This is my life...a series of dreams come true on a daily basis. Join me as I run down my dream - maybe you will find your dream in the process.

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

The best decision she'll ever make

This week was a busy but fun week for the kids.  It was Vacation Bible School at our church, and lots of fun was to be had, as well as some teaching about Jesus.  The theme for the week was The Victory Train.  Basically the children learned about the story of Joshua where he and the Children of Israel marched around Jericho and God had the walls tumble down.

Wednesday night,Scarlett was intently listening to our youth pastor, Brother Joel, explain how we were all sinners and that the price for sin was death and eternal separation from God.  However, because God loved us so much, He sent His only Son to pay that price for us.  And we don't have to do a thing but accept the Gift of Grace.

After Joel explained all of this (and I so wish I had been in the sanctuary and not in the nursery), he asked if any of the kids wanted to give their hearts to Jesus.  I am so happy to say that our sweet, precious Scarlett went forward!
 
After the evening was over, Scarlett came bouncing out of her class absolutely giddy and wearing a sticker that said, "Ask me about my decision!"  When we asked her about her sticker, she just smiled kind of shyly and asked, "Were you in the sanctuary this evening?  Did you hear Brother Joel ask if anyone wanted to ask Jesus into their heart?  Well, Mommy, I did! I asked Jesus into my heart."
 
Please join us as we celebrate the best decision Scarlett will ever make!

Saturday, June 12, 2010

How to occupy a small boy...

Just in case you ever need something to occupy a small boy's time for awhile - get him a Hot Wheels storage case and a few Hot Wheels or Matchbox cars.  He will spend hours arranging and rearranging cars in the thing.  Case and point:
First you hand the boy the Hot Wheels storage case.  The wheel case is especially nice because it also spins!  Bonus!  We have the Cook Family to thank for this ingenious gift.  It is one of Jackson's favorite things.
After spinning the wheel case for awhile, the small boy  carefully inserts each and every car, truck, motorcycle, and construction vehicle he owns into the slots.  One must be deliberate in the placement of each item.  Some slots are bigger than others, and some vehicles are longer or higher profile than others.
Turn the case around and do the same thing.  Note that the slots on the other side are different.  Hmm.  Does this mean that he needs to rethink the earlier arrangement on the other side?
You dump them all out and start over.  After all, a boy's cars have to be perfect!   Jackson spent a good two hours arranging and rearranging his car collection in his new storage case.    And Mama spent a good two hours alternately cleaning and reading a book!  SWEET!

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

A recipe for adventure

I have been an avid reader all my life.  Starting with my first favorite book, "Whoa, Joey! Whoa!" (about a kangaroo who could never aim his jumps quite right) and graduating to the entire Nancy Drew series.  I am embarrassed to admit that I even went through a time in high school reading Harlequin Romances (Yes, I can't believe I did it, either).  I am now interested in books on food (think cookbooks, food memoirs - you get the idea).  I just finished reading "Too Many Cooks: Kitchen Adventures with 1 Mom, 4 Kids, and 102 Recipes" by Emily Franklin.

Emily Franklin makes me want to move to Connecticut, become a stay-at-home mom and experiment with cooking.  Ms. Franklin is a young mother of four whose culinary adventures are warmly amusing.  From jaunts to her father's and step-mother's home in Italy to visits to farmers' markets in the Midwest, we are swept along with Ms. Franklin and her family as they discover delicious and sometimes exotic foods.  Her storytelling includes sweet anecdotes of her family life - typical of many homes.

The real bonus is that the book is filled with the recipes of the many foods she has cooked (or sometimes attempted to cook) - from Apricot Almond Bread to Celeriac Mash.  All the recipes entice one to try them out, or better yet, make up something of your own!  Experimenting and improvisation are encouraged.

The book does not read as a cookbook. Rather, it reads as a memoir of life, parenting, travel and food.  I highly recommend it both for the good read and for the yummy recipes included.

This book has left me feeling like I can have something good come out of my kitchen and that in so doing, my life might be a little more enriched.  My life.  As in The Girl Who Is a Non-cook.  I think I will try.

So with what recipe will I begin?  Will it be Buttery Apricot Bars or Crunchy Sesame Tofu?  Maybe I will choose Polenta or Roasted Broccoli Rabe and Baby Greens.  I will let you know.  But whatever I choose, it will be an adventure for me! 

Monday, June 7, 2010

Relay for Life













Scarlett, Megan & Jackson












Part of the team - My WonderTwin and Wonder Woman!













Laura, Lexi & Debbie - Lexi won best dressed dog!


This past weekend, our office participated in the Relay for Life to help raise money to defeat cancer for good!  While I have been fortunate enough to not have the specter of cancer follow me, several family members have not been. My sweet grandfather passed away from lung cancer.  I have an aunt, mother-in-law, step-father and niece who have all survived various types of cancer.   It is for them and others who are always listening for the footsteps of cancer behind them that we walked.

The day was oppressively hot and humid, but that did nothing to dampen our spirits!  We arrived at the track bright and early - ready to walk and raise money for cancer research.  A mother/daughter on our team entered their pup in the Dog Parade.  Miss Lexi won Best Dressed.  She was adorable in her Little Miss Perfect outfit on her float.

I am happy to report that the event was a success.  We are all looking forward to next year!

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Surprised, but pleasantly so...

I am not really sure why I decided to chronical a portion of our lives on this blog instead of writing it down in a diary like I used to do as a young girl.  I suppose that I wanted to embrace the latest technology of a diary blog.  I love surfing the blogosphere and reading all kinds of blogs. I have discovered some gems:  One of a husband to a a woman suffering wtih MS.  Another touting the simple delights of daily life.  Blogs about music, special needs, photography, spirituality, travel, scrapbooking and cooking.  But I also found blogs that were extremely depressing or just downright disturbing - causing me to immediately stop and pray for the authors.  I suppose that I am not alone in the voyeuristic pursuit of finding entertaining and useful blogs.  I was delighted and pleasantly surprised to discover that there are people "out there" commenting on and following Running Down Dreams. 

I am not really sure what the purpose of this post is, other than to say thank you for your supporting and encouraging words.  It is nice to know sometimes that someone - somewhere - is listening. 
Blessings!