Mama Tana and the Tales of my life

Waiting?

2009-08-24T13:11:00.000-07:00

One would think we would have this waiting thing figured out by now. Considering, we wait for so many things on a daily basis. The dryer, the dishwasher, we wait at the red light, we wait for our husbands to get home, the baby to wake. For a Job. For answers to prayer.

With so much experience we should have mastered the skill of waiting by now. But, waiting to us seems like a waste of time? Rather, it's waiting we can do but waiting patiently is an entirely different story?

Patience is defined as the capacity, quality, or fact of being patient. Synonyms: patience, long-suffering, resignation, forbearance. These nouns denote the capacity to endure hardship, difficulty, or inconvenience without complaint. Patience emphasizes calmness, self-control, and the willingness or ability to tolerate delay. (Taken from www.thefreedictionary.com)

and get this waiting is defined as remaining inactive in one place while expecting something!!

The fact remains while we are waiting, God is working. To move us where he wants us to be. To readjust the lives of others so that his ultimate desires will be filled. To bring about what will make us eventually Christlike, though not necessarily immediately comfortable. What is it you are waiting for?? And, how well are you waiting for it?

Chinese Chicken Salad

2009-08-11T16:57:00.000-07:00

The following recipe comes from my Mother in-laws kitchen. The wonderful thing about this recipe is it gives you options which is always a good thing. Even if you don't have all of the following ingredient's or just don't like some of the ingredient's it will still taste yummy!!

MIX ALL TOGETHER:
1 head of cabbage (or lettuce) shredded - I always use cabbage
1 sweet red bell pepper, sliced/chopped (yellow, orange or green also work)
2 green onions, sliced
1 tomato, slices or wedges
1 cucumber, peeled/sliced
10-12 olives whole or half, green or black - I have never put these in
1/4 to 1/2 C sliced almonds
Top Ramen Noodles: dry, and crushed or cooked curly pasta called "rotelle"-again I have never put this is but have had it with it in and it's good.
Fresh parsley or cilantro- I was able to get fresh parsley at the farmer's market last weekend for .50 so I used fresh otherwise dry spices work well too.
Cooked chicken/ cooled, in bite-size pieces ie 1 bag of popcorn chicken, chicken nuggets or grilled chicken breasts- I always use chicken nuggets but tonight I'm using left over chicken from last nights dinner.

At last minute....Add dressing:
1/2 C Olive oil
1/3 C Seasoned rice vinegar
1/4 C Sugar
Splash of lemon juice
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
1-2 tsp pwdr'd ginger
Optional- 1 tbsp paprika & 1/4 cayenne or dried pepper flakes

The price book

2009-08-10T14:44:00.000-07:00

Getting control of the food budget is a hot topic in my house. We are always wavering on the numbers what's too much and what's not enough? We shop at several supermarkets, a co-op and the weekend farmer's market. I have a lot of the prices for our regular purchases in my brain (not written down) and have saved a few grocery store slips here and there for references. And I have made a few trips from time to time to compare price of specific items. So, I sort of "know my prices". In the process I have also learned not to assume that one store has the lowest price on every item. However, what I haven't done yet is made a price book. Which, I'm hoping will revolutionize my families shopping strategy so we can feel like we have control of our food budget and find a real number everyone is happy with.

How do I plan to conquer this task? I'm going to use a small notebook and each page is going to contain prices for one item. The pages will be alphabetical. I'm also going to make up so sort of code for the store name and the brand, the size of the item, the price and the unit price.

I realize this may sound like so much work but it's not. And I know the pay off will be worth it. Especially, if I hit each store a different week of the month so that within a 30-day cycle I hit them all.

So, excited to share my results!!

Today, I made this Robot!!

2008-11-25T13:18:00.001-08:00

Joshua and his Robot, originally uploaded by johnandtana.

Today, we went to a Robot workshop and made a Robot!! (Did I mention Joshua's Unlce was co-teaching). At SCRAP school & community reuse action project located in N Portland. I cannot even begin to tell you how cool this place is everything in the store can be purschased for very little money (and they are all about reduce, reuse, recycle) it is amazing!! Ever since we left I have been burning with ideas of future creations.

The simple things......

2008-11-19T13:29:00.000-08:00

Sometimes the simple things in life are the most beautiful things!!
(Daddy & Austen)

A piece of perspective

2008-11-13T14:46:00.000-08:00

I have been thinking a lot about what this word means. The ability to stand between yesterday and tomorrow and understand how today fits in. To look beyond the moment with a view toward the whole life. Oh, how very much I need just a few more pieces of perspective at times? I'm a slow learner but learning nonetheless to resist the urge of letting a clean house, cluttered space's, dirty dishes, early morning's, insecurities and my to-do list take precedence over those moments of life that I will never be able to steal back. I have many more years of my life to "keep house" but the years I have left to invest in my family and friends will pass just as quickly as they came. So, if at the end of the day I feel as though I have accomplished little I will reflect and then realize I have probably accomplished much!

I'm crying!!

2008-11-02T16:07:00.000-08:00

Today as we were getting back into the car after Church Austen bonked his head and started crying. John was comforting him but he wasn't having it so Austen says "Hug me" John hugs him. Then he says, "Hold me". So, John picked Austen up and began comforting him. After Austen settles down and appears to be fine John puts him pack in his car seat and he starts crying again and then says, "I crying!" It was the funniest thing ever, maybe you had to be there but seriously!! Joshua immediately starts laughing and then John and I were laughing....it was hilarious!! I don't know what was funnier Austen stating the obvious or Joshua laughing before John and I did. Oh, how we love our boys!!!

Preschool or Kindergarten??

2008-10-22T15:37:00.000-07:00

Today when I picked up Joshua from Preschool his Teacher said she was going to call me later today so we could talk. Immediately, I began fretting her phone call...what Mother wouldn't? So, she called......
Her first question was, "Has Joshua had his hearing checked before?" Because, there is a few areas she has noticed Joshua needing a little extra help in. In which I replied; Yes, we have had his hearing checked and all is good with the ears. Now, I'm thinking... Preschool's not a good fit for him yet?? Then she tells me...Preschool is absolutely just the place for him and that she's there to work with him where he is at. I told her that we as well as his Doctor thinks he is developing on the slower end of the spectrum. Which she agreed to be totally normal especially for boys. She doesn't feel there is any concern otherwise....just that we need to work with at home and to make sure we have fun with it. Which is really just it a lot of the time when we work with him at home he just has NO interest or gets frustrated. Which is probably why he has no interest. In the end her main reason for calling was she wasn't sure what are thoughts or plans were for Kindergarten....she didn't say he wasn't ready but she did say they will expect a lot more of him in Kindergarten. Then she goes on to tell me how sweet Joshua, that he is social with the other kids is and she really enjoys having him in here class! I'm so thankful Joshua has such a wonderful Preschool teacher. We sure had a great talk and she was able to answer confirm some questions we had of our own!! Any one else have a similar experience??

I'm back!!

2008-10-21T16:08:00.000-07:00

I dropped out of blog Land I know but I back now!! The last month has been very busy in the Davis Household. First, Joshua started Preschool which has been so wonderful for him. He is learning many new things and starting to make school friends. Honestly, when did he get so big. He will be old enough to go to Kindergarten next Fall. And we moved to Clackamas. In which I'm still getting acclimated with. It's a busier city with an entirely different dynamic. So, it's little adjustments here and there. Needless to say, I have been busy!!

My travels to Texas......

2008-09-04T13:57:00.000-07:00

What a wonderful, wonderful treat it was to visit one of my dearest and best friends Sarah in the Country of Texas!! We shared many laughs from the moment I got off the plane (seriously); like me thinking my luggage was lost or left on the plane when really it was that last bag that must have circled the baggage claim area 10 times before I realized it was actually my bag!! We had many opportunities for fellowship, shopping and dinning out!! Sarah's husband was really great about just letting us do are thing!! Thank you, James!! But, one of the best parts of my trip was watching Sarah play the piano!! What a gift the Lord has and is blessing Sarah with......yesterday I bought all the songs we were playing together on i tunes. They were some of the most beautiful worship songs I have ever heard. At last, the boys Jonathan and Ian are growing up so fast. How did that happen? I first met Sarah when Jonathan was a tiny baby and now he is 7 and in 1st grade!!
Most of all I'm ever so grateful that my husband spent the weekend with our boys so I could travel to Texas!! What a gift he is to me!!

How much do you spend???

2008-08-15T13:14:00.001-07:00

I'm very curious to know how much my blog readers (I know there is not many) spend a month on Grocery's? What sort of meals do you eat? Fresh fruits and veggies? Do you buy organic? How often do you go grocery shopping?
What is even a realistic amount to spend these days on Groceries?? I feel like this has become one of my most difficult jobs as a stay at home mom trying to keep our monthly grocery bill on budget and organized. I'm even starting to buy foods I wouldn't normally because they are less money and stretch farther which are also not the healthiest options. Lately, every time I go to the store certain items are more expensive than the last time! I'm I alone?
I'm trying to keep our monthly grocery budget at $400 dollars which I'm finding challenging since we usually end up at about $500 for the month!! Curious what your budgets and thoughts are!!!

Some fun (OVERDUE) pictures of my boys!!

2008-08-12T12:23:00.001-07:00

Daddy, Joshua and Austen Thanksgiving 2007 in their matching sweaters!!
Joshua in the Fall of 2007- Our annual Fruitloop trip
Mommy and Austen- Fall of 2007
Uncle Danny and Joshua on Our annual Fruitloop trip!
Grandma and Austen eating lunch after fruitlooping!!

Newest Addition to the Cerkoney Family!

2008-08-12T12:15:00.000-07:00

My Brother and his wife just had their 3rd Baby! He was born August 10th 2008 at 11:15am weighing in at 8lbs 7oz. What a sweet adorable baby boy he is!!

