Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Ava's Birthday Party

Ava's party was so special. It turned out exactly how I hoped! I had been thinking about and planning it for months so it came together pretty easily. Some friends have asked me about how I did it all. Especially on a budget. Well...the number one tip I have for that is to plan the theme early and get stuff as you go. I knew I wanted a pink cupcake party last year!
Here are a few other ways I kept the quality high but the prices low...
I saw this tutu at Home Goods while shopping with my friend Melissa. She bought it for Ava for Christmas. I found the cupcake rhinestone at Michael's and ironed it on. Perfect cupcake party tutu!


ALL of the paper goods: banner, cupcake toppers, mini boxes, bows for the "Ava game" I made with the help of my friend and Stampin' Up consultant Christina. After spending 6 hours making everything, Christina told me that EVERYTHING was her gift to Ava. How sweet was that?!?!?


 I used hot pink tulle, candy and cupcake serving dishes/candles I picked up at Kohl's for 50% off from Valentine's Day to make the dessert table. I already collect white serving dishes and linens. 



I made all the cupcakes, frosting and cupcake pops myself and that is WAY cheaper (and tastes WAAAAAY better) than buying them.

And one of my favorite decorations were the pom poms. I bought 10 packs of tissue because I wanted a ton of them but it was worth it! They are soooo cute and easy to make once you get the hang of it.


Well, I better get planning on the next birthday party. Only 4 months until Lucas' SpongeBob party! :)

(My older boys' parties are much easier but not as cute. Knox is having a laser tag party next weekend with a few friends and Caleb is having a boys-only party at a local arcade in June. Don't worry-I didn't forget about their birthdays! hahaha!)

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

My grandpa

Today is my Grandpa's 90th birthday. Arthur Cassius Knox. We celebrated with a family party on Sunday. As a gift from the family, my aunt thought it would be nice for us to all write our favorite memories and send her a copy so she could collect them and present them all together in a "memory box". That way family in other states could participate too. I'm SO thankful to be near my grandpa in the twilight of his life and that my kids will get to know a man who is amazing! My cousin Aaron jokes that he's like Forest Gump because of all the things he's done in his life: driven in a Model T Ford when it was new, played in the largest college football game in history (Army vs. Navy), landed a fighter jet on a ship, crashed said jet (which he jokes about), fought in WW 2, played a huge role at NASA helping get the first man on the moon, and has loved our grandma for 65 years!!...just to name a few of his many accomplishments!
But to us grandkids, he is just our grandpa! The best, most awesome, totally loving, special, amazing Grandpa.

Here is what I wrote:

My Favorite Memories with you, Grandpa!


Most of my favorite childhood memories are wrapped up in you and my family. I loved to play in your backyard, eat apricots and watch the pumpkins grow. I loved snuggling up to you as you read me story books. And I still love hearing you tell me how I knew all the words and would never let you skip a page! I remember being so excited when you’d let me play beauty spa and I’d give you a foot soak and foot rub. Grandma used to laugh at how you made us pull your boots and socks off even though they were as big as we were. I thought you were the coolest grandpa ever because you called yourself Grandpa Dog and barked and pretended to eat Alpo. Please tell me you pretended! I thought you were the biggest and strongest man ever and was always amazed at how much food you could eat! You ate your own and then all the grandkids’ leftovers! You didn't get mad at us grandkids often so when you did we knew we were in trouble. Like the time we sold Grandmas decorations for quarters to buy candy or when we would throw underwear out on the roof or say rhymes with your name and a bodily function. You used to give us money to walk up to Thrifty and get ice cream cones and you’d take us swimming in the neighbor’s pool when they weren’t home. Playing “Kick-the-Can" was the best part of every holiday and my boys still ask to hear stories about how Great Grandpa Knox would come out of nowhere to save the day and kick the can. You told fabulous stories with too much modesty and we all loved hearing about your days at college, in the Navy and working for NASA. You were the only one who could teach me anything about Geometry and I loved your big hugs and hearty greetings of “HAPPY BIRTHDAY!” whenever I came over to visit. When I was a crazy teenager you always told me how pretty and smart I was. When I tried on my wedding dress for you and grandma a few weeks before my wedding, you told me that Jesse will always think of how I beautiful I look on my wedding day since “every man does” and grandma whispered to me to try on her wedding dress to make you cry. I loved watching you dance with grandma at your 50th wedding anniversary and couldn’t wait for my own wedding the following week since I knew I was marrying a man just about as wonderful as you! You laughed with joy when I told you I was naming my first born son Knox after your family and you always tell me how great and strong and handsome my boys are. You have left an amazing legacy for all of us to follow and I’m privileged to be your first (and favorite! Kidding!) grandchild. I love you and Happy 90th Birthday!

