A little bit of us....

Pregnancy Update

2009-06-22T19:05:00.000-07:00

I went in for my 28 week checkup today. My doctor was stuck in surgery so I ended up seeing a nurse practitioner. He measured my belly and I know have the belly of someone who is 38 weeks pregnant. Yikes!! What am I going to look like when I hit 38 weeks?

My regular OB does a quick ultrasound during each visit to check the babies. So he took me into another office and used a nice 3D ultrasound to check the babies.

They look great. Their kidneys are functioning and they seem to measure right on track. Each time we tried to get a close up of their faces, the little boogers would put their arms over their faces so we never got a good look.

It looks like our little girl is taking charge. They have switched positions and she is now closer to presenting (I learned that this means closer to the exit) and is now Baby A and our boy is Baby B. He is head down and she is still breech. Their movements are a lot stronger now and are starting to keep me up at night. And I'm getting huge. I need to prop a pillow under my tummy to hold it up when I go to sleep.

Rene and I have finally come to the realization that we will be bringing two more babies into our family and are starting to get their room ready. We haven't done much but we finally agreed on colors: green and brown. Rene will be painting their room this weekend. Here is a before pic and hopefully soon we'll have an after picture.

I'm so excited!!!

2009-06-22T18:58:00.000-07:00

I do not have a green thumb and I will admit that I get jealous when I see friends (Crystal, Angelo, Tony) with beautiful gardens. I try every year to plant some type of fruit or veggie and they usually die pretty quickly.

Not this year!! I discovered the Topsy Turvy and so far I haven't killed it. We are attempting to grow cucumbers and tomatoes. On Sunday we noticed this growing from the cucumber plant:

And our tomato plant is looking pretty good.

Marine Biology Camp

2009-06-22T18:32:00.000-07:00

Poor Matthew and Justin; they had to spend their last week of school at the beach learning about marine biology. Their science class, Science 2 U, offers this camp and this year we decided to sign the boys up. They had so much fun and I enjoyed some quiet time relaxing at the beach. Here are some fun pics from their week:

The "textbook" part of the class was held in the parking lot inside the Science 2 U bus.

Collecting sea kelp.

Matthew and Justin showing what they collected.

Back to the lab to examine what they found under a microscope. Matthew found a tiny shrimp.

Baby update

2009-05-01T16:43:00.000-07:00

We hit the 20 week mark this past Wednesday. It was a huge relief to hit that milestone. I can feel the babies move (especially at night). Baby A likes to hang low and Baby B likes my right side. At 19 weeks we got another ultrasound. Baby A was a lot more active this time around but we were able to capture a great shot:

It's hard to see, but Baby A is a boy.

Once again, Baby B was all over the place. The few pictures that I have of her are all blurry. Did you catch that? The techs are 80% sure that she is a girl. They did ask that I come back after the babies are born to let them know if they were right.Thankfully I get another ultrasound on Monday and I'm hoping they will take a quick between the legs.

Here is another picture of them hanging out:

2009-05-01T16:38:00.000-07:00

Our future rock star:

Our future rock star/bank robber:

The beach

2009-04-22T06:34:00.000-07:00

Lori invited us to the beach on Saturday. The weather was perfect. The boys had a great time playing in the waves and I got a little sun.

El Dorado Nature Center

2009-04-21T07:24:00.000-07:00

Last week the boys and I spent the morning taking a small hike at El Dorado. We ended up doing the two mile hike which was probably a little too much for me. It was a lot of fun to take our time and enjoy God's creation.

I'm not sure what they were doing. I said pose and this is what they did.

It wouldn't be an adventure without someone getting hurt. Of course, it was Justin.

Pictures of the boys

2009-04-21T06:58:00.000-07:00

Our friend Michelle met us at Seal Beach one evening to shoot some pictures of the boys. It ended up being a cool night but the boys didn't care. They goofed off in the water and me being the "bad" mom that I am, I didn't have any extra dry clothes for them. After they were done we went across the street for some delicious Mexican food. Thank you Michelle for the great pictures!

Spring part 2

2009-04-20T14:41:00.000-07:00

Here is an update on the different things we are growing around here:

Our root vegetables are starting to grow. The plants on the left are radishes and the plants on the right are carrots. We're still waiting for the green onions to grow.

Our caterpillars transformed into chrysalides. They should hatch into painted lady butterflies in a couple days.

Our seeds sprouted.

And I'm still growing. My feet have disappeared somewhere under my large belly.

Long Beach Grand Prix

2009-04-20T13:47:00.000-07:00

Our friends Kirk and Tara invited us to join them for the LB Grand Prix Family Night. We went last year and had a lot of fun.

We watched the qualifying races for a bit and than headed over to Pine to watch the BMX bikes. Rene and Kirk came up with the brilliant idea to try and go upstairs to watch the show. We ended up going into the Lotus Cafe and out on to their balcony. It was the perfect spot! They were flying into the air right in front of us. Plus, the food was yummy.

Rene will post some cool video and pics of the yummy food.

Thank you Kirk and Tara for another fun night!

Let's go fly a kite

2009-04-20T13:40:00.000-07:00

It was very windy last week! Rene and the boys decided to take advantage of it and go fly their new kites that the Easter Bunny brought them.

Yes, my kids wear socks with their wanna-be Crocs. That's just the way we roll.

Easter 2009

2009-04-20T13:35:00.000-07:00

Egg Hunt Revolution Style

2009-04-20T13:30:00.000-07:00

Once again Revolution put on an amazing event. I love the egg hunt and it holds a special place in my heart.

Five years ago I took the boys to a free pancake breakfast and egg hunt. Matthew was almost 4, Justin just turned 2, and I was five months pregnant. I really liked the people there and convinced Rene that we should check out this nice church the following week.

It was different, something we had never experienced before and we made the commitment that we would try again the following week. Actually, the pastor was giving out little trinkets to go along with the message and we were curious to see what we would get the next week.

Now, five years later, I'm at the egg hunt with Matthew who is almost 9, Justin who just turned 7, and once again I am five months pregnant. God has taken us on a crazy journey over the past five years and I am excited to see what He has planned over the next five years.

Spring in in the air at the Uribe household

2009-04-13T16:46:00.000-07:00

The spiders are starting to spin their webs.

We planted some root vegetables to see how they grow.

Our "dinosaur plant" is growing.

Our seeds are starting to sprout.

Our caterpillars are starting to spin into chrysalis and will soon hatch into Painted Lady butterflies.

Oh yeah, and I'm 18 weeks pregnant! This picture if for you Jeannie!

The maze

2009-04-13T16:40:00.000-07:00

Matthew and Justin created a maze on our driveway with sidewalk chalk. Where does the maze end? McDonalds of course!

Tanaka Farms

2009-04-13T15:37:00.000-07:00

We joined a local CSA (consumer supported agriculture)a couple of weeks ago. Our produce is from Tanaka Farms in Irvine. Every Wednesday they deliver fresh produce boxes to a park in Long Beach. I've been having a hard time taking prenatals so I'm hoping to get all of my nutrition from the food I am eating. My goal is to make sure we eat up all the food before our next delivery. Sometimes it's a challenge, especially finding ways to eat food we are not used to. I have discovered that I enjoy beets and the boys really like the spinach.

I was worried that going organic was going to make our food budget sky rocket but it hasn't. Our food budget is a tad bit higher but I think thats due to the fact that I need a lot more protein in my diet.

Pirate Dinner Show

2009-04-13T15:23:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago we had a birthday celebration at the Pirate Dinner show. Nathan turned 10 and Jeremy turned 5. The boys enjoyed the show and my sister and I had fun goofing off in the back.

Ultrasound pictures

2009-03-29T13:31:00.000-07:00

Here are ultrasound pictures of the babies at 14 weeks. The quality isn't that great but you can still see them.