2008-07-25T20:54:00.000-07:00

So much going on.....

Joshua amazes me daily! We have been spending a lot of time at the park the last few days and we have been working on "manners" at the park. It is so cute to watch Joshua go up to the other kids (he was doing this already...so I was just encouraging him to be a little more polite than he was) and ask them, "What's your name?" "My name is Joshua, would you like to play with me?" It has been wonderful for him...he has become quite bold...talking to all the children and adults...not sure where he all of a sudden got that? Joshua is also taking showers now!! He even washes his hair while in the shower. This is a HUGE milestone. For one who doesn't like the water he is very slowly getting over his fears (he loves baths just not getting his head wet).

A funny comment from Joshua. "Mom this Thai food tastes like McDonald's." John and I look at each other....is that so?? At least he shares in our love of Thai food too!!!

Austen has been counting to 3. He goes over to the corner puts his head on the wall and says, 1 2 3. That's right...he likes to play hide and seek! He is also understanding the concept of sorry and I forgive you. There is not doubt about it he is a very adventures little toddler and quite determined. He absolutely LOVES the backyardigans. He gets his blanket and says, upstairs please watch TV once we get up stairs he then picks the backyardigans and has the funnest expression filled with so much excitement on his face. The other morning he was up early and spent nearly 2 hours on our bed watching them. When I asked if he wanted to go downstairs he said, No!

I think yes...yes I do want more!!!

It's true....

2008-07-10T07:46:00.000-07:00

I can hardly believe it.....I'm going to TEXAS in August for 4 days by myself to visit one of my closest friends!!! I'm beyond THRILLED!!!!

All-purpose spray

2008-06-28T15:06:00.000-07:00

Here is my all-purpose cleaner. Fill a large 32-ounce spray bottle with the following: (preferable one that is recyclable)

2 cups of water
1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon pure castile soap
3/4 cup of hydrogen peroxide
20 drops of tea tree oil- This is a natural bacterial/fungus killer
20 drops of lavender or lemongrass essential oil- THIS WILL CUT THE VINEGAR SMELL
If you live in a place that attracts lots of insects (that get into the house) add citronella essential oil to the bottle,as it is an excellent insect repellent!

Recipe for window/glass cleaner:
In a plastic spray bottle mix equal portions of distilled vinegar and water. This cleans glass like nothing I have ever used!!!

Baking Soda:
I can not say enough about it!! It's AMAZING. It really cute the grim and grease in my kitchen sink!! That's all I use in my kitchen sink now. I have also used it to get marker off my built in book cases in my living room as well as a few spot of my stainless steal sink!!

This is a recipe my friend Rachel shared in the comments from my last post. Rachel has some great tips on here website!!
All-Purpose Bathroom Cleaner
1/2 cup vinegar
2 cups (1 pint) rubbing alcohol
1 teaspoon dishwashing soap
Combine it all in one gallon of water. (A vinegar jug is just right)
Put some in a spray bottle, and this will clean and disinfect everything in your bathroom - and clean the mirror and windows, too! It's nice to be able to reuse the bottles each time, too, so there's no garbage.

Guess who turned 4??

2008-06-22T21:54:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it has been so long since I have made a post!! Goodness gracious!! Since, my last post our Joshua turned 4!! When did that happen? We had a Pirate Birthday party to celebrate and Joshua LOVED, LOVED it!!! I too had a lot of fun with the food, decor and details of it all.

An update on my quest for more environmentally friendly cleaning products. I have been trying quite a few and have found some things I really like!! The grocery store near my house has been so gracious in accepting all my returns on items I didn't like....no questions! That has certainly made this quest even more fun. Two things I have changed in the household; our dish detergent and our laundry detergent. Ecover makes a really great dish detergent with a price point that isn't so bad....sorry I can't remember the exact price at the moment. I'm loving many of the Mrs. Meyers products (all of her packaging is biodegradable and reusable).....the laundry detergent is really wonderful with many yummy smells to choose from! The price point on this is $12.99 for 32 loads which is spendier but we have always used Tide and that isn't the cheapest. I wanted to expand on my finding but for now this will do!!

I'm it!

2008-05-28T20:11:00.000-07:00

I just got tagged from Trina http://lavidalocadelafamiliagonzalez.blogspot.com/. Joshua and her son Asa played soccer together!!

5 things I'm passionate about.

1) Living healthfully; eating as many whole foods as possible, exercising, soaking up the sun, getting enough rest and being kind to the environment.

2) My family

3) My husband and my boys whom we hope to raise to be happy, health, and confident.

4) Not holding grudges....life is to short for that!

5) Educating and exposing my boys to the world/worlds around them.

5 things I want to do before I die.

1) Watch my boys grow up and conquer their milestones!

2) Start my own business

3) Go to Africa

4) Send my Aunt and Uncle on a trip somewhere

5) See my husband full fill his dreams and passions

5 things I often say.

1) "Use your kind words please"

2) "Um hmm"

3) "Seriously"

4) "Oh, my goodness"

5) "Yes, Mommy"

5 books I have read lately.

1) The new strong willed child by Dobson

2) The total money makeover by Dave Ramsey

3) The Bible

4) A Pirate's ABC

5) Books on the Environment and becoming green

5 movies I have watched 5 times or more

1) Pippy Long stocking

2) Spider-man

3) 10 things I hate about you

4) Toy story

5) Coyote Ugly

5 friends I'm tagging.

I'm not...unless your ready this and you want to be tagged!!!

Some big boy news....

2008-05-23T21:16:00.000-07:00

We reached a major milestone this week...Joshua cut up all his Binky's!!! John and I have been talking to Joshua about getting ride of his Binky but he really hasn't been into it. So, we let it rest and this week Joshua suggested cutting his own Binky's and then going to pick out a toy at the store....and this time I new he was for real. So, we did it right then and there. To our surprise he hasn't asked for it once. He was just ready!! I can't tell you how happy this makes me!! Yeah, Joshua. Mommy and Daddy are so proud!!
In other news. Today when I was praying for Austen he said, Amen! There is truly just so much Joy that comes from being a Mother!

The beauty products I have discovered.....

2008-05-16T08:45:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited to share some of the things I have found...I have not tried all of these products but I will be slowly transitioning into them. The price point of these products range.

1) Suki (www.sukisnaturals.com): I can't wait to try the Lemon Grass Cleanser and it is completely organic.
2) Pangea Organics: all there packaging is fully biodegradable
3) Dr. Hauschka: created a holistic pharmaceutical company this line has a higher price point
4) Juice Beauty: There line looks super fun and there products are 95% organic ingredients
5) Aubrey Organics: made with essential oils and vitamins. (They make face, hair and body products)
6) Jason's Vitamin C line: Vitamin C stimulates collagen production so using a moisturizer that contains vitamin C is not a bad idea. What I like using is a small amount of yogurt mixed with the juice from an orange slice.
7) John Master's: (www.johnmasters.com): organic haircare. I'm especially going to try the Citrus and Neroli Detangler.
8) Eco Bella: (www.ecobella.com): Shampoo for everyday
9) Kiss my face: (They make soaps, make up, hair care and body care) We are using this soap and I like it. I'm very curious about there make up line.
10) Bert's Bees: Body care..I love their lip Balm!
11) MOP (Modern organic Products): hair styling products which I have used in the past and really liked.
12) SUNSCREEN: Jason and Aubrey Organics
If I remember right whole foods carries all of these brands just not John's Master or Eco Bella. Target also carries Bert's Bees and Kiss my Face. Still read the labels because I'm finding some products in the same line have one or two of the bad stuff while others don't.
1) California Baby: body wash, diaper creams and shampoo for the little ones
2) Method baby squeaky clean: Body wash and shampoo for the little ones. The ingredients on this are all natural except for the fragrance. So, you'll have to make the call on that.
3) Little Twig: (www.littletwig.com) body wash and shampoo for the little ones. This company donates to a charity every year. I'm very anxious for my body wash I ordered to arrive.
Those are some of my discovery's for now. Again, it's the tiny changes we make that count. So, don't go throwing away every beauty product you own!

becoming Eco-friendly.....

2008-05-15T14:18:00.000-07:00

Lately, In our household we have been passionate about living earth-friendly and what that looks like for our family on a daily basis. We want our daily actions to have a positive impact on ourselves, our children and our environment. This has inspired us to do somethings differently around our home. We already read the ingredients label of most the foods we consume careful to eat as many wholefoods as possible but we haven't been reading the labels of our beauty/various household products. And I'm amazed at what I have been finding!!
The skin on our bodies is the largest organ, it is living, breathing and everything we apply to the skin absorbs directly into our bloodstream. Yet, so many of the products we use daily on our skin have not been tested safely and worse most are filled with dangerous toxins and chemicals. Obviously, the use of such products won't cause harm after one use but over time quite possibly they will. Think about how many products you use on your skin while showering, bathing and/or your general "getting ready" routine that contain these chemicals (ones listed below). Not only are they harmful to our bodies they are then disposed into our water. Below is list of commonly used ingredients that I found that are harmful to our bodies and the environment;

Coal Tar: is a known carcinogen used in dandruff shampoos. Coal-tar-based dyes such as FD&C Blue 1 are used in toothpastes and FD&C Green 3 are used in mouthwash.
Fragrance: the term is used to mask other ingredients, such as phthalates, which disrupts the endocrine system and could cause reproductive and developmental harm.
Hydroquinone: Commonly found in facial moisturizers; it's a neurotoxin and is allergenic.
Aluminum: used in eye shadow or deodorants, it is a carcinogenic, toxic, and mutagenic.
Triclosan: used in almost all antibacterial products, as well as soap, toothpaste and cosmetics. Triclosan is often contaminated with dioxins, which are highly carcinogenic and can weaken our immune system, decrease fertility and cause birth defects.
P-Phenylenediamine: is used in hair dyes. It can damage your nervous system, cause lung irritation and cause severe allergic reactions.
Lead & Mercury: can appear in toothpaste as a natural occurring contaminant of hydrated silica. It is a neurotoxin that appears as lead acetate in men's hair dye. Mercury is found in a cosmetic preservative called thimerosol.
Ready for some more......these chemicals can create the formation of carcinogenic chemicals called nitrosamines.
Cocamide DEH
Lauramide DEA
Cocamide MEA
Triethanolamine TEA
Diethanolamine DEA
As if this isn't enough. Then there is mineral oil which coats the skin like plastic and doesn't allow it to breath. Parabens (methyl-,ethyl-,propyl,butyl,isobutyl-) which are a chemical preservatives that have been identified as estrogenic and disruptive of normal hormone functions. Phthalates is a synthetic chemical know to cause a broad range of birth defects and lifelong reproductive impairment in lab animals exposed during pregnancy and after birth. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and Sodium Lauryl Ether Sulfate (SLES) This is a foaming agent that could be carcinogenic and is used in brake fluid and antifreeze as well as a huge variety of skin care products, including toothpaste, shampoo, bubble path and soap. Benzyl Alcohol is a petrochemical that can cause severe eye irritation and the repository system.

