R Family Blog

Currently Inactive

2008-05-16T19:08:00.000-07:00

I wanted to let anyone visiting know that this blog is currently inactive. I am keeping lovejoelr.blogspot.com up-to-date. It is just too much to keep two blogs going right now...so everything is condensed into one. Love ya guys.

All About Big Bear...And Prayer Requests

2008-03-15T21:56:00.000-07:00

To read the post I wrote about Big Bear (I wrote it on Joel's Blog) click here. Thank you for checking in.

Wordless Wednesday: Our weekend in Big Bear

2008-03-12T16:30:00.001-07:00

Wordless Wednesday: on Thursday

2008-03-06T10:52:00.001-08:00

I love this picture! I had it planned for Wordless Wednesday, so even though I missed Wednesday, I couldn't help but still posting it. Middle of Winter and barefoot/shorts...I love it!

I Love: Wordless Wednesday

2008-02-27T23:52:00.000-08:00

My three bikers!

Crash Course in Bunny 101

2008-02-21T20:43:00.000-08:00

Last Thursday Isaac brought a surprise home from work. When we heard he had a surprise the kids were elated asking over and over "Daddy, what is it?" I was thinking it was like other surprises (or treats) he has brought home before, like pan, chips or something sweet. It wasn't. I was in the kitchen cooking dinner when I heard a commotion in the other room. I dropped what I was doing to see what was going on. As I entered the room I heard Jonny say "Daddy, this is THE BEST SURPRISE EVER!" I started thinking "Uh-oh" but didn't have time to finish my thought because there before my eyes was a bunny. A cute little white fluffy bunny.

Welcome to the family, Snowball!

Now, before I go any further, I have to let you all in on my little secret (or not such a big secret)...I'm not really an animal person. Don't get me wrong, I like animals, but with the exception of horses I rather prefer liking them from a distance. This feeling has probably been perpetuated by the fact that I am allergic to a lot of animals...the worst being cats, followed by dogs and anything else that has fur. Isaac, on the other hand, along with my kids LOVE animals...especially pets. (The favorite being dogs...I think he is working up to that starting with a bunny.)

Well, OK. We've never owned a bunny. In fact, we've never had any pet. So, what do we do now? A crash course in Bunny 101. We did research, we took Snowball to a pet store where they told us he was a boy, and we started trying to track down a cage. We did find a friend who had an unused bunny hutch, but it needs some repair work and we are going to have to remodel it to make it safe for the outdoor elements. The boys LOVE Snowball and are great with him. We have a bunny leash and today they exercised him. It's so cute to watch how tender and loving they are with him. And, as I told Isaac the other night, it's a good thing Snowball is just sooo cute because how could I resist him. I have decided I might like pets after all...as long as I don't have to hold him (sharp claws!)

I have no idea how long it is going to take Isaac to finish the hutch, and in the meantime Snowball is in a crate in the garage. I was wondering if anyone reading this blog who lives in Southern CA (I know it's a long shot) might have a rabbit hutch already made for outdoors that we might either borrow or buy (the price would have to be pretty low since Isaac has been out of work so much).

I have learned so much about bunnies but still have a lot to learn. So my question for you tonight is: do you have any bunny advice?

Valentine's Day '08

2008-02-14T11:32:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day!
We should love one another. ~ 1 John 4:11

To our family, Valentine's Day isn't just about romance. It's about love. And we love each other a whole lot. So we have a tradition that we spend Valentine's Day evening together as a family. My parents come over and we have a special dinner and dessert while we enjoy spending time all together. Tonight, my brother and sister-in-law were able to join us for dessert. How blessed we are to be able to spend time together. There is no shortage of love in our family!

I love kisses!

This picture was taken by my 4 year old, Jason.

My sweet husband brought me roses when he came home from work.
It was totally unexpected since he's been out of work for 4 weeks and
he doesn't usually get me anything on holidays. (I think this is the third
time he has gotten me roses in seven years of marriage. But who's counting?)
He couldn't have picked better timing. I was having a very difficult day and
when I saw the roses I got tears in my eyes. Suddenly my day was better.
Aren't they pretty?!

My boys love each other and sure have fun together!

"Mama, it's a heart pretzel!"

Grammy and Grampy sure are fun!

Wordless Wednesday

2008-02-13T21:56:00.000-08:00

The Best of Mike Huckabee

2008-02-11T14:59:00.001-08:00

Conservatives need to unite.

