Snow, Los Angeles style

 

Compared to what much of the country experienced this weekend, I know this is a rather pathetic accumulation of white stuff.  But we found this only 40 minutes from our house, and... what can I say?  Our Southern Californian cuties are rather easily pleased.  They had a great time pelting each other with snow, sledding down the banks and making one very sweet snow angel.  That is, until our version of cold-weather gear was soaked through and we headed home to the warm(ish), sunny weather we're more accustomed to. 

Ten ++

Yes, she is beautiful.  And she's sweet enough to deserve a birthday post within 2 months of her actual birthday.  And old enough to know Mama should have posted about said birthday and didn't.  But it's better late than never, right?  Alyssa should be grateful however, for being late will actually improves the quality of the post.  The birthday girl herself has created a list which proves just what a treasure God gave us 10 years (and 63 days) ago.  She titled it "50 things I'm glad you taught me."  Danny and I both agree that if she still believes even most of these 50 things are true 20 years from now, we will know God, in His grace, has wonderfully blessed our woefully deficient parenting. 

See if you agree: 

Six!

A dear friend reminded me last night that I do in fact have a blog.  (Whether or not I still have readers remains to be seen.) But since this really is the only journal or scrapbook I maintain for my family at this point, I suppose I ought to at least keep up birthday posts.  My biggest baby is nearly a decade old, but I neglected to blog my bitty-baby’s big day last month.  So Reagan, sweet girl, happy 6^th birthday… 20 days late!    

Reagan’s birthdays always strike me a little differently than Alyssa and Parker’s.  Obviously, I was not there for her birth.  I can’t recount to her the stories of holding her in my tummy, going to the hospital, hearing those first raspy cries.  But I can tell her of the woman who loved her enough to give her life.  The women who loved her enough to give her a comfortable home.  And the mom and dad who loved her enough to find her in a little fishing village half-way around the world.  

We talk about Vietnam frequently.  Reagan is beginning to grasp what adoption is all about, and she seems to take great pride in her Vietnamese features.  (It’s crazy how quickly she can scout out the dolls with black hair!).   Not too long ago she started talking about her “other mama.”  We try to be both sensitive and matter-of-fact about adoption issues, yet I was still taken aback by what came next.  She said “Mama, I’m so glad you’re my mama.”  Of course I responded that I’m even more glad, but given the context, I asked her why.  She said, “well, my other mama doesn’t know the Lord.  If I lived with her I wouldn’t know Jesus.”  Then she proceeded to tell me how someday she wants to go back to Vietnam so she can tell her other mama how to worship the True God.  Needless to say, I think I could have melted into a puddle at that point.  Reagan is a joy in so many senses of the word, but our greatest joy in parenting this sweet little bundle is the joy she seems to find in our Savior.  Though the finer points of reading, arithmetic and holding still are still just out of her grasp, she can so clearly articulate the truths of the gospel.  She may not ever surpass 5 feet in height, but it is our prayer that she will continue to grow in the ways that really matter and continue to bring glory to our Lord.  

Still feels like summer...

Triple digit temps at home and a sun-filled week away makes me wonder if autumn will ever arrive.  But no one in our house is complaining!  Palm Desert is our cheap version of Hawaii, where we do nothing but swim, read, sleep and eat good food for an entire week.  The weather last week was perfect, and now that our kids are completely independent in the pools, it's completely relaxing for mom and dad.  Even the little one got in on the napping action (love the way that lower lip gets tucked in when she's tired!).

Big Trees

In case it wasn't clear what we went to Sequoia National Park to see...

We even camped - in a tent!  The kids were champion little hikers, and cheered their mama up the unexpectedly-terrifying ascent up Moro Rock.  Heights are not my best friend but the view was spectacular, as promised.  I'm not sure camping will be a regular vacation choice for this little family, but it certainly was the best way to see this incredible park and we're not ruling out a reprise at some point.  Hope you had a fun weekend too!

Spraypaint success

Or at least mostly a success.  I tried my hand at spraypainting for the first time while the kids were away camping with their grandparents for a couple of days.  Aside from the accidentally-red cord and the slightly-less-than-uniformally-glossy finish, I'm going to call this lamp a victory.  The cheesy artwork on the $10 Goodwill base is safely covered, and the Target burlap shade I've been eyeing for some time finally has a good home. 

In case anyone cares, I started with a Rustoleum primer followed by several coats of glossy red, and topped off with a coat of clear glossy top coat.  I probably applied far more coats than were really necessary, but I was a little paranoid about drips so I choose to go with many light coats.  I really don't know why some spots don't have a great sheen but I am tiring of the project and am going to call it good.  Any advice in case I decide to try again with another thrift-store find?

Eight years of boy!

Eight years ago today God gave me one of my best-ever gifts in the form of a sweet baby boy.  That boy is no longer a baby, but he is still sweet - despite the mischief lurking behind those twinkling eyes!  No one can make me laugh quite like Parker, except maybe the daddy he's modeled after.  Every time I look at him I feel as if I've been given a glimpse into the boy my favorite man once was, and it makes me love them both all the more.   Parker is a boy's boy and one of the toughest kids I know.  Everything he does, he does with his whole heart, mind and strength - whether it's chasing a ball down a soccer pitch or plowing through his new favorite book; perfecting his latest dive or memorizing Scripture.  Yet he remains a tender, affectionate child who's still not too cool to frequently seek out his mama for a quick hug.  He is a blessing in every sense of the word!  Happy birthday buddy!