So This Just Happened.

Over this past weekend something really big happened in our household.

Even though my 16 year old daughter told me over and over it wasn't a big deal somehow my heart did not get that memo.

I tried to hold it together. I really did. But then this happened.

She pinned a flower on a boy.  Who told her she could do that? Oh wait, I guess we did.  That's right it's all coming back to me now. We were sitting at the kitchen table I'm pretty sure I had only one cup of coffee flowing thru my veins when she asked her dad and I if she could go to the JA dance with a "friend" who is a boy. Now, in my defense I did say that I only had ONE cup of coffee. Mom's cannot be held responsible for anything they say until the SECOND cup of coffee is consumed.
Obviously that rule didn't pan out here because, WE said yes! The plural word there being WE. The operative word there being "SAID." The debatable word there being YES. We said it, but my heart didn't really mean it.

I mean ....  What I meant to say is ... NO. NO you cannot go to any dances with any boys. NO you cannot wear a dress so beautiful and look so stunning that it takes my breath away. NO you cannot pin a flower on a boy when you were dressing up dolls like yesterday. NO you cannot drive away in a car with that boy when you were just learning to ride your bike a minute ago. NO you cannot grow up. NO. Can I do that? I mean, can I take it all back? That's a rhetorical question. Sigh. I realize that I can't turn back time and say no where I previously said yes. I realize I can't stop this train, thank you very much John Mayer. I just, well I just wish sometimes this life would give you a little warning before you witness big life events like this. Daughters who become young women right before your eyes.

Please chime in all you parents who have walked this uncharted territory. I have to share a song that Emma's Auntie Gina sent me that same week. I'll admit it  did give me a little chuckle. I hope you enjoy it  AND  Pray for me.  

Love Yourself

Good Morning Beloved Reader.

Let's start this blog off on the right foot, or I guess if you prefer the left foot that's fine too, but let's start by talking about a quote shall we?

 “If you put a small value on yourself, rest as- 

sured that the world will not raise your price.” 

I absolutely love the above quote.  It makes me think of this scripture;
"Love your neighbor as you LOVE yourself"
We will come back to that later, because It also makes me think about those two beauties in the above picture.
Why? You ask.
Well,  I have noticed something, I'm not sure when it happened but my girls have turned into young women, and not just ANY young women. They are young women who walk around with a healthy dose of value, self worth, confidence, and wisdom.
It seemed like only yesterday that they were playing with dolls and giving each other rides around the house in the laundry baskets.  And now they look like this;

The one on the left is only 14 people.  FOURTEEN!! The one on the right ... well let's not mention how old she's going to be in a few months!
Back to the one on the left...
I'm pretty sure I'm not going to let her wear that red lipstick anymore. (Insert emoticon with a straight face and eyes wide open)  Ahem...  I'm also pretty sure I want her new favorite accessory of choice to be a brown paper bag with only the eye sockets cut out!! It's a good thing her dad is a GIANT named Moses or I'd be really worried.   But, you know I'm really not that worried because back to that quote up there this girl, my girl Chloe, has a high value for herself that I'm fairly certain will keep her from most things that most moms would worry about with a 14 year old daughter that looks like she's  TWENTY TWO!!
Yes, I'm raising two beautiful girls that not only value themselves but they truly are wise beyond their years. I know with complete certainty that this value and wisdom comes from their personal relationships with Jesus so I'm not about to take credit for it.
  But I also know that this world works night and day to try and de-value them. The world and it's message to these young women is working over time to tell them they aren't skinny enough, pretty enough, athletic enough, rich enough, witty enough, smart enough,  enough. enough.  enough.
I tire so quickly of that message.  In fact every new day I need a new message.  I need to hear that I'm loved, valued, appreciated, honored, treasured and so on and so forth.  I know that my girls need to hear this as well. And I would bet my 1966 vw buggy named Lucy Blue that it's a message YOU need to hear as well!
This message raises the price of my value by immeasurable numbers.  This message is one I can find readily available to me at any given moment.  It's also where I have read over a thousand times' "Love your neighbor as YOU LOVE YOURSELF"
A few weeks back my friend who also happens to be a Pastor and a really great teacher, he spoke about loving yourself. It struck a chord with me because I think that for me it's easier to love my neighbor than it is to love myself. I don't know about you all but sometimes I need a healthy dose of self love. Not to become conceited and narcissistic but just to bring back into line my true worth. I really do think that ONLY after I receive that self love message am I able to truly go out and love my neighbor.
Did you know that you beloved reader were purchased with a price?