I will stop now (even though I could add a few more to the list). Because, I'm sure many of you are thinking she has gone mad...stop this crazyness now....but I can't and I won't. But, do check out this website www.safecosmetics.org You can acually type in your product and get the scoop on it by using Skin Deep, the company's cosmetic safety database.
I'm happy to report I been finding some really great alternative beauty/household products that will be replacing our not so friendly products. More on that to come!! For now, it's the one tiny change a day that will makes a difference.

2008-05-06T21:23:00.000-07:00

The past few weeks John and I have been making some changes in the way we have been choosing to spend our money. We have been reading and listening to, "Dave Ramsey". If you have not heard of him...you truly must!! It's completely altered our views on managing our money as well as motivating us to make some radical changes in our lives and our money. We have been repeating these words many of times in the last few weeks, "Live like no-one else now, so LATER, you can live like no-one else."

Bella Beach

2008-05-05T11:46:00.000-07:00

We are back! We had a great time at the Beach this weekend. Austen did wonderful, it appears he really needed the time with just Mommy and Daddy because his attitude and behavior is refreshed.
Now, as for Mommy and Daddy, I wouldn't say this trip was refreshing but it was very fun....we stayed up too late every night playing games with our friends; which was a ton of fun; Explored Depoy Bay and a bit of Lincoln City and ate too much food. By yesterday afternoon we weren't sure we would make it to bedtime.....we were both completely exhausted... Obviously getting rest was not what this trip was going to be about!

A few highlights from the trip:

A morning walk on the Beach
Snuggling with Austen- he slept with us some and snuggled between us to watch cartoons On Sunday morning. It was the BEST!!
John and I both enjoyed the company of our friends..a lot!
We ate and ate!!
Games, games, games
We took Austen in the Hot tub....he sure loved that!
Air hockey
On the way home we stop a bit for wine tasting and bought a bottle on wine....which we plan to enjoy with a fun meal we can make together.

On our return Joshua was very excited to see us... We missed him a ton too. Grandma spoiled him and us...she had done laundry, washed Joshua's bedding, cleaned the inside of our Microwave and had dinner for us to eat. Grandma was happy to spend time with Joshua but she was tired!
And we can't forget the flowers that awaited us when we arrived.....THANK YOU JOSHUA!!

My weekend is fast approaching....

2008-04-29T15:46:00.000-07:00

Thursday afternoon we are headed to Bella Beach on the Oregon Coast with 2 other couples for a weekend getaway. Joshua is going to stay with Grandma....we were hoping to leave Austen but I don't think Grandma or Austen are quite ready for that just yet! Hopefully, soon.
The next few days are going to be spent getting ready for the trip but check back because I'm hoping to post some pictures while we are there. I can hardly wait.....we are going to eat lots of yummy food, play games with friends and relax (well as much as Austen will let us).

Look at me and my glasses.....

2008-04-24T22:46:00.001-07:00

Josh's Glasses, originally uploaded by johnandtana.

I love this picture!

Joshua & Austen!!

2008-04-24T22:44:00.001-07:00

Josh's Glasses, originally uploaded by johnandtana.

Given some lovin.

Joshua with his glasses!!

2008-04-24T22:43:00.001-07:00

Josh's Glasses, originally uploaded by johnandtana.

This was taken just before Joshua left to go see the Portland Beavers game with his Daddy!! At which they had a blast.

OK....another post!

2008-04-24T07:23:00.000-07:00

I promise tonight I will download a picture of Joshua with his glasses on. The glasses really seem to be making a difference....when he is not wearing them his eyes start crossing and looking funny. Most people were suprised to see Joshua wearing glasses but there first comment was, Joshua's glasses are so cute he toatlly looks like a mini John in them!

Joshua is wants me to show him some volcano pictures and I think I hear Austen waking up......my day is officially started!!

Joshua's 1st pair of glasses

2008-04-18T09:06:00.000-07:00

Yes, Joshua had an eye exam on Monday which indicated that he needed glasses. My little moneky is far sided. We are praying glasses do the trick...his eyes has a tendency to turn in (cross..right eye) if glasses don't improve things he will have to see the eye surgen.
On the bright side....he looks super cute in his glasses!!

Weekend adventures.

2008-04-13T21:54:00.000-07:00

I will start by saying the weather this weekend was, AMAZING!!!

Friday night: Dad was home at 5pm, WOHOO! Then we took a walk in the sunshine, picked up some takeout and then brought it home to eat. Around 7ish our our of town guest arrived and we stayed up really late chatting.

Saturday: The ROCKETS had team pictures and there 2nd game!! We couldn't have asked for more beautiful weather. Saturday evening I got to have dinner with my friend who was visiting from out of town (she stayed with us...she was in town for a class). It was fun cathing up and getting to hold her 6 week old benjamin...what a cutie! Joshua sure enjoyed making baby benjamin laugh...it was the most precious thing to watch.

Sunday: We skipped Church and played at Mt. Tabor. The boys loved exploring the outdoors and Austen was quite amazed by all the BIG TREES and said, COOL!! (On a walk with Dad Saturday night he ran over to a rock wall with excitment and said, ROCK!) The boys crashed once we left Mt. Tabor so John and I got top burger for lunch....and then had a relaxing afternoon. Lastly, we ended the weekend BBQing with some good friends whom we hadn't seen in a while...we always have such a blast with the Del Buono. It's always a treat to snuggling with my Genoa!!
And now, I'M GOING TO SLEEP!!!

Strong-Willed Child??

2008-04-10T12:38:00.000-07:00

There are many days that I'm in battle with Joshua. From the time he wakes up until the time he goes to bed. And there is also many days he is a delightful angel and I'm thinking..thank you Lord we are finally making progress and then something trigger that defiant will. Which sometimes springs me into feeling like a failure. This child whom God has entrusted to me and I can't control him. So, I recently purchased the Dobson book; The New Strong-Willed Child. One word, amazing and right on the mark! It describes Joshua to the T, I only wish I would have bought the book when I first heard about it. Would have saved me some angst. I have recaptured my hope and know I'm not alone.

I have never thought of myself as being Strong-Willed BUT I'm Strong-Willed! All along I thought Joshua was a lot like his Dad but actually in many ways he is more like me!! Sobering. The things we learn about ourselves through are Children!

Good times!!

Family traditions!!

2008-04-07T21:55:00.000-07:00

I'm all about making our family traditions UNIQUE! Why, what would set them apart if they didn't have some unique element. So, the Davis families Birthday Tradition will go like so from here on out!! The Birthday boy or girl will have there room decorated with ballons and streamers once they are asleep. When morning comes there will be Birthday cake and ice cream for BREAKFAST..that's right!! Followed by PRESENTS!!! Now, this is the way to start a BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION!!! Am I right?? I'm already plotting for Joshua's 4th Birthday..which happens to be in just 2 months....I can't believe it!!

It's circus day....

2008-04-07T07:24:00.001-07:00

Sunday afternoon Joshua got to go with Grandma & Papa to the Oregon Symphony for, It's a circus day. He had a wonderful time. They had circus music, circus outfits and even a circus clown. Apple the clowns made Joshua a Dragon which he really thought was cool.

The ROCKETS first soccer game!!

2008-04-05T17:34:00.000-07:00

Today was Joshua's first soccer game, it was wet, rainy but very fun! If you have never seen 3-4 year olds attempt soccer I highly recommend it! They are so fun to watch at one point John and I were laughing so hard we started crying.
While, I wish I could say Joshua runs after the ball like a pro but he is the one prancing around after the ball having the BEST time! (which is what counts....he is only 3)
Good times!! Can't wait until the next game!!!

We can wear long sleeves again....

2008-04-04T09:14:00.000-07:00

Austen got his splint off this morning, everything looks great and he is LOVING the freedom of having his arm back!! I can't wait to give him a bath today.

SUNSHINE AGAIN!!!

2008-04-02T08:56:00.000-07:00

The weather report says, today's high will be 60 and tomorrow's will be 65. 60 or not we are headed to the park in a few hours to practice some soccer. Joshua had soccer practice last night and did his coach ever work them (RUN THEM..HA!!) It's the funnest thing to watch..all his teammates are so fun to watch. One of the Mom's took some video and posted it on her blog and once I figure how to post that on my blog, I will.

Ramblings of Joshua this weekend

2008-03-30T08:08:00.000-07:00

Saturday on our Coffee date: I'm not Brother. I'm Joshua Davis!
Saturday afternoon: Jesus is a bulider. He built this house with a hammer and a screw!
Sunday morning: Jesus made your eyes Mom. He made my eyes and my teeth and this (he was pointing to his pee pee) I said, Yes he did Joshua he made you a boy!
It's so fun watching them become verbal!

