God is so good...

All the time.

So I have this friend... she is awesome. She doesn't read my blog so I dont have to worry about embarrassing her... but I know one of you that reads knows her... maybe two ;)

She is a fellow fantasy writer who Jake calls, my "Fantasy Friend"

LOL

Anyhow, she heard that my first query letter got rejected and asked me to bring it with me when there was a "get together" at her church for football last night. So I brought it and we went to the other room to talk about it and then... we prayed over the letter.

Awesome.

Prayed that God give me clear guidance about where to spend my time. How much time. What to spend my time on (even if it's not writing) and on and on...

Wow. Just wow... that was an awesome gesture! And it really made my night.

So, we are believing that God is going to direct me in the right places for a publisher... and well just generally EVERYTHING! :)

Curse you Aqua Scum!!! (again)

Got my first rejection letter...

My socks are wet...

It snowed FEET in the last two days...

I crave everything and can have nothing...

I don't want to cook dinner...

My socks are still wet...

I am tired...

The house is a wreck in the wreckiest form...

I hate wet socks...

More then that, I hate when I step in snow puddles INSIDE my house in new WARM socks which then are not warm anymore but wet... and I hate wet socks.

Really?

Well, humm. I guess I will just try to post more acceptably. Cuzz I just seem to lack time to post these days.

It's probably due to school time being increased with a 5th grader now... Dang how did she become a 5th grader! CRAZY!

In news regarding her... we scrapped the 5th grade LifePac History & Geography. She was failing it... the sections were fine but testing was out the window! She got more wrong then she got right. She says it was because she can't remember the answers. Well obviously! So we are trying something new. She is going to read Historical Fiction books and some Non-Fiction books to see if she can retain a bit more. And instead of testing and doing Q&A she will write me a paper or do a lap book (her choice). We will try this out this month and see how it goes.

On the positive side, she was really excited about it and begged... no PLEADED to go to the library last night to get some of the books. I grabbed that enthusiasm and ran with it ;) So she now has 20 books (not all Historical but some are her own chosen fictional readers) to get started with. Let's hope this works.

Ahhhh!

So, the week came and went... And boy was it too quick! We love seeing family but we hate when they leave! Pooey!

But it was great. If you are a FB user... you have no doubt seen some pics.

But here... Gosh this is lacking. Really, I think I am going to take it down. Is everyone on Facebook? Cuzz if you aren't I am not sure what to tell you. LOL!

Let me know... soon! Cuzz I think Life as we know it... is being relocated to Facebook ;)

Curse you Aqua Scum!!!

Soooooo we might be exposed to something. Pray PRAY PRAY that we aren't. Dana and the kids (is Matt coming?) are suppose to be heading out way in just a couple days and it would completely suck to have to cancel due to a bug running amok in our house!

S threw up on Sunday... then came to us on Monday. N threw up on Monday night at home (thankfully)... but then their mom, K threw up on Monday night/Tuesday morning... which means SHE has something. Prayerfully its just something they "ate" but I dunno if I am holding onto false hope. 3 pukies in 3 days... I just pray we didn't get it.

So Pray with me... PLEASE?!?

I mean, we have had some sorta ick in our throats/heads (between Iona, Jake and I) for over a week now... but it wasn't the pukies. Gabe started coughing this morning... but if it's just this crud, we know its just a normal fall bug not a pukie thing... Ahhhhhhhh!

Just pray.

Testing the waters...

We are testing the waters around the area for churches. We tried out Mountain View CC on Saturday night and Cherry Hills CC on Sunday morning.

Two churches with two TOTALLY different feelings!

First, Mountain View's first impression was good. We were greeted right away. Asked if we were new and everyone got to their classes well. The kids didn't really like the kids programs though. They said they were boring and didn't really care to go back. Okay, well maybe it was a bad day. We could always try again.

The service, well the worship was good. The pastor, well, I am just not sure what I thought about his message. It was very people oriented. I am not sure if I know how to explain it. Also, he wasn't very engaging. In other words, I was a bit bored. (sigh)

So on to Cherry Hills we went this morning. We met Kari J, and her family in the foyer area and she helped us get checked in to this ENORMOUS church. 6,000 or so people in attendance today. Yes, ENORMOUS!!! But with little effort we got our kids checked in. Iona went with Kari's DD and Toby and Gabe had to go by themselves... Toby went in fine... Gabe RAN into his class and exclaimed THIS CHURCH IS COOOL!!!! And I must admit, his classroom was COOOL. COOOOOOOOOOOOL!

The worship was good, I would assume... I heard it but didn't get to see much as I was stuck in the bathroom (long story). But when I did make it in... WOW there was a 100 voice choir!!! And they were BEAUTIFUL!!! Their voices were awesome and gave me the chills.

