Little Heston Family

Rock and Roll Marathon 2009

2009-06-28T08:28:00.001-07:00

We did it! Yesterday, my friend Dawn and I completed our first 1/2 marathon, and boy are we glad that it's over! I cannot begin to express how supportive everyone was during the run. We started the race down in Tukwila at 7am (although we technically didn't cross the start line until 8:16am since they had to stagger the 25,000 people that were running) and ended at Qwest Field, in Seattle, 3 hours later. We ran most of the time but walked the big hills so that we wouldn't collapse and give up. There were so many volunteers along the way passing out water, Jolly Ranchers, Vaseline, bandaids and Gatorade. We ran through neighborhoods where everyone was sitting in their lawn chairs blasting Michael Jackson and cheering us on. About 20 different cheerleading squads from the surrounding area's were dressed as rock and roll girls doing cheers for all of the runners. Some people stood out in thier lawns for hours spraying their hoses on all of us that crossed by their houses. About 12 bands were staggered throughout the 13.1 miles playing their music as we crossed each milestone. And my beloved trainer Trista was there at the 13 mile mark cheering us on and going crazy as she saw us come running down off of the viaduct. I started crying when I saw her just knowing how proud she was of us, and seeing her there cheering us on. It was a great day. The weather could not have been more perfect and I am so incredibly excited to do it again next year. My main goal for this year was just finishing the race and keeping a good pace, but next year I'm going for a goal with a much better time (better start training now). I have to praise God for waking me up at 4am when my alarm clock did not go off at 3:30am. I have no other explanation as to why I would have waken up so early. All in all a great experience and I am so thankful that I can rest a bit from here on out.

One Week Till The Big Day...

2009-06-20T20:33:00.000-07:00

Today is exactly one week from my first 1/2 Marathon. This might not be an accomplishment for most people, but it is for me. I'm pretty excited to get it over with and hopefully all of the hard work will pay off. It's been exhausting these past few months finding time to train between a full time job (2 of them if you count being a mother), starting plenty of summer projects on the house, teaching Sunday school, and everything else that is thrown our way. But I'm excited to give it a shot! I guess this explains for the lack of posts. Bring on the summer!

My 27th Birthday...

2009-05-09T23:15:00.001-07:00

Two weeks ago, I celebrated my 27th birthday. I don't know why, but I always forget how old I am now (even when I just wrote 'my 27th birthday' I had to do the math.....seriously). I'm not a huge fan of my birthday (like some people are) but it is fun having a few days where people are extra nice to you and do fun little things for you (like buying you coffee, giving you a sweet card, hearing from those people you barely ever talk to, etc) but the best part about birthdays (for me anyways) is spending quality time with my family and close friends. Josh always goes above and beyond making me feel special....so it was a fun-filled weekend. And it helps that I have an awesome boss who gives us our birthdays off! I actually chose to take the following Monday as my birthday day off since there were a couple of things that needed to get done (my birthday was on a Friday this year)....SO, here's a breakdown of what I did to celebrate and also a few pics to go with everything (which will probably end up posting at the top of my blog since I still cannot figure out how to post pictures at the end of my blog). Ha ha. Maybe that'll be my goal to try and figure out during the 27th year of my life. :)

Also, I'm mainly posting the following list of events so that I have them for my own memory. It seems as the years go by, I start forgetting little things and details (which totally annoys me since I am usually notorious for my brilliant memory of events and remembering details towards all of the small things). In high school, I could watch a movie and recite almost any line in that particular movie afterwards. My friends would always laugh, but I think it partially drove them nuts. To this day, I can probably recite any full scene from a Friends episode that I've seen. It's a really weird talent that I have. Anyways, if you're approaching your 30's, have a 3 year old, balance work/mothering, training for a 1/2 marathon, struggling with Fibromyalgia and auto-immune stuff, or any one of the above....not to mention all of those above things at the same time...you probably struggle with remembering past events and the small details too. Lately it seems as though I can barely remember to take out the garbage every Wednesday morning. Anyways, here's to being 27! And mainly, by doing this every year on my blog, I won't be racking my brain trying to remember what I spent the previous birthday doing. :)

Friday (my actual Birthday) Josh surprised me at the office with a dozen roses, my princess Ava by his side, a Jamba Juice, and was planning to take a walk with me like I normally do on my break if time allows (how sweet) but the weather was crummy and I had a pile of work on my desk that needed to go away (especially with my 3-day weekend ahead and all). Therefore I got to have about 20 minutes of Ava in my office helping me make some very important phone calls. I also got to show her off to a couple of my favorite clients. That night, my best friend Kym's family came over for a BBQ and the kiddos played together all night. Kym, if you ever read this, thank you for always being there for me and just being that person you are to me. I love you like my sister and am so thankful for everything we've been through together. I love you!

I have no clue what I did on Saturday......let me think for a second about that one.......(do you see why I'm posting this?) Ha ha.

Okay, now I remember, Saturday I woke up to some sunshine and took a 3 mile jog with Ava. Then we did my favorite thing to do on a Saturday afternoon.....stuff around the house, yard work, taking Ava to the park, etc.... After Ava's nap we took a family trip up to the Outlet Malls and I blew most of my birthday cash at the Nike Store on a bunch of new work out clothes, running shoes, and stuff like that. I also picked out a few shirts from the GAP (don't think I bought anything there since high school) but they actually had some cute tee's for like $6/piece! Right up my ally.

Sunday was spent with both of our families at the Emerald Downs, where I gambled away the rest of my birthday money (I actually hit a tri-fecta and picked the winning horse in race one....won $90 on a $4 bet....and the rest went south from then on). There were great times to be had by all. If you live in this area and have never been to the Emerald Downs, I would definitely suggest going! The kids also have fun getting to see the horses up close, and going in the kid-friendly toys. We had a caricaturist draw Ava's picture, and it turned out adorable.

Monday was, of course, the day I had off for my birthday....so I took care of some loose ends around the house, went to an appointment, and finished de-junking some of our closets (with the glorious help of my little princess of course).

All in all it was a fabulous weekend and I'm one year closer to being 30 now. My goal is to keep this blog updated until I turn 30. (I just came up with that, by the way). This way I can listen to myself whine about how old I'm getting every year, all-the-while wishing I could go back to being the age I was the previous year, and reminisce about how young my daughter looks in all of the photos we take each year. In all seriousness though, I do feel more and more blessed as the years go by. In that respect, I guess getting older is not that bad. Here's to being 27.

Excuse me while I pass Judgement for a second...

2009-04-13T06:12:00.000-07:00

Okay, I see alot of crazy things here in Washington. Some of them shock me, while others don't. Just thought I'd share with you something that shocked me on Friday evening.....this might not shock alot of you...but it did me.

Friday evening Josh plays is a softball league with our church team. He'll drop off Ava to my work and we'll head over to the fields for a fun (and usually freezing) Friday night watching a couple of softball games. On this particular Friday I wanted to pick up a coffee on the way to the game. Usually I would try to find a Starbucks, but we were in a hurry and needed to hit up a local drive through. I drove by one of the drive throughs....closed. The next one I saw was about a quarter of a mile down the street with flashing lights 'espresso espresso'. Perfect.

I had to wait in line as one customer purchased their coffee. It seemed like it was taking an awful long time. I almost got frustrated and drove away since we were already late for the game. But, by this time, 3 car fulls of people had pulled in behind me. When it was my turn, I pulled up to the window to order my overpriced beverage. I was greeted by a girl wearing star shaped pasties on her chest, and a thong underwear. At this point, I could do 1 of 3 things.
A. Drive away
B. Order my drink, and pretend like everything was normal
C. Order my drink, and ask her why on earth such a beautiful girl would do this to herself

I chose B. We ordered our normal drinks (Ava usually gets a steamed milk) all the while, Ava was in the back of the car screaming things like "Mama, where are her clothes?" "Mama, that's SILLY", "Mama, she's NAKED!". It was absolutely hilarious. The 'naked girl' serving our coffee could obviously here my fearless daughter saying these things. The only thing I said to her was "Aren't you cold? It's freezing out!". To which she replied, "No, it's a bit windy...but that helps the tips". I didn't know what she meant by this until I realized....cold weather+naked girl=you know what I'm talking about. Come on now. Seriously? I know to most of you, this is old news. But I have never, ever, had a naked person serve me my coffee. I've heard of the lingere stands, but this seems to be on a whole different level. What if the steaming hot milk splattered on her? Why did she work alone, in that outfit? Wouldn't she be scared of someone trying to take advantage of her? I just did not get it at all. This is Washington. It's not like we're in OC California where the weather is really nice. It's freaking freezing here all of the time. I realized at that point why the person in front of me was taking such a long time, and then looked behind me to the 3 cars of people (all men of course). Maybe it's just the age I am, but I felt really bad subjecting my daughter to that. We did get a good laugh out of it though. The name of the place had 'bikini' in the title, but there was no bikini going on. It was straight pasties, and a thong. That's all folks. Just wanted to share. What types of things have shocked you this week?

