All Things Beautiful

I learn something new from my kids everyday!

Each one of them is unique and just so amazingly wise!

Unfortunately, only one of them has a blog, but if you haven't read it, you are totally missing out!

She blows me away!

If you haven't taken time to read her blog, please do it. Every time I read an entry I am amazed at who she is becoming!

When I was her age I was dating guys who wore make up and listening to such bands as Nine Inch Nails and The Dead Milkmen! She is so far ahead of where I was at her age, and I am thankful!

You know people often try to say that our kids are the way they are because of our parenting, but I know for a fact that our parenting is only a small portion of who our kids are. Each one of my kids have invited God into their lives, and I know that He is the reason they are different. He is the one who gives them wisdom and discernment.

And once again, I'm thankful!

Kristen

We Can Totally Do That!!

Sooo, we are pretty settled into our new house. Boxes unpacked, pictures hung, rooms pretty well organized.

But getting to this point, was not easy!!

Our move in and move out was scheduled about a week apart. So I figured we could spend a few days moving boxes and little stuff with the van, and then by Friday beg a few strong men to help lift the heavy stuff on to a rental moving van.

The first day I woke up with a feeling of dread. I couldn't believe I had really thought the kids and I (because Mike was working Tuesday and Wednesday) were going to move most of the house before Friday!! What was I thinking!!

This is where I would like to add a side note. Mike and I both have this weird brain disease. I am not sure there is a name for it, but I call it wecantotallydothatitis. When faced with a near impossible task, i.e. Running in a 200 mile relay with little or no prior running experience or moving an entire house with just four kids and a mini van, something clicks in our brains and we think "Ha, no problem!!! We can totally do THAT!!" This is not such a bad trait when the odds are favorable, but unfortunately, that is not often the case.

So Monday morning we got up and since Mike and I had to finish our walk through, he was there to help for a few hours. We managed to move the entire garage over. This is a feat of extraordinary daring and courage.  Not only did we get it moved over BUT completely organized!! Not bad for our first day.

The second day, my dad was headed out with a bed he had promised to Kylee and a desk that was my grandmothers.  So, on top of Kylee getting her new bed, I was getting the use of his rented mini van for the whole week and the kids were getting a papa who loves to hang out with them!!  Two mini vans and an extra adult would make the move even easier!

So for Tuesday, my goal was for the kids and I to single-handedly move over all their bedrooms, set up beds, book cases etc. We did it!! And Mike and I were even able to move some stuff from other rooms in the evening.

Wednesday my dad and I moved living room furniture, electronics, and a good rest of the boxes!! By the time we got to Thursday, Mike was back home to help and we worked on our room and some of the heavier furniture.  It was Wednesday evening, and on the high of getting so much accomplished, Mike and I made the bold statement, "I bet we could move just about everything without a moving van!!" Thanks to the refrigerator, we didn't try it :)

The craziest story from the move would have to be how Mike and I moved our king sized mattress from one house to the other with just a rope, a blanket and our mini van!

We bought our mattress in January of this year, from Costco.  We went with a foam mattress, which was the BEST purchase we have ever made.  I LOVE our mattress.  It is super firm, doesn't sag, and is plenty big.  Its size put it on the things-that-must-be-moved-with-a-moving-van list.  But Thursday evening, the eve of the big stuff move, we got drunk on our achievements.  Mike and I looked around the mostly empty house, and the twelve items still left to go, and wondered if we could take that list down to eleven...

Mike rationalized that our mattress came in a small box to start.

That was true.

And the delivery guy delivered it.

Also true.

So, why couldn't we just roll it up and put it in the van????

Sounds reasonable!!!  We can totally do it!!!

We did manage to get it folded in half, and tied up.  Yes, this would definitely fit in the van!!

I went into the kitchen to grab something and that is when Mike decided he could get it down the stairs.  Which he did.  What we didn't bank on was, trying to lift it from the front door to the van, without the furniture dolly that we left at the other house.

I tried to lift my end, but the combination of it being awkward, huge, soft, and heavy and the fact that by Thursday evening my body had about given up on me, made it nearly impossible for me to move.

At this point we totally could have left it in the living room and shut the front door.  We totally could have waited for the next day for our friends to help us lift it onto the moving truck.

But we had gotten this far!!!  It was so close to being in the van!!  How could we just leave it?

That is when I got the brilliant idea that would save the evening.  What if we took one our old blankets and drug it to the van, then used the blanket to lift it onto the van?  Would it work?

YES!!  It totally worked!!  We got our mammoth mattress into our mini-van and then used our blanket method to heft it up the stairs in the next house.

And as we locked the door to the old house that evening, we only had 11 odd items left to be moved.  We had done it!  We had moved a huge part of a four bedroom house with just two mini-vans, two adults, four children, and one old man, which went a long way to worsening our already bad case of wecantotallydothatitis!

Kristen

If I Can Do It...

I feel like I've been saying this sentence a lot lately-

"if I can________ ANYBODY can!!"

But seriously, in this case, it's totally true.

I'm talking running here people.

 I am sure there has never been a person more unsuited to running than me.  I have short little legs, tire easily, and have a tendency to fall when not totally focusing on moving my body forward. 

