Faith in Hollywood

Yesterday I said my blog was going dark for a week. Technically it still is. You are not reading this right now. It's a dream. In your dream you go to Sarah Mae's blog Like A Warm Cup of Coffee where you will find my guest post about my time in Hollywood and my faith.

Why the photo of the crazy static hair? Because weird things happen in your dreams.

Standing Firm in Crisis

Most of us have been in a crisis. Some are in one right now. A big one. One that makes it hard to get out of bed - ever. Want some encouragement? Check out this this podcast.

The first few minutes Debbie Alsdorf share a little story. Then I check in with people about the spending fast before I get into the message. And don't bail before it is over! Kim Dunne shares a testimony at the end that is utterly amazing. She is the kind of person I would like to follow around all day. She is upbeat, kind, HILARIOUS, peaceful, friendly, faithful, thoughtful. You would never know she has kidney cancer and breast cancer - that cannot be treated. Or that she cannot take any meds (i.e. chemo/radiation, advil, etc) and cannot have surgery. And that's just a taste of her story...

And that's your assignment for the week. Because this blog's going dark. See you next week.

Stylin' Saturday Head Shave

Here's a tip from Elijah:
If you want to look like an NBA player - shave your head.

Next up? Tatoos, fancy cars and his own rap CD.

How to get a Good Family Photo

Want to know how to get a good family photo? I have no idea. Any pointers would be appreciated. Here was our last attempt.

Here is the best shot we could get. Seriously.

The Wonder Years - Part 4

This is it people. The last clip from "The Wonder Years." I get dumped.

In the scene where he dumps me he was to have a flash forward of our life together - filled with little dogs, excessive manners, etc. Notice he is in prison garb. We filmed the scene, but it got edited out of the show.

Welcome Back to Work

Have you ever had one of those days where you want to scream at the top of your lungs? Consider this my SCREAM!!! Oh, that felt good. Kind of. I really would like to go out into the middle of the street and scream, but I have neighbors am more mature than that.

After a wonderful day off yesterday, I went back to work today feeling refreshed, renewed and ready to face another day of motherhood. Until I woke up. Or rather, the kids woke me up. The good news about daylight savings is that I no longer have to set my alarm to wake Elijah up for school. Now he wakes me up even earlier than my alarm would have.

Before I was even out the door with the kids for school, I discovered Lydia had peed her pants. (Lydia who has been technically "potty training" for four months - on her own initiative. She had been doing pretty well for the last few weeks.) Outfit change #1.

After listening to Lydia whine about not wanting to eat the cream of wheat that Daddy made her for breakfast and hearing Jordis scream because she wanted more cheerios we headed out the door. Upon strapping Jordis into her carseat I realized she had junk in her trunk. No time to change it because our 3 mile drive to Elijah's school usually takes about 15 minutes because of traffic. We got there in time for me to change Jordis' ... blowout pooper. Down the leg, all over the pants, etc. Different child, but still: Outfit change #2.

Dropped Elijah off and stopped at the grocery store to pick up a few items. Fortunately, this grocery trip produced no bloggable activity. We left the store and headed back home. Lydia peed her pants again. Outfit change #3. I had one goal today (besides feeding the kids and keeping them alive and stuff like that): vacuum the whole house. While I was vacuuming the living room I stepped on a sewing needle that happened to be sticking straight up out of the carpet. The eye of the needle end was sticking up. It went into the bottom of my foot. A Scooby Doo bandaid was used for blood management. I don't usually use my living room floor for a pin cushion. I have no idea how that needle got there. Probably from when I was sewing Lydia's Halloween costume. Oh wait, I have mistaken myself for somebody else. I don't sew. Perhaps we picked it up at McDonald's while playing in one of their ball houses. Despite the hole in my foot, I am thankful that one of my kids did not step on it or eat it or pick their nose with it.

All the while Lydia was whining about how hungry she was ... because she didn't eat breakfast. I told her she could eat from her snack pack (pre washed and cut veggies), but she wasn't hungry for that. I believe it was while I was vacuuming the stairs (one of my faves) when Lydia went into her room and then emerged with a bewildered look on her face, "Mommy, I want to be a baby."

"Why? Did you pee your pants again?"

"No. Poo."

UGH! Outfit change #4.

Into the bath she went. All this awesome action and it was only 10am.

Shiloh came home at 10:30am to watch the girls so I could volunteer in Elijah's class for 40 minutes (that's all they want). Came home. Fed the kids. Put Jordis down for a nap. Put a movie on for the big kids. Lydia peed her pants again. Outfit change #5.

Elijah didn't seem quite himself at school and had to blow his nose a lot. I think he is getting sick and will be staying home tomorrow. At 3:30 I packed all the kids in the car to go for a drive. Sometimes I just need to have my kids strapped down for a while, you know? Nevermind that Elijah was playing with his snot in his car seat and I could see a two foot long strand of loogie dangling - about to hit the floor of my precious ... dirty minivan. I about lost it on him. Or maybe I did. "ELIJAH! THAT IS GROSS! STOP THAT! GET A KLEENEX!"

Enough bodily fluids for the day!

We picked up dry cleaning and stopped at Shiloh's office for a few minutes. When we got home I got dinner going and looked at the clock every 42 seconds to see how much longer until I could put my kids in bed. Is that so wrong?

