Saturday, December 31, 2011

2011

2011 is coming to a quick close.  I am so grateful for all the wonderful things God has done for our family this past year.  Our family was blessed with the addition of our little Kinlee Joy, who truly is a joy to us all with her sunny disposition.  Chris had an opportunity to join the faculty at our college alma mater, Point Loma Nazarene University, as an adjuct professor.  It was hard work but he enjoyed teaching his first semester and is going back for a second this coming semester.  2011 also saw healing at our church body and some much growth has occurred.  We went from having one full time person on staff (the pastor) to having the pastor and five part time staff members, one of which is Chris as the youth pastor.  We have been so blessed by the youth group and this process and can't wait to see what God has in store for this coming year. 
2011 saw our Ethan grow from a toddler to a little boy.  He started a new preschool and loves it.  Unfortunately we have also seen a lot of hospital trips for Ethan this year, but the doctors are still feel treating him on an as need basis is the best way for his body and we gratefully agree.  We are so fortunate to have a wonderful medical team to work with for Ethan. 

I have no idea what 2012 will hold, but I do know that God is awesome and will have some amazing things for each and everyone of you out there.  I am excited as I was asked to join a small bible study, bible discipleship for this coming year.  I have been praying that something like this would come along and I am so excited to see God reveals to me this coming year. 

I pray for you all in the coming year; 2012 is going to be a blessed year! 

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Bethadeezoo

After many years of people telling my mom to start selling her crafty creations and sew beauties, she has finally bitten the bullet and opened an online store.  My mom is very talented when it comes to sewing and it comes very easy to her.  She has been to make all sorts of amazing things for my kids and my niece.  A few weeks before we launched the website we went to a handmade craft fair and sold some goods.  It was a blast.

My mom's store is Bethadee Zoo.  When I was a little girl I used to call elephants Bethadee's, no I didn't just call them that I adamantly insisted that they were not elephants and in fact they were bethadee's.   And so that is were the name Bethadee Zoo came from.

Right now the website is just starting out and has a few little things, mainly toddler backpacks (which my munchkins have and they are perfect for those toddler years), a quilt for a little boy, and some totes/purses for mom of course.  In the near future she is planning to have other items.  So you will just have to keep checking it out to see.  Go check out her store envy site!


 Cute purse!
 I Spy boy's Quilt
Ethan and his backpack from his Gamma.  It goes with us everywhere. 

We would love it if you went and check out her website!  Thanks!!

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

God is good in ALL things-a testimony

I have been in a very reflective mood lately; maybe it is the thanksgiving holiday, maybe it is all the changes that have been going on around here or maybe it is me just getting older, either way I have been reflecting and have been overwhelmed by God's love, grace, faithfulness and sovereignty. 

I am sure that the journey to now started a very, very long time ago, but I want to look back about seven years ago (yes I know it is a long journey and if you don't want to read it all that's fine, I really just want to get the story/testimony down and out of my head so as to not be forgotten).  Chris and I were just married.  At that time we did not have a regular church to attend.  We just sort of bounced from one to another trying them out and never really found one that felt right.  After some coaching from some friends of ours, we traveled from Point Loma to east county San Diego to attend their church; about a 30 minute drive.   We liked the church, a lot!  Over the next couple months, we went there off and on but would only commit to "visiting." It was too far to make this our home church.  Within a month we ended up buying a condo in east county, not in our original plan (and frankly seemed a bit sudden).  The church became our home church.

We kept from getting too involved though. We had planned to leave the San Diego area (we figured it was very expensive to live here and would not be able to afford it) as soon as I graduated from grad school.  The time came, I graduated and despite applying all over the place the only offers that came in were here in San Diego.  The job I got was at a top district, I thought the interview was horrendous and cried at my performance once I got in my car, and yet somehow I got the job.  The same day I accepted the job Chris was offered a job at a big ad agency, he had not been looking for a new job, they contacted him.  We figured God had something in mind so we stayed.

