No More Sorrow, No More Pain

This year I have been given hearing, gained a brother in law and lost a son. 2010 certainly was a year I will not forget anytime soon. And since we often find ourselves reflecting on the year we have just been given, I wanted to share some thoughts I had when I was preparing to sing at the Women's Dessert we had at our church. Carol LeBeau was the speaker and I was honored to be asked to sing. I felt like I was supposed to share something about the year and assumed it was supposed to be about Elijah but as I sat down to type my thoughts into words, I saw on the screen what it was God needed me to share that night.

So I am typing it out for you here. I am even inserting videos of the songs I sang (but you get to hear from the original artists.) There is a bit of the story I haven't shared with very many people at all and certainly not here on the blog. I said more than was written here, of course, I don't think I could ever actually stay on script. But this is the general idea and the message I think God had for me to share at the beginning of this month.

As you read, I pray that no matter what you gained or lost this year, you will find hope in the coming year. A Hope that can outlast any sort of "positive thoughts" you may thrust upon yourself. Because the Hope that comes from Jesus Christ is the Hope that lasts a lifetime.

Tonight we are going to be talking about Journeys, and we all are on one, of course. Right now, this very moment. You being here in this seat is part of your journey you are on. And at Christmastime, I pay attention to Mary. And the Journey God put her on. To carry and then mother and nurture a baby who was born to be a Savior



When Jesus came thousands of years ago, the promise of a Savior who would set people free was the promise of being rescued from the oppression the Jewish people were under.

For you and me, it means something different.

2 years ago, almost to the day I lost almost all hearing in my left ear. And the ability to hear and decipher words was replaced by only muddy tones and a loud, high pitched ringing that never goes away. As a singer and a mother, this rocked my world.

I visited doctors and had treatments done and finally had a surgery done that would allow a device to do my hearing for me.

Around the time that I recovered from the surgery to get the device, my husband and I found out we were pregnant with our fourth child.

Unfortunately, the pregnancy complicated my use of the new hearing device. I did my best to push on but one day I was very discouraged with my body and I carried that discouragement around with me.

I found myself on the way to rehearsal with our Worship Band, practicing a new song we were singing that Sunday. I got to the chorus and sang along, “I will rise when He calls my name, no more sorrow, no more pain…” and I broke down. Crying and driving and praying I didn’t drive myself right off the road, I heard a voice. It reminded me that all I had to do was make it through this life and that God had something amazing for me planned in heaven when I got there for all eternity. This life is a blink of an eye compared to what waits in heaven for those who believe.

I wanted to share that song with you tonight….



Jesus came not to deliver us from the oppression of a government, a king or a system. But He came to deliver us from the oppression of pain. Of sorrow. Of the anger and bitterness that comes so easily in this world.

3 months ago, the child I was carrying didn’t make it to this world. We lost him while he was only 16 weeks along in his growth. And even though I struggle daily with the pain and confusion and oppressing sadness that comes with losing someone I hadn’t even meant yet-but who I know would have been a wonderful addition to this world, I remember that, first of all, my son is in heaven, in a place where he knows no pain or sorrow or sadness. And, second, that Jesus came once as a baby, he walked this earth experiencing that pain and sadness that comes with being human and He did all that so that I could go live in eternity with Him.

No more sorrow no more pain.

Great Shot Kid, That Was One in a Million!

Grown ups are in the kitchen making dinner.

Girls at the table coloring.

Nate in the living room: Star Wars is on.

Sitting about a foot from the screen he is perfectly still. The mission to blow up the Death Star is being explained, plotted and prepared for.

Luke and his team get into position.

So does my son.

And as Luke's X-Wing fighter lowers to fire those oh-so-important shots, my son's x-wing is raised.

Back and forth, side to side, Nathan and Luke in perfect synchronization and then, using The Force of course, they make the shot that sets off a chain reaction resulting in the destruction of the Death Star.

