I know you are all chomping at the bit to hear what I actually saw on the beach, too bad you have to wait one more day 'eh! I will post pics of the un-named thing tomarrow.

yesterday we went to the beach, a regular occurance in this household. My three kids told me of thier desire to swim in one of the run-off streams, at least 100 times, so we decided to go. It was a place we hadn't played in but it looked like fun. Out we jumped onto the sand and began to splash in the water even though it was cold and windy. middle kid decided to get frisky with muddy sand balls and had to sit in the car with me while the other two played with daddy. within a split second our youngest found the only deep spot and began to struggle for his little life. I am so glad my husband was there to pull him out in time, he was fully under when he saw him. In times of peril I am reminded how precious life is and how easily it can be lost. Thankfully sputtering and coughing my baby was returned to me graciously by the hand of God.

Amazing thing, eagles are. Proud, strong, and seemingly thoughtfull. Birds come in abondance here but the eagle brings all to a standstill. Imagine the power of the wind harnesed, streached across a 6 ft wingspan and lifted onto immesurable hights, never to be caged.

Oh there are days that I could trade for one glimps of that kind of freedom. I myself am not chained or imprisoned. Its just the prospect of grasping all-consuming Freedom for a moment, like a symphony played untill tears crest ones eyes or that moment when you know its time to let go of somone you love dearly. Spirit soaring-never to come down- forever...free.

by the time spring comes we will have a fully functioning play house with the works...Im talking pullys flower boxes...you will just have to keep watching to find out what happens next!

Here is the base, I know its sooo exciting but bear with me here. I will post more a little later

every child out there shuld have a fort of some kind. my favorite was the tall grass under the old gravity feed gas pump behind our house in california. Joe and i would torture our youngest brother by not admiting him to our secreat club...the WOLF PACK. oh yeah! we made a flag and everything. Its been on my husbands mind as well as mine to make our kids the same type of memory (and hopfully they will have more compassion on the youngest) Being the carpenter he is my husband set out to make the coolest kid house out there. I really think that given time he will. His fond childhood memorys involve playing with cuzins and occassionally hanging one of them over a pit of gardemer snakes or finding deer bones and pouring katsup all over them, wraping them in ripped clothes and leaving them for unsuspecting campers to come accross. Yes this IS why I fell in love with him.

when the third child was born I decided to do what most moms of infants do. rid yourself of extra chores and in my case it was taking care of really long hair. My husband didn't seem to mind but when the lil guy saw it he was NOT pleased. I just figured he would get over it.... So lets just say It was a very incorrect assumption. I am mom enough to admit it. I really didnt have a clue on how to resolve his extream hair lust.While we were out in the garage the next week sorting through junk the answer came. He found an old disneyland davy crocket hat and instantly attached himself to the real coon tail. the hat part ripped off eventually. Good things like taxadermid racoons just dont last. when the last piece dissapeared I knew I had to find an alternitive, which led me to the antique store. now most of you think that this paragraph is discusting enough but I have to tell you what we found. it was common practice in the 20s to own furs with the head still attached (call it what you will) I found the remains of a stole just enough for one needy little fur lover. Now a year later he has moved on to a rabbit skin in which I assume he will wrap his baby bunting in.

I dont know do they look the same at a year and a half?

you will have to tell me....

best picture ever taken of my boy!
poppie was a real trooper through the hike

the rocks here are so amazingly smooth!

snackies

muscles and barnicles

is this bridge really safe?

A rare but wonderfull occurance on the coast, sunshine in winter. It was a week ago that the breaks in the weather started and I just had to do somthing so celebrate, I called everyone that i knew to be somwhat adventurous but alas they didnt see the streaming sunlight for the freedom it was. I decided to pack up the kids in the car and drive them to the state park up the road for an adventure. (first I had to swing by my dads office and hornswaggle him into comming too, I can allways count on him!) after unpacking all our gear namly snackies and coats we headed down the trail and across the swinging bridge I dont think that they were sure about it but the kids followed anyway. after 1/2 a mile of walking we reached the beach and had our snack while looking at various sea creatures in the tidal pools. I have such a great love for Gods creation and whenever I get out,..I mean really out, I feel closer to him.

I sit now at a computer desk that is covered in papers. not just any papers, these are little bits and peices torn from a note book and crumpled up in various ways. No I am not working feverishly on a book or writing a song. Each wrinkled peice is filled with somthing. My daughter informs me that they all are filled with love. one by one precious tidbits of the vast love given to me every day, often undeserved. Everyone has days. Some good some bad. I dont know why God has seen it fit to bestow on me such a gift as this. two tiny hands overflowing with uncondidional love giving freely...to me.