My Spin On Chicken Nachos

2009-03-26T21:40:00.001-07:00

I've been trying to eat really healthy and think of new dishes for the family. Oprah had a "Celebrity Chef's" edition this week, and it was fun hearing some new tips and ideas. One thing they talked about was how using leftovers can save you a ton of money. I am pretty good about this. Usually I will stock up on a few roasted chicken's from Costco (only $4/chicken) and they can each make about 4 dinners/piece. I will spend an evening shredding the meat and freezing them into separate bags (which only takes about 15 minutes) but it really comes in handy when you want to throw a quick soup in the crock pot or make some chicken enchilada's. Tonight I decided to make a healthier version of chicken nachos. One of the chef's on Oprah showed a family an easy way to make healthier tortilla chips. You just buy whole wheat tortilla's and cut them into small triangles....throw them in the oven for 5 minutes (on 400 degree's) and you have some very low sodium/low calorie chips (no salt is needed either)!. So, I decided to use up a bag of frozen chicken meat and make a healthier version of chicken nachos.....here goes!

I think this whole dish probably cost about $5. It went great with my mango salsa (I will post that recipe one day too)....

Ingredients:

One bag of shredded chicken (about 1/4 of a roasted chicken)

Tortilla chips (Homemade)

4 small peppers (I used yellow, green, orange, and red)

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (low fat)

Diced tomatoes

Garlic Powder

Olive Oil

Chopped Chives

1 can black beans....drained

1/2 cup shredded lettuce

Directions:

First, cut up about 5 whole wheat tortillas into quarter's (4 triangles each). Sprinkle with a bit of garlic powder and cook in oven at 400 degree's for 5 minutes.

In small saute pan, heat olive oil and cook the peppers for about 3-4 minutes

Put the tortilla chips in an oven-safe dish....and layer on top of chips (in an order similar to this): black beans, shredded lettuce, shredded chicken, diced tomatoes, sauteed peppers, shredded mozzarella cheese, and top with chopped chives. Put back in oven until cheese melts.

Enjoy!....perhaps with some mango salsa!

Global Food Crisis Day

2009-03-10T23:25:00.000-07:00

https://www.compassion.com/contribution/giving/global-food-crisis.htm

One person in seven goes to bed hungry every day.

One-third of the world’s population is undernourished.

There are 25,000 starvation-related deaths each day.

Each night more than 300 million children go to bed hungry.

Every day, over 12,000 children (one every 7 seconds) die from hunger-related causes.

Approximately 146 million or 27 percent of children under age 5 in developing countries are underweight.

Nearly 17 percent of babies in developing countries are born with a low birth weight compared with only 7 percent of babies in industrialized countries.

More than 4.4 million children die from malnutrition each year.

Worldwide, 161 million preschool children suffer chronic malnutrition.

Tomorrow is Global Food Crisis Day. I am going to partake in the challenge and stick to eating only one cup of rice per day (which is equivalent to what many children and families around the world are only able to eat in a given day). I know that this challenge won't make a difference in the world, but I hope that it will raise awareness in myself.....make a difference in myself; my attitude. It absolutely breaks my heart to read the statistics up above. I could never imagine watching my child go hungry. When you are a mother, the desire to provide for your family is a constant aching in your heart....a constant battle. Thinking about families all over the world who have to watch their children go hungry is devastating. Here are a few more statistics.

• $13 helps a child for one month
• $39 helps three children for one month
• $78 helps six children for one month

If these statistics have weighed heavy on your heart, I would encourage you to donate. If you can't donate, I would encourage you to partake in the challenge. One cup of rice tomorrow. That's it. Let me know if you do this, I'd love to hear about it!

http://www.one.org/, http://www.bread.org/, http://www.unicef.org/, http://www.who.int/, http://www.unep.org/

Day 2 Since The Binkie Fairy Arrived...

2009-03-08T17:26:00.000-07:00

I've had alot of people ask me how things have been around the Heston Household since the magical Binkie Fairy came on Friday night. Let's just say that we're all a little tired around here. Saturday morning was pretty difficult for me (I know, this all sounds really pathetic, you don't have to comment on that....). Josh, I mean, the Binkie Fairy, thought it would be a good idea around 4am on Saturday morning to just rip out the binkie from poor Ava's mouth and let her wake up around 8am without it. What Josh, I mean the Binkie Fairy, did not plan on was Ava waking up IMMEDIATELY in major melt-down mode trying to figure out why her binkie had been ripped from her mouth suddenly in the middle of her slumber. Both barbies were waiting for her on her pillow (like we had told her would happen)....but she was NOT having it at all. After throwing both barbies across the room, throwing a fit for about 2 hours sobbing and asking me "where is my binkie? Mama, please go get me another binkie!".....she finally calmed down and watched a movie with me (mind you, this was still at like 5:30am). I didn't think it would be so hard on me. Hearing your daughter sobbing unconditionally, and knowing that you could fix it (by caving and just going to the store for a new binkie), was really difficult for me. I think it is because I'm such a people pleaser. I can NEVER say no to anyone. Don't get me wrong, Ava does not get everything she wants, but there is nothing harder than seeing your child suffer. I know that this is all very silly, but I did get teary eyed and felt bad for her! She's had her 'plug' ever since she was one day old, and I can only imagine what children go through when their security items are taken away.

Anyways, all of that aside, today has been a much better day. None of us have really slept all that much this weekend (of course, I'm getting over being really sick and having Ava wake up every couple of hours screaming for her binkie haven't helped much) but we're getting through it. Thank you for all of your funny emails and comments. Parenting is such a wonderful journey and it's comforting knowing that we're all in this together!

Dear Ava...

2009-03-06T22:45:00.000-08:00

Dear Ava,

I am writing you this letter on the night of March 6th, 2009. I suspect that this is going to be a most terrifying and difficult night for you (your dad and I too). You see, tonight, the Binkie Fairy is coming to take away your most prized possession. I'm still trying to figure out why this fairy did not grace us with her presence back when you were only 1 year old. I think it would have made things a whole lot easier on all of us. On the contrary, she has waited until you are almost 3 years old to come and rip you from the security item that you have (most definitely) HAD to keep intact every night of your life (at least up until this point). A few weeks ago I thought it would be a good idea to remove the binkie from your mouth while you were sleeping and get rid of it once and for all. I figured it was time to let it go, and thought you would wake up in the morning forgetting about your beloved binkie. However, I woke up at 1am to the most bone shattering scream I have ever heard. You don't even WANT to know the thoughts that had run through my mind (as to why you were shrilling at the top of your lungs like that). I bolted to your room, only to find you sobbing and trying to mutter the words "Binkie! Where is my binkie?" through the most pathetic tears I have ever seen. It was then that your dad and I decided we would have to be a bit more creative in our endeavor....

A few weeks went by since that night, and your dad and I put the whole idea of "getting rid of the binkie" on the back burner. That is, until we were having dinner with our good friend Tonya (a dental hygienist) who told us that you would probably develop buck teeth from using your binkie this long (okay, she didn't say it like that....but your father did not have to hear another word about it and decided that it would be terminated immediately). After consulting with some friends, we decided to tell you the following story (so that you would understand why you will be waking up tomorrow with no binkie in your mouth) *sigh*. Twenty years down the road when you are talking to your therapist and trying to decipher at what point things turned south in your life, you can show him/her this letter to answer this exact question.

So, here is the story (as you know it) as to what is magically going to happen tonight.....

A beautiful fairy (who we've shown you pictures of in your coloring books)...named the "Binkie Fairy" is going to fly to our house tonight around 1am. She will somehow enter our house (Note to self, do not arm the alarm system), walk up the stairs (sprinkling her magic fairy dust as she goes), tip-toe into your room (and, yes, we will actually be sprinkling some leftover Halloween glitter onto the stairs for special effects) and find your bedroom. She will then sneak into your room, remove your binkie from your mouth, and leave you 2 barbies on your pillow while you sleep. (It was supposed to be only one barbie, but then you couldn't make up your mind as to what barbie you wanted more...so the gracious binkie fairy has opted to spoil you during this horrific time and just give you both the Ariel Mermaid Barbie AND the Ballerina Barbie). When you wake up, you will see your new barbies in your bed, find her fairy dust leading out to the front door, and be SO happy that she has brought you presents in exchange for your binkies!

For some reason, I don't think that this will be your initial reaction....but this is the way it is all supposed to go down, God willing.

Ever since we told you about this magical fairy that is coming, you have been asking millions and millions of questions about it. Here are a few of my favorites....

"Mama, is the binkie fairy taking my binkie so that all the little babies in the world can have them?"

"Will my barbies have their own binkies, mama?" (Um, that would be NO)....

"Mama, will I still have a binkie in my backpack at church?"

"I'm a big girl now, is that why I can't have my binkie anymore?" (No, it's because I don't want you to have buck teeth).

"Mama, where do binkies come from" (Although, I'd rather answer this question than "where do babies come from?")....

So, there you have it. We have decided to tell you that your first question is true. The Binkie Fairy is coming because all of the new little babies in the world need to have your binkies. Now, after I'm done with this letter, your father and I have to tear apart the house and make sure we are not missing any old binkies that might have fallen in between couch cushions, or under the bed. Please, dear child, do not make these next few nights difficult for yourself. I know it is going to be a very traumatic experience to go through, but we know you can do it. I apologize we didn't summon the Binkie Fairy to come to our house a year or two ago. And now it seems as though your binkie is just an extension of your face. Although I'm excited to see you play with your new barbies, I'm saddened that this night will signify a turning point in your life. You are almost 3, which means you will be entering into pre-school soon, and are not my infant baby anymore. Your father and I love you more than you will ever know. Please remember that as you will probably be hating us very much this next week.

Love, Mommy

A Few Thoughts From Last Night...

