I LOVE CALIFORNIA!

A couple of weeks ago now, we took a trip to CA, one of my favorite places to visit. I lived in San Diego for nine years of my childhood and have always loved going back for a visit! Our oldest grandson, Josh, had a two week break from school. Yes, he's in kindergarten this year! So, we planned a special trip during his fall break. This was the first time for him to leave mom,dad, and little brother behind and go out of town with Big Papa, Gramma & Aunt Sherry!

The drive over went smoothly and then...we arrived at the resort. They made a little blunder and gave us a room with one king size bed. I'm no rocket scientist but even I quickly figured out this just wasn't going to work. So Big Papa and Josh took off to see what could be done. Shortly afterwards, I see Big Papa at the top of the hill in the parking lot, gesturing that Josh was coming back down the hill and then I realized he was stopping to vomit along the way! Thank goodness it was nothing serious and perhaps just a touch of car sickness (he's definitely his mother's son!). Our vacation was off to a great start!
Next stop, the beach, of course. Where else would you go on your first day in CA after spending five very long months in the Phoenix sun?

While we were in CA, we visited the San Diego Zoo and had a great time. We enjoyed the bus ride, lunch at the children's zoo and the skyfari ride. Josh even called mom on the cell phone while soaring above the animals.
Later in the day, we walked over to the Science Museum and had a great time with all the hands on activities, followed up by an IMAX movie about Mars, which was perfect because he was planning to be an astronaut for Halloween.

We ended the day with dinner in Old Town San Diego with everyone's favorite Uncle Rex and Aunt Lynn. After all, an evening visiting with Uncle Rex is as good as any other CA attraction!

Our main purpose for going to CA this time was to visit Legoland. We spent the whole day there and Josh was in seventh heaven. Of course, what five year old wouldn't be having a blast when having three adults spoiling him rotten???

Another MUST when visiting the San Diego area is Sea Port Village! There's nothing like sipping hot coffee or cocoa, feeling the cool ocean breeze, seeing ships off in the distance and being surrounded by shopping! Not to mention the famous carousel ride!

The trip went too quickly, as usual. I'm so thankful for the time with my family and especially for the special memories with Josh!

Two are better than one...

Tonight I had a wonderful visit, with a Christian friend, at Starbucks. Over the course of our visit, we laughed and cried together and then we laughed some more. Our evening was ended in prayer for one another. As I was driving home, I was reminded of our pastor's message from this past week..."Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work; If one falls down, his friend can help him up." (Ecclesiastes 4:9, 10) I'm so thankful for my Christian friends...old and new...that God has placed along side of me in this journey of life!

The Bible verse goes on to say "Pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!" It kind of reminds me of the old commercial where the elderly lady falls down and she's laying there crying out, "I've fallen and I can't get up!". Sometimes we need that outstretched hand from a loving friend to help us to our feet again because we just can't do it alone.

I'm guilty of overlooking friendship opportunities because I'm just too busy to take the time or I'm afraid to take a chance. Tonight was such a blessing, chatting with a friend, and I would have missed the blessing if I had chosen not to embrace the opportunity!

Thank you, Lord, for the gift of friendship!

Tagged for a Meme

Well, I guess I've been tagged for a meme...oh my...I'm not sure exactly how this works but here goes nothing. My daughter, Stacey(http://www.justmeandmyguys.blogspot.com/) tagged me and I guess I'm supposed to explain what the following words mean to me.

Pizza: When I think about pizza, I think about family fun nights. Our grandsons, Josh & Seth, love to go to PPP for pizza and games! We always have a lot of fun together laughing and being silly. It brings out the kid in all of us.

Friendship: Who can truly define friendship? When you find a true friend you know it and you cherish the relationship! There's a comfortable feeling when you're with a friend. It's kind of like putting on a comfy pair of PJ's...you're relaxed and comfy and can just be yourself!

Daisy: A few things come to mind when I hear the word Daisy. I had daisy's in my wedding bouquets. Daisy's are sweet and simple. I also had a bird named Daisy when I was a kid but she died. I think I'd rather remember the wedding bouquets!

Grace: I am immediately reminded of my heavenly father and the gift of eternal life He has given me through the sacrificial gift of His only son, Jesus!