The associate pastor was speaking on encouragement and mentoring and had a great interactive text time. Not once did I find myself bored! What a good thing :) I mean it wasn't over the top exciting but it was a good service.

I panicked a little when Kari had to leave early wondering if I could maze my way around the campus again to find the kids! But that proved a worry not worth anything. We found then just fine AND ran into a couple of people that used to attend Waterstone. What are the chances of that?

So if I put the two churches on a complete scale, I would have to say CHCC is tilting further towards the "will try again" area.

There is another church we want to try out called Grace Chapel, again, it is an ENORMOUS church close by. But we will try it too and possibly one called Horizons.

Now I am off to Awana... though I am not sure how long that will keep 2 of my 3 don't want to go anymore. *grumble*

Boycotting Presents...

WHAT?! Boycotting presents?!?!

Oh yes, this year we aren't doing presents in our house (for Christmas).

WHY?! I may hear you scream... because gift cards are better ;)

We told the kids they would still get stockings (those who believe in the big red guy stop reading now) and still get a santa gift... but the rest is going to be in a gift card that they can spend ANY way they want. That way, I don't have to wrap and if we end up going anywhere... I wont have to pack the car with gifts that they are to open.

The kids think its a good plan... okay all but Toby. I don't think he understands the concept of getting to pick whatever he wants from the store... Maybe it will sink in by Christmas.

I haven't completely 100% decided this is for sure the way to go... but I am 95% sure.

I was doing good...

Until the other day...

What happened? Who knows.

Well, I went to meet Jen Yates of CakeWrecks.com yesterday... Got a book signed... Laughed A LOT... it was pretty groovy. I stayed up WAY too late watching Jake and the kids crack up over the cakes... that sight was worth every cent I paid for the book! We skipped a few middle pages... PG-13 or so... but they thought it was hilarious!

I updated my author blogs today... I actually wrote in the two of them... Intelligible things! Imagine that ;) The one blog should be super exciting. It's called... well I can't tell you... I dont want people to accidently happen upon THIS one and not that one. But it's a blog of one of my main characters... if you have read the book, you know that she hears voices... and this is her journal entries of those voices. SHould be quite schitzo! ;)

The other is just a more serious blog using my fav things in the world... ellipses ;) Anyway, if you want the addy's let me know.

Otherwise... be on your merry way! I am off to break up a "NO I HAD IT FIRST" conversation!

Sick... blah!

I hate being sick. It really bites! But thankfully it's just me! And I can pin point when/who I got it from... but unfortunately I can't complain. It was my dumb mistake... I fed a baby from my fingers... and then ate something myself. And no it wasn't MY baby S that I watch... it was another... and his brother DID have a cough, so really, it's my fault. Blame lies with me.

ANYHOW... I stayed home from church today because I thought I could possibly have Strep. Now I am not sure. My throat is definitely feeling better then yesterday after drenching it with liquids for 24 hours and then having a humidifier on in the room. So hopefully it's just a regular cold and nothing is going to come of it... NyQuil has been my friend ;)

In other news... God is leading us to another church. Strange but true. For a while he was kinda hinting at it... but neither Jake nor myself really wanted to listen. I have family that attends Waterstone... well not true family but close enough ;) and leaving just felt like something neither of us wanted to do. But without typing the whole story out here (some of you know it) God is DEFINITELY leading us elsewhere. Ministry calls... and when God calls you go. When he opens doors for ministry, you have to go that direction. So for now, this is what God wants. And we hope we can just hear his voice and do his will.

What church... well we will start with Cherry Hills. And see if that is where God wants us. If not, we will look at the smaller (less mega) churches in the area and see if they fit our ministry needs. Then go from there.

Prayer accepted during this crazy transition time.

In still other news... the novel is done and people are reading it. No one has gotten back to me yet... which is unnerving... BUT eventually they will. I heard a great comment recently that said, "The worst thing for an author is for you to say nothing... " ouch that is soo true.

Anyhow.. off to watch the Bears.. then get to bed for some more recovery.

Homemade Gourmet

A friend of mine had a Homemade Gourmet party recently... I had heard of the company but never bought from them because I didn't really care for their prices. But to help my friend, I decided to go and buy... and I did buy things we would use. Fajita mix, Fried Rice stuff and Beef and Broccoli stuff.

When they arrived I was very underwhelmed by the amount of product I actually got in comparison to the price I paid.

The fajita and beef mixes were about 2-3 tablespoons of seasoning and 1 "steamer" bag... The Fried Rice Mix was uhhh terribly small; about 1.5 cups of rice with dried stuff inside it (certainly not enough to feed my family).

I paid how much for this? Hummm... Oh well.

