Monday Monday

Today they painted. They love to paint. I love how excited they get when they paint.

homemade purple

There's always an element of risk involved when I pull out the paint...

Samantha might decide the color red looks like the perfect afternoon snack.

The kids bathroom might end up looking like a crime scene.

 And then of course there's the innate desire to display all of their creations all over the house.

It's all worth it though to see their little brains at work creating. After everyone was cleaned up and they had had dinner, they did something else I love watching. They played house. Tonight Juliana was the mom, not the cat or household butterfly like in times past (seriously she runs around with a straw in her mouth because they suck nectar with their tongues while flailing her arms like wings). When she's the mom she always puts on a pair of my shoes.

If you're interested in a lengthy story, ask her what happened to her knee 

Trent was promoted to the dad role tonight...quite the upgrade from the family triceratop that he was last time. Sammy as always was the baby sister. Tonight they tried leaving her with a babysitter, but she kept escaping.

So they called it a night and decided to go home.

Please note the "daddy" shoes, love.

One of my greatest joys is not only watching them play together, but watching their imaginations soar. I  love that they play uninhibited. Still untainted by the world's criticism they are free to play house as a butterfly sister and triceratop brother or emulate mom and dad. In today's world innocence has a minimal shelf life for most children, my prayer is that I can preserve my children's for as long as possible.

Lastly, Uncle Mark might need to consider coaching girls, the baby sister already gets it.

True Dat!!

Happy Monday! Per the request of a few of you...

Smiling Lisa in her new glasses

Now that we've gotten that out of the way let's chat. I ended last week excited about my date night with the Honey. We had a great time. Indigo Grill is delicious and I highly recommend it. The only hitch was that Drake's flight was running late, but the Coaster was not. I had to wait at the train station for a bit...the train station after dark is a bit creepy...I tried to blend, look like I belonged, but I'm a North County girl...not sure I was successful at the blending...

I blend right?

Nevertheless I made it out. What can I say? I'm a survivor. We toasted to him making it home and my bravery at the train station.

After dining on an assortment of amazingness including coconut creme' brulee, we were ready to start our 80 degree weekend, kid style. Beginning with family breakfast.

Remember I took the Coaster? My car was still at the Coaster station. Remember it was 80 degrees? I had the brilliant idea of running an extra long route to go pick up my car. Eight and half miles folks. It's been a while since I've made this kind of trek and I wanted to show myself I could still do it. In the middle of the day. When it's 80 degrees. Somewhere between miles 5 and 6 I was wondering "what the bleep was I thinking?" (as I'm sure you are), but then I got here.

The breeze picked up and the sight of all the other Carlsbad residents enjoying our beautiful weather was invigorating. I did make it to my car, remember I'm a survivor.

The rest of our afternoon was spent roaming the Farmer's Market and walking the beach. Who can stay indoors when it's so beautiful outside?

Sampling the kettle corn, her favorite!

We feasted on our fresh bounty for dinner Saturday night and agreed we should eat like this every night...

Until Sunday when my mom made fried chicken for my Dad's birthday. Yummy.

Per usual food was good, conversation was rich, and my dad's coconut lemon cake was baked to perfection.

Trent was the official candle blower this year. What's a little spit amongst family?

Next weekend we'll be changing our pace and climate a bit. We're headed to Seattle. Looking to swap  sunshine for drizzle and our quaint little Farmer's Market for Pike's Place. Juliana will get to have her first cousins sleepover and we will get to break bread with family we don't get to see enough. Let's not forget first plane ride as a family of five (thank you Jesus my mom is coming with us). Should be fun!!

For now though...

True dat!

Love your Neighbor

If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself,"

you are doing right~ James 2:8

My mind is buzzing right now. So many things I would love to write about and yet I can't seem to organize my thoughts. Studying the book of James is rocking my world. Not only do some (a lot) of his words hit me straight between the eyes, I've become all too aware of some "cleaning up" that needs to take place in my life. Am I quick to listen to others?? Or am I just waiting for them to pause so that I can interject my superior words of wisdom (insert sarcasm)? What about anger? Am I slow to become angry? Or do I feel my blood start to boil every time I hear the kids fighting or whining? Do I truly look to fulfill the needs of others, to love them just as much as I love myself? Hmmmm...doubtful. How can I truly pursue an intimate relationship with Christ if I don't cast aside my own sin and prejudice and see others the way that He sees them? Hmmm...again mind buzzing.

In an attempt to reel in my thoughts, I'm focusing in on the concept of loving my neighbors, being quick to listen to them, slow to become angry toward them, not favoring one over the other and examining their need and interests more closely than my own. Who are my closest neighbors?? Well, there's my "neighbor" who sleeps next to me and a few little pint sized "neighbors" who live across the hall. I've have spent this week actively pursing the instruction that James gives us on my family.

I can do all the Bible studies in the world, I can put my best foot forward on this blog and my happiest face on to others, but there's accountability in my children's memories. Will they remember that I love their Daddy? Will they remember me being patient? Will they remember me being kind, gentle, honest, slow to anger? Am I more interested in their interests than my own? I have been praying this whole week that the Holy Spirit would intercede for me and that my family would see the love of Christ in me.

I'm sure you've all heard the saying "children spell love T.I.M.E." I was intentional about that this week. Yes, I stay home with them and we are together all the time. However, when Juliana asks me to watch her make a snowflake, does my irritation show at having stop what I'm doing? Do I simply tell her I'll watch later? Or do I joyfully put down the dish towel, sit down next to her and not only delight in her new skill, but delight that she wants to show me? Same scenario, but now it's Trent wanting me watch him do a puzzle. I know that order in the home is important and it's equally important for them to see me being a good steward of what the Lord has blessed us with, but is the emphasis on a clean home or is it on showing them love? Meeting them where they're at...

Let me tell you, the Holy Spirit is refining me. Through the gentle discipline of my loving Father, I have been blessed immensely this week. Obedience in this one area has brought about some remarkable changes in my heart, Glory to God!!

Part 2: Our week at a glance

Home from school recovering from the stomach flu, an official jammie day for everyone

yeah, she climbs

post pre-school snooze, precious

coffee cake muffins, substitute regular milk with vanilla coconut milk, delicious.

new aviators, Sarah says they work for me. Second opinions?

cutest cheerleader at Uncle Mark's game...they won!

picking flowers for mommy and throwing money in the fountain

escape artist

Unseasonably warm weather brought about some unexpected backyard fun.

warm weather = bathing suits and popsicles

she built a "water park" for everyone

:-)

Lastly, my Honey returns home tomorrow and we have a date. I'm taking the Coaster down to meet him. Can't wait to spritz my wrists, swipe on some gloss and show him some love (T.I.M.E.)

Now that I've pretty much bore my soul to you, I don't know that I'll be back for confessions tomorrow, but here's a silly one just for kicks...

I was home by myself this week with the kids which means I can't run out (or have Drake run out) if I get a hankering for something. Well, Mama was craving some sugar. I found some lemon frosting tucked away in the fridge and lathered it on a piece of bread, it's the same concept as cake right? Also, I ate not just one, but three pieces.

Please feel free to share anything on your heart or mind...have a good night all!