One bad picture following another. I think my blog page has turned blackmail dont you?? but in the words of a terrible 70s love song "Weve only just begun..."

I spared you the pain of trying to find an imperfect picture of me, It was hard but i finally found one.

I do hope that you dont gain this much waight, wouldnt wish that on anyone...
little did you know that years later after a rousing game of pregnant twister you would find yourself contemplating becoming a dula (did I spell that right?) terrible pic 'eh? I am hoping you dont have one of me that is equally as good/bad!

Before getting married I never got into watching alot of sci-fi. Oh yes I would rent an occassional movie that has the general sci-fi theame about it, but really has anyone unver 20 NOT watched independance day??? My husband brought his great love and knowledge of all things un-real to my movie scope. Now years later I too enjoy watching giant creatures rip open citys and cause undescribable CGI destruction to innocent and often helpless victoms. Why??? Why do I likethem?? possibly its the facts of growing up in reality, where do I draw the line? WELL Greg senior wants me to rent one called MAMOTH! the first thing that pops into my head is "could this movie be all about a guy from enceno california who finds a mamoth in his back yard frozen in ice and thaws it out using his moms hairdryer only to find out its a bone crushing beast capible of utter and compleate caos?"........Guess I will have to rent it to find out.

I hope that you all have a Happy Valentines Day

(I know I will!)

You know you want a puppy just like this one Mom

interesting colors in the sky, dont you think?

The age gap between the first two is nice. Two years gave me the ability to get to know her fully before baby # 2 came along. I remember being so ready. Now 14 months on the other hand was quite a "growing experiance" Aside from being MUCH larger the third time around I had a needy little boy who would follow me around the house crying. The times he was the happiest was when I would sit in the same room with him, but the moment I would move he would start to cry again. Finally out of desperation I bought one of those baby slings and packed him around everywhere and did everything with a large 'wart' on my side. Now in your mind your picturing a skinny mom with a 12 month old,..not so my friend. I was 7 months pregnant....with my third...for all you moms of none or only one this means freaking huge!!! needless to say its been a trying two years full of teary eyeds, spit up stained cloathing, and never ending diapers. Would I turn the car around if I could???... No, I think that I would slow it down. The Great thing about life as a mom is you can put up with a whole lot of terrible for those handfulls of great.

Here is one of my very favorite pictures. When the kids are all grown up and mommy is going through severe depression I think I will raise great danes. Right now we just dont have the couch space for more than one....well maby two ;)

Yes folks this is where the news happens!! Its dan snuggling up to a girl. (yes I do notice that she is plastic) Baby steps. start by talking to plastic figureans then small dogs perhaps an elderly lady- after that you are on your way to a lifelong commitment and meaningfull relationships.

hmmmmm, probubly grasping at straws. Yes I am a dreamer..

I know that there are kids out there with the 'jagger' tongue. Fortunatly for me this is as far as any of the three can go. You have to take my word for it. Recently the second volume of the trilligy has taken it upon himself to show quite alot of his tongue, mostly during those 'why you shuldnt hit your sister' discussions. Often enough I find myself laughing on the inside because it wasnt THAT long ago when I was on the other side. Oh yes I know its hard to believe...lol...I even remember what I was thinking (dosnt make sence that the short term has to go before the long term does) Mom would be telling me somthing important about good conduct and I would feel this terrible urge to poke just a little bit out of my mouth just to see if I could stick it to her, sort of that 'yes I look like I care but do you see this tongue.' Isnt motherhood grand.

its nice to have friends.

part human, part dinosour. the comic strip Calvin and Hobbs makes absolute sence to me. a fiew days ago I was in the caffiteria at my moms work eating lunch, kids at one table mom and I at the other when a work friend came up to her and started asking about the kids. thankfully my girl decided not to do her infant baby impression (often resembling mentally ill 5 year old) but middle kid decided to answer all ?? in dinosour language. "how are you today?" GROOWWELLL
"are you a dinosour?" HAARRRROOUUUUGGGHHHHH... oh well I can put up with dinosour better than baby talk!

most everyone who has a girl knows that they are by nature such different creatures than boys. Yes, there are a fiew simular habbits or traits true in either sex but the core of a girl..the very heart is so uniquely different its astonishing. Before I had my own kids I use to theorize about how it was upbringing that made them feminine but now I know that isnt nessesorally true. My girl poped out with princess shoes on her feet and a tiarra on her head doing the parade wave! you know what I LOVE IT!!!! talk about re-living the fun of childhood.

and you thought the dog chewed the barbie apart!