I want to be that kid up there

I want to be that kid up there.
The one who when faced with an ocean and a pair of very long jeans, just rolls up the jeans as he gets deeper and deeper in the water. No fear of what the future may hold. No thought of the car ride home and how sticky and wet and sandy I might be. No concern for the cold wind that might be blowing my way.
I want to be that kid up there.
The one who screams with elated cries every single time the ocean water touches my feet. No worry or concern for where I ditched my tennis shoes several miles up the beach. Who plunges in the ocean water like moth to the flame. So carefree. So uninhibited. So child like.
I want to be that kid up there. 

Epic Photo Bomb

Today is one of those days that I want to write about everything and nothing at all,  all at the same time.
That's not an easy topic folks. So maybe, instead of trying to solve all the worlds problems, and tie it up pretty with a bow here on the bloggy poo, I think I will just share this... 

EPIC with a capital E
FRICKEN
FANTASTIC
PHOTO BOMB !!
Brought to you by yours truly from my niece Savanah's, Super Hero Themed , 7th birthday party. We were trying to capture the fact that everyone had on a super hero item of clothing.

Even Grandma and Grandpa Pellant were in full attire. Aren't they just the raddest super hero's ever? They are without a doubt my hero's!! Man I love those two!
Well, there we all were gathered for the perfect photo opt and out of nowhere ...
Was it a bird?
Was it a plane?
No it's a Flying Zed Head!!!

Just in case you didn't catch it the first time here's another one. I tried to be upset, but I gotta say it was pretty damn hard to be ruffled by this silly kid! 

Here's what the above photo should've looked like.  Such a great day celebrating my favorite 7 year old on the planet, Savanah !

Can you see why she's my favorite?
Oh but wait... The fun photo's don't stop there from this day. There was this one celebrity there his initials J.T.P
He's so cool
He's so hipster
He's Batman Jeremiah

What a Stud my bro is!! I'm so glad he decided to grace us with his presence that day. It's hard to catch a sighting of this Batman Jeremiah. He's my favorite 22 year old. Can you see why?
And since these photos have brought me so much joy I think I will end this blog with a quote about joy. It's gonna be a real simple quote. One I think you may have seen before.

"Don't you think daises are the friendliest flower." Meg Ryan- You've Got Mail
Ok maybe two quotes ;)

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 Zed Head

9 years.

9 years of pure laughter, joy, and constant surprise.

9 years of random funny comments.

9 years of take a picture of this mom.

9 years of always being the buddy, and never knowing a stranger.

9 years of getting to know the strong sense of justice God has placed within you.

9 years of wake up calls in the middle of the night because of a bad dream.

9 years of " I want faff"

9 years of legos, tonka trucks, nacho libre viewings, and wrestling matches with your brother.

9 years of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, or macaroni and cheese.

9 years of scrapped knees, elbows, and other various body parts.

9 years of the gift that is your life Isaiah Gregory. 

Happy Birthday To My Baby!!

On Turning 38.

Last month, on December 17th I turned 38, and last week I got the invitation to my 20th High School Reunion. Not my 10 year y'all ...(please forgive the southern accent I have been reading Sweet Potato Queens book again and I just can't help myself) And To Clarify... I am not 38 going on 18, and 40's are not the new 20's. Sorry if I just bursted your little age defying bubble there. But These are all just things that we tell ourselves so that we don't have to hear or even think of THE word. You know the word I'm talking about... Don't act like you don't know THE word...

OLD!! I could say I feel 38 years young, but you know what? That simply isn't true. Now, that's not to say that I feel so Old all the time, and I have everything all figured out, oh no, no, no... I have A LOT of learning left to do! And I feel quite young and naive still to many ways of this world. But I will say, I'm grateful for the years I have underneath my lifetime belt. Each one has taught me something different. And as that number keeps going up one thing I have learned that I didn't know as well when I was only 18 is that LIFE is PRECIOUS. In fact IT IS A  GIFT. Now, granted I am not yet in the 40's club but believe you me, beloved when I get there in two years, Lord willing, I am going to shout it from the roof tops!! I'm 40 and I don't care who knows it!! (Picture Buddy the Elf coming into his dad's office at a very important meeting and shouting, "I'm in Love and I don't care who knows it!" Yep that will be me.)  This is what I would like to say; To the Whole Wide World or at least the World Wide Web Being or Getting Old is really OK. It's better than ok, it's a gift. And no I don't say that first thing in the morning when my body is achey and still tired after a full 8 hours of sleep, but once I have woken up and become aware of my surroundings that is exactly what I say. I thank God for each new day. Not to be cliche or a total cheese ball...  (okay well maybe a lil chedda is in this next statement) The present really is a gift. And for as long as I'm living I hope I will always have this heart of gratitude.
As I have gotten older I have realized the true gifts in this life are not ones that you can put a price tag on. They are not a certain brand name something or other. They are not a place you get to go. They are not a big fancy sparkling something.  They are YOU. They are ME. And they are This Moment.