Just before bed, I put some water in a sippy cup so Elijah could keep it in his bed. Jordis hovered while I gave it to him and did her "I want that" grunt. I told Elijah to keep it away from her. He had a few sips and two seconds later it was in her mouth. "Sorry mom. She just grabbed it from me." And with that, I fell face down on the couch and laid there for a few minutes. While Jordis came over to me and shouted "MAMA! MAMA! MAMA!" for no apparent reason. Maybe she knows she is now going to get sick in a few days thanks to Elijah's poor "keep away" skills. Although if the sippy cup was candy I can guarantee that he would not have let her get within three feet of it.

All that being said, does anyone else find motherhood to be hard? Thankfully, not all days are like this, but even still ... hard. Tomorrow is a new day. And I am praying it is a better one. Praying for strength from God. Praying for laughter and enjoyment. I really am thankful for being able to stay at home with my kids. It's just days like these where I entertain thoughts of being a janitor in a prison cause I think it would be a lot easier and a little more fun. Can I please get an "amen?"

P.S. I got the downstairs vacuumed, but the vacuum currently sits mid stairs on the landing. I'm guessing it will remain there for at least three days.

Another Hagen Halloween

Friday there was a "parade" at Elijah's school. Elijah was the only kid in the whole school dressed up like Michael Jordan. And with a shaved head. Imagine that. This was his request. He wanted to be like the NBA players and that's how most of them look (says Elijah).

No, Jordis is not dressed up like an abused piglet. She put on that costume by doing a header into the corner of the wall.

Saturday we carved pumpkins. A friend of ours (thanks Amy Brown) drew the Air Jordan logo and I carved it.

I got one photo of the kids together. Then Jordis did a face plant off the curb and added to her bruise collection.

Then we had daylight savings time, which was made up by people without children. BUT Shiloh got up with the kids and gave me the day off! I read, I worked on my message for next Bible study, I worked on my book, I cleaned (just a little), I jogged. I did not change one diaper. And I feel no guilt, no shame. Just joy. The end.
P.S. Jordis took another header and now has 3 different bruises on her forehead. I'm putting foundation on her tomorrow if we go out of the house.

Halloween Stylin' Tips

Before I get to the important fashion tips I just want to be clear: I messed with my blog. Changed some colors and fonts and the like. You can stretch it out to fit your computer and I think that is cool. Hope you like it. If you don't, then close your eyes when you read it.
And it is still a work in progress. Thank you Melissa for taking that sweet shot of my kids on the 4th of July.

Now for special Halloween tips from my family:

Tip from Elijah:

For Halloween dress up like someone you dress up like everyday. Your mom will be stoked.

Tip from Lydia:

For Halloween dress up like someone you dress up like everyday. Your mom will be stoked.

Tip from Jordis:

For Halloween - "Why are you putting me in these ridiculous outfits? What is going on here? These outfits smell like Lydia - were these hers?"

Kreativ Blogger Award

I got another Chain Letter Blog Award. I would like to thank all the little people - Elijah, Lydia and Jordis for giving me all the material for my Kreativ Bloggingness.

Here are the rules:
1. Thank the person who nominated you for this award. (Thank you Melissa at Larson Lingo. Please bring me pumpkin treats.)
2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog.
3. Link to the person who nominated you for this award. (I just linked her, but since I am so kind and linky: link, link, link.)
4. Name 7 things about yourself that people may not know. (see below)
5. Nominate Kreativ Bloggers.

* I hereby nominate Cami Terpstra of Life on the Ranch with Terpstra East. Because she is funny and crazy brave. She has FOUR KIDS ages FIVE AND UNDER. And she lives in a tiny house on a huge ranch. A ranch that also serves as a ministry to children through FREE horse therapy. It's not really horse "therapy," but I don't know what to call it. So just go check out their website.

* I also herby officially nominate Danika at Is It Lupus? Her website provides information about her journey with Lupus, healthy recipes, alternative medicine stuff, spiritual encouragement and such.
6. Post links to the blogs you nominate. (Back off, I already did that under #5.)
7. Leave a comment on each of the blogs letting them know they’ve been nominated. (Can it be in code?)

Seven Things You May Not Know about me:

1. I was on the Dance Team at UCLA for two years. Loved it. Photo below is me and three of my old teammates in Chicago 2 years ago. We saw the "So You Think You Can Dance Show?" tour. It was awesome.

2. Before dance practice I would often eat a chocolate, chocolate chip muffin and an ice blended mocha (form The Coffee Bean!) before our five hour practice. Fuel and nutrition at its best.

3. When I was in L.A. for the summers practicing for dance team I once applied to work at "Fat Burger." I thought it would be a good experience for me. The manager said he would hire me, but when I contacted him later to follow up he said something like (in broken English) "Uh, yeah. It is too hot. So we don't need you. Not enough people eating hamburgers because it is too hot." It was a little confusing, but my parents were relieved when I told them I didn't get the job at "Fat Burger." Instead, I watched "Ace Ventura" and "Dumb and Dumber" a lot of times on a lot of nights with my teammates. If any of you dance girls are reading this - please post a comment (on the blog, not facebook) to confirm or deny these allegations.

4. I kissed Paul Walker when I was in 9th grade.

5. I used to be best friends with Alyssa Milano. Just kidding. Totally made that one up. Never even met her.

6. I have never had a cup of coffee or a glass of alcohol. I have had sips of both, but that's as far as it went. Don't like the taste. But I do like the smell of coffee so don't just write me off if you are a coffee lover addict. As mentioned in #2 I love Ice Blended Mochas. But that is really more like a milkshake with a hint of coffee flavor, right? Never had a cup of hot, legit coffee.

7. I changed high schools five times because of my acting career.

Any questions?