TreasuresInTerraCotta

Oh the joy of being HOME! Last night was our first night back in our house. It's been a busy week trying to get our things from storage and trying to carry all the stuff we had been living with back to our house. Maybe I will start to feel settled this coming week. But with two boys nothing happens fast around here...except bike riding and skateboarding (the 4 year old) and trash emptying and dog food eating (the 1 year old). My kitchen is still a mess! But we took care of the important things....Like decorating our new Christmas tree in time for St. Nicholas Day (today, December 6th)! It really is beautiful. I will get some better pictures soon.

Happy Thanksgiving! This is my favorite day of the year. I love that it is (still) all about family and friends and food and gratefulness. Somehow it has remained largely un-commercialized and uncomplicated, apart perhaps from the food. To me, it signals the real start of the Christmas season…unlike Halloween or Columbus Day or the 4th of July, as the retailers want us to believe. And today is the first day in over a week that my little one is back to his happy and (mostly) healthy self. So it’s a great day. Today we’re headed to my cousin’s farm where we’ll gather with about 20 or so other people to celebrate this Thanksgiving day. I have an 87 year old grandma who will be there along with a handful of aunts and uncles and a whole bunch of cousins and second cousins. There may be a few friends and co-workers or neighbors thrown in as well. We didn’t have any new babies this year, so my Andrew will be the youngest at 13 months. But my cousin has a new fiancée this year, so we’...

Our house is coming along nicely. It looks like a real house again. As if we could almost live there! But there are a million details to finish up in the next few weeks. Thankfully I am not responsible for most of them. Here are a few pictures to give you an update. I told the neighbor that the port-o-potty would be removed from the front of our house VERY SOON!! From the living room into the newly opened kitchen. Living room looking into new bedroom toward the front of the house. The new bedroom. That's a closet on the right and there is also a bathroom on the right. I can't wait for it to be finished...and then we'll have an open house! We are so excited.

I want my own Dilly Bar. Mommy shared, but that's not the same. I want to HOLD it. Notice that I am content, but that I did not give mommy any smiles!

We like Halloween costume themes. We've been barn yard animals and The Flintstones . This year my kids and my sister's kids went as the crew from The Wizard of Oz. Despite our great ideas and good costumes we have surprisingly few good pictures to show for it. This year I had a Revelation: Have a separate dress-up day for pictures. Here's my reasoning: -You get better pictures with natural, outdoor lighting. -You get better pictures when kids are most happy and awake. -You get better pictures when you are not trying to make dinner, find costume parts, answer the door for trick-or- treaters , entertain guests, etc. So, at least for me, Halloween pictures taken at 6:00 on October 31 don't inspire awe. Never-the-less here's what we got this year! (Thanks to Grandpa!) And next year we'll institute Dress-Up Day For Pictures.

Climbing... Shooting Rockets... Cruising... Watching rockets land... Enjoying the vista views...

Last year's Halloween costume for Andrew: A Duck Brother and the cousins made up the rest of a barnyard including a horse, a dog and a scarecrow. And the mama's were farmers. I didn't do a very good job guessing the size of two week old, so it was big enough to fit again this year. So today I modified it to be a lion! As in The Cowardly Lion from The Wizard of Oz. As you might guess, this year the kids will be Dorothy, Lion, Scarecrow and Tin Man. A little Halloween preview:

Hooray for me! I ran a 5K. Well...it's a little misleading to say I ran because I didn't run the whole thing. But I ran a lot and I completed it (in about 36 minutes) and I'm still alive! Here's what I learned: -Don't register on line. I paid $8.75 in extra fees. -I am more fit for my kids. My fitness goals were motivated initially for personal reasons...I just want to feel better and look better. But I have discovered that it is very motivating to be able to keep up with my kids and to enjoy their active play. -I get bored. After just a few months running in my neighborhood I am bored with the scenery. -I need external motivation, but not a lot. I needed the motivation of having a race to train towards. I did not, however, need a daily running buddy. I needed the Couch-to-5K plan to give me some structure. I did not need to to have a running partner for the race. -There is always someone/something to race even if you're not at the front of the pack. I came in a...