Tonight is our 1st soccer pratice!

2008-03-27T08:07:00.000-07:00

I can't tell you how excited I am about Joshua starting soccer. He just loves his cleats, shin guards, shorts, socks, ball! The name of his soccer team is called, The Rockets...suits him perfectly! He will have pratice on Tuesday nights (this week just happens to be a Thursday) and his games will be on Saturday's.
His first game is April 5th at 1pm. I'm really hoping he has fun with this and will want to stick with it!!! It will be great exercise as well as a good outlet!!

Austen's Broken Arm

2008-03-24T10:05:00.001-07:00

Broken Arm, originally uploaded by johnandtana.

This picture is over due but here he is!

Happy Easter!!!

2008-03-24T09:59:00.001-07:00

IMG_3061.JPG, originally uploaded by johnandtana.

My made from scratch contribution to our Easter Sunday! What fun I had making this cake and tasted very yummy too!

Cheers!!

2008-03-18T10:16:00.000-07:00

The cutest thing! Joshua has been into cheering with his cup for the last few months. I just showed Austen how to cheer (what was I thinking?) and it is so cute to watch him. He holds up his cup we cheer and then he laughs! (over and over) Too cute.

CHEERS!!!

Wallet update!

2008-03-17T12:33:00.000-07:00

Thanks for all your prayers. Although, my wallet has not been found I was able to get some of the money on my gift cards back. I found receipt's with the remaining balance and account info and called the stores and they took care of it for me.(for the record I normally don't keep things like this in my wallet but I was planning to go shopping..go figure) What a blessing! Getting my drivers license was super easy and the boys did GREAT while we waited.
As for the rest I know it will be returned to me in some form or another some day soon! While, I miss my wallet it's just another lesson about how fleeting the things of this earth our...it was only a material possession.

Our Joshua!!

2008-03-07T07:53:00.000-08:00

Can you say, "ARMY GUY"! Well, that's what's in around our house currently. Which really translates to cameo anything and everything, jacket, pants, boots. The first thing Joshua wants to do when he wakes up in the morning is put all these things on himself nonetheless. Yesterday, he kept spotting the army guy clothes..look mom, "it's army guy pants, those are cute". It's taken Mom about a week to realize the "army guy" is not going away..which I am totally cool with but investing in some more "army guy stuff" is a must!!
To add, I told John this morning what Joshua wanted to get his Daddy for his Birthday and it is..."I want to give him a bug and then go tickle, tickle". John looks at me with a smile and says, "now did you tell him to give me a bug or was that his idea"?? That's all Joshua!! Apparently, John has found a bug in every pair of shoes he has and just hasn't said anything...he assumed I told the boys to do it!! TOO FUNNY!!!
It's so much fun watching my boys' humor and personalities unfold!! I JUST LOVE IT, LOVE IT!!!

Delayed Gratification ??

2008-03-06T16:07:00.000-08:00

I'm curious what my blog readers think on this issue and how they practice their want's? Or do you not?
A few things I have been mulling over are:
1) Is it possible to delay some of the things we would like to have now in exchange for doing something now we need to do now? And Can I choose to be happy with out those things?
2) Is it the concept of "high cost of living" or "the high cost of the way we choose to live".
3) Allowance for children, do you give it? Perhaps, we should ask our children if they would like their allowance now or to wait a week? (If they wait the week why not give them more money for waiting?)
4) Do you have a wish list and how do you prioritize?
5) Maybe, we need to shift our thinking...it's not about what we can't afford it's about what we choose to afford.
6) How do you gage the cost of your hobbies?
Of course people are more important than our wants. But, I think it goes with out saying that those wants can be all consuming sometimes and what do we do about that? Especially when you are having a rough day and that "thing" sure seems like it would wash the "roughness" away. Or if this room just had a..? Because, all of the choices we make today affect our families lives and future. What is a Mama to do??

Continuation of our 48 hours...

2008-03-04T07:51:00.000-08:00

I don't know whether to laugh or cry?? Seriously. I am keeping in good spirits and laughing for now but if one more thing happens I will surely cry! And this is why....Yesterday Austen broke his arm. YUP!! He fell about 2ish feet off a plastic play structure...he was attempting the slide and I was right there. He is doing fine and has/is such a trooper. He doesn't have a cast on yet but will be getting that on Thursday. For, now it's a splint and Ibuprofen. More details and a pic to come!!

The next 48 hours.....

2008-03-02T19:43:00.000-08:00

Today my wallet was stolen! SO, STINKS!! I was grocery shopping at WINCO with Joshua and between the distraction of paying, bagging, Joshua and trying to be aware of my surroundings (ie the sketchy couple behind me!). Poof, it was gone. I searched every where and even asked if anyone had turned it in. All I can say is, JUST STINKS, STINKS, STINKS...Tana you had so many things in that wallet ID, bank card, credit cards, health insurance cards. URGE!! Then I remembered all the gift cards I had just put in my wallet and that brought tears to my eyes. I had a $200 to Nordstrom, $60 to Macy's, $20 to Barnes and noble all of which I was saving to buy spring/summer clothes which I really need. Not only that but my husband bought me the wallet for Christmas and it wasn't cheap. The wallet had sentimental value because I truly loved it which just thrilled John when he gave it to me!

Timeless gifts for my family #2

2008-02-28T09:05:00.000-08:00

I don't know about anyone else but there are times when I allow myself to end the day feeling unaccomplished....having just cleaned the kitchen or washed the boys clothes only to rise again to clean the kitchen and wash the very same clothes I just washed the day before. The last week I have been shift my thinking?? Making a "did list". So, instead of looking at my tasks as being forever endless I have attached a relational value to them, viewing them as an investment of my time and progress towards reaching my goals. As a result I have had a much more joyful attitude!! My list has looked like this.

Today's accomplishments and investments:
1) I drank 8 glasses of water today to keep myself hydrated and healthy!
2) Today I prepared home cooked meals for my family to provide for their nutritional needs.
3) Cleaned up the kitchen to take care of the house I have been given.
4) Did 2 loads of laundry to take care of the physical needs of my family.
5) Read stories to the boys to further expand thier minds.
6) Gave the boys choices today to teach them about being responsible.
7) Tried to modle a positive attitude for my children.
8) Encouraged Joshua to serve his brother by going and getting him a toy he really likes while playing and at the grocery store encouraging Joshua to pick out a snack he knows his brother would like.

Just sharing my attempts to help me keep things in perspective!! What works for you all??

Timeless gifts for my family #1

2008-02-26T14:42:00.000-08:00

Simple yet often forgotten gift #1: Giving the best ME! Not the best Mom or Dad but the best ME! There is only one perfect parent out there and that's our heavenly father and he certainly doesn't expect me to be perfect.
I am going to set realistic expectations- The best me is not required 100% of the time. My heavenly fathers grace goes along way if I allow it to.
So, I have made a "for me list" to help me to give and be the best me so that I don't lose my perspective.
1) Time for myself a few times a month.
2) Keeping my fuel tank full so what I am giving my family is overflow and not leftovers!
3) Take care of my body: a) Sleep the process in which the body regenerates itself b) Eating nutritional foods that are filled with the essential vitamins and minerals my body needs. c) exercise gets me out of the house and feeling energized.
4) "Presenting myself" taking the time to get dressed as well as a few minutes "primping" myself gives so much more motivation plus I am worth it and so is my husband!! I have a friend who says, putting on your shoes is important, it's the finishing touch to getting you in the, "I am ready to accomplish mindset."
5) Keeping my mind in high gear when dealing with the endless tasks of a home is challenging but reading time, computer time and my attempts to at crafty time help me with this.
6) Keeping accountable with someone.
7) Setting limits to my day. Just because I home doesn't mean I have time for everything!
8) Weekly sacred time with my hubby either a creative date at home or a night on the town to refuel and connect with each other!!
I am so blessed to have a husband who also wants me to be my best and is willing to do what it takes to make this possible!!

A renewed spirit...

2008-02-26T11:58:00.000-08:00

Recently, I have been mulling over my responsibilities and the desires that lay upon my heart. It has been getting me pretty excited and I have been filled with a renewed spirit of passion to be the best (my best not my friends best) wife and mother I can be, to set and achieve my goals, to support and and love my husband the way he needs so I know he is alive with the belief that he can slay dragons, to equip and encourage my children, to discover and encounter more of the lord and to live without regret knowing I have done all that I can.
All this excitement has prompted me to share a few things from my heart and my attempt to encourage you, my reader. SO, Stay tuned!!! For those who want to follow me on my quest I think I will title these entries; Timeless gifts for my family.

"SO what does your Wife do?"

2008-02-25T13:53:00.001-08:00

This question was asked by my husbands co-workers the other day. (For the record after 7 years of working at the same company he recently took a new Job elsewhere) His response was telling, She is a stay-at-home Mom! There responses indicated an, Oh, kind of feeling. So, he began bragging about me being a stay-at-home Mom. To cover a few he began to tell his co-workers that Motherhood was my profession. He then went on to describe how beneficial it has been for our family by me choosing to stay home ie, she actually finds ways to save us money on a regular basis, she is influencing the next generation on a daily basis, she cultivates a home for us; not just keeps house and the list goes on. But, the very coolest part was their responses. As they all pondered what my husband said, their eyes got wide. One person even said, That's really cool! So, if your are thinking a stay-at-home moms responsibilities are somehow inferior to other professions you are mistaken!! The next time your asked, "What do you do"? or "Do you stay at home"? Respond with passion, "Why yes, I am a Wife, a Mother and I LOVE MY JOB"!! And if you don't love it...find something you do love.
To add; If my husband and I's goal is to parent with purpose and raise morally conscious, emotionally stable, self confident, relationally strong children we sure know that's going to take a lot of time and energy then that is the profession we want.
Now, topics like this (and many other related ones) have been fresh and heavy on my mind lately. I would love to expand..any thoughts from my blog readers??
(By the way I let my hubby know how much I appreciated him shedding some light on the misconceptions of stay-at-home moms as well as the important role we play as parents!!)

