funny looking

Am I really that funny looking? Adam took this while driving of me with that stupid cell phone thingy in my ear! (which by the way cost $90 and now I have to replace my phone-because it has water damage from a baby bath incident-for $50...pretty expensive to talk on the phone and be a safe driver) When you see a picture of yourself in such a revealing way, you wonder, is that how I look all day? I gotta wear lipstick!

My first 5K

I did it! I ran my first 5K in the annual Mission Inn Run. I ran with Adrianne Ashley who has run a marathon-but she stuck with me! I finished in 34:25 which is 3 minutes faster than I have ever run that distance before. I am so glad I did it, now I just have to keep it up to get rid of my last 18 pounds of pregnancy gain!

My amazing daughter ran the Kids 1/2 K without stopping! She was so cute running out there on her own. Gwyn and I cheered from the finish line and Gammy started her off. She was so proud of herself which is so great to see beaming from your child's face.

We are all, Adam included, going to run the Fairmount Park Raincross Run on Saturday, Feb 23. Come cheer us on! Adam and I will do the 5K and Aggie the 1K!

Thanksgiving at Pilgrim's Place

We found this quaint little festival in Claremont called the Pilgrim Festival at Pilgrim Place. Aggie learned about the Pilgrims and Indians by riding on this fun Mayflower ship build on a Cadillac that held at least 40 people, doing fall crafts, seeing Pilgrim costume on the seniors working the festival, and visiting a Indian Camp with a hut, skins to dry, fish model over a fire and story with craft. So fun, hey? There was this great drumming circle that traveled the country doing their half hour presentation. They were intense. They had an opening incense ceremony, wore certain colors, and took their song very seriously. They were kinda goofy, but because they took it soooo seriously they were cool. Isn't that funny how that happens? We read Thanksgiving books on the drive and when we got to Indian story time my cute, little daughter promptly answered CLAMS when asked what the Indians ate. I was so proud of my little unschooler. Sometimes I am impressed with what she hears. I feel like she is not listening, but-oh-she really is.

On that same subject I have totally infiltrated her little brain with my Christian Equality. She now "plans" to be a "woman pastor at the Grove because there are really not girl pastors and she has to help change the world like Mulan and Ruby (one of the first Chinese Women to attend university)". Part of me is proud and amazed at how much she listens to me, and part of me is scared for her as I have set her up with high goals that may take a bumpy journey to accomplish.

The pap from hell...almost

If you are a guy, you may want to stop here, unless you are OK with pap-smear/OBGYN and nursing/boob talk. I had a pap scheduled for tomorrow, but it had to be rescheduled for today. It would have been easy to slip away by myself tommorrow, but not today cause Adam works and we have to get Aggie to preschool. Gwyn fell asleep 20 minutes before I had to leave, I was late because I didn't want to wake her, she was crying and wanted to nurse rather than hang with Adam, things were stressful to say the least. I just wanted to be alone! Finally Adam was able to slip away with her (after I nursed in a gown with a drape over my lap-fun) and I fell asleep waiting for my doc on the table (ahh, sleep deprevation). Then I was having an embarrasing girly problem I had to voice out loud to my doc (again-fun) and he tells me I have low estrogen levels like menopause! So that is why I found a wisker growing out of my chin yesterday! Adam said he would tummy bump me later cause I feel so manly. Turns out nursing turns down the estrogen and mine is extra low. Nursing is crazy. I love it and think it is beautiful and amazing. But, low estrogen levels? It is great because it makes it harder to get pregnant which my body needs a break from biologically, but bad for my feminity. I also just got over a breast infection. Crazy fun there. I had to hang over a sink of hot water with my boobs in there to help them let down and release the plug that was causing the infection everytime I was going to nurse. Embarassing. I made everyone leave the room...but can I say it felt amazing. Only a nursing mom would understand that-but seriously, being a woman is wierd sometimes.

Jamie Lee Curtis me

Have you ever seen Freaky Friday with Jaime Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan? Well, me and Jamie Lee can now stroll the market together looking like crazy people talking to ourselves. I vow to only wear this in the car. If I show up to playdate with this thing in my ear, bean me.

GERD on its back!!!

Here is my beautiful baby girl on her back in a bed! She is almost 6 months and I think her GERD is getting better. She has gotten too big for her swing and has started sitting up. We don't want her to fall out so we transitioned her to her co-sleeper yesterday. She is doing so well. Aren't babies so beautiful when they sleep? And all that change combine with cutting a tooth (her first came in yesterday) and managing a cold with a cough. Crazy all the stuff going on with her sweet little body and she still smiles. Wish I were the same way!!!

My little 80s girl

I dressed Aggie for school today and she picked this adorable outfit for picture day. Doesn't she just look like she should be hangin with Debbie Gibson? Adam started singing Tiffany...Running just as fast as you can, holding onto one another's hand...Funny how style comes back around. The pins on her jean jacket with the pink cons. Such nostalgia.

