The Chocolate Lady

Monday, June 30, 2008

Blogging moments

Im not sure if other bloggers go through this, (I should have asked the gals at our Bossy's Excellent Adventure gathering), but from time to time, or on some days, constantly, I find myself in situations that make me say, "Im gonna have to write about this on my blog!" Sometimes it's in a funny way, and sometimes it's in a no-one-is-gonna-believe-this kind of way.

Case in point. Today.

Pooper got on audition for (and bear with me, I dont even know what this all means...) a "sag, short film, being produced and directed by George Clooney's partner, Grant Heslov."

So, it was off to Santa Monica this morning...with Little One at a neighbor/baby sitter, and Beauty at swim team/play date with a friend, Pooper and I drove the 2 hours to the northern shores of Los Angeles, and he had his audition. As usual, we were in and out within 15 minutes.

I signed him in, and they immediately called him into their office (mom's dont go in, we wait outside in the hall.) I went to the restroom around the corner, and when I got back, he was done. OK.

Then the gal says, "Can you bring him back tonight at 5:40 so he can meet the director?"

I must have looked puzzled, as I wondered things like, "What will I do with the girls?" "Do I have time to go home and come back, and is it worth it with these gas prices?"....

She broke through my gaze with, "Or, if you cant, I can just show him on tape."

Me: Um, No, I can bring him back, Im just thinking......yes, we will be back, but we are not from around here, do you know where there is a place to hang out nearby?

She had the cameraman help me out, and he told me how to get to the 3rd Street Promenade, which is a fancy name for a busy street with restaurants and a theater. Perfect, because *someone* would need a nap, and the theater was our best hope.

We found our way, and had some time before Kung Fu Panda was to begin. We walked down near the water, actually to a cliff over the water, and Pooper became fascinated with the squirrel village that had been created in the cliff. We saw, literally, tens of squirrels, running in and out of holes and tunnels, it was really neat, but made me wonder if the ground beneath us was sturdy.

But anyways, I have not even gotten to the blog moment.....fast forward, to browsing the books at Barnes and Nobles, when Pooper has to go potty. The bathroom is downstairs, in Starbucks. Fine.

We get into a long line, and Pooper begins to shuffle his feet. The man in front of us was kind enough to let Pooper go first, probably when he heard me offer Pooper my water bottle, and Pooper shook his head "NO" and pointed to his rear end, signaling #2.

We get into the bathroom...the TOILET PAPER-LESS bathroom, and Pooper does his thing. I rush out, to get some toilet paper, only to be told that the entire Starbucks, is out of toilet paper AND napkins, in the middle of the day!

Thank God for my guardian angel, because as I ran back to the bathroom (mindful of the crowd waiting in line) I spotted a stack of paper towels, and snatched them up!

As I was wiping Pooper's bottom, it was one of those situations, where the more you wipe, the more there is. Sorry for TMI, but isnt always when you are in a hurry that you just cant get it clean??? After each wipe, I flushed the toilet, because if I tried to flush them all together, the toilet would clog.

So, wiping the never-ending poopy bottom, and on flush in particular didnt go down, in fact, I thought,

"This toilet is clogged.....there is a line outside, impatiently waiting.....this kid still has poop on his bottom, if I cant get him clean, h e is gonna stink when he meets up with George Clooney's partner....and the line outside is getting restless, and this toilet is clogged now, and THIS IS A BLOG MOMENT."

Saturday, June 28, 2008

mosaic




Jason posted a cool mosaic, and invited a few friends to do the same. And, though not invited directly, but always wanting to be part of the "in" crowd, I decided to make one too :)

If you want to learn how to create your own, go to Jason's page....he has simple directions.