G - God's
R - Riches
A - At
C - Christ's
E - Expense

Priorities

Tonight my daughter Stacey and I were chatting about "priorities" in life and in particular, for moms with young children. I was quickly transported back in time when I was a young mom of two precious little girls.


On one hand, it seems so long ago and yet, memories quickly take me back, as though it were just yesterday! I remember the days when I had a young family and I had such a desire to "do it all". I quickly learned that God didn't expect me to and I couldn't do anything good if I was trying to do too much. I had to be reminded that my priority was my family and that God had given me my girls for a brief time to impact and mold them into the young ladies God had designed them to be.

Looking back on those days, I wouldn't change a thing. We struggled financially so that I could be a stay at home mom but I'm so thankful for that time with my girls. I had to learn to trust God to provide and He never let me down! There were time when He really s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d my faith but those experiences give me confidence now that God is watching over me and knows my needs today!

I promise you that there will always be time for all the other "stuff". Today, seek God and His desire for you and trust Him for the details. He is faithful and it's so worth it!

For the Love of Sherry

For the past two years, I've been saying, someday I'm going to write a book and name it "For the Love of Sherry". Those of you who have been around for the past 2 years of our lives, you know exactly what I mean. For the rest of you, let me fill you in.

Sherry is our youngest daughter and she will be 24 in November. When she was 21, she was a normal, healthy, independent young woman, working full time, volunteering at church and spending time with family and friends. Without warning, her health took a sharp turn and before anyone knew what had happened, she had become confused and left home with acquaintances from work. The next five months were spent trying to locate her, get help for her and bring her back home. Her confused mind lead her to hurting herself and believing that her family didn't care about her. These "friends" became her new family and eventually took her to Wisconsin (we live in Arizona). Because she was an adult, authorities could not force her to return home. We spent 5 very long months praying for her safety and trusting God to bring her home. We knew something was terribly wrong but could not find authorities to assist us. Finally, we received a call that she wanted to come home and praised God for answering our prayers. We quickly made arrangements for her to fly back to Arizona. The moment we saw her, we knew she was sick, although we didn't know what was wrong with her. She had lost about 50 pounds, looked like a homeless person, was confused and scared. We saw that her neck was enlarged and made an appointment for her to be seen by our family doctor right away. He diagnosed her with a thyroid disorder, started her on medication and recommended followup by a specialist. Before the appointment could be made, she ended up in the emergency room of our local hospital. She had gone into a "thyroid storm" and was extremely ill. They diagnosed her with Graves disease, as well. The episode left her muscles weak and she could only walk with the assistance of a walker and needed a wheelchair for long distances. The doctors were sure that with physical therapy and time, she would walk again.

Here we are, nearly 2 years later and she is still not able to walk. She has had more medical tests and doctors than most of us have in a lifetime. She has been tested for MS and other diseases several times but the results always return in normal ranges. She has spent most of the last year in a wheelchair, with some slight improvement from time to time, but has not been able to walk unassisted.

Recently, she has had muscle contractions in her right foot and right hand that have "frozen" in a twisted position. The condition is called Dystonia and the contractions have left her unable to use her right foot or hand (she's right handed). Now she needs assistance for the little things in life, like fixing her hair, getting dressed, preparing food, and even wheeling her chair.

Sherry doesn't complain much and tries hard to contribute to daily routines and be as independent as possible. She helps with household chores, our dog, her nephews, and even volunteers in the children's ministry at our church, when she is able. God has blessed her with a great sense of humor, a tenderheart, and a joyful spirit. Everyone that knows her loves her and wonders if they would have the same disposition if they were in her situation.

I know God has allowed this in her (our) life for a purpose. We may not know what that purpose is or how He wants to use this in her (our) life but we keep trusting Him! God gives undescribeable peace in the midst of life's storms and every day we have reasons to be thankful!

Philippians 4:6, 7
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Life in a Nutshell

Several years ago, I was reading a book and a humorous thought has stayed with me ever since. It's become a family joke that when I die I want these words to be put on my headstone. "Here lies the shell but the nut is gone."

I know you're probably laughing but thinking that's terrible to say. Really, think about it...our bodies are just a temporary home for us to accomplish God's purpose while He has us on this earth...my body is just a shell and I am the nut residing there for a time. I'm sure that God has looked down on me more than a couple of times and shook His divine head and thought...she's a nut! I've heard that most of my life. I try to remember to bite my tongue but sometimes the funny thoughts in my head roll off my tongue before I have time to bite down. That's where I came up with the new name for my blog..."Special Moments in a Nutshell". Thanks for taking time to visit me in my little nutshell.