And, today's temp- 55 degrees!!!

2008-02-16T07:26:00.000-08:00

All the more fueling the spring fever in me!! I'm envisioning a walk today..possibly to the Park.

Deceptively Sunny outside....

2008-02-15T10:28:00.000-08:00

It's SUNNY & BRIGHT outside today! However, it's still 40 degrees...I have decided if it rises another 8 degrees we are going to play outside today...even if just only for 30mins.
The following things are getting me excited for the sunny spring weather:
1) Some 20 days or so until we change the clocks
2) Joshua is growing out of all his long pants (although he won't be able to wear shorts for sometime...the thought of more light versatile clothing makes me excited..strange I know)
3) John has been selling his cards (a hobby he once had) on ebay and told me yesterday that I get to plan a family trip with all the money he has been making!!!
4) My Hubby's Birthday is in about 3 weeks. March 8th...it's always sunny on his Birthday.
5) Listening to Joshua talk about his Birthday coming....he wants a Starwars party!!
6) Walks to the park and maybe a starbucks stop on the way! :)

Happy Valentines Day!

2008-02-14T07:14:00.001-08:00

Today has been such a delight!! I just love my boys..I took them out to lunch which I have not done by myself in awhile and they did great!! On the way home we rocked out in the car to some tunes...I was belting out I feel so alive I could fly (it's really just one of those days)...I see a drum set and micro phone in my near future, well maybe Joshua's!! When we got home Joshua was talking about how he wanted to fly with me!! Too cute. So, I began to tell him about the figure of speech...hmm I am thinkin that flew over his head!

Tonight's Menu:
Dinner:
Flank steak (Our Fav)
Roasted Red potatoes
Grilled Veggies
Garlic Bread
Dessert:
Vanilla Bean ice cream and cupcakes from Starbucks (seriously they are oh so yummy)

My mouth is already watering and it's only just nap time!!!

Our Super Tuesday fun!!!

2008-02-06T08:43:00.000-08:00

Last night John and I went to Ignite Portland and it was a ton of fun...for those curious;

If you had five minutes to talk to Portland what would you say? What if you only got 20 slides and they rotated automatically after 15 seconds? Launch a web site? Teach a hack? Talk about recent learnings, successes, failures?
What is Ignite Portland? A bunch of fast-paced, interesting presentations - 20 slides for 15 seconds each. Our mantra is "share burning ideas" - just about any topic will do, as long as it's interesting. From tech to crafts to business to just plain fun!(description taken from ignites website)

It was the second Ignite Portland event and John's employer was a sponsor, we are so glad we went and look forward to many other events like this. While all the presenters did a great job we would have to say our favorite presenter was; Why Deutschland Loves David Hasselhoff. You can watch his clip on http://www.igniteportland.com/. Another presenter I found interesting/thought provoking was, Time for Portland to Take Its Place.
What a cool city we live in...a city full of wonder and opportunities!!! We are so blessed!

Sunday Morning!

2008-02-04T13:44:00.000-08:00

We had an incredibly lazy fun weekend spent with each other and friends. I was not feeling well but seem to be doing better now. Saturday we took the boys to firstenburg for family swim and both the boys braved the slide with Dad.
Saturday night we had dinner at some friends house and we got home about 9:30ish put the boys to bed and guess what time we all slept until Sunday???...the best part of our weekend...10:15! John and were shocked, did I say shocked. When do the parents of little ones get to sleep in like that? Joshua however had woken up sometime in the A.M. and went downstairs to pour everyone some coffee creamer and then made himself a house with all the pillows from the couch and went back to sleep.

Lately....

2008-01-31T14:44:00.000-08:00

What Joshua has been saying......
1) Mommy, I want a baby sister. Let's try, okay.
2) Yesterday we were at the store and Joshua sees some cups and goes over to them. Mommy it's a cup for Austen...he was tickled with himself. As we are walking away he runs back and says, Oh, lets wrap this up and give it to Emmy. Then remembers something...goes to get another cup let's wrap this one up for Sydney! Yeah, lets do it!
3) Let's raise our hands, Dear Jesus I pray you heal Austen.
When I get tall I am want to go in a spaceship to mars or I can do that when I get tall?
4) Or this....I want to put my swimsuit on and go down the slide..yeah I want to do that. (Yeah right buddy...he won't even go in the water!)
Austen has been surprising us with some words as well. Of course, my mind is drawing a blank but here is few; Coat, bite, Mom, Dad and bye...he say these very clearly. He also waves goodbye, Is starting to give kisses and loves playing chase.

What are you after?

2008-01-25T10:12:00.001-08:00

Do you ever find yourself reaching for just enough extra to extend to your children? I do. They are little people whom we are responsible for, whom are be molding by us everyday. I don't want to give them the leftovers, an empty bucket. I want them to receive an extension of what the lord is filling me up with. I want to be so filled by him, to be overflowing with his grace, love and mercy that it pours onto and into my children's lives and the lives of those around me. Think of the difference, now that's what I am after!

But why a beauty to unveil?

2008-01-22T20:16:00.000-08:00

I have been reading a fantastic book called, Captivating-unveiling the mystery of a woman's soul. I found this especially powerful and wanted to share it with all the woman who read my blog.

One of the deepest ways a woman bears the image of God is in her mystery. By, "mystery" we don't mean "forever beyond your knowing" but "something to be explored". "It is the glory of God to conceal a matter", says the book of proverbs, "to search out a matter is the glory of kings" (25:2). God yearns to be known. But he wants to be sought after by those who would know him. He says, "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart".
Is not the trinity a great mystery? Not something to be solved, but known with ever-deepening pleasure and awe, something to be enjoyed. Just like God, a woman is not a problem to be solved, but a vast wonder to be explored. This is so true of her sexuality. Few women can even want to "just do it". Foreplay is crucial to her heart, the whispering loving and exploring of one another that culminates intercourse. That is a picture of what it means to love her soul. She yearns to be known and that takes time and intimacy. It requires an unveiling. As she is sought after, she reveals more of her beauty. As she unveils her beauty, she draws us to know her more deeply.
Whatever else it means to be feminine, it is depth and mystery and complexity, with beauty as it's very essence. Now, lest despair set in. let us sat as clearly as we can:
Every woman has beauty to unveil, every woman. Because she bears the image of God.

I just love this. Contrary to what the world believes, we are not mysteries or something to be solved. We are the crown of creation, we were created to explore and be explored, we bear the image of God!! When God created each creature on earth each one was more intricate than the next. Then he created Adam who was great but he created Eve. Something I had never really pondered before, woman was the finishing touch. WOW! There is something uniquely powerful about us woman. God longs for romance and since we are the image bearer of God we long for romance too. There is radiance hidden in our hearts and the world needs to see it!!

Back on track....

2008-01-22T08:51:00.000-08:00

I weighed in at WW on Thursday. I have worked out 2 times since Saturday a and I am back to tracking my food again. I am going to attend a meet or two a month now because I found a new friend who just started doing WW and goes to the meetings just down the street from my house..woohoo! It's feels so good to be making healthy life choices again!!
Today I am going to work out a bit and then take the boys to the pool at Firstenburg...they have the coolest pool ever...which I hope will encourage/persuade Joshua.
Off, to start my day! Well, at least the getting dressed part, we have been up since 6:30am.

Firstenburg Community Center

2008-01-15T15:09:00.000-08:00

We are the proud new members of Firstenburg. They had a buy one month get the next month free deal which ends today. They prorated the rest of January and we don't pay again until March. The best part of all is that Joshua and Austen are FREE since they are under the age of 4.
I can't wait to start working out again!!!

Biore....

2008-01-15T14:54:00.000-08:00

My face has been having lots of little breakouts lately and I started looking into different products to purchase (since I have never had this problem before) Most of them with a higher price tag than I wanted to spend especially if they didn't work. I decide to just take a look at Target. I fumbled across Biore, with acne treatment. I have been using it now since Saturday and my skin feels and looks GREAT!! My husband even has noticed a difference. It's price point is about 5-6 dollars a product, smells yummy and works!!
What I bought:
Blemish fighting ice cleaner with salicylic acid acne treatment, triple action astringent which cleanses tightens and clears complexion (also has salicylic acid acne treatment and skin balancing moisturizer.
I am no sure which of the two acne treatments has been clearing my skin or it has been a combination of the two but I certainly feel astringent working!!!
Guess I am just a bit excited to have clear complexion again!!!!

Tagged...

2008-01-11T12:53:00.000-08:00

I’ve been tagged with the following 12 questions. Then I’m supposed to tag 2 other people and add a question (#14) of my own.
What are:
1. My 2 favorite scrapbook topics: Well, I am not yet officially a scrapbooker just dabbling now. What I have done is my boys and family!
2. The 2 best places I've been to: Hawaii and Canada
3. 2 things I do everyday: change diapers and clean up one mess or another
4. The 2 things everyone knows about me: I like shopping and I have to drink coffee every morning.
5. The 2 places I wish to visit: Texas, because one of my best friends just moved there. Otherwise, I can't just pick two places the vision my husband and I have for our family is to travel many places with our two boys!
6. 2 things you may not know about me:
7. My two favorite foods: SUSHI, Thai and Mexican. Guess that's 3...opps.
8. My two favorite musical artists: currently Colbie Caillat and One Republic.
9. The last thing you watched on television: Hmm...Curious George and the news (We had a tornado pass threw yesterday. Crazy!)
10. The one thing you can always count on to make you feel better: Snuggling up close with my hubby!
11. My two favorite outside activities: Walking/hiking and going to the park with the boys.
12. If you had the time, what would you do to keep fit: Hip hop classes.
13. How you would spend a perfect day: To be greeted with a latte from starbucks after getting out of the shower (on the days I get showers!) Then drop my boys of somewhere for the day. While, I go have lunch with girlfriends. Then meet my husband for a matinee. After which leads us to the bookstore for coffee and a good read. Followed by dinner at todia and then to roots to meet friends for happy hour. Last but not least to SLEEP IN!!
14. Pet peeve: Expensive Car maintenance. Urg....we are picking up our car tonight for a grand total of $1,600 dollars. Guess it could be worse.