We went away on vacation and when we came back we had new walls....sorta. Demolition is very strange. Yes, that part of the roof is hanging there cantilevered. You can see the saltio tile from the original footprint. Oh, It's looking like a house again.

I was a little misleading in my last post. I did ponder what to put in our foundations and I did miss the first visit of our cement truck. The following day, however, the cement truck returned to pour the porch. I didn't want to let the opportunity totally slip by so I finally gave up my vision of a "perfect" idea, with the perfect wording, printed on elegant paper and gracefully written in calligraphy. I chose two verses. I hand wrote them on lined notebook paper with a ball point pen. I rolled them into a "scroll" and secured them with Scotch tape. I placed one under each threshhold of two of our three doors. And I'm happy with that. Ephesians 5: 1-2 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Deuteronomy 6: 4-9 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and wi...

Not truly a "before" picture, but this was very early in the demolition phase. Ready for concrete. The very cool cement pump truck! Little boy hand prints! I love them! For many days I had pondered placing something in the cement footings. But the concrete truck arrived before I arrived at the perfect idea. What about you? What would you place in the literal foundation of your house if you had the chance?

I got some new running shoes today. Actually, this is my first pair of "running" shoes ever. Aren't they cute? They are New Balance 409. The price was right and they felt good on my feet...for the 3 minutes I had them on in the store. And do you know what? They are "Made In USA" which makes me extra happy. In fact, I'm going to write a letter to the company thanking them for actually offering products that are Made In USA. Maybe tomorrow I'll run in them and let you know how it goes. I am running 5-7 minutes at a time and then walking for 2-3 minutes. I do that cycle 3 times. Great for me...but I don't know if that will get me through a 5K very successfully. In two weeks we'll know.

I've been doing Beth Moore's "Esther: It's Tough Being a Woman" Bible study. It has drawn attention to multiple ironies that fill the book of Esther. The downfall of the former Queen Vashti was her refusal to go before the king, yet Esther's destiny ultimately required her to go before the king uninvited. Mordecai saved the king from assassination, yet the king played a role in the annihilation plot of Mordecai and all the Jews. Haman built a gallows to hang Mordecai, but on those same gallows Haman would himself be hanged. I have a whole page of ironies listed in the back of my workbook and I still have two weeks to go! Honestly, it makes me smile when I look over them. I see God's hand at work in every turn of the story. This is better than the best fiction. So when I met with my own irony my senses were ready to see it. And this is a very little thing, so don't get too excited. But I wanted to share it. I was doing my Couch-to-5K running yesterday...

Hooray, we took Uncle Ted to see the bats take off. The Mexican Free-Tail bats make there summer home here in sunny Arizona. Tonight we parked at Home Depot and walked down to the wash. The bats sleep nestled under the bridge all day. At sunset they make their grand exit into the darkening sky where they will eat bugs all night. We raced there, hoping not to miss the flight that begins at sundown. We waited and waited in the beautiful desert dusk. Finally a few bats appeared and then disappeared just as quickly as they started their search for food. Unfortunately, there were surprisingly few bats tonight. Probably less than 100 total, leaving the bridge in groups of three or four or five. It was sadly unimpressive compared to my memory of the same event two years ago. I wonder if they have started their migration south for the winter. Or maybe the scant rain we received during this monsoon season left us with too few bugs and mosquitos. By October they will be gone for the winter. But ...

Today I started Week 4 of The Couch-to-5K running plan . Honestly, I thought I was farther along since I've been walking/running regularly for at least 6 weeks now. And I've seen some minor but positive changes...I have more endurance for household things like getting around on the floor with the boys, some of my clothes seem to fit better and I feel less "puffy." Anyway, today the proverbial rubber met the road with Week 4. The circut goes like this...jog 3 minutes, walk 90 seconds, jog 5 minutes, walk 2 1/2 minutes, jog 3 minutes, walk 90 seconds, jog 5 minutes. And it was hard! Maybe that's how it's always supposed to be. But running for 5 minutes is not something I can do yet and today was the first time I physically felt like I just couldn't jog another step. And I feel nauseous. So maybe that means I'm doing something right. Have I mentioned that I'm not a runner. I do not like it. I do not enjoy it. I am slow. I doubt I have goo...