Someday, I'm trading my nutshell for a glorified body! 2 Cor. 5:1 "We know that if the earthly tent (shell) we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven".

When Mommy's Your Name

Just reading this brought back wonderful memories of my years of being a mommy! Years I cherish and wouldn't trade for anything in the world. From the time I was a little girl, I dreamed of being a mommy and God blessed me with two little girls!! The days have past so quickly and years have gone by and now those precious little girls are wonderful young ladies, friends, companions, and valued more than ever! So, if you find yourself being stressed and pulled in too many different directions by the demands of your little ones...take heart...cherish the time because it passes all too swiftly! Slow down and enjoy every minute! God has entrusted you with a precious child to mold and develop into the person He designed them to be!

Enjoy the read...

When Mommy's Your Name

- by Jacey Reynolds
The telephone's ringing, the TV is blaring.

Sister is crying' cause Brother's not sharing.

There's a spill on the carpet that no one will claim.

There's no time for sitting when Mommy's your name.

The laundry is folded but not put away.

The dishes you just washed are from yesterday.

Without any warning your relatives came.

There's no getting caught up when Mommy's your name.

You drive to the market, you drive to the school

You drive to the cleaners, you drive the carpool

You drive yourself crazy, it's really a shame.

There's no time for resting when Mommy's your name.

To your bedroom you sneak to find peace for a minute,

but your minute is over before you begin it.

Your little one finds you and thinks it's a game.

There's no time for hiding when Mommy's your name.

At night as you kneel to thank heaven above you,

An angel creeps in and says, "Mommy, I love you."

You may not know glory or fortune or fame,

but what does it matter when Mommy's your name?

About the author: Jacey Reynolds is a freelance writer, stay at home mom of three small children, and author of "The Baby Sleep eGuide," a popular guide which teaches a simple and proven method for getting your baby on a schedule and sleeping through the night. Visit HappyBabyPlace.com for more info.

My Fun-Loving Daughter

My daughter, Stacey is so funny! When you first meet her, you would probably think she's a very serious person. This of course, is just a cover. She actually has a great sense of humor and likes to have fun! She can be spontaneous and down right silly! She always reminds us that she get funnier the older she gets and I think I'd have to agree! The other day, she stopped by my house with Seth and Analiah (one of the little girls she babysits) after dropping off Josh at Kindergarten.

I was in my bathroom curling my hair and getting ready for work. Seth wanted to get in the bathtub and when he ran out of the room, Stacey and Analiah jumped in the tub to surprise him. When Seth returned a few seconds later, he giggled and jumped in the tub with them. Stacey sat there and played in the tub with them. They pretended to wash their tummies, scrub their legs, wash their hair, etc. The whole time, Stacey was teaching them through play! She is very imaginative and fun. The kids were laughing and enjoying the entire experience.




Just as Stacey stepped out of the tub, Seth reached up and turned the water on to a trickle and got himself a little bit wet! It would have been funny if Stacey had stayed in the tub just a
little longer!

Happy 5th Birthday Josh!




Josh is grandma's little buddy! He has a special place in my heart because he's the first grandchild! I'm so thankful that even at 5 years old, he still loves to snuggle or sit quitely and read a book with grandma. He promises me that even when he's 13 he'll still love to spend time with me...we'll see! He's bright, intelligent, loving, tender hearted and very persistent. I've never known a 5 year old who could negotiate the way he does. He can convince you of almost anything.






For a year or so now, it's been our routine that he spends the night with papa and me almost every Saturday night. I love the fact that we don't even have to do anything special...he just loves being with us. Josh thinks our guest room is his room! I'm glad he's so comfortable hanging out at our home...of course he's glad that grandma & papa have a game cube, too!






Josh plans to be a baker when he grows up. He loves to help mommy in the kitchen. Personally, I see him being a banker! He loves money! Josh can hear a coin drop from the other side of the house and he usually has more change in his pocket than I do!












He loves to play the claw machines and he's really good at it! Mom and dad planned his special 5th birthday at Fiddlesticks. At his party, he played the claw machine and won a stuffed animal for himself, his little brother, several cousins & his friend!