Some interesting knowledge to ponder.

2008-01-07T09:16:00.000-08:00

Let me start by saying, Every woman has been perfectly created, the way they are. We were made for romance, discovery and adventure. We are irreplaceable. We are glorious, powerful and captivating!

Did you know Marilyn Monroe wore a size 14?

If Barbie was a real woman, she'd have to walk on all FOURS due to her proportions!

The average women weighs 144 pounds, and wears between a size 12 and 14.

One out of every 4 college-age women has an eating disorder.

The Models in the magazines are AIRBRUSHED. NOT PERFECT!!!

A psychological study in 1995 found that 3 minutes spent looking at a Fashion Magazine caused 70% of women to feel depressed, guilty and SHAMEFUL!

Models 20 years ago weighed 8% Less than the average Woman.

Today they weigh 23% less......

Beauty of a Woman
The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears,
The figure she carries, or the way she combs her hair.
The beauty of a woman must be seen from her eyes,
Because that is the doorway to her heart,
The place where love resides.
The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole,
But true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul.
It is the caring that she lovingly gives,
The passion that she shows.
The beauty of a woman
With time, only grows..

The Images of Mother
4 YEARS OF AGE My Mommy can do anything!
8 YEARS OF AGE My Mom knows a lot! A whole lot!
12 YEARS OF AGE My Mother doesn't really know quite everything.
14 YEARS OF AGE Naturally, Mother doesn't know that, either!
16 YEARS OF AGE Mother? She's hopelessly old-fashioned.
18 YEARS OF AGE That old woman? She's way out of date!
25 YEARS OF AGE Well, she might know a little bit about it.
35 YEARS OF AGE Before we decide, let's get Mom's opinion.
45 YEARS OF AGE Wonder what Mom would have thought about it?
65 YEARS OF AGE Wish I could talk it over with Mom. . .

My prayer is that we will live freely knowing, we don't need to even attempt to live by one more set of standards we fail to meet or by things we ought to do. But, rather by who we already are, woman. Who's hearts matter.

2008-01-05T21:11:00.000-08:00

I would like to announce the newest addition to the Davis's household. That's right!! Joshua got his first pet today, 2 black fish, pluto and oink. Pluto seems to be adjusting to his new home although oink we aren't so sure about. Guess the next few days will tell.
Austen seems to be on the mend. Today was the first day in 5 days he truly wanted to eat and play. I was beginning to get worried...I can't tell you how many times I called the advice nurse (well maybe not to many times but it sure seemed that way) and each time they assured me it could be a bug (if so why has no one else gotten it?) but it's likely his molars are causing flu like symptoms. I have never heard of such a thing? Thankfully, he is getting better!

1 year molars

2008-01-04T09:23:00.000-08:00

Austen has been having cold/flu like symptoms since New Years eve and it turns out he is getting 3 molars all at once. He hasn't been in any discomfort until yesterday. Poor guy! I wish there was something more I could do for him.

It's 2008!

2008-01-03T15:06:00.000-08:00

Can it be already? Will I live more purposefully this year? Will I stick to the vision/priorities I have set for myself? One thing for sure is I will take each day as it comes. I plan to spend less time fretting over the small things ie slow movers, slow dressers, potty accidents, finances, mess makers and everything in between. Life is far to short and the little moments we have with our children and family are far to precious. So, this years energy is going to be exerted on having FUN while teaching and training my boys!!!

Christmas Time

2007-12-18T10:13:00.000-08:00

We have been talking with the boys about the birth of baby Jesus and why we celebrate Christmas. So, this morning filled with excitement Joshua says, "Mom, Jesus is going to come to Austen's Birthday".

It's just milk, Mom

2007-12-06T12:57:00.000-08:00

Joshua got his haircut today and sat so still so we got a treat from Starbucks afterwards. On are way out we were talking about treats and I mentioned the milk being a treat. This was his response, It's just milk Mom...that's not a treat!
No wonder he thinks that, getting coffee at Starbucks is so frequent in our household that it really doesn't seem like much of a treat but rather a way of life.

2007-11-20T09:51:00.000-08:00

Grandma has arrived! She is settling in very well and we are enjoying her company! Joshua and Austen have been sharing a room, that has been going GREAT!! Last night they both went down with out a beep. Yesterday, I got to go to a Matinee with Grandma which was a great treat! But, I can see I am going to have my hands full so blogging and responding to all the bloggers blogs I read is NOT going to be on my list of priorities in the next week or two.
I will miss you all!!

Amazing Meatloaf!

2007-11-16T11:30:00.000-08:00

I have NEVER been a meatloaf fan...so before you shrug, you must at least try! Last year a friend of mine gave me her meatloaf recipe, Thanks Rachel! I made that recipe a few times and it is good. Which got me thinking...meatloaf isn't as bad as I thought. But, I have been wanting to work on finding more vegetables to hide in it. I am happy to report I have found an amazing meatloaf! I have taken ingredient's from two different recipes to come up with this. I served this with mashed potatoes. The wonderful thing about this meatloaf recipe is you can almost always find the ingredients in your pantry. Well, mine you can.

Meatloaf:
FYI-Not all my measurements where exact.
2lbs of ground beef (I didn't have quite 2lbs)
1 green pepper, chopped
almost 1 small onion, chopped
3/4 cup bread crumbs- Italian or plain
1 egg (which I totally forgot last night and thought I ruined the entire dish!)
1/4 tsp pepper1 tsp salt
1 clove of garlic (I used powder)
1/2 tsp dried mustard
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp dried basil
1 1/2 tsp dried sage
1/4 cup of ketchup
1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese (More would probably work well too)
1/2 cup of carrot puree
Sauce:
1 cup tomato sauce (I used a homemade sauce that had various spices, pureed zucinni, carrots, mushrooms ect)
2 tbsp of brown sugar
2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp of Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp of dried mustard
1 small can of mushrooms, drained (which I forgot last night but it was in my tomato sauce)
Mix loaf ingredients. Spray baking dish. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour. Drain fat. Spread sauce mixture over loaf and bake for i more hour.

Mashed potatoes: recipe from the Dceptively Delicious cookbook (which I have been LOVING, stronlgy recommend it)
1 pound baking potatoes
1 tsp of salt
1/2 cup cauliflower puree
2 tbsp of butter
1/2 cup of buttermilk
I sort of eyeballed these ingredients

Enjoy, I would love to hear how your loafs turn out!!! FYI- I do not tell the rest of the family these recipe had pureed vegtables in them. One more thing to add....the other night I made lasagne and used my homemade tomatoes sauce and it was yummy, yummy. The best part of all is that know one knows what's hidden in the food they are eating!!!

Morning times

2007-11-16T07:39:00.001-08:00

I'm awake with my cup of coffee, monkey bread is in the oven and the boys are still sleeping...I love these morning!!

Yesterday, we spent no money. We would have if I would have gotten the times right of our costco visit....this happens more than I would like to admit!

It's Friday!! Joshua is up now and I want to give him a good morning snuggle.

We found a Doctor!

2007-11-14T19:20:00.000-08:00

I took the boys to the Doctor's today. We were all so hungry afterwards plus I told Joshua if he was a good boy that we could get Burgerville...which he thought was cool. We are new to Kasier (still figuring out how they do things) and in the last month I have made more calls to the advice nurse then ever before...plus a visit. Our first visit did not go well the nurse and the Doctor were not firendly and seemed very annoyed I had come in but today's visit was GREAT!!! I think we found our facility as well as our Doctor. Joshua normally hates going to the Doctor and I don't blame him. But, he didn't fuss ONCE, not once!!
So, after our visit we went to Burgerville! We don't eat fast food very often and the last time we ate Burgerville they messed up our order. Once we got home I realized they had messed up our order again..they gave us bacon cheese burgers instead of tillamook cheese burgers...no wonder I thought we were paying to much! I called and now our name is put on a list for the next time we come in, what does that mean??? John and I have been experiencing a lot of "mess ups" lately with everything. Why is that?? Has any one else been experiencing the same??

Our spending was $19.23 at Burgerville...now that was not worth $20.

Our Family spending

2007-11-14T07:46:00.000-08:00

Over the last few weeks John and I have been talking about trying to cut out or limit our extra spending on items that really aren't necessary. We have also been discussing how to teach are children they have a choose as to how to spend their money. That they are not slaves to it. Instead of saying, we can't afford that (weather it's true or not) we are trying to say things like, This month are family is choosing not to spend our money on that or we didn't budget for that this month. We would be happy to put this on the list of things to consider buying next month. (Maybe, if they have to wait for something they want they will either realize they don't want it or realize they do really want it). We really want are children to be Thankful for what they have and we don't want them to have the "deprived mentality" when they don't get what they want or feel they need. Somehow we have aloud ourselves to feel this way. There is far more to life then "stuff". We are going to start to have a small budget every month that John and I can use to bless other with when we see a need. We would also like the boys to do the same, this will allow are focus not to always remain on ourselves and our needs but the needs of others as well.
To keep us accountable I am going to be posting our discretionary (food, clothing ect)spending every day. Being accountable to making a post daily will make me think twice about the unnecessary purchases. Example; Just this weekend we spent almost 10 dollars in one day on coffee and the funny thing is it was at 3 different coffee shops...I don't even remember going to 3 different coffee shops? Why is it when something becomes such apart of your life routine it's harder to change or to see that you need to make a change?
Here goes yesterday's spending:
Starbucks: $12.95 1 pound of ground coffee from (They have Christmas Blend now!!! Yummy.
OFC: $16.22 John has not been feeling well so I had to buy him some Tylenol PM which was about $7.00 dollars for the generic brand as well as some soup he could take to work for almost $3.00 but while I was there they had 10 for 10 deals on things I would normally buy so I bought a few things.