If Queen Amidala had been alive, I think she would have been just as proud as I was.

All of Life's Answers

Or, at least the answers to my little quiz...


1. "Don't say 'stinks,' darling. If absolutely necessary, 'smells' - but only if absolutely necessary."

The Philadelphia Story
Only my favorite movie of. all. time.

2. "We got no food, no jobs... our PETS' HEADS ARE FALLING OFF!"

Dumb and Dumber
This movie always makes me think of the time when David and I were dating, we watched this constantly. And we quote it very often. We are so cultured.

3. "My name... is MUERTE!"

Undercover Blues
This is just one in a long line of "family movies" we watched when I was growing up that really weren't very good. But we loved them. And this particular movie had one main thing going for it: Stanley Tucci. As MUERTE. And you have no idea how hilarious his character is. Oh wait, now you can see.....



4. "Horses, horses, horses."

You've Got---nope!! A couple of people thought You've Got Mail and to them I answered "Wrong, but CLOSE." It's that OTHER movie with Tom and Meg. The one lacking in volcanoes but plenty in Rita Wilson: Sleepless in Seattle.

5. "Insanity runs in my family... It practically gallops."

Arsenic and Old Lace
David's favorite black and white movie. My second favorite Cary Grant movie. Michelle and I imagine ourselves going this route when we are old and alone. We will need a crazy brother to think he's Teddy Roosevelt.

6. "Chris I'm begging you, it's really scary here. I've just seen three people shoot up, a bald Chinese lady with no pants on, and there's this old guy outside who wants his bedroom slippers!"

Adventures in Babysitting
Another Shumate Family Classic. My Dad was well known for stopping you at the door and informing you, "Nobody leaves this place without singing the blues." I was just going to link that, but I couldn't. It deserves better treatment than that. So, look, another movie clip to watch!



7. "Eunice? That's a person named Eunice?"

What's Up Doc?
Babs at my most favorite. Seriously, you must go watch it.

8. "No...no hopping sir."

The American President
Another commonly spoken line in the House of Zab. It just sounds so funny coming out of Michael J Fox's mouth.

9. "Conversation like television set on honeymoon: unnecessary."

Murder By Death
Neil Simon written. Starring the likes of Peter Sellers, Peter Falk, Maggie Smith, SIR Alec Guiness and Eileen Brennan...this is one of the ones we almost have memorized. And you hear it a lot around here.

10. "Sometimes, when we lose ourselves in fear and despair, in routine and constancy, in hopelessness and tragedy, we can thank God for Bavarian sugar cookies. And, fortunately, when there aren't any cookies, we can still find reassurance in a familiar hand on our skin, or a kind and loving gesture, or subtle encouragement, or a loving embrace, or an offer of comfort, not to mention hospital gurneys and nose plugs, an uneaten Danish, soft-spoken secrets, and Fender Stratocasters, and maybe the occasional piece of fiction. And we must remember that all these things, the nuances, the anomalies, the subtleties, which we assume only accessorize our days, are effective for a much larger and nobler cause. They are here to save our lives."

Stranger Than Fiction
I have Sooz to thank for the intro. And this movie really did change my life. I watched it at the end of one of the hardest years I ever had (at that point) and the part I quoted just changed me within. It gave me hope. I looked around and saw that my life was filled with Bavarian Sugar Cookies. And was able to look beyond that and see the hand of The Maker in my life, giving me those things along the way. I cling to this quote not unlike I cling to some of my favorite verses. Because it speaks Truth. It really is a quirky movie, not really for everyone. There are some extremely odd characters in it but I'd say give it a try. Maybe on a day when it feels like someone is narrating your life that suddenly seems like it is nothing of any worth. And when you finish, I do hope you find yourself thanking God for your Bavarian Sugar Cookies.

NaBloPoMo has been fun, my friends.
It reminded me to take the time to write.
And I plan to do more of that.

Wanna Play a Game?