Riley's Old Joe Homestead Tour

On Friday we visited Riley's Farm in Oak Glen with The Grove Homeschool Group. It was so great because we could do things that a class would be able to do with the group like go on the Tour. We went on a hayride, ate a carmel apple, made buttermilk butter, made apple cider, dippled wax candles and had a wonderful Fall day. The leaves are beautiful there. I love Oak Glen in the Fall!

Halloween Carnival

Here is the fam on Halloween. We left our serene neighborhood and went to a crazy carnival at our church. Adam was playing so we wanted to support him, but can I just say CRAZY!?! It was fun and sucessful if you like that sort of thing, but it is too fast for me. Bounce houses are crazy, cattle drive candy lines are crazy, thousands of people are crazy. Can't wait to stay home, get to know neighbors and pass out candy next year.

Halloween Breakfast

My wonderful husband knows how much I love holidays so when I got home from the gym (my 5K is taking 37 minutes now) this is the breakfast I was greeted with! Orange Pancakes, Chocolate Chip Jack-o-Lanterns, Green eggs and creamy pumpkin "beer" (as in Harry Potter) in our Jack-lantern cups. Isn't he lovely? It was a wonderful start to the day and (as he intended) I feel loved. Happy Halloween!

My altar call Jack-o-lantern

I love teaching with metaphor. I try to learn from the example Jesus gave by always using this effective teaching technique whenever possible. A friend of mine shared a way to go through basic beliefs in Christ while carving a pumpkin. It sounded good, so I tried it this year as we were alone for carving. (We usually throw a big party for Pumpkin Carving as I LOVE it, but took a year off with baby and all-we will do it next year!!!) But, I am glad we did.

Basically the metaphor is that everyone has goopey yuckiness (sin) in their pumpkin (heart/soul/life) with some bits of good-the seeds. The pumpkin can't clean itself out, or any other pumpkins for that matter. But, someone greater can come along and clean it out (God). It is nasty and gross (Jesus had to die) to do, but must be done to make way for the jack-o-lantern. Then the pumpkin is carved into something new and beautiful to become the jack-o-lantern (just like we are formed into a new and beautiful creation). And only when we let that carving happen (the changes in our character by loving and helping others) can the light shine out (the light of hope and Jesus' story). As the metaphor grew more and more complex with our conversation and carving it even made me more and more thankful for the beauty of God's gift to me and a desire to let my light glow beautifully through.

She responded with such great discussion and questions. It was awesome. She said the sweetest and most sincere prayer that she wanted to be carved like a jack-o-lantern and let her light shine out without the yuckiness inside. It was beautiful.

As I tucked her in I told her that in the Bible it says that God wrote HER name down in His book and the angels were dancing around in celebration and that whenever she was truly sorry she was forgiven. Her eyes sparkled in the nightlight glow. She was so excited she had to get up and tell Daddy. As she drifted to sleep she said "Where do you want to go in our dreams?" (we often meet up for playdates in our dreams) and we decided to go to the party in heaven. We are going to glitter so brightly we are like stars and have long hair with curls and beautiful legs and arms to dance around. Sounds fun. You can come too if you like.

Halloween at Preschool

Aggie had Halloween celebrations today. We made these spider crackers for our contribution to the healthy snack genre at the party (so Family Fun of us, ey?)...

...and attended a funky little costume parade with three songs. I love her preschool because it is so old timey. It is like a piece of my childhood served up on a plate for her. They still use a record player for the background music, they sing outside with no accompaniment facing all directions, they parade through the parents once and then leave us to stare at each other while they trick or treat around the facility and then come back to sing...the production is awkward to say the least. But the awkwardness is the charm. I love it. It just feels healthily slow, loving and child centered.

Our get away to the Desert

We just got back from the desert-Indian Wells. We were there for 7 days of vacation-7 days! My wonderful grandpa let us use his timeshare points so we could stay at a price we could afford-FREE!

We spent most of our time by the pool, at the hotel playground, on the hotel mini golf putting green, playing shuffleboard, having BBQs by the pool. Sounds nice, ey? It wasn't all cream puffs though. Gwynie is a homebody. She did not sleep much in the hotel and we were up a lot (a lot) rocking, nursing and walking. Oh, well-Adam gave me some wonderful moments to read and relax. And we had wonderful experiences with the girls.


We went to the Children's Discovery Museum of the Desert and did wonderful exhibits including a imaginary pizza kitchen and grocery store. They had a wonderful art center with supplies and an area were Aggie got to paint a VW beetle. We had a picnic lunch and saw a real roadrunner roaming around.



We visited a beautiful butterfly house at the Living Desert where a butterfly landed on Aggie's leg, Adam held a butterfly and Gwynie tracked them and tried to grab them. It was magical with butterflies all over the atrium.

We also saw and learned about crowned cranes, zebras, meerkats, camels, and fed giraffes. They have very long tongues!


