I’m Now 31..

My birthday was this past Monday, the 29th. So of course, since it was on a Monday,  I got to have a birthday weekend, instead of just my day. (somehow, it works out that way for Lance and me if our b-days fall on a Friday or Monday..I’m not complaing!)

And it was a great birthday weekend! Last Thursday a girlfriend treated me to a mani/pedi and dinner, then on Friday my hubby, kids and I went out for a nice family dinner. On Saturday, my husband’s co-worker and her friend (who is now also my friend!) took me antiquing and out to lunch. It was an awesome 7 hours of non-stop shopping! Seriously! We started at 7:30 am (we also wanted to catch some garage sales in the area) and didn’t stop for lunch til 2:30! I found some great old books for Lance, and some really cute tins to put above my kitchen cabinets. And I had a blast with two very funny ladies!

On Sunday we had a nice lunch out and went over to another family’s house for games ad dinner. And on Monday Lance took off work and we had a family trip to the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge. It’s this awesome place with like 35,000 acres of preserved wildlife just north of Fort Worth. It has wonderful trails, a museum, animal parks, canoeing, and places to picnic. And beautiful bluebonnets if you go in the spring.

Anyway, it was a wonderful way to officially usher me into my “30’s,” as opposed to be ing “30.” (as all you gals know, there IS a difference!) Not to mention all the gift cards, presents, and cards from friends and family.

The Lord has greatly blessed my 31 years of life with so many loved ones, whom I cherish and appreciate. I can never thank Him enough for the most precious gift of all. His son, Jesus Christ, who came to earth, became flesh, and died for the glory of God and the salvation of Man. It is because of this I can say confidently the words of Romans 8:38-39-

“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, not things to come, nor powers, nor height, not depth, nor any created thing, shall be able to seperate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Amen!

Filed under: The Blogs on October 3rd, 2008 | 2 Comments »

A Weekend With Adam Apple

No, he isn’t some poor soul whose name was cursed by a parent’s sick sense of humor. He’s the “class pet” for Caleb’s Mother’s Day Out class. Every week, Mr. Apple (a stuffed pillow that looks like a square apple with arms, legs and a smile) goes home with a different student to spend the weekend with them and participate in their daily lives.

It’s the child’s job (with a little help from Mom and Dad) to write a story about what adventures they and Adam had, along with pictures, if available. And it just so happens that we have pictures available! (See the Crowell picture gallery on the right)

Some things Caleb and Adam participated in these last 4 days:

  • Playing games on the computer
  • Watching his favorite show (Caleb’s, not Adam’s) “Wow, Wow Wubzy”
  • Reading books with mom and dad
  • Going to church
  • Taking naps after trips to the playground
  • A trip to the ER to get Caleb’s staples removed (Caleb was so brave and Adam was a good encourager!)
  • Some good goulash (okay, okay..so Adam had peanut butter and crackers, but still…)
  • A trip to the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge (they got to see snakes, snapping turtles, and deer in the wild!)

All in all, a great weekend and Mr. Apple, you are welcome back anytime!

A Link to the Photos: http://www.thecrowellfamily.com/photo/main.php?g2_itemId=3422 

Filed under: The Blogs on September 29th, 2008 | 1 Comment »

A Quick Update and a Laugh

For those wondering, Caleb got his staples out today and everything went really well. Minimal pain and his class pet, Adam Apple (a stuffed apple toy the kids take turn caring for each week) was with him to offer comfort..as well as Daddy of course!

And my friend Amanda sent me this hilarious video that showcases the best of what Christian music has to offer..it;s great that they are so enthusiastic..to each his own!

Hope you enjoy and remember..Jesus is YOUR friend!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5-TpSm1HDE

Filed under: The Blogs on September 26th, 2008 | 2 Comments »

I was Tagged

Ok, so I’m not really good at responding to tags people send me to write on my blogs..usually because I’m a really lazy writer, so if I don’t have an idea about what I would write (or it requires me to add stuff to my side bars or whatever), I just politely decline..as in I pretend the tag never happened, don’t mention it, and pray the other person doesn’t hate me for breaking the sanctified “blogging tag” rules.