The youth pastor at our small church left; at the time there really wasn't any kids.  Eventually a few boys started coming.  Chris and I talked about working with youth, but felt that at that time it was unrealistic and we could not devote the attention it deserved.  At the time Chris was working about 60-80 hours a week.  Another guy stepped up in the ministry spot.  I got pregnant, was put on bedrest.  The youth group grew.  The guy asked Chris to help him out here and there and to plan the winter retreat.  I had Ethan, we praised God for keeping us here, close to a fabulous children's hospital that has specialists there for his exact diagnosis (there isn't alot of them).  Ethan was only a few weeks old when we went on the first winter retreat with the youth.  Eventually Chris' role in the youth group got bigger and bigger.  When Ethan was 6 months old my babysitter (can I call you that Silla? you were and are so much more) moved.  Chris' Ad job took him away from home a lot, he and rarely saw Ethan and me, and he had to work on Sunday's quite a bit.  After much discussion and prayer we felt that it was time Chris quit his job and opened his own business from home.  So Chris became a stay at home dad and worked on building his own design business and got more involved in church.

Eventually Chris became the head of the youth group.  He went to the youth pastors conference and came home and told me that he felt God was giving him this calling, it wasn't just him helping out anymore.  I felt the same but feared saying it out loud.  I knew too many pastors kids who had become prodigal children, I didn't think I could handle that, in my mind we were just helping out and that was all I wanted to commit to.  The pastor and his wife invited me (and Chris encouraged me) to go to the pastor's wives conference.  I resisted for a bit, but after praying I took the time off work to go.  I was humbled.  Lady after lady got up and spoke about their prodigal children or the tragedies their families faced in ministry (the overall theme was that God is good in ALL things!).  I heard about these kids who died tragically, or got wrapped up in drugs and alcohol, all the things that I was afraid of.  I prayed, I cried and in the end knew that I had to admit that God is good in all things and that God was calling us to ministry.  I came home and we talked about it and we continued to work with our youth kids waiting for specific direction from God.

A tragedy hit our Church family and rocked Chris and I to our core about 6 months after that.  Chris and I had an honest conversation about getting out of ministry.  In my human mind I didn't think God could redeem the situation.  So many people were hurt and broken it would be easier to walk away and forget that it all ever happened.  But in my spirit I felt comfort in the crisis.  I can't explain it, I knew that some how some way good would come from it, God would be glorified and we needed to press on.  It was a time of great emotional conflict. 

It has been a year and a half since the tragedy.  In that time we were in a holding pattern waiting on God and what He would bring.  It was a time to be still and listen and know that He is God.  I can tell you God has indeed been glorified.  The negative things that everyone thought would happening as a result didn't occur.  The church is stronger today than it ever has been and is growing.  It is different than it had been but God has been glorified in ways that were unimaginable. 

About 6 months ago, after lots of prayer and counsel we felt that God was us...to more ministry.  We weren't sure what that meant at the time, and still don't totally know.  We just know we are open vessels for Christ.  Two weeks ago our church added staff members to it (prior to now there has only been one staff person, the pastor), Chris was added to the staff on a part time basis.  It has been awesome to see where the Lord has taken us in these last seven years and how God's hand was in it all.  We don't know what the future holds, we are looking to God for guidance and waiting for Him to direct the rest of our path.  Who knows, maybe one day Chris will be in full time ministry with his family serving by his side to God's glory.  I am truly humbled by the things God has done for my family and I can honestly say that God is good in ALL things.  I have seen it!

