Animals amaze me.

My Aunt Elly sent this to me along with photos of an artist who had painted sceneries on each feather. They were amazing!

God's Wings -

A little something to put things in perspective...

After a forest fire in Yellowstone National Park , forest rangers
began their trek up a mountain to assess the inferno's damage.

One ranger found a bird literally petrified in ashes, perched
statuesquely on the ground at the base of a tree. Somewhat
sickened by the eerie sight, he knocked over the bird with a stick.
When he gently struck it, three tiny chicks scurried from under
their dead mother's wings. The loving mother, keenly aware of
impending disaster, had carried her offspring to the base of the
tree and had gathered them under her wings, instinctively knowing
that the toxic smoke would rise.

She could have flown to safety but had refused to abandon her
babies. Then the blaze had arrived and the heat had scorched her
small body, the mother had remained steadfast ..because she had
been willing to die, so those under the cover of her wings would live.

'He will cover you with His feathers,
And under His wings you will find refuge.'
(Psalm 91:4)

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2009!

We wish each and every one of you a fantastic 2009 filled with much love, laughter, adventures, rest and all that hope for. To good health. Thank you for all of your support as we had a crazy but fulfilling year:) It started off with the birth of our precious baby girl! Then we sold our desert house, bought the HB house and sold the RSM house. We took a few trailer trips and made many memories with all of you! To 2009 and whatever life brings! God Bless.

Taking down Christmas...

Some of you may have already taken down Christmas. I've been doing it at a slower pace this, since we really had a few weeks to enjoy it. I loved our tree this year. The way it glistened and sparkled with reds, golds and greens. The tree stayed fresh too! Thanks Target. I'm in a throw out the old mood. I'm tired of the clutter and I'm ready to evacuate the garage. I'm starting up S Factor this month and want to have my studio ready for additional warm ups. Every morning I've been waking up with sore old bones. My body must miss the movement. Once I get everything cleared up, girls come join me!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AUNTIE SARAH!!!!!

Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday.....chong....chong....Happy, Happy Birthday Auntie. Hope you're feeling better today Sis. I'm so thnakful to have a little sister like you. One that is so thoughtful and caring for others. One who is so creative in everything you do. The way you write, or can make a room so inviting. Or how you share your emotions, as if I was there right with you. I LOVE watching you with my little baby girl and the joy she gets being around you. When she reaches her arms out to her Auntie and wants your attention. Your influences on her though, like when she burps, she smiles, or her fake cough. Gee, where did that come from:) I love you little sister! You're a wonderful sister, friend, daughter and soon to be wife:0 Lot's to be celebrated about you and the compassionate individual that you are. Happy Birthday.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GODSON!

JACK-A-ROO, my speed racer BMX'n boy! Jack is 9 today and I'm sitting here thinking of some of my favorite memories...when you were a weeeee little boy and your mommy had you in this cute, was it cream outfit? or baby blue...hummmmm anyway when I got to hold you I was so nervous. When we'd decorate the tree and go look at lights...or wrestling on the bed. or the time your mommy had me take you to the bathroom, when you were still potty training...needless to say we both didn't know what we were doing. I was just laughing like crazy:) still laughing. You and Uncle Straty had potty issues that day. oh when I was taking your photo in the pumpkin barrel that fell over and they were somebody elses pumpkins!!! Or when our tour guide led us off the wrong path on our camping trip! Oh the memories. How fun you are and how fast you're growing. I'll never forget the special candles your parents got us to represent us being your Godparents. You are my first Godchild. I love you so very much! Thank you for all the fun memories and so many more to come!!!! Happy Birthday Godson!!!

Amelia still unwrapping gifts...