This is our calm one. The two recent ultrasounds always showed him just hanging out and chilling (yes I said he; we have not found out the sex of the babies but my gut tells me we are having two more boys).

This one is going to be our trouble maker. Both times he was bouncing and jumping all over the place. That's the reason his picture is so blurry.

Here are the two babies hanging out together.

We go in for our "big" ultrasound in about two weeks. Hopefully they won't be shy and we will see if I am right or wrong.

Disclaimer: Bragging mommy post

2009-03-29T13:18:00.001-07:00

Rene and I were searching for a long time to find an art class for the boys. I am not the artsy type of person. Rene is, but he is so busy with his new business that we knew we would need to find someone else to teach the boys. We found an amazing teacher and the boys have been taking her class since the fall. Mrs. B is a great teacher. The boys adore her and I love the fact that she can hold their attention for two hours. Here are some of their masterpieces:

Fun at Disneyland and California Adventure

2009-03-29T12:53:00.000-07:00

The boys and I have been having fun spending our Fridays at Disneyland and California Adventure. I'm trying to squeeze in as much time there as we can before we are blocked out for Easter break.

You can notice my ever expanding belly in one of the pictures. I don't know what I was thinking when I decided to wear a white shirt.

I put my faith in the wrong things.

2009-03-11T21:22:00.000-07:00

"The man of the world will let you down but Jesus never will." While we were doing a VBS in India some of the kids taught us this song. The song goes on to say that your mom, dad, grandpa, and so on will let you down but Jesus never will. That song has stayed close to my heart since I've been back and now I'm reminding myself of it once again.

I was scared when I found out I was pregnant. It was a surprise and we had never finished all the testing to see why we lost the other babies. I started off by going to a new doctor. I really liked him and he was very understanding. He wanted to send me to a specialist for more testing.

I was excited when I walked into the new doctor's office. After I got over the shock that we were having twins I was anxious to meet my new doctor. She was amazing. She asked detailed questions and wanted Rene and I to have genetic testing. I had done a lot of research and also had a list of tests that I wanted. She agreed and I had my blood drawn that day.

I couldn't believe that after five years and three losses I might actually find out what was wrong and I had a chance to save these babies. I put my faith in my new doctor and even a specific blood test. I was even starting to plan out how I would give myself daily shots to help prevent the blood clotting disorder I was sure that I had.

Last Wednesday I had the rug pulled out from under me. My doctor called with the lab results. Everything came back negative, everything. That's great news; medically there was no reason why we would lose the babies. The only thing that I heard was we have now idea why you have lost the babies. There was nothing left that she could do for me and she was sending me back to my other doctor. I was devastated.

I was an emotional wreck that day and I didn't know what to do. I knew that no matter what happened I would be OK; we've been through this before and I knew God would get us through it. I just didn't want to go through it again.

After a lot of prayer and a few phone calls (thank you Michelle!)I leaned into Him. That's all that I had left. I put my faith in a doctor and a blood test and that let me down. Where does that leave me? I'm thirteen weeks pregnant, my belly is growing everyday, I'm learning to enjoy each day of this blessing from God, and I know that I have an awesome God that will never leave me.

"Though the sorrow may last through the night, the joy comes with the morning." I'm clinging to this and reminding myself that I will get through this.

Holy two pink lines Batman!!

2009-02-15T18:53:00.000-08:00

Apparently the cat is already out of the bag. I wish that people would have respected our wishes and not talked about it and you would of heard the news from us. We appreciate the prayers, but it hurts to find out that people were talking about it even though we asked to keep this private for now.

I was thinking of a cute way to make the announcement but this will have to do.

Yes, I am pregnant. We found out about three weeks ago (on Inauguration Day to be exact). I had been in denial about the way I was feeling because we have so much going on. I took the test and the positive sign came up before the test sign did. I went to the doctor the next day and they did an ultrasound and we learned that I was six weeks pregnant. Wow!

Two ultrasounds later (including one of the "big" ones)I was sent to an OB that specializes in high risk pregnancies. My first appointment was on Friday the 13th. Due to a mix up on due dates I was scheduled for another ultrasound. Here is how that conversation went:

ultrasound tech: So, how many ultrasounds have you had?
me: 3
ultrasound tech: When was your last one?
me (getting a little nervous): 2 days ago by my other OB
ultrasound tech: Did he tell you anything?
me (totally freaking out by now): Why?
ultrasound tech: Did they ever say anything about twins?
me: Noooooooo!!
ultrasound tech: Well, you're having twins!

And there on the screen were two little squirmy things with heart beats. It still hasn't sunk in yet. They each have their own sac so we're pretty sure they are fraternal. So, if you see me or Rene and we have that far off gazed look on our faces you'll know why.

I'll admit I am scared. Our due date is also the same due date of our first loss, September 17th. More than likely, I'll deliver early.

So, there you have it. We're excited and scared at the same time. We're putting all our trust and hope in God and we know that no matter what happens we will be OK.

More Elf Fun

2008-12-15T22:54:00.001-08:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

2008-12-15T14:00:00.000-08:00

It was the day after Christmas at a church in San Francisco. The pastor
of the church was looking over the lawn when he noticed that the baby
Jesus was missing from among the figures.

He hurried outside and saw a little boy with a red wagon, and in the
wagon was the figure of the little infant Jesus.

So he walked up to the boy and said, "Well, where did you get your
passenger, my fine friend?"

The little boy replied, "I got Him at church."

"And why did you take Him?"

The boy explained, "Well, about a week before Christmas I prayed to the
little Lord Jesus and I told Him if He would bring me a red wagon for Christmas I would give Him a ride around the block in it."

MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE!

I want to be thankful.....

2008-12-14T23:58:00.001-08:00

The Sunday before Thanksgiving was family day at Revolution. The children sat with us during the service and Darrenn gave a great message on being thankful. The children also got to sing a song for all of us. Enjoy:

I want to be thankful....

2008-12-14T23:56:00.001-08:00

Thanksgiving 2008

2008-12-14T23:29:00.000-08:00

We spent Thanksgiving with my side of the family this year. Michelle and Tony created a yummy feast. Thank you for hosting a fun day! Here are some pictures of our fun day:

The older kids jammed.

The younger kids made Christmas crafts.

The kids table....that's a lot of boys!

Burning off all those calories with a game of soccer.

Checking out the quads

Disclaimer: I let the boys pick out their own outfits.

2008-12-14T23:09:00.000-08:00

I've been allowing Matthew and Justin to pick out their own outfits. They don't have a sense of style; they just like to pick out their favorite shirt and favorite bottom. So, if you see us out and about and they look like this please remember that they picked out what they are wearing. Here are a few examples:

When I look at Matthew I think I'm raising the next Dave Sloan. He loves to wear orange and red.....together. His red shorts were dirty so this was the next best thing.

Family Getaway

2008-12-14T22:12:00.000-08:00

Thanks to our friends the Bambricks, we were able to take a wonderful vacation up in Acton. We had a great time hiking, playing miniature golf, goofing off (see the video from a previous post for proof), and just being together. It's just what our family needed. Matthew and Justin had fun climbing trees, jumping around and just being boys. Thank you Rick and Dawn for taking the time to drive up there to sign us in. We feel blessed to call you our friends.

Family Fun

2008-12-11T23:09:00.001-08:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

The boys are at it again

2008-12-01T13:47:00.000-08:00

Matthew and Justin decided to make a tent in their room. They have a lot of fun sleeping in it. I just have two problems with it:

1) We no longer have chairs in our dining room
2) We no longer have any extra blankets and it's getting really cold at night

India

2008-11-30T21:26:00.000-08:00

Earlier this year I started to share my India journal. I got to a point where I needed to stop and pray about what I would share next. I had to decide how open I was willing to be. This post has been written more than once and I think I'm finally ready to share. I have left a few things out.