This weekend we had a progressive dinner. Tyler's cousin and her family came down from Phoenix to help with the cooking and join in the fun. My in-laws brought the plum wine and the saki. My sister's family hosted appetizers, Ted made dessert and we made the main course. Since we are currently displaced from our home, it wasn't as progressive as one might expect, but it was great fun. The Theme: Pan-Asian Appetizers: Lettuce Wraps Main dish: Thai-Style Cabbage Slaw, Hot Sichuan-Style Green Beans, Sesame Noodle Salad, Drunken Chicken, Sweet-Hot Coconut Shrimp, Hoisin Pork with Hot Mustard, plus Red Chicken Dessert: Green tea ice cream homemade by Ted, formerly stationed in Japan As usual it was crazy and fun. And of course, everything was delicious. For my portion I found a menu at Sunset.com for an Asian small plate party . It seemed ideal since we could make a few different items, but wouldn't have to make big portions, even though we were serving eight adults...

On Friday night my dad received the great honor of having the Sahuarita High School football field named after him . This is where he has taught, coached, mentored and ministered for nearly 40 years. I wish I could express adequately how proud I am to have him as my dad. Yet words fail me.

Does bread machine homemade bread count as homemade bread? I am the temporary owner of a bread machine since we are living at my brother-in-law's house while our house is getting an addition. Why a single, thirty-something man has a bread machine, and a nice one at that, is another story. But since I am the only one who has been in the kitchen for the past month, I have confiscated the bread machine. Calvin and I took it on our maiden voyage today. I used the Basic White Bread recipe from the instruction manual, figuring the manufacturer would want to make a good impression with their product! Here's how it turned out. The top is a little deflated, and the texture is a little "dense" but otherwise it tastes just like the bread-machine bread I've had from more proficient bread-machine bakers. I will admit that I did not use the freshest flour since I had a half a bag left over from another adventure. But overall I'm pretty pleased. I can't wait to to ...

Am I the only mom who feels the chronic disappointment of unfinished conversations? Am I the only one who leaves a friend's house and feels like, "Oh, I forgot to ask her about..." or "We never got a chance to talk about..." or "Did she ever answer my question about...?" Perhaps it is just this season with small children. The need for nursing, diaper changes and snacks. Little voices saying "watch me," "help me," or "he hit me." But the fact of life on Earth is time is limited, time is fleeting and we are finite. Converstations, especially with children around, can only last so long. A discussion at church can only last the 30 seconds that is allowed to "shake someone's hand next to you." Bible study has to start. Kids neet to be taken home to nap. We are bound by the confines of time. I am so frustrated by this chronic lack of completion, the unfinished conversation, that I have to wonder, "Why?" A...

I continue to make progress on my list of 101 things to do in 1001 days. I'll try to provide some more updates in the future. But for now, here is my list of 30 meals we eat regularly (and like). I had the extra inspiration of a Menu Planning challenge from The Happy Housewife . 1. Spaghetti, salad, bread 2. Taco meat (hard tacos, soft tacos, taco salad or burritos), beans or rice or calabacitas 3. Polska Kibalsa, eggnoodles 4. Sloppy Joes, oven potatoes, corn 5. Grilled burgers, beans, veggie 6. Chili Mac, salad, bread 7. Beef stroganoff, noodles, salad 8. Chili, salad, cornbread 9. Skillet Lasagna, salad, bread 10. Onion Soup Roundsteak, rice, broccoli 11. Chicken Enchiladas , refried beans, tortilla chips 12. Virginia Corned Beef with potatoes, cabbage and carrots, bread 13. Stuffed bell peppers, salad 14. Sausage/ Bratwurst, potatoes 15. Pot Roast with Veggies 16. Pork and Green Chili Casserole 17. Tomato Pork Chops with Rice, salad, 18. Bacon Bow-Tie Fiesta , salad, bread 19. ...

