Go West! Vol. 2: Utah.

Ya know, cause it's a road trip.

So, I last shared pics of our time in Colorado. Y'all are so encouraging and I appreciate it. It's cool to have an online scrapbook of sorts.
It's also sort of nerve-wracking for my conspiracy theorist/ Big Brother-is-watching voices, but I shut them up enough to publish this jazz.

Anyway, after leaving Grand Junction, we  headed Southwest a bit, by way of Moab, Utah and Arches National Park.

Amazeballs has never really been part of my vernacular, but it might be now.
I'm serious. If it's even possible to be taken seriously when using the word amazeballs, then I am very serious: this place needs to be added to the list of places to see in 'Merica.

No joke, I'm averaging about 7 selfies a day on this trip.
Embarrassing. But this is cutesy.

It is cool to have kids big enough to take pictures of The Spouses.
Plus, they tend to give me the biz if I get too many of them. 

As we were headed out and further South, we passed Wilson Arch. 

The Big Sister asked, "Can we climb it?" Um. Yep!

So we did. :)

If you know me in real life, you know that I take feet pictures as often as possible.

Here's one of my favorites ever. I mean, of non-beach ones. 

On the way up the side of that rock, I said, "Hey, Y'all. Just so ya know, I'm not climbing this rock for nature & stuff. I'm only doing it for the glutes." Meant it.
The view wasn't terrible, though.

Spouse has this thing about the Colorado River. To aggravate the girls, every river we pass, even a creek, he will say, "Girls, Look! The Colorado River!" It might be Toad Pass, and he's calling it the CR. This was the real deal, so naturally, we took a selfie.

Parting Shot: Somewhere around Monument Valley, the Lord painted a Chevron pattern (or Charlie Brown Zig Zag, if you're me) on the rock. So cool.

Photo Credit: The Big Sister.

Thanks for following along!

Go West! Vol. 1: Colorado

Pikes Peak declaring the glory of the Lord. 

This very moment, we are driving North on I-15 on yet another stretch of highway that neither Spouse nor I have ever seen. From the moment we got on a plane to Denver, we have been in a part of the country that we've never been. Such a fun experience for us. 

This is our map-ish.

We reserve the right to change the route at any time. As a matter of fact, this is the third screenshot, I believe. :) It's definitely more of a guideline. 

Y'all know I can't have anything too binding. 

Grinning. But, seriously. 

Since I've been in total Mamarazzi Mode, I'll break these posts up as best I can. 

I mean, if I'm going to bore you with slides of the family vacation, 

I might as well drag it out, right?

Here are a few things about our 30-ish hours in Colorado:

Denver is beautiful. I love this city.
It's so weird and hipster and clean.
Our friend, Ashley, directed us to the Cherry Cricket in Cherry Creek. Cute little area.
Also, I think Ashley was maybe 13 or 14 when we met her-give or take- and I remember the day she trusted Jesus with her life. Now she is real grownup living in Denver. Whaaat?

Spouse, Me, & Adult Ashley. *Sigh*

Spring is in the air.

We got so excited about a group of prairie dogs in a field just next to a little mall. Seriously, they were right there! So cute. I just started snapping pics like crazy. When I looked through the pics on the computer, I saw this jazz! Inappropriate, Prairie Dogs!

Since we had limited time while Spouse was working, the girls and I drove down to Colorado Springs to Garden of the Gods. This was the beginning of my love of the red rock.

That's Pikes Peak in the background. Mercy. It doesn't even look real.

Photo credit: The Little Sister.

This place is so awesome. Fantastic, gorgeous weather.

Since we had gone to the place of little g's, I wanted to visit a place that is all about the 

Big G God, so we went to Focus on the Family. :)

Spouse had some things to do in Littleton, so I just had to go by Columbine High School. I felt sort of weird for wanting to see it, but I just did. It was a totally reverent and respectful curiosity.