2009-03-03T12:04:00.000-08:00

I'm not going to sit here and complain about the season finale of the Bachelor last night. It is what it is. As much as I don't believe that Jason should have gone about everything the way he did, he is a real person and a sinner just like the rest of us. He's made some horrible choices, and that is his problem. He did exactly what he told everyone he didn't want to do from the beginning, but whatever. There was no need to break up with Melissa on National TV. If Jason and Melissa really had broken up beforehand (like he claimed to have done on the Jimmy Kimmel show last night) then why did he have to do it again on National TV? Her reaction to everything proved that she didn't know the extent of everything (even though he claimed that she did). Anyways, we can't change what he did, but I do want to point out a few things that I found really odd (in respect to ABC and the way they handled everything)....

#1. When they show Jason proposing to someone in the beginning of the Bachelor (on the beginning highlights for the seasons show when we first started watching in January), they show him proposing to a gal wearing a light blue dress. However, neither Mel or Molly were wearing a light blue dress at the finale. Isn't that odd? Seriously, play back the previews from the first Bachelor preview and watch him down on one knee....it was totally fabricated. Or, check out the blogs that show him proposing to someone in the previews. It's not the same person. They do, however, go as far to show him proposing to a girl wearing a gold pinky ring (which was obviously Melissa). This shows you how badly they wanted everyone to think it was Melissa who won. AND, if Jason really broke up with Melissa at the ATRF (After the Rose finale) that was filmed in January....they wouldn't have needed to make it seem like he was indeed proposing to her in NZ (since they knew the outcome before it aired). It seems like this whole heart-break dump was planned from the beginning (no matter how much Jason and ABC try to deny it)...

#2. The WHOLE reason they taped the 'finale after the rose' without audience members, is because Molly and Jason were ACTING the whole time. There is no other reason that they would not have taped it in front of audience members. Since it was all an act, they knew that they would need to stop-plays, re-do scenes, and cut out alot of the retakes that they had to do. You could TOTALLY tell after they had seen eachother for the 'first time' that they had seen eachother since the send-off in NZ. You could tell when they greeted eachother and said "Oh my gosh, it's been awhile!" that they were totally faking it. They had to of seen eachother since New Zealand and they were trying to make it seem like they hadn't.

#3. Any normal girl in the real world would not have accepted a proposal to get back together with someone that quickly after they had split up (on national television) after a 2 month romance with another girl. Molly said herself how angry she was when he broke up with her, and any normal girl would not be making out and holding hands with a guy who had been engaged 'up until that point' and had JUST dumped his fiance on national television. Come on. Who would do that? This also goes to show you just how much of a prick Jason is. You don't break up with a fiance and then make out with the runner up on National TV 5 minutes later. Where is your sensitivity chip?

#4. All of the contestants who sign up on the bachelor/bachelorette are signed to a 5 million contract. This means, if they spill the beans about the show, they can be sued for 5 million dollars. This is exactly why none of the girls who were involved in this show can really talk about what happened (behind the cameras). It sucks that it has to be this way. It is horrible that good girls like Melissa have to deal with all of this crap. In the end, it's always the good girls that suffer.

I don't know why I care this much. I will sit here and talk about the fact that I will never watch this horrible show ever again, but I know I will. It's horrible that ABC can get all of us this hooked and make it ruin our week since we feel bad for Melissa. I guess the only happiness I have is that Jason will have to deal with his choices/consequences and we all know that this stupid relationship with Molly will have a shorter shelf life than the yogurt in my fridge. And if I'm wrong, I will make it up to all of you.

End of The Rainbow

2009-03-02T14:50:00.001-08:00

Just when you think Google outdid everyone by finding the "Lost City of Atlantis" (did you see that?) some guy in California found the end of the rainbow. Kinda fitting that I found this photo today on the same day that the Bachelor is coming to an end. 5 hours and counting...

My Guilty Pleasure...The Bachelor

2009-02-24T19:06:00.000-08:00

Most of you who read this blog know that I am obsessed with this season's "The Bachelor". Don't ask me why, I just am. I have never really gotten into the show this much before, but there's something about Jason that seems more real and sincere than the others they've had on the show before. Where am I going with this? Well, since I am anticipating the finale that is airing next week, I have been reading some blogs about theories that people have come up with. I found this blog and it started to make sense to me (with hearing Chris Harrison saying that the 'After the Rose Finale' is going to be super intense and unpredictible). I sure hope it's not true! I really like Melissa, and I'm gonna be pretty upset if this all pans out the way this guy claims it is going to happen.....http://dontbejelly.wordpress.com/2009/02/24/the-bachelor-a-conspiracy-theory/

Anyone out there think this might be the case? I wouldn't put it past ABC and reality TV in general. Okay, I really need to find something better to do with my time...

Top 3 Blonde Moments of 2009 (So Far)...

2009-02-23T09:15:00.000-08:00

I can laugh at the fact that I'm a blond, and do justice to my hair color. I pay alot of money to have my hair look like this, and I guess I can handle the 'blond' jokes that are thrown my way every so often. Okay, I'm naturally a dirty-blond people! I guess the rules still apply though. SO.....this got me thinking to my top few blond moments from 2009 (so far). It's not fun if we can't make fun of ourselves, right?

#1. Bringing my wrong vehicle to the emissions test place. Shhhh...don't tell my husband. I would never live this one down. The thing is, I knew it was our truck that needed the emissions test, and I still drove through with my SUV???? Here's what happened (after waiting in line for 20 minutes)...

Me: Hi there! Busy day? I'm glad I made it through before lunchtime!
Him: Hi miss, cute sweater, where did you get it?
Me: Thanks! My mother in law bought it for me! I get compliments on it all the time. :)
Him: Um, miss, can I see your registration? (after he scanned my VIN number on my car).
Me: Here you go!
Him: Miss, this is your insurance card....
Me: Whoopsie daisy! Here you go....
Him: Miss, this is the wrong vehicle
Me: I have the wrong registration in here? Weird!
Him: No miss, you are driving through with the wrong vehicle
Me: Oh my gosh, I'm in the SUV, huh?
Him: Yes ma'am, this renewal is for a 2004 Chevy Silverado
Me: Well, at least I didn't pay yet! See ya.

I will have to find another emissions place in the state of WA to bring the truck to. They probably have my picture up at that Everett location....

#2. Playing an entire song at band rehearsal (with the Pathways Church Band) in the wrong key. I couldn't really hear myself playing, but I knew something didn't sound right, and I can't believe I played the whole thing in the wrong key! I'm currently learning how to read chord charts (instead of playing sheet music the way it's written) so it's been a learning experience for me. Since this was only my 2nd rehearsal, I was pretty mortified. It's bad enough I don't know what the heck I'm doing yet, and I'm sure the guys in the band were like "Um, what in the heck is she doing?". Practice makes perfect. Unless you cannot hear what you're playing (except for small bits here and there).

#3. Trying to pay my Comcast bill over the phone with my Macy's Credit Card (it's the same color as my regular major credit card). I kept trying to pay over the phone automatically, and I couldn't find out why in the heck it wasn't working! Finally, I opted to transfer out of the automated service, and speak with a representative (to pay the $10 fee which I really didn't want to do) but I totally forgot to mail the payment (even though it was ready to go in my mail basket), and the payment was 4 days away from the due date. I didn't want to risk it being late, so I tried to pay it over the phone. Finally, the guy on the phone asked me what type of credit card it was, that's when I saw MACYS written across it. I didn't have the nerve to tell him, so I think I accused them of their system being screwed up, hung up the phone, called back, and paid (automatically, waiving any fee) over the phone with my correct major visa credit card. This is why I don't pay bills over the phone people. I'm pretty old fashioned in the sense that I buy stamps and mail in my check payment every month. For now, I've removed that credit card from my wallet completely. I probably should have done this in the first place.

I'm sure there's a lot more where this came from.

The Other Love In My Life...

2009-02-14T16:36:00.000-08:00

In honor of Valentines Day, I thought I would share some of the things I love about the other love in my life...my daughter Ava...and I thought it would be fun to post some old pictures of her, since I didn't have a blog back then. I constantly share things about my husband, and other things that I love in this world...but rarely do I comment on the little things I love about my daughter Ava. Here goes...

I love how she is my little "Mother Hen". She LOVES taking care of other kids and making sure that her daddy and I are doing okay (so cute coming from a tiny little 2 year old).

I love how she always tells me how proud of me she is (could that be any cuter?)

I love how she snuggles me every night right before she goes to bed....it's like the only time during the day that she actually sits still for 2 minutes.

I love how I see both my husband and myself when I look into her adorable big green eyes.

I love how she carries her blanket into our room around 2am every night, climbs into our bed, rolls over the top of me, and settles in between Josh and I for the remainder of our slumber.

I love how obsessed she is when it comes to washing her hands...and has to do it like a million times a day (just like her daddy).

I love how she tells me how beautiful I am every morning.

I love how she wears my high heels around our house, carrying her purse, and pushing her mini-sized stroller with her dollies strapped into it...

I love how she SCREAMS her head off everytime I touch the bandaid she's had on her elbow for the past 2 months.....the owie is gone (of course)...but she is still dramatic over it because she won't let me remove the bandaid.

I love how her shampoo smells in her hair after she gets out of the tub.

I love how she is such a daddy's girl.

I love how she pretends to play piano with me everytime I'm practicing.

I love hearing her sing songs that she's learned in church or at daycare.....there's something about hearing your child sing....now matter how good or bad they are.

I love how she tries desperately to close her eyes while we pray, but is always peeking and giggling.

I love that God intrusted me with such an amazing little girl.

I Enjoy The Small Things In Life...