February 17, 2008
Last night I was under spiritual attack. I went into a deep sleep and started to see faces coming at me. I had to force myself to wake up. I heard snorting noises at the end of the bed and the faces kept coming at me. I tried to call out to Rene but nothing came out. I tried to reach out to him and it felt like there was a wall between us. I was so scared Lord. Psalm 91 came to me and I called out for you. And you were there. I commanded in your name for the spirits to leave. My voice was quiet. I said it again and this time I was able to speak. I said it once again and they left.

I led the morning devotion this today and shared what had happened. I was not the only one attacked last night. I prayed for the armor of God to protect us as we seperated into three groups and headed out to different churches.

I was told before we left that they are seperating the married couples and I don't agree with the decision. I feel like this decision does not honor marriages. I'm not going to fight it, but I do not agree with it.

When our group got to the church we were a little disapointed because there were not a lot of people there. We sat and waited and they started to show up. Mike and I gave our testimonies, Christopher gave a message, and Bridget closed in prayer. Rene and Larry led worship.

We took a bus out to an elderly home. Another team pulled up behind us and we could tell something was wrong.

We went into the home and prayed for the elders. Keith and Scott gave encouraging messages. Suresh had a few of the elderly people share their stories. There was one little girl there that was adorable. I will never forget her face.

A few of the guys went and hung out with some kids there and taught them the banana song.

We were escorted into a banana tree jungle where they had set up tables for us. Banana leaves were laid on top of the table. We were served dinner on them. I could of never imagined that I would be in India, walking through a jungle, and eating dinner in the jungle on banana leaves!!!!

I know something happened with the other group but they are not sharing it with the rest of the team and I'm struggling with it.

Why do I struggle? I love India so much but will I want to come back? I feel like I am being broken down. This trip has been such a roller coaster ride for me Lord and I don't know what the next turn is. I know after today that the rest of this trip will not be the same. Get me through this God. I miss Rene. Please make me strong.

You did answer one prayer for me Lord. I was wondering why you had me pray for love for John and not healing and now I know. Harvest India sent a doctor to John. They think they need to amputate his leg but he will be able to move again.

Update:
The doctor can't amputate his leg and the gangreen has spread to his stomach. The doctors can't heal him but he is at peace.

Chuck E. Cheese

2008-11-30T21:17:00.001-08:00

Lynnae invited us to join her and the girls for a fun afternoon at Chuck E. Cheese. Check out Justin's greasy shirt.

Soccer

2008-11-30T21:10:00.000-08:00

Matthew and Justin are playing soccer this season. Their teams aren't winning very many games but they are having a blast.

Bug A Boo 2008

2008-11-30T21:01:00.000-08:00

This year Revolution did something different. Instead of holding one big bash, we brought Bug A Boo into four different neighborhoods. Our group joined the Stout Life Group and held a country fair. We had carnival games, facing painting, and food.

The boys had so much fun. They got to do Bug A Boo and go trick or treating. Justin said this was the best Halloween ever!

Mutt Williams and Indiana Jones

Some time during the evening these two bumped into eachother.

I love having boys

2008-11-17T23:36:00.001-08:00

Silly boys....

Awesome video

2008-10-07T18:19:00.000-07:00

Go to Rene's blog and check out the amazing video he made of India. Thank you Rene for reminding me of the awesome adventure God took us on!

www.livingthegodlife.blogspot.com

Crock Pot Chili

2008-10-04T20:29:00.000-07:00

I posted on Facebook that we were enjoying some homemade chili and I've had three requests for the recipe.....so here you go! I hope you enjoy it!

1 pound ground beef
1 (16 oz) can kidney beans, drained
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbs. chili powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
* I also added a dash of cumin*

In a skillet, cook beef until no longer pink, drain. Add to crock pot and add the rest of the ingredients. Cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4 hours.

Serves: 4-6

Praying for your enemy

2008-10-01T21:57:00.001-07:00

Rene and I started a new Life Group last week. Christopher and Leanne are our leaders. Last week we talked about being "safe" and this week we talked about being dangerous. Our homework, or challenge, for the week is to pray for our enemy.

Huh? How do you pray for your enemy? Or, for me, someone I don't like. Can I do that?

I started last night. At first it was hard because I just wanted to pray for this person to go away. But is that what God wants? No. So I paused and first prayed for my heart. And than I prayed for this person. An amazing thing happened, I stopped being angry at this person.

You have to admit, it's kind of hard to be angry at someone when you are praying for them. I remember before we got married we had to go to a marriage seminar. They had four couples up on a stage telling us about how to make our marriage work. I only remember one thing from that day and it came from one of the leaders. She was an older lady and she said something that I will never forget:

"When you start to fight with your husband, get naked. It's hard to be angry at your husband when they are naked". And it's true!

It's kind of the same thing (just don't imagine the person naked please). When you are praying for someone you don't like, in a way that God wants you to pray for them, they seem more vulnerable, they are being exposed. You get to look at them in a different way, maybe the way God wants you to look at them.

Spiders, spiders everywhere!

2008-10-01T21:07:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago I took the boys to the Spider Pavilion at the Natural History Museum. It was kind of creepy at first, walking into a large "tent" knowing there were spiders everywhere. At times I would forget where I was while looking down at a spider, and than than I would turn around and come face to face with an eight legged creature!

The boys loved it....of course.

Oh, and in case you were wondering: none of the spiders in the tent were poisonous. Thank you Ann for the pictures!

Building R2D2

2008-09-27T18:58:00.000-07:00

Thanks to a hot tip from Garhett and Jenny, I took the boys over to the Lego Store in Downtown Disney to help build a life size model of R2D2. First they received instrustions on how to build a brick.

Our finished product.

Next we showed our creation to a brick master who OK'd what we built.

Matthew and Justin took the bricks into the store and over to where the brick masters were builing the model. We got to watch them place the bricks they made onto the model. After they were placed on the model the boys received posters and certificates of completion.

We can't wait to go back and see what the finished R2D2 looks like.

We walked down to Disneyland and California Adventure to take a sneak peek at the Halloween decorations (our passes don't allow us to go in on Saturdays). I think I am just as excited as the boys are to go this week.

Justin wanted to eat the candy corn!

As we were walking out we were stopped by some cast members and were given the "Year of a Million Dreams" Mouse Ears. Yeah!!

L.A. County Fair

2008-09-27T17:51:00.000-07:00

Rene took Thursday off (I think the hottest day of the week) and we went to the fair. Our friend Ann registered as a homeschool group and received free passes (including parking). Thank you Ann!

We had a blast! It's been a long time since we've been there. We checked out the Early California Heritage Exhibit where the boys got to mill corn, check out the schoolhouse (which has given me the inspiration to read Little House in the Big Woods to the boys), see how they panned for gold, and made horseshoes.

Next we went to the Kid's Zone. This building was neat! They had a room where you could build stuff with Legos, Lincoln Logs, blocks, and other fun objects. The fire safety room was cool. Firefighters were on hand to explain fire safety and to show us how to crawl on the floor if we see smoke. They were able to walk through a small room filled with smoke to practice. There was an art and bug exhibit too.

It was a hot day and to our delight we found out they had a winter wonderland building. Wow! The boys got to go sledding, have a snow fight, and visit Santa. At different times it would even "snow".

At the fair they had a program called "Read to Ride". Kids in grade school could do book reports and earn free rides at the fair. Matthew and Justin each turned in six book reports and earned nine rides each.

Once it cooled down we headed over to the barn to check out the animals. We watched the pig races and Matthew was picked to be the chearleader for the orange team. Matthew and Justin also got to try out their lasso skills. Matthew got the "calf" on his first try. Let's just say that Justin needs a lot more practice.

It was a great day and I am very thankful that we were able to spend the day together as a family.