Raise your price today.

Love yourself.

Listen to the message that says this;

1 John 4:9-11 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

Everyday Jesus sits waiting for us to listen to HIS message for us. 

He tries to speak to us in the trees of bright yellow, and the birds taking flight.

He tries to tell us that he made all of the beautiful things on this earth for us to enjoy and be filled with joy. 

I wonder, are we listening?

Sweet and 16

16 years ago I woke up very early and walked downstairs at 803 N. Minnesota St. in Carson City Nevada. I sat down in my rocking chair and I knew it was time.

What I didn't know at that time is how fast time would go from that point on. 

When your children are little you hear it from every veteran parent that has gone before you, but when you are in the trenches of changing diapers and wiping down walls from the markings of crayons, you think... 

Really, because just this day seems like an eternity??!!

But now, on this day, more than ever before I know that word "time" is of the essence. I didn't realize it then that 16 years would go by in the blink of an eye. I didn't know then as I looked into the face of my first born child that her life would forever fill my own with SO much joy. 

I couldn't even begin to imagine a sweet, yet ever so sassy Emma Faith. 

And as I sit here and think about these past 16 years with this amazing young lady my heart is filled with so many emotions that it's hard to pin point just one. 

I suppose the one I'm going to focus on is that I'm beyond thankful. 

Thankful for 16 years.

Looking forward to many more years.

And happy that of all the human beings on this planet I get to be that girls momma. 

Happy Happy Day Emmers! 

May Babies

*Warning there might be some Blaggin and heavy sentimental Sighing ahead.

Blaggin- The combo of bragging and blogging.

These are my May babies.

The one on the left is my oldest Emma who will be sweet 16 on the 28th of this month,

and 

The one on the right is Chloe who will be 14 tomorrow.

Beloved reader please ...

A heavy, sentimental  

S I G H 

is needed 

from us all right now.

Sometimes I look at these girls and I can hardly believe that almost 16 years ago I became a mother for the first time. It seems like only yesterday they were babies.  Emma wasn't even quite 2 yet when I gave birth to Chloe. At her second birthday party she was given the greatest gift in her life, a sister, a best friend, and the role of being the oldest. She has astounded me ever since as a first born child. She is beyond responsible and at times I forget who is the parent in this household.  (Not really, I just said that for dramatic affect.) And Chloe has always had a soft spot with me because we are both second born children.  She has never complained about having hand me down clothes and she looks up to her sister like I looked up to mine. She is generous and so soft spoken that at times I have to drag it out of her what she really wants out of life.  For instance, this whole month even though her birthday comes before Emma's she has been scheming and planning her sisters birthday party, with no regard for her own.  S I G H.... I can't even begin to put into words what joy they both give me. From the moment Emma was born my role in life changed as well. I was no longer just wife, sister, daughter, cousin, teacher, friend... I was now a Mother. The role of motherhood has been one that I have felt privileged, honored and completely blown away that I have been given for 16 YEARS now.  Believe it or don't... I'm kinda still in shock that I birthed 4 human beings.  I know, I should probably be used to this role, being that it has been 16 years but, every now and then I catch a glimpse of my children who are so grown up, so mature, so not babies anymore, and I think how the H E double Hockey Sticks did that happen? I have told both my girls before that they have made my first years of Motherhood so easy. And I tell them, on the regular, they make me look good! Actually, I say it more like  "D A M N girls you are making me look so good right now!!" Knowing full well, that I can't take credit for their choices and who God made them to be.