I have never even wanted to be a runner, till recently.

I mean, I've been running off and on for about three years now, but only so I could eat ice cream when I want to, not because I love it.

But something has happened recently, I can't explain it, I just love it all of a sudden!

I think it might be because I always thought I couldn't do it. A few years ago the idea of me running a mile was just ridiculous!

And now, I am running four miles at a time! That is HUGE!

AND even more exciting I've signed up for this!!!

So, I've got until spring to add some mileage and improve my time, I don't want to embarrass my team :)

Kristen

It's Been Awhile!!

I feel like I've gotten lost in our summer busyness!!!

First, we took a trip out to AZ for a few days.

Then we came back and it was back and forth from LAX 6 times in two weeks, for Faith and Kylee's best friends from Illinois. (It was totally worth it!!!  We had a blast and I got a visit from my fabulous Jacki to top it off!!)

Next, the girls headed to camp, and when they got back my dad and I took the kids to visit their Great Aunt and Uncle in Portolla Valley and a small jaunt to San Fran.

And here we are.

We attempted to get back to school last week, and somewhat succeeded.  I really wanted to get some of our turn ins under our belts, and we did get some accomplished.

But this week is back to crazy.  Faith is at Disney with the youth group today, tomorrow the girls have shots and check ups, and Wednesday the boys and June bug have shots and check ups. I am sure some school will be accomplished this week, just not sure how much :)


And our biggest news, in the midst of all this we decided to MOVE!!!

When we moved here, we knew we wanted a house with a pool, but it just wasn't in the cards a year ago.  With the approach of the end of our lease we decided to look and see what was available.  We found two ads right off.

The first was not a fit, but the second house was too good to be true.

It is a great house in a GREAT neighborhood, with a pool, 5 bedrooms, and it is about what we are paying for where we are at now!!

We moved quickly, because you have to around here to get a house-with-a-pool rental. 

So, we can officially start moving our stuff over August 15th.  That is a Monday.

Not sure what happened there :)

So, I am going to spend that week moving boxes with the kids and letting them swim in their new pool, and the following weekend we will move the big stuff.

For now I am cleaning, throwing away, packing boxes and reevaluating the boxes that we have not opened in the year we have been here.

Mike loves moving Kristen :)

(sarcastic font anyone?)

Well, got to go, will write tomorrow, because there is more exciting stuff on the horizon, something about me and Mike participating in a 200 mile relay...

Kristen

15??!! You've Got to be Kidding!!

I can't believe my oldest baby girl is 15 today!!

15!!

Absolutely shocking!!

I remember when she was 2, and so fun, a youth pastor told me they would send me their 2 year old to raise, since I thought it was such a fun age. I agreed as long as they would agree to take her through her teen years!

Truth?

I did LOVE her at two and she was so fun, but, I think she is even better now!

She is a fantastic young woman, centered, God focused, loving, compassionate, kind, brilliant, ABSOLUTELY beautiful,funny, the list goes on and on!

I am so blessed to have her in my life!!

Kristen

Rocky Peak Trail

So we decided yesterday that we should do something we have been wanting to do since we moved here-go hiking!

We are surrounded by the gorgeous Santa Monica mountain range, but had not gotten out on the trails yet, until yesterday!

It was a beautiful day, clear blue skies, 75 degrees, and a day off!  Off to the trail we went!

We parked and walked up to the Rocky Peak Trail, and what is the first thing we saw? 

A snake.

Yeah, a snake, just all coiled up in the middle of the trail.

I took a ton of pictures of him, but didn't realize till later, that my camera was set on manual, and I hadn't adjusted it for outside :( 

Anyways, he wasn't a rattler, Mike said he was a king snake, and he appeared to be not feeling so hot. Another guy on the trail got a huge branch and moved him into the brush.

Once I figured out my camera issue, Mike and I did get some great pictures of the kids and the view.

 Love this picture, they look like little ducks :)

Brothers enjoying the view.  

They chose this pose!!

Notice they are up high, I'm not :)

Two beautiful girls

My silly boy.

Beautiful!!  Can't wait to take some winter pictures when everything is GREEN!!!

Exploring a little cave.

I think this is where I decided I really like hiking- on level ground, that is paved, when I'm wearing flip flops :)

I'm Enrolling the Kids in School!!

I knew that would get some attention :)

Too many amazing things have happened in the last 24 hours!

Well, about a week ago I was looking for home school options.  Groups, co-ops, organizations, anything that would assist us in our journey as home school parents.  And as I was looking I ran across an organization that called themselves a home school charter school...

It's called River Oaks and here is their website.

I couldn't comprehend just what it was they were offering, but it really sounded like what we have been looking for, well, forever!

So, Mike and I went to the parent meeting last night, and it was like meeting a long lost relative.  I absolutely loved meeting the director of the school, Resa Steindel Brown, and listening to her speak about the brilliance found in all children was beyond amazing.