However, I think I can come up with 7 quirky things about myself, so here goes.

1) I am a little ocd when it comes to having things in their place. My entire life I was a messy, cluttered person who lived in a messy, cluttered environment and it never really bothered me. Until I became pregnant with my first child. It was like this other person took over my body.  A person who liked things clean and organized..and hated it when the slipcover got wrinkled, shoes were left out, and knick knacks moved from their designated shelfs. (until I got to the point that I didn’t even like too many knick knacks because they looked cluttered themselves!) My husband has assured me that my worst ocd moments in this arena are growing further apart as the kids have gotten older and I’ve made efforts to relax. But if you see a twitch in my eye when I spot crumbs on the floor or a stain on the couch, just ignore my casual walk run to the supply closet for cleaner and a hand-vac.

2)I have this thing about feet. I want my feet to look nice all the time, so I spend a few minutes every day exfoliating, moisturizing, and manicuring my toenails. And I try to get a pedicure every 3 weeks or so if I can afford it. As a consequence of this, I am that strange person whom you’ll catch staring at the bare feet of other people, noticing their paint jobs (or lack thereof) and the state of their heels. And yes, I’m not above stopping a perfect stranger to compliment her on the awesome color and design of her toes.

3) Speaking of hygiene, I feel completely nasty unless I get a hot shower every day. Yes, I know it’s not needed (it’s not like I’m all that active. Ha!) and actually you hurt your hair by shampooing it every day, but I CANNOT HELP IT! I want to feel that fresh, just out of the shower feeling all the time! And I HAVE to moisturize every day as well after the shower or I don’t feel right either. (can you see how camping could be a problem for me?)

4)Thanks to watching Star Trek II:The Wrath of Khan when I was really little, I now have a phobia of leaving my ears uncovered while I sleep. (remember when Khan put those alien creatures in the dude’s ears to control their minds?!!) So I sleep on my side with the blanket pulled up over the exposed ear..and at least on leg has to be sticking out or I’ll get too hot at night.

5)Speaking of movies..I don’t like gore or horror. But I love action, martial arts, and good mysteries. In a crowd of women on girl’s night I have been known to go see  “Iron Man” by myself, rather than sit through watching the insipid Patrick Dempsey in some fluffy chick flick with the other girls. In college I was the only girl who would hook up with the guys to go see Star Trek (yes, in spite of my childhood trauma I am still a Trekkie) and other sci-fi flicks. ( I do make an exception for period romances, like Jane Austen, because hey..I’m STILL a woman!)

6) Next to my husband I think Harrison Ford is the hottest guy ever..yeah, yeah he’s old enough to be my grandpa, but come on! Han Solo, Indiana Jones, Jack Ryan, President Marshall, ..give me that over some young pretty boy who uses more hair product than I do.

7)I’m addicted to buying eye makeup, but I usually wear the same ole colors every day..I literally will buy shades upon shades of eyeshadow colors that I may only wear once (if ever), but it’s so pretty and I SWEAR that I’ll change my ways and be more daring and I even research different techniques online. Then the morning comes as I’m running late, not even sure what I’ll be wearing and I hear my kids screaming as someone is either hurt or destroying something. And my trusty three colors are sitting there in the front of my makeup drawer (crammed with the other 20-30 colors I haven’t worn), beckoning to me with their safe and reliable outcome..and I give in. Every 6 months or so, I’ll go through and get rid of or give away makeup I don’t use and swear not to do this again..until I’m purchasing my eye cream at Sephora and spot this adorable new glitter eyeshadow in ten (count em TEN!!) different colors..the itch begins…

So here ya go. Seven things you may or may not have known about me..I tag Leah, Amy W, Rachel, and Jamie R.