I love movies.
I speak movies.
Meaning that most of what I say out loud is lifted from a movie of some sort. Well, from a movie or from "Friends."
So I thought I'd toss some of those oft used quotes your way and see if you can pick what movies they are from. I have also just thrown in a few random quotes from some of my favorite films just because I love them so much.
Hint: I have purposefully excluded any Star Wars or Indiana Jones Movies because, frankly, that's just too obvious.

(This post inspired by friend Sooz at Facts and Circumstances who also inspired Michelle over at Snow Comes Up.)

Here we go! (No Googling!)

1. "Don't say 'stinks,' darling. If absolutely necessary, 'smells' - but only if absolutely necessary."

2. "We got no food, no jobs... our PETS' HEADS ARE FALLING OFF!"

3. "My name... is MUERTE! "

4. "Horses, horses, horses."

5. "Insanity runs in my family... It practically gallops."

6. "Chris I'm begging you, it's really scary here. I've just seen three people shoot up, a bald Chinese lady with no pants on, and there's this old guy outside who wants his bedroom slippers!"

7. "Eunice? That's a person named Eunice?" (That one is for my Pop.)

8. "No...no hopping sir."

9. "Conversation like television set on honeymoon: unnecessary."

And this, this is my favorite movie quote of all time. From a movie that seriously changed my life. It moves me each time I see it and this quote will always be in my mind on the days I need it most. I can't tell you to go see the movie because I don't know that it will have the same effect it had on me. But I don't think it would be a wasted 2 hours if you gave it a try....

10. "Sometimes, when we lose ourselves in fear and despair, in routine and constancy, in hopelessness and tragedy, we can thank God for Bavarian sugar cookies. And, fortunately, when there aren't any cookies, we can still find reassurance in a familiar hand on our skin, or a kind and loving gesture, or subtle encouragement, or a loving embrace, or an offer of comfort, not to mention hospital gurneys and nose plugs, an uneaten Danish, soft-spoken secrets, and Fender Stratocasters, and maybe the occasional piece of fiction. And we must remember that all these things, the nuances, the anomalies, the subtleties, which we assume only accessorize our days, are effective for a much larger and nobler cause. They are here to save our lives."

Taking Care of the Mail

Dear Inventors of the Pipes That Bring Water Into My Home and the Systems That Heat the Hot Water That is Brought Into My Home,

I hope you don't mind me lumping you all together into one letter. You see, I don't really know how many of you there are. I am pretty sure at least two guys. I would check Wikipedia but there is a good chance they will try to convince me that something as amazing as hot water was invented by Scrappy Doo and everyone knows that dog really wasn't good for anything.

And I am really hoping that you are somewhere hanging out with each other, patting one another on the back in congratulations. "Hot water! Let me buy you a drink!" or "Indoor Plumbing! You are the man!"

Seriously though, you figured out a way for water to be heated and then brought into my home!

I don't have to go outside to fetch water.
And not only that, but I can make the water HOT if I want it to be! I get to take looooooooong showers till the hot water runs out. This is a beautiful thing.

So as I prepare to enjoy your invention, I wanted to be sure to be thankful for your forethought.

Sincerely,
Bethany Zabrosky

PS: Now, what did you invent that will keep my children from bugging me while I enjoy that invention?

oh, wait.


Dear Inventor of Duct Tape,

You. Are. Awesome.
(And effective.)

-BZab

Nothingocity

I have nothing to say today that doesn't involve a conversation involving photography, some volunteer work for the kids' school, the Christmas Eve Service at Vista Grande Community Church, or how generally sick I feel.

So I direct you to these friends instead....they are interesting and witty.
Tell 'em I sent ya.

Beyond Black and White
She's blogging about the things she's thankful for this month

Snow Comes Up
Today she's running a little Movie Trivia Challenge!

Stilettos and Grace
Always something amazing and challenging to say...and some of the best fashion advice around.

Le Musings of Moi
She does muse and she's funny and thoughtful and ALSO gives some of the best fashion advice around.