Our grand finale was a BBQ on the patio with my sister, Aunt Megan and her boyfriend Bly. It was so special to see her and Bly was a great guy. I hope we get more time with him and Megan is always precious. I am so glad she sought me out so many years ago. Without her I wouldn't know a whole side of my family, life and heritage. It was a great week. But, it is nice to be home too. I love the familiarity of my space-but hate the responsibility: bills, CLAD college courses, learning records, work, cleaning, obligations, family problems, yard work....you know the drill.

The heartbreak of your child...

I told my daughter today that another of her close friends was moving away-and pretty far this time. It was horrible to witness the heartbreak. It came up in a story we were reading and I thought-OK now is the time. As I told her I could see the realization on her face and then this low wail started to come. It got so loud I had to close the hotel window and just let her cry it out and tell me how bad it hurt. She said, "If he moves how can I ever marry him?" and "Now only one of the five familes is left with us." and "My heart is hurting so much because it is broken." It was gutwrenching because I feel the same emotions. I just held her and comforted. I told her things like "We will visit." and "He will be back to see his grandparents." But, it is hard to watch your child deal with these times of loss of such young friendships. Harder even than I expected.

I love playing dress up!

We visited the Children's Discovery Museum of the Desert today. It was awesome-I highly, highly recommend it if you have kids under 10ish and can make the drive. (I wish we had something like this in Riverside-maybe Adam and I should start it?) They have crafty arts, painting a VW bug, blocks, magnets, still camera movies to make (Adam loved), optical illusions, right brain/left brain (I rocked at isolating my right brain-apparently the hardest exhibit in the museum to do), weaving a loom, and a baby area to name a few things. It also has tons of imaginative play stuff from archaeologist, to veterinarian, to pizza chef, to grocery shopping, to dress up!!! Aggie and I loved this! Most of our dress up at home is in a size child 4/6 but everything here was thrift shop finds and in my size. Oh, fun. I recruited kids and dressed them up, found stuff for Aggie and had to put a few things on myself. I was the only mom-or adult for that matter, but I don't care. It was so fun to put on those awful prom dresses from my youth (what were we thinking with those sleeves?) and be sassy in fur coats. I love dress up!

Faith and Anne Lamott

I went for a run this morning as I am training for the Mission Inn 5K Run on Nov 11. (I really need to kick it up a notch as I am running with Adrianne Ashley who has run a marathon-a marathon!) Anyway, while I run I listen to books and right now I am listening to Plan B by Anne Lamott. Alyssa turned me on to her back in Anne's Traveling Mercies days and I am in love. Anne is so raw, and honest, and mixed up, and profound, and crude, and beautiful all at the same time. She is so real. We are reading this book for small group so I am really trying to pay attention because I actually have to talk about it with others...so this is the second time I have listened. She said (actually a quote from a priest friend)

...that the opposite of Faith is not Doubt, but rather certainty...

That hit me. I doubt a lot...a lot. More than a pastor's wife is supposed to-or at least admit that she does. I know it is good to question. I know that on the outside. But that is not the day to day reality of living in the limelight of ministry. But, this reality made me realize that when I am certain then I don't have Faith. Faith is stepping out and living a life even amidst the doubts. I love Anne.

Wow-I have a lot of gray!

So this is totally not me-but I want it to be. Is she not hot? I used to color my hair all kinds of weird colors when I was young and funky. Now I am getting older and organic or natural. I guess old and funky just sounds like something that smells like an old pair of gym socks-so natural is better. Anyway, I have grown out all the dye and don't usually see all the gray hairs in my home bathroom, but I was just brushing my teeth in a hotel bathroom that has the harshest fluorescent lights (really bad for the thigh and belly cellulite of a recently pregnant girl) and WOW-POP-a ton of grays all over my brunette head. Crazy. Maybe I will look like my beautiful Mother before I know it. I think it is sexy to be all gray, and so does this fashionista. I hope I can be THIS sexy though!

what a cute suit!

We are in Indian Wells this week on vacation (the reason for the catch up in posting!!!) and spending lots of time by the pool because the weather is perfect and hot. We borrowed this adorable suit from Sofia Lance because we didn't have one that fit Gwyn. Is this not the most adorable thing? How did I miss this one at Old Navy!?!

fun projects

This is the difference in mommy homeschool projects and daddy homeschool projects around our house. Both fun I hope, but different. Dad makes musical glasses so she can play Twinkle Twinkle and Mom makes colored celery sticks to see how plants suck up water through their stems. Good thing there are two of us cause I know I couldn't do the music thing! Good ratio for Aggie-2 teachers for every one student.

a romantic dinner...and a baby?

We don't leave Gwyn yet, but have kept our weekly date nights by dropping Agatha off at Gammy's or Grandma and Grandpa's. We do things like go to the drive in, walk malls, go out to baby friendly resturants and just stay in to watch all our tivoed shows before 10pm. The latter is what we did last Friday, but Adam also made this amazing dinner. We had salmon, artichokes with a creme basil mustard sauce, and garlic potatoes. It was so fun. Adam is a great cook and lucky for me he loves it. We ate off of china and had candles---and guess what! Gwyn slept through it all. It was a wonderful evening-the romance is still alive, even with a five month old and four year old.