tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49619333795395002662024-03-05T11:52:28.611-08:00Aly's Bloggity BlogAlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15062455056663538873noreply@blogger.comBlogger625125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4961933379539500266.post-76838525784990221502014-06-25T16:18:00.001-07:002014-06-25T16:20:35.047-07:00Culinary AdventureThe girls and I went on a culinary adventure in the valley today. It had been quite awhile since we ventured out with hopes of treating our taste buds to new flavors, so we rallied up friends and googled <a href="http://www.laweekly.com/squidink/2012/10/05/10-best-cheap-eats-in-los-angeles">Best Cheap Eats in Los Angeles</a>. Our search led us to try banh mi (Vietnamese sandwiches) at a tiny little place in Alhambra.<br />
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Everything on the menu sounded delish, but all of the pork sandwiches had<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Baskerville; font-size: large;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">pâ<span class="hsb"></span>té<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">, so ew. I went with the beef banh mi and it was the right choice!</span></span><br />
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What makes banh mi so yummy are all the layers of flavor. Mine was filled with marinated beef, sweet Asian slaw, jalapenos, peanut sauce, and house made mayo. So many flavors were represented between my baguette: sweet, salty, spicy, and cool. It was so tasty. The best part though? Every sandwich cost $3. So worth the trip out of town! <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJu-YnkzSP_IbJfQu7AZXfLjeo7lq7XYmWWyCzbx6bbYH_TqX7d6DyWf7NTXL0so57EZA-ivGfWR29nmguZmp6GIsXk7PCkXcjDYQBgOBQK2klixAnyCzjQ9rKq9ke6tPRhwAD5wWJkrc/s1600/securedownload-5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJu-YnkzSP_IbJfQu7AZXfLjeo7lq7XYmWWyCzbx6bbYH_TqX7d6DyWf7NTXL0so57EZA-ivGfWR29nmguZmp6GIsXk7PCkXcjDYQBgOBQK2klixAnyCzjQ9rKq9ke6tPRhwAD5wWJkrc/s1600/securedownload-5.jpeg" height="480" width="640" /></a><br />
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There are so many great places to eat here in LA, there's no excuse for me not to try something new every week. My summer bucket list has several more culinary adventures planned. If you could dine anywhere in Los Angeles, what would you try?Alyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15062455056663538873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4961933379539500266.post-78751609829594710372014-06-19T22:15:00.001-07:002014-06-19T22:15:13.255-07:00Divine ProtectionSince the girls were tiny little embryos growing inside my body, I have prayed for them. Specifically, I pray for their protection. I do this because I know how little and vulnerable they are and Almighty God is the only One who can fully protect them. Also, I know I can't keep them safe from everything. I'm human and accidents can happen.<br />
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Thankfully, my girls have had very few bad accidents, but that has never stopped me from praying for protection. More than protection though, Divine protection. Miraculous protection. Protection that only comes from God. I believe in prayer and there is nothing I wouldn't do to protect my girls. So I pray! And I am so glad Father God is faithful to protect my children.<br />
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The other night, Penelope was running to the bathroom to brush her teeth and tripped over her feet. She face-planted on the sharp corner of the door frame and after the sickening thud, she SCREAMED in pain. I scooped her up without looking at her injuries, just knowing that her face would be split open and covered in blood when I finally did look.<br />
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She was really red and bruised, but no blood. It kind of felt like a miracle because of the velocity at which she ran and fell into the door frame. I'm sad she fell and bruised her sweet little face, but I'm so thankful her injuries aren't any worse. Thank you, Jesus!<br />
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How do you pray for your children?Alyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15062455056663538873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4961933379539500266.post-72367377565508378412014-06-15T22:30:00.000-07:002014-06-15T22:30:17.465-07:00AZ Girls WeekWe spent last week in Arizona at <a href="http://alysbloggityblog.blogspot.com/2013_05_01_archive.html">my aunt's house</a> having our 2nd annual <a href="http://alysbloggityblog.blogspot.com/2013/07/desert-girls-week.html">desert girls week</a>. Just like last year, we had so much fun.<br />
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My niece, Ryan, was a great playmate for my girls. The 3 of them ran circles through Pam's house playing tag and pretending to be puppies. It hurts my heart that they only get to play once or twice a year, but they sure do make the most of their time together. It was wild and hilarious watching the 3 little girls play nonstop every day.<br />