2008-02-11T14:46:00.000-08:00

With Romney out of the picture, I hope that conservatives will rally behind Mike Huckabee. I know it will be a fight till the end to win and I also know it's an uphill climb, but I am hoping with all my heart that when all is said and done we will have a candidate in the Presidential Race that will uphold family values; that man is Huckabee. Huckabee's largest hurdle is lack of funding. He has refused to take money from corporations because he didn't want to owe any "favors". That alone shows his character. Wouldn't it be great to have a president who did what he thought was right for our country regardless of what is best for large corporations? I would like to urge you to contribute any amount you can today. Also, I would like to challenge anybody who has said "I don't want McCain!" to donate or volunteer for Huckabee. THE TIME IS NOW! Please donate with Donor code R17266 so it will count towards my goal (or click here) . THANK YOU!

Huckabee

2008-02-06T11:23:00.000-08:00

I truly believe Huckabee can win. There is a lot of talk about how Huckabee is taking votes away from Romney. They are pretty even in the race. How about the thought that Romney is taking votes away from Huckabee. I have heard way too many times from people I know that they agree with what Huckabee stands for...BUT he can't possibly win so we have to vote for Romney so McCain won't win. My goodness, if everyone who said that would vote for who they actually want (instead of voting out of fear) Huckabee would be way ahead of Romney. AND the other thing I keep hearing is how Huckabee supporters are just voting for him because they are anti-Mormon. Just to be clear, I do not agree with Mormonism, but I do have an aunt who is Mormon and she would tell you I am not a hateful anti-Mormon person. When I am considering who to vote for I do not make a decision based on their faith. I DO, however, make a decision based on their stance on the issues that are important to me and how they have backed up their talk. Romney is wishy-washy in my opinion. Huckabee has taken a firm position on the issues important to me and I LIKE WHAT HE STANDS FOR! Huckabee had a great day yesterday. Way to go Huckabee!

Out of the mouths of babes

2008-02-04T22:18:00.000-08:00

I pray with the boys every night. My sweet 4-year-old, Jason, has been making me smile, cry or smile and cry with almost every prayer. His heart is so tender and loving ~ mostly towards God and me. I wish I could capture every prayer and remember every single word. He always prays "Keep Mama safe and Daddy safe" at the beginning of every prayer (since he was old enough to talk/pray). Lately he has been feeling very protective of me praying "If Mommy is lost, I will find her" and tonight praying "If someone tries to hurt Mommy, I will protect her." It's so sweet to see his manly, protective side coming out.

THANK GOD FOR LITTLE BOYS!

What was I supposed to be?

2008-01-29T13:47:00.000-08:00

I just had to share this. I saw it on another site and it touched my heart. I can not tell you how saddened by abortion I am. Someone once told us how his sister had been pregnant with a baby that the tests showed had Tuberous Sclerosis (what Joel has). She had an abortion. I wept when I heard that because Joel has been such a blessing to us and I can't imagine our lives without him. It breaks my heart that that mom is missing out on her blessing and her child is missing out on life.

Hello again!

2008-01-25T20:43:00.001-08:00

Oh boy, have I been busy. Between the San Diego fires, evacuation, my parents and grandparents homes burning and all the aftermath that comes with that, starting a new business, helping plan my parents 40th wedding anniversary party, Isaac changing jobs, Christmas, the New Year starting, my husbands and my 7th anniversary, having 5 nieces and nephews live with us for 3 weeks and 2 days (8 kids in a 1000 sq. ft. home is something else), my grandma breaking her hip, me having Shingles, Joel with all his therapists, the kids school, and everyone being sick with severe colds I haven't had time to blog. So please forgive me, not only for that run-on sentence, but also for not being here and not giving updates to all you wonderful people who are praying for us.

Other than being busy and sick, we are doing great. Even though Isaac's work has not been the greatest this month, we are doing great. Joel is making great progress. Jonny and Jason are wonderful. Isaac and I are making plans to try and pull ourselves out of debt (all his time laid off from work has piled up some pretty deep credit card debt.) It's hard to figure out a way to start paying some off when you can't make it from week to week. Isaac is going to try to get a second job on the weekends. We have been trying to make it without because family time is so important to both of us, but we can't put off the inevitable any more. It's kinda funny, I've had a song floating around in my head all evening (don't know who sings it or the name of the song...if you know please comment)...I'm a survivor...I'm gonna make it! Seems to be the theme to my life.

