Working the Cows

Spent some time in Ukiah last weekend.
Beautiful country, miles & miles of range - Ian's piece of "heaven!"
A boy after his daddy's heart - Mason loved being a part of the action when we working the cows... even if it wasn't totally "safe."
I'm beginning to think that there isn't much in our little world that is really"safe"... but...
That's the joy of it.
That's the adventure of it.
That's life.

Happy Weekend - Enjoy Life -

Live Like There Is No Tommorow!

A New Look

Learning a lot about "html" today from Joe -

can't thank him enough!

What about the NEW color?! HUH!!??!

I love it!

Love brown.
Love orange.
Love fall on the farm.

Captivating!

“Beauty does not diminish with time. Beauty deepens and increases. True beauty comes from a depth of soul that can only be attained through living many years well.”

My grandmother turned 81 on Monday… and she is more captivating than ever before!
Her heart is very much alive.
It is “present.”
It is “open.”
It is “alluring.”
She, like the woman in the book Captivating by John & Stasi Eldredge, “has lived in the presence of God, with the gaze of her heart fixed on Him.”

My desire???
To live a life that is captivating.
To live a life modeled after my grandma.
To live a life seeking God.
To live a life that draws me closer to what I was created to be.

Stasi Eldredge writes:
“A woman who is unveiling her beauty is inviting others to life.
She risks being vulnerable exposing her true heart, and inviting others to share theirs.
She is not demanding, but she is hopeful.
She offers kindness and a sincere interest in others.
She offers her beauty by asking good questions and by bringing something of her times with God – an insight, a glimpse into His heart – to bear.
She entices others to the heart of God.”

I know that 60 years ago today, when my grandparents were married in downtown Seattle, my grandpa saw that beauty. He was drawn in and captivated….

Happy 60th Anniversary you two!
Thank you for your example.
Thank you for your love.
Thank you for your faith.
Thank you for living in a way that God is evident.

We ALL love you!

Student Leadership

Busy, busy, busy!
So... my friend & co-worker Tani and I have started a "Student Leadership" group/club/crazy zoo with 15 of the 4th & 5th graders at Rocky Heights. Not having really done this before - our dreams were huge (and still are), but reality has set in and we've found ourselves "treading water."
We meet with them three days a week,and work on projects, clean up the school grounds, write introductions for assembly speakers, take pictures of anything and everything going on at school, read with younger students, put together power point presentations, hand out information about wellness, and now... well...
we are going to attempt to create our own version of the "TODAY" show. I've finally figured out how to make it work & it will show on every TV in the building. Cool huh!?!
We hope to tape during the week and then broadcast on Friday afternoons... not quite ready for the "LIVE" showing yet... maybe by June.

You're probably thinking to yourself:

It sounds great.
It sounds interesting.
It sounds fun.
It sounds like a great way to get kids involved.

To us... it sounds like a challenge, a lot of work, maybe even a headache at times... but worth every second!

We're excited to get started, but haven't come up with a name for our show... any ideas??

Please comment if you have a terrific brainstorm... I'll take your suggestions and let the kids vote... hopefully they can all agree on something... hopefully.

Here are a few great pictures from today -

"Walk Away From Drugs"

All the classes walked together chanting "say no to drugs" or "exercise every day" or "the future relies on you and me" ... it was awesome! Everyone (well, almost everyone) was wearing a red (or a shade close to red), everyone was smiling, everyone was enjoying the afternoon, everyone was proud to be drug free!

Change

Change is something that comes at you... full-force.
Really, there isn't much a person can't do about it.
You can drag your feet.
You can wish it away.
You can hope that it's a dream.
Reality is - life is full of change!

The weather is changing - pouring down rain this morning... a little bit cloudy and cool this afternoon.
The time will be changing next week - shorter days and longer nights.
The price of fuel is changing ALL the time - wish it was going down instead of up.
Attitudes change, schedules change, people change.

Mason is changing daily.
Our baby is becoming a boy.
A boy who loves to be outside.
A boy who loves the farm.
A boy who has figured out how to get out of his crib 7 times Saturday night.
A boy who has a new bed and slept well Sunday night.
A boy who is loved more than he'll ever know.

I like change - I think it's good for the soul.
I'm not always ready for change, but I try my best to adjust to it.
Change means I'm living life to the fullest...
making the most of my surroundings...
not worrying about what the change may or may not bring...
trusting that God is going to take care of EVERYTHING!

If your life isn't changing... you're not really living!

Enjoy the "change" in your life right now... I know I am!

Delivery

Don't know what to say right now.
Don't have words to describe how I'm feeling.
Don't think Misty knows how much she means to me.
Don't know when or how or what made us "click" - but through our blogs... WE DO!

Life brings you friends when you least expect it.

Friends that "get" you.
Friends that "treasure" you.
Friends that "know" what you need.

Friends have flowers & peanut m&ms delivered to you!

Thank you Misty!

Gone With The Wind

With a NICE, HOT, CARAMEL APPLE CIDER from Starbucks
I'm smiling, I'm laughing, I'm feeling good!

• Mason slept well last night, which means Ian & I did too!
• My husband is in "heaven" for the next two days - riding horseback, gathering cows in the mountains.
• I got 4 loads of laundry done last night/this morning.
• The chocolate chip cookies I made last night are DELICIOUS!
• I've found some great books at the book fair.

What does "Gone With the Wind" have to do with any of this?

Well - I actually got home before dark last night... and caught Ian doing this:

I rolled down my window to take a quick picture of this "not-so-safe" sight...

Mistake # 1 - rolling down my window

Mistake # 2 - rolling my window down 25 minutes from the nearest Ford dealership

The window is stuck... can't fix it... tried... drove to school this morning at 7 am with the window down. (and I thought I was cold yesterday) Poor Mason looked like he was ready for a winter storm inside the pickup... and well, I really think the next time I buy a carseat... I'm going to look for one with a heat pad :)

Thankful today for heated seats, Ricardo at Ford, Becky, and the memories my crazy, busy, and hectic life creates!

Good times, good times - and my hair, well... it looks better than usual... I guess the wind blown look is good for me!