My dad is a lawn gnome and my baby plays checkers

sorry it is sideways (technical difficulties) but can you see the resemblance?

"king me or I'll throw the checkers"

My Sister's Wedding

This is the house, set back from the road

surrounded by green, where everything grows

This is the deck, in back of the house

where hammock swings hang and people relax These are the dogs that came to play

along with the guests, on the wedding day

This is the bride, with a big grin

excited for the life she is about to begin

This is our dad, going to give her away

We know he is proud to be here today


This is the wedding, short and sweet
because we are all about to melt in the heat

This is the couple glowing with love

that live in the house, set back from the road

surrounded by green, where everything grows

Congratulations Bill and Angel

Sweet Virginia

Here is a little fact about me: I love to travel. I am not really a history buff. But one of the beautiful things about traveling is that you can learn about a place and what happened there and then history becomes real and meaningful and fascinating. I fell in love with the green rolling hills of Virginia. My sister lives in the Shenandoah valley, surrounded by the blue ridge mountains. I am in awe of how green everything is, and the humidity did wonders for this desert girls skin.
One of the days I was in Virginia, we visited Bell Grove Plantation.
It was a lot smaller than I expected it to be. I was thinking Tara from Gone with the Wind. But for it's time period this house was a palace. It was built by President James Madison's sister and her husband and a lot of the design details are believed to be Thomas Jefferson's. The original house had two bedrooms. (It was added on to later). Aaron wanted to walk around on his own so I was asked to leave the tour (he was being good, his little footsteps just sounded loud to the lady downstairs) but I got to see enough to know that I will take my air-conditioned, modern house over a 1700 house any day.

This is the view from the front of the house. During the Civil war, the house became the headquarters for the union army and all the soldiers camped right here in the front. You will notice that there is not a flat spot any where to pitch a tent or lay down a bed roll.

I think that is enough of a history lesson for today. Thank you everyone. Class dismissed.

just not feeling it

Today I'm just not feeling it. I've got a lot of things I need to do- unpack, do laundry, do a little yard work, return phone calls and e-mails, Wish Laura Z a happy late birthday (Happy Birthday, girl, and congrats on the run! I'll call you later), laundry- guess I already mentioned that, decide what's for dinner- then actually make dinner...find the energy to make dinner. I think the only thing worse than getting back into the swing of things after a three day weekend is getting back to it after a five day one. yuck. I'll post about my trip and the wedding later- I'm just not in the mood. I got a migraine during the last flight home yesterday and I'm still feeling dizzy, which is adding to but not the complete cause of my funk today. If anyone wants to help me out- just call me and tell me what to make for dinner- it has to be quick, I have Kayla's gymnastics program at 5:30 and enrichment night (if I make it) at 7:00.

A Prosperity Blessing

A Prosperity Blessing

May you be blessed with an amazingly abundant day today!
May the clouds break and the heavens pour down upon you more joy, more love, more laughter and more money than you could have ever dreamed of.
May the sun shine its golden light of prosperity through every cell of your extraordinary body.
May you be cleansed today of any resistance or feelings of unworthiness that you may still be holding onto.
May your false illusions of doubt, fear and scarcity gently fall away like soft white feathers on a gentle breeze.
May you be willing, simply willing, to allow the Universe to shower you with miracles today.
May the Angels wrap you in their shining wings of opulence.
May the fairies deliver you to their pot of gold at the end of a majestic rainbow.
May your eyes shine with the glorious truth of who you really are and may that truth uplift others in your presence to their own inner knowing.
May your ears hear the sound of perfection ringing in your soul.
May you taste the deliciousness of every precious bite of life as your day unfolds moment by moment with amazing grace, heartfelt love and a bounty of magnificent money.
As this day ends, may you slumber wrapped in an exquisite blanket of enduring peace and profound gratitude.
And may the last words you speak today be Thank You!