One of the original reasons we started home schooling, so long ago, was because we believed that God created our children, all people, special.  That they have been gifted with special abilities and talents.  And I believe that once you discover those talents and focus on them your child will thrive and grow, and there will be no stopping what they can do!  And I could never really wrap my mind around how I could help my kids find their specialness, while they were away from me for so many hours a day.  So we brought them home, and hoped we would be able to help them identify what God had made them for and raise them up in that.

Now of course this school is a public school so they cannot use the name of God, but everything that Resa spoke of last night was exactly what I believe God has charged us with as parents.  He tells us if we raise them up in the way that they have been created that they will not depart from it, and that is exactly the brilliance that Resa is so very passionate about. 

This school is a public school, they offer LOTS of workshops for kids and parents to participate in and the only requirements are: monthly assignment turn ins (to show we are fullfilling state requirements, and those assignments count as our attendance), and state testing (which they call worksheets :).  That's it!!!  We can still use our curriculum.  We don't have to go to the school any number of days, just have to be sure to turn in or assignments once a month.  I am still the kids primary teacher, and can participate in the classes alongside the kids! 

We will have access to teachers who can teach the kids, languages (as well as getting rights to use Rosetta stone at home!), computer programing, science labs, robotics, art, music, and the list goes on and on.

And guess what?  It's a public school so it's all free!!!!

I know, I know it is almost too good to be true.  But then I found out they have very limited enrollment, and almost cried.  We really, really, felt like this is the place for our kids and for us as parents.

Well, I called this morning and I have an appointment to enroll the kids next Tuesday!!! 

I am so excited!  It will be the first time Kylee, Seth, and Joshua have been enrolled in school!

Okay, so that went fantastic, Faith's braces got put on yesterday without too much trauma or drama, AND I went to the dentist and had a great cleaning with out any visible issues!

Woo Hoo!

Kristen

Kinda Deep for a Monday Morning

Two posts in one day? It's like feast or famine on this blog!

Today as I was running, singing, praying, praising (yeah, I'm sure it's a sight to behold, but it's my own personal God time) and I got to thinking about how we, I, praise God.

Until a couple of years ago, I would say I knew how to balance disappointment when I didn't get what I wanted, with still praising God for his greatness, knowledge, power, and goodness.

About 10 years ago, Mike and I went to a Jeremy Camp concert and he told a story about his first wife. How told how much he loved her, how happy they were as a young married couple, and then she was diagnosed with terminal cancer.  He told us about her on her sickest days how she would not be able to move, but would raise her hands in praise to God.

I really wanted that kind of a relationship with God.

And thought I had it.

I mean, things hadn't always gone our way, we had experienced job loss, friend loss, moving away from family, money woes, and in all these things we were able to thank God for what He did provide. This isn't to say we weren't confused by the direction, and His method of accomplishing what needed to happen in our lives, but we didn't doubt His decisions were for our ultimate good.

We praised Him.

Then, we lost our friend Todd.  At that moment, nothing seemed to make sense, especially not God's plans.

And, here, I will share not my proudest moment. As his family stood around his hospital bed, singing, as he took his last breaths, I begged for God to please just do a miracle and let Todd live. And as Todd took his last breathe I told God I would never sing to Him again.  Actually, in my head, I was screaming it.

I was mad.

Understandably so. I know God felt my pain, but in those moments of my greatest sadness, instead of balancing my anger with God's majesty, I lowered my arms and told Him He was not worth my praise.

That is hard to admit, and not one of my finest moments, but it's the truth.

It took about two days for me to realize I was completely wrong, and beg for His forgiveness.

Now, I'm not saying that I shouldn't have been- mad, sad, angry, terrified, frustrated, confused- God understands pain, and can handle our feelings, even at their ugliest.  But there is a difference between being mad, sad, angry, terrified, frustrated, and confused, and telling God He is not worthy.

We are quick to say "Praise God!" and "He is Good!" when our loved one lives, or the house doesn't get foreclosed, or our relationships are good, or you do get the promotion, or you don't lose your job, or the test results are in your favor, but what about when the opposite is true?

Do we still think He is good and praise Him when things aren't going our way?

That is the kind of relationship I want to have with the Creator.

So, I'll keep trying.

Kristen

Charters and Braces

Where did May go?

I can't believe it is almost June!

This week is an exciting week, not only are we finishing up our school year, but faith is getting braces, and I have a meeting with a perspective homeschool charter school for fall!

Faith's braces have been long awaited. Until we moved here, we were told by two prior orthos that her jaw would have to be broken and set when she turns 18. When this new guy told me we could try braces, I almost kissed him! But it is going to be a long process, so pray for her, and me :)

And, the homeschool charter school, I will discuss later in the week, my hopes are up pretty high and I don't want to make it worse if it doesn't work out :)

Kristen

Faithfully Yours

Have you checked out this blog???

If you haven't, go there now and read it!

Go ahead, I'll wait :)

Yeah, my kid is the author of that blog, and let me tell you she BLOWS me away!! I mean I knew she was smart, but she is so wise also. How did she get so wise?

She will be 15 in one month and if I had been HALF as wise then as she is now, man, I think my teen years would have looked a whole lot different!!

Well, I hope you take the time to read her thoughts, and show her some blog love :)

Kristen