 These two young women, My May Babies (who are not babies anymore) woke up early on Mother's Day and cleaned my house, made breakfast, and wrote me love notes that would make a stone cold hearted Robot come to tears. I could brag about them til the cows come home(I don't have any cows but I think they must come home kinda late in the day) because they are just THAT amazing, but let me just share the essentials with you Beloved Reader. These two young ladies, on a regular basis make me laugh and remind me that life is full of excitement, new adventure, and tremendous beauty. These two May Babes, both love Jesus with all their hearts and to me well... that is everything. I'm excited to see how they will enter into young adult years.  As they begin to spread their wings and fly I pray I know when to open up that bird cage. And I hope that they will continue to include me in their everyday lives. I take great comfort in knowing that my own Mom is one of my very best friends, and I hope that tradish continues. 

Would you be so kind as to wish these two lovelies a Happy Birthday and to pray for this momma because my sentimental heart is on overload. 

Spring Break 2014

Today marked the end of Spring Break for our camp and I have to say I'm a tad bit bummed.  I gotta tell ya, it has been so nice to have the extra time with my Fab 4.  We actually got two weeks for Spring Break this year. Can't I get a Whoop Whoop!! I enjoy hanging out with my Fab 4 so much. Sometimes I wonder why I share them with the rest of the world, ever?  I suppose it wouldn't be healthy if I did keep them all to myself, like the mom in Tangled. "Mother knows best listen to your Mumzy!"  Ha ha, that song just popped into my head right now.  Scurry.  (Insert emoticon with a straight face and eyes wide open) 00 - Before you go calling CPS know that I have in FACT, been sharing my kiddos and plan to continue sharing them, it's just sometimes when I look at them I think that mom in the Disney movie Tangled might have been on to something. I digress. For the first part of our Spring Break we traveled to Paradise, CA. where my Aunt Linda and Uncle Gene live.

The above pic was taken from their front porch. I haven't been there in years because it was a bit too far to travel from WA. but from NV it's only about a 3 hour drive and I plan on making it lots more in the future. It was a wonderful time with family and my eldest Spawn even did some recording with her band called  In Between Simple. If I knew how to share the songs here believe me, I would but alas... I am just not that tech savy. I need to figure that out, because I am their biggest fan.  Gotta promote ya know !

While I was there, I drank out of that mug up there. It belongs to my Aunt Linda and it was my favorite mug in her cupboard because of the saying on it. I prayed that prayer the entire time I was there and hope to pray it the rest of my life.  "Lord help me to see thing through Your eyes!" I really do wish it was possible to keep that perspective all the time. So often I get caught up in things that don't really matter.  Things that in comparison to eternity, the bigger picture, just won't even register on my radar. Oh, to be always seeing things through the eyes of Jesus. Speaking of seeing things through Jesus eyes, the tail end of our Spring Break I had the immense pleasure of taking my girls to a Joyce Meyer Conference in Sacramento. (More on this later)

As long as I live on this planet there will never, ever be a better place for me than in the House of God with all His thousands of kids praising him. I love, love, love to hear the people of God come together and give glory to the King of Kings. 

There truly is nothing greater, except maybe seeing your children praise the King with all their hearts, souls, and minds.

I can't get over how my girls have grown and right before my eyes turned into two of my most favorite young women to hang out with. I love to hear how they think and what their dreams are. My cup overflows with joy for the memories we were able to make over the past two weeks.  And as they headed back out into the world today, I thought of how fast the time is flying by. They only have 59 more days of this school year. That's just nutts!!  Why do I torture myself with thoughts like this.  It's a snowball, one finished Spring Break turns into their Graduation which then turns into a Wedding Day, and so on and so forth. When they all stepped out of the car this morning... I might have shed a tear like the day when they first went off to Kindergarden.  I'm not gonna lie, I think I did. But, hey I warned you... I'm a sentimental heart. I can't help myself.  The important thing to remember is that I didn't lock them in a tower ;)

Happy Birthday Emma Faith

That's my girl up there. She made me a mom for the first time 15 years ago. She came early to this world and had impeccable timing. She came right after her Auntie Hillary tragically passed away at the young age of 29. She brought hope and life to our sad and grieving hearts. She sings with a voice that sounds like a woman twice her age. She is beyond responsible. She is a first born, through and through. She has big, BIG dreams. She has beautiful green eyes that change colors with what she wears.  She has confidence and personality for days. She does a wicked Bon Qui Qui imitation. And an English accent that would fit right in if she was in ... Oh I dunno Essex ;)

Is she not the cutest 15 year old you have ever seen? She is a really good writer. She is almost done with her first year of High School and she rocked it! She carries a back pack so heavy, so big that I wonder how it doesn't just knock her over. She is a daddy's girl, but I know I take a close second. She will be driving soon... sigh. And changing the world, one song at a time... of this I have no doubt.