Here are the questions that correspond with the pictures:

1. My name
2. Favorite food
3. My high school
4. Favorite color
5. Celebrity crush
6. Favorite drink
7. Dream vacation
8. Favorite dessert
9. What I want to be when I group up
10. What I love most in life
11. One word that describes me
12. My internet name

Now, for those literal types, this is an artsy thing. The idea was to put in the answer of the question into the "flicker" search engine, and then choose a picture that comes up. The picture may not be the actual translation of the word....but, whatever, again, it's a creative thing. I mean, obviously, red dresses arent my favorite food, it's a play on words thing, get it?

Ok, now go make one and then let us all know in my guestbook, so we can go check out your creation.

Ciao. (that's me showing off my left brain again, or is it the right? whatever.)

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Good-bye Uncle Art

As the kids and I prayed this morning, as we sat around the breakfast table, Beauty said, "God I know you are having fun with Artie up in Heaven, because whenever I would visit him we had fun."

And, that really sums up Uncle Artie....fun guy, kind to everyone - even the littlest of kids, and definitely up in Heaven.

Last night, after battling cancer, Uncle Artie met Jesus.

I have so many memories of Art. They often lived close, but even when they didnt, he and my Aunt Joyce were close in heart. They didnt have any of their own kids, but they had plenty of nieces and nephews that they were either spoiling or tolerating, depending.

My Uncle Art was the guy that didnt hide his farts, and gave them a name, announcing his flatulence to anyone that didnt hear the explosive sounds (which was nobody, because, trust me, everyone heard his "slips")

My Uncle Art was the guy that taught me how to bartend, and even how to roll his marijuana into joints (It was the 70's). And he was always a good sport when I lectured him, decades later, about having such substances around impressionable pre-teens. I would tell him he was lucky I didnt turn out to be some drug addict, and he would agree, and laugh, although, maybe inside he might think that preferable to being Miss Goodie Two Shoes and chastising him.

Later in life, Uncle Art developed a strong love of God, a deep relationship with Jesus and a thirst for the Bible. It was wonderful to watch him come full circle, and our family felt privileged to attend his Baptism.

Uncle Art was only in his 50's, still young with a lot of life ahead of him. He had a rough start to life, with some difficult circumstances...but you wont meet a guy with a better personality; happy, helpful, friendly, easy-going, respectful, kind.

This morning, Pooper recounted that it was Uncle Artie that helped him catch his first fish. We were camping, and the boys were out on a boat...fishing, and Artie was probably "slipping" and Pooper was probably laughing...that's how things were with Uncle Artie.

He was everyone's friend. Most importantly, he was my Aunt Joyce's friend. Over 30 years of marriage...some how those two hippies beat the odds. They not only stayed married (a rarity these days), but they still love each other a lot. It was obvious to all that knew them, and even strangers that didnt, that they were best friends, in love, and happy. She was Uncle Artie's "Frog".....she took good care of him, and he of her, they were really good together.

We will miss our Uncle Artie. We know that Grandma Rita and Uncle Jimmy were probably pushing each other over, anxious to be the first to welcome him. I imagine those three will be sitting on a patio somewhere, maybe next to the Oreo Cookie house, chatting, laughing, reminiscing about old times, good times.

We will miss the good times with Uncle Artie, but thank God that we have the assurance of seeing him again.

Please keep my Aunt Joyce in your prayers, as she faces life without Art.

Monday, June 23, 2008

She's a pretty one.

Now, I dont want to play favorites or anything, especially between "dear sisters"....but, Francesca is a pretty one, if I do say so myself.

It's not that Little Orphan Sandy wasnt attractive, she was, if you think the, "gimme a dollah and Ill twirl around the pole" kinda thing is attractive (for the record, I dont think it is.....)

but, just take a look at Francesca....




she looks so refined and well mannered, has her clothes all in place covering up her body, not flashing diamond belly rings, clearly from the higher classes of her country (where ever that may be, I dont think she has told me yet.)

Here is the most recent letter:

Dear Kim,

I did not get your email after I emailed you of my younger brother illness, it is so sad to me that he is still sick, How I wish there is way we can go back home, and I can be able to take him to a good hospital, life here is so hard and the camp is not doing well, bad food and bad kind of people around us.