The Mission: Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days. The Criteria: Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on my part). From: Day Zero When I saw this idea over at That They May Be One (now Sojourner's Hope) I started a list immediately. Unfortunately, it languished around #30. Perhaps I don't dream enough, I thought. Then I finally passed the 50 mark...I emailed Shauna with the good news! Yet I wondered if I was not as goal oriented as I thought I was. Somewhere around 80 I slowed down again. But I simultaneously started crossing things off the list. That gave me renewed inspiration. And today I finished the list! 101 Goals in 1001 Days Start: Sunday, June 14, 2009 Add 1001 days Resulting date: Sunday, March 11, 2012 Spiritual 1. Read through the Bible Done:  3/11-Read the NT; In Progress : Readin...

I found this over at I Should Be Folding Laundry through Shauna at That They May Be One . I love photos and I love sharing. I gave it a lot of thought and here's what I came up with. The assignment: The 4th of July and food I chose the sub-theme: Red

Today Marla Taviano asked: If you know Jesus and He’s done a work in your heart and life, will you testify to that today? That question made something in me want to stand up and cheer! I want to tell my story! I want to testify to what God has been doing. Sure I have a traditional testimony that goes something like "I became a Christian when I was 8 after being raised in the church." And while I am exceedingly thankful that my story includes that testimony, I have to say that I am also thankful that God works and acts and speaks still. Because if God hasn't done anything in my life since I was 8 then something is wrong. So to answer the question: I want to testify that God is a God of do-overs! This past week, indeed, this past year, God has put a bunch of do-overs in my path. Places I stumbled before that I have encountered again. People I failed in the past have come around full-circle. Situations I wish I had done differently; I get a chance to do them differen...

A few weeks ago I mentioned my fondness for a fitness routine that added activity. To me, it felt so different than cutting-out, denying and excluding. How often have I resolved to quit drinking soda, stop having 4:00 snacks, never eat after 8PM or limit sweets to once a day? I think I recognized that if I added something (the goal being: something healthy ) that something else would have to go. I don't recall ever being taught that principle of life, but experience has proven that something's gotta give. A couple weeks ago we added something to our household. Another dog! Now there are two, 45-pound German Shepherd mutts running around our house. It's a long story but, in the end, she needed a home. And I knew, almost immediately, that something would have to give. I resolved to leave the computer OFF except for specific times to check email, etc. And I discovered that it is the "etc." that is a colossal time-hog. I can check email rather quickly, but responding...

Can you tell that the child in the swing is my second-born...I grabbed the camera before I grabbed the baby!

If I write it down and put it on my blog, do you think it will help? Since I know that about three people read this, there isn't much incentive. But I have to say that I created a tracking-calendar on my computer and it has been very motivating. I like to fill in the date boxes with check-marks for each fitness activity. I started June 1. I was inspired by Metropolitan Mama's simple list so I used it as my starting point. I was also impressed that the list included "additions" instead of "deletions." I liked that philosophy, so that's what I did too. Fitness Additions: 100 crunches or Pilates video – 3x/wk 30 curls (5 lb. weights) – 3x/week Train for a 5K – 3x/week Family walks or active play Eat a fruit or vegetable at every meal Goals: 135 lb. by July 31 Run a 5K So far, I am seeing some positive results. The scale is trending in the right direction. I am happier with what I see in the mirror. I have been surprised how easy it is to fit in som...

Calvin got to meet a new friend from Australia this weekend. In no time they were "best mates." And we were all surprised that 3 year olds are 3 year olds with world over. They both loved trucks and tractors. They both loved movies (especially of trucks and tractors). They both loved to swim. And they were both SILLY (especially when they were together)! However, when it came to lunch the American and the Australian parted ways! Here, Calvin is eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Angus is eating a Vegemite sandwich! I kid you not!