Filed under: The Blogs on September 23rd, 2008 | 2 Comments »

I’m Alive, Thanks

Just in case any of you faithul readers were wondering…quite honestly, I’ve suffered from a combination of laziness, busyness, and simply having nothing to write about.

Well, that’s all changed this past weekend. Our good friend Ike decided to make a visit to Lance and mine’s family dwellings this past Saturday. And while most of our loved ones hunkered down to wait it out, my sister and her two kiddos decided fleeing was the better part of valor. (and considering none of our families have power, plus food and gas are scarce, I think she made the right choice for the little ones.)

Blessedly, no one we know has been injured or lost more than some outer structures, trees, and fencing to wind. But please keep those who live in storm surge areas (like Lance’s aunt and uncle) in your prayers, because they fared alot worse. And frankly, it looks like many of those who escaped immediate damage are now about to face up to 4 weeks without power..that’s 28 days without a/c in south Texas ya’ll..not a good time.

The silver lining on our end has been the joy of seeing my sister and the cousins..it’s been a crazy, loud, fun-filled weekend..for the most part. ( in the gallery you can see some pics of the cute kiddos and the stupid adult antics at the mall on Friday)

However, we did have one incident, that involved the ER on Saturday night. (apparently the Saturday shift will be getting to know us well!) Caleb has a twin captain’s bed with a bookcase headboard. It appears he was playing on the bed and heard us coming so he slammed back to his pillow..only he missed and banged his head on the headboard, so loudly I heard it in my master bedroom bath. Lance and I rushed to the bedroom to find him screaming and covered in blood..it was a parent’s  worst nightmare. (especially someone like me who does NOT do blood well.) We got him into the tub to see a 2 inch wide gaping gash about 3 inches long and gushing. Plus his eyes were dilated (which indicates a concussion), so off to the ER we went.

Three hours later the brave guy was given 3 staples (NOT fun) and a clean bill of health, concerning our concussion fears. Another hour later we were on our way home, with a stop at Whataburger to acquire a special treat of french fries and sprite for the little man. (plus mother got a special treat of fries for not passing out!)

Today he’s great and in ten days the staples come out. Check “first visit to ER” off the childhood checklist. And he definitely relates better to that song about the monkeys who fell off the bed and bumped their heads!!

 

Filed under: The Blogs on September 14th, 2008 | 3 Comments »

Thoughts from Lance concerning the Greatest Show on Earth..ok, Just a really good show!

          I don’t remember my last visit to the Circus. I was a child and I know that we went, but I could not tell you more than that. So this trip was to be a surprise for me, as well as the rest of the family, who’d never been. And surpisingly, there was little to no apprehension from me, concerning any clowns we would see (a blog for another day). We arrived early hoping to see the pre-show and animal tour, which precipitated us needing to walk all the way around the Fort Worth Convention center to see the animals that would participate in the later evening. Caleb loved it! Cora clung to me for dear life. This is a theme that we would revisit again and again throughout the evening, and which I will explain further in this blog. Suffice to say, Cora was a bit young for all the things that she would experience.
           

The animals included: Tigers, Elephants (a few feet away from us! Not separated by much of anything from the throngs of crowds taking pictures), Horses, Miniature horses, Poodles, and goats. Upon the completion of the animal tour area, we headed to the Pre-show that took place an hour before the real show. To enter early, we had to wait in lines that kept changing places. One person would tell us that we would go in this door, while another greeter stated the other door was the proper entrance. We looked like a bunch of confused cattle. By the time the doors were ready to open, no one knew where we were supposed to go, so it was a bit chaotic. Finally, the doors DID open and we all rushed up the stairs into the arena and then down again onto the floor.

The pre-show allows you onto the circus floor where several acts rotate through the different rings. You can talk to the performers, get pictures, try on circus outfits, and see different acts than are in the actual evening performance. At this point Caleb and Mandy paired up (buddy system), and since Cora had permanently attached herself to my side, she was with me. Team Candy (Caleb and Mandy) watched the clowns juggle and some acrobats. Then Caleb wanted some popcorn, so off Mandy and him went to find the good stuff before the show started. Team Corance (Cora and Lance) went and watched an elephant paint a picture, men on stilts jump rope and to top it all off, a trampoline act that was really cool. The hour went by quickly, and people continued to gather until every ringside was a good 6-8 people deep. When that finished, we headed to our seats.
           