Girl's Night In

2008-09-23T10:42:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday I had the honor of hosting a Girl's Night In with some wonderful ladies. We got to watch a sneak peek at Lipstick Jungle, taste some yummy new flavors of Orville Redenbacher popcorn,enjoy a relaxing foot soak thanks to Selina and her wonderful Sensaria products, and treated with gifts from Maybelline Cosmetics. Here are a few pictures from our night:

Crock pot chicken burritos (or nachos)

2008-09-16T18:49:00.001-07:00

This is so yummy! Our camera is broken so I can't take an actual picture of it. This is such an easy recipe and perfect for a busy day. I don't remember where I got this recipe but whoever you are thank you!

4 - 6 frozen chicken breasts
bag of frozen corn
large jar of salsa
can of black beans
taco seasoning and/or cumin

Dump everything into the crock pot and cook on low for 8 hours. The chicken will start to break apart when it's ready. You can serve on a tortilla or use it as a topping for nachos.

Justin and Angel

2008-09-15T22:28:00.001-07:00

Sports class

2008-09-15T22:24:00.000-07:00

Matthew and Justin are taking the EMH sports class again. Two coaches meet a group of us at the park on Wednesdays and teach a different sport each month. This month is soccer.

Story of the World

2008-09-15T21:40:00.000-07:00

We are using Story of the World as our guide for history. I love these books! Instead of teaching history by jumping all over (US history this year, state history next year, world history the following year) it starts at the beginning. This year we will be learning about the Ancient Times.

Our first week we learned about historians. The boys are making their own history books and their first project was to be a historian. They gathered pictures, interviewed our family, and put everything together to develop a timeline of our family.

We followed that with learning what archaeologists do. Our friend, Ann, set up an "archaeological dig" in her backyard. The boys had a blast.

Our second week we learned about the earliest people called the nomads. We learned about how they lived, what they ate, and why they were called nomads. To see how nomads lived we did "cave paintings" with them. Our friend, Tara, made all the kids (we do these projects with two other families) prehistoric hunger's game bags. The early nomads would make these bags and go out and hunt for food (usually eggs, lizards, snakes, and fish). My kids found trash....figures!

This week we are learning about how they lived along the Nile River. We made a replica of the Nile River and planted grass seed. We than "flooded" the river so that it can water our seeds (just like the early farmers). We will hopefully remember to flood our Nile River every week and watch our seeds grow.

On Wednesday the boys will be at the park with our friends while I take my mom to the doctor. They will be making the white crown of the Upper Egypt king and the Pharaoh's shepherd's crook. I hope they take pictures!!!

Next week we will learn how the Egyptians learned to write. Stay tuned!

Our first day of school

2008-09-15T21:26:00.000-07:00

We started school three weeks ago (so this is one of my excuses as to why I haven't been blogging. My other excuse....Facebook). So far so good, the students still like the teacher and the teacher still likes the students.

We are trying a different approach this year and using The Well Trained Mind as our guide. The boys and I are really enjoying it. We've been reading a lot of books and doing fun projects. I think history will be our favorite subject this year. I will talk more about it in another post.

Here are a few pictures of our first day:

Don't they look excited? I guess it didn't help that we had a late night at Disneyland.

Twas the night before the first day of school...

2008-09-15T21:18:00.000-07:00

and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. Why? Because we were at Disneyland!!

Ugh!

2008-09-05T11:58:00.000-07:00

My mom's doctors decided to change her treatment. Last week she started back on chemo. She went in yesterday for chemo and got her latest blood test back. Her CA125 is over 200; ideally it should be under 35. Keep praying!

The last 16 years....

2008-08-31T16:29:00.000-07:00

Check out Rene's blog. He made a cool video with some pictures of us over the past 16 years. Wow, I can't believe we've been together that long.

I love you Rene and thank you for a great 16 years!

Sometimes God puts you where you don't want to be...

2008-08-28T00:11:00.001-07:00

...until you get there.

Earlier today Rene got a call from a guy he used to work with (and had to fire). Albert told Rene that he had been shot twice in the legs on Friday and just got out of the hospital. He's going to be on bed rest for two months. He wanted Rene to come and pray for him. Rene told him that he would come by tonight.

Rene and I had planned on going to Calvery Chapel Downey to hear a speaker. The service was at 7:00 and the plan was for Rene to take us home and head out to see Albert. We got to the church a little early and went to check out their bookstore. Rene got Albert a card and he also found a book on finding Jesus.

The service lasted a lot longer than we had planned (9:00) and when Rene looked up Albert's address he realized that we were only a couple of miles away. We decided that we would swing by, the boys and I would stay in the car, and Rene would run in and use us as an excuse to not stay long.

Once I realized the neighborhood we were going into I told Rene that I was not going to stay in the car with the boys. We pull up to the house and see some people hanging out front. We walk up to them and introduce ourselves. Rene sees Gilbert (another guy Rene worked with and had to fire). Rene starts to talk to him and I meet Albert's mom. She tells us that Albert is getting his bandages changed. The boys and I start talking to her. Matthew and Justin are telling her that their "goal in life is to stay up until midnight". She's getting a kick out of them and I'm shocked that my normally shy boys are talking to her. She invites us in to play video games with Albert's daughter. And they walk right in.

Albert is ready for visitors and Gilbert takes Rene in and locks the door so they will not be disturbed. I'm sitting in a livingroom that smells like cigarettes, watching my boys play a video game (with a girl) where they are stealing cars and beating up on people, I'm listening out the window to a group of young people who are smoking, drinking, and dropping the f bomb more than I would like to remember, and I realized that this is exactly where God wants us to be. I knew that my husband was in the other room sharing God's love with these two young men and God wanted me there to support him.

I've been struggling with where God wanted me lately. I even sent out an email today to a couple of friends asking them to join me in prayer for me to seek God and where I should be. I wasn't sure if I was supposed to be at the Rescue Mission with a whole bunch of homeless men or reaching out to other woman. I was feeling torn and confused. I didn't think I would be of much use at the Rescue Mission.

Tonight I saw where God wants me. He wants me to be right along side my husband. He wants me to love, support, care for, and build up my husband. I don't have to be the one up on stage sharing God's word or hanging out with the men after and connecting with them. He wants me to be slightly in the background taking care of Rene. God has transformed Rene into a man with a huge heart for the homeless and "untouchables". I know God is using Rene in so many ways and I'm excited to be a part of the journey.

So, that's where I'm going to be; along side my husband wherever God takes him. And there is no other place that I would rather be.

Yuck!!

2008-08-19T12:37:00.000-07:00

I just got off the phone with my mom. Tests have found three spots on her liver. Please pray!

Yuck!

10 years ago today....

2008-08-15T14:18:00.000-07:00

...Rene and I said "I do".

Three years ago today....

2008-08-14T11:22:00.000-07:00

...Rene and I got baptized.

Ten years ago.....(to be continued)

Pictures from the beach

2008-08-13T19:10:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures that Michelle and Regan took at the beach today.

Matthew and Justin caught a spider and played with it the whole day. They even built a little village for it. Matthew wanted to take it home but I convinced him that we have enough at home.

A group of us have been hanging out at the beach on Wednesdays. The kids have fun and the moms get a chance to semi-relax and talk.

Summer is almost over for us; school starts on August 25th. We might have to plan a ditch day and play a little longer. Is it really ditching if the teacher is there too?

Saying goodbye....

2008-08-12T23:20:00.000-07:00

We had our final Life Group tonight.

Last week Rene and I made the decision to no longer be Life Group leaders. We have been feeling the nudge from God to make some changes in our lives. Once we were on the streets in Bellflower passing out lunches to the homeless we knew what we were called to do.

I'm sad. Life Group has had a huge impact on my life. It's always been there, until now. It was comforting to know that every Tuesday we would be together. We accepted Jesus through our Life Group and eventually went on to lead it. It's been a crazy four years.