And on a different note, I don't just want to survive. I want to thrive. I want to make a change in the world. Isaac and I just finished watching Freedom Writers. A great movie! I have decided that 4 and 7 is not too young to learn to make a difference in this world. Starting this week, we are going to do something good for someone every week. Even if it's small, it'll make a difference to the person the kind act is bestowed upon and it'll also make a difference in us. I want my children to learn to do good. My dream for them is that it would be second nature as they get older. If they can learn this...it will change their future. I don't think there is anything more valuable I could give them. Please pray for us as we start this journey and if anyone would like to join us, please share. We would love to hear your stories.

Our Homes and the Fire

2007-10-23T10:18:00.000-07:00

Here is an email I just sent out to friends and family:

Hello to all,

I just wanted to send out an update. We found out this morning that my parents and grandparents homes have burned to the ground. There is video of it at http://video.knbc.com/player/?id=170532. Our home is still in grave danger. The fire is headed right for it. The good thing for us is that we are so close to downtown Fallbrook. The firefighters are going to do their best to save downtown. My brother is a reporter and he has stayed in Fallbrook at the command center. He said it is concievable that the entire town could burn today. Please pray that our home is spared so that we can help my parents and friends affected by the fire. Also, please pray for his safety and for my parents and grandparents (for peace). My parents have had a great attitude about the whole thing, that it is just stuff and we are all together and safe. (It is sad, though, to lose my great-grandma's china and my other great-grandma's dolls, heirlooms, etc.)

I really can't believe this is happening. So many friends affected. Where is everyone going to go? We love you all and are thankful for all your prayers and calls of support.

Please Pray

2007-10-22T09:04:00.000-07:00

We are surrounded by fire. There have been strong Santa Ana winds that are making everything crazy. Two of my aunts and at least one friend have been evacuated. Our whole town may be evacuated. So we are preparing right now just in case. Also, our huge 50+ year old Chinese Elm has had two of the main branches (more like trunk) break off and they are hanging. So please pray that when they fall that they miss our house and the guest house where my brother and his wife live.

This just in...my parents and grandma have been told to evacuate. They live about ten minutes from us. I'll post updates as I can (and hopefully pictures...my camera decided to act up just today) :(

PS The crazy thing is that I met someone yesterday who said there is a white out blizzard going on in CO. Fire and blizzards...all on the same day and in the same country. If you life in CO please comment and let me know about the blizzard. Thanks.

Shoes

2007-10-17T12:13:00.000-07:00

Jonny just tied his shoes all by himself for the first time! He got new shoes and they aren't Velcro. They are laced shoes, so we figured it was time to teach him how to tie his shoes. I have to admit I've kinda been dreading and putting off teaching him. I don't know why. It wasn't so bad when we actually did it. Joel's speech therapist was here yesterday and when she heard him ask me to tie his shoes she was surprised he didn't know how. So she taught him. I did join in on the teaching but it made me feel guilty that I hadn't found time to teach my (barely) 7-year-old. Part of the problem is I just got caught up in life and used to the routine of tying his shoes. The other part of the problem is all the shoes with Velcro. He could do that by himself and his play shoes have always had Velcro so I just don't think much about tying shoes. One kid down, two to go. :)

Storybooks

2007-10-08T00:44:00.000-07:00

Would you like an easy way to get your photos into beautiful, quality, hardback books? I am now an independent consultant for Heritage Makers.

The heart and soul of a family is in their stories. - Leah Gutierrez
Whether they're happy or sad, old or new, we all have stories. Now we have an easy way to get our photos and stories into books, preserving our memories for future generations. How many people don’t know their grandparents or great-grandparents stories? How did they grow up? What was life like for them when they were young? What were their most treasured memories? Or, how many of you have sat there looking at pictures and wondering who they were of? Don’t let that be your family. You now have an easy way to enjoy, save and share your family’s stories. Make memories last with Heritage Makers. Heritage Makers offers a fast, affordable way to actually do something with your photos and stories. Storybooks are high quality and will last for generations to come. And, I am here to guide and support you. If you have questions or need anything please contact me. I would love to help you start sharing your stories! If you'd like to host a Celebration in Southern California for your friends, family, church, or community group, need help on your own books, or would like more information on the exciting and rewarding opportunity of being a consultant, please e-mail me or give me a call.