It's not that she got a ton, but that I wanted her to enjoy each one and have time to play with it. So, yesterday morning she opened a couple and this morning after she wakes up from her morning nap, she'll open the remainder. She's getting the hang of it. I loved it yesterday, because she ripped the paper off the box with such an annoying look on her face. As if the paper was a nuciance and in her way. She tossed it up into the air, then leaned forward, opening her mouth as wide as she could and laughed. She loves watching herself in the mirror, doing the same thing. She's a hoot. Yesterday I rearranged the living room, then rearranged it again and then finally put the couch back to it's original position, moving the leather chair into the dining room until the tree is taken down. Eventually she's going to have to move into the master bedroom with all the stuff she has! That or we'll move her to the garage. j/k Straty and I are determined to make that our studio bonus room, where my pole will go and the WII. Amelia now has her own spot in the living room for her fire truck, wooden rocking horse and all her toys. I arranged the carpet, so she'd have more space to roam. After cleaning up a bit and Ame taking a bath, we settled down into our PJ's and watched Elf. I love that movie! One of my favorite quotes is "watch out the yellow ones don't stop." As he's running across the street avoiding the taxi! Then we put Ame to bed and watched The Dark Knight and organized my fun file. Straty is off to Home Depot this morning. I'm sitting here wondering why Santa didn't give me the brain I asked for about computers. Still no photos. Tonight we're going to hopefully make it to Balboa Island to look at Christmas lights. Yes, we're doing things a bit backwards. Now that the huslle and bussle of Christmas is over, we're enjoying our time together. Hope you all are doing the same!

MERRY CHRISTMAS

We wish you all a very Merry Christmas! I hope you and your families had a wonderful day celebrating the birth of Jesus. Being a parent now, it changes the meaning of Christmas for me. I get to watch the joyous celebration through our beautiful baby's eyes. Even though she's about to be one, I still want to do some of the things our family did as children and now, as well as create some of our own traditions. It was exciting to prepare our home for this special day and ensure Amelia felt how special this day was and is throughout her life. I think most importantly being a parent and having this over flowing love for my baby girl, I wonder how. How did the Lord bring his son into the world, knowing one day he'd be a man, that would one day be sacrificed for my life, for my sins. That love for your child is so strong, so unconditional, so powerful, how did he do it. Then I think of the Lords love for me and his earthly children and how strong, unconditional and powerful it is. Even though today is a celebration of Jesus' birth, I can't help but feel so blessed, humbled and thankful even more so for Easter and his death. Today is a day to celebrate the birth of Jesus, but also the birth of our eternity. The journey that would lead to our freedom of sins. I'm sure this may not make sense. I don't expect it to, since I think I'm so emotional right now. Tired, but filled with love. Thank you family for today. Dad puts together this Santa scavenger hunt with many brain twister quiz es, games and searches. He puts so much into it every year! At the end we end up with our Fun Files.
Last night was our traditional ethnical dinner. Straty chose Bulgarian food. Everyone brought a dish or two of Bulgarian food. We had fun testing each menu item and participating in the gift exchange. Krista got Straty back from last year when he stole the blanket gift from her. This year, she got her own blankie:) What a great time! Thank you everyone for your gifts, cards and wishes. We are so blessed! xoxo HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Little Sister gett'n married!!!!

AND SHE SAID YES!!!!!!! Congratulations to Dean and my little sister Sarah. Dean purposed to Sarah Sunday at Disneyland. After she said yes, they headed to Krista's house for a family and friend celebration. I can't believe it.. my little four eyed, curly blonde hair, who STOLE MY BABY BLANKET, whom I still love so very much:) is getting married. Dean you bring her such Joy! The glow she had that night was heart melting to watch. I look forward to having another brother n law! My goodness, when it rains it pours. I always wanted a brother, but two in one year is a bit much:) j/k. I'm still the oldest, bossiest, mean sister:) Love you all love birds. (Sorry I'm not ignoring my blog, but I'm fighting with my once again fully loaded computer. I deleted everything! and still nothing. Santa, if you care for my sanity, give me a brain for computers:))

Amelia goes to Jessie's house

Amelia LOVES to play with other kids around her age. She got to spend some time with Jessie last night with Auntie Sarah and Dean. Not sure if they cared who won the season finally of Survivor, or if they were more excited that they had matching PJ's. Thanks Christina for the pics!

My Christmas Present came early!!!!!!

Straty surprised me tonight and took me to see heart throb Mike Ness. What a great night! Ladies, this man knows how to play a guitar and his voice is like no other!!! The way he moves is soooooo, well you'll just have to check him out yourself. The Mother Truckers opened and they were awesome too. Ali intoduced me to Mike Ness' music at Stagecoach and he was just as fine then. Thank you babe. I loved my present. Speaking of Stagecoach, we got our tickets for the 3rd Annual Stagecoach. This year Straty is coming along! YeeHaw. It'll be a great weekend of camping under the desert stars, a bunch of rednecks and some fine country music. We have several RV's going this year. Angela and Garth, you better be there! LOL.