Triple Threat

Sorry for whatever technical difficulties were going on before...

Hopefully all fixed now!

Parker loves loves loves music. He freezes if we're watching something on TV that has a theme song and as soon as it's over he's back to playing. (His favorite is 30 Rock fyi) Pretty much the best music in the world is the Wiggles and he tries to copy their dances and sing along. We got him this keyboard for Christmas after he discovered Nana & Papa's piano & he plays it alot! Here's some singing/piano playing/dancing action...

I "Heart" Thursday

I am participating in this weeks I "heart"... at You and Me Plus Three. Go there now to add yours and read others!!

I ♥ the chocolate chip cookies Brent made tonight

I ♥ Parker's belly laughs

I ♥ my new highlights

I ♥ the girl's Bible study on Monday nights

I ♥ Parker's dancing

I ♥ consignment shopping

and I ♥ that tomorrow is Friday!

(Rental) House Hunting

1st of all let me give a big ole "Yikes!" to my lack of posting this week. This is not the only thing that has fallen to the wayside this week let me tell ya, but we're hopefully back on track! (Fingers crossed!)

I have some super adorable pictures of Parker to share later, but for now I want to vent share how the hunt for a place to live in Denver is going.

Not great.

It's hard to look for a place to live from another state, even though we are just renting not buying. There's so many factors to consider and deciding which option is best is tough. It's more expensive to rent downtown, but it would be closer to where we'd be alot of the time. So, if we could spend less on gas and less time traveling downtown that might be a good option. Buuuuut, rent is alot cheaper (and for a bigger place) a few minutes from downtown, I'm just not sure what we'll do.

I'm really not worried. I know God is going to take care of us. I was reading last week in Matthew where Jesus is asking why we worry about where we'll live or what we'll wear when He takes care of the flowers and birds, and He loves us SO much more than those things. I'm just impatient. (Is that any better than worried?)

So we're still looking. Every once in a while I come across some crazy huge house for $6,000 a month and I find that very amusing. I'm really excited to see where "home" is going to be! And I'll let you know when we find out!

Crockpot Homemade Applesauce

My friend Chelsea talked about making this awhile back & inspired me. I don't even like applesauce, but Parker eats it - so I thought I'd try it out. Just call me Suzy Homemaker. (No, please don't...)

As you can see I wasted alot of apple by not peeling them right. I don't have one of those crazy apple peeler things and my patience level for my hand peeler was just not there. So peeled they were, even if not well...

After they're peeled you're supposed to slice them up, but again with the lack of patience, I only sliced about 2 apples before I moved on to the power tools...

Once I added the cut up apples chunks to the food processor I realized that since Parker would be the main one eating this, that making smaller chunks made more sense anyways... so that made me feel better about my laziness.

I threw the apple into a bowl and added one Tbsp. of Cinnamon Sugar. (Next time I might add only 1/2)

Once the cinnamon/sugar is all mixed in, the apples go in the crockpot on low.

And ta-da! 8 hours later this is what you get!

It smelled really good while it was cooking! With the shortcuts I took I think it was definitely worth doing from scratch & I'm sure I'll make it again. Here's the link to the original recipe, and I'll post my version below.

Crockpot Homemade Applesauce

10 medium sized apples (Gala,Yellow Golden Delicious,or Macintosh)

1/2 Tbsp. Cinnamon Sugar (or 1/4 cinnamon & 1/2 sugar)

1/4 cup water

• Peel and core apples.
• Place apple pieces in food processor & run until desired size is reached.
• Place apple in a bowl & stir in cinnamon/sugar until mixed well.
• Pour water into bottom of crockpot & add apple mixture. (I added a little more water about 1/2 way through cooking time.)
• Cook on low 8 hours.

Things that are awesome...

It's been an odd week. Really busy, but in just weird ways. Anyways, inspite of a sick (now all better) baby and hectic schedules there were a few little things that really perked up my week. In no particular order...

Awesome thing #1: Iced coffee. Particularly that swirly thing it does when you add milk.

Awesome thing #2: $5 Lime green rubber bucket. It's Parker approved!

Awesome thing #3: Fruit Tootsie Rolls. Bonus! It's a piggy bank too!

A New Chapter...

Our family has some BIG changes ahead! Change is exciting and terrifying all at once, but we know we're following the path God has shown us and there's a comfort in knowing that.

We'll be moving to Denver, CO in the beginning of May to serve with Providence Bible Church located in downtown Denver. Providence is an incredible church who lives out Christ's example of ministry. There is so much need in downtown Denver; from homelessness, to drugs, to prostituion, to the epidemic of fatherlessness, this is an area that's thirsty for real hope. Amidst all the negatives that are on the surface, are individuals and families trying to keep it all together and needing the love of God.