We have shared a lot of highs and a lot of lows. We have always been there for each other and I know we still will be there for each other.

So, to all of you that have been a part of our lives through Life Group, THANK YOU! You have walked beside us in our times of need and celebrated our triumphs with us. Thank you for sharing your lives with us. We love you!

Meeting the homeless

2008-07-29T20:04:00.000-07:00

On Saturday we met some people that serve with Kingdom Causes. They have an amazing homeless ministry. We found out that on Tuesdays they make up bag lunches and go out into the streets and pass them out. Their mission isn't how many bags of lunches they can pass out but developing a one on one relationship with the people on the street. Since we are on a break from Life Group we decided to check it out.

We met at their resource center and started making the bag lunches. Rene made up 18 sandwiches and I filled the bags with water, apples, and cookies. The boys played with the ping pong table. While we were making up the bags, a few people came in looking for food, so we handed out bags to them.

We broke up into groups and we were blessed to have Heidi as our guide.

Our first spot was by Hardtimes (next door from where Sturdy Furniture was) and we met two people, Ernie and Keira. Ernie has been on the streets a long time. I'm not sure how long Keira has been on the streets. They were both really nice and made sure that we took a bag over to Jimbo who was around the corner.

Jimbo wasn't feeling well. He wanted to go to the hospital later tonight. He wasn't in the mood to talk so we left him a lunch. Heidi told us later that he is suffering from congestive heart failure.

We drove over to another part of Bellflower and met up with a group of homeless. Heidi knows most of them and we hung out and talked for a little bit. A man named Stevey was amusing the boys with all his jokes. Matthew wants to bring his joke book next time to share. I noticed one woman who was very sunburned. I'm going to try and remember to get some sunblock for her next time.

With two bags left we headed over to a bar called Stagger. We found a van filled with stuff but the man wasn't there. He was a friend of Heidi's so we left a bag in his van.

Heidi wanted to look for her friend Cooksie and give him our last bag. He usually hangs out by the dumpster near the bar. We go over there and don't see him.

We start to drive away when we notice candles on the ground and signs taped up.

Heidi and I get out of the car to take a look. That's when we notice the signs were in memory of Cooksie.

Kenny came out and told us that he found Cooksie's body on Sunday. He was really upset. Cooksie was a very caring man that everyone liked. Kenny was upset because he didn't know how to look for Cooksie's son. Just by watching their reactions, you could tell that Cooksie was an amazing man. I wish I could have met him.

They will be having a memorial for Cooksie tomorrow night from 4:00 - 7:00 by the dumpster.

What a way to end the evening.

Backpack Giveaway

2008-07-29T15:41:00.001-07:00

I just received a call from Michelle letting me know that the Long Beach Rescue Mission and Kingdom Causes are teaming up to do a backpack giveaway. Their goal is to provide over 3,200 children with backpacks filled with school supplies. Michelle and I are gathering up supplies and Rene and I will take it down to them. If you would like to help, let me know. Here is a link to their website:

Here is a list of supplies they need for each backpack:
2 Packets of college rule notebook paper
Three-ring binder
Box of No. 2 pencils
Box of blue or black pens
2 Red pens
Large eraser
Pencil case
2 Spiral one-subject notebook
Subject dividers
Covered pencil sharpener

If you would like to help, let me know and we can arrange a time to meet up. I just sent an email to the Rescue Mission to find out when they need the stuff. Now is a great time to purchase some of these items. Staples, Office Depot, Office Max, Target, and Walmart all have sales right now. Most of these items are under $1.00.

Old Town San Diego

2008-07-28T22:35:00.000-07:00

After Tijuana, we took the Trolley up to Old Town for some yummy Mexican food. Are you wondering why we didn't just eat Mexican food while we were in Mexico? Because every time we go to San Diego we always eat at Old Town and have our picture taken in front of the fountain. We didn't want to break tradition.

Tijuana

2008-07-28T22:20:00.000-07:00

After the Comic Con we decided to hop on the Trolley and visit our friends to the south. The boys were so excited. They kept saying that they couldn't believe they were going to Mexico.

Matthew and Justin excited about going to Mexico!

Here we are crossing the border.

We walked around for a little bit. We didn't buy much, just a bracelet for me and a new bag to hold our sand toys.

While we were crossing the border I asked Rene if he thought that Mexico had any Taco Bells. In case you wanted to know, here is the answer:

I love this picture of Rene and Justin. And no, we did not go there to buy Viagra or fireworks!

Comic Con 2008

2008-07-28T21:39:00.001-07:00

After Serve Day we went down to San Diego. It was nice to get away with my family. Even though it was only for one night it was just what we needed. The kids swam in the pool for a little bit and than we drove around to look for dessert. The boys were so excited about staying in a hotel that they couldn't wait to get back.

We woke up the next morning and took the Trolley to the convention center. We have never been on the Trolley before. It's definitely the way to travel to Downtown, especially during Comic Con.

Comic Con was fun, I'll admit it (just don't tell Rene). The boys had fun looking at the people dressed up in costumes. Matthew and Justin got to play the new Lego Batman game. They also got to collect two new Lego figures and added new Pokemon cards to their collection. We got free comic books, posters, pins, key chains, dog tags, and tons of other neat stuff.

For those of you who aren't familiar with comic book characters, I will do my best to remember who they are.

We ran into a either a Storm or Clone Trooper....I have a hard time telling them apart. I'd ask Matthew and Justin but they are asleep.

Matthew and Justin with Iron Man.

A Jedi and Yoda; this guy can make his voice sound just like Yoda.

Indiana Jones

A black Clone/Storm trooper....I'm not sure. I just know the boys were excited to see him.

Me and Matthew with the Joker.

Even Kermit the Frog was there.

Lego Indiana Jones....very cool!

"Darth Mater"

Star Wars friends

Matthew and Justin with Chewbacca....that's not a statue but a guy in a costume. Oh, and the reason Matthew's smile is fake here is because he was mad at me.

Matthew and Justin with some of the characters from Ben 10.

Jedis in training.

Serve Day 2008

2008-07-26T13:10:00.000-07:00

This year for Serve Day we decided to serve the homeless. Cheryl Harrington heard of an organization called Kingdom Causes that serves breakfast every Saturday to the homeless of Bellflower. Every Saturday a group of people gather at a church in Bellflower and cook, serve, and eat with the homeless. I loved the idea of being able to spend time with them and getting to know them. Rene took the day off and joined us.

It was a great day! Cheryl organized everything and even managed to gather a whole bunch of clothes to donate. I loved watching a woman pick out a pair of tennis shoes and smile because they were her size. She sat down and put them on right there.

The homeless in Bellflower (and I'm sure in other cities) have a sense of community. They look out and care for each other. Before they ate they all gathered in a large circle and prayed.

After the prayer they sat down and we began to serve them. Matthew and Justin had fun bringing breakfast to them. Matthew was extra cautious in making sure every person had a meal. After everyone was served we were able to join them. It was nice to just sit and talk. I learned that one man had been on the streets for over four years. A woman has lived on the streets her entire life. Another man just had his car stolen and the car held everything that he owned.

I was able to speak with a couple of people from Kingdom Causes. They have a huge heart for the homeless. Not only do they serve and care for the homeless, but they build relationships with them. I hope that I get the chance to serve with them again.

The obstacle course

2008-07-22T14:02:00.000-07:00

This morning while I was on the treadmill I asked the boys to stay inside until the gardeners left. While I'm huffing and puffing away I can hear our livingroom furniture being dragged around. I can also hear our diningroom chairs being moved. Matthew runs by me (our treadmill is in our room) with all their stuffed animals and bean bag chair. What is going on? I decided since no one is crying and they are leaving me alone I'll deal with it when I'm done.