I think the NyQuil is about to kick in and who knows what I will type once that happens. I suspect it would look something like fndwuio;gvrbuwioqavbvds.

Luke, I am Your Tater.

Last year was our first entry in a friend's Pic of the Plate Contest. It is, simply, a contest picking the best looking Thanksgiving Day Plate.

Last year we entered with this....

(You can see the whole story here: May the Yams Be With You.)

When I first posted the picture, we had not heard our result but we found out later that we WON! First place!

We looked forward to stepping up our game this year but after a long couple of days and eating out for Thanksgiving, we didn't think we had much of a chance to submit anything original. Additionally, last year's build team was scattered as near as Santee and as far as New Mexico. We had till 10pm to enter and we were half passed out on the couch with happily fed children fast asleep upstairs.

Around 9:40 I decided we owed it to ourselves to at least ENTER. I happened to have a small box of leftovers. After staring at the box for about 3 minutes, I came up with this....



I titled it, "Luke trains to become a Jedi Master on a bed of C-Level leftovers.....DAGOBAH!"

We didn't win, and I would have been unhappy if we did. We needed an original idea and there were some really creative entries this year. And one of the winners took a picture of her table that was completely stunning.

But I can sleep better knowing I represented.
And I think I will begin working on next year's theme....but what's better than Star Wars? hardly anything, really.

Because a Thankful Heart is a Happy Heart

It only seems fitting, right?

I could probably copy almost anyone's list and many of our things would appear to be the same...but I write this anyway. Because some days I am not feeling so thankful or not feeling very blessed or just feeling low and I need to be reminded that I have been blessed over and over again.

Family....I have the best. Parents who raised me with love and Jesus. A sister who has walked through the fire with me and won't ever let go of my hand. All of the people who are family through marriage.......adding them only completed the tribe and I am thankful for what each of them bring to my life.

My ZabFam....best husband ever. And you readers know it's true. 13+ years together and there will be a whole lot more. My Zablets are beautiful. They are so very funny and full of life and love. They drive me bonkers sometimes (and I think on purpose) but the crazy really is inevitable so might as well have fun with some short people while it's happening!

Friends....I have people in my life who have stepped up beyond what anyone could ever ask of someone else. And they STEPPED! They have made me laugh, they have watched my kids, they have fed my husband, they have cleaned my house, they have gone jean shopping with me. Seriously, jean shopping!

This year has had some incredible ups and the lowest lows I have ever experienced but my God has walked me through each step. He has been faithful. He loves me no matter what. He sent His Son to die on a cross for my sins. All the things I have done wrong and all the things I will do wrong just so I can be with Him forever! (And that's not something that's just for me! You too! Let's talk sometime.) I am thankful that along with that love came a church family and forever brothers and sisters.

I find myself thankful tonight for the things I get to do to express myself. I get to photograph beautiful families, sing weekly with some crazy talented people, work with some totally fun actors and even hop on stage every once in awhile. I have this place to write and sometimes even write things that have substance or just make people laugh.

Thanks, readers, for sticking it out through the times of plenty (NaBloPoMo) and and the lean (any other month that isn't November) and encouraging me to keep writing. We will have some fun together, you and me.

Pumpkin Spice Cake with Pumpkin Pie Spice Cream Cheese Frosting

I don't usually share recipes here usually because I don't cook very many things worth sharing. I have many more people who can help you with that. Specifically my super talented sister in law and her friend at Taste Buds and Blossoms.

But this I had an idea for a cupcake and then found the recipe on the internet, tweaked it a bit and it turned out yummy. It was super easy--if you can make a cupcake, you can totally make these!!