Me, my 3 boys and my grandpa at his 90th birthday:


Monday, April 26, 2010

It's Just Another Manic Monday...

....Well, week actually!


This weekend was beautiful. Celebrating my one and only daughter's 1st birthday and my one and only living Grandpa's 90th birthday! (His bday tribute is tomorrow on his actual birthday)

Left my house at 6am yesterday to go to the OC and got home at 9pm last night! After being woken up at 5:30am by a crying Ava, I was up at 6:30am and got my big boys off to school by 7:20am this morning and then got completely overwhelmed by my house, my toddlers, my week ahead and my weekend so Jesse sent me to the gym and de-decorated the yard. Best hubby award!!! After an hour of cardio (lap swimming is H-A-R-D and awesome. I'm in love) I came home to hungry babies, a messy house, a houseful of people coming over at 6pm BUT renewed energy to do it all. Isn't it crazy how exercise GIVES you energy? What a blessing.

I tackled emails/facebook (it's necessary. really)/Lucas' birthday party planning (and maybe a little bit of Ava's 2nd party. Don't judge me!)/lunches/laundry/blog/shower/babies down for naps-and it's only noon!

Now I just need to clean/shop/cook/help kids with homework/be a hostess to our Monday night group of FIVE families/watch 24/cuddle with my man/sleep.

And that's just today!

Tuesday= 2 families over for dinner to discuss church plant stuff!
Wednesday=Torrey Pines hike with my new BFF! And Happy Hour margaritas after!
Thursday=MC with the 35ish people I really love and don't even mind that they make my floors really dirty! hahaha! ;) (I don't know if any of them read this, actually, but they know my humor!)
Friday-Monday=Pismo Beach vaca for my parent's anniversary! House on the beach, Jacuzzi on the deck, laughs and memories! Can't wait!!!!

So, yeah...it's just another Manic Monday but I'm soooo blessed to be busy with the people I love.

Friday, April 23, 2010

Happy Birthday, Sweet Ava Girl

One year ago, I kissed these cheeks for the 1st time............


I love my daughter and celebrate her life today. She is the sweetest, happiest baby girl ever! Such a mommy's girl, one of the joys of my life is watching her face light up when she sees me. When we get her in the morning, she jumps and flips around on her crib, cooing and screaming with delight. It's such a sweet, funny thing that everyone in the family runs to get her up to be the first one there and see her freak out with excitement! Her precious girliness has completed our family and dressing her is one of the highlights of my day! I love her squishy cheeks, the way she crinkles her nose when she is happy, her crazy, curly, poufy mohawk, her big, happy eyes and the way she kisses with her forehead. I love when she snuggles her head on my shoulder when she’s tired and claps her hands when she’s excited or widens her big eyes and grips my neck when she’s startled. I love listening to her sing and watch as she bops her head to the music. I love watching her zoom around when she crawls fast or tentatively walk along the couch. I love how surprised she is when I yell, “peek-a-boo” every time and how she giggles with happiness when you put food on her tray. We all love her so much and it’s only matched by how much she loves us. She is a blessing. I am so thankful for the privilege of being her mommy for the past year and look forward to many, many more!

“I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him.” ~1 Samuel 1:27



Thursday, April 22, 2010

Trader Joe's Thursdays

A quick word about butter.
I add a tablespoon of butter to my pan chicken and some veggies I sauté because it tastes better and browns nicer. I don't think it's that big of a deal when split between 6 people. BUT if you are dairy free or anti-butter, leave it out.

My New Favorite Rice!
This takes about 15 minutes to make. Add any other veggies you want. This is what I had on hand.

TJ's frozen organic brown rice (comes in a box of 3 pouches)
1 zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into chunks
3 leeks, sliced (just the whites)
1 pack of sliced mushrooms
3 TJ's frozen garlic cubes
olive oil
butter
soy sauce (leave out to make this gluten free. Tastes just as good!)
ginger
~Cook the rice according to directions, set aside. In a large pan, sauté the leeks in zucchini in olive oil until brown and tender-about 6 minutes. Set aside. Sautee the mushrooms in butter and garlic in a separate pan until tender-about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and rice to leeks and zucchini. Add a couple dashes of soy sauce and shake on the ginger. Stir together. Serve.

