Friday Fill-in: Conspiracy Theories and More!

Well, Friday is here. Isn't that great? I love weekends. I mean, I love weekends now that I have an extra child during the week. It means I get to spend more quality time with my children. They are totally deserving of my time and energy, so it is nice to be able to give that to them.

This weekend will be a lot quieter than last weekend. It should be restful and nice to have a quiet weekend. Jonathan is still on worship team, though, but I am not working in Promiseland. So, it should be alright. I get to actually go to a church service. That is wonderful.

My parents come home tonight from their trip to San Francisco and Las Vegas. They will most likely want to see their grandkids tomorrow, so we will probably hang out with them during the day. We'll see what transpires.

I came up with a huge consipracy theory last night. I can't wait to share it with my sister who LOVES consipracy theories, just like me. This one is so huge and plausible that it makes me a little bit scared to share it with the general public... (hee! hee!) Perhaps I am just missing "Fringe" along with all the other Fringers/Fringelings.

1. When will the summer weather come back? It is raining again today. We haven't gone to the wading pool. We've only been in our pool once. What a miserable summer we have had!

2. "Circle of Quilters" by Jennifer Chiaverini was the last good book I read. It took me only a few days to read it. I really wanted to start quilting right away. I don't quilt, but I really wanted to start.

3. Everything has its beauty but some things I just don't like. Like insects. Most have their redeeming qualities, but I do not like them.

4. Tacos and chips is what I had for dinner. I really do not like Mexican food. Everyone else does in our house, which is why I make it.

5. I'd like your coolest pair of shoes. Just to see what they are. I LOVE shoes. It is the first thing I notice on a person.

6. Some place warm and quiet is where I want to be right now. Hopefully some place where I can read, think, create, spend time with God...All without the interruptions of little children. That would be wonderful!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to watching Casablanca and having a bit of a girls' night, tomorrow my plans include sleeping in and then hanging out with the folks and going to church and Sunday, I want to do some grocery shopping and relaxing!
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I hope that you all have a wonderful weekend. May you have rest and peace.

Tuesday Tunes 41: The Other Jackson

Tell us about the most mind-blowing concert you've ever attended.

Well, that would be easy. I was in junior high and I went to see Janet Jackson on her Rhythm Nation tour. It was the first concert I had ever gone to by myself with a friend. We had balcony seats and we could see really well. Janet was so real and was so natural on stage. It was really a 'show' not a concert. She really gave us our money's worth.

I will never forget when she sang, "Come Back to Me". She cried and had to stop singing. It is such a personal song for her!

"Black Cat" also stood out for me because it had lots of shooting fire and pyrotechnics. It was awesome!!

Anyway, with all of this focus on one of the Jacksons, I thought I would share the other Jackson that I just love. So, without furthur ado...

By the way...in this next one that is one of my all time favorites, I used to be able to do a lot of these moves. Check out the chair dance at the end. So good!

In The Shadow of the Mountain

I was reflecting on the title of my blog this morning: "Shadow of the Mountain". I guess I chose it because I felt as though my life has been up and down and for the past few years it has been down. I guess that is why. I have chosen the mountain theme for my blogs, but the last one I did was "Mountain Peak" which did not seem to fit. So I abandoned it! I can still go back and read it. It is interesting and a moment in my/our family history. I should download it and save it as a record.

Anway, I wrote that while I was staying at home after Aidan was born. It was fun to do and I loved doing it. But, I was also on a peak in my life. My first child was born, I was on worship team, I had just graduated from school and I was about to accept my first job. Life was sweet.

I don't know what all this means, but I do know that lately my life has been on a steady uphill rise. I realized it awhile ago when I started to find myself doing things that I LOVED even though it was not something I had PLANNED. I didn't get on worship team like I had wanted, but I ended up doing Promiseland and loving it. Then I started puppets and worship and hosting in Promiseland. Totally rocked. I have my Monday night Bible Study which I absolutely love to pieces. I am missing it so much right now.... I am involved in Guides and doing camps. It is awesome. My kids are growing up quickly and turning into lovely people. I have a part-time job now (well, it is almost full-time sometimes, but I love Maggie) and I have been reconnected with a lot of my friends from high school that I wasn't connected to before. I am making new friends as well and Jonathan and I love our small group.

I am so thankful that God is taking care of us. He really is watching out for us even when we are not sure what is up ahead. Even when we think that something has passed us by that we were supposed to do. God always has a plan. Stick to the plan....GOD'S PLAN, not my plan.

I guess that is what I am realizing right now. God's timing. God's plan. God is so good. Perhaps I will never get on worship team at this church. And right now, I am okay with that. Perhaps I won't be able to teach for a while yet. I am okay with that. I will do what God wants me to do. I will do what He has in mind for me and follow His leading! God is good.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight."

Proverbs 3:5-6

Friday Fill-ins: Our 10th Anniversary

Today is my 10th anniversary. Boy how time flies. It has been a wonderful 10 years with lots of ups and downs, adventures and lots of laughs. Some tears, too! One of my friends told me to look through pictures and remember, as the years pass ever so quickly.

We really celebrated by going to Las Vegas, so I don't expect too much. Just to remind myself that I am very blessed to have found someone so kind and loving. Someone who puts up with all of my "stuff" and still loves me in spite of all of that. I feel blessed to have been married for so long and that we got married at such a young age. I feel like we have so many more years to live and I can't imagine spending them with anyone else. We have two beautiful chilren and are totally blessed to be together. I love him more each day... Anyway, I won't go on and on...It will be too sappy for some of you!

In other news: I only have Maggie for half a day today. That should be good. The kids and I can spend a little time this afternoon just being together without Maggie. We will see her tomorrow morning for her birthday party. She is turning one. That is amazing in itself.

This weekend is busy. Jonathan is on worship Saturday and Sunday night. I am working in Promiseland on Saturday night. Then on Sunday, I was requested to do a puppet show for the Special Needs class at church. So, I will be doing a short 5-10 minute show. Should be fun, but a lot of work this weekend. Luckily Jonathan is off on Monday!!

In keeping with my new tradition, here is a Friday Fill-in!! (I really enjoy doing these!! Hope you don't mind reading them!)


And...here we go!

1. Lemonade is my favorite summertime drink. It can be yellow or pink. I have no color preference. Nothing quenches my thirst like a nice cold glass of lemonade. Too bad we really haven't had enough hot weather to partake very often!

2. My favorite John Hughes movies is "The Breakfast Club". Although I really do like most of the ones that he created. I am totally the preppy girl in the movie (just in case you were wondering which character I would relate to. Shocking, I know!) I also totally love the rebel guy. He was a good character. And the ending song...CLASSIC!!


3. My silky moon and star pj pants (are) is something I love to touch. I love the feeling of them!

4. The full moon is making Emma crazy. I mean she is already a bit crazy because she is going through this 'terrible two' stuff, but the past couple of days she has really been pushing the buttons!! Silly moon!!

5. I am eating some really disgusting BBQ rice chips right now. They are not good. But, I bought 3 bags full and need to eat them up. They are always out of the good kind when I go to the store. Very sad.

6. When daylight fades I enjoy my alone time while the kids are in bed. It is so quiet and peaceful and I can actually have a few thoughts of my own that are unrelated to feeding, changing, sleeping and playing!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to working on my puppet play and spending some quality time with the husband for our anniversary, tomorrow my plans include birthday party and Promiseland and Sunday, I want to rest in the afternoon with the kids and perhaps have my sister over for supper or go out for supper!