Pumpkin Spice Cake with Pumpkin Pie Spice Cream Cheese Frosting

Cake...
1 18.5-ounce box spice cake mix (plus the ingredients called for in the package directions)
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree

Icing...
2 8-ounce bars cream cheese, at room temperature
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Directions
1. Heat oven to 350° F. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with paper liners. Prepare the cake mix as directed but with the following change: Add the pumpkin pie spice and substitute the can of pumpkin puree for the water called for in the package directions.
2. Divide the batter among the prepared muffin tins and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 18 to 22 minutes. Let cool.
3. Meanwhile, using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, pumpkin pie spice and sugar until creamy. Spread on the cupcakes.

How to Effectively Cover Every Square Inch of the San Diego Zoo With 3 Adults and 9 Kids

Plan to meet at a reasonable time. 11am is a good one.

Run late. Need gas. Pack a lunch. Spend time on the phone with a friend.

Decide that you REALLY meant to meet at noon!

Eat lunch right away, the kids will need all the energy they have. There are about a million animals to see. (I counted.)

Then, you are gonna want to take the Skyway. The buckets. All 9 of the kids are jumping up and down, its free and it gets you to the back of the zoo really quickly.

Be sure to arrange all the moms in 3 different buckets with the right combination of kids-friends with friends and fighting siblings away from fighting siblings.

Watch the first bucket of 4 people take off....

Ride in the second bucket of 3 people taking off...

Do some quick math and realize... there are 5 people left. And only 4 people are allowed in 1 bucket at a time.

Answer the phone call from the 1 mom left with 4 kids and zoo workers not letting her on the buckets.

Hop off the buckets, leave 1 mom with kids who want to see polar bears and drag 2 kids that wanted to go back on the buckets back in line to ride to the front of the zoo.

(Thank Jesus that the buckets are free for annual pass members.)

Bucket your way back to the front of the zoo, redistribute children and hop in line. Realize you don't have enough kids' annual passes for the amount of kids you are trying to get back ON the buckets.

(Thank Jesus that the bucket worker lady didn't pay very close attention when checking for tickets.)

Ride the buckets back to the back of the zoo and meet up with.......

You know, I guess this really isn't an effective way to see every animal at the zoo. But it is a way to have a funny story after a full day at the zoo. And you will probably fit in a couple of monkeys, a hippo fast asleep on a rock and a tiny, precious, colorful bird bathing in a small puddle of water so that really isn't so bad after all!

Donald Trump-ing Myself

We have an open position here at Zabrosky Photography.

Necessary skills include general knowledge of a camera (we are a Canon Family) and Photoshop. Must be able to handle scheduling photo sessions, entertaining the crankiest of non-smiling client family members and the ability to communicate effectively with clients.

It's over that last qualification that we had to let the last employee go.

See, I fired myself today.

I was distracted while on the phone with a new client and misspoke so many times that a whole additional phone conversation was needed to clear everything up. (Thankfully the ZabPhoto clients are amazingly patient and only find our employees charming and adorable.)

So I will have to go stand in line at unemployment while I wait for the applications to flood in.

Oh, forgot to mention: Applicants must be able to attend to all the duties listed above and make a wicked peanut butter sandwich.

Hans, Han'se, Han S.....Solo

It was a good day.....just long.
And I am sleepy.

But I will say that I had a super cute hat to wear to church today.

And that fulfills today's obligatory blog.

I will return tomorrow--that's a promise.
I might even have something interesting to say.

Man, I feel bad that this really doesn't have a whole lot of interesting stuff in it.
I'm gonna leave you with another video....

Here is Star Wars told from the perspective of someone who isn't familiar with the Star Wars Trilogy.
It's all kinds of funny.

Star Wars retold by someone who hasn't seen it
- Watch more Entertainment Videos at Vodpod.

"I Think I Might Cry!"

Ever surprised a kid with a trip to Disneyland?

We had the chance to do just that on Monday. The kids got themselves all ready for school and we told them we were going to Starbucks first but then, Dad lowered the boom.

It was, um, received interestingly by both my big kids. While it is hard to stop looking at Nate, be sure to see Lucy's face and her lack of expression. David says Nathan just sucked all the emotions out of the car and there weren't any left for Lucy.