I made this rice last night with:
Simple Pan Chicken-Asian style

2-4 chicken breasts, cut in half lengthwise to make thinner
olive oil
butter
orange juice
soy sauce
~Sautee the chicken in olive oil until almost done. Add a little orange juice and a dash of soy sauce, cover and cook about 2-4 minutes. (I do this to ensure it's cooked because I'm freaked out about raw poultry) Remove lid so liquid can evaporate. Add a tablespoon of butter to pan and flip chicken to coat. Let chicken brown (about 1 minute in the butter) and remove and serve.



Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Pin-the Bow-on Ava

My squirmy, busy baby wouldn't sit still for me to take pictures of her for her party game. Think I got a cute one though:



Now I'm off to crop/edit it, enlarge it poster size, mount it and get the game all ready.
Oh, I got the cutest prizes-HUGE cupcake lolipops! :)

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Community=love and sacrifice

On Friday afternoon, the son of a dear family in our M.C. ran away from his boarding school a few hours north of Sacramento, CA. When he wasn't found by Saturday, his dad flew up on the 1st flight Sunday morning. After getting the run-around from police and a group of sketchy people who were hiding him, he asked for help on Monday afternoon. Jesse and two other men in our MC (and 2 other men from his last church and one co-worker too) dropped EVERYTHING, boarded a flight within hours and hit the ground running.


His son was found safe and sound this afternoon. And he was embraced not only by his dad's loving arms, but by 6 other men who he knew loved him and were doing anything to find him.
Community is a blessing. When Jesse got the call, it meant putting off some work things that really "couldn't" be moved. It was a one-way ticket and we didn't know how long he'd be gone. We didn't know what to expect trying to extract this boy from the riff raff he'd hooked up with. But Jesse and I knew that if it was OUR son, we'd do anything, go anywhere, nothing else would be as important as finding our son. And we are endeavoring to love and live with our community as if they were our family. So we did what we'd do if it was our son.

Do you live in community? Does anyone love you and your family like that? Do YOU love anyone like that?

John 15:12-13 “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”

John 13:35 “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

Monday, April 19, 2010

Ease Out

So I didn't eat for seven days and today I can. Sort of. I get OJ and broth. But I'm going to sneak in a corn tortilla or two probably if I feel good by dinner time. I felt really good yesterday-great energy. I have slept really well all week and woke up not tired at all. AND I lost 10 lbs! :) My cravings have really changed. I seriously only want healthy food. Sugar isn't even appealing to me and the OJ is kind of gross. What a blessing!

But it was sooo hard. Most people who start don't finish and I'm proud that I was able to finish my 7th day strong and not have cheated even one time!! Not even ONE tiny little bite of food!

And I'm so thankful for my hot hubby who handled almost every dinner while I cleansed. I couldn't have done it without his support!

Ok, time for that delicious broth.... ;)

But I really wish it was this:

I am craving a veggie sandwich!!!!!!!!!!!
Tomorrow for sure!

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Day 7

Well, I haven't eaten food since LAST Sunday night. Some of the things on this cleanse are kind of gross so I won't talk about it but I can definitely tell it is working! :) You are supposed to go for 10 days but I don't have time to go for 10 days AND do the ease out time before Ava's birthday party so I'm going 7 days and then taking a couple days to "ease out". I was planning on just going straight for 10 days until I heard horror stories about not easiing out. I have heard to cleanse until your tongue is pink again and mine is already changing back. (Toxins come out on your tongue. It's gross. Google it) So, tomorrow I can have orange juice and veggie broth. After that, I can have whole fruits and veggies, followed by starches. I can't wait to have a sandwich!!!

I am also going to give up dairy for 3 weeks to see if that helps my stomach problems. After reading about the cleanse, I learned how hard it is on your body to digest meat and dairy. I mainly eat lean meat like turkey, chicken, or tuna and those things really don't bother me but full-fat dairy usually does.
And I'm not going to eat anything fried either. Although I might make an exception for chips and guacomole at Ava's party! ;)

Looking forward to a healthier me! And SO proud of the will power and strength God gave me these past seven days! Amazing grace!