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Beatrice learned how to swim in Pam's pool! She is always so confident in the water and has never shied away from jumping in, so it was time to take the floaties off and teach her how to swim properly. By the end of the week, she was swimming strong and never put the floaties back on.<br />
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Our week was pretty chill. We swam and shopped and cooked and ate. Most days started slowly with coffee and bagels before we eased our way into the pool until nap time. The little girls rested while the big girls tanned, shopped, and caught up on our reading. No one bathed until dinner time and we wore makeup maybe 2 times all week. It felt like a vacation.<br />
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It was hard to say goodbye. My girls cried the first 30 minutes into our drive home. We love this tradition and hope to continue it for a long time (and add to our girls - Jenni, Erin, get yo-selves to the desert next year!).<br />
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<br />Alyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15062455056663538873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4961933379539500266.post-76710348665210387842014-05-31T16:20:00.000-07:002014-05-31T16:21:10.428-07:00Pool DaysOur neighborhood pool opened last weekend and I think we've been swimming everyday this week! The girls are little fish, they love to swim and are brave to jump off the side of the pool into the coolest belly flops ever seen. It's going to be a great summer with these two!<br />
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<br />Alyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15062455056663538873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4961933379539500266.post-5957852487150352862014-05-30T21:13:00.000-07:002014-05-30T21:13:56.552-07:00Rib MastersI have a weird thing to admit: I'm afraid of meat. Weird, right?!<br />
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What I mean is I'm afraid to prepare it, everything except chicken and ground beef, that is. For the first 5 years of marriage, I cooked everything other than chicken dishes and ground beef dishes in the CrockPot for fear of undercooking a tough cut of protein. I love to cook and read restaurant menus online (nerd alert!) for fun. I study tough recipes like I'll be tested on them later, I should not be afraid to cook a brisket or tenderloin!<br />
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Baby back ribs have always been at the top of my scary meal list. Ribs seem so time sensitive and finicky. So much could go wrong! And we don't have a smoker - don't ribs need giant smokers or other meat cooking contraptions?! JD suggested we try it, we are smart after all, we could learn the secret of the perfectly tender, fall off the bone ribs.<br />
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So we did. I read a bazillion rib recipes online before going with the instructions on the packaging on the meat. They. Are. Perfect. We are amazing rib making people! Who knew?!<br />
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Our rib preparing method:<br />
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Coat meat generously with dry rub, wrap in plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for at least 2 hours (overnight is best). Preheat oven to 325, wrap marinated meat loosely in foil and place on a foil lined sheet pan arc side up (like a rainbow). Add 1/2 cup of water inside the foil wrapped meat. Seal tightly and bake for 2 - 2.5 hours. Remove from oven, cover ribs with BBQ sauce (optional) and cook on grill at medium heat for 15 minutes. Eat!<br />
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Dry rub recipe:<br />
2 TBSP brown sugar<br />
2 tsp garlic powder<br />
2 tsp smoked paprika<br />
2 tsp ground mustard<br />
2 tsp cumin<br />
1 tsp black pepper<br />
1 tsp salt<br />
1 tsp cayenne pepper<br />
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These ribs are so tasty, a little spicy, and fall-off-the-bone delicious. We had them tonight and after stuffing my face, I couldn't believe how silly I have been all these years avoiding them. Bon appetit!<br />
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<br />Alyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15062455056663538873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4961933379539500266.post-87913540768687044552014-05-28T21:16:00.001-07:002014-05-28T21:16:46.976-07:00Disney DaysAt the first of the year, we bought Disneyland season passes with Christmas money from my family. I knew it would be a gift that the girls (and I!) could enjoy all year. Boy have we had fun!<br />
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We have been to the parks (Disneyland and California Adventure) every week since January, except for the <a href="http://alysbloggityblog.blogspot.com/2014/04/full-heart.html">the 2 weeks we were in Tennessee.</a> It has been a blast exploring and getting to know every square inch of the happiest place on earth.<br />