Thursday, November 10, 2011

This week

Wow this has been insane week.  I can't believe all the things that have happened in the last 6-7 days. 
Here it is in a  nutshell:
1. Traded in the Jeep for a Mini-Van.  Got a killer deal on a Honda
2. Had Kinlee's dedication
3. attended two church services on Sunday and Chris taught youth group
4. Hosted both sides of the family for Kinlee's dedication lunch (those who know me well, know that this is draining for me...I am not a big group kind of person; very out of my comfort zone)
5. Changed banks and also got a different car loan for the van and cut our payments by 100 bucks.
6. Ethan's leg "randomly" started hurting and eventually he lost all mobility resulting in a 24 hour stay at Children's with a joint bleed in the knee.  24 hour meds for the next 3 days.  Trying to keep an active three year old still
7. wrote a psych report at 2 am (after leaving hospital)
8. attended an IEP meeting via phone (for the psych report written at 2am)
9. Chris taught 2 classes
10. Chris had first staff meeting at Calvary Chapel as the youth pastor (that's right I said staff!)
11. Kinlee got her first tooth and the second is just below the surface
12. Drove (40 minutes away) the new car loan check to the dealer to pay off the original loan
13. Worked three days this week (took at day of when E was in hospital and Friday is a holiday)
14. attempted to clean the house (not totally done yet)
15. Made gifts for a baby shower


I am very tired and so is Chris.  We are having trouble processing all the stuff.  Lots of awesomeness and then some pretty bad lows!  But man oh man I wouldn't trade this week for anything!  God is sovereign everything that happened this week, the good and the bad, are for His glory.  We praise Him for this week!

And eventually I might get in to blog about a few of these specific things.

Oh yea and Kinlee had her 6 month photos.  Thank you to Auntie Sam for taking her photos.  Love them

Thursday, October 27, 2011

from the eyes of a three year old

Tonight when I was getting ready to feed Kinlee, Ethan asked if he could take some photos with my camera.  He loves to take photos.  This is a photo stream of what he took tonight.  10 minutes in our house from the eyes of a three and a half year old.


Please excuse our messy house.  :)
 
 Kinlee's favorite "toy"
 My feet
 Ethan's hand
 Our nook (Silla- that's the tub with the scrapbook items from our Christmas album, hahaha)
 Wow our table is a mess

  Dad's office
 Door in daddy's office
 daddy's office from another angle
 office chair
 our wood floor
 my desk
 Ethan's foot (he thought this was funny)
Such a cutie patootie, my big boy is.  His photos did show me how much I need to clean though.  I really need more hours in my day!  What did you do tonight?

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

The Threadery

As further proof that I am embracing my crafty side, I give you The Threadery!



I am so excited.  After years of trying to convince my mom that she has a God given talent that she should shared with more than just her kids, grandchildren and their friends, she has finally realized this and agreed to be a vendor at a handmade, vintage market.  The catch was that I had to do it with her.  This posed a slight problem as I didn't know what sort of a craft I could come up with.  Well what will I be selling you ask...coasters!  I made a bunch of cute little coasters that I am sure everyone will need for their home.  Oh and I also helped mom come up with her both design.  My mom is selling all sorts of her beautiful sew goods (mostly baby and children's items).  I am not so good at the sewing yet.  Although I have sewn two things with my new, vintage sewing machine.  I guess I should blog about those soon.  I need more time! 

Back to The Threadery, it is in the north orange county area and we will be selling as Bethadee Zoo.  If you live in the area, or you just want to come on down, please come check it out.  There is going to be some great vendors there.  Hope to see you this Saturday! 

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Laundry Detergent

I have recently become addicted to pinterest.  It is a wonderful virtual corkboard where I have found lots of wonderful craft ideas.  My mother tried for 18 years to open up my crafty side and I resisted, a whole 30 years.  Well now I am all about it. 

One day while looking around pinterest I found a do-it-yourself laundry detergent.  After a few days of thinking about it I decided to do it.  I have a couple people in my family with VERY sensitive skin and laundry detergent is expensive.  So I decided to do it, even though some members of my family thought it was a bit odd.    

The ingredients can all be found at you local Walmart in the laundry aisle.  All together it was about $8 for all the ingredients, but the Borax and the Baking and Washing Soda would make way more batches.  I am estimating that this the Borax, Baking and Washing soda containers I bought will last me a year.  That is a huge savings over a $15 bottle of tide, plus it doesn't have all those additives! 