After an hour I decided to go and check the damage when I see Justin run by me. I look in the livingroom and see this:

Our kitchen looks like this:

Our laundryroom looks like this:

And Justin is doing this:

Matthew set up an obstacle course in our house for Justin! A favorite feature in our home is that you can make a complete loop. I love when they use their imagination!

Oh, and the stuffed animals? They were the cheering section!

I stole this from Selina's blog

2008-07-22T14:00:00.000-07:00

My little surfer boy.

Why do I cook for them?

2008-07-17T12:50:00.000-07:00

I love to cook for my family and friends. Cooking is very relaxing for me and I really enjoy it. I love to plan menus and try new recipes. That being said, why do I bother?

Last week the boys and I went to Albertsons for their 8 hour sale. I was only planning on picking up deli meat and cantaloupe. The boys love Albertsons. Each week Albertsons hides their mascot, Albie, and have a contest to see who can find it. So, we had to go through the whole store to look for him. We went by the freezer section and the boys see TV dinners. They got excited and begged for me to buy them one. I let them each pick out two (they were on sale for $0.49 each).

Everyday they have been begging me to make them. I finally broke down and made them each one for lunch. They were so excited. I actually took pictures thinking to myself that I need to blog about it.

I got caught up in cleaning the house and forgot about blogging. Until now! Justin just came up to me, gave me a big hug and kiss, and thanked me for making him the best lunch ever! Huh? All I did was through a TV dinner in the oven and that's his favorite meal? What about all those home-cooked meals from scratch that I carefully plan and cook? Oh well!

Thankfully I did take some pictures of their favorite meal. Enjoy!

2008-07-15T21:26:00.000-07:00

February 16, 2008

This morning started out on a high! Before Dave Sloan left for India a friend of his gave him $1,000 for the trip. Dave decided he would hold onto the money and wait for God to tell him what to do with it. Dave decided to give the money to the pastor who was being threatened by the Hindu in his village. The $1,000 is more than what the family was demanding. The pastor was told to give the money to the family and tell them that this money is a blessing from God, not an answer to their threat. The pastor and his wife were so thankful. We were able to hug and pray for them. Later this week we will go and bless their home. I can't wait!

After breakfast we went to a medical camp. Bridget gave a great message and I was asked to pray over their food. I don't feel comfortable praying in Life Group, and here I am praying over a large group of people.

After the blessing we were asked to pass out the food. They each got a banana and an egg. Keith and I were handing out eggs to one row of people (mostly kids). We were supposed to only hand out one and only to the people in our line. Of course we didn't listen and started to pass out extras. Keith realized we were running low on eggs. We ended up having just enough eggs for our row with nothing left over. I just love moments like that.

We were brought to the doctor's office to look around. We were also able to pray over the sick.

We went into another village and dedicated a water well from the Sloan family. After the well dedication we went back to Suresh's home.

I had a rough afternoon. I haven't been eating and I am starting to feel weak. We were sitting around the table and I just felt my body give out. I went to my room and prayed. Rene came in and tried to get me to come out but I just pushed him away. I just wanted to be alone and pray. I managed to get a little sleep. Valerie and Lisa came in with Rene and prayed over me. Lisa had Rene read Psalms to me. I loved hearing him read to me. Rene took me out to the group to try and explain what I am going through. I am struggling with what God is showing me and I don't know what He wants me to do with it.

God, you have opened my eyes and heart to India. I don't know why I am going through this, but I'm trusting you.

We got our saris tonight and we got to wear them to our last crusade. I'm kind of sad that this will be our last one. When we arrived we were a little disappointed because there were not a lot of people there. Plus we were right in front of a Hindu temple! And they were in worship!

People started to show up and Lyndsay, Bridget, and I went out to greet them. I think the men were a little uncomfortable seeing the girls greeting them. The crusade started with some great worship. Rene, Keith, Larry, and Jon are doing a great job. Jenn and Keith gave their testimonies and Charlie gave a rocking message. The drama was great and Jon ended with a great alter call.

Our group was sitting in front of the crowd in two rows. I was in the back row. During the messages two little girls kept smiling at me. I would smile back and wave to them. It was so sweet. All of a sudden the younger one got up, walked through the first row and came right up to me. We touched hands and smiled. She sat down and a little bit later the other girl came up to me. Right in the middle of the crusade! Thank you for sending those two girls to me. I know you are reminding me of why I am here, to share your love with the beautiful people of India. I will always remember that moment.

After the crusade we went out into the crowd and prayed with the people. When we got on the bus Dave and Larry shared a story with us. They were asked to pray for a man named John who fell from a palm tree and is now paralyzed. Our group was praying for a miracle and I kept hearing the words "someone to love him". I felt a little confused because everyone else was praying for a miracle but I'm feeling the nudge to pray for someone to love him. It took a while, but that's what I prayed for. Why did I pray for something different?

Made alive in Christ

2008-07-15T16:38:00.001-07:00

Ephesians 2:1-10

February 15, 2008

We were told to be flexible, and now we are getting our first taste of that. We were supposed to go and bless a pastor's new home but it needs to be postponed. A Hindu painter fell while working on the house and died. His family is threatening the pastor's family that if they don't come up with 27,000 rupees they will bury his body in their front yard! Suresh is working to take care of them.

So, a change of plans.

We went to visit a home that cares for the railroad children. Their stories broke my heart. The children live at the railroad station and either beg or steal from the passengers. When the police pick them up, they take them to the home that Harvest India helps support. Usually the kids are runaways and most come from a bad home. And some are addicted to drugs.

One girl that I sat with and held her hand watched her mom get beat by her dad. Her mom could no longer handle the abuse and set herself on fire. The girl didn't want to go through the same pain so she ran away. Someone from the RR house found her and brought her here (some of the kids that were picked up in the past now go to the railroads and search for the kids). The boy that found her was sitting near by and you could tell that she felt very safe with him.

Other kids had such horrible homes that they went to the station to try and kill themselves. We saw kids (young; around 14 years old) that had lost limbs because they tried to jump in front of the moving train. I can't imagine a child hating life that much that he would be willing to endure the pain of jumping in front of a train. Now they have a safe place.

Some of the kids performed for us. Not to be outdone, Charlie and Christopher busted out some moves. I was very impressed and the kids got a kick out of it. Marc, Jon, and Lyndsay got down on their knees and shared their testimonies with them. We performed some songs, including the ever popular banana song.

We also went to the lowest of the untouchables today. They were so excited to see us. A little girl kept smiling at me and eventually brought me some flowers. We sang more songs and gave them candy and bananas. I just don't understand why someone could call these beautiful people untouchable? I hope they felt your love through us today.

Later that day we did a well dedication. Jim Plante donated the money for the well.

I had a rough evening after dinner. I don't know why you had me withdrawal. I just felt like my body was shutting down and my throat hurt. I know I'm not eating, but I have no appetite. I just wanted to be alone, but I really wanted to go to the crusade. I was really confused. Thank you for bringing Bridget and Lisa in to pray with me. I needed that. I did start to get weak again but you brought Lyndsay in to pray with me. Thank you for bringing them to me. I feel like you don't want me to forget what I see. I know sometimes we lose focus when we are just hanging out, but God, you are not letting me do that. When those moments happen, you shut my body down. I'm just going to trust you and what you have planned for me. I want to have fun with the team, but I feel like you want me to focus on what I have seen.

The crusade tonight rocked (again)! The devil tried to attack but we put our faith in you and you stopped him. Lyndsay and Richie gave their testimonies and Dave and Mike gave a message. I was involved in the drama (playing Christopher's wife and Keith's mom...am I really that old?). Rene did worship....he is so amazing. I love watching him out there playing his guitar. You have blessed me with a wonderful, caring husband.

One of my favorite moments at Harvest India

2008-07-14T23:38:00.000-07:00

I will always cherish this moment. I loved watching the girls dance. I love the girl in the middle. Make sure you turn up the volume so you can enjoy the song!