2009-02-05T07:00:00.000-08:00

I totally enjoy the small things in life. It doesn't take alot to impress me. When you're married, you really come to appreciate the little things that your spouse does for you....and I hope that my husband appreciates that I don't expect a whole lot (I don't need big gifts or fancy dinners to jump-start our marriage). What I need is knowing that my loved one is attentive to my needs, and wants to satisfy them...no matter how small or big that is! One of the things Josh and I bicker about constantly is the fact that he never brings our travel coffee mugs home from work. This totally irritates me! I know, it could be worse, right? Well, yesterday morning when I came down to start our coffee pot...there were a few of our mugs sitting on the counter...washed and ready for me to use. The note read..."These are all for you and all CLEAN baby!" It totally made my day. I love that my husband knows how he can lift my spirits and make me happy. It's all about the little things.

Another thing that makes me happy is when he folds all of our laundry that I've washed. I'm guilty of washing tons of laundry and leaving them all in the basket for a couple of days. But I HATE folding laundry. The other day, I was out shopping with a girlfriend...and I came home to ALL of the laundry I had washed that morning folded and hung up/put away. This meant so much to me!

The final thing that means the world to me is when he'll volunteer constantly to give me a back rub before we go to bed. I usually do not even have to ask. When I was pregnant, I got a back rub every night. He never missed a night. I would say I'm lucky to get them about twice a week now, but I think that's pretty awesome! Especially with the achy muscles that I constantly have.

Don't worry, I pay attention to his needs/wants too. But this post is all about giving my husband props to paying attention to the small things in life that I really appreciate. So, what are the small things that you appreciate in life or from your loved one?

Baked Salmon with Tomatoes, Spinach & Mushrooms...

2009-02-05T06:44:00.000-08:00

I absolutely love to cook and try new dishes. Although I'm a full time working mommy, my number one priority when I get home from work is to make sure that there is a hot dinner waiting for my husband when he gets home (okay, not every night but like 90% of the time). It's important for me to keep my man happy....and we all know that the #1 place to a man's heart is through his stomach! So, where am I going with this? Well, since I wake up at 5am and don't get home from work until 6:30pm, I usually have to prepare our meals in advance (or at least prep the meat, defrost items, prepare seasonings, etc...) before leaving for work. I will usually take Ava grocery shopping with me on Thursday or Saturday so we can plan out our meals for the week. And it TOTALLY helps now that I've registered for the Kraft Recipe Website online. It's totally free, and will cater to your needs/likes. I've found some awesome recipes/tips here. It will also email me with new recipe ideas throughout the week. I love this! When you initially register it asks you questions about your likes/dislikes/priorities. I usually need something that can be prepared ahead of time, is healthy, and doesn't take a lot of time to cook. So, now I get emails with recipes that are just what I need! Here is one that I tried out recently, it was delicious and only took about 1/2 an hour to prepare/make. I served it with some brown rice and grilled asparagus. Enjoy!

What You Need
4 salmon fillets (1 lb.) (I used the pre-packaged single serving Costco salmon)
2 cups chopped fresh spinach leaves
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 tomato, chopped
1/3 cup KRAFT Sun-Dried Tomato Dressing

Make It

HEAT oven to 375°F. Place fish fillets, skin sides down, in 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray.
MIX remaining ingredients until blended; spoon over fish.
BAKE 20 to 25 min. or until fish flakes easily with fork.

And now I know...

2009-01-29T15:15:00.000-08:00

Nobody ever told me that you could dial 911 from a phone that did not have my SIM card in it...

But today I found out.

So, Thursdays are my favorite days. I get to spend the day with Ava and do whatever we please. Usually that entails going for a walk, spending time with my sister or friends, shopping, and just playing together. There are no expectations. She chooses what we do, and I go along with it. Today she wanted to play with my phone. Well, not my current phone...

My co-workers phone had been trashed, and I told her that I had one she could borrow. Today, I charged it up for her and got it ready for her use. Apparently, after we got back from our walk, Ava thought it would be fun to talk on it. I watched as she forcefully grabbed it off of the charger. I thought she was pretending, but apparently she was really talking to someone on the other end. Here is what I heard....

Ava..."Hi, how are you? What's your name? How are ya? You wanna come over?"

Me..."Ava, please bring me that phone. It's not a toy"..

Ava..."No, I'm talking on it MAMA!"

Me..."Ok, whatever, have fun!"

Ava...."Whatever MAMA, I'm talking to Kendal!"

Me..."Kendal is with her mommy, you need to have lunch. And if you talk to me with that tone of voice one more time, you WILL have a time out..."

Ava..."So, you wanna come over here? What is YOUR name? My name is AVA!"

Me...(after realizing that something was going on)..."What's going on honey?"

Ava...."Um....WHAT? I DON'T KNOW!"

That's when I heard the ladies voice on the other end....

We talked for a few minutes, just to confirm that everything was indeed okay. As much as I appreciate that they take the time to confirm that 911 was not needed....I had an eggplant parmesan casserole in the oven and another billion things to do..

They sent reinforcement just in case. I guess I can laugh about it now, but I never had any clue that you could dial SOS from a phone that did not have a SIM card in it. At least I met our friendly neighborhood police.

I guess we live and we learn. Ava will never play with any of our phones again.

Until next time!

A New Look

2009-01-27T22:50:00.000-08:00

After having the same lay-out for nearly 6 months, I decided my blog needed a make-over! One of these days I desperately need to switch to word-press....but until then, enjoy!

What do you think?

I crave change.

A Great Day

2009-01-27T22:29:00.000-08:00

Sunday was a great day. I watched my precious niece, Reese, be dedicated at our church...and also witnessed my sister Colleen's baptism. What a wonderful way to start the week.

You know you need a maid when...

2009-01-22T07:59:00.000-08:00

You know you need a maid when you ask your daughter what she wants for breakfast and she looks down at the counter, points to yesterday's cereal which is hardened and stuck to the surface, and says "I want THIS kind MAMA!"

I think I need to clean house today.

3 Years of Marriage...

2009-01-16T21:18:00.001-08:00

Josh and I celebrated 3 years of marriage on January 14th. After being married 3 years (lucky number 3) a lot has happened in our life. We have made many memories together and I can't wait for the next 50+ years. I know it sounds cliche, but I really did marry the best man in the whole world. Sorry ladies. He makes me laugh more than any other person I know. I couldn't picture myself with someone who didn't make me laugh as much as he did. Here are some things that have happened over the past 3 years...

We had a precious baby girl who has brought tremendous joy into our lives, and changed me in ways that I could never imagine...

We bought our first house in 2007...

We changed about 8,000 diapers...

We hosted about a BILLION parties. If you know me, you know that I love to be a hostess...

We spent 8 days in Cancun for our one year anniversary, lost our luggage for 3 days, and flew the Mexicana Airlines on one of the weirdest flights I've ever experienced...

We've been in about a million weddings...

We had our baby girl dedicated to the Lord in front of our closest family and friends...

We shed many tears with family members....during both the good and bad times...

Josh threw me off of a jet ski when we were in Lake Chelan and landed me in the ER...thanks babe.

We became part of an awesome church and have built some great relationships...

I watched one too many football games to count...

Played about a trillion games of Phase Ten...

Changed my hair color 6 times...

We swam with dolphins in Mexico...and experience I'll never forget...

I can't wait to see where this journey will take us in the next 3 years...

Little Ballerina

2009-01-11T15:03:00.000-08:00

Ava is obsessed with wearing her little tu-tu and watching a ballerina DVD my mom bought her for Christmas. She is such a little sweet heart. I love watching her evolving brain take-in the motions and directions from the DVD. She is at an age where she is constantly learning, watching, absorbing, and mimicking what she sees. I sometimes wish that I could freeze this age forever! Hopefully we will get her into some ballerina/dance classes when she turns 3 in May. Here is a picture of her at my moms house watching her little DVD and following along.

Here's to 2009...Cheers!

2009-01-01T15:03:00.000-08:00

Last night we celebrated New Years Eve and brought in 2009. My sisters family and my best friend Kym's family all came over with the kids and we had a blast! The guys hung out and played darts most of the night, while us girls chatted away and played Guitar Hero for awhile. I hate most video games, but Guitar Hero is so much fun (could be the musician part of me that loves playing music?). We ended the night by hitting up the hot tub once the kids had gone to bed. The sleepover with the kiddos didn't go too hot, but it was fun for us adults to spend some time together and bring in the new year! Here's some things I'm looking foreword to in 2009...and some things I'm hoping for too!

Here's to 2009....

Celebrating Ava's 3rd birthday in May. Having a 3 year old is really going to make me feel old!

Hopefully bringing another child into this world....God willing.

Celebrating our anniversary on January 14th. I am incredibly lucky to have married the best man in the world!

Growing closer to God and seeing what wonderful things he has planned for me this year.

Watching a new President come into office....and seeing what he does for our Country.

Finally finishing Ava's scrap-book so I can give it to her already!

My husband's 10 year reunion....that'll make us feel old too!

Organizing all of my junk drawers and closet

Trying to work out at least 5 days a week....for a year. Yeah, we'll see!

Possibly starting a small business on the side of my normal job...

Spending a lot of time with my best friends, they are the best!, and possibly making some new friends too...

Going to Cabo with my husband and Ava

So......what are you doing in 2009???