But this is how we started out....

And sometimes if I close my eyes I can still remember that amazing newborn baby smell that intoxicated me with a LOVE that will never end. I can hardly believe I've been blessed to have this gifted soul for 15 years.  Today is her special day. Happy Birthday Emma Faith YOU  ARE Supercalafragalisticexpealadocious!!

Thankful Thursday

There are moments in life when you know someone, somewhere, somehow, should be recording the chronicle of events that you are witnessing. The other night was one of those moments. My oldest daughter had her first High School Choir concert.

Wait. I'm feeling a little Va-Klempt!! Talk amongst yourselves. No really, it was a circle of life moment. I was Mufasa telling my young Simba someday this land will all be yours. Or something like that. Ya see folks, I was a Choir student. That's right. I didn't play sports.  I wasn't a cheerleader.  I was Rachel on Glee, and I loved it. I was in my element in that choir room with Mr. Peebles. Yep, me and Mr. Peeb's we were friends. No, for real we are friends. 

And now almost 20 years later, my Emmer's well...  she's a Choir student. Sniff. Sigh. Vaklempt. I was so proud of her, and also Ahem... I have to admit,  I was VERY proud of my parents. Let me explain.  As I sat there for each and every performance, many of which Em  wasn't even on the stage for I realized, My parents did this for me. They sat through each and every painful, off key performance just so they could hear their daughter sing some Mozart song that says Hallelujah over and over, and over, and O-V-E-R again! As I looked up at her and then down the row with my other 3 munchkins I had a moment. Sniff. Sigh. Vaklempt. My other 3 kids were so cute to watch as their faces were beaming to see their sister up there on stage.  My boys were totally cracking me up as they were trying as hard as they could to make their older sister laugh. Yep, it was a circle of life moment that I was thankful for. Thankful for life. Thankful for Emma and the choices she has made to follow in my footsteps. Thankful for my parents and how incredibly supportive, encouraging, and amazing they have always been. Thankful for music. Thankful for music teachers. Thankful people who can sing on key, and even thankful for those who can't. Thankful for all of my kids. Thankful for my parents. Thankful.  Linking up here

Oh, What Can You Do

These are the things I tell myself to keep my sentimental heart from bursting into a thousand pieces never to be okay again.

I tell myself she's only 14. 

That means I have 4 more years.

4 more birthdays.

4 more Christmases.

And really, who leaves home right away when they turn 18 anyway? (You be quiet Auntie Jenny)

Sure, she is  going into High School for the first time, but at least it's not her Senior year, or worse at least she's not heading off to college.

I tell myself that she will have so much fun. 

That she will always be my baby and come running home whenever she needs a hand to hold, or an ear to listen.

I tell myself that even though I can't enter this new planet(High School) with her, the Holy Spirit can and will lead and guide her.

I tell myself that my prayers for a protective bubble are being heard, and will be answered.

I tell myself I have prepared her well.

I tell myself, It's Only High School.

I tell myself it will all be okay.

50's Village Photo Shoot

On Friday my friend Dana who is now my neighbor here at the Villiage(yes I live with a Village of people, more on that later) did a fun little 50's retro photo shoot with all of the girls here at 9567. These are our girls, minus Shain who is Dana's youngest daughter. 

From Left to Right;

My daughter Chloe on left

Middle is my daughter Emma 

And Rio who is Dana's daughter, is the Cutie there on the right end.

*Notice the kicked up leg of my Chloe girl on the end there. 

Take note that this Sass a Frass is ONLY12.

Put a pin in that side-note, we will come back to that later.

Back to Dana the artist behind the camera. She just bought a fancy pants camera that I am drooling over and trying really hard not to break commandment number 6 or 7... ya know the one that says something about not coveting your neighbors belongings, or Fancy Pants Camera. 