So beautiful. Littleton is a beautiful little town and we couldn't help but ask for more healing and blessings over its residents. As we saw some little kids at the park, the girls and I wondered if some of their parents were at Columbine High School in April 1999. Crazy.

That evening, we headed over to Grand Junction to get this little trek party started. This road trip has not been a disappointment. We got some serious snow! We thought we'd stop and build a little snowman, but determined that we did not, in fact want to build a snow man. We were too cold and that snow was coming in sideways! Hitting me right in my very eyes!

It looked good on her, though!

And him. :)

I mean, seriously!? Look at it! In mid-May?!

This is our rented minivan. The girls are wanting us to get another one.
So funny.

Awkward yearbook note to Colorado:

Colorado, We don't know each other that well, but I think you are so lovely! I look forward to another little visit next weekend. :) You are beautiful. Don't ever change! Keep in touch! XOXO

5 Things I'd Rather Do Than Celebrate Halloween.

Photo cred: I don't know. From IMBD.

I do not love Halloween. I just don't. I guess it wasn't always this way. When I was younger I enjoyed dressing up as my favorite doppleganger, Wonder Woman. (No pics of that nonsense.) Now look at me- I have a Wonder Woman Complex (trying to save the world, guilt when I can't) and no gold bracelets.
Some Halloweens, I was a cat. Green eyes, dark hair, ya know. Now, I don't love cats.

See what this day has done to me!?

To be clear: let's not confuse distaste for Halloween for a disdain for candy corn and whatnot.
Stay focused, Kids. I just don't love Halloween. I don't love the scary images, haunted houses,  kids dressed as zombies, blood and gore and all that. And, I certainly don't love all the skanky costumes.

Kids dressed up as mini police men, Buzz & Woody, little Wonder Women (not the leotard part), Uncle Si,  I dig all that. I get the cutesy stuff. (So, post pics of cutesy kids!)

It's just all the money, the candy I don't need, the hoopla ...meh. I could just skip it.

So, when I read about the Halloween Link Up over at Living In Yellow, and could just hear little Erin singing my song!

Let's see...What 5 things would I rather do instead?

1. Board a flight to any number of places. My travel wish list is getting longer and longer. My children may spend some of their teen years in a teeny apartment in order to fund my our travels. Europe, Haiti, Wyoming, California, NYC...any of those will do.

2. Have a fun dinner with our favorite little Filipina. She flies in today and we are SO excited! We get her for the weekend, but she has to work during the week. Blech. Work.

3.  Watch The Outsiders. The Big Sister just finished the book and we haven't found time this week to sit and watch the movie. Or, I'd even like to catch up on Parenthood. Sigh. The Bravermans.

4.  Do some work on this blog. I've been wanting to do a little cosmetic maintenance for a while, but I can't make up my mind and I don't want to spend a million dollars on it. (See #1) Still, I love this little space and I want it to be cutesy, but I don't love that my mug is larger than life at the top. Good grief.

5.  Go visit this lady right here. I don't love Halloween, but she is just hateful. What a total meanie pants.  She might better leave town. I could totally see the neighborhood teens stocking up on toilet paper and forks (or worse) for such a time is this. Anyway, I'd like to go visit her.

So, there ya go. Some things I'd rather do than celebrate Halloween. Certainly not all-inclusive.

Still, weather permitting, we will be handing out candy and meeting our neighbors because I can't not. I love people. My girls do, too, so it will be fun. Hopefully, our little friend can come, too.
No, Dear Brian, I will only hand out candy because I agree, anything else is hokey pokey.

I just want to be awesome, not hokey pokey.

Happy Day!

TEXploration Dos: Enchanted Rock.

Welcome to Episode Two of TEXploration!  :)

The first picture of the blog post becomes the thumbnail.
It was either this one or the one below.
You're welcome.