We sell Storybooks, cards, Family Folds, posters, and calendars. You create them on-line (kinda like on-line scrap-booking) and then when you are done you click publish, pay for them, and they will be delivered to you approximately 10 days later. You can create a free account at www.save-your-stories.com. Once you have an account you can watch tutorials, upload photos from your computer or you can scan in non-digital photos (at a high dpi), upload them and start your project. You don't have to pay anything until you are ready to publish your project. Book prices range from $34.95-$129.95. Cards range from $1.75-$5.99. If you would like access to over $2,000,000 worth of premier art provided through a partnership with Scrap Girls, then that is only $24.95 for the first month renewing each month at $19.95. Ask me about specials. My e-mail is saveyourstories@gmail.com

Why?

2007-10-02T12:44:00.000-07:00

My oldest son just asked me "Why is Daddy gone two days in a row?" I explained to him, while trying to hold back a chuckle, that Daddy is going to be gone Monday-Friday and home on Saturday and Sunday. To little minds three months was a LONG time ago. Hard to remember what it was like for Daddy to work full-time. ;) Besides, the boys have become really close to Daddy since he's been home a lot. All three of my boys are Daddy's boys now!

We have work!

2007-10-02T10:20:00.000-07:00

Isaac started work yesterday! It went well and he likes the people he's working with. Thank you, Lord, for providing for us. Hopefully now we can start to climb out of the hole we fell further and further into with him being out of work for so long. The interesting thing is that I got used to him being around all day long and now I miss him. I am also having to get re-adjusted to parenting all by myself during the day. I am not complaining...I am VERY happy we have work, I just have to get used to him working again. You know how having a man home from work disrupts your schedule. Well, Isaac was home so long that our schedule had changed permanently, now I have to re-adjust it. The kids are going to have to get used to not having daddy around all day too. I am praying for a smooth transition and so far everything has gone well. Thank you for all your prayers that Isaac would get work. God answered with a "Yes."

Soccer started today!

2007-09-28T23:14:00.000-07:00

Warm-up: Jonny is on the left.

Jonny asked a question and is getting the answer.

Jason is in the middle (green shorts, gray shirt.) This is part of about two minutes that Jason actually played.

The rest of the time this is what he was doing. Hanging out with daddy seemed better than getting "knocked down by the kids." Even though he was never knocked down, this was my 4-year-olds reason for not playing.

All-in-all I feel pretty good about how today went. Jonny was confident and never shy (he has been really shy in the past but is starting to grow out of it.) Jason was better than I thought he'd be. No crying, and at least he participated some. I was glad Isaac could come. When Jonny played baseball he was supportive, but never REALLY into it. Soccer is his thing, he used to play a lot when he was a kid, so he was totally into it today. That helps the kids get into it. The wonderful thing for me was that I got to socialize with other moms. :) As a side note, there are beautiful views from the fields.

Job Postponed

2007-09-24T02:14:00.000-07:00

Isaac spoke to his future boss Saturday and he said he doesn't have any work until a week from tomorrow. (Hopefully a week from tomorrow he really will have work.) Considering he was supposed to start a week ago and he was hired a week before that it's becoming a little frustrating. We are wondering what God is doing in our life. I do know one thing...we can't hang on much longer. Isaac has been out of work for almost 3 months now.

Jonny's Birthday Party

2007-09-23T23:33:00.000-07:00

On a brighter note...we had Jonny's birthday party today. He had so much fun and it was a wonderful day for our whole family. Here are some pictures from the party.

Can you tell it was a spiderman theme?

The pinata (part of which Jonny is wearing on his head) was fun.

I think Jonny really enjoyed being the center of attention. Like mother, like son. Besides he got some really cool gifts.

My thoughts looking at this picture: it was a really fun day which is hard to let go of. Oh, and maybe a little sugar rush.

And lastly, we can't forget Joel. He was there too. Trying to steal everything off the table. He actually spilled about 7 drinks today while trying to grab cups.

Happy Birthday, Jonny!

2007-09-19T15:43:00.001-07:00

Jonny is seven years old today! His birthday party will be on Sunday, but we'll have a special family dinner tonight. Jonny has grown so much this last year. He has a sweet heart and is always helping somebody. He is one of the best big brothers I have ever seen (he's wonderful at sharing with, protecting, and helping his little brothers.) He's a lot more outgoing than a year ago and now has some special friends. Jonny's in second grade and is doing well in school. He says his favorite subject is reading. Some new developments in the last couple months are wearing glasses (which I have a hard time keeping on him) and piano lessons with Aunt Dori (it's very helpful to have a piano teacher in the family.) He's also going to start playing soccer in a couple of weeks.

