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They just wanted to go wrangle up the chickens...
so they got in their wranglin' duds -
every good chicken wrangler needs a pink hat!
They caught the one they were lookin' for...
and brought her in the shack to watch a movie with them!
End of story.
P.S. Karrie, these are the eggs from Zing-Zing.
It was bittersweet on Sunday morning, I was able to go to church with the kids and the teaching was fantastic and....it was horrible all at the same time. It wasn't who was delivering it that made it awful or even what was said - it was what God was speaking to me through it - a splash of reality about what was living, breathing, killing my heart and it was just down right ugly.
He started talking about loving other people and believe me I am all for loving other people. I love to love other people, to come along side others and just encourage them, make their load lighter...let them know someone cares because Jesus cares about them....BUT...yes, there is a but...the past few years have been difficult and people have hurt me. The kind of hurt that brings a tear to your eye whenever you think of them and you wonder "Why??" and I have pulled back.
The Pastor gave an example of when you are driving down a road and you have a cup of hot tea and you hit a bump and the hot tea spills all over you - how do you react? It isn't the tea's fault - you hit a bump. The bump was there already too, but what does that bump reveal? How do you react to what just happened? I listened and wrote down what he said.... because I knew it was hitting a nerve.
I started driving home and started thinking about what had been said. This had hit a BIG nerve because all of a sudden as I am driving I start to tear up. The kids are in the back seat singing and talking away and my mind was completely engulfed in hot tea. The hot tea had BURNED me - it HURT!! and I wanted to take the cup and chuck it. Chuck it out the window - chuck it at a couple of people. All I could think of is my 30 or so Starbucks mugs and just throwing them as hard as I could as fast as I could. I was mad - I was angry - I have been for some time, but in reality, I was mad at God for letting all this happen. Mad at Him for letting me hurt so badly...so very deeply.
The sincerity of Christ's love has always drawn me to Him - before I even knew Him personally. To know that I was created to be loved is just dumb-founding to me. So where is His love in all this? It is still where it has always been - in Jesus, in His Word. I needed to talk to Him about it. He already knew what I wanted to do with the cup.
The Pastor also brought up a quote from Tozer - I like that guy - Tozer said "Before a person can be used greatly by God, he must be hurt deeply."
I know the path that God has laid out before our family and because of what has been going on in my heart; that path has not been a high priority for me - if even in sight.
As of today, my Starbuck mugs are still in tact and by just me opening up to the Lord and letting Him know that I was angry...that I wanted to chuck my cups...that I saw what was going on in my heart and I didn't want to live like this anymore...that I wanted to love again, love without reservation, love without restrictions, love like Him....the load has gotten lighter. There is still a lot of crap to go through - a lot to sort out, a lot to let go, but I am not alone going through it and I can look to the One who sees it all in the end anyways.
"Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way to you. And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints." 1 Thes. 3:11-13
This past weekend we went to see A Christmas Carol in the city (SF) with some family and friends. Hot Rocks really wanted to have everyone dress up, so he searched Phoenix for the perfect outfits for the kids. He wouldn't let them wear the new duds until we saw the play.
We started off with lunch at Buca de Beppo with friends.
Hot Rocks felt he needed a picture of me walking the streets (LOL!).
After the play, we went to a favorite spot of Hot Rocks & I on Fillmore Street...it is a chocolate shop called Bittersweet. They not only have a fun selection of chocolate bars, but also a menu of dynamite hot chocolates.
It was so much fun to take pictures of the kids. The people sitting around us were so amused by what we were doing.
Hot Rocks and I always enjoy perusing different grocery stores and Mollie Stone's happen to be nearby, so we went in to check out the cheese and the olives. The girls were done for the night, as you can tell...
You put a sock on it!
This is Dinner. She got pretty tore up one night and though most of her feathers grew back on one side...the other side is well...naked.
Since the temps have dropped in our area, the skin has been exposed to the weather and she gets pretty cold. Sis offered to knit her a scarf that we could put on her like the sock, but she is behind on a few knitting projects. We instead opted to cut the top of the sock off to protect her.
It will have to do for now.
A sweet friend who always has a smile on her face and a hug for me, brought over this rockin' gift for me:
I totally squealed with delight! I love it and I have that same rubber stamp ta boot! She knows me all to well! LOL!