There Were Possibly More Than Ten Steps But I Kept it Easy For You

Welcome to tonight's cooking lesson:

How to Break Down a Young Chicken for Soup in Ten Easy Steps

Start with a wondeful friend blessing you with a bunch of food when you are in a time of great need.

Realize that you have a whole, frozen Young Chicken you get to do something with other than fill up space in your freezer.

Decide that you are gonna do more than toss that thing in the oven.

Chicken and Dumplings call your name.
Ready, set: GO!

Step One: Thaw out the chicken in cold water in your sink. Wonder how much bleach you will need before you feel that the inside of your sink isn't covered in chicken juice.

Step Two: Call your Mom. Relax about the invisible chicken juice.

Step Three: Unwrap the chicken and fling it across the room to the other counter to begin the breakdown.....of the chicken. Not your personal breakdown because you are dealing with a raw chicken because YOU CAN DO THIS!

Step Four: Pull out your reliable Betty Crocker Cookbook and follow the easy pictures....

    Step Four, Part Two: These are supposed to be easy, right?

    Step Four, Part Three: Wait a minute, is this even a chicken I am looking at in the picture?

    Step Four, Part Four: Bye Betty.

Step Five: Find your sharpest knife and just cut. Realize that you are TOTALLY doing this! But then, ack! You cut through a bone! (Seriously sharp, Cutco!) Is that okay?

Step Six: Call your Mom. Be assured that you are not poisoning your family by cutting through the bone of your chicken.

Step Seven: Check you out!! You have your chicken all cut up! Now you have to deal with the little bag on the inside and......oh my freaking gosh what is that?

Dear young chefs, it is at this point of the breakdown you will feel the need to reach out to a power that is higher than your mother. Because she does know a WHOLE LOT but your husband is really the one who SHOULD be doing this. He's owned goats once. He doesn't mess around when you bring home the Rotisserie Chicken from Price Club (and why didn't we use one of those? Oh yes, because we decided to grow as a person.) and just should be doing this. So you might send him a text message like this....

I need you home! I just cut up a whole chicken! And I didn't throw up. But I almost did. I don't know what parts are what and if I scream, the kids will want to come see!! I won't scream. But I want to. I can't do it this way again. I LOVE MY FAMILY!! (come home?)

And you might attach a picture like this.....



But HOLD FAST!
And then call your Mom. She will say things like, "This WILL taste good. This is totally going to turn out."

What you won't do is freak out because you ripped some of the bag that possibly is holding a former live chicken's neck or something. There are two thingy-s that might be a gizzard? Or a liver? Two livers?


Step Eight: Look at the chicken you have already cut and placed in your big pot....yeah that's probably enough. Toss the rest of that stuff and don't look back.

Step Nine: Clean up the chicken juice everywhere. Twice. Well, maybe three times just to be safe.

Step Ten: Call your Mom.

It's Just a Flesh Wound

I had a procedure done on the side of my head today that involved a scalpel and removing parts of my very own scalp. I am now 2 Vicodin to the wind but still need to meet my NaBloPoMo-ness. I have been searching the archives to repost something brilliant for you to re-read (or simply read for my new friends) but I can't decide which post is worthy of a rerun.

I started by reading various posts to David so he could help me pick something while he lounged in the bed and we listened to the new Chris Tomlin album. I eventually stopped reading them out loud started to get a little mad at myself for being so indecisive. (Just pick something already!)

Well, I just heard snoring.

He is fast asleep...on my side of the bed.
How in the world am I going to get the man who won't even wake up for the birth of our first child to move back to his side? (And I am not sleeping on his side-his side has a weird dip in it AND an alarm clock that starts going off at 5:15. I don't care HOW deaf I am, I will still hear it!)


What do you know? I guess I snuck a rerun post in there after all!