1 bar Fels-Naptha bar soap
1 cup Borax
1 cup Washing Soda
1/4 cup Baking Soda
 Grate the Fels-Naptha Bar.  I used a cheese grated, but you can use a food processor or a Magic bullet. 
 Add all the ingredients and stir. 
 Then find a cute glass jar (okay any container really) and put it in the laundry room (please ignore my dinged up Dryer in the photo, it was a craigslist purchase). 
You only need about 2 tablespoons for a load of laundry.  So although this doesn't look like a ton, it will last a long time.  It smells good too.  It has a really clean, slight hint of lemon to it.  And it was super easy to make.  It only took about 10 minutes and that was only because I kept getting distracted by the kids. 

I have made a few other projects I have gotten from pinterest.  But more on that later. 

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

A Parent's Love


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As I sat at the red light waiting for it to turn green, he asked me why he was going with me to his sister’s doctors appointment. I reminded him that he had a hurt arm and that we had to go to his doctor too. He immediately knew what that meant and as I turned around to look him straight in the eyes he had tears in his eyes and told me he didn't want to go to get pokie's (shots). My eyes started to tear up as I told him how sorry I was, but that this was what was best for him. A single tear ran down my cheek and I told him it would be okay that he would get his shot of medicine and then his arm would be better and we go about our day as normal.

This wasn't the first time he needed to get meds, no there have been many other times before. This wasn't the first time I teared up about having to have my son get shots to treat the hemophilia, no there were many other times before. But this was the first time I cried in front of him. I am always careful not to get emotional about his "ouchies." I don't want him to freak out; I have always waited until after the treatment is over and he has gone to bed to cry. He is looking to me, to see my reaction. At his age, my reaction will dictate how he will react. He is looking to me to keep him safe. He is looking to me for love and to make him feel secure in every situation that we face. It is my job.

As I went about the rest of the day, I couldn't help but think about God and how hard it must be for Him to love us so much that He has to put us through the refiners fire to make us whole and pure in Him. That pure perfect love, when you don't just stand there watching someone do something you know is not good for them, but instead you gently tell them what they need to hear. Maybe they need to know how their actions will impact their life, or how their actions impact others life's. All to often I think we are too quick to nod our head and smile, instead of offering instruction and guidance, true love.

Our son trusts his daddy and I to protect him and take care of him. Unfortunately it sometimes mean we have to restrict him, or we have to take him to get pokies because his body needs the medicine. He doesn't like it, it makes him sad. But maybe he occasionally needs to see that mommy and daddy are just as sad about his ouchies as he is. I trust God has the best for me and sometimes it is good to be reminded that He sheds tears for me.

Monday, September 12, 2011

Jumperoo

Kinlee at four months of age enjoying her jumperoo for the first time.


Ethan at 5 months enjoying his jumperoo at for the first time.
They are both so cute and I think they look so much alike and yet so totally different. How is that? Amazing! Oh and if you can't quite tell from these photos, she has is about five pounds more than he was at the same age. She is growing so fast! Well Ethan also grew pretty slow and still grows slow. Maybe because he doesn't eat much. hum.....

Saturday, August 13, 2011

Kinlee-3 months



Wow three months has gone by incredible fast. On one hand it seems like you have always been here with our family and on the hand it seems like just yesterday me and daddy were bringing you home.

But so much has changed. You made our family go from three to four. You are the perfect addition to our little family, God knew just who we needed. You are such a laid back little girl. You don't seem to mind when your big brother runs up to you and kiss you over and over again. He loves to get right up in your face. And in his world you are "MY baby," as he often calls you. I can't wait to watch you grown up and run around with your brother in the backyard.

You have grown so much since you were born. You went from being at the 5% percentile for weight to the 88% in weight and now the 95% in height. You are almost 14 pounds and are 24 inches long (at your 2 month appointment). I love your rolls that you have on your little arms and legs. Too cute for words!