I love when my husband asks "What is on the calendar for such and such a day?" That means that he has something up his sleeve. Here I am looking forward to a nice relaxing day...tackling the girls room that I can't even describe....staying in comfy clothes all the day long..possibly baking. Nope, not gonna happen this weekend..."Let's go to Sacramento and pull brick from Toti's house". Ahhhh, to be freezing my hiney off, getting my hands muddy, scrambling to dry Mem's pants after she completely pees in them - that is what I call a productive day.
We needed to go pick up the brick. It was all over the backyard because the house is under extensive remodeling. There are still a number of trips that we need to take to get the rest of the brick. They will happen. We also took Toti up with us so she could see what was going on - it was bittersweet. Enough said.
We filled the back of Hot Rock's parents truck (ours is still in the shop) and went off to have dinner. On our way to dinner there is this great little European Pastry Shop near Toti's house. I had been dying to go in. All I can say is that if you are in Carmichael....you should stop here.
The place is called Mirabelle and it is filled with exquisite yumminess!
Your delightful goodies are boxed with a doilie on the bottom.
When the weather is nice they even have a lovely little sitting area in front with a fountain.
On our way home from the day's productiveness, we passed through this quaint little river road town. We all saw this place from the road and had to go down to get a closer look.
The street was so quiet, so peaceful, so charming.....so where I wanted to live!
We always love looking at lights and all of us just looked at the lights, sighed and had one of those sweet times that Christmas brings.
The pictures can't quite capture the beauty of what we saw, maybe because we saw more with our heart than with our eyes. To see the lights against the blackest background - just shining - illuminating powerfully all together - the strings of lights showcasing the star - yep, just a sweet Christmas moment.
May the light of Christ illuminate in your heart during this season and each day thereafter.
I go on vacation, get back and Whabam! no blogging... no nothing - that is because I got home and started running a mega-marathon of things to do. I would like to know who in their right mind thinks that a stay at home mom has nothing to do - can I just say that whoever that may be, they are FULL OF IT!!!
Let me share....
Sunday, Dec. 8th: I was up early the next morning shopping for food as the next evening was our annual homeschool Mom's Night Out Christmas Celebration at our house. On the menu was homemade chicken noodle soup, homemade rolls, salad and various other things. I cook the food and provide a place for the ladies to meet and they get to kick up their heels and enjoy themselves. Sunday I spent cooking up a storm.
Monday, Dec. 9th: Before the ladies were to come to our house, the family and I went out to our homeschool garden farm and proceeded to "process" 12 chickens. "Process" is that fancy word that is used to say that we killed them. Yes, on a chilly 40 degree day we were out at the farm - dunking, plucking and gutting. Pook and Sis helped out but Mem couldn't watch. It was too much and too cold - that is ok, we understood.
The ladies arrived about 6:30 and we sat 27 ladies in our little ranch house. What fun!
We had a cookie exchange - where some of the ladies pulled out their best cookie recipes and swapped samples, while others were ready to start stealing the cutest ornaments from others.
No mercy was shown!
Tuesday, Dec 10th: I crashed and Hot Rocks worked and prepared his term papers.
Wednesday, Dec. 11th: We partied at Community Bible Study in our children's classes and Mem had her weekly playdate. We were the host for that playdate. Hot Rocks worked and continued working on his term papers.
Thursday, Dec. 11th: Mem had "p"re-school (letter of the day was "P") and did a couple of activities for her pageant that would happen that weekend. Sis had cavities filled. I went to a dinner with about 26 other ladies at Olive Garden. Hot Rocks is still working and still writing his term papers!
Friday, Dec. 12th: Time for our annual homeschool Christmas Party with the kids. That filled the morning/afternoon with fun and games. I needed to find tri-tip somewhere that wasn't going to cost an arm and a leg, so I shopped all over town and picked some up for the Community Bible Study Leaders dinner that evening. Hot Rocks is still working nights so I had to fire up the BBQ and try not to burn those babies. Yeah! I did it! I did it! I am so not the BBQ'er in the family - that is Hot Rocks specialty. Dropped the kids off at my Dad's and when it was time to pick them up, I spent a little time hanging out there and catching up with my step-mom's son.
Sat, Dec. 13th: Hot Rocks is still writing out those dang-blasted term papers and I went to a really lovely Ladies Christmas luncheon where I attend church. The ladies that hosted the tables pulled out all the stops, I felt like I was dining at Hearst Castle or something and the things that were shared were so sincere, touching, beautiful and left me encouraged and in tears.