Try the cleanse. You'll hate it. But totally love it too!

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Happy Saturday

This is what my Saturday looks like:

Well, this was for my boys. I get laxative tea and lemonade. :)


Mommy-Son Movie Time:



Family Time at Del Mar Beach:



Sauna time to detox:



Happy Saturday!

Friday, April 16, 2010

Day 5

So I have been cleansing since Sunday night. I've been drinking my "lemonade' and nothing else. And while I've had some great times with God and have learned some greast spiritual truths...I'm too hungry to articulate them! :)

So, how about another sneak peek of Ava's birthday party.

Here is the pinata I got:
Pink Rice Krispie Treats for favors (not sure if I'm going to do "pops" or cupcakes or simple squares but now I think these ice cream cones are adorable too...):


And I'm having a picture of Ava with a big cupcake bow made into a poster so we can play "Pin-the-Bow-On-Ava"! :)

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Trader Joe's Thursdays

Okay, this is from TJ's AND Costo.

Thai Salad
1 bag of broccoli slaw from TJ's
1 pack of shredded carrots from TJ's
1 package of Just Chicken from TJ's
1 English cucumber from Tj's, chopped
1 bag of bean sprouts
1 bunch of green onions, chopped
1 bunch of cilantro, chopped
some lime wedges
*1 bottle of Thai Peanut marinade from Costco

~Toss the chicken in some marinade, set aside. Combine all veggies and toss with the cilantro and squeeze the limes on to taste. Then add in the chicken and toss together. Yum.
Oh, you can heat the chicken if you like a warm salad. These veggies are hearty and won't wilt.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Be thankful

I'm hungry. I've been hungry for days. The people who say they don't feel hungry on the cleanse are liars. Kidding. (sort of) Maybe it is because I haven't been drinking enough of the lemonade though. But it's gross!
So...why do it? Because, I needed some time to reflect on my relationship with food. I'm overweight and have struggled to lose weight after my 1st pregnancy-nearly 10 years ago. I know my Thyroid disease doesn't help and there are tons of excuses but one thing I'm aware of is my relationship with food has become something other than what God intended it to be. SOO many times after eating I would feel guilty. Not thankful. Doing this cleanse is teaching me things and that fact has really struck me. That I'm not thankful for my food. Millions of people in the world are feeling hunger pangs right now too. Because they don't have any food to eat. I have a kitchen FULL of food and I'm not eating it by choice. Crazy. Those people would be disgusted. Tonight, Knox said, "Mom, if you're hungry, please EAT! There is such good food here!" But
I'm praying for a new outlook and wisdom on how best to feed myself and my family. And one thing I need to start with is to be truly thankful! And if I'm not thankful for what I'm eating, maybe I shouldn't be eating it!
And in a few more days, I will be very thankful to eat this:


Mmmm...turkey sandwich and salad. I'll be at Sprouts on Tuesday ordering that! And I will be thankful!

Ava's birthday plans

Want a sneak peek of my daughter's 1st birthday treats? It's a cupcake party so besides real cupcakes,  I'm making these darling cupcake pops: How precious are those?


Learn how to make them here

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Easter Dresses

Every year, I would look at all the cute Easter dresses and hope that one day I could buy a pretty, little Easter dress for my own pretty little daughter. I know they have cute little Easter suits and ties for boys but...that's not really how Jesse rolls. Well, last year Ava was about one week old so she didn't wear a pretty, little dress. But I bought her one anyway-for this year. I loved it when I saw it and especially fell in love with the pink bloomers that matched. And then a couple weeks ago, I fell in love with another sweet dress at Macy's. I bought it for her to wear on Easter Saturday to the big Easter Egg Hunt! This year was such an amazing blessing, getting to dress her in not one, but TWO fabulous little dresses.

Easter Egg Hunt Dress



Easter Sunday Dress


Can't wait for next year's dress(es)!

