To Be Young Again

I long for those younger years where we were excited about birthdays. The cakes, the parties, the family vacations.

As a kid, I'd usually spend my birthdays in Yosemite with my family and friends from church. My mom would cook me a home-made chocolate cake and we'd have a mini party right there in the campground. So much fun! Then, as I got older, I'd spend my birthdays in VA at my dear Camp WaMaVa with friends and co-counselors. A few times it was a disappointed day for me, but others would make up for it!

Those were the good ole days when we looked forward to birthdays!!

Yesterday, I turned 35, and it there was hardly a commotion. Believe me, I'm not complaining though... I wanted it that way. I tried to keep it quiet in the office but a few people found out and made a big spectacle. My parents were out of town (but we celebrated before they left); my sister Sherry was out of town with my brother-in-law and nephew (but she called me last night); and I got an e-card from my sister Sandy, in NY.
From Troy's side of the family, his mom & dad, and aunt called to wish me a happy birthday. They all sang to me (some better then others)... it was cute. I got many emails and text messages from friends that remembered!! I am greatful to my friends. I don't have many, but the ones I have are AWESOME!!

When I got home the little dork himself (Troy) had gotten me a musical card and some flowers.
The card played 'Always and Forever' which was appropriate for us... although that would've fit more with our anniversary but its the thought that counts. At least he went out to purchase something. :-) We went out to a nice dinner, just the two of us last night, and we're going out with his mom & step-dad tonight.

Instead of celebrating, we'd rather stay home, and work on getting Tyler's room ready (it's getting closer) but still have a lot to go so we can start painting.

All in all, it was a good birthday, and life goes on.
O-Bla-Dee, O-Bla-Dah.... La, la, la, la.... Life Goes On!

12 years

Yesterday was Troy and my 12 year anniversary. It's hard to believe that it's been 12 years since we got married, and 15 years since we first dated. Time does fly when you're having fun.
We have faced struggles in our marriage, but God gave us both patience and understanding through the years. This has been a big year for us. I finally got my AA degree (now working on my BA), work is began to pick up for Troy and bring in some really good employees that are actively producing good loans, and the biggest and best of all - we'll have a child this year. After so many years of trying, God has blessed us with a great joy.

We must be getting to be an old married couple because we didn't do much yesterday. We didn't give each other cards or gifts (well, actually I did get him a gift but haven't given it to him. It's actually a late Father's Day present). Troy took the Sunday off from church and we visited one of the other local congregations nearby. It was a nice feeling to be able to worship together, without him thinking about lighting cues, or me focusing on musical notes.

We went to lunch after church with Troy's mom & stepdad. I can tell our dear, sweet baby-boy is getting an appetite because we ate BBQ and I ate nearly everything on my plate, which would have been impossible with me eating on my own. It was GOOD BBQ!! After lunch, we went to go see Evan Almight. We had been wanting to see it, but hadn't gotten to the movies in awhile.

I have got to say it was very funny, and connected the scriptural story with modern-day times. It definatley held a great message. Coming out of the theatre, Troy and I agreed we liked this one much more then the first. It was more direct with trusing in God's plan instead of our own, in spite of the ridicule and rejection you will face by people around you, including family and friends. I give it an A+!

So, why hasn't it do well in the box office?? It's been out for quite awhile and still gets a packed theatre. Ours, at least, was packed. Did Christian movie-goers give it a chance?? We, as a Chrisian community should reach out and really make a statement to Hollywood that we need more family-friendly and Christian-based movies. Do we need to disguise the true story with an imagination fantasy, as CS Lewis did with Chronicles of Narnia? I loved them both!!
Jesus taught the people in parables, that's a great way to connect with a society that does not know Him. The Bible itself have great stories, such as Noah and the Ark and Joseph with his amazing 'technicolor dreamcoat'. There's a common ground we can find between them both to entertain and teach.

Things to Know

I'm sure you moms out there might already know some of these. How many of these have you actually done?

THINGS TO KNOW

1. Budweiser beer conditions the hair.
2. Pam cooking spray will dry finger nail polish
3. Cool whip will condition your hair in 15 minutes
4. Mayonnaise will KILL LICE, it will also condition your hair
5. Elmer's Glue - paint on your face, allow it to dry, peel off and see the dead skin and blackheads if any
-- I've actually tried this when I was younger, but on my hand, not my face. I didn't necessarily see any dead skin but it did feel fresher and was fun to do!

