I love my summer flowers

Fancy Dinner

Alyssa is our little server. More than anything, she loves to help. If you need someone to fetch a phone, find a tool, or fix a snack, Alyssa is your girl. We were not the least surprised then, when several weeks ago, she began planning a "Fancy Dinner" for her mom and dad. With Gaga's (grandma) assistance, she sent us an invitation, planned and printed a menu, shopped, prepared, set up and served us a delightful meal on our bedroom balcony. She even arranged for Papa to take Parker and Reagan on a date so they wouldn't "get in the way." Everything you see in the photos was Alyssa's doing. She picked out the potted plant, knowing that I'd prefer something I could put in the garden rather than in the trash. A bell was brought to our table so we could summon our server from the kitchen downstairs if needed. She carefully set the table with our china, silver and crystal, and specially folded the cloth napkins so we could see "all of the flowers." Her daddy's favorite chips, Fritos, were chosen as the appetizer (literally "Free Toes" in french on the menu), along with mama's favorite ranch dip. The chicken picatta was excellent, and the deserts were incredible. But the best part was watching Alyssa slip from the very professionally executed role of server, complete with uniform and half-apron, into our sweet little 7 year old and back; think, chips being popped into her mouth every time she left the table, bringing up a plastic cup in hopes that we'd share the sparking cider, and pulling up an extra chair to get in on the dessert. Oh, and inquiring every few minutes if the tip was ready yet! We are so blessed to have a girl with such a sweet, thoughtful heart, and only pray that she will grow to use those gifts to serve others, and especially our God, for many many years to come.

All dried off... for now

Swimming season has begun! Danny has had the last two weeks off work, and we got to spend this last week in Palm Springs as a family doing little more than swimming, sleeping and reading. My kind of vacation! We were unexpectedly free from electronic distractions (NO INTERNET - gasp!), turned on the TV only for a couple of movie nights and morning cartoons (= more sleep for mama), and thoroughly enjoyed the quiet. Now we're home, I'm caught up on all the social media I'd missed (though in actuality, there was precious little of importance, and not much more even of interest), and the speed of life will pick up again. Summer slow is in sight, however, and I'm looking forward to many more days in the pool with my favorite people.

Dancin' all the way home from Disneyland

For gaga...

When my mom's out of town, you all get to see photos of her grandbabies. Lucky you!

Gotcha!

May 15, 2007 is a day forever seared in my memory, for it is the day that a baby girl named Thao Van became our Reagan. That hot, sticky Tuesday morning in a remote town on the South China Sea, we gathered with two other families in a Vietnamese government building to pledge to love and care for the children that had been entrusted to us. The ceremony itself was not remarkable, but it was the culmination of almost two years of praying, paper-chasing, hoping, waiting, and loving a girl we did not yet know. By God's grace, she seemed accepting of us, if not yet thrilled about the idea of leaving everything she had ever known. That first afternoon back in our hotel room she actually smiled and giggled with me in front of the mirror - something attachment experts said might be months in coming. The only hint of the spunky personality that would later emerge was when we tried to bathe her. She'd never seen a bathtub and wasn't too excited about the idea. She quickly calmed down though and even let me cut those few long tufts of hair that had formed a ring around her head, making her look a bit like a little old man. I'd been waiting for months to get my scissors on those! Perhaps if I had known we'd be eating dinner with all of her nannies I would have held off for another day. Even with the language barrier I could tell that they all immediately noticed and were laughing and discussing it among themselves! Throughout that meal they all loved on Reagan a little more, and her primary care-giver, Luc, who had been so reluctant to place her in my arms earlier in the day, seemed like a changed woman. She kept Reagan close, but I actually saw her smile and laugh, and at the end say good-bye in a way that assured me she would be okay and maybe find a way to be happy for the new family we had become.

I look back now at photos of that day, and wonder at the way God chose that baby, in that town, at that time, to be our daughter. Only He knew that behind that content exterior would be a little girl of equal parts sweetness and independence, with a little fire thrown in for fun. It is still such an adventure watching her personality unfold, because it is, in so many ways, a mystery. I know what many of Alyssa's personal quirks will look like in 25 years because she is me. I have an idea of how Parker will mature because he is his daddy. Reagan is just her own little person, and both enjoying and molding her into the lady she will become is one of God's most amazing gifts. Happy Gotcha Day baby!

Three years ago...

God created places like THIS

The heavens are telling of the glory of God;

And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.

Psalm 19:1

Photographs just can't capture the incredible beauty that God created in the Yosemite valley. But that didn't stop me from trying. 400 pictures and two weeks later, and I've been stuck in a black hole full of images waiting to be edited, and frankly - mostly deleted. Next time I'll leave the scenic shots to Ansel and concentrate my lens my favorite subjects and their very handsome Daddy.

