Key West, Trolley rides and The best Key Lime Pie

Our 1st port was Key West. We disembarked at the dock and find a trolley ride to take us around Key West. We wind our way in and out of the tiny streets of Key West learning all kind of historical things. We stop at one point and get out for a short break. We load back on the trolley and do another 1/2 hour of info trolley ride. Now if you have ever been to Key West...you know it is not that big...so an hr and 1/2 of trolley ride is a bit much. BUT we went to the souther most point of the U.S. and we got to see mile zero of route 1 that runs from Key West to like Maine or Vermont or something!

We got back on the ship and we celebrated Lisa's birthday by the adults going to eat at Palo's. The food was absolutley AMAZING!!!! Our waiter, Kristian from Croatia, was superb!!!! There was THE most beautiful sunset that night! The kids ate at our next restaurant in the rotation--Animator's Palate. The wait staff was excellent with our kids! The walls start out black and white and then change to color during the course of the meal!!!!

It was just great!!!!

Vacation--Ahoy!

I have never cruised before. In fact, I have been quite nervous about it because I don't really like boats. I know a cruise ship that holds 2700 passengers and over 1000 crew members isn't a boat but you know what I mean....anyway, we load onto an official Disney bus and away we go to Port Canaveral! While we are on the bus a great little info video comes on to tell you all how to get checked onto the boat. Exact details of what will happen once you get on the boat! The excitement builds on the bus full of people heading to what is known to be THE best cruise in the world. I think we have done our kids a disservice because if you talk to people who have been on a cruise with another company they will even tell you that Disney is the cadillac of cruises! Everything is of course done in Disney fashion and it is superb!!!

So as we arrive to the port. This is our ship! The Disney Magic!!!! It is beautiful! A HUGE Goofy is hanging off the back of the ship and looks like he is finishing up painting the word MAGIC!!! We go through all the check points and checking in and then we walk the plank to board!!! My word!!! They ask your name as you and your family walk in the door and they announce it over the loud speaker--The Sergio Family! Welcome aboard the Disney Magic!!! This is the awesome chandelier hanging in the main foyer!!

We go eat up on deck 9 at the buffett! Then we head off to find our stateroom. Our room is a great size and we ahve a huge window! No joke! We drop our stuff off and head to deck 10 for the Bon Voyage Celebration!



Yes Mickey and the gang come out and sing songs. We set sail!!! We all ordered virgin Bon Voyage drinks (1/2 pina colada, 1/2 strawberry daquiri)!!! The wind blows in our hair and away we go!!! The coolest thing is that when the captain blows the ships horn it plays "When you wish upon a star". It is enough to make you weep!!! So much fun!!!!

We eat at Lumiere's restaurant that night and meet our awesome wait staff that follow us all week long for dinner! We take in a Broadway quality show about setting sail on the Magic! The music and dancing is great!!!

None of us got seasick! We were gently rocked to sleep by the boat! AHhhhhhhhhhhhh!!! I like cruising...tomorrow...Key West!

Vacation--day1

We land in Florida, thursday night and head by Disney shuttle bus to Pop Century resort! It took like an hour and 1/2!!! So we check in to one of Disney's newest resorts at like 10:30 p.m. Drop our stuff off in our rooms and head to eat!!! The resort is really really cool. It has several buildings, each one with it's own decade theme! WE stayed in the 90's. It was decorated with huge cd's and the pool was shaped as a laptop and floppy disks.

Chelsea took this picture of the 80's building.

Friday we all got up. 7 of us went to Epcot and 4 went to MGM. I went to EPCOT!!! I conquered a fear! I rode Mission Space!!! For those of you who don't know....it simulates space flight...from take off to landing....yes...you are in a centerfuge and you pull some serious G's. I apparently have some sinus problems because HELLO! I felt them! The most relaxing and fun ride was Soaring! What a GREAT ride!!!!

We ate lunch in England with some fish and chips. WE had dessert in France! The big hit with the teens was that they say the cast from Disney's massive hit t.v. movie--High School Musical!

We went back to the resort and went to bed. The next day the REAL fun started! The Disney cruise!!!!

for my day of birth

My birthday started on friday by Alex and Jay detailing my van! IT was great!!! As the mom of a teen and a preteen...the van was NASTY! Car was washed, waxed, armoraled, windows washed and carpets vacuumed AND cleaned! AAAAAHHHHH!!!!

Sat. Chelsea and I took Gillian to Chickfila, Build a bear, and cold stone creamery!!! Then Chelsea and I went to Kohl's to shop for the cruise! We got tons of stuff for very little money!! Gotta love a sale AND a coupon!

Today, Alex gave me flowers and Chelsea gave me "Walk the Line" dvd. Lisa gave a sweet bracelet watch. Tanya et al gave me a very cute bracelet! My other friend Lisa, who's son's b-day is also today...went by Starbucks and got be a grande marble mocha macchiato! That beat the fact that NONE of my kid's worship people showed up today on time or at all and that my computer is missing ALL of the things that make children's ministry run!

For that is to worry about tomorrow becuase tomorrow is another day! Until after the cruise! Buh bye!

presenting....

This wall will have shelves on them as soon as we get wall anchors!










Chelsea's room
A Mimi original

coming soon....

*Pictures of Chelsea's room,
*tales of another exciting adventure of Ellyn and Gillian's day on the town,
*the list of copious amounts of birthday presents that I get on Sunday! HA--NOT!
*how I spent my day of birth (and Gillian's, and Joan J.'s, and Larry C's, and Ethan's, and Alia's)
*the freak out and stress of trying to buy and get packed and work and run carpool and get homework and projects done and be ready for Easter by the time I leave.
*what I think about LOST
*what I think about Mason going to the final 4
*what I think about Walk the Line---best movie EVER!!!! Love all things Johnny Cash!

Until then--hold your breath and wait!

nyc review

Yes, Chelsea made it back from NYC--the big apple....not sin city...that's Las Vegas....

She had a blast! She did call at most every moment she could. She had lots to report! If you check out her pictures you will see some of what they did. She was disappointed that the conference was set up in such a way that you didn't always get into the workshop you wanted. It was a first come/first serve basis. So one day they didn't get into anything they were remotely interested in. She was a little sad about that.

Her highlights were...seeing a woman dressed as an angel singing opera for her living in the subway, a pimp (see pictures), going to Times Square, NBC studios, Top of the Rock, the St. Patty's parade and all the drunk people, eating at Carmine's and seeing the 25th annual Spelling Bee of Putnam County.

She thinks she is soooo ready to move to NYC! I am glad she had a good time. She learned a few things are her eyes were opened to a world she is not a part of everyday but all in all...she's the same kid.

My parents pulled a "While you were out" on her with her room while she was in NYC. It looks really good. I hope to have pictures up soon..well as soon as my mom finishes her room...which hopefully will be Tuesday.

Oh I do have to say, that Chelsea probably got no more than 5 hours of sleep a night while she was gone and she has done really well with her attitude! I am very proud of her!

So all in all, I grade this test a "A". There is always room for improvement!

Gotta love a smart preschooler!

What happened yesterday at church was just too precious to pass up so I am going to share the story for you!! For those of you not living in our area and who don't attend our church, I am going to need to give you some background info.

People constantly confuse my cohort and myself. We have learned over the past 5 years to just respond to each other's names. FEW people call us by the right name. So when someone is addressing me and calls me "Miss Lisa" I just respond and keep going. As you can see from our pictures there are some similarities. We have the same mannerisms. People get us confused on the phone. Even the children of the deaf adults get us confused and I am the one out of the 2 of us who knows sign language. You would think they could keep it straight.....

Anyway, all that to say, we have become accustomed to answering to whatever we are called now.

So yesterday there must of been a full moon or something because just about every little girl under the age of 6 was having a hard day. One little girl inparticular wanted her Dad to stay with her in Bible class. Miss Lisa said she would sit with the little girl to help her get adjusted so that Dad could go and worship. So Miss Lisa did that for a while. About 30 minutes later, the teacher peeks her head out of the door and said that this little girl needed to use the restroom and doesn't want to use the one that is there in the room. She wants to use the one in the hallway. Ok, so I go down that hall to get the little girl and we go to the bathroom in the hallway.

Upon entering, I ask her, like I do all the children at this age (3)...."Can you do this by yourself? or do you need help?" She took a look at the potty and then turned around to me and smiled and said..."I don't have to go potty. I want you to come sit with me in class." I smiled back at her and thought....clever little girl! So I made her try to go potty anyway and then probably because she is so clever she figured out, I wasn't going to sit with her.....she said "Where's the other you?"

The "other you"!!!!! That was a new one! So now we are just going to tell people that I am "the you" and Lisa is the "other you"!!!

I thought that was just so precious! It is things like that that make me smile and enjoy my Sundays! This you is going to run crew carpool! Later!

Put to the test

Chelsea leaves for NYC at 4:15 a.m. tomorrow....as I have been having hives about her going to NYC without me and with a bunch people who, more than likely, hold very few moral values in sync with ours, including her teacher who is living with his girlfriend and their year old daughter...i know because he feels the need to inform and update his students on his personal life in class.....i realize that what we have been doing with Chelsea for the past 15 years now comes to a head. This is our first big test of Chelsea and of us.

