A layout for a challenge!

My friend over at http://pressedpetals.blogspot.com/ has issued a challenge for scrappin' and I love her and scrappin' so here is my response!

I have the credits...eek..will add tomorrow...means getting up...ha ha

We gave (me and T) blood today....and my brain feels mushy

I am all alone!!!

I feel like a whirlwind of energy. Tony and I dropped the kids off this morning with hugs and kisses. Excitement from both of us! I got home, ate breakfast and wham!

Cleaned out closet (where medication was). Note to all ya'll, please go thru your medicines. We had stuff that expired 6 years ago! I tossed most of it! Cleared out band aids, creams and extra tubes of toothpaste! Was able to clear 2 shelves for the kids school uniforms. They will be able to pick out their shirts from the closet. I was able to label the shelves by name so (fingers crossed) this will help keep it neat?!?

Then I went to the girls closet and hidden piles of crapola. They have done really good this summer and I was quite proud of them. I only took one large bag of garbage out. Most of this was clothes outgrown or stained beyond help. They have a basket of "stuff" they can go thru this evening, but I was actually encouraged! My spanking hand didn't even twitch! hee hee

I scrubbed the floor in the kitchen and swept up all the wood floors in the house! It smells marvelous. Once this is posted, I am gonna make some chocolate chip cookies. A 1st day of school event.

Have to hem and do some sewing this evening. I tell you I feel very industrious!

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh..Napa Valley

As some of you know I grew up in Napa, California. This sleepy little town has grown to be a huge magnet for the rich, famous and those that want to be. My parents still live there in a small 3 bedroom, 2 bath home.
During the summer months it gets in the 90's and that is just unbearable for my mom. So they (mom and dad) do RV hosting on the northern beach state camps. They stay for free and keep an eye on the campers as an extension for the State Rangers. A great exchange. This leaves their home in the summer open except for the days my days goes home to mow the lawn and play a round of golf.
The past two months we have planned on going to Napa one day then the next drive to the beach to spend time with Grandparents. Our van and mechanic have not cooperated with theses plans. Thursday evening, our mechanic Henry called and said the van was ready and running great! We planned on picking it up and taking the 1 and 30 run to Napa. We picked it up at 10am, I drove it and it was exactly like it was 2 months earlier. I came home first and Tony had some church business to handle. He got home and I told him the news.
Tony was very mad. He called Henry and kept his cool but the anger was boiling. He drove to the mechanic and I just finished the chores with the kids and figured our plans were once again shot. No problem, we would play some games, and Saturday a BBQ at the kids school. They had no idea we were planning anything, so all was well.
Tony called and he was in the van with the mechanic and the car was doing exactly what we said. That was a great help. When he got back to the shop, Henry said he would foot the bill for a rental van for us. Isn't that wonderful??
We drove to Napa, swam in the pool, watched a bit of the Olympics and just relaxed to the sound of our kids giggling and splashing. Our van is still in the shop, our converts are going thru the wringer but God is still on the throne. I am so thankful for this peaceful time! My brain feels refreshed and I rejoice to see what is in store from the awesome God I serve today!

Nasty fun killers

We got all loaded up, drove to Oroville and got to the beach! There was hardly anyone there, we looked for shade to put the stuff. Lovely big tree and shade. A few wasps. Well we are just going to leave the stuff there and sit in the water.

Plop! My chair in the water, my butt in the chair...burrito in the hand, ice cold water...aw the good life.

Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Abby is got a few wasp buzzin' around her and her burrito. She tries to run, they follow. This sucks! We look up the beach, these wasp are everywhere! Not lazily buzzing, ticked off and on the offensive for their territory!

Tears well in my eyes. I need this time so so much. My brain needs no stimuli of the world, just the lazy sound of the river, with kids laughter and a few peanut butter cups to eat.

I am done making decisions.

