow the crowd, instead of being their own player) caleb is such an individual, he goes against the grain!


He is checking the wind resistance in hopes that when he gets the ball he will know which direction to pass it


He is over it!

8 is great!

John had Friday off so we decided to celebrate our anniversary that day instead of Wednesday.
The entire day was a surprise, he wouldn't tell me anything for weeks!!
He planned out babysitters for the day (thank you Heather and Corinna)
We left at 9am and headed to LA but not before I got me some Penguin Chai at Palermo

We then took a drive to Pasadena...where John finally admitted that he was taking me to Aardvarks, a super fun vintage store that he knows I love! I couldn't believe he thought of taking me shopping of all things on OUR anniversary!!! (Turns out that particular store had closed several months ago) so despite John being totally bummed (cause he did his homework and researched) we had a great time walking Green St and had a super yummy lunch

He then admitted our next desitnation was the MOCA and then the fashion district, but because we couldn't find aardvarks and he knew how excited I was about doing a lil vintage shopping we instead headed to Melrose and got to shop, WITHOUT KIDS!

After our shopping, the momma in me kicked in and I was pooped. Im used to taking a nap or at least resting for about an hour in my day. So at about 4pm we headed to griffith for an afternoon nap!

When then headed up the hill to enjoy the smoggy view of LA at Griffith Park.




Next it was off to drinks with Sister!


Then for my last suprise John took me to seeLOCAL NATIVES at the Henry Fonda! SO FUN!!!



Im so blessed to have a man that makes sure that every anniversary is celebrated and remembered! I LOVE YOU! Thank you for a perfectly planned day:)

8 is my favorite number!

Happy Anniversary HUBBY!
I cannot believe the journey, the laughter, the tears, the joys, the heartaches, the fun, the trials, the mountain tops, the storms, the beauty, the minefields, the blessings, the peace, the chaos, the adventures we have taken together these last 8 years. As we continue on this pilgrimage through this earth I am so grateful to spend my days with you:) I remember when we were dating and the many conversations we had about our future....never could we have comprehended all that God had in store for us and I look forward to Him continuing to challenge and equip us for years ahead!
I love you, I respect, I am blessed to be near you.
Thank for you for being my best friend, my shoulder, my encourager, my sanity, my lobster! I LOVE YOU
I look forward to the rest of my days here on this earth to be right by your side!

A New Season in Life!

So caleb and Jack have started home schooling last week. I decided to give it a try and see how this year goes. Create a routine for them, have fun and learn, and also to test my patience and see if Im truly fit to teach my boys at home:) Caleb LOVES the idea of doing school in our Pj's and Jack is all about keeping busy so it works out great!


We also signed Caleb up for AYSO and aside from the fact that this has been the most chaotic organization I have been a part of I am loving every second of him being out on the field!
He had his first practice and game last week and it was so fun....for the parents:)
Caleb claims he is tired, or hungry, or thirsty. We thought this may not be his sport. He is not an aggressive kid, he doesn't enjoy trying new things and he apparently is not a fan of running up and down a field but John and I decided we are gonna stick it out this season and if he doesn't want to do it next season that is fine:)

Tired Already

Part2

Oh my word I love this guy so much! Clearly running the opposite direction of the ball, trying to avoid all the boys coming at him, completely aloof!





My little BLACK BAT!!