So they sat on my counter for a week... or more... got shuffled around the counter really. Finally tonight I decided to make the fajitas! Yumm, we love fajitas.

The directions are on the flap... I googled a picture and LOOK there is the exact one, so you know what I am talking about!

The fold is where the packaging is sealed around the plastic and the directions are under the flap... behind the red logo and the nutritional information...

That bottom tear off tab is pretty inventive. The other side has a shopping list of what I need for my meal. Though there are two ingredients... not like someone couldn't remember chicken and veggies ;) LOL Anyhow...

But now we come to time to make the meal...

Only microwave directions... what the?! No where on the package does it say that it's only for the microwave but okay... we will deal.

So go to read the directions... And some of the directions are SEALED into the packaging. I can't read it no matter how hard I try. Tear the top off to possibly get to the directions that are sealed into the fold... didn't work. Oh well, surely I can figure them out with out this one or two lines... Nope. It didn't make ANY SENSE!

Off to Google I went... to LOOK UP the directions online... and as luck would have it... I found it... but they are COMPLETELY different then the directions on the package... but they are from the company. IN FACT they are MUCH easier to understand... MUCH easier to tell what needed to happen. It was like the directions on the package were written by a monkey and the ones on their site a human.

And you think I am kidding?! I am not. *sigh*

Ahem...

Okay, now that I have non-monkey directions that are complete I am off to make the meal. But then I see... It's only suppose to make 6 fajitas! Ahhhh! Great. Press on Heather, press on.

I put the frozen cooked chicken into the steam bag. Poured my 3 Tablespoons of gold... I mean seasoning into the bag, sealed it and then stuck it in the microwave for 3 minutes. Easy enough. After 3 minutes added my veggies, shook the bag, and put it back in for 3 minutes. Then shook again and another couple minutes until everything was hot and mixed.

A+ on ease of preparation once I had non-monkey directions! I was impressed with how EASY & QUICK it was... now comes the taste. For this price it should be FABULOUS! Right?

I served everyone... trying to be sparse because it only makes 6 remember?

Here we go... let's eat... Hummm this is... uhh... what is this? Oh Fajitas right... So it umm... it doesn't taste much like anything. I mean I can tell it's fajitas... but for 50 cents at Walmart I can get a similar fajita mix (with the same amount mind you!!!). So I paid how much for "eh okay" fajita mix? And I seem to remember Walmart's Fajita mix being yummers... and not laced with gold.

Kids verdict... "Can I be done?" (less then half way thru-- from all three), Sleepover kid ate her whole thing.

Jake's verdict... After drenching it in salsa, sour cream and cheese... "I like it!"

Mom's verdict... Ehh.. Okay. I would never buy it again for THAT price. I will stick with 50 cent seasoning at Walmart, thanks.

So yup, it made 6 fajitas... no one wanted had seconds. Not even "I like it" man... Hummm.

Overall Scores

Packaging: F

Directions: D

Ease of Preparation: A+

Time spent in kitchen: A+

Flavor: D

Price: F

Total Price for Meal per serving: F

There is my review... I would NOT buy it again.

Nope, I did not...

Dream of coffee... Instead I was woken up at 2:45 by someone outside... their car... I am not exactly sure. I thought it was the neighbor going into labor... so of course I popped up to peek... It wasn't. It was the neighbor across the way coming home at 2:45... which is only slightly annoying... because afterall, he is a firefighter! So he must have been at a call... Hope whatever it was turned out okay!

So in other news, my SIL Dana and her kids (possibly her husband too) will be coming for a visit the first part of October! How fun! We are so excited!!! I can't wait! CANT WAIT! :)

You know you need coffee when...

You dream about it... Yes really.

So in my dream I went to Starbucks and stood in a long line while Esther (my SIL) and Jake and a bunch of kids waited in an over crowded car. But I was driving from San Fransisco to Ukiah and I NEEDED that coffee. Told the lady what I wanted... after a 30 minute or so wait... got it and then laughed. It was wrong... so I tried again. And it took her like 30 more minutes to make a Vente, Whole milk Latte, with Sugar Free Caramel NO FOAM!

I was a bit worried about Jake and Esther in the car... but figured they had no where else to go and they would wait for me.

Finally it looked like the dingy barista got my order right... so I took it and left only to find out it was SOY!!!!! I threw up my hands in disgust and frustration and just headed out the door to find Jake and Esther.

Then I got hit on by someone at someones work... or rather... I thought I was getting hit on..

"Nice phone!" was the line... My reply, "Give me a break, everyone has one. Use another line." TO which the person replied, "No really, I like your phone..."

Anyhow... needless to say... when you dream about coffee... you got it bad! It's in the pot now.

More ponderings...

Why is the sad cebu sad? Is the canoe wood, or aluminium?