Kids Snack Food and a Random Kids' Movie Quote

We have a new favorite snack in our house...it's a Goldfish Cracker Trail Mix that I created all on my own. (I may not be able to cook well, but I can blend dry goods in a bag like a Master!)

Because I know you want the recipe, and because I really need something to blog about, here it is.
With pictures!
And, if you hang on till the end, you get a view of a sweet plane. Who loves her readers?!

Step One....Gather the Goldfish.

Step Two...Gratuitously display the Secret ingredient that makes this Goldfish Mix Magical

Step Three...Add Regular Cheddar Goldfish

Step Four...Add "Saltine" Goldfish (I often buy an extra bag to eat all on their own or in soup....yum!)

Step Five....Add Whole Grain Cheddar Goldfish

Step Six..."Wewease da secwet weapon!"

Step Seven...Admire the beautiful layers of Goldfish Goodness, Seal Bag and Shake!

Deliciousness is sure to follow.

"Hey Mom, get a shot of my plane flying above the bag and then you can say to your readers, 'Oh! A plane is flying over the bag of Goldfish!' That will be funny, Mom."

Better Than a Souvenir

With about half the day under our belts, we'd just come out of Fantasyland where the big kids and I tackled a number of rides and David took Ella on the carousel 4 times. Ella and I found ourselves sitting in the shade waiting for the rest of the family to finish the "Restroom Ride." (Very popular! We visited it the most times!) So, we had a little chat..........

Me: Do you like it here?

Ella: Yes. But..... (tilts head to the right) what’s his name.......?

Me: Darth Vader? (She'd been talking about him non stop after we watched him at the Jedi Training Academy)

Ella: Yes. He was very very scary.

Me: Well, what at Disneyland made you happy?

Ella: Ummm.......Daddy.

Permanecer Sentados, Por Favor!

If you are reading this Monday morning around breakfast, I am probably in the car.

If it is around lunchtime, I am probably riding "Small World."

If it is late afternoon, I bet my family and I are at the Hungry Bear Restaurant having a snack.

Around dinnertime, I suspect a ride on Pirates will be taking place.

And if the hour is dark, then I am probably on my way home from the Happiest Place on Earth and I will be the Happiest Mommy on Earth.

currently

Swiped from Mindi who borrowed it from here.

listening: The Winters "Yuletide Songbook"*
eating: Tostitos Chips and Neighbor Salsa** mixed with Cream Cheese
drinking: Diet Dr. Pepper
wearing: AWANA Sparks shirt and Mom Jeans***
feeling: Sleepy
weather: Absolutely beautiful!
wanting: To add a few more hours to the night for sleeping.
needing: More hours to work!
thinking: About packing.****
enjoying: Laughing with my Mister
wondering: How busy it will be tomorrow at....DISNEYLAND!

*= An amazing Christmas album featuring a great friend in addition to some SUPER great music. YOU can hear this amazing music for free at the CD Release party at VGCC December 18 at 7pm. Added bonus? I get to sing backup!! Seriously, you should come.

**= Neighbor Salsa is made by my amazing neighbor Kim who is known around church as "Salsa Neighbor" or "Salsa Kim" to her really close friends. Her hubby Jeff has been featured in the blog before.

***= I grabbed some jeans from Target the other day and when I was wearing them, realized they were a little, um, high waisted. Like the height of Mom Jeans. Now, mine don't feature the 9 inch zipper or casual pleats. But they do just make me wonder a bit if I should be wearing them. Kristy gave her approval....so I will just wear them until my children tell me they refuse to let me walk them into school until I throw out my Mom Jeans.

****= Disneyland tomorrow!

Brought to You By the Number "6" and the Letter "S" for "Sarcasm."

Apparently, my body has decided that we are going nocturnal now.
I mean, that is the least I can gather since it kept me up till 6am this morning.
And 4 the night before.
And the night before that.


So cool then. Nocturnal.
I will work at night and sleep at day.
This has "Success!!" written all over it.