Watching this video makes me want to go back. I can't wait!

Nothing will be impossible with you....

2008-07-14T21:54:00.000-07:00

February 14, 2008

Charlie is really sick. Lord, please heal him. This is going to be such an awesome experience and I don't want him to miss anything. He is an important part of the team and I know that You are going to use him in wonderful ways.

Earlier today we went walking in the village by Suresh's home. The kids wanted us to take their pictures and look at them. It was fun! We were able to pray for the people and their homes. I got to bless the milk man's house....wow!

PM:

What an amazing day! I have been waiting so long for this and it was better than I imagined. Thank you!!!!

The orphanage was so sweet. We got to see their classrooms and beds. Harvest India has room for 100 kids but they have over 350. You made the room for them God!

Next we went to an HIV/AIDS camp and passed out food and medicine. It was nice to be able to hug them and pray with them.

We visited the Bible College and heard the stories from some of the brave students. They heard the call from God and followed. A lot of them left behind their families knowing how much their families would hate them. God, you are doing great things here at Harvest India...I don't want to leave.

We also visited the prostitute home and met some women who were just bought out from their pimps. Some of the girls look so young. They are learning new skills to support themselves.Lyndsay gave an encouraging message to them. We bought some of the purses that they made to give to our friends.

We than went into the main hall with all the orphans. They performed a few dance routines for us! It was fun. We got up and performed some songs for them. I think their favorite song was the banana song. It was fun running into the crowd and doing the song with them.

Later that night we went to our first crusade at an old age home. Larry and Lisa sponsor the building. The drive was crazy!!!!

The night rocked. We performed some songs and did a drama. I gave my testimony. I was scared at first, but I felt your presence and knew I would be OK. Scott gave his testimony and Rene gave an awesome message. We did an alter call and so many people accepted you! We went out and prayed over them. I'm usually shy about praying with people, but not tonight. Wow!

Thank you for this day. I'm on a high right now.

February 13, 2008 at 3:30pm

2008-07-12T22:35:00.000-07:00

We are on the train heading to our final destination. I am excited and can't wait to get there.

Earlier we went walking through Chennai. I can't even describe what I saw. I have never seen poverty like this. I've seen pictures before, but it is so different when it is right in front of you. I'm just taking in our surroundings and still can't believe that I am here.

Everyone came out to see the foreigners. We would take pictures of the kids and than we would show it to them. A lot of the kids had never seen what they looked like. I realize just how vain I am.

I sometimes look in the mirror and don't always like the way I look. Am I not liking what God created? God, you don't make ugly things. Thank you God for me and all that you have blessed me with.

I know I will never be the same after this trip.

My India journal

2008-07-12T22:16:00.001-07:00

I'm finally ready to share my India journal. I've been praying about when would be an appropriate time to share and I feel now is the time. So, here it is. Enjoy!

February 13, 2008

Wow, I'm in India! I still can't believe that I didn't run off the plane before it took off. God, I never thought this is where you would take me. Thank you for bringing me here and with such an amazing group of people.

I am in awe of this place. You have built such a huge planet and filled it with amazing things. You have brought me here God, and I can't wait to see what you have me do.

You have stripped me from my normal comforts: the boys, Rene, my home. All I have is you Lord and I am ready! Open my eyes, soften my heart, and keep my mind focused.

The Imax

2008-07-11T21:12:00.001-07:00

Thanks to a hot tip from Dawn, we were able to go and watch Deep Sea 3D for free. It was a great movie and the boys had fun wearing the 3D glasses.

Happy Birthday Rene!

2008-07-11T00:11:00.000-07:00

Rene,

Happy birthday! Today is the day we get to celebrate you!

God has created you to be a loving, sensitive,and caring man. I am proud to say I am your wife. You are an awesome husband, father, and friend.

I love the journey God has put us on and I'm excited to see what He has planned.

I love you!

4th of July

2008-07-10T16:46:00.000-07:00

We had a great 4th of July. The morning started out with a parade in Bob and Sara's neighborhood. The kids decorated their scooters and had a blast. This was our first year at the parade and we hope to make it a yearly tradition. Thank you Bob and Sara for inviting us! The photo above was taken by Michelle Lasch....thank you!

After the parade we decided to relax in my mom's jacuzzi. It's not very relaxing when you have a 6 and 8 year old jumping all over the place.

Rene's friend lives right behind Cerritos High School and has a great view of their firework show. His family lives in a culdesac and they blocked it off and had a block party. The neighbors rented a huge bouncer/obstacle course.

There was so much food! They even had a neighbor from India who cooked some Indian food. I'm still not ready for curry, but Rene had some. Matthew and Justin enjoyed the cotton candy.

Beach Blanket Bingo

2008-07-10T15:50:00.000-07:00

Revolution had a bonfire at Bolsa Chica on July 3rd. The boys and I went early and spent the day with the Bambricks. Matthew and Justin had fun using their new boogie boards and playing in the waves.

Garhett buried the boys.

Rene came by after work. Rene and Jerry taught the boys how to dig for sand crabs.

With the sunset as a back drop, we roasted hotdogs, played in the water, and Rene played bocce ball for the first time.

We had a lot of fun hanging out with our friends and can't wait for the next time.

My goofy kids

2008-07-10T15:43:00.000-07:00

Chick~Fil~A gave out certificates to all the kids that attended VBS. As a thank you we made them a card. Here is the silly picture the boys took with all their VBS and Chick~Fil~A goodies.

VBS

2008-07-01T14:07:00.000-07:00

VBS rocked this year! The theme was "Power Lab" and Jenny Platt did an amazing job of putting it all together. We had so much fun. Of course I didn't take any pictures but thankfully Michelle Lasch was around to snap some cute pictures of the boys.

Legoland

2008-06-19T23:24:00.000-07:00

The boys and I headed to Legoland with our homeschool group in May. We had a great time. It wasn't crowded and the weather was perfect. Here are a few pictures from our day:

I'm the worst blogger....

2008-06-19T22:25:00.000-07:00

Sorry I left everyone hanging. Go ahead and nominate me as the worst blogger of the year. So here is what is up in the Uribe household:

* My mom is doing much better. She is staying at my sister's house and we have hired a live in to help care for you. She is able to move around. Hopefully radiation will start up soon.
* We have a new nephew! Rene's younger brother and his girlfriend had an adorable little boy on June 7th. He is so cute! So here is our count: nephews: 6, nieces: 0

*Justin lost his first tooth on May 29th.

*He lost his second tooth a few days later.

*We went to Disneyland one last time before we are blocked out for the summer. It was crowded but we had a lot of fun. Our mission was to experience the Indiana Jones Adventure. We went on a scavenger hunt, saw a cute show (which both boys were picked to participate in), looked for items that Indiana Jones and his dad left behind on the Jungle Cruise, and ended the adventure on the Indiana Jones ride.

*The boys will be taking swimming lessons all summer. They are on their second session and having a blast. Matthew will be moving up to the next level in July.

Oh, and before I forget:

2008-05-15T13:55:00.001-07:00

If you go to McDonalds today and order a medium drink you get a free chicken sandwich. They taste like the ones from Chick Fil A. The boys and I drove by the one on Del Amo and Woodruff and they had a big chicken dancing out front. I had a small gift card to use up, so it worked out perfect for us. The boys really liked the sandwich.

Enjoy!

My mom

2008-05-15T13:50:00.000-07:00

My mom called this morning to let me know that she is headed back into the hospital. She's having a few problems and the doctors want to observe her and get her a CT scan. Her doctor said it should just be a 24 hour observation. I just spoke with her and she's settled in and very tired. I'm hoping we'll be able to see her tonight. Please continue to pray.

Another update on my mom...

2008-05-11T19:02:00.000-07:00

Wow, my mom is doing much better!