Clutter and My Organization Skills (or lack of skills)

2008-12-28T15:23:00.000-08:00

I hate clutter. I'm not a freak about the fact that I hate clutter, but I do. People who do not have a lot of stress in their lives, usually live without clutter. I'm not talking about the appearances on the outside, like a clean house or a clean garage. Usually everything from their socks drawers and scrapbooking area is completely clutter free. I am NOT this way. I wish that I was. I don't feel like I have a whole lot of stress in my life, but I wish my junk drawer was the perfect mixture of a few pencils, paper clips, post it notes, and a calculator. I actually just looked through my junk drawer (in our kitchen) and found 2 binkis, 2 things of deodorant, tons of make-up, lots of old photos, Christmas candy from last year, about 30 old batteries, books of matches from the 90's...oh and a fake spider that my daughter got at a Halloween party this year (which scared the crap out of me). Anyways, my goal for 2009 (Goal, not resolution) is to become even more organized than I am now. I am pretty dang organized, but the little things in my life are not. Anyways, to get to my point, I came across this blog today and I thought I would share it with you. And gosh, I've found some great things to help me with my goal this coming year! Check it out and let me know what you think!

http://unclutterer.com/

I'm in the middle of trying to download some Christmas photos onto our laptop, but haven't been successful as of yet. Hopefully soon I'll be able to post on our wonderful Christmas and Snowpocalypse of 2008 (as our Pastor calls it) here soon. What a lovely time to live in the great Northwest!

Christmas

2008-12-21T09:34:00.001-08:00

My daughter was watching the "My Little Pony" cartoon this morning. The ponies were very concerned that Santa wasn't going to make it to their town (for some reason or another). One pony said "Oh no, without Santa there is no Christmas!" It made me very sad to think about the message it was sending out to little children who were watching the show. Don't get me wrong, I took Ava to see Santa at the mall, and have explained that Santa is the one who will be bringing gifts to her this year. But it really made me think about my duty, as a mother, to explain the true reason as to why we celebrate Christmas every year. My parents always did a wonderful job of helping us realize the meaning of Christmas, and what it's all about. Now it's my duty to pass this along to my precious little daughter. Talking about Santa is alot of fun, but I don't want her to feel like that's all it is about. So, this year we will be starting a new tradition in our family on Christmas morning (since she was too little in the past to know what was going on) that I'm really excited about it! I'm excited to continue building some memories with our family and celebrating the birth of our Savior. I also want her to realize that there are so many children and families out there who do not have the financial means to open up gifts on Christmas morning. We purchased some gifts yesterday that we will be giving to a family in need. I would encourage you to do the same! It's a wonderful feeling and experience to see the joy brought to tiny little faces who normally do not get much...or anything at all. I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and enjoy the time spent with your loved ones!

Luke 2:11 "Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord."

Pandora

2008-12-11T00:25:00.000-08:00

'If you read this blog, you know that I love finding great deals and free stuff online. Recently, I was turned on to Pandora on the Internet. This may already be well known among some of you, but it's new to me! To sum it up, it's a free music application that lets you build your own radio stations and shuffle through some of your favorite music/artists/genre's. I love music, all different types of music, and this application is wonderful! If you check it out, let me know what you think! Or, if you have another well kept Internet secret, please share! Although, at that point it wouldn't be a secret anymore....

I have been going back and forth between Christmas music. I have a love/hate relationship with Christmas music. Sometimes I can't get enough, and sometimes it drives me crazy. Today, I can't get enough! Can you believe there's only 2 weeks left until Christmas? Maybe I should start my shopping? Seriously...

Things I Am Thankful For Today

2008-12-06T21:19:00.000-08:00

I started writing a post on Thanksgiving day about some things I am thankful for. However, I never got around to posting it (since we were hosting Thanksgiving this year and I was pretty focused on cooking my first turkey)! Today I found myself thinking about some things I was thankful for, so I figured it would be a good time to finish it. Here goes...

Quality time with my husband and Ava. No matter what we're doing, it is the best time ever.

Date nights with my husband, he makes me laugh more than any other person in this world.

Target. I am addicted. We just got back from Target....$200 later....and didn't even find what we were looking for. It is not good that we live less than 1/2 a mile from a Target.

My mom. She has the biggest heart out of anyone I know. I am extremely thankful for the morals and values she taught me while growing up and am proud to be called her daughter.

A clean house.

How wonderful my husband is at folding clothes. Even if he comes home to 8 loads of clean clothes thrown onto the couch.....he will fold all of them because I hate to fold laundry. That's a good man!

My sisters. They are my best friends and know me better than anyone else. We are all complete opposites of eachother which is fun too.

My hair straightener.

Pedicures.

Every unanswered prayer that I've had, and God did not answer. I can now see why things have turned out the way they have. No matter how much I couldn't see it in the past, I am so grateful for unanswered prayers.

Dental Floss.

Our hot tub, it really helps when my virus is acting up....or after a stressful day.

Shrek. Without that movie (1, 2 or 3) I couldn't blog, facebook, check email or clean the house. My daughter is obsessed with Shrek (and Finding Nemo too)...and for that, I am grateful.

Back Rubs (preferably getting them!)

John 11:25

So, what are all of you thankful for?

Secrets

2008-11-20T07:45:00.000-08:00

I came across a blog who had started a blogging secrets game. He had 80 participants who each posted an anonymous person's secret on their blog. Once I put Ava to be last night I read through some of them. You can see it here.

http://newsomi.blogspot.com/2008/11/blogsecretparticipants.html

It got me thinking about secrets. We all have them, and it's so intriguing to read others secrets. I don't know if it's because it makes us feel better about ourselves (even though I could relate to some of them on the blog!) or if it fills some sort of empty void, knowing a secret about someone else. I mean, come on, how many of you out there don't love a good secret? I have millions of secrets, many of which are buried in the past. I love that my husband and I are honest with each other, but neither of us like to talk about our past relationships (the blogging secrets game mainly talked about relationship/encounter secrets). I know some couples who love talking about their ex's and past relationships.....not me. They have shaped me into who I am today, and I've learned alot through past relationships, but I like to consider it in the past. Why is it that we absolutely love hearing other peoples secrets? We all like to talk about ourselves, but secrets are something we would like to hear, rather than tell.

"Never speak of yourself to others; make themtalk about themselves instead; therein lies thewhole art of pleasing. Everybody knows it, and everyone forgets it."
Edmond and Jules de Goncourt

Update

2008-11-11T07:40:00.000-08:00

It's been a little while since I've last updated....here are a few points from the past week or so...

We had a wonderful Halloween, here are some photos from the evening. Ava decided to go as a ballerina. She had 3 costumes to choose from....all hand-me-downs though! At first, she was not excited about wearing her costume (can you tell?) but she warmed up to it after I told her she got to eat candy all day long. The picture of the little ones dressed as a cow and ladybug are from her daycare. Aren't they adorable?

It's so hard for me to discipline sometimes. The other night, Ava cracked an egg all over my white lamb skin rug. I found her in our living room with a measuring cup, egg, and bowl. Apparently she was trying to make cookies. She missed the bowl and cracked it all over the rug though. Geesh, it was so hard for Josh and I not to crack up during that conversation! See picture up above.

Friday night, my sister and her husband graciously watched Ava for the evening so Josh and I could go out on a date! He surprised me the day before and arranged for a sitter so we could do some shopping and have dinner at a new Restaurant. It was alot of fun! We also made it through the first season of Heroes that night. Now we have 2 more seasons to go before we're finally caught up!

This week I'll be staying with my friends Kids for a couple of nights. Ava is so excited to have sleepovers 2 nights in a row! We are all going to see Madagascar too. Have any of you seen it yet? It looks hilarious! This will be Ava's first movie. Should be alot of fun.

I've been keeping up with my personal trainer. She is teaching me some awesome things and it's finally paying off! I'm down 18 pounds so far. Unfortunately the Epstein Barr Virus that I have makes it extremely difficult for me to loose weight, but I've been taking some pretty drastic measures and it's been helping alot. If you are interested in hiring a wonderful trainer who COMES TO YOUR HOME for an excellent price, let me know!

That's about it for now, I don't know when I will get to posting next. These next couple of days should be pretty busy, and we have my cousins wedding this weekend (Ava is the flower girl....see previous post back in September for photos). It is a Navy wedding, Ava and her cousin are Sailor Flower Girls! So Adorable! Happy Veterans Day!

Halloween Party

2008-10-29T08:39:00.001-07:00

Our good friends had a Halloween party for all of the little ones last weekend. Here are a few photos from the day! In 2006 about 6 of us girls were all pregnant at the same time! Most of the kids are just a month apart. Ava and her cousin Kendal (in the Snow White costume) are only 4 days apart!

On the left is Paige, Ava, Brayden, Kendal and Reese (who was not happy at the time of the photo).

Up above is Ava and Auntie Colleen, my sister. Colleen is a real life ballerina, so I thought this picture was pretty cute of the both of them.

The next picture is Ava as a little ballerina. She will also be wearing this costume during the day on Friday (Halloween) and trick-or-treating as a Care Bear at night (her and cousin Kendal always dress up in the same costumes every year). Their first Halloween they were little lambs, last year they were ladybugs, and this year they will be going as Care Bears! What are all of your kiddos dressing up as on Halloween?

Have fun and be safe!

7 Random Things About Me

2008-10-24T20:44:00.000-07:00

Okay, here are 7 Random things about me. I dare you to list 7 Random things about yourself that most people probably don't know!

