the end

326 posts....

I loved my hopes fulfilled blog.

but....I find my self over here

Back to School 2010

Off to 2-day program....I know they can't be any cuter. I will miss them.


Matt's new desk. Mr. Chun's class rule : "Do the Right Thing"




Starbucks lunch bag, sitting at all boys table, across from new friend Matthew...she is rolling with it.

harvard or yale?

Mommy : "So honey, what university would you choose, Harvard or Yale?"

Bria: "Harvard."

Mommy: "Why is that?"

Bria: "Yale sounds like a fish."

I Heart Saturday AND....kids with kites

Two of my favorite images of kids are when they are painting/coloring and when they are flying a kite.

Matt loves to fly kites.

and you cannot get a better view

I Heart Saturday AND....better than a hallelujah

(photo brian took on the path where I run)

major sickness

work deadlines

regrets

tons of unfinished housework

the cooking, the cleaning

the grocery stores

over-priced gasoline

taxes

sometimes I feel like it will never stop pushing me down

but in the midst I have run

not like run away - but really run

it feels good to breathe hard and have physical pain and push

during the running I have the ipod

on the ipod is amy grant's new single

it is my new all-time favorite amy song

it captures my head

it declares all I have to give

which is not much

but He knows

here is the song if you want to listen

to share the chatter

she talks, and talks, and talks and then talks some more...

just thinking that part of my job is to be there for her to share all she needs to chatter

so I will keep listening and smile as she goes on and on....

I Heart Saturday AND.....not UN-packing

Packed last night for a Spring Break trip.

We were off to Central California. I could not wait.

Matt got a sore throat.

Matt got a fever.

We made it as far as Pasadena.

Turned around.

Packing is better than unpacking.

more matt madness

really just a bunch of pictures from our few days of February fun celebrating Matt.... big brother's gifts always come with lots of layers....

and another...

last one...

well worth it!

somehow when the kids opt for no birthday party...

what was once thought to be a cost effective plan...

becomes kinda costly...

bring on the dragon sushi

add a little Sherlock Holmes...

a quick meet up with Mam and Pap....

for even more...

he loves golf balls...

especially when the box is loaded with some cash...

as always... - it was FUN celebrating YOU my boy!!

field trip...what is that?

Some of our best memories as a home school family are going on field trips. If we don't take advantage of getting out behind the desk (kitchen table) every now and then I think we miss out on great learning experiences, SEEING what we are reading about and just re-enforcing that learning is fun and is all over life!

Well, with one in highschool on a traditional schedule, offering me less flexibility, my 3rd and 5th grader have been a little cheated.

I am going to play some catch up with Matt and Bria over this last quarter and get out more. We plan a Legoland day, Balboa Park day, a visit to the Inland Valley symphony and Huntington Library...'cause those are just a few of my favorite places :)

A few weeks ago we took off to Forest Lawn in Glendale. My first visit and I never knew that the "builders creed" for this memorial includes the idea of bringing the beauty of our historic world to the lawn. The mosoleum has replications of several Michalangelo sculptures and Leonardo's Last Suppper on stained glass. Our visit included a show featuring the two artists in costume talking about their lives in Italy and what was going on when creating their most famous works of art. Well worth the trip. It is an excellent presentation they do throughout the year.

After meeting Da Vinci in real life, I gave Matt a little kit and he was able to build the artists version of the flying machine.

Since we were in the LA area we took the chance to eat at the German deli Schreiners in Montrose.

Over half of Bria's sausage went home to big brother!

I Heart Saturday....and then some more

....this is my friend Bria (totally ripped off her name to give to my girl)

We grew up together as she is the little sister to my best friend through jr high and beyond.

Now she is a loving mommy and has a much more grown up blog than me.

Her blog is called.....and then some more

Love what she says about HOPE ....and many other topics like motherhood, marriage and her walk with God.

Totally did not ask her permission to do this...so I will go do that right now...hee hee

great read aloud...

Vinegar Boy -



We are enjoying reading this aloud with Matt and Bria. Really takes them to the events surrounding Christ on the cross.

I Heart Saturday AND......mancala

I love it 'cause they get it out so often and play it in the early mornings or just before bed....

it's one of the few games they play where they are quiet and don't end up fighting!

I Heart Saturday AND.....avila beach

soon I will be running along this beach....

staying at this cute mex-boutique hotel....

sitting on this bed with my laptop...

watching this news channel...

and hopefully getting lots of work done so that I can enjoy these guys the rest of the week...

the big One Six

We surprised him! He loved it.
I dig my 16 year old....

Yes, this was back in January,
but never got to posting the
pictures.

Thought I better before I put more of Matt's birthday.

See, the kids have me running in circles in life AND on my blog