We were not able to bring her home today, but she is coming home tomorrow!!!! There was so much healing just from yesterday to today. We've been bringing the boys with us to visit her and today was the first day she really interacted with them. It was a great visit with lots of laughter.

The pain is still there, but not as strong. She had all of her tubes removed today and only needed to use the oxygen. Now we just need to get her some sun so we can get rid of the pale hospital color.

I'm not sure when her treatments will begin. Her surgeon is pulling for radiation. From what I have researched, it seem like an easier route to go. So that's what I'm praying for!

An update on my mom.

2008-05-07T14:05:00.000-07:00

Thank you for your prayers. I felt so much peace throughout the day and it was beautiful.

Yesterday morning they were not sure if she would be able to have her surgery. My mom has a blood clotting disorder and her blood was testing very thin. Thankfully her doctor gave the go ahead for the surgery.

My mom's surgery was good. The surgeon said it was a very aggressive surgery and had to move "alot" around. He was able to successfully remove the tumor. He removed part of her colon, but not enough to need a colostomy bag (that put a small smile on my mom's face).

Her recovery was long. Her blood pressure was low and they were concerned. Finally, around 8:00 last night they were able to take her out of recovery and into her own room. She is in alot of pain, but so happy that the surgery is over. She will probably be in the hospital for another five days or so. Her doctors are hoping we can bring her home on Mother's Day.

Her surgeon is thinking she will start radiation treatment in about five weeks. She has never had radiation and she's a little nervous. Her surgeon feels that this is the best way for her to conquer this round of cancer.

She loved receiving all your cards and letters. We were reading them together on Sunday and they were beautiful. Thank you!

Please continue to keep my mom in your prayers. Her recovery will be tough and I would love for her to feel God's love and comfort.

Thank you again for all your prayers, love, and support! I know I've said it before, but I am so thankful to have you in my life.

2008-05-07T13:54:00.000-07:00

I've been reading on a lot of money saving blogs about a new website called Revolution Money Exchange. You can earn $25 by signing up for the account. They are a new website similar to Paypal without all the fees.

I don't always like to do these because it sounds too good to be true. But I kept reading about it so I thought I would give it a try. It was easy to sign up and now I have $25.00 in my account.

They have a great referral program too! For each referral you make, you receive $10.00 into your account. On the blog www.moneysavingmom.com she received a check for $500.00! Wow!

If you are interested, click on the link and sign up. But hurry, the offer ends on May 15.

Please pray...

2008-05-06T05:54:00.000-07:00

I'm taking my mom into the hospital right now for surgery. Please keep her in your prayers. She had a rough day yesterday. Her surgery is at 9:30.

Thank you!

This is for you Christopher....

2008-04-30T22:47:00.000-07:00

We finally had our first corndogs at Disneyland. Christopher was raving about them in India. After waiting almost 10 minutes in line we were able to try our first taste of the "amazing corndogs". They are yummy and worth the wait. Thank you for the tip Christopher!

Watercolor class

2008-04-30T22:32:00.000-07:00

I signed up the boys for a watercolor class. The class was small and Matthew and Justin ended up getting a two hour private lesson. Matthew loves to draw and paint. I'm hoping to continue with art classes for both of them. Here are their masterpieces.

Huntington Library

2008-04-30T22:14:00.001-07:00

A few weeks ago my mom and I took the boys to the Huntinton Library. I had never been there before and was in awe of the beauty. I'm hoping to go back without the boys so I don't spend most of my time in the kids' garden getting wet. Here are a few pictures of our day.

Happy Earth Day 2008!

2008-04-22T14:15:00.000-07:00

Over the past few months I have been trying to change what I feed my family and what I am bringing into our home (I still love my Diet Coke....one step at a time). With Justin's Alopecia acting up I'm trying to do more. I cook with "whole" foods and try and avoid all the added junk.

Now the boys and I are working on taking care of our planet. It's the only one God has given us and we need to take care of it. Here are a few things we are doing:

* starting to recycle
* cutting back on our water usage
* working on starting a compost bin
* using candles instead of turning on lights
* picking up trash
* planting more plants and flowers
* supporting our local farmers by joining a CSA

I know we have a lot more to do, and hopefully next year our list will be longer. My goal is to leave behind a small footprint and a large legacy!

Site Meter

2008-04-22T13:35:00.000-07:00

So, thanks to Michelle and Lori I have finally discovered Site meter. I had been noticing more views to my blog and I wasn't sure where they were coming from. Well, now I know! This is what I found out:

*Someone found my blog by doing a Google search on Lego catalog.
*Another person found my blog by doing a Google search on things to be thankful for on a birthday.
*I receive a lot of referrals from Michelle, Lynnae, and Christopher.
*People have read my blog from as far away as the United Kingdom!
*My top referral comes from someone who quoted my blog onto his blog on my feelings on what happened with my pastor.
*And apparently, alot of people have found my blog by doing a Google search on my former pastor.

While flying to India I realized just how large our planet is. It took over 20 hours of traveling just to reach India. And I realized just how much larger God is. He is in control of our entire planet and knows everything that is going on! He's got the whole world in His hands.

After checking out site meter, I have also realized just how small our planet is. Someone from the United Kingdom is able to check out my blog and learn about me. It just shows that we are one big family.

So, welcome to my little world. For those of you looking for a Lego catalog, I hope you enjoyed my picture of our boys reading it. If you found me by Googling things to be thankful for on your birthday, I hope you found some inspiration. If you are friends of Michelle, Lynnae, or Christopher, you are blessed to have them in your life.

And if you found my blog while trying to find out about my pastor, I hope what I wrote gave a little background on the man he was and that you join our church in prayer that he comes back to God.

I hope you enjoy getting to know "a little bit of us".

What time of day am I?

2008-04-21T22:34:00.000-07:00

Maybe I can make this a career.....

2008-04-07T17:03:00.000-07:00

Your DJ Name Is:

DJ Robotic Puppy

What's Your DJ Name?

The prize...

2008-04-04T23:07:00.000-07:00

Matthew got a new Lego set and Justin got a Jedi Starfighter.

The scavenger hunt.

2008-04-04T22:50:00.001-07:00

The Easter Bunny decided to send the boys on a scavenger hunt. They had to look for clues all over the house (including the fridge) and outside to find their surprise.

The egg hunt

2008-04-04T22:36:00.000-07:00

Next came the egg hunt. If you look at Justin's eyes in all of our Easter pictures you can notice that he is starting to not feel well. By the end of the day he had a fever.

Easter 2008

2008-04-04T22:23:00.000-07:00

We started off Easter at Revolution Downey this year. I was in the class with the older kids. Rachel organized a small egg hunt for all the kids. Here are Matthew and Justin with their loot.

After service we raced home to find a nice surprise from the Easter Bunny.

Egg hunt with Revolution

2008-04-04T21:58:00.000-07:00

Tiffany and Selina organized a fun egg hunt for all the kids. It was great to be with everyone and the kids had a blast. Thank you girls for a wonderful time!

Once again, I lagged on taking pictures! I get caught up in all the fun that I forget. I think I need to hire Beth or Michelle to follow us around and capture all the fun we are having. Here are the few that I did manage to take. Notice how the first one doesn't even include my kids....bad mommy moment!

Egg hunt with the Long Beach Homeschoolers

2008-04-04T21:31:00.001-07:00

We meet at the park every Wednesday with our homeschool group. One of the moms (thank you Jackie!) organized an egg hunt. The boys were so quick I was only able to snap one picture.

Lizzy the lizard.

2008-04-04T21:26:00.000-07:00

I know it's not a great picture, but Matthew really wanted me to share this with you. Our backyard backs up to the river bed and horse stables so we find all sorts of creatures in our backyard. The boys were finally able to catch a lizard. They kept it for about an hour, named him "Lizzy", and released him. Justin keeps hoping Lizzy will come back for a visit.