Veronica M. Hay

Veronica Hay is the author of "In a Dream, You Can Do Anything, A Collection of Words" An extraordinary collection of writings that will uplift you, motivate you, inspire you and gently guide you along the inner path of your life.

weight issues

Several months ago, at Aarons well-baby check up, our doctor expressed "concern" about his weight. I guess his lack of weight is more accurate. Aaron weighed 17 pounds at a year and is not on the doctor's growth chart. I wasn't worried, he looks healthy and well proportioned, he has energy and is VERY active and smart. The doctor, however, "just wanted to make sure we caught any problems early" and referred us to the Primary Children's Nutrition Clinic (Also known as the Fundamentals of Nutrition Clinic or FUN. Then he wrote three of the worst words a parent can see on the referral slip- FAILURE TO THRIVE.

I called my friend who had to take her son to the same clinic and she told me about power packing. Power packing is when you make every bite your child eats as calorie rich as possible. This means whip cream and butter get added to everything and ice cream becomes the snack of choice. But not just any ice cream will do. It needs to be the ice cream with the highest fat content and it is ok to add crushed up candy bars and chocolate syrup and whip cream to bump up the calories.

I have to admit I became a bit obsessed with getting Aaron to eat. I felt like I was spending my whole day feeding him. I would follow him around with food, give him crackers every time he got strapped into his car seat, sing, dance, and give him crayons and paper at the table to distract him into eating more. I also nursed him several times a day. I think I was making us both a little bit crazy and while he did gain 1 pound, he would only eat a few ounces at a time.

This is the program we were told to try when we went to the Primary Children's Hospital FUN clinic. I needed to write it down again so I could stay on track.

1.We need to feed him 3 meals and 2 snacks a day (Breakfast, lunch, snack, dinner, snack before bed)

2. He needs to eat at the same place as much as possible.

3. No eating between meal (The whole point is to use his biological hunger to drive his eating. I need to let him get hungry and thirsty so he can recognize hunger and eat more at a time. )

4. I am not supposed to let him wander around with food. (This has been hard because he is finding food in the pantry and helping himself, this is the complete opposite of his behavior a few weeks ago)

5. He needs to eat with the family as much as possible. He now gets his snack when Jason gets home from school so they can eat together.

6. I need to give him water, milk or pediasure after he eats so he doesn't fill up on liquid.

7. I need to give him foods he can eat himself. This completely ends the power struggle over food.

We have been doing this for 2 1/2 weeks and the difference is amazing. Aaron is eating a lot more and I am much less frustrating. He is gaining weight and I feel like we are finally establishing good eating habits.

My Beautiful Life

Give me a house to call my own

Friends and Family to make it a home

The year at spring and day at morn

God is in his heaven, all is right with the world

Robert Browning

My sister is getting married this month and I am so excited for her. She is nervous to be getting married again, her first marriage didn't end in a happy place. But she is bravely embracing life and giving love another chance. When we were talking the other day, she told me about the beautiful life her husband-to-be has built for himself. He has a beautiful home on a few acres in Virginia, good friends, a good financial foundation, and he wants to share this beautiful life with her.

Since this conversation, I have thought about my life and how beautiful it really is. I have a home that I love. I see God out every window- in the sunset and the moonrise, the trees budding, and the snow falling, the clouds drifting and the mountains glowing in the late afternoon light. I have good friends, the best man I have ever met is my husband, my children are the little lights that keep my days interesting and fresh. They are also the bruises that keep my heart tender as I worry over them.

I was in the park a few days ago, talking to someone who is moving to out of state. For a few minutes I was jealous of the adventure she will have, starting out in a new and very different place, meeting new people and being closer to the ocean. But as I walked home, along the tree lined streets, the trees busting with blossoms, the lawns freshly cut and emerald green, I knew. The grass isn't greener on the other side. Different isn't always better. I like my life. I have good friends, I am comfortable, and that is a very good thing.