Monday, April 12, 2010

Spring Break= Blog Break

Ok, I didn't blog at all this past week. The boys were off of school for Spring Break and we were going 110% of the time. Spring Break for them really meant a mini vaca for our whole family. Good Friday service, Community Easter Egg hunt on Saturday followed by a park afternoon with friends, Easter Sunday and an overnight at my parent's house (late night Karaoke w/ my sis got a little crazy. hahaha! Good times), All day beach day with the Leib's in Corona Del Mar, hosting the neighbors over for the NCAA game and dinner, family beach day, SeaWorld with friends where we spent a good hour shooting people with water cannons and yelling "You're Welcome!" and "Sorry Gramma!", Del Mar beach day play date (my 1st time taking all 4 kids to the beach by myself. Thankful for good friends who made it so easy), Date night with Jesse at an Acts29 Luau with fabulous friends and "Tropical Angie's", celebrating my mom's birthday at Seaport Village for a day of street performers (hilarious) and a great dinner overlooking the bay, Church and Felicita Park for dinner with friends.
So, yeah. I didn't have time to blog but it was one of the best weeks ever! Except for the part where I gained four pounds so... time to cleanse!!!


It's Master Cleanse Time. I only made it four days last time. Hoping to complete the 10 day cleanse this time around and grow in my self-control and willpower! Wanna cleanse too? It's simple!
laxative tea or salt water flush in the morning
then LEMONADE all day (6-12 servings)
and laxative tea at night
for 7 days.
Simple but not easy...Who's in?

Friday, April 2, 2010

Good Friday

John 19

1Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. 2The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe 3and went up to him again and again, saying, "Hail, king of the Jews!" And they struck him in the face.
4Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews, "Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him." 5When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, "Here is the man!"
6As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw him, they shouted, "Crucify! Crucify!"
But Pilate answered, "You take him and crucify him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against him."
7The Jews insisted, "We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God."
8When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid, 9and he went back inside the palace. "Where do you come from?" he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. 10"Do you refuse to speak to me?" Pilate said. "Don't you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?"
11Jesus answered, "You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin."
12From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jews kept shouting, "If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar."
13When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judge's seat at a place known as the Stone Pavement (which in Aramaic is Gabbatha). 14It was the day of Preparation of Passover Week, about the sixth hour. "Here is your king," Pilate said to the Jews.
15But they shouted, "Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!"
"Shall I crucify your king?" Pilate asked. "We have no king but Caesar," the chief priests answered.

16Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified
So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. 17Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). 18Here they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle.
19Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. 20Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. 21The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, "Do not write 'The King of the Jews,' but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews."22Pilate answered, "What I have written, I have written."

23When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom.
24"Let's not tear it," they said to one another. "Let's decide by lot who will get it."
This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled which said, "They divided my garments among them
and cast lots for my clothing."So this is what the soldiers did.

25Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son," 27and to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

28Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, "I am thirsty." 29A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus' lips. 30When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

31Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jews did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down. 32The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. 33But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus' side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. 35The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe. 36These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: "Not one of his bones will be broken," 37and, as another scripture says, "They will look on the one they have pierced."

38Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jews. With Pilate's permission, he came and took the body away. 39He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds.[d] 40Taking Jesus' body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. 41At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. 42Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.

Thursday, April 1, 2010

Trader Joe's Thursdays

First, I want to wish my favorite sister-in-law, Sierra Pocza, a happy, happy birthday!!! Love and miss you!

So, today is a little different...
It's Trader Joe's Thursday, the Ava edition!
A couple weeks I was drawing blanks as to fun, finger food for my little cupcake. She will barely let me feed her right now. She is in love with feeding herself! So, here are some things I've found that work out great...from Trader Joe's! Maybe you can get a new idea or two. And share yours with me!

Breakfast:
frozen wild blueberries (thaw a little first. Warning: very messy)
bananas
Organic cereal bars, cut into tiny squares
TJ's Cherrios
scrambled eggs
yogurt. Ok, have you had their "cream" yogurts? SO good! (I add jarred baby fruit w/ tuna oil for added nutrition)

Lunch:
Peanut butter sandwich, cut into tiny squares
Organic peanut butter cracker sandwiches, broken in half
avocado, chopped up tiny
Apple sauce (I dump in a jar of veggies with tuna oil baby food to this)
grapes, quartered
pears or apples or strawberries or cuties, chopped small. She's a fruit addict like her brothers!
And her favorite thing: Pirate Booty!!! But I break each piece in half

Dinner: Usually her smallest meal of the day. She eats a huge breakfast but drinks 10-12 oz. of formula at night.
pasta (topped with veggie baby food with tuna oil)
cheddar cheese, cut tiny
frozen peas, thawed a little
corn kernels
steamed broccoli or carrots, cut small

*I haven't started her on meat yet*