6. Shiny Hair - use brewed Lipton Tea
7. Sunburn - empty a large size Nestea into your bath water
-- I've actually used Noxema to help soothe a sunburn.
8. Minor burn - Colgate or Crest toothpaste
9. Burn your tongue? Put sugar on it!
-- What about when you burn the roof of your mouth?

10. Arthritis WD-40 Spray and rub in, kill insect stings too
11. Bee stings - meat tenderizer
12. Chigger bite - Preparation H
-- don't think we have chiggers here in CA, do we?
13. Puffy eyes - Preparation H
14. Paper cut - crazy glue or Chap Stick (glue is used instead of sutures at most hospitals)
-- gotta try this one, I get paper cuts all the time?
15. Stinky feet - Jello!
16. Athletes feet - cornstarch
17. Fungus on toenails or fingernails - Vicks vapor rub
-- I've actually heard of this one but haven't tried it before.
18. Kool aid to clean dishwasher pipes. Just put in the detergent section and run a cycle, it will also clean a toilet. (Wow, and we drink this stuff)
19. Kool Aid can be used as a dye in paint also Kool Aid in Dannon plain yogurt as a finger paint, your kids will love it and it won't hurt them if they eat it!
20. Peanut butter - will get scratches out of CD's! Wipe off with a coffee filter paper
-- Cool!!
21. Sticking bicycle chain - Pam no-stick cooking spray
22. Pam will also remove paint, and grease from your hands!? Keep a can in your garage for your hubby
23. Peanut butter will remove ink from the face of dolls
24. When the doll clothes are hard to put on, sprinkle with corn starch and watch them slide on
25. Heavy dandruff - pour on the vinegar!
26. Body paint - Crisco mixed with food coloring. Heat the Crisco in the microwave, pour in to an empty film container and mix with the food color of your choice!
27. Tie Dye T-shirt - mix a solution of Kool Aid in a container, tie a rubber band around a section of the T-shirt and soak
28. Preserving a newspaper clipping - large bottle of club soda and cup of milk of magnesia, soak for 20 min. and let dry, will last for many years!
29. A Slinky will hold toast and CD's!
-- a good use for a fun toy
30. To keep goggles and glasses from fogging, coat with Colgate toothpaste
-- but how can we see through the toothpaste?? :-)
31. Wine stains, pour on the Morton salt and watch it absorb into the salt.
32. To remove wax - Take a paper towel and iron it over the wax stain, it will absorb into the towel.
33. Remove labels off glassware etc. rub with Peanut butter!
34. Baked on food - fill container with water, get a Bounce paper softener and the static from the Bounce towel will cause the baked on food to adhere to it.? Soak overnight. Also; you can use 2 Efferdent tablets, soak overnight!
35. Crayon on the wall - Colgate toothpaste and brush it!
36. Dirty grout - Listerine
37. Stains on clothes - Colgate
38. Grass stains - Karo Syrup
39. Grease Stains - Coca Cola, it will also remove grease stains from the driveway overnight. We know it will take corrosion from car batteries!
40. Fleas in your carpet 20 Mule Team Borax- sprinkle and let stand for 24 hours. Maybe this will work if you get them back again.
41. To keep FRESH FLOWERS longer Add a little Clorox, or Bayer aspirin, or just use 7-up instead of water.

And this one is a very interesting fact:

42. When you go to buy bread in the grocery store, have you ever wondered which is the freshest, so you "squeeze" for freshness or softness Did you know that bread is delivered fresh to the stores five days a week Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Each day has different color twist tie. They are: Monday: Blue, Tuesday: Green, Thursday: Red, Friday: White, and Saturday: Yellow. So if today was Thursday, you would want red twist tie; not white which is Fridays (almost a week old)!

The colors go alphabetically by color Blue, Green, Red, White, and Yellow, Monday through Saturday. Very easy to remember. I thought this was interesting. I looked in the grocery store and the bread wrappers DO have different twist ties, and even the ones with the plastic clips have different colors. You learn something new everyday!
Enjoy fresh bread when you buy bread with the right color on the day you are shopping.

It's HOT, HOT, HOT!!!

We're having a heat wave here in the Valley. Wow, it's warm. I thought I'd be ok with a mild summer but with the temps above 100 degrees, it'll be a scorcher of a summer for me and baby Tyler.

It was roughly about 110 yesterday so it's a bit cooler then yesterday.

