February 23, 2014

February Tidbits

I have rough days when I feel like I’m on a merry-go-round, doing the same thing every day… wake up, breakfast, school, lunch, more school, dinner, bedtime.  Teaching and training kids is exhausting.  But there’s so much more… usually I keep a good perspective on this crazy parenting gig, but yes, there are “those days.”  Motherhood is a gift.

Waking up in the morning with a back that isn’t in pain is a gift.  (I never ever want to forget that one.)

"This job has been given to me to do.  Therefore, it is a gift.  Therefore, it is a privilege.  Therefore, it is an offering I may make to God.  Therefore, it is to be done gladly, if it is done for Him.  Here, not somewhere else, I may learn God's way.  In this job, not in some other, God looks for faithfulness."  --Elisabeth Elliot

This blog helps remind me of the wonderful details in the often mundane days.  Thanks for letting me share them here.  I’m grateful to you, dear readers.

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Lots of hoop time in our backyard.  Our poor, poor neighbors hear balls bouncing from sunrise to sunset.

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Our neighbor has dubbed our family the GBL or “Garland Basketball League.”

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Brownie batter spoon lickers:

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Homeschool park day… Josh on his stilts and his buddy on a unicycle:

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Mrs. Gooding (Sarah’s zoology science teacher and my good friend) with Sarah on snake dissection day:

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After the snake dissection, the kids got to make coral snakes with their rainbow looms (red/black/yellow colors).

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Assembling valentines:

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The kids got Pleygo subscriptions for Christmas, so it’s been fun to see the different sets come through the house.  Pleygo is like a Netflix subscription, except using Lego sets.  The goal is to keep the set together and not loose any pieces.  Easier said than done.

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Sarah’s 11th birthday lunch (using library reading program free burger coupons, yay):

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Rachel riding her bike for the last time, sniff sniff.  I forgot to collect the bike and helmet as we left the park and poof it was gone by that night.  Huge bummer. Ugh.

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We watched the superbowl with Grandmom and Grandad at the beach house.  A fun ice cream birthday cake for the girls:

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My mom is so clever… anytime there was a “crunch” in the game, we got to have a candy bar:

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It was a tough game to watch… but still fun.

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I’ve started snapping photos of dinnertime… it’s good for me to be mindful of what I eat.  I struggle with portion control (read: I like food!).  Here’s meatloaf, mashers and salad, with the cute daughter I get to sit across from:

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Honing our racquet skills:

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As we were about to leave, the kids discovered a treasure trove of lost old balls in the bushes.  Jackpot!  Who cares if the balls actually bounce, right?

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I love Saturday mornings:

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Matchy-matchy new shoes:

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Heart attack night at AWANA:

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This sweet cat kept coming to our back door to say hi to our cat Pearl.  After a couple days with us, turns out the owners were our friends in the neighborhood.  His name is “Marvin” and he was so much fun to have around. 

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Valentines

Love is funny,

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silly,

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goofy,

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and downright crazy sometimes.

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But this is what love boils down to:

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God so loved the world

that he gave his SON.

To die.

For us.

For our sin.

So that we could have LIFE everlasting.

BOOM!

John 3:16

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We love because HE first loved US. 1 John 4:19

February 22, 2014

Safari Park + Rachel turns 4

We celebrated Rachel’s birthday with a trip to the Safari Park…

It had rained the night before, so everything was damp, but the air was clean!

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These fountains are great:

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Our friends the Abelsons (Jen + 3 fun boys) joined us:

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Journey to Africa Tram ride:

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Special chocolate milk for the birthday girl:

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(Rachel wore her 3yo Disneyland Happy birthday pin, then got a Safari Park happy birthday pin as we left the park… it made her day!)

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Jen and me:

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Jen worked her magic with the Lorikeets:

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Yup, we were tuckered out:

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Birthday party that night… scavenger hunt for the presents (they were in the dryer):

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Rachel is 4 yo:

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She’s ready to rock n roll with her new pink guitar:

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The devoted Mr. Garland free-handed the Minnie Mouse on her brownie cake:

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