The first night of camping, Spouse was getting ready to fire up the grill when we realized I didn't bring any seasoning for the burgers. Not even salt & pepper. Awesome. I remembered only cheddar cheese, but not American. We also didn't have a spatula. 

But, I remembered the pickles. Cause I've got priorities, People.

I made a quick run to the campground store, and made it work.

This is Maverick during while grilling was happening. 

We headed over to Fredericksburg and Enchanted Rock. Fredericksburg is a cutesy little town with a German Pioneer heritage. Enchanted Rock is about 30 minutes or so just north of Fredericksburg and well worth it.

                                      

It's evidently only 425 feet in elevation (still Texas, just Hill Country, not Mountain Country!) but it really is beautiful. It's about a .6 mile walk up to the top of the dome. Really cool.

We are laughing cause Spouse was whispering marital inappropriateness. 

Maverick made the trek, too! He was the cutest little pup on that Rock!

Big Sister.

Downtown Fredericksburg.

Little Sister got to ring the church bell.

This is what I thought all of Texas looked like. Glad I got to see it.

We are on the road now to Waco for the Baylor Homecoming game with some of our favorite people on the planet. And, of course, we are considering this a college scouting trip. :)

Thanks for indulging me a few posts of scrap-blogging!

What are y'all up to this weekend?!

2012 Reflections

<Cue appropriate year-end songs>

It's closing time. Open all the doors and let you out in to the world... [Performed by Semisonic]

Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road. Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go... [Performed by GreenDay]

Of course, we could move on to the New Year's Day songs. 

All is quiet on New Year's Day, a world in white get's underway... [Performed by U2].

So this is the new year, and I don't feel any different... [Performed by Death Cab for Cutie]

Alright, alright.  Let's not be hasty. (Did I just say that? Weird.) 

Today is a day of reflection. We are sticking with year-end songs here.

And, my personal favorite: 

You must sing along or this post will self-destruct.

If I could turn back time, if I could find a way, I'd take back those words that hurt you. And, you'd stay... 

I do not need to tell you that that piece of lyrical ingenuity was performed by none other than the ever-ostentatious walking legend, Cher. 

It's absurd, truly, to think about what we've learned and experienced this year. I don't have a clue what's coming, but I know anything is possible. [Proof: I am typing this from my home in Texas.]

2012 taught us a few million things. It's been a ride on the roller coaster of "Follow Jesus". The experiences, awesomeness, and fun we've had are too numerous to count. Anyway, I've been reading all these posts & tweets about reflecting on 2012 and evaluating your life and habits, setting goals for 2013 and whatnot. 

OK. I'm in. I'll attempt to list 10 lessons, experiences, reflections, awesomeness, highs & lows--general stuff from 2012, in no particular order. (A 2013 Goals post will be later tonight.) 

Lesson: Following Jesus rarely looks like what you think it will look like. Dude. Sometimes what it looks like is that you are an indecisive spaztastic. North Carolina? Manila? ...Texas. Huh? You just gotta go with what only you and Jesus know. Fine, Jesus. I'm a spaz anyway. May as well be a spaz for you.

Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.”  Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”  James 4:13-15

Word. 

Awesomeness: Blogging.  I'm writing. Writing to bless Jesus and somebody, even when I'm writing shenanigans. Writing stuff that will likely never make it the published list. Just writing. I encourage you to write, even if nobody reads  it.

Reflection: Criticism is not a fruit of the Spirit. I say this often, with reason. No body is more critical of me than me. 

Experience: The Suite Life of Meghan and Maddy. I think we will all look back on that time as just plain fun. In a quick calculation, I figured we've been in a hotel room or temporary housing 160+ days this year. 

Tough stuff: Losing friends. 

Awesomeness: My girls are best friends. This year has bonded them on new levels. How do we know? They gang up on us like never before. We could all learn from their strategizing.