We did not buy the cheapest seats in the building (as you would assume I Lance would do) mainly because the kids’ tickets were free from their reading program at the library.  This enabled us to shoot a little above the cheapest and got some really good seats. The show was centered around a clown named Bello who kept getting into trouble and had fallen in love with one of the female acrobats in the show. He spends most of the time doing wacky stunts to get her attention and win her heart. Not to spoil it for you, but he does get a peck on the cheek near the end (from the girl, not one of the animals). This is worth it in his eyes, or so we are led to believe. The show is a good one. It is filled with great animal acts, silly and sometimes amazing stunts, and precision choreography and timing. Some of the highlights of the show include:
 
·        The Poodles—yes I said the poodles! They do an act that will get you going. They are jumping and flipping with the trainers and it was something to see. Keep this to yourself. I don’t want to be known as a poodle endorser.
·        The Tigers—I love Tigers. They have been one of my favorite animals my entire life. Anytime a man gets into a ring with 10 tigers there is some excitement.
·        The elephants—they were so beautiful and so well trained, as they stood on each others backs.
·        The 7 story sway pole—basically Bello and the girl of his dreams scale the poles and when they get to the top they begin to sway and perform tricks. Eventually they will swap poles from the top and come sliding down the pole head first. For more info, read about Cora and the pole below.
·        Wheel of Steel—this was a great stunt where Bello and another performer run around a metal ring that is on this spinning apparatus. It was truly a sight to see.
 
There were other great acts, but allow me a moment to digress. Some of the thoughts that came to my mind during this performance, I have saved for the end. I will list them in more of a bullet format:
 
·        Ringlin doesn’t really make their money on the tickets. All the money stems from concession and memorabilia sales. From the time that you set foot on the grounds, they are selling and selling and selling. If you want a program and a children’s coloring book its $22 bucks. How about a cheap hat and cotton candy? $12 please! Not to mention the spinning light up things and the stuffed animals. At the end of the day they are truly trying to make a sale.

·        The choreography and the timing for the entire event are amazing. They keep this 2- hour show rolling and there are hundreds of wires that have to drop at the right time, as well as lights coming in from all over. It is amazing, and I appreciate it all the more, having coordinated some tech for conferences and knowing all what it takes to pull them off.

·        The Cora Experience—for Cora the event was very interesting. Like I mentioned earlier she was never separated from my lap or my hip. She would scream anytime the elephants came near her. During the sway pole extravaganza she started screaming. She was afraid someone was going to fall. Everyone around us began looking back at why a 2 year old was sending out these blood curdling screams. I literally had to turn her head and keep her from watching to help her get through the trick.

·        Tigers, Tigers, Tigers—it was amazing to see the tigers but in some way it was a real struggle. It just seemed wrong. They seemed so beaten down. They were meant to be in the wild, they were meant to run free and to eat animals. It honestly just seemed so wrong. When you go to the zoo and see the animals they are there in a confined capacity, but they are valued and they are allowed to be studied and to reproduce in a somewhat natural habitat. In some ways that seems better than the training and droning that happens at the Circus. I am open to some insight and feedback on this.

·        Carney’s—I also thought about the folks that spend their lives in the circus. I don’t think people run off and join the circus anymore, but there is something to be said about those that find their craft in the circus. That desire to perform must come up often. The ability to do crazy stunts over and over again has to be a rush. The constant travel has to be a learned skill.
 
 Well that is all I had. It was a good night overall. We enjoyed the sights and sounds. It’s something everyone should take the kids to at least once.