The doctor said he had his heart affected, and that will take time for him to come out alive, what a world, what can i do without him, if he dies, then am dead.

I really need your help, if I can have those informations I asked from you, am sure that will be a good starting point for us, atleast we can have hope that we will live this country back to our home soon.

I can not get a cross and take a picture with right now, am in a camp and we hardly go out, for our security reasons.

Attarch to this email, is just one of the kind of picture I have stored in my bag, I hope you mean so much good to me and my brother.

May your God bless you more.

Thanks.

Francisca.


Well dear people, I think it's high time that I give her some of that info she needs so desperately.....so, here is my reply:

Dear Francisca,

I am so sorry for your brother, I will keep praying that God will heal him. Our God is very powerful, I will ask Him to protect you from any bad people at your camp.

Here is the info that you wanted from me:

My name is Kim Sprague, and I am a female. I am living in the country of the United States, where we speak English. I am not married, although, not because I dont want to be. I have prayed very much to God to bring me a wonderful husband, every day I pray, and at night too, often in tears. Now, I also add your family to that prayer time. I just am trusting that God will bring me a husband, and that He will fix your family troubles too. Certainly, if I have prayed for a husband for so many years, He will bring one too me. It doesnt matter if I am getting older, because God can do all things. Even if I think I am not pretty enough, I know it isnt true, because we are all beautiful in God's eyes. Just like you Francisca, you are very beautiful, I am surprised that many men have not asked you to marry them. I bet if I looked as pretty as you, someone would marry me, but, God has His plans, so I am trusting.

Keep trusting Francisca, He will hear your prayers.
kim


And for those of you getting "nervous".....she already has my name, as my email account is my name...so, no big divulgence of secret info there......just so you know.

Now, we will wait and see her next response.

Sunday, June 22, 2008

A little bit about Francesca

Im learning that Francesca has a tendency to avoid and ignore.

For the second time now, she has just plain old acted like she didnt get a post from me. I guess it could be just absent mindedness from all the stress of having an ill brother, and being kept in a country while your wealthy inheritance was being kept from you, so you are busy trying to correspond with a random stranger in an attempt to get some help. Maybe.

But, Im rather thinking that she pretends not to get messages that she doesnt like.

So, anyhoo...here is what she posted yesterday, hours after I sent her my last email:

Dear Kim,

How are you and how is your life going this weekend, I hope all is fine and Ok, but I have not read any email from you since I last wrote you, I am very in need of this assistance that God has brought you and I to have. My younger brother is still sick, and I dont know what to do. I am so tired and confused. Please Kim, let me have those informations so that I can file in for us to go home.

I hope to read from you soon before things get out of hand.

Thanks and God bless you.

Francisca.


So, I wrote her back, AGAIN. I do think it will help me to pray for her, if I can see her face.....I hope she understands. Here is my response to her:
Hi Francisca,

I did sent you an email, but maybe you didnt get it.

I am sorry that your brother is still sick, I am praying for him.

I had told you in my email that I have been praying very much for you both and
God has given me a vision of a cross. I really need a picture of you with a
cross because it will help me in my prayers for you. If you could also send a
picture of your brother with a cross, It will help me to pray for him too.

I know God has sent you my way so that I can help you.

with my prayers,
kim


Let's see what she sends me next.

Saturday, June 21, 2008

It's getting tricky

Ok people, it's getting to the part where I have to be very careful not to say the wrong thing to dear Francesca. She is wanting info, so, naturally the dance has started and I dont want to step on her toes....here is her latest reply:


Dear Kim,

Am so sad this morning because my brother is very sick, he was rushed to the hospital yesterday night, I prayed to your God, and I know your God will not fail me over my brother.


I have informed the authorities that I have goten some one who will undertake for us to go home, and they gave me a form to fill, in the form there are so many question about you that I dont know how to fill it. If you can be kind enough as God has lead you to us, and give me the following informations, and I will complete the form and summit it, the authorities will email or call you for more verification of this.