Anyhoo--this is where Jay and I's parenting skills will come into play. In some ways this is the beginning of things to come in the very near future. Our daughter is an amazingly responsible young lady. Who loves the Lord and seeks to follow Him in all that she does. It has been rather easy since she is still living at home and when things don't turn out right, mom and dad are right around the corner. Well for the next 4 days we will be 5 hours away from her.

As much as I hate to see my children fail at something, we really try to tell them that it is a redirection and not a failure. What they tried didn't work, they need to try again....sounds like an old proverb huh?!

So tonight, I tucked Chelsea in bed and told her that I trusted her. That no matter what happens, I will always love her. There is nothing she can do to take my love away. That I am proud of who she is. That I am confident in her abilities to make good choices. The clincher was I told her that at all times, God sat on one shoulder and I sat on the other. And while God holds eternity in His hands...I hold the next 3 years until she graduates!!!!

I don't know about you but, when I was a teen, it was the image of my mom sitting on my shoulder that kept me from doing many a thing that I should not have done. It owuld have been a fate worse than death to have to tell Becky that I had really really messed up and confess my sin to her and to see the disappointment on her face. That kept me out of ALOT of trouble that presented itself during my teen years....alcohol, sex, drugs, lying, stealing, cheating...you name it...it all presented itself to me at one time or another.

So when you are done reading this...please pray for the safety of the 23 who are going to NYC on this trip.

This is one test that I am sure Chelsea will pass with flying colors!

Tag! Thou art it!

I was tagged by Malia to fill this out! Let's see what I can come up with!

1. Who is your favorite Biblical personage, other than Jesus? Not just one but the 4 women in the lineage of Christ. A great reminder of what God can do thru women!

2. What is your favorite book of the Old Testament? Proverbs--I write some down for my kids to read on their bathroom mirror!!! Very relavant!

3. What is your least favorite book of the Old Testament?hm.....maybe Numbers

4. What is your favorite non- gospel book of the New Testament? James! Lots of very relative topics that I use on my kids!

5. What is your life verse? James 1:2-6 Consider it pure joy, my brothers (sisters) when you face troubles of various kinds, because you know the testing of your faith develops perserverance. Perserverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
AWESOME STUFF!

6. Tag 3 people who might want to play. Shayna, Sammie, Jacque, It gives you something to post that is easier than writing prose, come on, you know you wanna play!

love him, hug him, squeeze him and call him George

Here are pictures from our evening with George. He is fast becoming a curious George!

shocker

I have been sick for about 4 weeks now. So this past friday, I made an appointment and went to the dr. I couldn't take being sick anymore. I absolutely love my dr. Shout out to Lisa for introducing me to Dr. Nguyen. She is a fireball and just lovely! I have only seen her once, a year ago, and when she saw me, she asked all these personal questions such as; "how are your kids?" "are they still liking swimming?" "how does your daughter like high school?". I saw her ONCE a year ago!!!! She is great!!!

Anyway, she takes my blood pressure and well according to the numbers, I should be stroking out at anytime now. My blood pressure was high last year but I had taken 2 weeks worth of decongestants and that raises your blood pressure. I was suppose to (suspoose to--that is Gillian style) come back a year ago for a full physical...yeah, I didn't.

So one year later, I come back...sick and my blood pressure is through the roof! So she does what every good dr. should do....give me a talkin' to about my diet, weight, life style, job, etc.

I relfected with Jay all the way home about my life and how I choose to live it.

Yes, I am about 70 pounds overweight. I live for my family. I work a job outside the home from 8 a.m. to about 3 p.m. and when I get home at 3 the amazing race begins. We have homework, housework, practices musical and sports, we have meetings, and phone calls, school stuff church stuff and then there is the blogging!!! Just kidding..that is a side activity. We eat out ALOT or else we are eating at 8 p.m.!!!

What I am trying to say is, I live for my family. We choose to have kids. I choose to be a mom. This is my "season" of being a mom with kids at home. I know that I am completely against what the world says but "my time" will come in about 3-6 years when at that time both my kids will be at college and I will only be 43. When my house is empty then I will have time to work out and focus on me. Don't get me wrong. I do do things that I like and that fill my cup now. But contrary to the world's view, being with my kids and doing things for them is what I love and that does fill my cup! My kids are not going to be in my home fulltime in such a very very short time. NOW is my time to talk and listen and laugh and cry with them. This is my time to take them and use teachable moments to move them closer to their relationship with God.

When I say "this is my time" I mean from the time they have been born. So, after I reflected and Jay's eyes finished glazing over...poor guy, he tries so hard to keep up but I am not easy to keep up with....I come to the conclusion that I will work harder at taking care of myself. My family needs me to be healthy. I will watch my salt intake and drink more water and take my meds. I will run carpools, help with homework, make/order dinner, read, laugh, talk, cry and sit with my kids. I will go to BUNKO or book club. I will keep the house picked up and laundry caught up. I will keep fridays as my day off so that my hubby and I get "quality" time. As we learned at Winterfest, I am going to live for the line (eternity) and not the dot (today).

and then in 2012, when Alex goes to college, the basement becomes a workout room!

Rock on all you moms, rock on!

hit the bullseye in 2 questions

Took this test for Shayna's blog....it pegged me perfectly!!!! I am so predictable!



the HelperTest finished!

you chose CX - your Enneagram type is TWO.
"I must help others"
Helpers are warm, concerned, nurturing, and sensitive to other people's needs.

How to Get Along with Me
Tell me that you appreciate me. Be specific.
Share fun times with me.
Take an interest in my problems, though I will probably try to focus on yours.
Let me know that I am important and special to you.
Be gentle if you decide to criticize me.

In Intimate Relationships
Reassure me that I am intersting to you.
Reassure me often that you love me.
Tell me I'm attractive and that you're glad to be seen with me.

What I Like About Being a Two
being able to relate easily to people and to make friends
knowing what people need and being able to make their lives better
being generous, caring, and warm
being sensitive to and perceptive about others' feelings
being enthusiastic and fun-loving, and having a good sense of humor

What's Hard About Being a Two
not being able to say no
having low self-esteem
feeling drained from overdoing for others
not doing things I really like to do for myself for fear of being selfish
criticizing myself for not feeling as loving as I think I should
being upset that others don't tune in to me as much as I tume in to them
working so hard to be tactful and considerate that I suppress my real feelings


Twos as Children Often
are very sensitive to disapproval and criticism
try hard to please their parents by being helpful and understanding
are outwardly compliant
are popular or try to be popular with other children
act coy, precocious, or dramatic in order to get attention
are clowns and jokers (the more extroverted Twos), or quiet and shy (the more introverted Twos)


Twos as Parents
are good listeners, love their children unconditionally, and are warm and encouraging (or suffer guilt if they aren't)
are often playful with their children
wonder: "Am I doing it right?" "Am I giving enough?" "Have I caused irreparable damage?"
can become fiercely protective
Renee Baron & Elizabeth Wagele
The Enneagram Made Easy Discover the 9 Types of People HarperSanFrancisco, 1994, 161 pages


You liked the test? so please RATE it :-)


The Quick and Painless ENNEAGRAM Testhttp://www.okcupid.com/tests/take?testid=12721960859055255705


Go ahead...take it! Ya know ya want to!!!

...let all the earth rejoice....

How great is our God, sing with me, How great is our God....and all will see how great, how great is our God!!!

Lauren Schwamb is coming home!!! The baby that THE top pediatric doctor's said would not likely live through birth much less out of the womb...is coming home on Monday! 5 days before her due date!!! Simply amazing!!!

All I have to say is .....prayer works! If you have not had a chance to check out her care page on the web...go to.....


www.carepages.com and sign in as a new member and then type in LaurenSchwamb. You will see how great our God is!!!


Now I need to go take more drugs because I feel awful and I hate being sick!

ramblings of a weekend spent w/ no sleeping

Winterfest '06--Gatlinburg, TN---amazing! an incredible weekend! spiritually uplifting and rejuvenating. 14,000 teens and chaperones came together to praise God, learn more and be edified!
--we stood in FREEZING temperatures, snow and ice.
--we ate krispy kreme donuts from a real krispy kreme store--not Giant
--we sang "How great is our God"!
--we heard that we we should believe in "Gesus"!!! yes i spelled it correctly---Jeff Walling had a little freudian moment there and spelled "G-E-S-U-S"!!!
--we saw 2 kids from our youth group turn their lives over to Christ!
--we (well the teens) went swimming at an indoor oasis at 11 p.m.
--we had a boys with special needs have an allergic reaction to his meds and suffered most of Friday. On sat. when his episodes were over, one of our teen boys took him swimming at 7:30 a.m. because he had missed it the night before!!!!!! This kid is amazing! They both are!
--one of the kids who was baptized has been ready for a year and he was reassured that "there was room for 2 in the pool and that his mom was there and no time like the present!" God at work!!!!
--we had no teens get piercings and tatoos this year! well at least not that i know of today! last year was a different story!
--jay got to go for the first time!
--our bus driver was hard of hearing...i would prefer this to the crossed eyed bus driver we had 2 years ago!
--we saw and connected with friends and family that we had not seen in a year!
--i had very little, i mean very little sleep this weekend--but it was all worth it!
--bus rides--so much fun!
--mexican food---yumm-o!
--what is up with gatlinburg having mostly pepsi and not coke!!!!???? I am a coke girl--preferably cherry coke!
---can't complain too much because we did have sweet tea! gotta love the south!