Brent will be helping with some of the kids & youth programs at Providence. And we are both excited to see the many ways we'll be able to get plugged-in and serve. We would ask that you would pray for us as we continue to raise monthly financial support for our first 3 years there, in order for Brent to be able to fully commit to working with the ministries of PBC, and also as we continue looking for a place to live.

I don't even want to think about how hard it will be to say goodbye to friends and family here, but I find joy in knowing God's plans are greater than our plans! We are so thankful for the time we've had here in Wyoming at Westside, and we're really glad we'll still be up this way alot to be able to see everyone. We'll be moving the week of May 2nd, and I know it's probably going to come way too fast.

If you'd like to receive our support and informational letter, or if you'd like to recieve future update letters just get me your address, and I can have those mailed to you. And of course I'd be happy to answer any questions too!

I know there's a whole world full of needs, but there's also alot of people in need right in our own backyards. One of my favorite quotes is "I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world." I know it's a little cheesy, but I guess what I like is realizing that I'm just a little nothing, so if God can use me - that's pretty amazing.

Tubing

It finally worked out for us to take the teens tubing! We've tried a couple times, but there's either been too much snow so we couldn't travel, or not enough snow to be able to do anything. But this time it was perfect! So we loaded up the kids, we ended up with a smallish group (7 kids) and Aaron & Lauren, couple friends from church, came to help too.

You haven't really lived until you've ridden in "the van" with a group of teens. This group was pretty mellow & totally exhausted by the ride home, but it's always an adventure. And if the van doesn't break down, that's such a bonus!

We drove about an hour away up into the mountains a little bit. It was the most gorgeously perfect day, and we were the only ones up there. There was still snow everywhere, but it was really sunny and warm. Perfect for playing outside!

The kids had a blast! Brent and Aaron helped the kids build jumps and "miss the trees." sigh. And me and Lauren lived out our Olympic dreams and were the bobsled pushers. Mostly Lauren and I sat and talked and laughed and gasped as we watched the kids (and our kid-like husbands) play in the snow.

This is Abner, Aaron & Lauren's crazy dog & her giant tree branch she carried around!

I did go down a hill once. It was horrible. I thought I was going to hit a tree so I may have freaked out a little about half way down. I don't know how or when it happened, but I managed to flip out of my tube and, well, basically I won "Best Wipeout" for the day.

And I claimed the only injury for the day as well. It may not look to brutal (and it really wasn't haha) but I had a weird bruised lump on the side of my hand that burned like crazy! All this confirming my notion that snow activities are not my forte.

It was a great day just to be outside and enjoy the mountains. Plus Brent didn't break anything. What more could I ask for?!

Date Night

So, tomorrow we're going snow tubing with the teens (woo-hoo?) and Parker will be staying the day with his Nana & Papa. Since we've got to get up and going with the teens early, Parker is spending the night tonight too, so I don't have to try and get him out the door.

Brent & I took advantage of a baby-free evening and went out for dinner & a movie! (Los Compadres followed by The Green Zone in case you're wondering.) As we went into the movie we realized we were the youngest ones in the theater by a good 30 years. And when we left the movie, we were the oldest ones in the lobby by a good 10 years. Apparently our parents and jr. highers are the only ones who see movies in this town. But we had alot of fun! (In spite of the guy who laughed at inappropriate times. It's a war movie, there's not alot of slapstick sir...)

And to conclude our glamorous night on the town, we went to Wal Mart. What date night would be complete without a trip to Wal Mart? We only got one thing there, and I'm not gonna lie, I'm pretty excited about it....

Me: "Look Brent, a new Wiggles!!!" Brent: "Oh yep, let's get it. I feel like you might be too excited about this." Me: haha oh yeah... gasp! it's 2010 it is new!!!!

Stay tuned for the chronicles of indoor-girl's - outdoor snow excursion tomorrow!

Good night with the girls

Just wanted to quickly write about what a good night we had at youth group tonight!

We did "split night" and Brent took the boys and I had the girls and we covered more gender specific "issues" with each group.Brent said it went great with the guys and we had a really good time as girls. The girls decided they want to start a weekly Bible study, so we'll start that up on Monday nights in a week or so. I'm really excited to get to spend more one on one time with them, and I hopeit's a really practical learning time. Anyways, I'm sort of glad it's done, I was kinda nervous haha (Brent's the public speaker, NOT me!) But it went well and we all survived!

What sick babies get away with...

Doesn't his little face just look absolutely miserable??

Poor boy...with his pile of tissue.