I hate talking on the phone. Period. Please don’t hate me for this. It is proven if you look at my husband and I’s cell phone bill (he uses all of our minutes) that I hate to talk on the phone. See previous post. I would much rather text message, email, or chat over facebook. There, I said it. No matter how awful that is.

I love/hate my hair. Usually hate it. It takes forever to blow dry/straighten….and if I don’t, it is really wavey and sometimes frizzy.

I loose my keys ALL of the time. It is a big problem with me. I’ve tried everything, but I loose them about once a week. I am usually running behind because of this. And it doesn't help when your two year old hides them all of the time. Yesterday I found them in the pantry.

I cannot let the little things go, but I hold a lot of stuff in (until it breaks me). This is an awful combination.

I am addicted to Target

When I was like 3 or 4, my parents left me in the car all night on Christmas Eve (at my grandmas house). They didn't realize where I was until it was time to open gifts. Sorry mom, you know I had to post this! Don't get me wrong, they are the best parents in the whole world. I have 32 first cousins, can you blame them?!?

I sing at church, but very quietly. I don't know why. There are a few songs that I can belt out, but I was not blessed with a great voice. I do love to worship, but I usually sing very quietly. I WISH I had been given awesome vocal chords, but the good lord has blessed me in several other ways. Not that he cares what I sound like anyways.

Well, I'm supposed to choose 7 people to tag, but how about this? If you read this, post 7 random facts about yourself and leave me a comment with your URL! And by the way, post the first 7 things that come to mind. Don't think about it and wait two days. Let your inner beauty shine!

5-Spice Turkey Lettuce Wraps

2008-10-19T19:51:00.000-07:00

I tried a new dish tonight, and thought I would share it with any of you out there who enjoy the lettuce wraps at PF Changs (No, it's not the official recipe but something similar). A few weeks ago I hired a personal trainer who has been meeting with me once a week (coming to my house!)to show me some new work-outs, and has given me new goals every week regarding my diet. I've been trying really hard to work out/eat well and it's nice having an accountability partner! This week I was trying to eat less sodium and include more veggies. I modified this recipe a bit (I'll try to include the modifications) but it was a big hit with my husband and daughter! I even made extra so that I could freeze a batch for next week sometime. If you need to add carbs to yours, I would suggest using whole wheat tortillas (instead of the lettuce as a wrap) or adding in some brown rice to the mix. Enjoy!

5-Star Spicy Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients

2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 pound lean ground turkey (I used the Jennie-O turkey...Albertsons had it for $2.99/lb!)
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger (I forgot to use this....whoops! It was still good though)
1 large red bell pepper, finely diced (I threw in a few peppers to add more veggies)
1 (8 ounce) can water chestnuts, rinsed and chopped (I added more since we love these)
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth (I used 1/2 of this and added some water)
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce (if you've never used this, you buy it in the Chinese section. Its yummy...made of soybeans, chiles, garlic and spices!)
1 teaspoon five-spice powder (You buy this in the Chinese section as well)
1/2 teaspoon salt (I did not use this, but you could use the no-sodium salt if you wanted)
2 heads lettuce, leaves separated (Either Boston lettuce or butter leaf lettuce)
1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs (I used chives, cilantro, and basil)
1 large carrot, shredded

Cooking Directions

Heat oil in large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add turkey and ginger (which I forgot to add); cook about 7 minutes until the turkey is cooked through. Stir in bell pepper, water chestnuts, broth, hoisin sauce, five-spice powder and salt (which I omitted); cook until heated through, about 2 minutes.

To serve, spoon portions of the turkey mixture into lettuce leaves, top with herbs and carrot and roll into wraps. That's all!

Nutrition Info
Per Serving
Calories: 338 kcal
Carbohydrates: 27 g
Dietary Fiber: 4 g
Fat: 14 g
Protein: 26 g
Sugars: 4 g

Hope you enjoy! Since it was cold out, I boiled some lemon tea to go along with it. Mmmmm...

Home From Afghanistan

2008-10-15T23:21:00.001-07:00

Earlier this year my boss (and good friend) Captain Edwards was deployed overseas to Afghanistan. Yesterday he surprised us and showed up to our office! We were all shocked since we did not expect him back until next week. It was a wonderful surprise and we are extremely thankful for everything he did for our country this year. I want to thank everyone who prayed for him during his deployment, and continues to pray for the troops that are still over there. It was so wonderful to see his family back together after such a long separation. Welcome home Tony!

The joy of seeing Tony return home is also accompanied with the pain of remembering a friend to many in the community who lost his life last month. Everyone is doing a wonderful job of keeping his memory alive, and I hope that this comforts his family every day during this difficult time. Please continue to pray for the troops that are still overseas as well. And if you would like the address of where to send a care package, let me know. They really appreciate getting something in the mail, even if it is not much!

Things that annoy me at Costco...

2008-10-13T14:37:00.000-07:00

-Everyone thinks that they are in a bigger hurry than you are
-People walk extremely slow and take up a huge amount of space in the middle of the isle (the carts are too big to manever and they really need a fast and slow lane)
-The self check out does not accept cash, and there is no sign telling you this (I had to find out the hard way on Saturday)
-There are no express lines
-The parking lots
-The gas lines
-Forgetting that the employees always need to check your receipt on the way out the door (after Ive placed it in my purse and have my hands full on the way out)
-My daughter wanting to try every (and I mean every) sample they offer (even the ones I know she won’t like)
-People never smile at you
-The one isle I always need to get through is roped off because someone broke something
-You can never spend less than $200 (which is why Ive started to take cash out of my account beforehand)
-I never know where to put the 40 rolls of toilet paper Ive purchased
-Everything has to come in sets of two, at least sets of two, even if you do not need 2 coffins or 2 plasma tv’s

Stuff That Makes My Heart Stop Beating....

2008-10-13T11:44:00.001-07:00

There have been a few times in the past 2 1/2 years where my heart has almost stopped beating from being worried. You know that feeling when your stomach clenches up and you feel like time stands still? The first one I had was when I went into labor with Ava. She was almost 4 weeks early, boarder-line preemie, and my labor was an absolute nightmare (maybe if I regain some courage I will post on that sometime!). We had to stay in the hospital for 10 days total after having her because she had to have a bit of extra care after her delivery. I remember having that feeling every day while we were in the hospital. It was not a fun thing to experience with your first child. As if becoming a mother for the first time isn't hard enough!

Well, I had one of those moments yesterday too. It was just a normal Sunday afternoon. Ava had run upstairs to get her 'play' cell phone and purse (because she loves mimicking me) so we could play 'house' (which is where she acts like the mommy and I act like her child). All of the sudden I heard the loudest THUMP in our entryway. My heart stopped beating. Seriously. You see, we have a loft upstairs with all of her toys in it. One of the walls only goes up 1/2 way to the ceiling (so you can look down from it). I thought she had somehow climbed up there and then fallen over. Don't get me wrong, she would have had to of moved a table or one of the love sacks over to the wall, in order to climb over it (which is impossible for someone her size) but my initial reaction was that she had fallen over the ledge. I screamed "AVA!" and ran to the entryway. What I found was my bible laying right there on the floor (was this God's way of telling me something?). It had been sitting on the ledge since we had just returned home from church and she must have pushed it over the edge when she went up there to get her purse. It was the biggest relief I had experienced in a long time. Here is a photo so you can see just how far she would have fallen. I guess now looking back on it, there is no way she could have pushed something over to the wall, but in that moment I couldn't think about anything else!

New Couch

2008-10-12T13:57:00.001-07:00

There is nothing better than a nice hand-me-down. I know some people refuse to take hand-me-downs, but I love them! When we bought our first home, we had a few rooms that did not have furniture in them (mainly because we vowed not to go crazy and spend crazy amounts trying to furnish our house), but slowly over the year we've seemed to come accross some great deals searching online and recieving some great hand-me-downs. My aunt and uncle graciously gave us their leather couch for the family room (which was only occupying my piano and some love sacks until now). It really makes the room and our house feel more complete!

Should I Be Worried?

2008-10-10T12:36:00.000-07:00

All of these pictures worry me for different reasons. The first one is obvious. My husband and I found a tarantula in our house yesterday. Okay, I'm not sure if it was really a tarantula. It had 8 legs, hair, and was jet black. Does anyone know what kind of spider this is? Anyways, it totally freaked me out. If you know me, you know I'm TERRIFIED of spiders. Thank the Lord that Josh was home when I came upon this little guy (actually quite large guy). Otherwise I would have had to call the exterminator.

The picture of Ava doing her make-up worries me. She is such a girly-girl (which is fun for me) but also frightening at the same time. It seems she is constantly getting into my make-up, high heels, jewelry, and lotions. It can make quite a mess if I don't catch her right away! She is also the sassiest little thing I've ever met. I am in for a wonderful and exciting journey in her teenage/adolescent years. It is sad how fast she is growing up. This picure of her posing in her little mermaid nightie reminded me of how big she's getting. (This was a hand-me-down from my best friend's little girl and as you can see it's been put to good use!)

The last picture worries me because it has been like pulling teeth around our house to get Ava to eat anything these past few weeks (unless it's Pizza). I know that this is very common in toddlers. It's just very frustrating! She makes it seem like torture to finish all of her bites before leaving the dinner table. And now shes lost a bit of weight and her pants don't fit. I wish I had this problem. Any suggestions? I need some!

"Heroes"

2008-10-08T17:50:00.000-07:00

If you read this post, (and I know you), please do not talk about the show Heroes in front of me. The new season just started, but my husband and I are still trying to get through the first one on netflix.com. I understand this is alot to ask, but a few major things have been spoiled for me as I listen to you talking about it (you know who you are). I don't want to spoil it anymore than it already is! I guess it's our fault for not getting involved until now though. But the intentional comments have got to stop!