Since the time Josh was able to talk, we have had this silly little thing we do. I tell him "I love you so much" and then I say over and over "love, love, love" while he's saying "much, much, much". It's silly, I know, but I love to hear him! He such a special little guy!

The Greatest Show on Earth


I love spending time with my family! It's been our tradition to take the family to see the circus and this was the best year ever. Oh, the circus is always good but this year it was so much fun because the boys enjoyed it so much.

Josh is almost five and he loved the motorcycles in the cage and his new sword that lights up!

Seth is barely two and I wasn't sure what he would think because his brother got scared of loud noises at that age. Seth is a typical second born and wasn't scared by the noises. In fact, if he could, he probably would have joined them on stage. Seth chose a motorcycle with spinning lights for his souvenir.

It's so much fun to be a grandma and watch the boys faces light up as they watched the animals and clowns while stuffing themselves with lots of sugar. It was a great afternoon with the family and gives us fun memories to treasure!

Here is the biggest clown of them all...my hubby!

Happy Birthday Scooter!

Today is the 2nd Birthday of my grandson, Seth. He is such a loveable little guy and has a special place in grandma's heart. He has mischief in his eyes and a sweet little grin. I love to hear him call me "gramma". This little guy has a strong will and I know that God will use that in his life for a special purpose. He is at a fun age where we can make anything into a game. If he is cranky and fussy, it is so easy to get him refocused and laughing in no time at all. Even at 2, he is such a polite little guy! Without prompting, he always says "thank you gramma" when I give him something. I especially love his sweet (wet) kisses. I have to admit he is papa's boy but I am willing to share. After all, when he's tired, hungry, or gets an "owie", it's grandma he chooses over big papa. There is no greater joy than being a grandma! Happy Birthday Seth!

This is my beautiful daugher, Stacey, who has blessed me with 2 adorable grandsons. Here she with Seth at Christmas.

Here's me and Seth...a rare moment when he was sitting still with grandma!

Seth loves his bath time. Here he is splashing and having a good time!

This pretty well says it all about Seth..."Here comes trouble!" We had walked over to the park for a water balloon fight and he insisted on pulling the wagon by himself and he pulled it all the way back home!!

ABC Meme

Accent: Only when imitating my mom

Bible Book that I like: I always enjoy reading Psalms.

Chore that I don't care for: Mopping but hubby does it most of the time.

Dog or Cat: 1 pooch named Goldie

Essential Electronics: Cell phone with blue tooth and computer

Cologne: Obsession

Gold or Silver: Mostly gold

Handbag I Carry most often: Basic, boring black

Insomnia: Once in a great while and I stay up until 2 or 3

Job Title: Realtor

Kids: 2 terrific daughters and 2 adorable grandsons...just ask me about them!

Living Arrangements: Husband, daughter Sherry and myself in a single level, 2200 sq ft home, 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, spacious kitchen, formal dining, lots of tile,ceiling fans thru out and spa (it's the Realtor in me)

Most Admirable Trait: Honest and caring

Naughtiest childhood behavior: I was an angel - just kidding mom! Setting off smoke bombs in the field and watching the fire dept respond...it was peer pressure, I swear!

Overnight hospital stay: Yep, babies, and several surgeries

Phobias: Crowds, snakes, scorpions, heights

Quote: "Miss me but let me go"....sorry girls...I couldn't resist that one! The one I've said most..."I trust you until you give me a reason not to".

Religion: Christian - relationship with my Lord

Siblings: 1 Brother and 1 Sister

Time I wake up: Around 7 on most days

Unusual Talent or skill: Does playing my nose count?

Vegetable I refuse to eat:asparagus (mushrooms, too but they are a fungus, right?)

