Santa Barbara

During our visit in Santa Barbara, Aunt Linda decided to take us to a butterfly exhibit. We had a blast!! Thanks Aunt Linda!!

Don't forget to email me your favorite picture for my 200 post giveaway. If you have no idea what I am taking about look here.

Are You Kidding Me!?!

My sister in law's sister has decided to start "A Moment" posts...She said, "We all have them. That moment in our day that we just think to ourselves...SERIOUSLY? Let me tell you about the one that happened to me today..."


Well guess what..I had one of those moments yesterday!! Let me set the scene..we were packing to go camping...were supposed to leave by 3..it was 3:30..Alison was still sleeping..I just finished packing..still needed to take a shower...and my lovely husband informed me that I needed me to cut his hair before we left! Are you kidding me??!! So..He set up the hair clippers and chair. Normally he watches something on tv while I cut and we have a little system down. Top gets done first (size 4 on the shortest setting) then the sides (3 on the shortest setting)..and finally the trim (ears, neck, side burns..etc on the shortest setting of the clippers)...

Ok..so I start..Get the top done..change clipper..move on to the sides and notice I missed a small patch on the top...Phone rings...while talking on the phone I think good time to CHANGE back clipper and fix what I missed. Yep..you know where I am going!! Get off the phone and back to work...put the clipper to his head and start. All of a sudden my heart stopped because it didn't sound the same!!! Greg yells...you didn't change the clipper..I yell..yes I did!! and he holds up what's in his hand....THE RIGHT CLIPPER!! HE DIDN'T TELL ME THAT HE KEPT THE PIECE IN HIS HANDS!! CRAP is RIGHT!! I fearfully check what's on the clipper....SIZE 1 on the SHORTEST!!! OH my goodness...yes there was a chunk missing!! I thought to my myself...YOU HAVE TO BE KIDDING ME???? Needless to say..GREG HAS A SUPER SHORT HAIR RIGHT NOW!! Won't do that again!!

R A of K...gone wrong?

This morning while we were driving to lunch, I saw a homeless man standing on the side of the freeway off ramp with the typical "help me sign". What caught my eye was that it said something to the fact that "ANY help would be appreciated." It was really weird how in a split second of time..I spotted the unopened bottle of Arrowhead water sitting in the drink holder next to me. I yelled at Greg to stop (who mind you was just getting ready to slam on the gas up the freeway on ramp) and rolled down my window. I handed the gentleman the bottle and he limped over to the car. A thank you and your welcome was exchanged and we were off. You know that warm fuzzy feeling you get when you know you have just done a good deed...well yeah I felt it!

Fast forward about 2 hours later...We had to stop at the grocery store (in the same vacinity that the Random Act of Kindess took place) to get some tomatoes and lettuce. Greg, Ali, and I walk into the store and guess who is paying the cashier in the Express Line???? YEP you guessed it...MY HOMELESS FRIEND FROM THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY. And take a guess at what he was buying...?? YEP you guessed it...wasn't bread..nor meat..certainly not vegetables or a sweet piece of fruit. Right there on the conveyer belt was TWO (not just one, but TWO) cans of 40oz Bud Light cans! WHAT!!! I couldn't believe it..but really was I that surprised?!!

NO..because that's reality. Reality that evil is not only present everywhere, but it is concealed within things that touch the compassion within you. Was I offended? Sort of...but I know I did what God called me to do. My friend on the other hand will have to answer for his choices at some point..and boy do I feel for him right now. Instead of being mad or hurt..I was sad for him. Sad because he is leading a life of lies, denial, and ultimately separation from the most LOVING AND COMPASSIONATE CHRIST. Part of me wishes Alison was old enough to understand what had happened as it was a great witnessing tool at the spiritual battle that we are faced with on a daily basis. So..was it a RA of K gone wrong..absolutely not! Any work for Christ can never go wrong!

Father God,
I pray from my fellow brother who is lost and living a life of dishonesty and deceitfulness. May his heart soften towards you, and he turn from his sinful ways. Thank you Lord, for using this opportunity to talk and touch my life. Continue to help me find ways to please you and grow in my faith. Thank you for all that I have and am becoming!

In your name,
Amen

Wordless Wednesday...and My 1st Giveaway!!

And now....
My very 1st giveaway!!!
To commemorate my 200th post I decided to give away...........
a FREE PHOTO SHOOT!
Yes you have read that correctly..I am going to offer a family photo shoot absolutely free of charge. Here are the guidelines...

1. Obviously you have to live locally (a 45 mile radius from the IE)

2. Leave a comment in this post telling me about your favorite picture you have EVER taken..(if you have a blog do a post on your favorite picture with a link back to my blog..if you don't have a blog email me the picture and I can post it on mine for you) Post 200 will be dedicated to ALL our favorite pictures taken.