Please here are the informations:

1, Full Name
2,Sex
3,Date of Birth
4,Occupation
5,Marital Status
6,Location.
7,Language spoken and Writen.
8,Contact Telephone Number
9,Country of Natinality

Those are the informations in the form, I dont know how to fill it, so please Kim let me have them and I will complete the form as soon as I come back from the hospital where my brother is.

Thanks so much Kim, and know very well that I am ready to follow you to your God, cos if your God has led you with such a kind heart to help us out, then that your God is my God.

In my next email, I will scan my picture for you to see me, am in a rush now.

Thanks so much and your God continue to bless you.

Francisca.


I wanted to tell her that perhaps her brother's illness was a warning from God to stop "sleeping" together, but I dont want to tick her off.

Here is my letter back:

Dear Francisca,

I am so sorry to hear about your brother and am praying that God will heal him from any illness. I do hope by the time you read this, that he is out of the hospital.

I have been praying for you a lot and today the Lord spoke to me about the goodness of your heart. As I was praying God gave me a vision of a cross, which represents Jesus. I felt God telling me that to move forward, I should know that you were with a cross, even if you do not yet believe or understand. He told me that I should see you with a cross, so if you could please send me a picture of you next to a cross, then I know that this is meant from God, as He has shown me.

with my prayers,
kim


Ok, let's see where this goes..........

Thursday, June 19, 2008

There's something funny going on here......

Unfortunately, I dont mean the HA HA HA kind of funny, but rather something weird and sick.

Check out this latest letter from our dear Francesca:


Dear Kim,

Thanks so much, my heart is full of joy, now I can sleep well with my brother, is late now to stay up, but I will email you all you need to do for me so that I can leave this country. I will get the form that you will fill and then I will summit it to the authorities, am sure with that all will work out well for us and we can go home.

Please reply me email and give me words of encouragement, that will really help us emotional.

You seems to be a good Christian, I will fellow you to where ever your God is, and will worship him, I dont know more about Christianity, am sure you will teach us well.

Thanks for being that sun for us, I will look for my picture and scan a copy of it for you to see me, though the pictures I have are in small copies, but I hope they will be good for you to see. Thanks so much, am full of happiness as I go to bed tonite with my brother.
Francisca.


You know, when I first read that she was going to "sleep with her brother" it gave me the creeps, but I chalked it up to the language barrier, as well as the fact that people in distressed situations may not live in places with extra beds.

Although, if you old timer(s) remember, my sister Sandra seemed to be doing well for a refugee.

Anyways, as I read on in the letter, she makes another mention of "going to bed with her brother."

GROSS!

I had to restrain my typing fingers, because I wanted to tell her that if that is how siblings are in her part of the world, then, sorry, I dont want to be her sister. Or, perhaps to explain to her the dangers of inbreeding.

But, I know I must remain naive, calm, and ignorant, so that I dont tip her off. I mean, if she knows Im smarter than the average 5th grader, she may figure that I know all about her scheme.

So, Ill just mind my business, and pray and share God with her, in hopes of saving her soul. Here is my reply to her email:

Dear Francisca,

You will love to learn about my God, He loves everyone and wants to save
everyone. He will guide you and protect you. If you ask Him to show you who He
really is, He will do it.

I think it is a blessing for me to be able to help you, please stay strong and I
will do my best.

I will spend a lot of time praying for you to be safe and well, and your brother
too.

Your sister in Christ,
Kim


Ill keep you posted, and am looking forward to her photos!!

Game is on people!

Look what I found in my email box today friends....yep, a little note from my dear sister.

Dear Kim,

You came like a sun in my dark, gave me and younger brother hope to see the light, and dissapeared without any traces, please Kim, take me as your sister and help me, I really need to leave this country and back to my country to claim our funds and get a new life with me and my brother, you are my hope now, cos I have so much confident that you will not betray us..