Worst habit: Running late

X-rays: Too many to count

Yummy stuff I cook: Banana Bread and Magic Cookie Bars

Zoo animal I like most: Monkeys...it's a family thing (but I don't want one of my own)

The Reverend Mother

This is my mom, Latrice Fouche, or as most of her friends call her, Trice. I jokingly call her the Reverend Mother because my dad is a retired minister. When I was in my Freshman year of high school, my dad was ordained and thus obtained the title "Reverend". Being the brilliant teenager that I was, I decided that my mother should be referred to as the Reverend Mother. It's brought a few laughs over the years and certainly I mean it with the utmost respect. Mom turned 75 in December and I think she looks incredible! My mom is a wise, godly, & funny lady! Yes, you can be godly and funny, too, and mom loves a good laugh. She enjoys jokes but usually can only remember the punch line and gets so tickled thinking about the end of the joke she can't tell you the first half. Over the years, we built wonderful memories and many of them were related to our family being in ministry. One of my favorite memories was of mom and I preparing for a Mother & Daughter Banquet at our church. We had many women helping us but mom and I were responsible for the dessert. I remember, we had been told about this wonderful cake, "Jello Poke Cake". Mom and I dedicated the afternoon to preparing our special dessert for the banquet that evening. We mixed and baked the cake according to directions. Then, somewhere after that, we took a wrong turn, however, we didn't realize it until we had covered the cake with the yummy frosting. I remember the feeling of panic when we realized that we had forgotten to "poke" the cake and add the filling. We were faced with a dilema at that point...do we take the cake "as is" or try to redeem our efforts. We quickly removd all the frosting from the cake and placed it back in the bowl and began poking the cake and filling the holes with the jello mix. Once again, we frosted the cake and then broke out in laughter. We stood in the kitchen and laughed until we nearly peed our pants! Later that evening, at the banquet, we received more positive comments about our dessert than any other dish I had ever prepared. Ladies were begging for our receipe. Mom and I would burst into laughter as we told them the process in which to make this wonderful dessert and of course we required that you frost and scrape the cake, poke, fill it, and frost it again.
Jello Poke Cake
1 Yellow Cake Mix
1 Small Jello Mix
Topping:
1 Pkg. Dream Whip
1 Pkg. Vanilla Instant Pudding
1 1/2 Cups Cold Milk
1 tsp. Vanilla
Prepare and bake cake mix according to box directions. (easy enough)
Let cake cool.
Mix Jello with 3/4 cups hot water and 3/4 cups cold water (isn't that room temp?)
Poke holes throughout the cake about 2 or 3 inches apart. (rocket science)
Carefully spoon Jello mixture into the holes.
Smooth topping over the entire cake.
Refrigerate until time to serve.
Enjoy!
Happy Mother's Day Mom...thanks for all the fun memories!
I love you!

Mother's Day Surprise


This is dedicated to my two amazing daughters who think I have time to blog! Well, I've done it and it's only taken me six months to make my first posting...is that what we call it? You are such a joy, encouragement, and inspiration to me every day of my life. I have wonderful memories of giggles and tears with you. I'm so glad that I was able to spend so much time with you during your growing years. I'm blessed to have been a stay at home mom and I wouldn't change it for the world. I love my job as a Realtor now, but not as much as I've enjoyed being your mom! I remember Stacey as a child, she couldn't stand to get dirty and now at 25, she doesn't mind a little paint on her hands while she's expressing herself in her new home! What an interior decorator she's become! She's not afraid to get outside and get a little dirt on her hands either, while helping Jeff with the landscape design. To top it off, God gave her two little boys and we know that means a little dirt from time to time! Doesn't God have a great sense of humor? Stacey always had a tender heart for children. I remember when her youngest cousin was a baby and Stacey offered to change the diaper. We thought for sure she would change her mind when she realized the surprise inside of the diaper. Not Stacey, she did the best job a 6 year old could do and never complained about the smell. I guess I shouldn't be surpised that she's chosen to do in-home daycare so that she can be a stay at home mom. She doesn't complain about dirty diapers to this day! Then there's Sherry...she was always into something but she always made it hard to discipline her because she was so darn funny! Things haven't changed that much...now she's 23 and she still has a way of making me laugh in the midst of a trial. She announced to us when she was about 5 that she wanted to be a comedian. Most little girls dream of being a nurse or teacher but not Sherry. Well, God has given her plenty of material to use in her comedy act and I won't be surprised to see her on stage someday sharing her life story. Sherry always had a habit of doing things and not thinking about the consequences. For instance, the time she opened the ice chest and stood on the lid which promptly snapped off. When we asked her why she did it...her response was "I wanted to see what happened". There you go...that's Sherry! God has blessed her with a joyful heart and she freely shares it with others. There you go, girls! I love you and I hope I've made you proud!