we got saved at the park today....

we bailed on church this morning. and went to breakfast in Laguna Beach, then to the park. we do this a lot. not bail on church, but go to breakfast in Laguna at our favorite spot, then to a neighborhood park. Ben and I were seated at the little kid's table in the playground, about to serve up a tasty meal of pretend mac and cheese and bananas when a little boy joined us. he was maybe 4 years old, declared that he was making pretend fish to go along with our mac and cheese. Before we pretend ate our meal, the little boy said, "we need to pray," then reached out and grabbed our hands. told us to close our eyes. then proceeded to pray the sinner's prayer. sweetness. i should do this on the play ground more often!

then we went for a family "hike." which was really just a short stroll on a wide open bike trail at the top of the canyon. at the end of our "hike" two bikers stopped and chatted with us for a minute. next thing i know one is pulling a bible out of his camelbak and giving it to us. at that point we tried to tell him that we knew Jesus, but it was too late. he was convinced we were lost souls in need of God's word. which i guess we are. aren't' we all?

don't tell greg....

that the anticipation is KILLING me and i am secretly watching the texas vs. a&m game in real time on my computer while pretending to watch it on DVR delayed by about and hour due to the timing of turkey dinner. :)

GO HORNS!

post partum hair loss....

has me thinking i should be wearing a hair net while cooking today!

step by step to thanksgiving

step 1. pick up "fresh turkey" and realize (the day before thanksgiving) that the "fresh, never frozen" turkey is mostly frozen.

step 2. gramma (good for EVERYTHING) dorie comes over to help clean out the turkey...which totally grosses me out. i think i accidentally break a wing just trying to help.

step 3. brine turkey in the fridge for 24 hours. 6 hours in i realize that the beer fridge....i mean turkey fridge in the garage... is set way to cold which is hurting, not helping the de-thaw process.

step 4. set the table with ben's help. i brought the china out this afternoon and had ben help me set the table. nothing broke (yet). and i noticed price tags on 1/2 of my plates. maybe i should entertain more often?

step 5. all this turkey prep left me with 5 lbs of butter, onions, and no plan for dinner...so we went out (wednesday night).

step 6. picture of boys with turkey heads

step 7. ben asking why our turkey didn't have a head

step 8. realizing i forgot to clean the oven yesterday and get my knives sharpened

step 9. sending the big boys out back to do yard work or WHATEVER so i can cook.

step 10. putting the bird in and saying a prayer

step 11. making green beans, sweet potato biscuits and gravy.

step 12. carving turkey only to realize it's not quite done. i was pressured into putting the carved portion in the microwave to finish it off....which felt like a SIN after all this work. the rest of the bird went back into the oven for another 30 minutes then was PERFECT!

step 13. everyone has gone home. boys are in bed. watching football and wondering what to do with a bottle of cognac that i bought for a tablespoon for the gravy.

taped out

i am totally filled, yet drained all at the same time. i have enjoyed quite a bit of quiet time with Jesus, quiet time with myself and friends, good work outs, lazy weekends, and breaks from the kids the last couple weeks and i am totally rejunivated and totally drained all at the same time. i have had so much (relatively speaking) time to sit and reflect, to process and contemplate. it feels peaceful. it feels challenging. those thoughts, and relationship challenges that speak when all else is quiet.

and it's been a busy couple weeks. the down hill slide towards the holidays is upon us and i can't seem to slow it down. thinking of how to make the perfect turkey gravy and ordering Christmas presents all at the same time. do you all know about diaper.com? my order tonight consisted of a car seat (Lyle's Christmas present. He's going to be SOOOO exicted I just know it!) batteries....that I keep forgetting to buy at the market, new pacifiers....that i'll need in a few weeks that i'm sure i will keep forgetting to buy at the market, diapers....obviously, and some other things that i don't even remember. free shipping. and it will be here wednesday. quicker than i could even think about getting to target with out two kids in tow.

i love diapers.com

and Christmas cards. yikes! i love them and hate them all at the same time. but i know that going through the mail in the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas is my all time favorite afternoon activity!!! looking at pictures. marveling how fast kids grow up. smiling back at old friends smiling at me. praying for some. praising the Lord for others. i just love it. it's like a group hug. everyday. friends and family....i love you!

the view from my hotel room sunday morning....God bless friends who know how to celebrate birthdays in style! love you Jodie!!!

silent retreat tomorrow. silent. more than quiet. silent. all day. Lord help me to be present with you and with my thoughts.

when ben dresses himself

ben has made major progress in being able to dress himself recently. we have been working hard on pulling up his pants especially. that's all i really care about. but he has also figured out how to get his shirt on. but only one shirt. his favorite shirt. here is his....with a little help from Greg on the socks and shoes. and in case you can't tell...he is dribbling a basketball in the second picture!

personal hygine

in an effort to nurse lyle and talk on the phone at the same time today, i asked ben to go to the bathroom and brush his teeth (to get him off my lap. it was sweet that he was there. he has been very aware of me feeding lyle recently. and actually asked if i would feed HIM the other day. and then proceeded to lift up my shirt and try to unsnap my bra. mercy. i offered to make him a sandwich instead and he agreed.)

anyway....so ben went to the bathroom. i hear a drawer open. good sign. i hear the sink water turn on. good sign. i chat for a couple minutes. water still on. i finish feeding lyle. water still on. i holler at ben to turn the water off. no response. i walk into the bathroom and my little helper is cleaning the bathroom with soap, water....and his hair brush. sink. toilet. bath. shutters. gross.

he also is soaking wet from head to toe. silly ben.

SHOOT FIRE!

Ben just figured out how to unzip the crib tent from the inside!!!!

H1N1

Have there been any studies on the daily consumption of wine reducing the risk of aquiring the H1N1 flu? Because Kristy Alli was on Oprah yesterday saying that she uses Vodka to clean her bathrooms because it's anti-bacterial and non-toxic. And it's bound to work the same on your insides if you drink it? But I just can't drink Vodka. People say it's odorless, but I smell puke from 1995 when I even see a bottle.

So I thought....wine comes from grapes so it's organic...right? and organic is better than non-toxic? I'm sure I have all my facts straight here. I will test this theory and let you know how long I stay flu free.

On a side note, I am also praying daily for protection for my family. Lyle is so little. And Ben catches colds just by looking at people with them. And Greg and I have gotten kicked in the head every time the kids have gotten sick in the last year. Miserable. Please Lord, take away the fear that I have. Help me to trust you with my family. And to not wash my hands to much I am left with just bones for fingers.

and today....

we washed cars. two of them. who knew ben could be so obsessive about armor all? cleanest tires i've ever seen. and i'm already thinking about a little business to earn some money for the expensive holidays coming up. do you think the neighbors would be against paying a 2 year old to wash their cars?

Diego, Little Chicken, Tom Colicchio and Tired Mama