Feeling Anxious

2008-10-03T08:31:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure about the rest of you, but I have been feeling a bit anxious with everything going on right now in our economy, with the presidential debates, companies being forced to be bought out, etc... I've listened to experts talk about what is to come. I've tried to take their advise as best as I can. And I'm waiting.....I don't really know what I'm waiting for. It's kinda like the hype that started with the whole Y2K thing (remember that? when it turned midnight on January 1st, 2000 and all of our computers were supposed to crash or something like that!). I don't know what I'm waiting for. I feel like we're prepared, and I have faith that our God will provide. It's hard to feel encouraged right now though. Everyone is so scared. Maybe we have a reason to be, but I do have faith that we will survive. I read a verse today that inspired me. What are all of you doing for encouragement right now?

“[Praise to God for a Living Hope] Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,”- 1 Peter 1:3

Pink Eye

2008-10-01T08:17:00.000-07:00

It's going around again. Ava has a bad case of pink eye. Luckily we took her to the doctor in time and it should clear up in a few days (they put her on antibiotics). I absolutely hate seeing my daughter when she doesn't feel good. She has a fever too. Plus, her eye looks like she got into a fight or something. It is swollen, red and itchy. Not fun! I think we will be cuddling alot today and washing our hands every 2 minutes.

On another note, Ava said something last night that was pretty dang cute. She was supposed to be coming with me to my friend Nicole's house so we could watch her 2 kids for a couple of hours. Ava absolutely loves Nicole and her kids. She gets the biggest smile on her face every time I tell her we're going over there. However, after finding out about the pink eye, I had to explain that she would not be able to go over there with me anymore. She got a really pouty look on her face and said, "Okay, maybe next time? I not want my eyeball to touch their eyeball". It was pretty cute. I think she understood that she couldn't go because of how contagious her thing is. Instead of throwing a tantrum, she realized it was in the best interest of everyone. Okay, maybe I'm looking into this way too much. I mean, she's only 2. It was just really cute, so I had to share!

Recipe Link

2008-09-30T14:15:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for an easy recipe link, try out http://www.tasteofhome.com/. The website itself is sometimes slow, but you can search for recipes based off of the main ingredient, calorie info/low fat info, time duration of recipe, etc... It's pretty awesome. Also, if you click on the advanced search tab, it allows you to input specific ingredients in your refrigerator (or freezer) that you are trying to get rid of and it can search for recipes with those types of ingredients. This is perfect when you don't know what to cook and are trying to use up what's in your fridge. I did the Hawaiian Chicken recipe one time (only I added some water chestnuts and carrots to the bake) and it was pretty good, and low fat.

On another note, Ava has officially moved into a big girl bed. Here are some photos. She is pretty excited! Okay, once again I cannot seem to figure out how to move the photos to the bottom of this post, so they are at the top. Can anyone out there help me with this? Ha.

I Realized Something Today

2008-09-26T23:10:00.001-07:00

Today I realized that there is a way to get my daughter to obey me on the first try (well, most of the time). Are you ready for this? It's called "Do not give her any other options". For example, after we got home from a long day today I had my hands full and could not get Ava to go inside the house before our alarm would go off (which has happened several times before in the past, our neighbors must hate us). I kept saying, "Ava, can you please go inside honey?" Her answer was simple. No. This went on for a bit and the alarm was beeping really fast by this point, screaming at me to turn it off. Finally after awhile I said "Ava you go inside right now, or else you will have a time out". She said okay and walked inside. It was then that I realized I give her way too much control over decision making. If you give children the chance, they will always push their boundaries (more often than not). I read this book (can't recall the name of it for the life of me) and one of the chapters clicked into my mind today. It talked about giving your child 2 options, and 2 options only when you are trying to get them to do something. For instance, if we are getting ready for bed, I can say.... "Ava, would you like to go to bed right now or in 2 minutes". She always chooses the 2 minute option (of course). Children are so predictable. However, after the 2 minutes are up, she will go straight to bed. Now, if I were to say "Ava, it's time for bed, let's go upstairs" she would throw a tantrum. Okay, I know it's not rocket science but I literally did not realize until today that one of the reasons she doesn't obey me as much as I would like her to is because I ask her to do something, rather than tell her to do something and sometimes forfeiting the consequences afterwards (okay all you mom's out there, how many times have you threatened to give a time out and not follow through at the end). I am guilty as charged more often than not.

Wouldn't it be great if God did this in our spiritual lives? Wouldn't it be wonderful if he laid it out there on the table for us, so his plan for our life was crystal clear? Well, he does. But if you are anything like me, you will push your boundaries and try to take the easy way out so we can do it our way, the easier way. I know that I was born to be a mother and wife, but my more important role is raising a family that will lead others to Christ. We are all children of God, and we need to obey him just as we want our children to obey us. Sometimes this can be a simple decision or a life altering one.

I was talking to my friend Erin a couple of weeks ago about her and her husbands decision to leave their lives and family in California to move up here and help start Pathway's Church. I love hearing people's stories, and hers is a great one. I was trying to figure out how she knew that God was calling them to Seattle. It really got me thinking. Usually what He wants me to do is not what I want to hear. Sometimes I feel as though he is asking me to do something, rather than telling me to do something. Or maybe he is giving me 2 options, and I am choosing the option he didn't want me to. We know what he wants us to do, but we try to choose another way out, the easier way out. I am the type of person who would read the last chaper in a book first, just so that I knew how it ended before I committed the time to read it. There is just something that all of us love about immediate gratification in today's age. I put 110% into being a good mom and wife, but I really need to put in the extra effort with my faith and in trusing him too. How do I expect my daughter to obey me on the first command, when I am asking God for my alternative option as well?

Thursday's

2008-09-26T08:19:00.000-07:00

I absolutely love Thursday's. Working 4 10's is nice because I get to have a day off during the week with my precious Ava. Yesterday my sister-in-law Christy came over with her kiddos and colored my hair, and cut Ava's hair. She is awesome for coming to my house and doing that kind of stuff for us (so I don't have to bring a 2 year old to the salon for an hour and a half while I get my hair done). The first time Ava got her hair cut, she screamed her head off. She is my little drama queen. But now she loves getting her hair cut. Here are some photos of her first hair cut. (Okay, I don't know how to upload pictures very well so they are at the top of the post).... isn't that face to die for? It was so hard not to laugh because she really was angry about the whole thing.

Anyways, back to Thursday's....I love having one day alone with Ava and doing fun things together. We usually meet up with my friend Jennie and walk 6 miles on the trail by our house, but Jennie is in Vegas this week so it gave us an excuse to stay inside all day long watching Sesame Street, playing with her dollhouse, reading books, and just spending time together. Plus, I only have to come back to work for one day before having the weekend off! Don't get me wrong, I would love to be a stay at home mom, but for now I need to continue working. Hopefully by the time we have our second child I will be able to stay at home, or work part time (no I'm not pregnant). I think that being a stay at home mom is the most challenging job that there is. Not to mention people who run their own daycares. Ava's daycare is the most fabulous place ever. It is a small daycare out of my friends-mom's-best friend's-house. She is the most organized person and does fun crafts/games with the kids all day long (usually there are only 3 or 4 kids everyday). Ava loves going there, which is a wonderful feeling. My friend's daughter goes there now too, and they are like 2 peas in a pod! Okay, I'm rambling now. Better end this post before I continue to go on and on and on.....

The Weekend and other random thoughts

2008-09-22T19:31:00.000-07:00

Well, I recovered from whatever it was that I had on Friday, and my wonderful husband treated me to a pedicure on Saturday! I am addicted to pedicures, and cannot get enough of them. However, as everything from groceries to gas keeps getting more and more expensive....so do pedicures. What a tragedy. I only get one about every couple of months now. One of our clients at work just told us that she has a pedicure/manicure on wheels business. She comes out to your office/home and does your toes and nails without accepting any tips. If you want her info, please leave me a comment and I'll send it to you! Needless to say, us gals at the office thought it sounded like a wonderful idea and booked her all of next Wednesday afternoon. (Don't tell my husband....unless he is reading this)...

My brother was in town Saturday night. He is such a funny guy, I always tell him he needs to join Saturday Night Live or somehting. There is never a dull moment when we're around him, I find myself laughing all night long. We hope to see his family again during the Holidays.

I also visited my friend's church with great friends Kym and Nicki on Sunday, which was alot of fun. Ava enjoyed playing with some new friends in the Sunday School class as well. She gets so excited for Sunday School, I feel horrible on days that we can't make it. God Bless Sunday School Workers! The workers at our home church are amazing and their ministry is such a blessing to little children.

I also realized today just how much I answer questions with "Because I Said So" when talking to dear little Ava. In a previous post I talked about how much little girls (and I'm sure boys too...although I have none) ask millions and millions of questions all day long. Now she asks me "Why" after every answer I give. Usually I answer with "Because I said so" or "Because I'm the mommy" or "Because it's almost bedtime". Well, today after I picked up Ava from daycare I asked her if she shared her snacks with Jo Jo (my friend Julie's little girl) and her answer was "No, I not share". So I asked her (trying to hide my laughter)...."Why didn't you share?" and she said "BECAUSE I SAID SO". Well, how in the heck do I make a rebuttle to that?!?