Lesson: Being the new girl is hard. Even for super-sanguines. That's part of what's hard. Super-sanguines want to know everyone in the room already. I can find myself disappointed if I'm in a room with 200 people and I only got the names and life stories of 2 people. Silly. Learning this lesson has given us all a new sensitivity to what it's like to be the new person. Visiting all these churches and whatnot, I've learned to never assume the person is feeling at "home" there. Now I ask, "Is this your home church?" Boom. Door opened.

Not new realization: The Body of Christ is nothing less than supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. From Florida to Wake Forest to Irving and Arlington to Manila to Houston, we've been loved, prayed over, served, missed, welcomed, encouraged, taught, and fed. All in Jesus' name.

Awesomeness: Fajitas. Son.

Less than awesomeness: Fajitas.  Must. Stop. Eating.

It's definitely been a year of "new" around here. We've learned so very much about ourselves and how God works in us. 

What about you? What was your awesomeness of 2012? 

Takin' It to the House.

You have no idea how much I wanted to title this "Takin' It to the Hizz-ouse". 

But, Spouse would tell me I'm a spaztard. This is not true. 

I thought about "Movin' On Up!", but then my Millennial readers wouldn't sing: "to the east side...to a deeeelux apartment in the sky-y-y" and that would be important to me, so that one went in the proverbial compost bin. 

(Hilarity from my last post.)

So, that's your title, Friends. Hope you see how much distress I go through over this jazz.

Movin' on.

Up.

To the East Side.

To a Dee...

OK. So, last week the girls and I made the ever-so-invigorating 4 1/2 hour drive down I-45 from DFW  to Houston in order to meet with the movers. It was a quick and dirty trip. "Just get it unloaded, we'll unpack what we can and press on back to DFW for our last week." 

I know what you're thinking. 

Why didn't y'all just stay for the week and work on the house? 

A fine question with a couple of answers. I had just traveled to Florida the week before for 4 days to pack up our house. We felt like we had been separated a lot and we just like each other. 

Also, the girls had a class at the Fort Worth Zoo this week AND we had a date with one of our favorite Trinidadian-Millennials on Sunday. We really wanted to take him to FBC Irving. So, that's why. 

7:10am. Big honkin' truck arrived for an 8am appointment. Well, alright. Let's do the thang.

You work for your supper 'round here, Folks. No handouts. No bailouts. No freebies.

My girls DO work. Meghan's job was to check off the sheet while the truck was unloaded.

Notes: Maddy worked a lot, too. But, since I was working, too, there aren't any pics of it. Also, that fan should have never come here. It's not even ours. I don't even know why we had it, but it got loaded.  

JAG, Spouse will send you some $. :)

At one point, I couldn't get out of the kitchen.
My boys, Emmanuel & Moses, had a good time with that. 

One day this will be schoolroom/library awesomeness.
The goal is before our lease is up. Aim high, Kids.

The Acts 1:8 Bathroom.

I want to tell you a couple of quick things before my fam wakes up and the work day begins. 

How we treat people matters. I sincerely appreciate people who are in jobs that provide a service to others. I am genuinely appreciative of cashiers, bank tellers, car washers, servers, movers, and the people who keep public restrooms clean. I GUSH over them. Let me tell you something, they notice. 

It was not a perfect day. There are furniture pieces missing and tables scratched and trinket boxes broken. But, those are just things. 

Emmanuel, Moses, and Chris the Truck Driver are people. 

Emmanuel and Moses told me they were Believers. 

Chris, in his heavy New York accent, 

"I suspected you were a Born Again just by the way you acted. 

People get real bent out of shape over a scratch in a table... 

My uncle is a Born Again and he home schools and his kids are just as polite as yours. 

You don't see that much anymore." 

Thank you, Jesus. These girls made You look good again.

You don't just get McD's Sweet Tea in Texas. You get Texas McD's Sweet Tea. I'm lovin' it.

It's gonna be a rainy day in most of Texas, which makes it a great day to unpack! The boxes are calling' me.