Filed under: The Blogs on August 28th, 2008 | 2 Comments »

Pics Are Late, But We Have a Good Reason…

Okay guys, the pics are up in the gallery from our trip to the Circus (blog by Lance to be following shortly), Glorieta, and the kid’s stay with Uncle Kyle and Aunt Beck-Beck.

We would’ve had them up yesterday, but we had a little snafu with our plumbing..as in toilets not flushing and nasty stuff overflowing out of our tubs and showers..why is it that these things always seem to happen at 10 pm on a Saturday night? And can you believe what a plumber charges for a weekend emergency visit? These guys must be millionares.

Anyway, we got as much of the mess cleaned up as we could, (and can I tell you how much you really miss your toilets when you can’t use them?) and this morning Lance went to Home Depot to rent an Industrial-powered Auger. After about an hour of probing, he got whatever deep clog was in our drains and we were blessedly able to use the restroom again!

I then proceeded to DEEP clean every square inch of my bathrooms, with the heavy duty- I need gloves for this kind of cleaning-clean. And since I was in for a penny, I went in for the pound and cleaned the whole house.

So now we sit in a clean house with clean people (many showers have been taken today), and spotless toilets and showers that work. And we are only out 50 bucks as opposed to the 500 bucks most plumbers wanted to charge us for coming out..my husband ROCKS!!

 

Filed under: The Blogs on August 17th, 2008 | 4 Comments »

Getting Settled

Well, it’s been an interesting couple of weeks. Swinging from relaxing to stressful to sedate again.

First off, Lance and I really enjoyed our time in Glorieta, NM at the Collegiate conference last week. As in previous years, the weather was pretty perfect (highs in the upper 70’s -low 80’s with no humidity), allowing us to try out some new activities this year. The main one being our hike on Sandia Peak in Albuquerque, where we also rode this cool chair lift over the mountainside and ate at the restaurant on top of the mountain. I actually remembered parts of the mountain from where my dad and I “hiked” it when I was 4. (another interesting blog about near-death experiences..seriously..we got lost on the side of the mountain and everything..but I digress..)

Other entertainment included hiking a more difficult trail at Glorieta than we attempted last year called “Broken Arrow”. (Not the big daddy of them all, “Baldy” though. We soon realized that particular 6 hour hike to 10,000 feet would require our bodies to be in quite a bit better shape than present..maybe next year.) And we were able to get into Santa Fe a few times to shop and see a couple movies. And can I tell you what a blessing it was to have a week where we could actually get out of the car with just a purse or wallet to carry about, eat a meal without having to chastise anyone the whole time, and basically having no one else to care for but ourselves?!! So THIS is what it’s like to be a newlywed again!! (without the newlywed bodies of course..sigh..)

Spiritually, both Lance and I felt David Platt was once again amazing as the keynote speaker. If you have never heard of this guy, then he’s fine with that. But you should look up his church’s website at www.brookhills.org and make a point to hear some of his audio teachings. However, I warn you..he tells it like it is, and you WILL come away realizing that for the most part, we Amercans stink when it comes to overseas missions and spreading the gospel as our main priority. Not that he pounds it into you. You just feel how desperate he is to compel others to see how much the lost need Christ and you feel convicted about your own apathy, like I did. Plus, this guy is as solid as they come on doctrinal issues.

He also travels overseas quite a bit to closed countries where the gospel is illegal and will hold “secret church”, where for 12 hours a day, 5-7 days in a row, he will sit in an underground room with secret believers and just teach them all the doctrine and scripture they need to survive, flourish, and spread the gospel to others. And we complain about an hour of teaching in a comfortable sanctuary with air conditioning and padded seats. (see, I told you I was convicted.) 

Anyway, David actually held a mini-secret church session on that Tuesday night of the conference, where we sat under his teaching for 5 hours and filled out booklets and scripture on the doctrine of God. (God’s names, His attributes, The Mysteries of God like the trinity, sovreignty, and God concerning evil in the world.) It was amazing and David was going so fast to get the information to us (like he does on certain days of the real secret church) that I didn’t even realize 5 hours had passed!