You have a kind heart, please show me kindness.

Thanks.

Francisca.


Here is my response back to her, let's see where this goes;

Dear Francisca,

I was worried that I had not heard from you, but have been praying that God
would take care of you. I have learned that with all things, to pray to the
Lord and He will guide me. I know it is His will that you have been guided back
to me.

Im hoping that I can be of help to you and your brother,

Yours in Christ,
Kim


She tried to act like I hadnt responded to her, not sure what that is about,,,,did my email get lost in the WWW, or was she just planning her next move. In any case, Im gonna roll with it, and am preparing for some fun.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Danger ahead - Caution!

Ok, news junkie that I am, I was sifting through the online stories of all that has gone wrong with the world, and I came upon a doozie. Trust me, I must read a dozen stories a day that shock me, even sicken me, and many times, Im tempted to post it up on this blog and ask all of you good readers (all 5 of you)...WHAT IS GOING ON????

I usually am successful at just getting over things on my own...and instead, blog about my children wearing clothes 4 years too small, or tell you about my obscene, sex-crazed neighbors, arent you glad?

But today, Im sorry, cant resist it. There are so many things wrong with this story, that I felt it was sort of my civic duty to point them all out, so as to protect you good readers from similar injury.

Going round the news wires, is a story about a woman who was injured by her low-rise, v-string and is now suing Victoria's Secret.

Ok, where to begin....

First of all, the woman is 52 years old. Don't get upset! I realize some of you still like to wear sexy undergarments, despite your AARP membership, and that is just fine....but, Im just saying, in case anyone was wondering....the woman is 52. This wasnt an unexperienced, teen, thong-wearer, no, she was a grown woman.

And, just for clarification, this wasnt a G-String, but a LOW-rise v-string....which means, that Macrida (the 52 year old woman), not only wears butt floss, but she wears them low, probably because she also wears low rise pants.

So, to summarize thus far....52 year old, wearing low-rise v-string and low rise pants.

Now, how, you may be wondering, did this woman get injured from such undies??

Well, Ill tell you how. A "decorative metallic piece" flung off the string, as she was putting them on...and it hit her in the eye.

Think about that...."decorative metallic piece"....I mean, Im trying to envision a v-string with metallic decorations....studs? chains? a hello kitty emblem?

Was plain cotton not sexy enough for Macrida? Did she have to buy the kind that are all embellished with decorative, metallic pieces????

I realize Im probably the lone wolf here, the odd-man out, the nerd.....but, come on, let's get back to wearing underwear that are practical and comfortable. Im all for them being sexy and fun, but for crying out loud, if there are 3 things I dont want on my back side, they are "v-string", "low-rise" and "metallic pieces"

What did she expect? Did she think these would be safe? I mean, if that dagger didnt fly off and hit her in the eye, it very well could have poked her where the sun doesnt shine, come on!

They are underwear people.....call me Amish, but I think this is a wake up call for everyone to just get back to the basics when it comes to covering up their privates.

Monday, June 16, 2008

Being Beauty

I've been trying to figure out how to make a little photo icon that you can click on, to get to my new Being Beauty feature...but, Im lame and cant figure it out, but anways...

Here she is, my Beauty, being Beauty.

The kids have swim practice everyday after school, and when finished, I shower them off at the pool, wash their hair and then toussle it (or tossle it, or something) with some leave-in conditioner.

They change into some clean clothes (leaving me with their school clothes AND their towels to cart home....or, just leave in my car, take your pick.)

On this day in particular, Beauty did not like the clean clothes I had brought for her....a t-shirt and some sweat pants. As soon as we got home, she ran upstairs and changed. I was annoyed, because, hello, how many rounds of clothes can we go through in a day, or, let's try to stop feeding the laundry monster!

But she just couldnt stand to be in something "un-beautiful", even if it was only a short while til dinner, and then jammies and then bed.

