Big News

No, I'm not pregnant. But we have finally moved off our amazing mountain back down to the flat lands. It really was inevitable. Steve and I were talking the other day and were saying how frivolous we have been over the years with our driving up and down the mountain sometimes 4-5 times a week- That is so many hours and gallons of gas. Now I think, man the mountain is so far away, when only 3 weeks ago I thought it was no big deal. Steve is LOVING the fact that Del Taco is right around the corner and we have celebrated a few times :)

My favorite part of being down the hill is being so close to my bestest friends. With this brings many super fun, pee my pants moments. Here was the highlight of my week

*On Wednesday my friend Kristy and I went to Costco to pick up a few things. While there Kristy tried to convince one of her students from 3 years ago was actually someone she graduated with from high school over 10 years ago- too much! Okay maybe not so funny, but I almost peed my pants through the whole ordeal.

Karen Kingsbury News

So as many of you know I am a bit of a book dork, although I don't get a chance to read as much as I did before Sammy. My all time fav author is Karen Kingsbury. Here is an update on some of her new books for those who love her like I do:

More Baxters? Karen’s Big News!

Since the release of Sunset – the last book about the Baxter family – I’ve been deluged by letters asking me whether I’d ever write about these characters again, and whether I would at least consider writing more about Bailey Flanigan and Cody Coleman. I’ve kept you in suspense long enough. My brand new blockbuster series begins March 9 with Above the Line - Take One. And yes, it is set in Bloomington, Indiana. This series is about two producers who want to change the world with the power of film, but who must be careful not to lose themselves in the process. One of the producers has a daughter – Andi Ellison – who rooms with Bailey Flanigan on the campus of Indiana University. Bailey, Cody, Tim Reed, and Andi will be a major part of this new series. And the Baxters? I can promise you they are in scenes throughout the first book. Andi’s parents live in LA, so the Baxters will serve as her “second family”. In book one, there is even a tender dinner scene with the producers and everyone in the Baxter family gathered at the old Baxter house. So yes, the Baxters serve as background characters in this series, but for those of us who know and love them they will live on at least through the next four books.

Every Now and Then Releases

Because I feel so strongly about the importance of Veteran’s Day, today marks the release for the third and final book in my 9-11 series. Every Now and Then brings back our favorite characters from One Tuesday Morning and Beyond Tuesday Morning, but it features a new character – Alex Brady, a young K9 police officer whose father was killed in the 9/11 collapse of the Twin Towers. Alex is driven to rid Los Angeles of the heartache caused by crime, but first he must learn to deal with his own.

LOVE IT!!!!

Our Big Boy

Sammy truly is growing so much each day. I look at the picture that flash on the computer screen and can hardly remember the days when I though he would be crawling down the aisle for his wedding because he'd never walk- boy was I wrong. Last night as I was giving him a bath he look at me and started counting 1..2..3..um...4! He is also getting his own little preference. He only likes to dry his hands on the blue towel and he doesn't want apple juice much only good juice (naked orange juice). I think we might start itching him some more sign language. When he was a baby we taught him the basic milk, more, cracker, but lately when he talks he has been trying to move his finger to correspond to his words. I am not sure if it's because we have a friend who is deaf and we have seen them quite a few times in the past month or so, or if he is just remembering it from his baby days. I am very excited about it, I am hoping that Steve and I can learn a bit also to really encourage Sammy to keep up with it.

One more thing while I'm on the subject of Sammy getting so independent. We always crack up and I have to say dread a bit when we pick Sammy up from Sunday school. This morning was definitely not an exception. Everyone at our church has such a deep love for us and Sammy, it's just great, and even more great that they can just crack up when today he moved a jacket and diaper bag off a chair that was right next to the snack shelf, climbed up, grab the giganto container of cookies, brought them down onto the chair, UNSCREWED the lid and chowed down! I was just mortified when they told me. My boy loves to eat what can I say? They also had said that he refused to drink out of his sippy cup and wanted a big boy cup. He did very well and only spilled once which he got paper towels for and cleaned all by himself. So BIG!

It snowed a bit this am and there was still a little on the deck when we got home. Sammy and Amos were playing and Sammy feel and wanted to come inside. He kept saying he was so coldie coldie so I gave him a cup of hot chocolate in a mug. He just loved it. He looked up at me and said umm good coffee mom! A boy after my own heart.

Steve's New Ink

Steve is turning 28 in a couple of days and for his birthday I surprised him with a much longed for wedding ring tat'd. Steve has always wanted a ring tat'd, but last winter he lost his wedding ring and that kinda sealed the deal. This was the first time in I have no idea how long that I have been able to surprise him. Happy Birthday Honey!

The prep work...

Steve said that it didn't hurt as bad as he thought it would, although it hurt pretty bad around the knuckle area- He had to stop and take a couple of deep breathes because he was super dizzy.

Finished product. The picture didn't turn out very well, but it's a cross with forever faithful in Hebrew in the middle with splashes of blue shining out from the sides.

Fall is here

Well it has actually been for awhile I know, but it hasn't felt like it till last night. Steve piled up some leaves for us to play in till we froze to death.

Sorry it's so blurry

Rembrance of last year:

We were talking to our next door neighbors yesterday about not remembering having so many leaves last year and we were all quickly reminded that we don't remember because none of us were here for it. It's hard to think that last year our mountain was in such a state of desperation and much hopelessness. A year later most have forgotten the devastation of the fire. I even sometimes forget it. Most of the little green bushes have grown back and the snow washed away all of the black. Most of the people that we knew who lost their homes have bought a new house or have started to rebuild, most of the rebuilding won't be done till next year. I have learned so much from friends who have lost their homes. They are all so strong and have grown closer as a family though it- funny how tragedies do that. My friend Brita was one who lost her house. She wrote this the other day and I was very blessed by her heart.

one year and the growth that comes with it
One year ago today the house burnt down. It is so weird to think a year has past since our family's life was turned upside down. A few things I have learned from this trial is our family has a great strength based on our Heavenly Father. Also I have a new faith in the Lord, when everything you had and loved is gone you realize what is important in life. The Lord never left us but instead taught me to be humble and trusting He is in control. Friendships, and family is so important, everything else is just stuff. Now we are blessed as our house is in the process of being rebuilt.

Across the street from the camp (actually the property we want to buy!)

Right across from our grass, you can compare with this years pics above.

Pumpkin Carving

Thursday we decided it was time to break into our pumpkins to get out all of those yummy seeds. He was so excited to have a big pumpkin, the one he got from the pumpkin patch was teensy.

Okay who gave him the Sharpie again? (You can still see the remnants of his zebra stripes)

Steve is definitely the artist in our family

Not sure what to think of the insides

My sorry excuse for a Mickey pumpkin

Steve was the spiritual one- good job!
Sammy has a new fascination with pirates-argh!

Don't worry, we didn't leave them lit outside. We didn't want to be the cause of the next big fire.

Zebra Boy

Tuesday morning I had to send out an email super fast so I sat down at the computer to find a link to something to send it to my sister in law Melissa. While I was at the computer, Sammy had found a Sharpie marker that had accidentally found it's way in to the tray of his easel and proceeded to draw ALL over his legs and even decided to throw a few stripes on the couch. UGH! The neatest thing is that he had colored on his right hand so i think we have a left-handed little boy. We called Daddy home and upon Steve asking why he did it Sammy replied "Zebra!". My goodness he is too cute. So that night Daddy scrubbed his legs to try to get it off, it worked for the most part but I think we will have grey stripes for awhile.