3. Your photo session will be 2 hours on a location discussed between us...and you will receive all images on a DVD with printing rights.

The winner will be picked on Sunday August 2nd (my 7 year wedding anniversary) via random.org..

I can't wait to see your favorite pictures!! Contact me if you have any questions!!!

You Scream...

I SCREAM...WE ALL SCREAM FOR "I PREEM"...HUH? you say...Well let me interpret... "I Preem" is also known as ICE CREAM...and one guess who LOVES ice cream???? YUP...ALISON (and her dad too..ok..maybe me too, but shh!)!! She has the biggest sweet tooth ever!!! Don't you think???








Costco's hand dipped ice cream are too die for!!

Ah-tee tah

What is that?? Actually you should say..who is that?? That is Alison's Aunty Dana. (let me preface by saying Ali has lots of Aunties that she loves like crazy..each one of them make her so happy). Well Auntie Dana and Ali have a developed um let's call it a "special bond." Ali loves Auntie Dana's hugs, kisses, her children, and now "buuhhneh milk" (Nestle Quick's strawberry milk). She can even put the two signs together! Here's a little history lesson...Kelsea (Alison's older cousin) named Nestle Quick's strawberry milk "bunny milk" becasue there is a rabbit on the container. My darling daughter swipes everyone's drink so she quickly discovered the yummy taste of this milk. Aunty Dana loves to spoil and I think it is so neat that she has her special bondds with different people....
Aunty's always have permission to spoil thier nieces...









P.S.- If you haven't noticed my 200th post is quickly coming (7 more posts to be exact)....There will be a VERY SPECIAL GIVEAWAY SO STAY TUNED!!!!!

I'm here....

Sorry...I have been neglecting my blog..I know you are dying to read something boring on here! haha..We have really enjoyed our summer especially having daddy home all the time!! Things are same as usual....and our girl is getting so big! Man within the last couple of weeks she has become a "motormouth". She is talking in complete sentences and mimics every word that is said. We are truly enjoying watching her grow. Disneyland is one off her most favorite things right now. She asks everday to go..but we have only made it there a few times.
here are some random pictures from Disneyland...

Ella's pictures

I know...I need to do some updates....4th of July..our trip to Palms Springs..trip to Arizona..what my girl is up to...but those will have to wait..

I want to share Ella's newborn pictures with you first. I had been researching lots of poses for her for a while. Now my sweet niece didn't really cooperate with us as she wanted her paci! Haha..just like Alison..take the paci out= open eyes! :) No..she was great..as we twisted, folded, bended, squished, and squeezed her into different positions! Here's what we got...

Wordless Wednesday

Not Me Monday

Whoo hoo..I am doing this post on the right day!! yippee..because I would NOT put it on the wrong day for the third week in a row!


Any whoo, I would never procrastinate in making holiday plans! Of course..I plan ahead and would never invite people the night before! NOT ME!

I would never get up on 4th of July and say "Crap I don't have one of those cheap cute holiday shirts from Target...humm..Let's go get one!" and actually expect to find one! NOPE NOT ME! Nope I wasn't SO EXCITED that I actually found a cute one in my size that I would NEVER forget to inspect it. So of course, when I put it on in time for a our fiesta..NOPE..I was NOT so sad to discover that there was a HUGE rip right in the front. AND...of course..I certainly did not wear it anyways..rip and all! NOPE NOT ME!

I would never wait and procrastinate a trip to the grocery store for our BBQ until the holiday. NOT ME..I go with plenty of time to plan! And I would NOT be irritated and frustrated because other people choose to procrastinate thus making the market a mad house. Frustration...NOT ME!

I am certainly an assertive mom..so I was definitely NOT flabbergasted that I..yes..forgot to feed my daughter breakfast BEFORE I headed out on my quest to find that cute holiday shirt. NOT ME..who doesn't feed their kids??? ahem...So..I certainly did not open the string cheese package while getting groceries in an attempt to feed my child. NOT ME! And NO I did not let her eat a banana while in the produce section. Of course...the checker did not look at me like I have totally lost it as I asked her to charge me for an extra banana! NOT ME...I feed my daughter first thing in the morning!

I was so not secretly excited that my aunt asked me to go with her to Michael Jackson's funeral if she won. NOT ME! NO I did NOT want to secretly put my name in the lottery..and of course I was NOT really disappointed that she didn't win! NOT ME!

This morning..I did not get hit on my side mirror while I was stopped at a red light!! UGH...NOT ME! This day has to get better!

Wordless Wednesday