Sun, Dec. 14th: Went to church in the a.m., then came home and got ready for Mem's Little Lights Pageant. She was so funny. They were to perform 4 songs and that was it. She knew them all, she had been singing them for days but when it was time to perform she just mouthed the words. Why? As she explained, "I can't look at everyone and sing too! I can only do one thing at a time."
She was making fabulous eye contact with all of the family, but couldn't do that and sing! Obviously, multi-tasking is not a strong point with her. LOL! The kids works of heart
were displayed throughout the house.
Mon, Dec. 15th: I crashed and picked up the house from the tornado that was left from the previous days. The kids settled down and instead of taking their work everywhere we went, they got to sit down and quietly do it at home.
Tues, Dec. 16th: Another peaceful day at home. Pook and Sis had Geography co-op and then relaxed at home and worked on their school stuff and later in the afternoon we had friends over to make & decorate cookies.
Lots of cookies,
lots
and lots of cookies...
Wed, Dec. 17th: I had to drop the truck off for body repair. The day before we left Arizona someone wanted to share some love from this beautiful time of the year and left a lovely mark on our lives (via a nice huge dent on the truck). No note, just some loving soul who wanted to anonymously bless us. Hopefully, we get it back Christmas Eve.
Thurs, Dec. 18th: Mem had her Preschool Christmas party.
Sis had piano and then she was off to this amazing Progressive Dinner with about 30 other kids her age. It started at 4pm but she couldn't meet up with them until after piano. We on the other hand, enjoyed a meal out together and met up with some friends in front of Starbucks.
That leaves us today, Fri. Dec. 19th: The kids and I went to UC Berkeley to enjoy one of their schooltime performances, Pomegranates and Figs: A Jewish Feast of Music. Then we zipped out to Discovery Bay for Pook's Christmas party with kids around his age.
All I can say is "so much for enjoying a peaceful Christmas season" HA! Maybe next year but then again, I do have a few days left before Christmas. I might unwind and do a little baking, that always seems to help slow things down a bit.
Hope y'all have a very Merry Christmas, if I don't write before then!
For what you might ask??? Well....I told you I had done a little love makin' with OBP stamps and this is the result!!
I really LOVE coffee actually, I need coffee....especially this year because it has been so rough and as I flipped through Karrie's big ole' book of OBP stamps, I found this one and boy howdy, I filled that cup right up! Karrie printed out the font for me with the saying that I wanted underneath the cup. The little snowflake is Memory Box and the tension was a little crazy on the sewing....but hey, it just adds character right????
Oh to gnome me is to love me......these little guys are the greatest! I never really liked gnomes - they didn't do anything for me, but these little guys are so full of character - they enticed me, they drew me in and I succumbed to their wiles.
See what I mean, look at what OBP created....
The last card that I got to make was this little fox one by Memory Box - geez louise - too much cuteness for me to handle! The tree and the presents were from a lovely stuffed drawer of Rosie's Roadshow in Karrie's stamp room.
Oh how good it was to stamp as much as I did!
But that wasn't all that I did this week...I brought down about 40 lbs. of apples with me that I needed to do something with.
So we sliced and diced those babies up....
and made these.....
Karrie and I made a total of 20 pies minus the 2 1/2 we already ate. You know, warmed up with a big ole' dollop of french vanilla ice cream...Yum! They are all frozen and separated out.
Remember how I told you that my girls were stampin' fiends with the TCP Fairy Christmas??? Here is one of Mem's card and the only creative consultation that she received from Auntie, was the punched star... yep, she picked out the background paper, the ribbon and colored her up.
Unfortunately, I had packed Sis's completed card before we could snap it. I'll have to show you when I get home.
That's a wrap folks - I'll see ya back at the ranch!
Trixie
Oh my goodness!!!! I can't believe that our week here is coming to a close...Hot Rocks said that all he saw of me this week was my back...because I was stamping every spare moment I could!
We also made 18 Sour Cream Apple pies...went to a hockey game (Coyotes vs. Kings)... Hot Rocks and the kids went to 2 other hockey games (Coyotes vs. Sharks) and another one tonight ...shopped for Christmas outfits....watched the kids swim in a freezing pool....stayed up until 4am - stamping, 2am - stamping , midnite - stamping....and ...drank more coffee than any normal person should. Karrie finally realized how I survive all those crazy hours that I keep!