God Bless America - Lee Greenwood

One of my favorite patriotic songs would be Lee Greenwood's version of "God Bless America".

Who doesn't love this song? It still makes me cry!

In honor of 4th of July, here is a reminder of this beloved song.

If tomorrow all the things were gone

I'd worked for all my life,

And I had to start again

with just my children and my wife,

I'd thank my lucky stars

to be living here today,

'Cause the flag still stands for freedom

and they can't take that away.

I'm proud to be an American

where at least I know I'm free,

And I won't forget the men who died

who gave that right to me,

And I gladly stand up next to you

and defend her still today,

'Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land

God Bless the U.S.A.

From the lakes of Minnesota

to the hills of Tennessee,

Across the plains of Texas

from sea to shining sea.

From Detroit down to Houston

and New York to L.A.,

There's pride in every American heart

and it's time we stand and say:

I'm proud to be an American

where at least I know I'm free,

And I won't forget the men who died

who gave that right to me,

And I gladly stand up next to you

and defend her still today,

'Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land

God Bless the U.S.A.

Lyrics found at Patriotic Songs & Hymns

What is true freedom?

What comes to find when you think of freedom?
4th of July, patriotic songs, fireworks, barbeque, picnics.... and the list goes on and on.
On this celebration of our country's independence, I pray for those service men and women fighting to protect our freedom and bring freedom to others around the world.

Here's some 4th of July Trivia for you....

1. The members of the Continental Congress ratified the Declaration of Independence, forming the United States as a new republic on July 4th, but did you know....
The group actually declared independence two days earlier.

2. The average fire works show only lasts approximately 20 minutes.
Mark Silveira, a show producer for Pyro Spectaculars by Souza, says "People get bored. If it goes longer than 20 minutes, people are saying, 'OK, that's nice. Where's the finale? Let's go home.' "
He says post-race NASCAR shows last 10 minutes, Las Vegas New Year's Eve shows maybe 13. "Fireworks don't last that long -- but it feels like they do," Silveira says. "I could shoot a 20-minute show, and people will swear it was an hour. People love the colors, and it mesmerizes them."

3. Rumor syas that a U.S. flag needs to be destroyed if it touches the ground.
Actually, that's is false. The flag code (which can be found at www.usflag.org) includes a couple of instructions that people often conflate into this myth: You should do everything possible to prevent the flag from touching the ground, and a flag no longer suitable for display should be destroyed, preferably by burning in a dignified manner.
If a flag accidentally touches the ground but remains in good condition, it should simply be raised so that it doesn't rest on anything.

4. How many Presidents were born on 4th of July?
Only one: Calvin Coolidge, the 30th president, in 1872. The next closest is the George W. Bush, who was born July 6, 1946.
BUT DID YOU KNOW: Three of the first five U.S. presidents -- John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe -- died on July 4. Monroe was the last to do so, in 1851.

5. What's the highest-grossing American movie related to the Fourth of July?
According to www.boxofficemojo.com,
1. "Independence Day" is the 23rd-highest domestic box-office success of all-time, pulling in
more than $306 million.
2. "The Patriot" (No. 279, $113 million);
3. "American Pie" (a stretch, but No. 335, $102 million); and
4. "Born on the Fourth of July" (No. 613, $70 million).

Have a wonderful and safe 4th of July!!

God Bless America!!

Source: The Why of Fourth of July, found at Fresnobee.com.

The I-phone cometh!

The I-Phone has arrived!!
So much commotion over a phone. On Friday, the much anticipated I-phone (from Mac) was available in store. Depending on where you go, some stores sold out in a matter of a few hours.

Is it really worth it get up at 0-dark thirty, and get in line at a local Apple or A.T. & T. stores for a phone that costs $500+ . I know of 3 people that were in those lines (although not quite that early) and got the phones on the first day out. Some claim they had issues with activation, while others were up & running in about an hour. And those who have wireless services other then A.T. & T are out of luck if they want to keep their original service. The I-phones won't work on anything but A.T. & T.

At first glance these phones look very neat, like a mini-computer (which most phones are leaning towad nowadays) and has a touch screen instead of a normal keypad. You have your regular phone features plus music, video and internet - all in one.

It's a neat little gadget - BUT.....

I think we'll wait til the price goes down a little AND all the little bugs that come with new technology are all fixed. Being I'll probably be using a Mac in my chosen field (once I graduate), it's probably inevitable that I'll get one - EVENTUALLY.