 There were of course material gifts given for my birthday this year, but none, no not even one is more valuable to me than this. The realization that my life is but a breath, and my story thus far has been a good one, and as long as I have air left in my lungs I can make it a GREAT one!

Don't you know it's true beloved reader?

That as long as we have air left in our lungs we can make our story a GREAT one!

That would be my favorite gift this year, but don't cha know I am gonna share some of my other favorites with you because well... I'm a blogger. I blog. It's kinda what I like to do with my free time, have you noticed?

  Not only did I receive that dress up there from My Momma Nash, that dress that is so spectacular it needs it's own event to wear it IN  it's honor, but I was with some of the people I love and certainly with all of the people I love in Spirit or FB, or on Skype, maybe even by IG, or Twitter,  and certainly by phone. 

Thank God for technology. 

That is a Gift.

I received countless reminders of God's goodness and grace on my life by way of old friends notes and phone calls. I shared a glass of wine with My Mom, sister Gina, and brother Jeremy via Skype. I drank from the cup that is 

This Beautiful Life and I was filled to overflowing.

That is a Gift.

I had 4 healthy children in my house.

One of the things I miss most about having lils in my house, (by lils I mean ages 2-6) is the constant barrage of funny things that lils say, but every now and then one of my kids who are still young but on the tail end of childhood, they will say something really funny. 

So when

my boys set out to make a Gingerbread man they finished and Isaiah my youngest looked up at Solomon and said, "I'm going to eat this WHOLE thing so Don't Judge Me." 

Bah ha ha ... quotes from my 8 year old boy like 

THAT is a Gift.

Around my birthday I might not have had my own birthday party but in a sense this Elf party that we have been having the past two years has become my very own birthday party. Who else gets to have Olive Penguins at their birthday party I ask you? And not only that but my friend Tasha was here for a visit to help me make those cute little treats. And my friend Emily brought me salted caramel chocolate cookies that I'm telling you make my mouth water every time I think about them.

That is A Gift.

Oh and this. 

This is A Gift.

Oh my, my, my is this ever a gift. 

Wanna know why?

Well in the words of My Giants grandmother Louis, who used to call him a Shit Ass when he was naughty... this lil dog right here... she can be quite the little  Shit Ass sometimes. 

Sorry for the cuss but...

Truly, y'all  have no idea!

But when I bought this outfit I bought it for the express purpose of payback in good Doggy Owner fashion. Bella hates wearing clothes. Girlfriend,(there goes that accent again) just doesn't even know how cute she looks in clothes I guess?! So when she is put in any type of clothing she refuses to move. Seriously, she stands there frozen or will sit in any position I put her in. I can prop her up real nice for pictures and of course, this therefore frees me up from having to worry about if she is in the trash, toilet, kids backpacks, etc... 

Are you tracking what I'm laying down?

That picture and countless others are payback to me for all the things Bella girl puts me through all year long.

That is A Gift.

And then of course

Sushi

Comfy Slippers

Bowls that make my heart skip a beat

This and so much more evokes only one response

38 is Great and  This  Life Is  Beautiful. Thanks for sharing a part of it here with me.

Say Cheese!!

Hello There Beloved Reader 

and

Happy Friday!!

I'm still going thru last years photos to find all my favs so if you are here for the Flash Back Friday link up I want you to know I haven't given up on that link-up, or my other ones Love/Hate and Letters To Pets, I just need another week off from them okay? 

I realize it's been a while and normally

I don't make promises so I won't promise you that they will be back next week but there is a really, really, good chance, I  mean really good, that they will be live next week and I do SO hope you can join me cause those link ups are like a party, and parties are only fun if there are people :) attending them. 

So please check back in next Friday. 

You're a good boss beloved reader.

Thanks for that extra week off.

That's why I still work for you.

You know what else I would work for?  

Cheese.

I'm gonna attempt to carry on two conversations with you beloved reader so stay with me.

One will be about what I would work for, and the other one will be about a variety of cheeses with the occasional olive thrown in for good measure. 

I will have this conversation with you while posting  S'more favorite pics. Oh wait. I just put a s'more in there and that was the topic from my last post .... so let's scratch that out shall we?

Focus Noël Focus!

CHEESE is my favorite food besides olives.

Cheese and olives, olives and cheese, yes please. 

I would work really, really, hard so that the rest of my days here on planet earth I could eat cheese and olives every day!

Fer Realz!

I would go so far as to say that IF I didn't have a job and had to stand on the side of the road holding up a sign in hopes of the kindness and generosity of strangers, my sign would read;

WILL WORK FOR CHEESE!!

But, thankfully I do have a job.

My job here as CEO of the MoNoSco house pays in hugs, kisses, "Thank you's and this kind of Cheese.

Cheesy GRINS!!