So come along and check out the cards:
First up, comes from a TCP Inspiration Challenge:
Our next lovely lady, is made with The Cat's Pajamas "Fairy Christmas":
These sweet little ladies were a favorite with my girls this week also. Boy howdy, those girls whipped up a mighty number of cards using these little ladies!
This was one of my favorite cards. It also, was from TCP Fairy Christmas:
Isn't she magical??? There was a HUGE green theme going on. Karrie told me to snap out of it so then this happened...
Check out that elf from Memory Box getting jiggy!!! He was just way to cute to pass up!!!! Oops, I almost forgot this one that I did before the elf. On this particular card, I used a cool new Martha Stewart Dove punch and an A Muse saying stamp. I liked this one also - real simple - under 10 minutes and BAM! you are done!
Geez, I really did have a thing for green and this amazing background paper that we picked up at Michaels called "Mistletoe & Pear" by BasicGrey.
So... following the Amuse card, a My Favorite Things card appears stamped with these adorable owls!!!
This set is Christmas Owls & Cats.
This next card is so me it isn't even funny. I even did it in colors that I would be wearing. The colors of the wall is what is in my house. The only difference is that chair! I saw that paper and had to piece that baby in - love it! This set is also from My Favorite Things - "Merry Christmas".
My final card this evening is from Odd Bird Planet and I wanted to save it for last because I whipped up some more cards from OBP today and will be "show-casing" them tomorrow - that is if we can get our picture taking act together!!!! LOL!
I LOVE this little owl and I don't know how many times I messed up on the hat! It was getting quite funny that I couldn't mask the little buggar on there!
Here he is...Ta-Da!
Simple, fun and I got to use some more of Karrie's designer paper! Sweet!
We have a couple more pies to make tomorrow...gonna try something new - a little Blackberry & Apple Sour Cream Pie. We have a lunch date with a friend in Tucson and then come on back to Karrie's for a little clean up, packing prep and squeeze in a little more stamping before we head on home.....aaahhhhh!
Have a fabulous evening and see ya tomorrow with a little more to show ya!
Trixie
Oh my goodness, we are here in Arizona with my sis and Bubba. I will go back to the totally fun Thanksgiving we had later in the vacation, because it was quite fun, relaxing and filled with new traditions!! You just wait!
Being here with my sister is always such a great time. We saw each other and within an hour of seeing each other we were crying and pouring our hearts out, hugging and making plans for the week (they always change).
There is one thing about our family though that you need to know, it loves to compete.
Competition just runs rampant in this family of mine. It is very subtle, you know how it is. Karrie gets a new camera, so my Dad can't stand the fact that she has a better camera than he does....so he buys a new one. Guitar Hero shows the true color of competition not only between kids, but adults, and kids with adults - you name it - that seed of who the top guy is will appear! A new craft idea sparks many things but, then there is that special thing that only can happen between sisters who have time to stamp together.....
"Oh, so you finished your card huh?"
"Yep."
"You are starting another one."
"Yep"
"Well, I am tired. I don't stay up this late. I gotta go to bed."
"OK"
The older sister stays up till after 1am stamping with the plethra of stamping stuff before her...rolls into bed between 1 & 2..you know time escaped her. The younger sister wakes up before the sun rises and sees that the older sister has created three cards to her one. That just can't happen, sooo the younger sister starts going stamp happy and creates her three cards ...thus, by the time the older one wakes up things are all squared up.
I am the older sister - you will never guess who the younger sister is....LOL! I will give you a really big hint: I only have one.
This is the card that started it all...
Then, I happen to see her e-mail about the TCP Tuesday Challenge for last week and decided that would be fun and rolled a couple of ideas past her but you know competition doesn't really allow for a "creative conference". There were not any "helps", "suggestions", answers to "What do you think?".....nope, it was straight up - you are on your own buddy!
Then in the depths of the night hours, I found these stamps and fell in love with them. Cute little Rosie Roadshows, aren't they????
My sister is the best, even though she has that competitive fault (ha ha), she did do me up a little watermark for my cards.....pretty cool, huh? What a great sister!
I'm outta here for now! I have to work on more cards...just burnin' the midnight oil while I can.
Trixie