This is my daughter Emma. She was going for a school girl/librarian look.

 I think she pretty much nailed it.
Dana did such a good job capturing them all that I now know I have no need to purchase School pictures EVER
again.

I've never been a fan of Lifetouch or any other school pic that just shuttles our kids in like cattle before the camera lens.  They take one snap and call it good, even though our kids aren't smiling, hair is a mess, and then they want hundreds of dollars for these lame shots.
Umm..
Yep...
NOPE!!
Am I alone here? Does anyone else feel the same about the lame school photos?
I would much rather have something like this for Chloe's start to her Jr. High Days.

Moving on,
This is my daughter Chloe aka Lo Lo.

Remember the one with her leg kicked up there at the top of the page?

Don't forget we are coming back to this here 

Little Hot Tamale in a minute. She wore the dress that was my Maid of Honor Dress in sister Jen's wedding last summer. Do you recognize the dress Auntie Jen? Well, I have to say it looks much, much cuter on her.

And this is Rio, Dana's daughter who also lives here now. I had so much fun getting this girl out of her comfort zone and dolling her up. Doesn't she just rock those vintage sunglasses? It was so fun to see all our girls dressed up in an old fashioned style. I absolutely had a blast doing hair and makeup and seeing how they did each others hair and makeup brought me right back to the days of doing this kind of thing with my sisters. 

LOVE.

And then cousin Derek's new wife Samantha also lives here at the Village. 

She wore this dress that I bought a long time ago for a good friend who never wore it. She gave the dress back to my daughter Emma in April and Em wore it for her Jr. High School Grad.

It is an amazing vintage dress that looked lovely on Sam. 

Well, and it's not hard to make Samantha look lovely. 

She is a very pretty lady.

In the picture below we going for the no smile, serious look that you see in all the really old photos.

Can someone please tell me why they went for the no smile look in all the pictures back then? It's so weird to me that they all look so sad and serious. It also really bums me out that I never got to see very many pics of my great grandparents who I know were happy Italians, but in the pics they look like they just heard of someone's death.

We had so much fun playing dress up for the day. 

So now you know, what to do on a Hot Summer day with no where to go and nothing else to do? 

Have a fun impromptu photo shoot. 

It was great fun for the whole Village.

Ok and then here is the reason I wanted to come back to that kicked up leg that my daughter Chloe had;

Umm... I am not allowing this 12 YEAR OLD GIRL

out of the house.

ANYMORE. 

EVER!!

And then of course there was some time for lil' ole  me to get in front of that camera. 

Got to tell you that I much prefer being behind the camera rather than in front, but it was a blast. 

Dana is such a good photographer, and I am so excited about her new business to photograph the little ones. (more on that later)

Have I ever told you of my love for all things vintage, retro, old,  or antique? 

Well now you know.

Happy Birthday to my Emakins, Emmers, EMlou, Emdilem,Emmfaifs...

She made us parents for the first time 14 years ago.

She made my mom a grandmother for the first time 14 years ago.

This picture makes me weepy every time I see it.


She made this little boy an uncle who was so happy to have someone else to play with 14 years ago.

She made our first Christmas with children magical 14 years ago.

She has worn many hats in her lifetime of 14 years, but none does she take more seriously than being the first. And I will be forever grateful to her for being seriously the best first born a parent could ever hope to have.

I would often say of Emma that she was the child that made us think, "Pshh this parenting is a piece of cake! " because she is THAT GOOD!

It's been 14 years of firsts.
First baby to walk.
First baby to talk.
First toddler to yell, "No" at us.
First child to go to school.

First time to go to the hospital for stitches.
First child to teach how to ride a bike.
First child to be a big sister.

First to graduate Elementary school.
First to go to Jr. High.
And now the first to enter High School.

Emma THANK YOU for making me a mom.
For being who you are.
For making this parenting role seem so easy.
For reminding me of God's goodness.
For being amazing at everything you put your hand to.
For being an incredible older sibling and example to your younger sister and brothers.

Happy Happy Birthday My baby girl.

I love you.

Linking up here :Monday Meet Up

here:Mom's Monday Mingle

and here:Miscellany Monday.