Cheesy Grins are a good paycheck as far as I'm concerned, what do you think?

( My Niece Last Minute Biscuit  aka  Sophia Adelle April 2012.

Now technically I wouldn't consider this smile a cheesy grin but I just love this biscuit so much that sometimes I will randomly just insert her picture on my blog so I can make it bigger and look at her cute lil cute face all day. So if I would rate this cheese it would be a mild chedda... say that with an East Coast accent)

What do you work for?

Olives? Cheese? Money, Money, Monay?

WHAT WOULD YOU WORK FOR?

(Moses Birthday January of 2012. Now in this picture My Giant is exhibiting what I would consider a kind of Swiss Cheese. Let me explain. It's got some holes in it because it's a forced cheese grin, ya know what I'm saying? None the less, I love me some Swiss cheese and I love my Giant. Can't believe he'll be 40 in a few weeks.)

I would work for High Fives and thumbs up too.

(Valentines Day 2012 Isaiah 7 years old. Now this cheese is a perfect Sharp Chedda with an olive on top even. He gets extra points in the cheese department because... well.... because he's Isaiah)

I would work for hearts on cheeks

or

Cheesy grins Cheek to cheek like the ones above and below.

(Andre and I, last year in February. Okay, now it's hard to rate your own cheese but I'm gonna try. I think Andre and I have kind of a mellow cheesy grin going on here, so I'm gonna go with an Altemburger Cheese which was described as being a mellow soft goat's cheese. Not sure where the goat comes in but I think we look kind of mellow and soft here, what do you think?)

I would work for trips to see the people you love.

( Emma, Chloe, Promise, Solomon, Niki, Isaiah and Samantha. Now this Cheese right here is like a Colby Jack cause it's all kinds of cheese mixed together and it makes me SO happy, So so so happy!)

I would work for kids having fun,

and 

Grown Ups playing hard!

(Me and my friend Andre again. This picture has got to be one of my all time favs from last year because this was Joy that came after much sorrow. It reminds me of the scripture Psalm 30:5 , "There may be weeping for the night but JOY comes in the morning." There's no cheese here. Just pure JOY!!)

I would work for time with a beloved friend.

I would work for family.

(Isaiah and Solomon down at Pike's Market in Seattle. This picture was taken in April when my folks came for a visit around Easter. Grandma Ellen bought the boys those very special hats. They are the creation of this guy Dan Gregory. Don't know if you have noticed but I live in a family of artists. They appreciate art and artists more than most, and art is the what I would consider the spice in life so I'm gonna go with a really good  

Jalapeno Cheese on this one)

 I would work for Art.

S'more Favorite Pics from 2012

Sorry to trick you with that title. I won't actually be doing a DIY on how to make S'mores so if that's why you meandered over here, you should probably just meander on over somewhere else. Although, I will say my favorite way to make a S'more is with a Reese's Peanut Butter cup. Have you ever tried it that way?  Why am I talking about S'mores when it's just the very cold, dark, start of winter and S'mores are very clearly a summer time treat? Well, thanks to my Bro in Law or as I like to say, Bro in Love Izzy. Speaking of Izzy he and his beautiful wife my sister Bean(real name Bean... just kidding... Gina Bo "bean" A) came for a visit in April of 2012. They came with my brother Jeremy and my Mom and Dad so I'm sure you can imagine the amount of fun that was had, and pictures that were taken, but for now  Here are some, and by some I mean a lot, okay maybe just 4 that jumped right out at me, of my favorite pics from that trip. Let's just start with Bean's family first since Izzy is the King of S'mores and then we will have S'more pictures later. Ok... I'll stop. No.  No I won't.

(Sister Bean and Bro in Love Iz with beautiful nieces Savanah and Sophia at the Tulip Festival in April 2012. Aren't they just the prettiest bunch of tulips, I mean faces you have ever seen? Except Iz, he's looking dapper as always, not so much pretty.)

(Savy Rae my niece. With a melt my heart sweeter than a S'more makes me want S'more of her cute grin)

(Isaiah, and Sophia Tulip Festival 2012. My baby Isaiah who is not actually the baby in the photo he was 7 here, and sister Bean's baby Sophia who is in fact a baby in the photo was only 4 months. She is her youngest, he's my youngest... the babies of our families. To see this makes my heart swell with Joy! Babies, Oh how I have a wicked strong romance for the babies!! And, No I don't want S'more babies, I just will always love the babies. Ok maybe I could have S'more, but I would have to win the lottery and then adopt. Hey it could happen? :)

(And Finally I leave you with these here Gangsta's !!

Isaiah Spider Man and Savanah Butterfly.

Have way more, like S'more amazing pics from this visit, but I will stick with those for now.)

I can hardly believe that it's 2013.

Does anyone else feel the same?

Meet me right back here for S'more picture fun tomorrow.

Until then, how are those resolutions going?

Anyone, fell off the wagon already?