I love our teens! (it's braggin time)

Since this blog thing is all new I thought I'd get in a post about our youth ministry. It's a really big part of our lives, and we just have the greatest kids, seriously! It's so fun to see their different personalities (and how those personalities can change from week to week ha!) Sometimes you wonder, Are they getting it? And then a situation happens or something is said, and you can see the growth that's happening.

On Sunday night the teens had their Youth Service at church. Some kids sang or played music, some gave testimonies about youth group or missions trips they'd been on, and Brent closed with a short challenge to the church family. I was so proud of all of them! (I didn't get any pictures of the Youth Service, but I'll put up some of Wed. night youth group.)

I love that God will use anyone with a willing heart - it doesn't matter our age, or situation in life, or if we've even passed 8th grade yet. All He needs is a willing heart and life and God can handle the rest. Most of these kids deal with so much more than I ever had to, and their ability to love others, be faithful, grow closer to God, and get back up when they've fallen really challenges me to be doing my best in all those areas!

Brent is a really such a good youth pastor. He puts alot of time and work into the teens, but I'm also really amazed by the natural ability he has for it. His patience level far exceeds mine, and he just genuinely loves the kids and loves what he does. And, besides all that, he comes up with the best games for the teens! (One way we know if the teens are going to love something is if I think it's gross haha! If I say, "Ewww gross" to something then the teens usually LOVE it!)

Youth ministry can be hard at times, it's not all video games and Mt. Dew (don't get me wrong, there's alot of video games & Mt. Dew). It can be a lonley exhausting thing, but I think in life though, sometimes the most difficult things are the most rewarding. Our main goal is to help the kids develop a real personl relationship with Christ, not hand them a list of do's and don'ts and hope they figure the rest out at some point. That type of Christianity doesn't last long. So, if you think of it, pray for us and for the kids in our youth group!

So, here's what a typical Wednesday night looks like at Youth Group...

Brent's explaining the game to the kids...

Basically, they hold hands in a circle, and try to make someone hit the pole...

Whoever hits the pole is out...and possibly in need of ice.

Two teams blow up balloons & fill up their person's suit with them.

At the end we count all the balloons in each person's clothes....

Whichever team has the most wins!

After the games we go upstairs for announcements and worship time.

Then Brent gives a lesson, he just finished a series about relationships.

And because it's too stinkin cute, here's Parker thinking he's pretty cool to be hanging out with the big kids!

I ♥ Mondays

I'm a weirdo - I like Mondays! It's back to a routine and another chance to have a good productive week. (Not that I always do, but it's a good feeling to be able to start over!) Hope everyone has a great Monday & a great week!

Is it even possible for a day that's started with muffins to be bad?!

Like Parents, Like Child...

Since Parker turned one, I've been so amazed by what a little sponge he is!
I'm surprised daily by the things he figures out & it's a constant reminder of how
important our example as parent is.

I'm makin' a break for it - don't fail me now Power Rangers keys!

And I have to laugh when I see the little characteristics he has that are just like me or Brent. How he wakes up slow (like me) or his natural affection for all things electronic (like Brent.)

I challenge you to a Mario Cart duel!

And every once in a while we get a little glimpse of the blend of both Brent & I.

Latte like mommy, xbox like daddy!

The strength of my heart

Nevertheless, I am continually with you;

you hold my right hand.

You guide me with your counsel, and

afterward you will receive me to glory.

Whom have I in heaven but you?

And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.

My flesh and my heart may fail, but

God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

~ Psalms 73:23-26

Pretending it's summer!

I never imagined that I'd ever consider 45 degrees warm! This would be jacket (+ hat, gloves, scarf, hot cocoa, fireplace) kind of weather in Southern California. But, not anymore now it's play outside and maybe wear a sweatshirt kind of weather.

We've been SO happy to get outside and go to the park a few times! And we'll probably try to go a couple more times before the inevitable weekend snow appears.

Daddy came with us and was very entertaining! Brent thought he could get Parker to crawl through the tunnels if he did it first. No luck. Just a grown man shuffling through a plastic tunnel. (Cracking his son up though!)

He's our favorite!

There's a first time for everything...

And this is my first blog post! Hurray! Throw some confetti in my honor.

I have to admit I'm a little unsure in my ablilities to keep up an interesting blog. My goal is to have a place that I can record family memories & milestones, and share a little bit about myself and our family. We have been so abundantly blessed by God, and I just truly want to reflect that here. So, even if only one person ever reads it (hi, Mom!) that's ok!

I'm excited to have a place to let out a little creative energy and hopefully be an encouragement to others.

So, stay tuned and be patient with me!