McKenna has started reading The Borrowers and I found this in her room. A shoe box filled with small “borrowed things” to make a room for Arrietty. It has since evolved to include more furniture, hanging decor and clothing that McKenna has designed and created especially for Arrietty.
Erick and I celebrating Valentine’s day on Thursday. It was one of our best Valentine’s dates yet.
After dinner at Lucille’s, we went to a benefit concert. For a mere $5 per ticket, we saw one of our favorite artists (Sleeping At Last) in a very small and intimate venue. We sat fifth row center and he was phenomenal and so personable. The event was a fundraising event for Hope International. This organization isn’t one I had heard of until this night but I am really excited about what they do. Rather than perpetuate the cycle of poverty by simply dumping America’s excess shirts and shoes on a town (therefore, putting the local clothing and shoe retailers out of business completely) they offer loans to underprivileged but promising entrepreneurs in developing countries and provide training and financial advisement until they are able to run their own business independently. We heard stories of people taking a dime a week and turning it into a coal-selling business starting with one bag of charcoal and finally advancing to a point where they could purchase a vehicle and develop their business in surrounding villages. Or of a woman who took her $100 loan, bought rice and beans and sold them at a profit until she could raise enough money to open her own hair salon, hire other people in the village and train them to be her employees and even be able to lend out finances of her own to hopeful entrepreneurs as well. Breaking the cycle of poverty. It’s the best idea yet. Our family agreed that throughout the year, we would save money to make a donation somewhere at the end of each year. I think this is where we will send our money. If we can sponsor one or two loans – think of the ripple effect that would have in a single community!
And the concert was one of my top five favorite concerts of all time. With Needles and Thread becoming a new favorite Sleeping at Last song for me.
Friday morning, Katie and I went for a walk around Old Town Tustin. We took some pictures. We stopped at the garden center and talked about all her favorite flowers. We bought supplies for a project we saw on Pinterest. We stopped at an Asian bakery called Cream Pan and bought pastries and coffee to bring home for Daddy. Which we served to him in bed, enjoying a leisurely and beautiful morning. Then we went to visit Grandma Jean & Pop-Pop. I told Jean about Hope International and she shared my enthusiasm at knowing that this was the type of thing that creates a Paradigm Shift. I love when my Mother-in-Law and I talk and have those moments when we just connect about something heavenly. It’s a Holy Spirit thing for sure. After our visit, we stopped at Sprouts to pick up some fresh fruits & veggies and stuff for dinner.
And took Katie to lunch at Souplantation where she impressed us with her eye-crossing skillz.
McKenna had her ears pierced when she was 4. And then when it was time to change them, she freaked out so much that I didn’t put the earrings back in and we let them close. For the past 4 years, she has simply refused to get them re-pierced. Until Thursday night when she mentioned that she might like to get them done again. We started talking about how you can find an earring for ANYTHING you love. Dolphins, cupcakes, Beluga whales. We googled everything she could think of to prove it. She decided that yes… she was ready for earrings again. It took three times of walking in and out of Claire’s Boutique, a lot of counseling (both from me and the girl who works there), a lot of tears, a few meltdowns, a little bribery…. but eventually, she got it done because she could not bare to walk out of there without the sparkly dolphin earrings she wanted so badly. $62.50 later – one pair of hot pink peace earrings, three pairs of vibrant feather earrings, 3 pairs of sparkly dolphin earrings, 8 pairs of sparkly flower earrings and one ice cream-shaped lip gloss later. Spoiled! (To be fair, they were having a buy 2 get 1 free deal on the earrings so it was a kind of package deal.) But I have to say, her excitement and pride at having conquered her fear and finally having earrings again has been worth it. She has said to me no less than two dozen times “I am so happy I finally have earrings!” I even hear her squeal to herself behind closed doors “I HAVE EARRINGS!!!! EEEEEEE!!!!!!” <3 Totally worth it.
Look at my Kates helping me make dinner. <3 We had salmon, asparagus, brussel sprouts with prosciutto, jasmine rice and beergaritas. Chocolate chip cookies for dessert. And then we played “Shreds” (charades) which is always hysterical with these kids. Katie ALWAYS starts with mermaid. They always make Erick be “Dio” and they always make me be “the girl from Twilight” (which means I flutter my eyelashes and say in a high-pitched voice “I loooove vampires.” and the girls break down into a fit of giggles.)
Saturday was my sleep-in day. And the girls woke me up with their usual hugs and kisses and details of the morning that I had missed so far. And then they began to play pretend camping. Notice Katie is fishing in the basket. She was catching food for Erick to eat – including Octopus, fish and a steak. Did you know you can catch fresh steak in the river? Me neither. Oh and also, McKenna and Kyla are sitting on a “log” (my foam roller) next to the “fire” (my hand weights placed like fire logs) and strumming the guitar and singing Kumbaya.
We planted Carnival carrot seeds in a 2-liter soda bottle. We’re really hoping it works because we want to see a hot pink carrot! We also made sidewalk chalk paint, which was fun enough. Not as vibrant as it looked in the picture on Pinterest, even though I put in way more food coloring than she even suggested. But the girls had fun with it and it cleaned up easily so it was cool I guess. I think it works better as a drizzling, spilling, splattering thing.
We made oven-fried chicken for lunch, which I haven’t made in a long time. So yummy!
We also finally got around to giving Katie the rainbow hair she wanted. We did purple and red with soft chalk pastels. She loved it and I thought it turned out pretty cute! I also worked on some plans for a Monsters vs. Aliens movie night with the Catalano cousins next weekend. That will be really fun! Luke wanted a pitching lesson from Uncle E so we decided to make a sleepover night of it. We can’t wait!
Oh and I started designing the necklaces for my Bible study girls’ birthdays. I think they’ll turn out cute. I’m using the verse Proverbs 31:29 for all of them and just creating a design that fits each of their individual styles.
Erick lead worship at church this morning. It was a short service as far as music goes because there was a baptism but I let the girls come to the service with me for the first half so they could see him play. When we walked in and Katie saw him up on the stage, she said “There’s my Daddy!” <3 He did a great job. He leads again next week too!
McKenna asked Erick to teach her how to pitch because she’s hoping to play softball someday. She has a really good arm and great hand-eye coordination. We have a somewhat strict “one extra-curricular at a time” policy and she’s already committed to dance for the Spring. So we told her she could probably play Fall Ball if she wants. It starts in August and ends before Thanksgiving, which would be perfect for our schedules. I don’t like to have extra-curriculars during December.
Kyla enjoying the afternoon at the park. The girl ZOOMS on the scooter and this was the one and only moment I got her to sit still for a picture. Immediately after, she fell off that wall into a mini rose bush and got poked in the tush. LOL she thought it was hysterical.
Erick worked today but the girls and I enjoyed a lazy afternoon. They did some dot-art with pencil erasers and ink pads. We also curled up with some chocolate chip cookies and watched movies for a few hours (Prince of Egypt and Ramona and Beezus). My favorite quote from Katie “Why was Moses one of the Jewies?” ROFL!! Jewies?? We also made “fire-breathing dragons”out of tinfoil and had spaghetti, meatballs, garlic bread and carrots for dinner.
After dinner, Kyla talked about sending a letter to Jesus via a balloon. Katie said “I just talk to Jesus.” I said “What do you say to Him?” She said “I tell him GET IN MY HEART!” LOL so bossy to Jesus!