So, for the 1.5 hours remaining in her day, she changed into something more her style...this little number, one of her favorites:




Let me just point out a few things.

Beauty likes to accessorize, first and foremost, so she has a "bracelet" (actually the strap from a watch), a beaded necklace that she made a couple of years ago at camp, and a funky barrette.

Her hair is still disheveled and laden with conditioner, but that didnt stop her from dolling it all up. She likes to put her barrettes way up top, by the part of her hair, just clipped on to the first row. Just for a special touch.

She has on some capri jeans, and her pink, spaghetti strapped top, which hangs long with a ruffle on the bottom. The piece d'resistance, is the cropped jacket that goes on top. So fashionable! As you can see, it has the short sleeves, and the short hemline falls at belly-button level....and, guess where she found this trendy jacket? nope, not Target Grandma J,

She found it in the pile of clothes I am setting aside for my cousin's soon-to-arrive baby girl. Yep, that little jacket, which is one of Beauty's Spring/Summer favorites, is a size......0-3 months!

Who would have thunk that such glamour could come from the clothes that havent fit for years? Im not sure that I even need to buy her any clothes for the rest of the decade.

she has such a knack for putting things together and looking Beauty...and that's what she is doing here...Being Beauty.

dont you wish we all could with such ease?

Saturday, June 14, 2008

My latest venture

Im sitting here trying to remain optimistic, but, Francisca/Mary hasnt written back. A girl can really get a complex when even the Nigerian Bank Scammers are running from her, KWIM? I got two emails in such a short period of time, and now....(crickets)

I did do something to lift my spirits, I started a new venture....I couldnt resist, for many reasons...all of them good, upright, ethical and delicious :)

For legal reasons (which I have yet to understand) Im not allowed to post a link to my new venture...but I can link to this youtube clip, which spells it all out.

It's fun, delicious, and on the ground floor......check it out!

YUMMY

Friday, June 13, 2008

Saving souls

Well, we have a live one. After sending off my email to the dear Francisca, I received not one, but two emails, one in the afternoon and one early this morning.

For my new reader let me explain what I am doing.... I am constantly inundated (arent we all?) with those scam letters, from foriegners in dire straits, who are really millionaires, but dont have a friend to help them in their time of trouble...you know the ones? Well, one time, on someone else's blog, a clever person strung the scammer along, and it had me rolling on the floor with laughter, so I decided to try it myself.....there was a saga that ensued, which you can read about here

I generally ignore and delete this emails, but occasionally, like yesterday, I cant resist having a little fun with them, so, here we go again.

Here is the first email I received from the poor lost soul:

Dear Kim,

God Almighy bless this day that I have found you, you have been the answer to our prayers.

I am so happy and told my brother when I read your email, that HOME IS CLOSE TO US.

Kim, please dont get offended if I ask you to please tell me more about yourself, let us get to introduce ourselves, You read little about me in my first email, it will be so sweet to read little about you, things like, what you do for a living, age, country etc, things that can really make me know little of you.

I will believe that you will be a nice person to us.

As soon as I sign out now, I will go to the enquiry desk of this camp to find out what it takes for us to go as we are having someone that is signing on our behalf, I will give you full details on that in my next email to you.

Also, I will send to you a copy of my picture so that you can see me, if you have any and wants to shear with me, I will really appreciate it.

Thanks and God Bless you.

Francisca Orlando.


Already they want a picture of me, and I just cant decide if I should take her advice and send the picture of the previous scammer, the little orphan on the stripper pole...or something else. I so dont want to scare this one away quickly. I didnt reply or send anything yet, I figured I needed to sleep on it and decide in the morning.

When I woke up this morning, I had a second email from the dear soul:

Hello Kim,

Please am really anxious to read your email, i hope you are OK, please know that you are all I got, my hope and good future.

Your reply to my other email of yesterday, it is very important so that I can tell you more on how you proceed to assist us.

Mary.