Tony can see, I am ready to snap! He goes around to find a place to go! Nada, nothing, zilch. These darn wasp are everywhere. There is a water (spray) park on the end, all cement. We go there just to get out of the heat. It is 103 degrees!

Dan and Peggy come, we are sitting with a million of kids in a spray park...good fellowship, but not the relaxing time I was hoping for.

So now I sit in an A/C house, freshly showered, eating the peanut butter cups! Life is fine.

Truckloads of Patience

I had it delivered yesterday. I had to rearrange to get it all to fit. But with some relaxed breathing. I have it. ALL!

Gosh wouldn't that be great. Go down to your local Target or Wal-Mart, find the amount of patience needed for whatever you are waiting on and tada!

My friend Teresa G. told me never to pray for patience. I don't! I pray for strength to fight not being patient! ha ha

We are fighting a good fight and know that Jesus is moving in ways we don't realize. We continue to do what we know is right to the best of our ability. Witness one on one, follow up with the word of God, pray and read the bible. We can feel the anxiety or expectation to use a better word of God moving in hearts in Yuba City. Results! Results! Scream in our ears, but we know that we are vessels for the results not makers of the results.

I hope this isn't read as a downer, for it is not. I have always had little patience, and honestly still don't have gobs. But I do have a calmness that is passing for patience. Does that count?

Mowing my lawn-I love it!

I found a site that I love...I am very new and have poked around a little. This is a link to learn about the writer of the blog.

http://simplemom.net/about-simple-mom/

Her blog, once I figure out how to add the cute little button to my blog will proudly be here, but until then, just click here http://www.simplemom.net/ is the home page.

Sooooooooooooo....why the lawnmower and the title?

Because the series Simple Mom is writing;

How to be Disorganized & Unproductive. She is on number 2 of a 6 part series. Today's was over committing. Ouch!

One of the suggestions was to hire a lawn guy...I gasped...I love mowing the lawn. I really do. I get sweaty, dirty and grass covered. I usually have to take Tylenol before and after! ha ha

But I love it...I look forward to it.

After it is done, the yard is beautiful.

Some of you know how much time and effort I put in my yard in New Mexico, for not a whole lot of return.

I am now in California, where my water is pretty much free ($20 a month), and I am blessed to have a huge expanse of green, that after mowing shimmers!

The hardest part for me is to go inside afterwards...I can sit for hours watching and listening to the sprinkler as it covers my newly mowed lawn!

What is your vision?

I have had a heavy heart the last few days, can't put my finger directly on it...but want you to ask yourself.

Where is your vision?

Without a vision the people perish.

Our (Tony and me) vision for the lost and the power of Jesus Christ changing lives and the hope that was so freely given to us just a few years ago. We had focused our lives on anything but pressing in to Jesus Christ.

So no guilt here; but what is your vision, your focus, what drives you or what are you dedicated too?

Tony says this often, we are here on earth for 80-90 years if we are lucky, eternity is FOREVER.

Just a thought...weighing on my heart.

Little history about Yuba City

Hey to my faithful fans...

I want to confuse each and every one of you. I live in Yuba City, which is located in Sutter County. Marysville, our sister city is in Yuba County. The picture shown here is the Yuba City’s western horizon is dominated by the Sutter Buttes, known as the “Smallest Mountain Range in the World. This is pronounced Bu(long u) ttes! Butte County is past Marysville, almost to Oroville (home of Dan&Peggy). I get a giggle and feel a bit like a townie, now that I know the confusion and understand it.

I thought I might leave a bit of history when I get a chance to upload this blog. We are doing California history with the kids this summer and they are loving it. Gives a whole new meaning to 49ers!

We actually drove around the smallest mountain range, it is a lovely ride, about 2 hours total. There are different types farms all around. There is one that is a senior citizen or retirement home for zoo and circus animals!! Zebras, horses, llamas and strange looking animals!

Please leave a comment and make me smile!

Eric the big brother...