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JD bought a pass on my birthday and he has been using vacation days to join us for the past few weeks. It has been great having him with us. I typically take the girls by myself and while there are some definite challenges as the only adult, it's doable and we all have a great time. But having daddy with us means more roller coasters and less stroller pushing for me!<br />
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JD is learning what it means to be a Disney season pass holder. Basically, getting at the park 30 minutes prior to opening and staying until close, never eating during traditional mealtimes because ride lines are shorter then, and being ready to ditch the stroller anywhere to sprint to the rides with the shortest lines. He gets better each week.<br />
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We are about to be blocked for the busy summer season so this week's trip is probably our last until the fall. We made the most of it by staying late and riding many rides that we skip due to the long wait times. We had a great time and will be sad to take a break.<br />
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10 tips from this seasoned season pass holder:<br />
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* Bring band-aids and ibuprofen. Headaches plague me nearly every trip and one or both of my girls scrape a knee more often than not. Be prepared!<br />
* Watching a show is a great way to escape the sun and heat and get off of your feet for a bit. Some of our favorites are Muppet Theatre, Peter Pan Story Time, and Turtle Talk with Crush.<br />
* Download wait time apps on your smartphone so you know which rides have the shortest waits. This saves you from wasting precious time walking around when you could be riding!<br />
* Skip the parades to ride the most popular rides. There will probably still be a wait, but it will be much shorter with most park-goers watching the parade instead.<br />
* Get there early. The whole parking and entering the park process takes time. The earlier you arrive, the less crowded it will be and the more RIDES you get to ride! We rode 4 within the first hour yesterday!<br />
* Pack all your meals. Disney can be (relatively) cheap. Most trips we buy nothing at all. I pack tons of food and a giant gallon jug of icy lemon water and we spend nothing all day.<br />
* Eat lunch/dinner on rides! I am sort of hardcore about using our time wisely while at DL. Any wasted time not riding something is a source of frustration for me so we eat on trains, steamboats, and on the monorail. Not every ride allows this and obviously you don't want to eat on a turbulent ride, but find the slow-moving ones and chow down. Once it's over, you'll have plenty of energy to sprint to Indiana Jones!<br />
* Bring sunscreen and a change of clothes for everybody. I love the water rides, but walking around with wet underwear all day is miserable. Bring lightweight changes and stash them in a plastic bag at the bottom of your stroller/backpack.<br />
* Figure out what your most comfortable pair of shoes are and wear those. Tennis shoes kill my feet after wearing them all day. For me, TOMS are the most comfy. Wear what makes your feet hurt the least. You will be walking miles.<br />
* Likewise, put shoes on your kids that they cannot remove! I've seen more discarded toddler shoes than I can count where some kid, bored in their stroller, kicked off a shoe while their poor mother was oblivious.<br />
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Disneyland is really fun and we are blessed to live so close. What's your favorite thing to eat/ride/see at Disney?Alyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15062455056663538873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4961933379539500266.post-33296901654067900422014-05-26T22:11:00.000-07:002014-05-26T22:11:05.776-07:00Land of the FreeHowdy! We have had the best weekend swimming in the neighborhood pool, walking to the beach with friends, and doing some home improvements. It's so nice to live in such a beautiful place with good friends to enjoy holiday weekends with.<br />
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We went to the beach today and as I was walking across the park to take Penelope potty, we passed folks in all types of beach attire from very provocative to fully covered up swimming <i>clothes</i>. I'm so grateful to live in a place where my daughters are free to wear what they please. I hope they make conservative choices, but I'm relieved they won't be accosted (or worse) for baring skin at the beach.<br />
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I'm so thankful to live in America, to live in a land with so many freedoms and choices. And I'm thankful for all of the service people and their families for their sacrifice. Freedom comes with a cost and I am so grateful for those selfless heroes. May God bless you and the U.S.A.<br />