Can't wait for Winterfest '07---Heaven! by the way alex gets to go next year....he will be in 7th grade....now there is something to blog about...my baby in the youth group!


sigh!

riddle me this

ok, so we are going on the disney cruise for spring break. we have worked very hard to save money and pay for it outright. our destinations are key west, grand caymans, cozumel, and castaway cay (the disney owned island). because we are going to other countries, we need passports. technically my children don't need them but why carry around paper birth certificates if you don't have to and can carry passport books instead. besides chelsea is going to the DR (dominican republic) this summer on a mission trip..she needs one anyway.

so in true sergio fashion, we don't have birth certificates for me, chelsea and alex. we looked absolutely everywhere for them. the obvious places and the not so obvious places. none were to be found. oh, we had jay's because his mom had just given us all of his medical records and school records and old passports and stuff. so now we are in a pickle. we are 8 weeks from departure.

so this past friday, i call the state of virginia and go through their whole process to have certified copies of their birth certificates sent to us. i explain to the lady that i need to have them overnighted. she kindly explained with glee in her voice that i would have to pay extra money...um, duh! all this happened last friday. so, i gave her my credit card number and verified that they were going to overnighted and i would have them by monday...yes she confirmed. she did however, fail to explain that i would have to be home to sign for them!

so while i am doing all of this on the phone, i am online ordering my birth certificate from the great state of TN. i have it overnighted too. by the way, it cost me $27 to order and overnight it from TN. it cost me $50 a piece to order my kids from RICHMOND, VA!!!! which is only 2 hours away!!!!

monday comes and i get my birth certificate. no kid's. tuesday comes--no kid's. wednesday mid-morning and thank God, jay is home and he signs for it. which was required...but not explained...

so, my question is...why can TN be 1/2 as much and get here on time? and virginia cost twice as much and took 4 days!!!! i am sorry but last i checked 4 days is not the same as overnight. well, it is overnight, overnight, overnight.

anyway, all is fine, we have our passports in the process. the cruise is just 7 weeks away!!! just a small price to pay for a vacation of a lifetime...and yes, we will probably do this only once but from what i hear it is completely worth it!!!!

a day for love

happy valentine's day!

jay--thank you for 16 great years. i wouldn't trade them for anything! yes, and thanks for lovely flowers. they are perfect!

chelsea--thank you for being the most amazing daughter! i love you just the way you are!

alex--thank you for being the light in my life. thank you for keeping me from taking myself too seriously.

guess what? i found the book "fresh faith"!!! long story...anyway, i am rereading it. don't let satan steal your joy!

pray for the committment to keep the joy in your life. the joy that Christ offers. the joy of a husband, child or friend.

have a great and LOVEly day!

Our Snow Storm

So here are our reported 10 inches! YEAH! Finally we have winter!

new skills

i have new skills to add to my already extremely long list! i figured out last night how to add pictures to my posts!

i did find out however that i need to remove/update my list of skills because today we had gillian again...and i forgot to bring another diaper and wipes to alex's game. so she tells me she needs to go potty. we head to the bathroom and her diaper is soaked. she goes potty but um, i dont' have the goods. so i explain to her that i don't have a diaper and she is going to need to be a big girl and tell me everytime she needs to go to the potty. "ok" she says to me. we spend the rest of the game running down the hall because every 15-20 mintues she tells me she needs to go potty. she thinks it's funny!

here are some shots of alex playing his game. he plays the #5 position under the basket. he's tall, 5'3" to be exact so he is the rebounder and defender. he rebounded 10 times to score 8 points for the team. he took the ball away from the opponent and while doing so threw the kid to the ground. the final score 54-4....that is not fun for the other team. good for us but not them.

here's the pics....

how quickly we forget

gillian is with me tonight. she is almost 3.

we share the same birthday. she is very very smart. gillian and i have an aunt/niece night tonight. we go to mcdonalds and to target. at mcdonalds we talk about who is related to whom in our family. she tells me about how daddy picked her up and put her on his shoulders "last year" (everything happens last year) and they went to toys r us but it was closed. she starts every sentence with "um" or "remember". she is talking non stop.

it all comes screaming back to me. chelsea was just like that at almost 3. she could talk about anything. i used to have to tell her that my ears needed to take a "time out" for a while and then they could listen to her. she talked non stop about everything. gillian is the same.

there is one thing that is different though...thanks to james and/or ramona...gillian is my backseat driver. "um, ellyn? remember that when the light is red you have to stop." thank you james and ramona.

at target gillian gives me this sob story about how she has...and no i am not exaggerating, these are her words verbatim....she has no tea set. she has always wanted a tea set but mommy won't get her one...she has always wanted one. she also needs more polly pockets. oh yes and she always wanted dress up clothes, she is sad because she does not have any dress up clothes.

so what did i do? yes, i bought her waht she wanted. well, she had to pick between the polly pockets, dress up clothes and the tea set. we found all 3. she chose the polly pockets.

then she see the clothes and she talks about how she needs new pretty pink dresses. so what do i do? yes, i buy her a pink shirt with a sparkly elephant and a green skirt. it was her choice.

oh then, she pulled at the thread in her pink tights she was wearing. now there is a hole. she is sad. what do i do? yes, i buy her new pink tights with no holes. that's what aunts are for.

on the way home, she reminds me "remember ellyn, red lights are for stopping. God wants us to stop at red lights." that's what almost 3 year old nieces are for.

there is a deep lesson there...everyone...God wants you to stop at red lights!

now we are watching monsters, inc. she keeps reminding chelsea that it is pretend...even though she is digging her nails into chelsea's arm.

i don't know what's up with the no caps, other than i am tired. notice that i did however, cap it up for the big guy.

it's baaaaaack

Survivor! Exile Island! AHHH now Thursdays has something good on. Although The Office is pretty darn funny! Survivor should be fun to watch though...the guy going thru nicotine withdrawals, or the lady who hates leaves or the professional lumberjill!!!

So now, I have something fun to watch most every night of the week.....

Sunday--Desperate Housewives and Grey's Anatomy
Monday--24
Tuesday--American Idol, Gilmore Girls (tivo), Supernatural
Wednesday--American Idol, LOST---although Chris B. keeps telling me how good Beauty and Geek is.....haven't seen it yet....
Thursday--Survivor, My Name is Earl, The Office

Friday and Saturday--movies or sleep :)

Superbowl is this weekend. Most of my household is routing for the Seahawks (sorry Shayna)...they are the painfully obvious underdogs. I just like the commercials!

So all of Chelsea's friends are getting either their permits or licenses! I can't believe we are there already! I have learned though that if Chelsea is going to practice driving it is going to have to be with her father....my heart can't take it! So tomorrow while Alex is at basketball, jay and chelsea are going to practice driving....watch out! Don't be near Frost intermediate and Woodson High School between 6 and 8 p.m.

I need a drink--a cherry coke! Puhleeze--I know what you were thinking. :)

um......

I know it's been like a week. I just don't know what to blog about. I have the blogger block. Nothing is spurring me to blog.

Yeah it's sad that Coretta Scott King died. Yes the Oscar noms came out. Yes the President made his speech....I hate to admit it but I watched American Idol instead. I know for a very patriotic person that was not very patriotic of me.

I have been home for 2 days with a sick son and all I ahve done is read blogs and catch up on 24!!! My laundry is not done. The bathrooms are not clean...well they are now, Alex and I ran to Target and I got those Clorox toilet wand thingys. Not bad. But a better invention is the mr. clean magic eraser!

I did cook dinner 2 nights in a row this week! That is almost a record!!! For those of you who don't know me...I don't cook very often! I am trying....Dinnermyway helps!

OOOO---Dinnermyway results--2 thumbs up for Chicken and black bean burritos and Chicken Parm and Cumin and Lime pork roast!!!!!

Hand slap down for the skillet chicken pasta thing that looked and smelled like prison food. Not that I ahve eaten prison food but that is what I imagine it to be like.

A So-so for the shrimp stir fry--I let it thaw for too long...it was mushy!

Good news is that my sister in law has a blog!!!! It's on the side there under Tanya's blog! She has 3 kids--6 year old boy and 4 year old twins (girl and boy). She has many numerous stories to share! Her life is a trip! Hopefully she will share her Colby stories that include body parts! He is Jim Carrey in a 4 year old body!

Apparently people are all a buzz about the Oscar's. Ya know there should be an Oscar for best mom or something. I'm happy that we honor these people to entertain us but really they earn millions...i mean millions of dollars for us to honor them and then they get to make more millions becuase then we will go see their next movie regardless if it is worth seeing or not.

I wouldn't change what I do for what they do. I LOVE being a mom! Even when I have to miss work to take care of my sick child. I feel a little guilty about not going to work but not a lot guilty becuase I choose to have kids and raise them. I only have them for a short time. So when Jay and I decided to have kids...or should I say when God decided for us to have kids (another blog), this became their time. Our wants are put on hold, not a lot of them but some of them. They will all too soon move out and then we can do all those things we wanted to do.

um.....i guess i had more to say than i thought. A shout-out to Shayna who is apparently not having a great week! I am sending out to you 100 good thoughts and hugs!

no faith, yes headache, yes jury duty

Well I have looked everywhere at home for the Fresh Faith book. No luck. So apparently I gave the book away. Which I tend to do. So I am sorry for bringing up a subject that I can not continue. Could have been interesting! I would write about waht I think but I have had a killer headache all day, I can't seem to shake it long enough to be productive today. Then to top it all off, I have been called for jury duty tomorrow. I know it's my civic duty and right but this is not happening at a great time!