Well now, isnt this interesting....the second email was signed by "Mary"

What should I think? Is this a new person that has kidnapped the dear Francisca and is trying to use me to steal her money or something sinister like that? Or, is Mary the name she uses with "family" and dear friends like me? Who knows?? Let me write to her and ask.....

Dear New Friend,

I have been prayerful for you, thankful that God has brought you to me so that I can serve Him and help you.

I am confused that you have signed your name as Mary, because I thought that you were Francisca, but your email says Francisca.

I am wondering about your name. Last night as I was praying, God brought to me a vision of those that helped the mother of our Lord, Mary, when she was weeping...and it is like a sign from God, that you are now becoming like Mary to me with this name.

please explain which is your name.

A servant of Christ,
Kim


So, we shall see what happens next.....and if you have any input about which picture to send, please let me know.

BTW, Im working on my new feature; Being Beauty. Does anyone know how to put something in the side column with a little picture that people click? Like the way she does the clever click on features on her blog?? Any help would be appreciated.

Thursday, June 12, 2008

I cant help myself

Today, I was met with a situation, a situation that touched me so deeply, that I couldnt turn away. I get requests often, and quickly hit "delete", but this one, well, I just cant resist:

Here is the email I received this morning:

Dear Sir/Madam,

I apologies for sending you this email.

Knowing very well what is going on now over the Internet.

But there are some people in this world that those not have such intentions of
hurting any one, and I feel so confident in me to write to you this email,
please do not
ignore it, because you are saving a soul.

My name is Francisca Orlando, I am 26 years old. My parents are coco farmers in
Ivory
Coast, but it is unfortunate that they died along side with the problem of
Ivory Coast.

I however remained in a camp of Refugees, I want to go back home with my
brother. But it seems
impossible for me, I need to start a good life but nothing is happening.Our
parents left a will
of 5 Million USD for us in our home bank, and I want to go to the bank and claim
it
then begin a new life with my brother.

Please I want you to come for our aid,by telling the people in charge here that
you are
taking responsibility of us, so that they can free us to go back home.

Please reply my email and save our souls. my private email address is
franciscaorlando@yahoo.com

God Bless you.

Francisca Orlando.



The email header was: SAVE OUR SOUL PLEASE

I mean, really, who wouldnt respond?

Here is what I wrote back, but in my sympathy-driven haste, I hit "reply" instead of sending it to the private email as directed, so, we shall see what happens.

Francisca,

I know God must have led you to contact me. Just today, I was praying for the
people of the world that are hurting, and asked God to use me to help them. I
didnt realize that he would actually have someone from Ivory Coast contact me,
but the Lord works in mysterious ways.

I am so sorry for your hardship, and will pray that God intervenes. Please let
me know how I can help, do you need me to write a letter to someone for you?

God has brought us together for a reason, may He bring you peace,
kim


Now, Im going to have to try to take it slow, and not tip them off to my game right away...let's see where this all takes us!

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Celebrating life's achievements

Yesterday morning, we were getting ready for school. I was finishing up Beauty's hair, when Pooper began shouting from upstairs,

"I tied my shoes! I did it! Mom, I tied my shoes!"

Putting the last touches on Beauty's stylish coif, I smiled, proud of my boy for accomplishing something that has been so hard for him.

Beauty, nearly 2.5 years younger than Pooper, has been tying her own shoes for nearly a year...and tying her brothers too. One of the side effects that Pooper deals with from all of his chemo, is neuropathy, which makes fine motor tasks very difficult. He usually needs help with buttons and such, and despite lots of trying, hadnt yet been able to tie his own shoes. (minor matters, which only serve to remind us of all the major healing that God did in his life.)

So as he came bounding down the stairs, eager to show off his masterpiece, I hugged him, kissed his head, and told him, "I knew you would be able to tie them."

And I glanced down, at his tiny little shoes, his black "skater" tennies, and saw that both shoes had laces that were tied in a knot. A. simple. knot.