Like I said, never boring

2007-09-16T21:55:00.000-07:00

Both of these pictures were taken within a 24 hour time period. Proof that life around our house is never boring. In the first picture Jonny and Jason were "helping" Daddy wrap Joel's birthday gifts. (Hint: look closely at their faces.) In the second picture I have no idea, except that when I got out of my morning shower they were wearing Daddy's wet suits and Isaac was taking pictures of them. I have to say I have pretty creative little boys. They are constantly putting a smile on my face :-)

Praise the Lord!

2007-09-10T22:43:00.000-07:00

I have great news. After two whole months laid off of work Isaac got a job today. If I believed in luck, I would say that Joel was our good luck. But I believe in God, and God's timing is perfect. I believe that God was encouraging us by sending a random job on Joel's birthday. You see, Isaac got a call this morning from a man he didn't know with a company he didn't recognize. The man said he had received Isaac's resume 5 months ago (which was the last time he was laid off and looking for work) and that he had saved it. He said he wanted to hire Isaac as an operator/laborer and if Isaac does well on the equipment he will make him a full time operator. That alone is an answer to prayer because an operator makes much higher pay therefore there is more competition for the job. Isaac has been trying to get an operator job for 2 years but is always told he is too young or there is someone with more experience. Isaac met with his new boss this afternoon to fill out paperwork and was hired without an interview. He should be starting next Monday. Back to it being such an encouragement for all this to happen on Joel's birthday. I feel like God was saying "Thank you for embracing, loving, and caring for this special baby I have sent you. I love all of you and I will supply ALL your needs." I feel like God was showing us that he is happy with us for how we have cared for Joel. Thank you, Lord, for sending a job on Joel's birthday.

"The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs..."
~ Isaiah 58:11a

Happy Birthday, Joel!

2007-09-10T11:28:00.000-07:00

Joel is two years old today! We love you, Joel. Visit Joel's Blog to see many more photos and read updates.

First time at the circus

2007-08-23T11:21:00.000-07:00

About a week-and-a-half ago we went to the circus for the first time. (Thank you for the tickets, Aunt Carol and Uncle Byron) At first Jonny and Jason were cautious, not quite knowing what to think.

But after getting used to the noise, lights, costumes, and animals, they loved it.

I was surprised at how close they let the crowd gather around the elephant during the pre-show. Basically only a few people between him and us. Boy, am I glad he didn't misbehave.

Our seats were kinda high up, but it provided the kids with a sense of safety. The stadium wasn't full, and when I suggested we try to move lower everyone protested. Needless to say we stayed in these seats.

God bless America! My home, sweet home!

Where's Waldo? Can you pick out the two men shoveling dung?

If you want to see some video clips, I posted them on YouTube. Here are the links: tigers performing, roaring tigers, trapeze, tightrope, elephants, human canon ball.

Forty Dollars

2007-08-09T21:28:00.000-07:00

Tonight, after the kids were in bed, Jason told me "Mommy, I have a headache." I asked him how bad his headache was. He answered, "Fifty." When I was trying to figure out how much Tylenol to use I absentmindedly asked him "How much do you weigh?" His answer, "Forty Dollars."

Fun in the Backyard

2007-08-08T21:32:00.001-07:00

The kids love playing in our backyard. They all like swinging, but Joel especially loves swinging with daddy. He gets a huge grin.

One of the swing seats broke, so it's just two hanging ropes. Jason thinks he's Spiderman.

Do all kids love water as much as mine? I can't seem to keep them out of it.

Joel playing in the sprinkler. It was the highlight of his day.

Of course, Jason had to get in on the action saying "Picture me, Mama!"

Jonny plays in the background as Joel tries to steal the show.

Children bring so much joy and laughter into a home. We thank God for these little souls He's entrusted to us.

Happy Birthday, Uncle Tom

2007-08-07T00:16:00.000-07:00

Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you. Happy birthday, Uncle Tom. Happy birthday to you (in China). We hope you are having a wonderful birthday. We love you and are thinking of you. The boys wanted to make a special video for you, so here it is:

"Take 1"

"Take 2"

Welcome

2007-08-03T18:38:00.000-07:00

Welcome to our family blog. We have some very special friends and family in different parts of the world, so I am pleased to have found a way to keep everyone updated with family news and photos. We enjoy hearing from you so please leave comments or email us.

Here are some pictures from JulyThe boys LOVE swimming...

and uncles that feed them watermelon...

and baths...and birthdays (Jason's 4th - actually in June)...and just being together.