So to sum it all up...I have faith. I work on it everyday. Am I convinced that anger is a lack of faith? Nope, not convinced. I am convinced however that excedrin migraine is excellent medicine! Thank you excedrin people! I also know that it is great that we live in a country where democracy reigns and that people die to protect our freedom and so to honor that I can go to the courthouse tomorrow and wait to see if I am called to be a juror. Hm...I am wondering what they will think of my job and how that will affect a lawyers decision to pick me or not!?

Should be interesting!

By the way, God is answering all kinds of prayers for baby Lauren! She has opened both eyes as of today and she is at her lowest weight! I have seen pictures and she looks GREAT! Now, we need continued prayers for her to be able to keep off the fluid and breathe on her own. The doctors are not optimistic about her heart condition and she is not a candidate for a transplant or corrective surgery. So more prayers in that area too! The family at Fairfax has been praying without ceasing!

anger later...24 now

I like the thoughts of Shayna and Malia regarding anger. I am going to look for the book Fresh Faith and read my Bible and I will post tomorrow....right now...24 is on.....i am all snuggled in my select comfort/sleep number bed in my fav. pj's with a warm krispy kreme doughnut!

I will pick up anger tomorrow!

Angry words

We all get angry. I especially hate it because according to my strength finders test, harmony is my numero uno strength. Yes it is true, I love for everything to be in harmony and it really really bothers me when things are not. So as you can imagine, I tend to stay stressed out alot! Cause if you haven't noticed lately, there is very little in the world that is harmonious--is that a real word?

Anway, I remember reading a few years ago the book called "Fresh Faith" by Jim Cymbala, I believe is his name. He said in his book that anger is showing a lack of faith. I remember that because it made me stop and think. I had never put being angry and letting anger control you with having a lack of faith.

So I am curious. What do you think? Is being angry or letting anger control your words and actions a lack of faith. In very many ways, I think that yes it is. But I will share with you my thoughts so as to not sway your thinking.

I am serious. I would love to hear what you have to say on the matter. I can go for a very very long time without being angry and then when I am...well it seems to be overwhelming. Hey, maybe I am as dysfunctional as the rest of the world! :)

Ok so to recap...anger...a lack of faith or what?

urgent prayer request!!!

Baby Lauren is not doing well. The baby that I told you about earlier. She has taken a turn for the worse.

For the first time, her parents are discouraged and afraid. They know God is all powerful but they are fearful!

We are FXCC are having a 24 hr. prayer vigil. Please ask all you know to do the same. Tim and Cristi and baby Lauren need to be lifted to the Lord!

Thank you!

tgif

I am really glad today is friday! I needed it to be friday!

Something to look forward to....Feb 12th Extreme Home Makeover will air and feature the story from Blacksburg! It is sweeps week and it will be a 2 hour special! For those of you who don't know...My brother and sister in law live in Blacksburg AND they helped in the house!!!

I went to the place Dinnermyway today! I will tell you how the food tastes when we eat them! Let me just say I got 6 meals that feed 6 people for $105. That is $17.50/meal! That is waaaay cheaper than eating out!

Our menu:
Braise Brisket!
Skillet Chicken Pasta
Chicken and black bean burritos
Chicken Parmesan
Cumin and lime roasted pork loin
Shrimp stir fry

Yummo!

favorite things to watch

Ways to relax. We all need to relax. I think Americans are way too tense. I know I am. Right now it is 7:02 p.m. and I can hardly keep my eyes open! I am tired and worn out and tense! A deep tissue swedish massage would be perfection right now! Or a really good realignment from a chiropractor! I do have a few things that I love to "do" that help me relax. Here is my list. What's yours?

I love to watch the following tv shows:

LOST--THE best show EVER! Hands down!
Grey's Anatomy--he didn't pick her--yet!
American Idol--it makes me happy and sad at the same time.
30 Minute Meals--while I am eating my take out!
24--I find myself yelling at the t.v. with this show! INTENSE!!!
Gilmore Girls--I am now beginning to believe that Logan is Rory's "lobster"!(you know, in the tank holding the claws! mates for life)

That is 6 1/2 hour of pure escaping and enjoying per week!

If there happens to be reruns then I watch the following DVDs:

Any of the 10 season of Friends--Love them all, they make me happy.
A knight's tale--heath ledger, need i say more?
Sweet Home Alabama--josh lucas--again...enuff said!
How to Lose a Guy in 10 days--Matthew McConaugHEY!!!


Ok well the afore mentioned plus a bubble bath are how I relax! Maybe I need to go and do that now! Happy watching and bubbling!

The Prayer chain

I have an urgent request for prayers. On Friday last week a member of our church who was 33 weeks pregnant started to have light contractions and the baby was not moving. She was headed to the hospital anyway to get her firstborn child's allergy shots and so she went to see her dr.

As they checked her, they decided to admit her to the hospital because the contractions were going full strength. They gave her all the medications to slow down/stop the contractions. When it was determined that they were not going to stop they gave her very detailed sonogram because the nurse could not get the regular sonogram to work so the only specialist they have was there and gave her a detailed sonogram. Upon finishing it was determined that they baby had a large amount of fluid. Maybe even an inch of fluid between her skin and skull!

The did an emergency c-section and a baby girl was born. Not sure what was going on and why this was happening to the baby. They wisked her off to the NICU. Her birth weight was over 9 pounds! Remember she was 6 week premie! The doctors told the parents that because they didn't know why this happened to her, they were not sure how they were going to treat her. The onset determines the treatment. She did try to cry when born which was a good sign but she was a sick little baby. The next few hours were going to be touch and go.

The prayers went out and up. The Lord is good. She has survived to today and she has lost over 3 pounds of fluid!!! She is intabated (sp?) and has a chest tube to drain off more fluid. The fluid is gone from her internally but not from under the skin. Her eyes are swollen shut but she is doing well.

The doctors have given her status as stable BUT she is still at risk. She is responding to stimuli and they have cut back some on the ventilator and she is able to keep up on her own and take up that slack!

God is amazing! This little baby is being lifted up and she is getting better and better! Our whole church is on prayer vigil for her.

Please do the same. Because this is on the WWW, I am not giong to tell you the parents name and the baby's name. God knows who they are. IF you go to my church then you know who they are!

Just please pray! Pray for full recovery! Pray for comfort for the parents. Pray for the doctors and nurses who are giving this precious life around the clock care.

The doctors can't tell them anything about a future for her becuase they are trying to figure out what is going on themselves. I will tell you though that the military has only 3 pediatric kidney specialists and one of them "just happened" to be there this weekend and has stayed on to help out. He has determined that it is not her kidneys!!! Isn't God wonderful!!!!

Thank you! I will update as I get information!

California dreamin con't

Can I just tell you how much I love southern CA. I mean who wouldn't. I keep thinking....i could live here! But then Lisa reminded me that what I absolutely LOVE about VA is that we ahve all 4 seasons. True that! I would miss snow and a cold christmas...oh wait..i missed that this year! Some of my fondest memories are snowy christmases! Like the one where it snowed Christmas morning and my family went out to feed the troops that guard the pentagon andhave to work on Christmas day and are not with their families! See just makes you all cozy inside!

The conference was great! A high light of the conference was a group called Go Fish who sang to us! They are 3 young guys who sing acapella! They were fabulous! I just love good music! I bought their cd for my neices and nephews. One of our keynote speakers was Lisa Welchel from the Facts of Life. Ever wonder where she has been? Well she has great story! She came to know Christ by walking up the church near her because they had donuts! Her family didn't go to church and she got up on sunday mornings and went becuase they had donuts! She of course kept going because she was finding what she was missing but what got her in the door was donuts. She has 3 children and they are teenagers and she wrote a book on creative correction. I ordered th e book!

Huh? If all it takes is donuts to get the lost in the door then why are we not doing it?! I mean we don't have to compromise our beliefs and our faith. All we have to do is rethink our donuts!

This generation of kids is not donuts but more media driven. Teen "donuts" are also different than kid "donuts" Our church is in the middle of 2 neighborhoods. I wonder if we went and asked what would bring them in to church we would find that it probably wouldn't take much, just not what we are doing now.

But I digress...the other speaker worthy of being noted was a lady named Lee Ezell. Waht a great lady she is. She gave up her baby for adoption after she became pregnant from being raped. Later got married. He died of cancer. She was diagnosed with cancer that same month and then her daughter who she gave up called her and wanted a relationship with her and guess what? That daughter is a Christian, just like this woman! AMAZING! Through it all she could still laugh and know that God was with her! What amazing faith! What a testimony to all of those who are going through hard times and fall into the pit of self pity! i ordered her book too!

The workshops were good. Most of them for me just reaffirmed something we need to be doing at Fairfax and in Children's ministry. I.e. equipping parents to be the spiritual leaders of their children and revamping Kid's worship. We connected with others in the ministry and made some new acquaintances.

One night we did go to Downtown Disney and eat out and shop and take in a movie!

Now i need to get my energy level back up to par and clean my house and get organized and ready for the next several months! A mommy's work is never done! A big shout out though to my lovely husband for not complaining that on my day off and his day off I laid in bed all day watching t.v. and doing sodoku puzzles!!! What a kind soul he is! He even went in and volunteered in Alex's class for me! I am blessed!