Hi Michele!

You know I think of my friends in Alamo all the time....this blog is a wild one, I wanted to put this layout in, it isn't "done" but I want you to see Eric, he is growing so much. He loves God, and is such a disciple and help for us.

So to explain the pics, we went for a day at the river...the water is no joke, 45-50 degrees, it is 112 degrees outside...just a great day. Eric was so calm and helpful. I am wanting to find some elements that will add to this but so far....just plain is coming to mind.

Our 1st Outdoor Concert!

This fellowship is incredible! We got the building as previously explained. Then Vallejo sent a church to impact all day! They were awesome, it was hot and they handed out flyers and then witnessed at the event. The church in Redding sent 2 Rap groups and a couple that also witnessed the whole event. There is no wonder why 3 of the teens in the groups are their kids! On top of that another church in Oroville came to work the crowds for the event. They stopped people in cars, on the sides just watching and gave great support. Three churches laboring for one pioneering couple. Because they all have the same vision! To reach the world for Jesus Christ!

stuck in the house!

The month of July was a trip!

California legalized gay weddings on 15 July, and the following Saturday 1000 fires started by lightening thruout California!

These fires were huge and still to this date are burning. The smoke that filled the wide Sacramento Valley was thick and hazardous. There were 3 days in a row, we stayed inside with A/C running the whole time. We changed our air filter at the end of the month...filled with chunks of yuck!

Now, spending one day all together is fun, the 2nd, a bit tougher, by the 3rd day, I was done! We put the boys on side by side laptops, playing games (star wars version of Age of Empires), and the girls took a 3 hour bath! I have read so many books and organized the whole house!

Tony spent most of it, reengineering gold sheets and our taxes. Got the files set up for church, both puter and regular files. He entered all our reciepts for the year, so he made a data base for the taxes for our lives in a parsonage! Whole lotta work, but it is done and now easy to update!

The thickness in the air can not be expressed in the picture, but it was humid, hot and hazardous.

When the southern winds from the deltas in Stockton blow, coolness and fresh air conquer!

Just waiting for them!

We got the go ahead from Pastor! Thank you so much!

The church is in a great location! It is at an intersection from 3 towns. It is actually in Marysville, a sister city. We pay our gas/electric there and Yuba City is very melded to each other. Our hospital is there, etc...

Anyway...Tony went on outreach last Monday evening in the neighborhood, and met a couple; Katie and James, they came to bible study Wednesday! We are so excited to have a place to just show a movie! It is a great place, I know this is a babble of a blog, but if I was standing in front of you, you probably couldn't follow me, cause there are so many great things about this building! We can move in as is, some cleaning and do remodeling in stages! So that helps alot also!

We have to wait til Wednesday, because the lady who does the paperwork is off til then and no one else knows how. ha ha That drives Tony crazy...so we wait...impatiently, but with victory!

Please pray for favor so the process of getting the building goes good.

the Lady is a cat!

Our landlords are great people and would let us have hippos in the back yard I think if we asked. Our lives are very topsy turvy and a pet is a bit more than we wanted to commit to. A cat in the neighborhood, very loving, would come over on a daily basis for pets and scratch under the chin and then leave. We would see her on different people's lawns and couldn't really figure out who "owned" her. Our next door neighbor, Miss Liz, said she was abandoned and needed a home. Tony said NO!

A few weeks later, he saw her drinking from the sprinkler in our backyard. "You can feed Lady". I was so excited! "but..." he went on to say, "she is NOT coming in the house!" Okay, I bought a bag of food and some canned and a brush for her that afternoon!

We feed her in the early morning, and then again in the evening. She is waiting right on time, and will also meow loudly when we are late!

In the morning, I spend 1 1/2 hours on the back porch. Sometimes it is chilly, so I bundle up with blanket. I read the newspaper, my bible and pray and Lady joins me. Her purrs and warm fluffy body are a great addition!