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<br />Alyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15062455056663538873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4961933379539500266.post-1383032250257152802014-05-16T22:32:00.000-07:002014-05-16T22:32:14.518-07:00Quilt of Many ColorsI have a bit of a yarn problem. Every time I walk into a craft store, I buy yarn. Sometimes I need yarn for a project or special order, but a lot of times I don't need any yarn, I just like buying it. My stash is pretty substantial. I have every color, in multiple shades and textures. I don't need anymore yarn, but I can't seem to stop buying it.<br />
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So, obviously, one of my New Year's resolutions was to not buy any new yarn for a year, unless I needed something for a special order. In addition to not buying anymore yarn, I also challenged myself to use up some of my stash on as many projects as I could.<br />
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It's mid-May and I have only bought 3 or 4 skeins of yarn all year (this is huge for me). <i>I needed this yarn to complete a baby blanket for our newest baby niece. </i>I am so proud! When I feel a creative surge, I shop my stash instead. It feels good to save my cash and use up what I already own.<br />
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One of my favorite things I've ever made is this quilt of many colors. I started it back in February and worked on it a little every night. I ran out of yarn on a few rows and had to go searching through the girls' accessories to disassemble hats and baby sweaters to complete it. I really wanted to finish this quilt without purchasing any new yarn and except for buying new green, I did!<br />
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I love how it turned out. It's colorful, soft, and a great kid-sized blanket. You can <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/188623427/granny-stripe-crochet-blanket?ref=shop_home_feat_1">check it out here</a>.Alyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15062455056663538873noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4961933379539500266.post-39693119926980732212014-05-11T22:40:00.002-07:002014-05-11T22:40:43.621-07:00In This SeasonIn this season of my life, conversations like this occur a lot:<br />
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"Mama, can you help me smell this?"<br />
"Well baby, you just have to use your nose and smell it yourself."<br />
"Can you just do it for me? I don't want to smell that."<br />
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I am in an endless cycle of cleaning up dollhouse furniture, washing dress up clothes, and picking glitter off of the couch. The messes are constant, the laundry multiplies, and emotions run high among my little girls.<br />
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The needs of my children are great and require all that I have. Some days I am awesome at meeting each one, other days I fail miserably before I've had my morning coffee.<br />
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Motherhood is hard. It's a daily reminder of my shortcomings and areas where I need grace in my life. <i>I struggle with patience the most.</i> But it's also mostly joy. Watching my children's bodies grow strong and their brilliant brains expand each day is amazing. These little babies that came from my body are turning into little people! <i>Sassy little people...</i> They say the best, most hilarious things and have giant, compassionate hearts.<br />
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I know it's cliche to say that I can't remember life before having my kids, but I can't remember life before having my kids. In this season, they consume me. They need me for everything and touch me so often, it's like they are still apart of my body. It's overwhelming sometimes. But I know it's just a season. Soon enough they will be grown up with their own little ones to raise.<br />
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Sometimes I try to burn an image into my mind to recall on their wedding days, like when Penelope struggles with pulling up her pants and after giving up, waddles around like a streaking penguin until someone helps her. Or when Beatrice begs me to save all of my bras and underwear for her to wear when she's a teenager. Amid all of the chaos of mothering young children, these really are the best days.<br />
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I never wanted to find my identity in being a mother. I imagined myself to be so much more than that: friend, wife, lover of Jesus. Then I grew people in my womb and something changed. I never knew the honor of being a mother until I became one. There's no greater calling in a woman's life than to raise babies. I may have many roles in my life, but in this season, I am a mother. And I love it.<br />
