Craft Swap

A while back I joined a craft swap hosted by my friend Kelci and the other day I received my beautiful items! I got a gorgeous apron and two dish towels! I absolutely love them! Thanks, Marie!!

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Seal Beach Outing

Fun with Friends

While in So Cal we were able to visit with Mike and Zariq and had a great time, great food, and an awesome time playing guitar hero. Thanks guys!!!

A Mountain Dew taste test

Rock out!

More pool pics

Friday Favorites on Saturday

1. Avon. My sis in law Amy is now selling Avon and I bought a few items and they are great! I love the waterproof mascara and face cleanser. I now have an on going wish list for more spectacular products. If you are in need of great inexpensive products check out her site here. And, you can get free shipping on any products until July 31st. Use this code at checkout: FSANY

2. Michael Buble - I love his music!!

3. Amy and Derek's pool!

Fun in good ol' Whittier!

Kaylin and Avery at Golden Spoon (frozen yogurt)

Bathing Beauty Riley

Trevor having fun on the slide!
Yahoo!


Uncle J and Trevor playing pool

The sleeping princess

Kaylin and Avery are having a great time using their floaties to swim back and forth across the pool.

Cutie Pie Kaylin

Trevor "delivered" a wonderful present of poop into the pool. Amy had a great time cleaning it up. Ha!

It's only a few blocks away

We are down in Southern Cal for a few days and last night we went out to Costa Mesa to visit my dear friend Sarah. We had so much fun visiting with her and her man, Jeff. We are experiencing a heat wave, though so to escape the heat inside of the house we decided to walk "just a few blocks" to the nearby park. Yeah, not just a few blocks away, but probably at least a mile away!! We had to give Sarah a hard time, but we had a fun time swinging and goofing around.

We also enjoyed a yummy dinner outside with icecream and strawberries for dessert. Riley was enamored with Jeff and just kept staring at him, as you can see in the pic! Good Times!



Avery really took to this stuffed ferrett that Sarah got for her 30th birthday. Very interesting. :)

Happy Birthday, Dad! (on the 16th)

1978: Dad and me
How Handsome!
Happy 52nd Dad! I love you!

Happy Fathers Day

Big Papa and Riley

Backyard Campout

Friday Favorites

1. Moped Day Pack from Lug. I saw this travel bag in my Simple Scrapbooks magazine and it looks so cool. Fabulous colors and just plain fun. I have plenty of bags, but this one is a bit different from anything I own. I entered to win one since the magazine is giving away 6 in this months contest. Don't enter though because I want to win. Im serious. That is why I am not giving you the link. :) HA!

2. Archer Farms coffee from Target. I love it. I first bought it because it was the cheapest flavored coffee I could find. I love the Vanilla Nut and Hazelnut Creme flavors. I have 2 cups every morning. I need it.

3. Crocs. Kelci posted this as a favorite on her blog last week and I must agree. Avery has 3 pairs and they are great for kids. She can slip them on fast and they clean up great. I agree they are not the most attractive shoes, but very functional. I have the black mary jane pair.

4. Closer Than Your Skin : Unwrapping the Mystery of Intimacy with God by Susan D. Hill. My mom gave me this book after my grandma recommended it. I have not finished it yet, but it is wonderful.

5. Craigslist.com I love this website. I have bought and sold so many items from this website. I check the "free" section daily.

A tractor ride with Great Grandpa

Look Ma, no hands!

Don't I look smart?

Just Chilling

Just some thoughts...

" If you gain, you gain all. If you lose, you lose nothing. Wager then, without hesitation, that He exists."

Blaise Pascal

I have really been hit in the face lately with the simple question, does God really exist? I have always known this to be a truth. Yes, God exists. But how do I know this to be true? He cannot be seen. I cannot prove He lives. So, how do I know God to be real? Faith. I have to have faith.

It seems as though God does not work as he so powerfully worked before. As I read about Moses, Abraham, Mary, and so many others I am jealous of how they were able to hear God's voice and see Him so clearly. Or how the disciples watched Jesus perform so many miracles and were able to sit and talk with Him for hours. Why can't I see His face in a burning bush or see Jesus in that way? This is a struggle.

But, as my prayer life has blossomed over the last few months, I have come to hear and see Him more clearly and know that He still works in powerful ways. And then yesterday, something clicked. A daily dependence on God is necessary to see these miracles and power. If I am truly dependent on God, I know that ALL things come from Him. I see how He is working daily in my life to provide every necessity and a lot of times, He does not just give me what I need, but also stuff that takes me by surprise..."the dessert" I delight in. When I am in constant communication with God, I can see his work more clearly because my focus is on Him, not me.

Violated

Sunday morning as we headed out to church, I opened the Expedition to grab Avery's carseat and found the inside of the car a mess. I asked Jaron if he had been looking for something, but unfortunately we soon discovered someone had broken into the car. Jaron's mountain bike and the garage door opener were stolen. There has been alot of theft reported in our area lately, but it is of course never real until something happens to you. It really made me feel violated and fearful, especially since they took the garage door opener. Jaron cleared the codes, but last night I swear I heard the garage door open the close quickly. We checked the garage and the door light was on. Needless to say we were then very worried someone would try to come back later and break in. We filed a police report and Jaron bolted the garage door, grabbed a golf club, his weapon of choice, and slept out in the front room to keep a watchful eye and ear during the night. Obviously our fierce attack dog Roger is of no use to us. He was probably snoring too loud on Saturday night to hear the break in.
This morning all is well and no sign of any intruders, but I still feel a bit nervous. The word on Sunday morning was all about prayer and total daily dependence on God. Our small group lesson for the week was all about prayer. Do you think God is trying to tell me something?

" Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks fnds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." Matthew 7: 7-8

Our first pumpkin!

Tomatoes

Avery-high Corn