You are sleeping well. AS long as you are swaddled we can put you down in your crib and you will go right to sleep on your own. You sleep from about 9pm to 5 or 6 am. You love to suck your hand or finger and you sort of like your paci. You love to give out smiles and you are trying to laugh. You have the most beautiful smile and it melts your daddy's heart. You don't like tummy time and you will tolerate laying on your back for about 5-10 minutes. You don't roll over yet, but you are getting close. You rolled over on our bed today, but you had a little help since it was on a bed.

You are a very happy baby and you almost never cry, except when you are hot, you despise being hot! One a trip to orange county last weekend we had to move you to Poppi and Meemaw's car because the air conditioning vents in their car were right above your car seat. You went from screaming in mommy and daddy's car to sleeping calmly within 5 minutes. You hate the HEAT! Since we don't have air conditioning in the house you often take your naps in your swing or in your pack n play. Your favorite place to be is in your swing. You much rather be at home in your little routine swinging in your swing than you would going out and bough (total opposite of your brother, he always did better outside).

You are a beautiful little creation of God's. We all love you so much and can't wait to see how God continues to grow you and mold you and our family. Happy 3 months Kinlee Joy.

Three

Ethan is three years old and Kinlee is 3 months. I thought it would be fun to lay them side by side and get a photo. They weren't so much digging the idea of a photo. Ethan wanted to continue running around outside (notice his scrapped up face due to a fall earlier in the week), and Kinlee doesn't much like laying flat out on her back or stomach (notice the pouty bottom lip).

This photo was taken right after the last one. Kinlee is full on crying and Ethan was yawning he was bored. These two make me laugh. Love my munchkins!

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Pieces of K

I love babies and I must say Kinlee is the sweetest! Well maybe I am biased, but who cares.
I love how tiny babies are and how cute all the little pieces of them are.


I mean what's not to love! Looking at these tiny pieces I can't help but be reminded of how amazing God is! God created these little pieces that make up this tiny little being.

And this tiny little being will one day grow up into a full grown adult. It boggles my mind. My God is GREAT!

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

LOVE

What is LOVE? It is such a popular word. People love to sing about it, talk about it write about it. You hear the word love all the time. But what does it really mean.

Our society (especially my generation and younger) seems to think that love means there is no wrong. If I love the person I can't tell them I dislike their action or that I think their action is wrong. If you love you must accept it all. I beg to differ. The Bible shows us that there is different types of love, and before I had children I honestly didn't understand the different types of love. Well I knew them, read about them, but I just didn't have full knowledge of them. Having my kids has taught me more about God's love, than I think anyone can. I love my kids more than I can imagine, I honestly think I would jump in front of a bus for them (I hope I don't have to though). And even though I would risk my life for them, there are times when I have to correct them. It doesn't mean I don't love them, it just means that their behavior is not acceptable and I need to correct/instruct firmly but with love. I correct because I love them and want them to grow up and turn into wonderful adults who are respectful, moral, God loving men and women. If I didn't correct them, they would turn into absolute brats. That's what happens when you let a three year old do whatever it is that makes them happy.

I am honestly tired of hearing people defend their behavior by bringing up love..."shouldn't we all just love people." Yes we should and I love people, but that does not mean I have to accept every one's behavior. The bottom line is we are all sinners, we have all done things unpleasing in the eyes of God and yet due to his amazing and wonderful GRACE I am still saved, he still loves me, but he does not like the sin. I love Ethan but when I tell him to stop running in the house and he does it anyway, he gets a punishment. It doesn't change how much I love him, it just means that it can be dangerous for him to run in the house. He can fall and hurt himself (which in his case can be very serious), or he could hurt his young sister. I am correcting his action to protect him (and his sister), not because I don't love him.

