Fun day outside

One of the big reasons we live in the south is for the weather. And it's days like today that remind me of that fact. Here's a couple pictures of our day today - we had a relaxing morning (we went to church last night - Perimeter has communion services on Saturday nights - awesome night of worship!), brunch together, then we went off to the park, home for a late lunch and nap, spent time playing in the front yard and went for a walk in the neighborhood. Overall, a great day for everyone! Here's E. sprinting up the hill with the kids in my beloved Peg Perego Aria twin stroller (love it!). Okay, looking back, in that sentence perhaps I should have chosen the word "beloved" to describe something other than the stroller - maybe my kids... or my husband... or all them... But I guess that's self explanatory. I still love my stroller though. If anyone out there is looking for a stroller of any type, check out Baby Gaga for awesome stroller reviews.

Gone crazy

After 2 weeks of upheaval, toxic mold, road-trippin' and all sorts of Big Life Decision craziness, I went a little crazy. What's a girl to do when the ground beneath her is shifting and she has no control over anything? Well, I have plenty control over my hair. So not only did I go a bit shorter than usual, I DYED it for the first time ever! That's right - never once have I dyed my hair. But today, I went crazy! I don't think the picture gives a true idea of how crazy I went. But I have naturally auburn hair. They bleached some, put in blonde streaks, and bright copper highlighty things. It's AWESOME!

As a disclaimer, here's my true belief about dyeing hair... I'm against it in principle for so many reasons. First off, God created me, He created my hair, and no cosmetologist can beat that. ..."For I am fearfully and wonderfully made." 'nuff said. Secondly, being good stewards of the earth He created, i think we have a duty to take care of the environment, and the bleach I was smellin' and the chemicals I was feelin' when I was under that dryer were definitely not good for my health or the health of the planet. I do feel totally chemically processed now. Thirdly (and most egotistically), I like being able to tell people that actually, this is my natural color when they ask what bottle it came from (as a redhead, a lot of people ask).

But shazzaam! I look good! And I feel good and have loads of confidence, and that's even cooler. It was way better than retail therapy. Of course, if I'd settled for retail therapy I'd have a pair of shoes or jeans or a skirt or something that would last me for a few years. And I'd have gotten it on sale - because that's what I do. In fact, I'd have gotten all 3 of those things for what I paid for this. As it is, I have a hairdo that will only last me a few weeks and cost a small fortune. I could probably buy and feed an impoverished village for what I just spent on my dye job. And that means I basically wasted lots of cash that could have been better spent on something much more lasting and worthwhile. So in the end, this was a one-time thing for me that I won't indulge in again. But let me say one more time, shazzaam!

Peaceful baby! Funny thing is, he sleeps in the same position Sofia did!

Almost new year!!!

Tomorrow is New Year's Eve, and I think I'll be a bit of a dud this year. Bad cold, feverish, sleeping all day... I don't think i'll be able to muster the strength to stay up all night. Hope my dear hubby doesn't mind. (Sorry, babe, just can't do it this year...)

So that leads us to New Years revolutions. No, resolutions. Sorry - really tired right now. So I think the first is to know the Bible better, and that means taking the time to read it more. Time is a precious commodity in my life, so prioritizing Bible reading will be a tough one, but that's why I put it first. Also, I want to make a list of family rules. My friend Kristin has these posted on her fridge for her family, and with 4 nearly teenage boys, they actually come in really handy for her. They're things like Respect each other and each other's property, Be quick to forgive, etc. They're all backed up with scripture, and they define the tone of the family. I like that. My kids are a bit too young to understand that right now, but that's when it's best to start - the earlier the better, right?

Resolution #3 is a bit more me-focused. Exercise more. That's an open-ended one on purpose. I know that if I decide to walk for 30 minutes three times a week, the first time I fail I'll give up completely. But this way, I can play ball with Sofia, run after Liam, or dance to the Doodlebops - and it all counts! I've already signed up f0r a *free* Dancercize class with my health insurance company (I love Kaiser!).

Resolution #4 is to start my own company (and make a profit in 2007). I'm well on my way to being the mompreneur I've been dreaming of! The business plan is drafted, the P&L statement is done, 12 month sales prospective is done... I just need to take it to the SBA for advice and then to a bank to get my loan! (I'd tell you what I'm doing, but I'm afraid you'll steal my idea... Stay tuned. This is a good one!)

And to end, here's a couple pictures of my little ones.

Little man Liam is desperate to walk!

And Sofi has entered a new age: doing everything by herself, being adventurous outside, and suddenly affectionate towards her brother! (She's no longer afraid!!!!!)

More on NightLight (and the kids)

Ambata had their very first sale of NightLight jewelry! It wasn't from Perimeter Church, so it must have been one of Ambata's regulars. We're hoping to get a nice launch here at Perimeter, with full color fliers and events and all, but until then we'll just have a gradual trickle of orders I suppose. But still, one order is better than no orders.

Sofia had her first 'performance' today - the 2 year olds at her preschool did a little choir performance. They sang "We wish you a merry Christmas," "Jingle jingle happy bells," and a couple others. Sofia did great - no tears (lots of the kids cried), she sang the songs, did the hand movements, sat still in her seat... She was brilliant! (except for the little nose picking incident...) I was proud. You should have seen the auditorium though - I think there were more cameras there than at a presidential press conference! It was fun. Here she is last night - hamming it up for the camera.

And Liam turns 2 tomorrow - I'll update on Thursday with his new weight and height. I don't think he'll have any idea what's going for his birthday. We'll have cupcakes and candles, and a few presents, but I think it'll be a bigger day for Sofia than for Liam! I'm a bit worried that she won't understand why Liam is getting presents and she's not, especially with the Christmas tree up and a few presents underneath... Maybe we can distract her with cake.

And here's the whole gang at Kennedy Space Center

 

 

Parallel Play

They're starting to play together and entertain each other! Success!


Check out my green hat - my very first crochet project!

Here are the kids at the pumpkin patch, edited with Picasa. We tried to get a picture of Sofia kissing Liam's head, but she was pretty quick - she'd kiss and run!

Dilemma

I have a terrible dilemma. I've been slighted by someone in a position of power above someone I care deeply about. I want to act like a toddler, beat my fists against a wall, and ensure this person knows how angry I am. But that would be immature, and counter-productive. The better idea would be to take on a southern-belle-etiquette-slash- sarcastic-with-a-smile attitude (think Emily Gilmore from the gilmore girls). Unfortunately, that's never been my style. And if I try it, will I fall flat on my face? Maybe I should just get over it and move on. I suppose that would be the mature thing to do. But can't I accidentally slip laxatives into his gin or something? And then throw a toddler-style fit.

Now, moving on... I'm a big girl and I have no need for grudges. Anyhow, Liam had his first hair cut - isn't he cute?! At least now people won't laugh at him so much.