Our family's total spending for the day: $29.17
This is also going to help me balance our account on a daily basis...since I will already have the receipt's out! Wohoo! (I am good about doing this every few days but every day would be better so I don't miss anything)

Dessert

2007-11-13T07:44:00.000-08:00

Last night I went out for Dessert with a friend. It was so fun to be out without children drinking my latte, eating yummy dessert and talking with a good friend. It has been awhile (since Sarah moved) and today I am feeling very refreshed....guess I need to do that more often!!

Grandma comes in a few more days, I am getting excited!!!

Jedi Moves

2007-11-11T22:14:00.001-08:00

Jedi Moves, originally uploaded by johnandtana.

Like I said, I had a months worth of pictures on my camera that I just downloaded.
This picture captures all his favorites (at least at the time it was taken). Daddy's lego hat, Mr. binks (I am hoping this will become a thing of the past in the very near future), Jedi cape aka starwars blanket, lightsaber aka place mat and we can't forget the BOOTS!
Now if you could only hear him this is what he would say, "dark side"..... We were hoping he would choose the other side. But as Yoda says, do or do not, there is no try.

Great Grandma comes in a week!

2007-11-11T21:46:00.002-08:00

This week we are getting ready for Grandma Deanne to come. Boy are we all excited and anxiously awaiting her arrival. We have beds to make, bathrooms to clean and goodies to bake. We haven't seen Grandma since she moved to L.A., almost a year ago. And Ever since we told Joshua she was coming he hasn't stopped talking about it...he misses her a lot and so do I!!!
We can't wait to see you GRANDMA!!!!

CUTE COUSINS!!!

2007-11-11T21:46:00.001-08:00

CUTE COUSINS!!!, originally uploaded by johnandtana.

I am just now loading pictures from a month ago. I just love this picture of Joshua and his cousin. They are just too cute!!!

Waddling with the ducks

2007-11-11T21:41:00.001-08:00

Waddling with ducks, originally uploaded by johnandtana.

While Joshua had class on Saturday we took Austen to feed the ducks. He loved it!!

Consignment

2007-11-08T21:09:00.000-08:00

Today, I went to Spanky's to consign some of my winter clothes that no longer fit. Because they are TOO BIG!!! A glorious feeling. I found some super cute things for the boys. In the past I haven't been all that impressed with their selections...things always seemed too wore, not cute and priced higher than I wanted to pay for such things. But after today I will be back.

I have a large bin of very nice higher quality little boys winter clothing to sell but I am trying to decide if I should post it on craigslist or take it to spanky's. I'm thinking craigslist.

Ham and Asparagus Chowder

2007-10-18T20:46:00.000-07:00

This was the perfect dinner after a cold, wet and rainy day. It was especially a hit with my hubby.

1 1/2 cups cubed unpeeled red potatoes
1/2 cup of water
1 1/2 cups 1 1/2 pieces of frozen or fresh asparagus spears
1 1/2 cups cubed cooked ham
1 can (103/4oz) condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 cup of milk
Freshly ground pepper if desired

1) In 2-quart saucepan, heat potatoes and water to boiling. Reduce heat to medium. Cover, cook about 5 minutes or until potatoes are crisp-tender.

2) Add asparagus and ham. Cover, cook 3 to 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Stir in soup and milk. Heat to boiling over high heat, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with pepper before serving.

This was super easy to make. I measured everything out ahead of time...you could even make this the day or night before.
Enjoy!

My Joshua these days!

2007-10-09T19:41:00.000-07:00

This afternoon I gave Joshua some spicy jerky which he kept thanking me for so I know he liked it. He then asks me for a glass of water which he drank all of.....he then closes his eyes and says, I pray my owie away, amen. Mommy, I pray and it's gone.

The other day we were in the car and Joshua said, can we pray for daddy?? So, we did and later when I was telling John about it he asked, What time did you do that at?? John had been having some obstacles with a project at one point during the day and all of a sudden he felt gods grace over the situation. Now, that is powerful!

This just melts my heart. Thank you Jesus for my Joshua!

I think we are making strides??

2007-10-08T20:10:00.001-07:00

Joshua has been doing so good about using the potty when we have been at home. We haven't been accident free but he seems to be getting it and enjoying it. Tonight was the first time he told us he had to go poop and he really did!! Wohoo!!! Then, when I put him to bed he told me that tomorrow at class he was going to poop in the potty for his teacher. Wohoo, Joshua! I told him that would be very cool and that his teacher would be very proud of him. However, his track record for using a public potty or any other potty for that matter than the potty at home has been nothing short of a major fit. It has only been a week since we have embarked on the "potty journey" so I'm sure with time he with begin to feel comfortable using public bathrooms, I just hope it's sooner than later. What have you all tired to make this transition more comfortable??

Austen is walking!

2007-10-05T19:42:00.000-07:00

We knew it was coming soon and sure enough today at a friends house Austen took steps. We caught him doing so a handful of times. Then tonight he stepped for Daddy and not just one step but two and almost a third!! Go Austen go. I am sure by the end of the month he will be running. What will I do??

I'm invisible

2007-10-04T15:18:00.000-07:00

Last week at MOMS group this was shared with us and it stuck a cord in me......

I'm invisible.
Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this?
Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, "What time is it?" I'm a satelite guide to answer, "What number is the Disney Channel?" I'm a car to order, "Right around 5:30, please."
I was certain these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude- but now they had disappeared into peanut butter, never to be seen again.
She's going she's going, she's gone!!
One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England. Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry fro myself as I looked down at my out-of-style dress; it was the only thing I could find that was clean. My unwashed hair was pulled up in a bananna clip and I was afraid I could actually smell peanut butter in it. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, "I bought this."
It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe. I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me unitl I read the inscription; "To Charlotte, with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees."
In the days to come I would read- no, devour- the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four-life changing truths, after which I could pattern my work: No one can say who biult the great cathedrals- we have no record of their names.
These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished. They made great sacrifices and expected no credit. The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.
A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, "Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it."
And the workman replied, "Because God sees."
I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, "I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make everyday, even when no one around does. No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become."
At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is an antidote to my strong, stubborn pride.
I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on. The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.
When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friends he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, "My mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table." That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, "You're gonna love it there."
As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.

Need I say anything else?

Music Adventure

2007-10-04T10:38:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to share this email from Joshua's music teacher. This is our first year of classes and it has been exciting for us all. Joshua loves telling us what he learned each class. We are thinking that him being around his peers without Mommy or Daddy as given him the confidence to use the potty. Wohoo!!

Hello Tana,

I just wanted to let you know that Joshua did very well in class today. He participated in all the activities and seemed to enjoy himself - particularly the instruments. I was happy to see that he felt comfortable to be on his own and had enough confidence to join in our singing. He was a very good listener!

Yeah, Joshua. Mommy and Daddy are so proud. John and I were looking at pictures of Joshua from 4 months ago and he has grown up so much since then. How is that possible?? Really makes you want to savor the moments even more!!

Potty time!

2007-10-02T20:17:00.000-07:00

I wrote this yesterday and then my computer crashed:

So, at one point we were attempting to potty train Joshua and nothing seemed to be sticking. He never got excited about any of the rewards we were trying so we kind of gave it a break. (Well, maybe we were giving up :)) But, that has all changed today. This afternoon on a whim I asked Joshua if he wanted to pee and poop on the cherrios in the toliet and his eyes were wide eyed! Honeslty, I was shocked at his respone but went with it. Not only did he try but he really went pee and a little poop!! I was shouting inside and out!! :) We were literally on our way out the door so we had our celebration and into the car we went....before I could even get Joshua buckled he was saying, oh, no. He had to go more...awesome. So, in we went and he went a lot of pee and a bit more poop. Wohoo! When we were in the car Joshua starts asking about spending the night at Grandma & Papa's house..I thought what a great potty reward! So, If Joshua uses the potty for the next few days then he gets to spend the night at Grandma & Papa's house!

Today's potty tales have been just as fabulous! Way to go Joshua. We even braved it out today without a diaper or pullup and he did great! He was more then happy to use the potty at Cafe sip-n-play....we had quite a few shouts and high fives over that!

Some of our favorites this time of year!

2007-10-02T14:03:00.000-07:00

Cream of tomato soup

1 tablesppon butter
2 tablesppons flour
1 3/4 c evaporated milk
3 cups tomato or vegtable juice
4 tablesppons tomato paste
Dash of oregano
Dash of basil
Salt & pepper to taste

Melt the butter on low heat. Add the flour and blend, stirring constantly for 2 min. Then gradually add the milk until thickens. Stir in tomato juice, the paste and the seasonings. Continue to cook on low heat. Serve warm and top with parmesan cheese, cottage cheese or wheat germ.

Mac & Cheese

1 cup uncooked pasta
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons of flour
2 tablesppons of butter
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup cheese
1 cup water

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix everything except cheese. Cover and bake for 45-50 minutes. Stiring often. When done add cheese and bake for an additional 5 minutes or just serve and eat!! We love mac and cheese with johnny's seasoning!

Pumpkin cookies

2/3 cup of sugar
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup butter
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1/2 cup pumpkin
2 eggs
2 1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of salt

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Beat, sugar, brown sugar, butter and vanilla. Then beat in pumpkin, eggs. Then flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Bake 10 to 12 minutes.

These can also be made with browned butter frosting (which is YUMMY!!!) 3 cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon of vanilla, 3 to 4 tablespoons of milk and 1/3 cup of butter. Mix all ingedients over medium heat.