I just don't understand the argument that if it has to do with love then it can't be wrong. Some people love to do drugs, so should we make that legal, by all means if it makes them happy and they love it then who am I to say no. If two young teens want to have premarital sex because they "love" each other, really we should just let that slide and watch the statistics of sexually transmitted disease, teen pregnancy, and abortion go up. Just because you love doesn't make it okay and safe and healthy for us and just because I disagree with your behavior and choices doesn't mean I love you less, it just means that I don't like/love your behavior. God commands us to love our neighbor as ourselves, but he does not command us to love the sin and God's word clear in the things we should not do and that are sin. The Bible is also clear and says to "go and sin no more." John 8:11. Not go and keep doing the behavior you have been doing because it makes you happy and I love you and so since I love you I don't want to tell you you are sinning. No He made it clear AND SIN NO MORE. God loves us all, but God hates sin. He can't even be in the presence of sin and it is only by Jesus shedding his blood and covering us do we get to receive the GRACE.

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Zucchini Cake

Tonight at church we had a potluck and we were supposed to bring a dish from our ethnic heritage. Well since I am about 7 different things, I thought about bringing a Heinz 57 ketchup bottle, but instead I decided to bring something that I have always liked...a Zucchini Cake!

It just so happened that I had been given a rather large zucchini the other day so that made this pretty nice! The cake was delicious and I think most people who tried it tonight enjoyed it! So I have decided to share the recipe with you. Hope my mom doesn't mind, since I got it from her. Love you mom!

Ingredients:
3 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup oil
3 tsp vanilla
2 cups grated zucchini
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3 tsp cinnamon


Combine eggs, sugar, oil, and vanilla.

Beat until smooth.


Add zucchini and stir to combine.

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Stir dry ingredients into zucchini mixture. Pour into greased and floured 9x13 pan.


Bake at 325 for 50 minutes.


I then like to frost my zucchini cake with a cream cheese frosting. I didn't make my frosting from scratch, I bought it. Me and the Betty Crocker company have a good relationship when I comes to frostings.


DELICIOUS!!

Recipe Ideas

So have been given a bunch of fruit and veggies that were grown in our pastors yard. I have so many I am afraid some things might go bad.


We have lemons
(which I usually turn into lemonade, but I was looking for another idea)

Zucchini's

Oranges (also often becomes juice).
I also have a ton of peaches, which are absolutely amazing. I stopped buying peaches in the store because everytime I bought them they were dry and chalky. But since I know where these are grown and they were just picked off the tree on Tuesday, they are wonderful.

So if you have any recipe ideas let me know. I seem to be out of creative ideas for food right now.

Friday, July 8, 2011

Pampering

I got a hair cut today. Chris says not many people will notice the difference since the front didn't really get cut much at all. Really the back got chopped and the rest just got groomed. But it feels so much lighter, which is good because in the heat and abnormal humidity we have been having I have had the urge to shave it all off.

Here is the before photo:

And the after:
The lighting was much more favorable, to my non make-up face, at night when I got home from my hair cut. Anyway, tonight was just a much needed pampering moment. Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Bookslings

It is amazing the things I can accomplish when not working. I have had tons of little projects planned since we moved into this house. I am getting some crossed off the list, the question is whether I will get them all done by the time I go back to work.

One of my projects was to make Bookslings to go in Ethan's room and to hold his books. I was super excited about this project. And no this was not a project for my sewing machine...that will be coming soon...I hope. This was a no-sew project. If I was still in the habit of blogging I would have taken photos of the project while I was making it, but I am a bit out of practice. So I only have a photo of the finished project.



I think they turned out pretty cute and now Ethan's books are in a nice location in his room (instead of in Chris's office) where he can get them out himself. It took me about four hours to make them. I don't exactly have all the tools required from some craft projects (like fabric sheers so my coupon cutting scissors had to do and man are they dull) so it took me longer than it needed to. Overall it cost me about $15-20 per sling also, a little more than I was hoping, but not too expensive. The best part, Ethan loves having his books right there for him!