Until next time here are some books I suggest you will find a good read: Three by Ted Dekker, Redeeming Love by Francine River.

Movies to watch: Sense and Sensibility, Emma, Cinderella Man

If you are not into the LOST craze! go rent the 1st season!!!! It is AWESOME!!!!!

California dreamin--Tuesday

My co-worker/friend and I went to lovely Anaheim, CA. for the Children's Pastor's Conference held by the INCM (International network of children's ministry). We stayed at the lovely Anaheim Hilton. Literally right around the corner from California's Great Adventure and DisneyLand! We could see the fireworks at Disney every night from our room!

Anyhoo--we left at the crack of dawn on Tuesday (5 a.m.) and as we were about 10 minutes from Dulles Airport a United Airlines agent calls and tells us that our flight ahs been cancelled. Hmm...ok? So we ask what flight they are putting us on instead and they said "sorry we can't do that". So taking our chances, Lisa and I went on to the airport and stood in the "special" line with about 200 other people who were also "special" as the one agent helped us. While standing in line I started to call United and talk to an agent to get us on any flight leaving anywhere from the Washington DC area to anywhere in the LA area. The newly trained phone agent, who was doing a suberb job of reading his script word for stinking word, kept asking me if I could be put on hold and then would come back tell me how sorry he was but the only flight he could confirm us on would be the Friday flight! Um, that won't work! Then he was very so helpful as he told me that a flight would be leaving from Reagan in 15 mintues and oculd I make it? Um, no!

So as I watched people trying to finagel (sp?) the system to work in their favor, i.e. the lady who tried to cut in front of 200 people so that she could check her precious little yippy sweatered dog on the plane, I went over to the man at the United informaiton counter and guess what information he had for me....there was no way to confirm Lisa and I on any flight except until Friday! Our best chances were to fly stand by. We decided that this was our fate for whatever reason and God was trying to tell us something so we took the stand by tickets.

By this time the security line was out the front door of the airport!!! We take our stand by tickets and wait and wait in line to be scanned. It actually wasn't that bad until we get up to the scanner thing and our tickets are marked so that we are pulled aside and scanned extra! Yes, I do look like a terrorist! I know, many people wonder about me and my loyalities! Me and my lily white skin and complete american features! I wanted to scream..."Excuse me! My father lost 46 men in the Pentagon that day! DO NOT question my loyalty to the USA!!!" I didn't. I stood there as the lovely lady (thank God) ran her hands up and down my body to find...whatever seh was looking for....I guess I needed to have worn my I "heart" America shirt. Anway, taht goes over fine and we head to the terminal. ON the litle shuttle thingy there were 2 I am guessing Marines...they were very young so they may have been in a military school but anyway, they did not give up their seats to any women! That is another blog...

While waiting at the terminal...well I guess I better back up and say that Lisa and I have a few traditions when we fly. One is that we ALWAYS buy a cinnabon to eat on the plane. So we wait to buy one until we get to the terminal. Guess what Terminal D doesn't have....yes, that is right, a Cinnabon. So I go to the stupid Dunkin Donuts and buy a stupid and not good bagel and donut. Apparently that was the only vendor open because everyone in the terminal was there to get their not so good bagel and donut and coffee.....ok.....so I am in line waiting and I get my stuff after telling the new guy at teh cash register 4 times what I wanted and then he charged me the wrong amount and didn't give me my donut! I turn around and Lisa is in line....I look at her funny and she says with a big smile! We are on the plane at 8:25!!! You see unbeknownst to us there is a trick to flying stand by...."Be standing by the ticket counter when they call names" Yeah for Lisa standing by!

So we get on the over booked flight and fly over 5 hours in a very cramped and small plane to CA. We did get to see a movie! Another thing that Lisa and I pray for on long flights! We LOVE to watch movies!

We get to CA and our luggage made it!!! Some famous child or a child of a famous person was picked up by his driver! Not sure who he was but interesting all the same. We head to the Avis place and we got an upgrade for a convertible!!!! hee hee a red 2006 Chrysler Sebring convertible!!!! We put down the top and put on our sunglasses and headed to the beach! Ahhh...we love conferences!

Four Real

Snagged this from a friend of my cousin's....sorry not original but fun!

Four jobs you’ve had in your life: Linen's n things, School Age Child Care, Interpreter for the deal and hard of hearing, worked at a hair salon washing hair.

Four movies you could watch over and over: A Knight's Tale, The Count of Monte Cristo, Sweet Home Alabama, and Bruce Almighty

Four TV shows you love to watch:LOST, Grey's Anatomy, The Amazing Race, Gilmore Girls

Four places you’ve been on vacation: The Outer Banks, NC; NYC, Mountain Lake, Orlando, FL

Four websites you visit daily: Fxcc.org, Chelsea's My space, Sammies blog, Bruce Black's blog
Four of your favorite foods: A good sloppy cheeseburger--i.e. 5 guys, 7 layered salad my mother in law makes, Cheesecake from Outback, Shrimp scampi

Four places you’d rather be: The beach (OBX), the beach (CA), the beach(Hawaii), maybe NYC

Four albums you can’t live without: I can't pick just 4. but since you asked...Les Miserables--the original London Cast, Point of Grace Christmas CD, John Denver and the Muppets Christmas, and.....i dunno

Four people you’d tag to play this game: You, you, you and you. YOu know you want to play!

Just got back from sunny CA today! I will blog about that tomorrow! well, maybe! Jet Lag and all!

Prayers and blessings

Well as of 5 a.m. tomorrow...I am off to sunny CA for the next 5 days. Why you ask? Lisa and I are going to the International Children's Pastor's Conference in Anaheim! Very exciting!

Last year we went to Saddleback's Purpose Driven Children's ministry conference! That was probably hands down THE best conference I have ever been to! We heard amazing speakers, such as, Craig Jutila, George Barna(love that man!!!), Rick Warren. The praise time was wonderful! Going to church there was so fantastic!!!! Lisa and I learned soooo much!

Please pray for my family as I am gone this week. I hate being so far away from them but after the hectic holidays I am looking forward to some peace and quiet and the beach! Pray for the pilots and the men and women working on the plane. Pray that the Lord keeps the crazy people off the road while I am gone. Pray for my families peace of mind that things will be just fine while mom is gone.

Lisa and I land in LA at 1:13 and we are headed to the beach before we head to our first session that evening!

I think being at the beach is a blessing. The beach is so relaxing! hearing the waves roll in and out. Just can feel the tension roll away! My family is an amazing blessing, that they encourage me to go and learn more about what will make our children's ministry more successful. The elders of our church and our church family is a blessing that they are supportive and encouraging to Lisa and I. Our church's financial situation is a blessing too. We hear of so many people at these conferences that have to pay their own way to these things. These things are expensive!!!

Everyone have a great week and I will check back with you on Sunday!

Happy Anniversary

Happy Anniversary to us! It is our 16th wedding anniversary! Shout-out to my lovely sister-in-law, Tanya for remembering and wishing us a happy anniversary! Thanks Tanya for always being so mindful of important days!!!

An announcement-- If you would like to see pictures then please use this website to see my pictures!!! http://community.webshots.com/user/sergiomom

Ok, So being married for 16 years has had is ups and downs. After 16 years, you can tend to get complacent in your relationship. There are days that you would why in the world you would ever choose to marry your mate. Then you have many days that remind you why you did!

Gone is the gooy-lovey-dovey-fluttery feelings from the beginning of your relationship and in their places come a peace and a comfort from knowing that you have this relationship with a person completely different than you and who will stay with you regardless of how you behave!!! Your love grows to become an Agape love. Just unconditional, accepting kind of love. That is very very nice!

In 16 years we have moved 4 times, had 2 children, 9 cars, 2 dogs, 3 or 4 fish, 1 chinchilla, 1 gecko, more arguments that a memory can hold, so many treasured moments that makes a heart full. I am loved by a man who wakes up every morning and KNOWS that he loves me. I am blessed more than I deserve. I have the blessing of waking up every morning knowing that someone KNOWS they love me.

Don't think we haven't had our fair share of struggles, because we have! But we worked it out no matter how hurt we were becuase we made a commitment to each other and to God to be married for better and worse. I don't know what your worse is but we have had a few over the past 5 years. It was hard, but in the midst of it we heard God saying...this is it. This is where the rubber meets the road. Stick with it becuase I stick with you.

So here's to you babe! Here's to the next 16 years! My prayer is that our love grows stronger and our commitment deeper. Thanks for helping me be the best I can be!

I love you!

The post christmas post

It has come and gone! So much work for 24 hours of fun! Santa brought our house 2 digital cameras! So hopefully soon I will be able to post pictures!

Christmas eve day was spend at my parent's house with my brothers and their families! Lots of fun and lots of presents! Oh--the night before they all came to my house for dinner and we played Name that Tune 80's version!!! So much fun! Lots of memories listening to that music from my formative years!

Christmas eve was our church's service! I think it is so awesome that we come together as a family and be together praising and honoring our Lord and the precious gift that He gave us when Christ was born. The children did a FABULOUS job with their portion of the evening! You can go to www.fxcc.org and hopefully soon their will be pictures up on the website of the evening.

Christmas morning was spent worshiping together at church....we never get to do that with my job! That was refreshing! We came back and celebrated Christmas with Jay's mom, brother and grandmother. Long story on the grandmother....another blog entirely but we had a good time.