Photographic frustrations aside, we had a wonderful time and actually survived two nights in tents. (Or rather, "tents." According to my SIL, Emily, who actually does camp, it doesn't count if there's furniture involved. I say, if the sides are vinyl and you have to lock all your snacks in a bear locker, it's camping. Especially if said bear pays a little midnight visit and leaves the remnants of his last meal outside your "door.")

The kids were troopers and excellent little hikers, though the littlest definitely preferred her backpack. God provided a three-day window of gorgeous weather between snow storms, and the waterfalls were naturally amazing. Danny enjoyed it so much that his list of must-see national parks is growing exponentially.

So what are your favorites? What should we see next?

"Camping"

Last night, Daddy and the kids trekked way out into the wilderness of our backyard for a camping expedition - tent, smores and all. Much to my surprise, they actually stayed there! Unlike such adventures of my youth, where the fun was in the setting up, and sleeping outdoors (even in the front yard) was much too terrifying, all four of the bunch slept rather soundly until 7:30 a.m. Mama didn't join in on the excitement, except to broiler-roast and deliver the treats, play the role of photographer, and then settle into her own bed with a good book. Happy Mother's Day to me!

A whole new head of hair

So I've never really been the kind of girl that requires a lot of professional grooming. The only manicure I've ever had was for my wedding. Pedicures only happen a few times a summer, and only when I've received a gift card. I've never had a facial or had anything waxed. My hair was professionally cut in 2nd grade (when I somehow thought it would be a good idea to lop off my beautiful locks in favor of something resembling a small salad bowl), and then not again until I think my junior year in college.

Fortunately for me, my sister decided cosmetology was the road for her and Sarah has since become a talented hair stylist. Unfortunately for her, I'm a terrible client. I love the way she cuts my hair. I love the color. I usually just show up, relax, and allow myself to be surprised at the result. However, no matter how beautifully it turns out, more often than not my hair ends up in a bun or pony. Especially in the summer when I'm in and out of the pool on at least a daily basis. It's not that I don't like to wear it down - I do (and so does Danny!). It's the time involved that gets me. My hair has just enough curl that I have to dry it completely in order eradicate all frizz. And that can take 20 minutes or more. Vanity often takes a back seat to more exciting things like laundry and school.

However, my ears picked up when Sarah started talking about the Brazilian blow-out. It's a new-ish straightening treatment that infuses hair with keratin, actually making it healthier and banishing frizz for about 6 months. Danny eventually talked me into imposing on my sister's time and expertise, and I have no problem admitting now that he was right! My hair doesn't look much different - it just looks like I've done it! My hair is as soft and straight with a 5 minute blow-dry, or even an air dry, as it previously had been only after a third of an hour under a hot dryer. I feel like a new woman! I can have pretty hair and get to church on time =). Here's what my hair would normally look like on a hot, hurried summer morning:

Here's that same head of hair after I let it air dry a little and then spent 4 minutes with my dryer (a minute or two more and I probably could have managed to get it to curl under):

Isn't my sister wonderful?! If you live around here and fallen into a ponytail rut, go see her and you too can have new hair and oodles of extra time. Thanks Sasa!

Almost as good as ice cream

We are big dessert people around here. Rarely does a night go by when Danny and I don't enjoy a scoop (or three his case) of Mint Chip or Coffee Heath Bar Crunch. But ice cream alone doesn't really pass as dessert for company. It's okay for a kids party, or as an accompaniment. When we're entertaining, I usually resort to what Danny calls my "signature desserts" - an undercooked chocolate sour cream cake (stolen from my sister, who I think borrowed it from her MIL), or a nut-less carrot cake (taken from his aunt's faceless friend "Barb," according to my sad, butter-stained, folded recipe card). He's named them, I believe, in an effort to coerce me to make his favorites more often. Now he has a new one to add to the list. This rightfully belongs to my mom, who somehow manages to make it perfectly every time. Truthfully, I mess it up almost as often I get it right, but when it's good, it is really good (if I do say so myself). Last week I made it for a group of girls from our Bible Study for the precise reason that I'd already served them my other two staples on other recent occasions. They happened to like it too, or at least were very gracious about eating it anyway! A few requested the recipe, so here it is, along with (hopefully) a few hints for avoiding my frequent mistakes.

MOM'S OVER-SIZED CHOCOLATE ECLAIR

Pastry (this is the "puff" part of what would be a cream puff without the chocolate topping):

In a small sauce pan bring 1 cup of WATER and 1 stick of BUTTER to a boil.

Add one cup of FLOUR all at once. Mix fast until it clumps.

Remove from heat and allow to cool. (It doesn't have to get cold, but it will rise better if you can be patient before the next step).