Hope you enjoy these recipes as much as we have!!!!

Fall is officially here and I LOVE it!

2007-10-02T13:07:00.000-07:00

For those that don't know fall is my favorite time of year! I love all the colors, the foods, the baking, the weather, the traditions. I just love it all! This weekend we are headed our families anual fruitloop trip. This year Aunt Chritine and Unlce Danny (John's siblings) will be joining us. Ever since John and I have been married we have always gone to the fruitloop with John's parents. It's a tradition we love and look forward to every October.

Well, Joshua started his music class last week and this week his busy bees class. He seems to have enjoyed both. I am super excited about his busy bees class. The Teachers are SUPER friendly and nice. Plus, they have things set up some what like a monterorri does with all different activity stations and for the month of October they are focusing on leaves, pumpkins, letters and numbers. Joshua has already learned things from after one day. The program is academic which I didn't expect...not sure why maybe because of the price??? Anyhoo, I am super excited. Did I mention this class is 2 hours long and very close to wonderful downtown Camas:). Giving me a much needed time for errands and one on one time with Austen.

Next weekend, Daddy is going to be out of town so we are going to have a baking day at Auntie's house. I am very excited about this. There is some very yummy recipes I want to make and a few new ones I want to try. Fun times :)

From the mouth of my 3 year old

2007-09-18T13:52:00.000-07:00

Joshua: I pray my nose Amen! It's all gone, Yeah!!!

Beyond myself

2007-09-13T09:28:00.000-07:00

There is FREEDOM yet to come. I have been feeling quite overwhelmed in my circumstances and the demands of motherhood latelty. Never a dull moment in my house. From the laundry to the dishes to the kids there really is no rest for the weary. Until I realized just how important my Job as a Mom is and that I am infact impacting my children everyday. To my credit I am sure it hasn't helped that both my children are now mobile and quick. But knowing my Job as a Mother is important and holds a real power of influence in my household on a daily basis really strikes a cord. So, how I choose to use this influence is very important because it's going to have lasting effects both negatively and positively in the lives of my children and husband. It's up to me to create, set, culitivate the tone or atmosphere in my household each day. This sounds exhausting doesn't it?

But, I know that I am not alone. My purposes may be beyond myself, My circumstances may be beyond myself and even my daily demands but with the power of the holy spirit I can do ALL these things! In Christ I can do what I can't.This is so refreshing to my spirit. This truth couldn't have been more timely. Guess, that's always they way it goes...our God sure knows what he is doing. AMEN TO THAT!!!

"For he is doing something in your day, something you wouldn't believe even if someone told you about it." Acts 13:41

Getting ready for fall, how about you??

2007-09-12T15:02:00.000-07:00

About this time each year I get into an "organizing mood". Today, we went through all the toys and changed up the room toys with the living room toys to get some variety goin. I also bought a few more baskets and created new homes for everything. We also sorted through Austen's clothes and I finally bought him some baskets for all his clothes. It only took my 9 months but now his changing table looks put together. Our next project is our front door/porch. I am getting a vision so hopefully I will have a picture of that soon.

Oh, Monday Miss Organized is coming to help us organize few areas we really slack in and are just clueless as how to manage. I am also hoping she can regularly clean for us. What a glorious thing that would be!!! I acually don't mind cleaning but I am running out of time for it these days.

A long night....

2007-09-12T14:51:00.000-07:00

Last night was rough. I am not sure if Austen is/was teething more (goodness the kid has 7 teeth and he is only 9 months) but he was having the HARDEST time getting to sleep and I can't tell you how many times he awoke during the night. I think his longest stretch of sleep was from like 12ish to 3am. It seems like he waking up congested and just needed snuggles from Mom. Maybe, his first cold/runny nose/ cough (although there is no evidence of a cough yet) when he woke up this morning at 6:30am he didn't have a fever.

So, I went to the store today and I bought a humidifier for just his room, pedicare for stuffy noses and vapor rub. I was hoping to find a hylands all natural product for infants but no such luck. I may be over reacting but I am making sure all the basis are covered. My sleep is very precious to me.

Birthday Shopping

2007-09-09T08:17:00.000-07:00

My birthday shopping trip was a success. I haven't shopped all day in a very long time. I left the house about 9:30 and got home at about 6pm. I met my Mom, Aunt & cousin at Washingto Square and we shopped, had lunch, shopped, shopped and shopped some more. I found some really great things. If your like me once I got home I marveled some more at my new clothes and then took the clothes to my closet. It's amazing what new clothes does for a woman!!!

I also have a yummy salad recipe to share. We had this last night and it was yummy!!!

Apple-Cranberry Salad

Romaine lettuce
1 apple, chopped
sweetened dried cranberries
chopped green onion (I didn't put these in last night)
poppy seed dressing

Mix all the ingedients with a small amount of the dressing and ENJOY!!!

Oh, and Joshua crashed about 6pm last night while the rest of us crashed at about 8:30pm. We are all sure feeling refreshed after some much needed rest!!!

It's Friday!

2007-09-07T08:05:00.000-07:00

Friday is here and it's a beautiful day outside! Today we are having lunch with Grandma Kathy (my Mom). And possible Daddy may join us for a bit too.

I am really looking forward to this weekend. My sister in law is coming into town tomorrow for the day. We are going to have a girls day out. (we will have the littlest boys with us my austen and her eli) But, I am super excited. We get to shop with My Aunt, cousin and Mom. I haven't bought much of any things since I have lost weight and I just turned 30! So, this is going to be a nice treat for me.

Recently, I have been going back and forth about preschool for Joshua. And I don't think the time is quite right. It's a relief to have finally decided on this. Instead we are going to be enrolling in a music adventure class, hopefully gymnatics (we missed are try out apt yesterday) and or soccor. Anyone have any other ideas??? What did you guys do with your busy, busy toddlers??

Have a great weekend!!

Tired

2007-08-31T09:36:00.000-07:00

Right, about now I am feeling super overwhelmed!! My 9 month old will not fall asleep on his own for the life of him. I have been trying to get him down for a nap for about the last 45 min....he is so tired but just keeps crying. I am guessing he is over tired and getting over stimulated by his older brother. Currently he is in his crib crying, crying and crying. When bedtime rolls around it's the same deal. My husband and I recall our oldest son going through a similar faze (although, I must have blocked it out of mind because I have no recollection of it). Let me tell you it's emotionally draining. My oldest son is definatley having his own set of issues as well. He's 3 and I know his behavior is very much the norm but I am out of tricks and exhausted.

But, tomorrow I get a spa day. THANK YOU JESUS!! The timing couldn't be more perfect. So, I guess I can muster up the energy and grace to make it through the rest of the day and tonight (my husband will be working late) for some much needed rest and relaxation tomorrow.

I better go get the little guy!!!

Some exciting news to share.

2007-08-30T13:30:00.000-07:00

It has been a while since I have made a post. Where does the time go? Some changes to announce in the Davis household.

My husband, John got a new Job!! The opportunity presented itself and John took it. WOHOO!! I am so excited to watch him flourish in this new position. So, maybe the original plans we had in mind will be put on hold for a season.

Plus, I'm turing 30 in a few days. September 4th to be exact. Those two number didn't seem like a lot until now.

Summer is coming to an end...so sad. But, we sure have enjoyed the cool summer nights outside on our patio furniture (thanks to some good friends of ours!! :)).

Oh, and I got baptized!! That's right. We were swimming with some friends who happened to be moving out of state the next day and viola. It was a very special moment for me and I couldn't think of a better way to have spent our last night with these dear friends. Thanks guys!!

Well, both of my boys are napping now so guess what I am going to do?? TAKE A NAP TOO! Or at least attempt one if not some rest and relaxation in my bed would be just as good.

FREE Movies

2007-08-07T14:55:00.000-07:00

That's right, FREE!!! Regal Entertainment group has this program called, REG free family film festival...who knew?? It's been going on all summer long. Go figure!

Here our the details:

Go to www.REGmovies.com (to locate a theatre in your area)
Every Tuesday & Wed @ 10am is a G or PG movie. It's on first come first serve basis and I think they may even have kids meals you can purchase but the best part is it's FREE!!!

Tomorrow we are going to see Everyone's Hero!

Austen at Nehalem Bay

2007-08-06T21:19:00.001-07:00

Austen Summer 2007, originally uploaded by johnandtana.

Patiently waiting in the car.

Nehalem Bay Camping Trip

2007-08-06T21:09:00.001-07:00

Sand CastlesSand Castles, originally uploaded by johnandtana.

Can you say Monkey, Monkey, Monkey?? Joshua can!! This weekend went camping at Nehalem Bay and it was a blast!! :) Let me start by saying, Nehalem Bay is nothing short of being family friendly. They have bike trails, a playground, a great beach, bathroom facilities and THE VERY BEST trees for little monkey's to climb! Joshua spent most of the first day climbing in the trees pretending to be a monkey. The rest of the trip was spent going on walks, exploring the woods, playing at the park, learning to kick a soccer ball, building sand castles at the beach and roasting marshmellows with Dad, did he ever love that. Austen enjoyed watching Joshua play and he too loved watching dad build a fire which he watched with amazment. There is nothing more satisfing than seeing your little ones so excited over the simple things...like getting to sleep in a tent?? Needless to say, much fun was had by all and we are looking forward to at least one more camping trip this summer!

His Peace which transcends all understanding

2007-07-31T15:56:00.001-07:00

will guard my heart & my mind. The Lord gives me his perfect peace which is not the peace the world gives. So, I should not be troubled and not be afraid. But, I am. A heart at peace gives life, life to the body. I want life!! I should not worry about my life, what I will eat, where I will live, what I will do tomorrow...isn't life more important than that?? But, isn't that we humans or should I say I do best, worry. I want to sow his words of peace deep into my heart.

All right Lord, I am presenting my petitions, requests and prayers to you! (RIGHT NOW!!!)