It was sad though with Jim missing. He was truly missed and acknowledged.

One VERY frustrating fact...I ordered alex a digital camcorder for christmas from a website that specializes in too much stock and it was plastered alllllll over the website that if you ordered by the 21st, they would deliver by 24th. So I order on the 19th....Well guess what didn't come!!!!! I am so angry! I contacted the company and they just said. Sorry how about 20% off your next order. I told them absolutely not and that I would let all people I know, to not order from them! Poor Alex! They promised me that it would arrive today and guess what did NOT show up today!!!! Oh that's right....his christmas present!!!!! So this company is on NOT on my favorite list!

Over all we had a lovely christmas and when Grandmother leaves, I will post about her. What a sad life she lives!

I hope everyone had a very merry Christmas! Oh by the way, from my previous post....I did get the Willow Tree Angel Nativity set!!! YEAH!!!!!

Now only 364 days left until next Christmas!

Little traveler

Here are the states I have visited! I have also been to Mexico and England and Scotland! This spring break...we are going to Key West, Caymans, Cozumel and Castaway Cay!!!

I figured out how to put a picture on my blog! How if I could just figure out how to add links to the side of my page....anyone wanna help me?

> your own visited states map

Ho-ho-ho

Got this off Malia's blog....the answers are mine! Go ahead do it! You know you want to!

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot Chocolate with whip cream!

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? under the tree, artfully arranged for a dramatic presentation for Christmas morning!

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? I want white only but we have colored on both the tree and the house.

4. Do you hang mistletoe? Nope, we just kiss all the time anyway! JK!

5. When do you put your decorations up? We cut down the tree the Sat. after T-giving and then the decorations start going up!

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? I can't pick just one!

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child? Waking up on Christmas morning to see what Santa had brought and the artful way that is is arranged under the tree for the dramatic presentation! I learned from the master!

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? My friend down the street told me when I was 6. I didn't fess up however until I was much older. I think I was afraid that I wouldn't get any presents at that point. However, I tend to view Santa as being the Spirit of Christmas and of giving and that is something I believe in and holds more truth than the jolly elf from storybooks. (sorry copied this one from Malia...i completely agree)

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? We always opened gifts in my family on Christmas eve. Christmas day was all about Santa and what "he" brought. Jay grew up with only opening gifts on Christmas day. So we open gifts with my family on Christmas eve and on Christmas day we do Santa and gifts to the 4 of us and with Jay's family.

10. What kind of cookies does Santa get set out for him? Chocolate chip and milk but now Santa does coke or cherry coke. smile!

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Love it! If it's gonna be cold then there better be snow!

12. Can you ice skate? Yes

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? Not one gift really but I do remember finding the ATARI 6400 or was it a 5200? under my parents bed (dumb place to hide THE gift of the season) and being totally excited about it! I also remember getting my Cabbage Patch kid from England becuase they were sold out here in the US and my Dad went to England on a business trip and got it there!

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Being a family. Sharing our blessings more than normal with those not as fortunate. We do this on a regular basis but we step it up a notch at the holidays.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? No bake cookies and pumpkin pie with ice cream.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? The new one that has started for us is going ot our church's Christmas Eve service. Also being at my mom's all of Christmas Eve day and playing games and opening presents!

17. What tops your tree? An Angel--a really cheap one from Walmart that we bought 16 years ago and the kids won't let us get rid of her!
.
18. Which do you prefer Giving or Receiving? Giving.

19. What is your favorite Christmas Carol? O Holy Night and Silent Night. But my absolute favorite song about Christmas is the one by Point of Grace I can't remember the title but it's about a family befriending an old woman with no family! Makes me weep! Also by POint of Grace--We're not that far from Bethlehem.

20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum? Only yummy when you have an upset tummy!

New Favorite things

Ok here is a list of my favorite things...Oprah eat your heart out!

1. The song by Chris Tomlin--How great is our God---makes me cry every time! I truly worship with that song.

2. Rachael Ray's 365-NO Repeats, 30 minute meals!!! A shout-out to my dear friend Lisa for thinking of me and buying it for me for Christmas! Now I would LOVE the cool knife she has! Rachael Ray that is!

3. The Willow tree angels---I really really want the Nativity set (hint, hint, dear mother in law) but the one that touches me the most is the one with the dad sitting and holding the baby and the mom looking over the dad's shoulder....sniff sniff...loved it, bought it for James and Ramona when they had Gillian!

4. Warm, fuzzy socks! Target has good ones! So does Eddie Bauer! I am wearing some right now that have angora in them wiht little snowflakes! Quiet apro po for the fact that the weater outside is frightful....

5. Wireless internet! Sitting here on my laptop in the living room wrapped up in my next favorite thing talkin to you fine people!

6. My corduroy blankets! My mom bought them last year-maybe from JC Penney? Love them love them love them!

7. My quilt! Saw it at Mountain Lake and bought it on Domestications! Love it!!! It has good corners....long story!

8. My Britton watch! The one with the interchangeable wrist bands!!! Love it!

9. I know it's not moral but I really really like Friends! Trying to collect all 10 seasons! It just makes me laugh!

10. Last but not least--my family!

What are your favorite things?

Christmas time!

Ok, If you are family and friends and you read this....my palm pilot broke a while back but I wasn't worried because I had it synced with my computer...well that crashed too so...we have a new computer but I have no address!!!

I need your address! I am actually going to get my Christmas letter out this year! I should just blog it but that would be impersonal! :)

Ok well leave me love...and your address.....actually that is not too safe...so email it to me....

jecasergio@cox.net

A response to Sammie's blog...

So I typed the word verification thing like 100 times and it said it was wrong...alex looked and checked for me...I was right....jay checked and looked for me....i again was right....and no i don't have the caps lock on....so here is my comment!

A real tree all the way. It is our family tradition to go as far as possible to get the best deal and spend an hour in the cold finding the perfect tree and only pay a few bucks for it! We did it again this year! We have a 9 foot douglas fir and only paid $20!!! LOVE IT!
Ok but if I must be 100% truthful...I tried to talk my kids into a fake one this year and they wouldn't have anything of it! They said it was the SERGIO family tradition to go and do this every year. Just like I don't want to put up on top of the tree my cheesy 7$ Walmart angel that Jay and I bought the first year we were married cause we were poor but my kids love it! They won't let me do the stylish bow that I pay someone at Total Crap..i mean Crafts to make for like $100!!!
Muppets Christmas album with John Denver! The best ever! Listen and enjoy! Veggie Tales Christmas is a close 2nd...too funny that the end of each song they clap their hands? Where are their hands? Vegatables don't have hands! It is like donald duck and his pants! He always comes out of the shower with a towel around his waist...he never wears pants!
Ellyn

The magic of WAMAVA

I don't know if it is the cleaner air, or the landscape, or the no phones and t.v. or that you are away from the ratrace or all of the above but I just got back from the teen retreat at WAMAVA and ahhhh......I am like a new woman!

I only got l ike 5 hours of sleep but still I have come back with a renewed sense of peace. I don't know what it is about WAMAVA that does that to me!

I was totally stressed out about Christmas and decorating and putting up the tree but now I am not! I was trying to think of every excuse yesterday to NOT go to WAMAVA with the teens but I couldn't think of a real valid one so I went. I am glad I did!

I only stayed for one day because I have to get up at the crack of dawn at go to work (church) if I don't come home. I am getting too old for that.

I think one thing that rejuvenates me is that Chris has the teens make mailboxes and all weekend the teens spend a lot of time writing words of encouragement to each other! I love doing that! I sat down and wrote to every jr. higher and almost all the sr. high kids! They wrote me back too! I love hearing what they have to say! Anway, I was giving out love and they were sending it back and as the song goes...what the world needs now, is love, sweet love.....

It makes the world go round! So I came home and cleaned the 1st floor of my house and have started putting up Christmas decorations!!! I am feeling it! It also doesn't hurt that it is all cold and cloudy out and looks like SNOW!!!!!

It's the most wonderful time of year!!! Sing with me!!!! Man, am I relaxed!

What relaxes you? Come on put up your tree and deck the halls! Send someone some love! You will feel better!!!

Teen Retreat + Crew+ Basketball=No tree up yet

Well last Sat. we did our usual family tradition of going to Jacobson's tree farm is lovely Lucketts. We got out and picked up our saw and walked and walked to find that one tree that would be THE one to bring us cheer and beauty for the next 30 days.

We were successful. We got an 8 foot douglas fir! We tied on top of the van. We got home and took it off the van and put in a bucket at the front door and well, there it sits...one week later...at our front door.

Not real sure when we will put it up and deck the halls and fa la la la la and all that jazz. This weekend is the teen retreat. Monday starts Crew's winter conditioning for Chelsea (5 days a week) and basketball practice for Alex.

Maybe we should just decorate it outside this year! Sounds good to me! Then I don't have to rearrange the living room and clean up!

But alas, my kids' wont' let me. I have tried for the past 2 years to get a fake tree BUT no! It is our family tradition to go the Sat. after Thanksgiving and go to Jacobson's tree farm in Lucketts and cut down our tree.

I always loved our Christmas traditions growing up. Coming in on christmas morning and seeing all that Santa has brought artfully set up and displayed for the most perfect photo opportunities and inspiring awe in the eyes of those of us who still believe in Santa.