I also opened up my email tonight and found about 6 emails from a gal named "Betty Sue Christensen". She claims that we are long lost friends from highschool and I need to contact her business to talk about the products she can offer me. Well Betty Sue, not only do I not know who you are...I did not have any friends named Betty Sue in High School, you spelled my name wrong, and I am not interested in pet products (since the only pet we have is a beta fish). Please remove me from your mailing list Betty Sue. Good effort though.

Free Stuff

2008-09-19T08:02:00.000-07:00

Do you like getting free stuff? Was that a stupid question? I don't know about you, but I love getting stuff for free (in the mail, at the mall, etc...). If you are like me, you should probably check out http://absurdlycool.com/. You can search for stuff you think you might use, and it's great! My friend told me about it, and I have found some great stuff here.

I'm sick today. Not fun. I think it's going around. Bring on the fall!

Wedding Filled Weekend

2008-09-15T13:36:00.000-07:00

I had the special privilege of attending 2 weddings this weekend. The first was my dear friend Crystal, who has been a sister figure to me and has been a part of our family during the past several years. Ava and her cousin Kendal were the flower divas. The day was absolutely gorgeous and it was an honor to watch Crystal and Jono commit their lives to one-another before God, their family, and dearest friends. I am so incredibly happy for the both of them. Their lives and story are a true testament to the Lord Jesus and how amazing he is when you put your trust in him. Here are a few photos of the day. Ava and Kendal wanted to play with sticks most of the day. In one of the photos you can see Kendal whipping Ava in the face with a stick (as Ava tries desperately to block it). Priceless. I also attached a photo of Ava getting her toes and fingers painted by mommy at our house the night before. She loves getting manicures and pedicures, but I try to save them for special occasions only (since they can take a VERY long time)! Plus, those little hands are very hard to keep still. Always on the go....but which 2 year old isn't?

I love you Crystal and Jono! Thank you for making us a part of your special day.

The second wedding was for a gal I just came to know during the past year or so (she hired me to play piano a year ago after her boss attended a wedding I played piano in). She and her husband also have a wonderful story, and it was a very fun wedding. The Pastor forgot to turn his microphone off after they had recessioned out to the back of the church, and you could hear the Pastor and wedding party hollering in excitement once the wedding was over and their friends were now joined as one. It was very cute. The weekend couldn't have gone any better! If you or anyone you know need a pianist for an upcoming wedding, please email me.

When A Stranger Does Something Nice For You...

2008-09-15T10:01:00.000-07:00

Do you ever feel strange when someone wants to do something nice for you, especially if that person is a stranger? While on my way to a wedding yesterday, this stranger was watching me pump gas and came over and offered to wash all of my windows for me (our car was filthy since we had just gotten back from Vashon Island the day before). Anyways, I started to get worried like he was going to try and jump into my car and kidnap me, so my guard was up. I had to confess this the Lord afterwards (and ask for the stranger to forgive me) since he was really just doing a nice thing. It's sad that we cannnot appreciate things like this in today's age. There are so many weirdos out there, and it's too bad we have to put our guard up in this type of situation...

"ABC's"

2008-09-10T09:49:00.001-07:00

My daughter calls her binki her "ABC's". I have no idea why. Please stop asking me why on earth my daughter has named her binki "ABC". (LOL). I get asked this frequently, and I believe that I will never know, it is just her thing. Now that she's 2, we are desperately trying to find a way to get rid of the "ABC" for good. Any suggestions? Do your children have any funny names for their security items?

Suggestions would be appreciated. I do not want my daughter attending preschool with her "ABC" in tact...especially since I cannot understand anything she's saying while it is in her mouth.

Confession

2008-09-09T21:15:00.001-07:00

I have a confession to make.....Sometimes I feel like I am just winging this whole parenting thing.

A True Patriot

2008-09-09T20:17:00.001-07:00

The world lost another solider today. A roadside bomb took the life of Nic Madrazo, a Marine, who was proudly serving our country overseas in Afghanistan. He carried out the most corageous job in the whole world. There are no words. I did not know him as well as others that went to our high school, and his closest friends said some beautiful things about him here (http://www.new.facebook.com/group.php?gid=26194538403). Please pray for his family during this difficult time. We may have lost another solider today, but Heaven has recieved another Angel.

The righteous perish, and no one ponders it in his heart; devout men are taken away, and no one understands that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil. Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest as they lie in death. Isaiah 57:1-2

Precious in the sight of the LORD [is] the death of his saints. Psalms 116:15

Patience, Routines and A Million Questions...

2008-09-08T20:21:00.000-07:00

There are 3 huge things I've learned in my journey through Motherhood. The main thing I've learned (or in my case accomplished) is how to have patience. I was never a patient person growing up. Children love to test your patience. And they know exactly which buttons to push in order to drive your patience to the next level. In the early stages of motherhood, I had to have patience with the lack of sleep, and also with things like having to plan on being at least a half hour late during the first few months of being a mother (since you must learn to master the act of packing up a diaper bag, carseat and carrier, 2 bottles, breast pump, toys, binki's, at least 3 change of clothes...for myself and the baby, I had a spitter!, wiper warmer, spit rags, my own purse, oh and the BABY). In the next stage of motherhood you have to learn patience with your child as they themselves try to master the act of feeding themselves, dressing themselves, and doing everything BY THEMSELF! My mom is so funny, she calls Ava her little "do it myself grand-daughter". Ava has to do everything (and I mean everything) by herself, which is hard for me because I am pretty much a control freak (Gee, I wonder where she gets it from then)!. I have to say I am quite proud of becoming a pretty patient person these past couple of years with Ava. I am not perfect though, sometimes I have to go and scream into my pillow so that I do not demonstrate my lack of patience in front of a 2 year old who absorbs every action and word I say and do into her ever evolving brain. Children are like little sponges, which can be pretty scary if you don't watch what you say or do in their presence...

The next thing I've learned is how to master the art of a good routine. Children love routines. And they hate when you throw them off of their normal one. Ava has to wake up every morning and lay in our bed for a couple minutes before going downstairs. She also has to watch a Sesame Street almost immediately after waking up (I know some of you out there probably do not let their children watch TV, but I've made an exception for Sesame Street since it teaches them some great stuff....and keeps them occupied for at least 20 mintues). Plus, she is obsessed with Elmo. We have a million other routines throughout the day, but there is no way I could fit them into one post. One thing we have to say to her everynight before she goes to bed now is "Jesus loves you, I love you, see you in the morning." My mom used to always say this to me before I went to bed everything, and I've subconciously said it to Ava everynight since she was a newborn. Isn't it strange how that happens?

The final thing I've learned is how to come up with a million answers to the same question over and over. I read somewhere than women say somewhere around 500,000 words a day, or some crazy number like that. Men only say half of what women do during a day (although I beg to differ during fantasy football season when my husband is constantly on the phone for hours on end with other guys in his league). Anyways, back to my point......I think 2 year olds probably come close to saying 500,ooo words a day as well. Ava can sit there and ask me questions to anything and everything, and unless I come up with an answer, will sit there constantly asking me over and over until I respond. Case in point, here is a conversation between us tonight after my husband left for softball:

Me: Ouch! (stubbed my toe on the island)
Ava: Wha happen mommy?
Me: Ouch!
Ava: Mommy, wha happen, mommy wha happen toe mommy?
Me: I stubbed my toe Ava, mommy is in pain
Ava: Oh no mommy, Ava kiss toe mommy?
Me: No Ava that's okay, finish your dinner
Ava: Why mommy? Wha happened?
Me: Ava, mommy's okay, eat your dinner
Ava: Mommy, no you sad mommy? Want bandaid mommy?
Me: No, mommy feels better now, please eat 2 more bites
Ava: Mommy, what doing, mommy?
Me: (about ready to scream from the pain and from all of the questions) I'm cleaning up honey
Ava: Mommy, where daddy go?
Me: He's playing softball sweet-heart
Ava: Why mommy?
Me: I don't know Ava, because it's Monday and that's what he does on Monday's
Ava: Why mommy?
Me: Let's go brush your teeth and read a book
Ava: But mommy, I want posicle. I have posicle mommy?
Me: No, it's too late, we need to brush your teeth and get ready for bed
Ava: Why mommy?
Me: Because if I give you a popsicle now, and don't brush your teeth, you will not fall asleep for at least another hour, your teeth will eventually rot out of your head, and mommy will not get the house clean because I will be so tired, and I will be late for work tomorrow because I cannot leave for the day with the house a mess
Ava: Mommy, look at mess mommy! (she had dumped spaghetti all over her head while I was answering all of her questions and trying to ice my toe).

And the beat goes on....

Little Sailor Girl

2008-09-07T08:59:00.000-07:00

Ava has the special privledge of being a flower girl in 2 weddings this year. My great friend Crystal (http://crystallynntakesonworld.blogspot.com/) is getting married in less than a week (no photos yet of Ava in that dress) and the second is my cousin Michelle's wedding, who currently serves in the US Navy. Michelle picked out matching sailor girl outfits for Ava and her cousin Kendal to wear in the wedding. Here is Ava modeling it a few days ago! I think it is perfect for her Navy wedding. Gosh, I love this girl!

Debut Entry

2008-08-31T20:53:00.000-07:00

This is my debut entry. We have decided to join the blogging world. I do not know how much this blog will help my family and friends connect, but I do hope that through this all (no matter how few or far between) it will help others see what is going on in the life of the Heston's! We are glad that you are here and can't wait to see what this new adventure will bring!

XOXO