Really, the things that we ponder during our daily lives.

What shall we do? Where shall we go? What is the square root of 5million?

All valid questions to ponder... Really.

But the better question would be... Why is Starbucks so yummy? Why don't we have unlimited cash to splurge on it every day? AND WHY FOR GOODNESS SAKES IS THERE NOT A DRIVE THRU ONE IN HIGHLANDS RANCH?!?!?

Ahem... I digress.

Today, I didn't make myself coffee. And today, I feel like a train has hit me square in the face. I was sitting on the couch reading with Toby and it hit me...

No, no not his breath... but that was pretty rancid too... it was the fatigue. And the fact I didn't have coffee, screaming in my head.

Or I suppose it could have been the Krispy Kreme donut that was causing a carb induced coma... hummm... I think it was the lack of coffee.

I really just want there to be a drive thru Starbucks around here... I had 6 kids... and It was cold outside... and I don't leave kids in the car, even for a quick run into get life saving Elixir!

So really... Why, oh why... Is there not one in Highlands Ranch?? There is one on the very WEST side of HR... but nowhere NEAR me... and while it would be a good use of time to drive all the way over there to get a cup of coffee... I didn't think I could keep my eyeballs opened that long to make it there in one piece!

Ahh well, note to self. Make coffee tomorrow.

So just Marsi reads... Awesome!

;)

Well, Marsi agrees... maybe I should just leave it up for a sounding board. When I really need to vent or something. I dunno, just feels so neglected that Larry and Bob...

In other news... I think fall arrived this morning. It's rainy and cold and there are yellow leaves on our little tree! Just like that.

What happened to the nice gradual change of weather?

Oh, that was in CA ;) 110 down to 90... to 80... to 70 where it stays all winter ;) LOL I miss those cold days!!! ;)

Holy Smokes!

Really, blogging seems to be going the way of the dinosaurs for me. Maybe I am just so busy that I just forget... I am quite busy these days... but not too busy to Micro-blog (aka Facebook)... so maybe it's time to let THIS blog go? Maybe? I mean I think all who read are on Facebook right?

I dunno, sometimes this is a nice sounding board. But I am just not finding time for it anymore.

Blah! I dunno!

What do you think?

*tapping fingers*

Three day weekend... ahhhh!

Well, it's coming, we have a three day weekend coming up.

I dunno who is more excited me or the rest of the world?!? I am so ready for a break this weekend. I feel like I have been moving non stop since February... Oh wait, I HAVE! And this is my first (and only) weekend that I have off. Sweeeet!

I am hoping to get thru my novel... not hoping, but longing really. I really need to do it.

So ask... ask me how its going... spur me forward... after I have my coffee.

Missed another one...

Drat!

Well, every other day just might have to do. I seem to have less and less time on this contraption these days. What with the kids schooling and me watching other people's monkeys.

I am planning (in my head) the architecture of the pirate ship cake... should be interesting... Maybe I will just make it flat not 3-D... no idea.

Been working on looking for a dining room table... that has proved frustrating. Either too expensive or too junky (craigslist) and then there are the jerks. Yah, encountered one of those too.

I am looking forward to my three day weekend. Planning to do next to nothing... So if you need me. I will be here.. hopefully reading my MS and getting that out of the way ;)

Sept First... why are you here?

How on earth did THAT happen? September 1st... really?

Ohh goodness. I think someone set the world to spinning faster then usual and now... now it's September! It's that whole time space thing... I just know it. Someone pushed fast forward and forgot to turn it off... if I find out who...

Anyway, things are moving along here. The house is getting together, if not already together. Still searching for "the right table" for the front room. That is a task in itself because we aren't independently wealthy! Ha! Tables can be grossly over priced! It's nutty!

Hoping that I hear back from one on Craigslist... just the right color... chairs... we will see. And way under retail... WAY! ;)

Things are going well here though. We finally planned the boys birthday... a few (okay okay 6) months later then their actual birthdays. BUT I think we are going to do this forever. Summer birthday's are much more fun then dead of winter ones. ;) So we are doing a Lego Pirate party for them!



Should be a lot of fun!!

PL or artypay itelay....

(Read that in piglatin! can't use the REAL word! ;))

I love candles... I am running out of candles...

So instead of giving someone else the money... I am going to start up as a hobbyist again.

I am not going all out and striving for the top! EVER again unless I have no children left to deal with... cuzz its too much work. But I am going to sell again and give away free candles ;)

So if you want to have a show... let me know. Otherwise, you know where to get your wax fix once again ;) :-P

Crikey!!

Boy I am great at blogging everyday, huh?

Sheesh! Well uhh lots to say... Too little of a keyboard to type it out ;)

tomorrow... Bears game!!!