So yes, sometime next week we will clean the house and rearrange the living room, set up and decorate the tree all the while listening to 6 of our 40 Chrismtas cd's and Christmas will offically start in the Sergio household! TRADITION! TRADITION!

What is your favorite Christmas tradition?

What a difference a day makes

Today is my hubby's birthday! YEAH!!! He is the rip old age of 37! Yikes 40 is just around the corner for us!

We had a GREAT family day!! Shopping--almost bought a $2000 bed...the select comfort...then we ate a mediocre meal at Benningan's and regained our facilities and decision making skills! We are still in the market for a new mattress and new bed but can't seem to fork over the money right now so I guess we will wait a while...maybe until tax returns come in! The lovely lady at the select comfort store did however manage to convince us thru the every so sly trick of video and heat waves and such to tell us that regular old innerspring mattresses would just worsen Jay's back condition. AND She knows that not everyone can afford $2200 upfront so how about 14 months no interest same as cash?! HA! Whatever fool!!! I still have to come up with $2200!!! it doesn't matter if it is today or 14 months from now!

I have to admit those beds were pretty darn comfortable! All day I have been thinking how can we EVER go back to a "normal" mattress, one where our bodies don't relax like they should and the pressure points are all wrong! Then we went to see Harry Potter 4 and I forgot about it for 2 1/2 hours! The movie was fine. It was not for young kids. It is not your happy go lucky Harry Potter...this one is much heavier in content and darker. He is a teenager in the movie and does typical teen things.

Now I am trying to wake Alex up so he can go to a birthday party where they will play manhunt all night? Whatever that is. Take Chelsea to a teen function and go out to birthday dinner with the Hubby and maybe go and look at some more inferior albeit cheaper mattresses than the ever popluar select comfort.

Have a good one!

I am a sucka

Ok, so apparently I have nothing better to do on a Friday night than read blogs and answer silly lists....so here it goes...I'm divin in!!! By the way...Jay's 37th birthday is tomorrow...he doesn't know it but I bought him a flat panel t.v. today!!! Am I the wife of the year of what!!??? Well don't be quick to answer that cause I also bought a new nikon coolpix 6 mp, 10x digital zoom camera...eeek!!!! He doesn't know about that one either!!! Maybe that one will be Christmas!

Two Names You Go By: Mommy and Dear (sometimes not a term of endearment!)
Two Parts of Your Heritage: English and Scotish
Two Things That Scare You: heights & having my family far away from me
Two of Your Everyday Essentials: sunglasses in my hair and my wedding ring
Two Things You Are Wearing Right Now: my favorite pair of levi's and warm, fuzzy socks
Two of Your Favorite Bands or Musical Artists: Newsboys & Rascal Flatts
Two Things You Want in a Relationship: honesty and affection
Two Truths: My God reigns & my home will never be completely clean
Two Things You Hate (or rather dislike with a passion): lying (as in telling a fib) and rude people
Two Physical Things that Appeal to You: a nice 6 pack and kissable cheeks
Two of Your Favorite Hobbies: I don't really have any hobbies..sad, very sad I know! Ok maybe reading and watching t.v. but that is not really a hobby...
Two Things You Want Really Badly: to lose weight & to see my children be baptized
Two Places You Want to go on Vacation: England and the Caribbean (oh wait going there spring '06--Disney Cruise BABY!)
Two Things You Want to Do Before You Die: conquer a fear and sing at the grand ole opry
Two Ways that you are stereotypically a Chick/Guy: emotional and love to buy clothes
Two Things You Normally Wouldn't Admit: I like to sing loudly when I am alone ( I win the grammy for best new artist everytime!) and I can rock a video game wth the best of them!
Two People I'd like to see do this List: anyone & everyone

Back in the saddle again

Ok I have gone for a while. No one ever reads my blogs anyway but I hope to have something very profound to say soon!

I was sick this weekend with the flu, I am better now! Thanks for asking!

Yesterday was my daughter's 15th birthday. I can't believe she is 15!! She will be driving in 6 months! I look at her and think...what did we do to deserve such an amazing blessing?!!!

She is such a great kid! She is honest and kind. She is a hard worker and she loves God! She came away from Powerhouse this weekend just amazed. She knows she actually felt God in the worship center Saturday night! She said it was amazing! She cried telling me about it. She was overflowing with joy at the souls who turned their lives over to God this weekend. She was reminded of her decision 3 years ago. She knows she is cleaned by God and she is ever grateful for it! She wants everyone she knows to be clean too!

My son turned 12 ten days before my daughter turned 15. Again, I can't believe my "baby" is 12! He was a hard baby! He challenged everything we knew to be right. The good news is that we stuck to our guns and leaned up what we knew was right and he is just a fantastic kid!

He has such a great sense of humor! He keeps us laughing! He is laid back and fun loving. He doesn't get rattled at much. He loves to please other people. He also will work hard for those he likes! I worry about him because he doesn't seem to be as outwardly driven as my daughter but yet when I think about it, he is driven just in a different way and I sometiems struggle to understand his way.

That reminds me of the Bible verse that says "Train a child in the way HE should go and HE will not depart from it." Hmm...that would be a good blog entry next on what that means.

Do you have any ideas? If so let me know! Also, use this time to give a shout out to your kids or your husband or a friend! We all could use a shout-out once in a while!

Who am I?

"Who am I? That the Lord of all the earth, would care to know my name? Would care to feel my hurt? Who am I? That the bright and morning star would choose to light my way in my ever wandering heart. It's not because of who I am but because of what you've done. Not becuase of what I've done but becuase of who YOU are...."

I LOVE this song! It makes me cry everytime I hear it becuase this song strikes at the heart of why I gave my life to Christ.

On my own, I am nothing. God knew me before I was born while I was still in my mother's womb and loved me anyway. You might say, that it is easy to love a baby even an unborn baby. But God being God, KNEW me. Me in all my flaws, all my shortcomings AND all my strengths even before I did those things. He knows all that and loves me anyway! He yearns to have a relationship with me. The one who created EVERYTHING wants me to know Him and have a relationship with Him! How awesome is that?!!! I am made in His image. I was created for worship. I was created to follow Him and do His will. I was created to serve Him. I was created to learn about Him and then in turn tell others about Him. I was created to do all things to glorify Him.

Why? Because he made everything and still wanted to know my name. He wants to be my light and my way. It is not because I can "do" things and earn His love. It is available to me, I have to choose it. I choose it because MAN! Is it awesome to live like that instead of trying to make it on my own. I can rely on Him and His love for me to get me through each day. I don't know if you have noticed but this world can be horrible! Terrible things happen. How do these people get through it without God? I know I can't. I need Him. It actually very freeing (sp?) to be able to say that and live that. That is very contradictory to our culture.

The end of that song....."I am a flower quickly fading. Here today and gone tomorrow. A vapor in the wind. Still You hear me when I calling. Lord you catch me, when I falling. And you told me who I am. I am yours"

Thank you Lord for telling me who I am. Lord, my prayer is that I listen and obey.

Quick before the door closes!

Man, am I getting old. I have secretly known it for a while but hello, Josh Kellar left a comment on myblog and then I followed his blog and read all what was happening in his life....

I have been in denial. By the way, denial itself is actually good, it is when you come out of denial and into reality that it sucks!

So, the getting old thing...i have been keeping it a secret that I am getting old. I dye my hair, I blame my weight gain on my children. I am fooling everyone! HA! I mean my brother's have kids. 5 between the 2 of them! Their friends that they hung out in high school with and hung out at my house with are having kids! I mean Chad Patterson is a DAD!!! COME ON! Josh is married, Heather has 2 kids! You all are suppose to stay the same so that I don't feel old! A few years ago I ran into a college kid who was in like 2nd grade whenI had him in SACC (school age childcare) when I worked SACC in college!!!

I have a daughter in high school for crying out loud! She plays volleyball for the high school. My son is in his last year of elementary school! The other day we walked into the school for a game and I realized "oh my, i need to make sure he is in the school so that he learns his way around before next year!" In 9 very short months...I think that time gets literally faster as you get older...he will go to JR. HIGH!!! He is my baby!

I remember record players. I had a record player! I have vinyl!!! Michael Jackson, Bon Jovi, Eagles, The Go-Go's, the Firm! It is a concept that is filed under anciet history for my kids. They of course have some of the afore mentioned artists but now they are on their ipods not on vinyl or even a cassette tape!

I used to talk on the phone for as long as I was allowed and I would walk as far as the extra long cord would allow me...just as long as I unwound it and hung it back up right as to not exhasterbate my father....now they IM. There is not calling on the phone. They text msg. Apparently that is easier than picking up the actual now cordless phone and using their mouth to communicate!

I try to stay up adn current. But nothing can hide the fact that I am truly aging. Well reality has been real! I am headed back into denial quickly before the door closes!

Have a great weekend!

Loss for words

This is going to be short. As Christians we need to do something, anything to help all those poor souls in Mississippi and Louisiana. Just watching the news is just heart-breaking! I believe that God can be glorified in all situations! Let's do it...let's glorify God and do something to help!

Our lives are like the destruction in Mississippi (is it MI or MS?) and LA. God is the only one who can bulldoz and the debris away and make it clean. It is our responsibility to pay it forward!

If I think of anything, I will let you know. Send money to the RedCross...give at your local church. I am sure that churches are going to be taking up collections.