In Kitchen Aid, beat in 4 EGGS, one at a time. (I've recently learned that using room temp eggs can also help pastries rise better - can you tell I've occasionally had trouble getting it to rise?!).

Spoon onto a cookie sheet in a ring about 10 inches in diameter. (Last time I made it a little too big. It still turned out okay, but it wasn't quite as puffy and didn't fit well onto my pretty plate).

Bake for 15 minutes at 425, then for at least 20 minutes at 375, until brown.

Filling

Make 1 LARGE PACKAGE OF INSTANT FRENCH VANILLA PUDDING with the "pie filling" amount of milk (about 1/4 cup less than for the regular directions).

Allow the pudding to set up and cool.

Combine with 1 tsp VANILLA and 1 SMALL PACKAGE OF COOL WHIPP.

Frosting

Melt 2 squares of SEMI-SWEET CHOCOLATE (or a little less than 1/2 cup of chocolate chips).

Mix in 2 Tbsp BUTTER, 2 Tbsp MILK, 1 tsp VANILLA, 1 cup POWDERED SUGAR.

(If it doesn't turn out to be a spreadable consistency, add a little more milk. If it seems too runny, add a little more powdered sugar).

Assembly

Once the pastry has cooled, carefully slice it in two and flip the top onto another plate. Spoon in the filling. Replace the top. Top with frosting. Serve or refrigerate. (The pastry will get a little soggy if you leave it overnight). It should serve 10-12 normal people, or 2-3 Dannys.

Enjoy!!

Climbin'

Saturday we got to spend the days with friends in the collegiate ministry at church, and I think would have been happy to spend the week. There were abundant trees to climb, kids to play with, and students to dote on them all. Of course, mama and daddy didn't mind hundreds of extra helping hands, great fellowship, and the opportunity to raise money for missions either.

Our diemma

I'm not an animal person. Growing up I loved our cat, and my bird, Kitty (who obviously predated the much-pleaded-for feline) but now that I'm the one principally responsible for all matters of nutrition and hygiene, pets aren't quite so appealing. We recently waved an unceremonious good-bye to Tinkerbell Boy, the beta fish who occupied a bowl on our kitchen counter for the past year. We're also fostering the cockatiel we were sure my mom wanted for Christmas last year. The cage is beautiful and the bird is sweet, so we don't mind taking care of him until she decides she wants him back. But above is a photo of our dilemma.

His name is Jiminy Frog (though we're pretty sure he's a toad). Alyssa and Parker brought him home from a camping trip with their grandparents last summer. I didn't have the heart to make them say good-bye right away, but I wasn't exactly prepared for how long he would be staying. By the time we realized the aphids from our garden weren't going to prevent him from starving to death, it was wintertime. I don't know a lot about toads, but I feared that sending him outdoors in inclement weather might be an immediate death sentence. So stay he did. And I started making weekly trips to the pet store to purchase live crickets. Now this non-animal-lover was left to care for a fish, a bird, a toad, and varying numbers of insects (albeit briefly!). As the weather has improved, my desire to see Jiminy fend for himself has increased. Yesterday we decided to give him a little test run outside to see how well he could still hop, or ideally, hunt. He wasn't too sure what to think of his new found freedom, and his hops were a little more tentative than I would have hoped for. Sadly, I think that something might be wrong with his front legs. They just don't seem to fold up the way they should. So, dear readers, this is where you come in. There has to be at least one animal lover or two out there among you. What should I do with this silly toad? Is it more compassionate to release him, or to continue with the hand-delivered insects? Mr. Google says he could live up to 9 years! Am I really in for another 468 weeks of cricket deliveries? Please help!

He is Risen!

My Savior proved He can save by conquering death and sin. He lived the life I never could, died the death that was mine to die, then rose to seal God's pardon and grace for me. It just doesn't get any better than that! But perhaps equally remarkable is that Jesus' sacrifice didn't just make it possible for me to enjoy eternal life with Him. He also gives me immeasurable blessings here, now, to both bring me joy and bring Himself glory.

So today (a little late!), I'll praise Him for Easter lilies. Exquisitely beautiful, a feat of incredible horticultural engineering (you know the date of Easter varies by weeks from year to year, and yet they're expected - and do! - bloom exactly on time), and wonderfully fragrant. Fragrant enough even to cover the Smell Of Unknown Origins that has periodically plagued our kitchen. That is, until today when I discovered the rotting bag of potatoes in the back of the pantry. Fun stuff. Now if only I could figure out where the Odd Garage Smell is coming from. No lilies to mask the scent in there.

And, naturally, I'll praise Him for these kids who bring me great joy even on the most trying of days. Even when Eldest Child is perpetually in one of her Glamour Shot poses, when Only Son won't stop making monkey faces, and when Little Munchkin can't seem to figure out where the camera is. Needless to say, the lilies were much more cooperative.