I praised him for his hard work, and smothered him in kisses while he allowed his sister to tie the laces, dragging on the ground, into a bow.

My Mr. Self-Reliant still needs the rest of us, from time to time, and we sure enjoy being able to care for him.

And....Im hoping later tonight to put up videos of Beauty's graduation, and Pooper's acting showcase. Both kids made me swell with pride.

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

The Lazy Days of Summer

The lazy days arent here yet, instead Im in the midst of the-frenzied-final-days-of-schooltime, which is why I havent mustered up a post.

Not that anyone wants to know...but....

Saturday: VBS training,
Going to John Taggart's Grand Stand for Alex's Lemonade Stand (which we wouldnt miss!),
and then the only block of time to prepare/bake for the week.

Sunday: Church,
Pooper's final acting class,
hosting a BBQ at the waterpark for our 1st grade fellowship group from Pooper's school

Monday: Made 4 dozen cookies (little red apples) for Beauty's graduation....which happened in the evening.

Tuesday: Pooper's acting showcase up in Los Angeles (we are leaving at 1:30 for a 7:00pm show)....should be fun with Little One (who has recently become "the screamer") He will do a scene from Tootsie...industry folks are on hand to watch...

Wednesday: Both kids have their class party

Thursday, I should get to breathe on this day. *Should* being the operative word, I wont be surprised if some pipe gets a leak or someone comes down with a life-threatening injury, because, that's sort of how things work around here.

The end of year parties, baking, teacher cards and gifts, etc. are things I enjoy...but also things that get me frazzled when they are on top of each other, one.on.top.of.another.

Now that we know how to put up youtube videos, I will have Beauty's graduation from preschool (I know, kinda silly, but sweet) and Pooper's acting show case up soon. And I already have my next, Beauty's Beauty (is that what I called it? or is it, Beaing Beauty????) I just have to get the picture up (which, for some reason, is harder than putting up a video.)

talk soon.

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

The Big Give Challenge

We live in a pretty cool community, not because of anything fancy, but because there are a lot of great people here.

Many of our neighbors are involved with giving....recently, some of them got together and created The Big Give Challenge.

The Ladera Ranch Kids Who Care Club is a group that organizes charity/volunteer opportunities for kids, each month. They do things like clean up the beach, make blankets for needy kids, and other fun stuff. It's a great group, and it teaches kids valuable lessons about doing unto others.

Toy Town is the neighborhood toy store, and the owner, Josh, has the biggest heart in the world. He is constantly doing nice things and reaching out to others....and he has the best toys around.

The LR Kids Who Care Club, Toy Town, and other community leaders got together to host The Big Give Challenge.

Here is how it works....Kids could sign up for $25, and at the end of the month, they had to report back on how they used the money to make a difference in the life of others.

Pooper and Beauty decided to take the challenge (one entry per family)...and it was just a natural that the money would go to Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation

Rather than donate the $25 to Alex's Lemonade Stand, the kids came up with a way to "grow" their money. Pooper asked Josh at Toy Town, "What is the most popular thing I could buy for $25?"

Josh told him that the two newest Webkinz, the chicken and the American cocker spaniel, were probably the best investment. Unfortunately Josh didnt carry those hard-to-find Webkinz, and directed us to a store in the mall that did have some. See what a selfless guy he is??!

So, I ventured to the mall in search of the Webkinz and the kids would raffle them off.

Wanting to find a busy place, they decided to sell raffle tickets at The Taste of Ladera. This is a big event in our community, and our family already hosts an Alex's Lemonade Stand at the Taste of Ladera.....so, we would also have a raffle for the Webkinz. Perfect.

In addition to raising $2524 from the sale of lemonade, the raffle brought in an additional $267.

The kids successfully grew their initial $25 into more than 10 times the amount....and it will be donated to Alex's Lemonade Stand, to help find a cure for pediatric cancers.

As part of the contest, the kids have to report back with how they gave away their $25. The report includes writing about their giving, and also a picture or video....check it out!







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