Pray, these people need God and His comfort now more than ever.

Ramblings.....

I got done with work early today!!! Yea me! So now I am at home and what I should be doing is picking up and cleaning house...you know like a good wife should! jk But instead I got online and started reading blogs! My word, I don't think I knew that I knew so many people with so much to say! Then I started thinking....ok get this...how weird is that we now live in an age of technology that allows us to post our daily thoughts to THE WORLD!!!! I mean if you really think about it....it's just wierd! I know I am on the beginning end of the gen-xers, so I have the tendency to think like a baby boomer too but all you late gen-xers and millenials, this is just everyday life for you...this is just wierd if you really think about it! Kind of cool, kinda creepy. Right now some dude from Uzbekistan could be reading my blog! If they knew english I guess....see what I mean. Why does someone in Uzbekistan want to see what some almost middle-age wife and mom of 2 has to say about her life....why does anyone? But still I keep putting up posts! Don't get me wrong, I LOVE reading what most you all put up. You know who you are....Shayna, Jessica B., Sammie, Bruce, etc.

I try to stay up and current becuase I have an almost 15 year old daughter....there is another blog in itself! I mean she is going to be a FRESHMAN in high school! I have a FRESHMAN! yikes! I still think I am like 23 or somthing...then I look in the mirror and realize I am not (grey hair abounds or not thanks to the bottle of peroxide!) or one of my daughter's friends looks at me wierd when I try to use their lingo and I realize...oh yeah, they think I am an OLD person. But anyhoo.....

So I try to stay current....on my AIM I have all my daughter's friends screennames and I keep track of their profiles and what they say. Well now, they all have either blogs, xangas (i guess that is a blog too) or a "space". These kids will say anything and everything! I learn alot about them!!! Then I wonder....where are those parents and do they know what their kid has on their AIM profile or blog or xanga or space? What would they do if they did read those? It is a whole different ballgame! This is like extreme parenting. The x-games of life.

Then thinking of all that leads me to...I wonder when I will be too old to care or understand about what is current and new and hip? You know like your grandparents? or parents? My parents don't have a blog, my mom barely operates a computer. She does however have a Treo, that's a big step. I had to explain to her about getting Chelsea an ipod mini. Which leads me to...remember the original sonywalk man? The cassette player! See what I mean...I am only 36 and in like 20 short years sooooooooooooooooooooo much has changed!

Makes me curious about the next 20 years.

What to do

I have been working from home today. Well I should say trying to work from home today. I am not sure how any of this computer stuff works but I have this new fangled software or something or other on my laptop(my personal laptop, not one from work...everyone else seems to be allowed to have one but me!!!..yes self inflicted pity party happening at 3) that allows me to access our server and supposedly our database (which i learned today I also don't have permission to see) from home.

I asked for this life-easing(is that a word?) alternative since the last 3 weeks of summer vacation I tend to spend all day away from my kids. I get tired of it and they get tired of it. One of the things I asked for when I started to work for the church was that I needed them to understand that I was a Mommy first. My family comes first. So if I needed to be with them then I wasn't going to get grief about it. All powers that be were in agreement! (Amazing what desperate people will agree to!!! Just Kidding!)

So now I can work from home in the mornings while my kids are sleeping away until noon! EXCEPT for today. The system failed me! I couldn't get connected and if I did then it said I did not have permission to access it! WHatever! God himself gave me permission! What computer server thinks it can out perform God almighty!!!

So while I was trying to get that problem solved, I was making phone calls and sending emails via my personal email account. All this to say, haven't really spent any time with my kids except to tell them that " Mom, is almost done!" Grrrr.....

So much for technology making my life easier. OH well these things happen....I guess I am going into the office tomorrow!

Revolt

Today did not go like I had planned. I got a migraine. Can I just tell you that most of the time I know why I get migraines. Lack of sleep, a weather front moving thru, a woman thing, stuff like that. Today...for no reason at all....so apparently my body is falling apart.

Why is it that now that I am older than 35, my body has brought on a kind of revolt? I am too young to feel bad so many times! I know that I am not the kindest to my body. I eat too much. I drink too much caffeine. I stay up too late and not get enough sleep. I don't excercise. I don't take vitamins.

If my mother was reading this, she would be all "I told you so!" So I am saying it for you mom! Yes, you told me so! I broke down and called my parents and asked for some vitamins. I know when my mom heard that message she was grinning from ear to ear! According to my mother, who is almost never sick, if you just take all the appropriate vitamins then you would never be sick. You should see how many she takes every morning. IT is enough to choke a horse! But she's almost never sick. She is as healthy as a horse. She is in her late 50's and is very healthy. So apparently my adolescent rebellion is still a part of my personality becuase I really don't want to admit that my mother is right. So shh....don't tell her please! Let's just keep this our little secret! When I take vitamins, I feel better and I don't have migraines. OH and just an FYI..it can't be just any vitamins, it has to be Shaklee vitamins. Why you ask, well I have heard the answer about 8 bazillion times since I was 10, so I can recite it in my sleep! No I am not bitter! smile! :)

The answer is because Shaklee vitamins are all natural and they are digested and processed in your body in less than 20 minutes. Proven fact, some news show like 20/20 or something did a study on vitamins and Shaklee vitamins were the ONLY ones to be digested with in 20 minutes so they were the most effective.

There you have it folks. If you want to be the poster child of health then take Shaklee vitamins and you will live a long and uber healthy life! If you have an ailment then there is apprently some vitamin you are lacking in your body and Shaklee has the vitamin you need!

The funny part is that I actually do believe all of this. I also believe in going to the chiropractor. Vitamins and being adjusted really do work. I have been there and done that. I just well am a little too rebellious for my own good. Strong willed you say? Yes that too!

So no matter what you have sniffles, headache, itchy eyes, ingrown toenail, or your nosehairs aren't standing on end, call my mom she can tell you what vitamin you need to fix anything!

Vacations

I love vacations! I especially loved this past vacation! Went on our annual trip to the beach with 2 dear families! We rented an AWESOME house 100 yds. from the ocean and had an all around relaxing and enjoyable time!

Every year when we get together with these friends there tends to be a favorite game we play. Last year was Rummikube (sp?), this year at camp it was Phase10, at the beach we opened up the gates and posted the challenge.....we played Nertz! Ever played? It is the best game ever! Fast paced, every man/woman for themselves, losers go down and go down big! All you faint hearted and weak kneed people need not play! It is hard to describe the feeling of trying to nertz first and then have someone else nertz before you and you were sooooooooo close! You have to experience it.

We shopped and sat on the beach and read books. One day, I think we actually did nothing but sit on the couch and watch t.v. and sleep! This is not like our normal vacations. We tend to get up and get moving and go, go, go. Now, I know what some of you may be thinking...how is that different from everyday life? It isn't except that I am not looking at bills to pay and answering the phone and going to work. But this vacation was different. WE all slept in until like 9:30-10. We didn't eat breakfast until like 10:30, one day it was 11! IT WAS GREAT!!!!!!!!!!! It was pure relaxation!

I love the ocean and the beach. I love the sound of the waves and the feel of the sand under my feet. Hey, it is a cheap pedicure that way...I mean we spent a ton of $$ to have a house 100 yds. from the ocean! I know this is all very Hallmarky but it is true.

We had great food! Yes I even cooked one night! It was Taco salad, so you may not consider that "cooking" but Jay did brown the ground beef! We had great company! We laughed and talked and there was a fair amount of trash talk going on...all in good Christian fun! 2 words.... Buddha, Salad!

This was just one of the best vacations! I love being busy but I really really enjoyed doing nothing and having no agenda and time constraints! ahhhh..........

Now it is back to the grind!

Snap shots

OK so last week was our infamous VBS. We had over 500 kids come to sing and learn about God and His amazing love! Our whole church bands together to get this event pulled off! We have soooo many people give of their time so that kids can come in and learn they way they learn best. By experiencing God.

We had a room that was made into a Lion's Den, with lifesize lions and glow in the dark eyes and skulls and authentic lion roars. So authentic that when the man playing Daniel came out and told the kids he was scared and asked what he should do, a little girl screamed out "PRAY TO GOD, HE WILL SEND HIS ANGELS TO SAVE YOU!" Then he asked the kids to help him pray and there was this boy with tightly folded hands and eye shut tight, praying and shaking! Although, I do hope we don't have to be liable for any future psychology bills. There was the jail. The kids came into a hot room that was void of anything fun...fully equipped with shackles and jailers who were tough and rough. We had a firey furnance too!

A great time was had by all. Even the 4th graders who apparently had a grand time with a full-contact game involving golf clubs...not sure about that one but I heard stories.

So, I am pretty much like the walking dead the week of and the week after. But that week God granted me a sneak peak of heaven I think. One morning while all 500 kids were in the worship center singing, I was up front and I looked out onto the sea of faces of those kids, and just was in awe, marveled, and touched by the love and the joy those kids were showing. They were pumped up and singing with all their hearts to God! I just stood there and teared up. Then "Betty Boop" came up to me to tell me of a potential VBS ending problem and WHAM! I was back to a place of work again.

I still have that snapshot of the kids singing and praising. I am currently all alone at home getting ready to leave on vacation and the picture still rolls thru my mind. I am trying to decompress (not sure that is the right word) so that I can enjoy my vacation with my family.

Thank you. God for photographic memories!