So overall, great teaching  and connecting with others as well. Hopefully Lance will get some pictures up for you all by Saturday..I’ll let you know.

Meanwhile, our kids were staying at different places, attending Chuckee Cheese, museums, swimming pools, playdates, church, baseball games, playgounds, and waterparks. So I guess they didn’t even really want us to come get em! (Just kidding. My son actually said he wanted us to come take him home near the end of the week, which while sad, made me feel a little better that he missed us at least!)

Lance and I just want to say another big THANK YOU to The Veltmans, The Carrolls, The Crowells (younger version), and My mother and Sister for taking the kiddos at various times, so that Lance and I could get this time to rejuvinate. It meant so much to us that you would be willing to invest in our children, and to make them welcome in your home. They loved you and we love you as well! You’re all awesome!

So here we are a week later. Sick kids are better. (Cora had a stomach viris Sunday-Monday when we got home) Groceries are bought, clothes are unpacked and for the most part washed and put away. My house hasn’t been thouroughly cleaned, but that’s because I’m outta cleaner and now that the paycheck has come, (yeah!) I intend to see to cleaning this weekend. My stress level involved in getting a house back in order and dealing with sickness has lowered a bit and we even took a trip to the circus last night!! (My husband wants to write the blog about that, so look for his writing and pictures to come)

Anyway, back to the grindstone..but what a blessed grindstone it is. Love you guys and have a great weekend.

Filed under: The Blogs on August 15th, 2008 | 1 Comment »

Hang In There

I know there are those out there who are wondering if we’re even still alive, but I promise to have a readable blog by Friday night..I promise..with the outta town trips, kid’s sickness, and all the chaos of getting back in the swing of things, it’s been a little tough to sort out a coherent thought in my head, much less write it down.

For now, just relax and look forward to the tantalizing intrigues of America’s most alluring family. And if you can’t find a blog about them, then just click on over to mine on Saturday morning!

Til then, have a great week!

Filed under: The Blogs on August 14th, 2008 | 1 Comment »

Age of Innocence (Lance)

Being a thinker, I find my children the most incredible case study. Mandy and I are constantly overwhelmed as to how much love and joy Caleb and Cora have brought into our lives. They are simply amazing. As I have watched them grow, it blows me away to behold just how much innocence they have. They both love their daddy. When I come home from work they run to the door to greet me. When we are walking around public places they want to hold daddy’s hand. Caleb calls me his best friend (he calls mommy his best friend too). They love to play on the floor with their daddy and dance with their mommy. When I leave for work they have to come give me a hug and a kiss. Cora even has to come give me several hugs and kisses as she closes the front door for me. Caleb asks for a hug and a kiss every night before bedtime. They even pander for daddy to give them baths some nights. They are not implying that daddy is better than mommy. This is just missing daddy who is gone during the day.    
 
            Now basically everything I have experienced above will pass, at least that is what everyone tells me. Most teenagers want to have nothing to do with their parents, and I figure there will come a day that I will walk in the house and the kids won’t run to me clamoring for hugs and crying out, “Hey daddy, you’re home!” They will want to split up from me at the mall, they will call me the old man (at least under their breath), and physical signs of affection will be icky to them. This is not to say that my kids will be bad kids. I am just figuring that the state of innocence will pass.
 
            There are moments as I look at them that I am just overwhelmed by how naive they are to the ways of the world. They are clueless that there are people in society who hate them. Who would destroy them if they could. It makes me cherish my children’s innocence all the more, while at the same time detesting the world and what it will bring to their little lives. This world is not a good place. It’s a fallen domain that is in desperate need of redeeming, and will remain that way until our King returns to come for us and make all things new. 
 
Until that glorious day, I will continue to enjoy Caleb and Cora’s earthly innocence and pray that while they will have to grow wise to the ways of this world, that the blood of Christ will leave them looking white as snow.

Filed under: The Blogs on July 24th, 2008 | 4 Comments »

— Next Page »