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Happy Mother's Day! <i>All photos by my friend, <a href="http://www.saraerosephotography.com/">Sara Rose Photography</a>.</i>Alyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15062455056663538873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4961933379539500266.post-9364128070566799272014-05-07T21:26:00.000-07:002014-05-07T21:26:01.040-07:00SproutsFor Easter I gave the girls seed packets in their baskets. They were so excited to plant strawberries and tomatoes. That made my mama heart so happy since I love gardening and growing, tending and harvesting. I was so excited to start our seedlings with my little sprouts.<br />
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We carefully planted seeds in tiny plastic pots, covering them with just enough soil, and watering them ever so gently. We waited. And waited. We didn't think we would ever see growth, especially after an unfortunate accidental dumping of the strawberry pot.<br />
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But alas, sprouts!<br />
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I'm always so astounded at the seedling process. How something so tiny can be buried in dirt, watered for 10 days, and then sprout and grow into a plant that bears fruit my family can eat is amazing to me. What a good God we serve!<br />
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I dumped the extra tomato seeds into a big pot on my porch with my basil plant and holy moly, did they ever sprout! Look at those tiny tomato plants!<br />
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I think I'm going to have to transplant some of those! We also planted a few squash, zucchini, and mature tomato plants. We have a small bed in the back of our yard that is shielded from the harsh winds we have every afternoon that was perfect for a small garden. The soil is so rich and full of earthworms, I'm hopeful my harvest will be great this summer.<br />
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The girls are loving their daily watering duties. I'm loving teaching them about growing our food. We talk a lot about how God is the Initiator of all life and how He makes big plants grow from tiny seeds. We also talk about how worms, sunshine, and water are good for plants like food, exercise, and water are good for our bodies to grow. Gardens can teach us so much!<br />
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I'm loving this time of tending to young, delicate plants. I hope my girls cultivate a lifetime love of this process too!Alyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15062455056663538873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4961933379539500266.post-85602532444864275382014-04-30T22:11:00.003-07:002014-04-30T22:13:12.060-07:00One PieceI turned 32 last month. Of the few goals I set for myself this year, wearing a one piece swimsuit was at the top of the list. My 2 pieces aren't super skimpy, but I just felt like 32 was a good time to throw a one piece into the mix. I didn't want just any ol' suit though, I wanted something that was really cute and flirty, but not too revealing because I have to chase my kids at the beach. My goal was to be a bit more modest, but still look young and fresh.<br />
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So I shopped. Mostly online. Do you know how difficult it is to bathing suit shop online? Whoa, it's hard. Really, really hard. I found tons of cute suits, but the models' bodies aren't like mine. I'm as tall as most of the women in the photos, but nowhere near as thin and curve-less.<br />
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Through all of the shopping I realized that you almost need to be in better shape to wear a one piece suit than you do when you wear a bikini. Most of the suits I tried on had cutouts or plunging necklines and other features that required sitting up really straight, sucking my stomach in, and not bending over or moving at all. I need a suit that I can slouch in and let it all hang out, without letting it all hang out!<br />
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After trying on many duds, I finally found a keeper. Today was my first time wearing a one piece bathing suit since I was 12 and I gotta say, it was awesome! I felt so cute!! <a href="http://www.victoriassecret.com/swimwear/one-piece/flounce-one-piece-beach-sexy?ProductID=156345&CatalogueType=OLS">My suit</a> stayed put during wave jumping, shell hunting, and sand castle building. I slouched to my heart's content and never once sucked anything in. It was glorious. I felt modest but not at all frumpy or like I was trying to hide a problem body part. I actually didn't feel self-conscious at all. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiubza-tBrGnF-ps8sxjD-staaamlx3EXQJxBr6mojcg1u6IJ6EGROiL6ihvCxJ9WvJaqoTWlN6mUA4RSWJGzqG2lkeFoo7GQ5v-HNmHG0ZGCrHjTCtTSBRlgBs9JbnluoRrAGWkdkCNU/s1600/securedownload.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiubza-tBrGnF-ps8sxjD-staaamlx3EXQJxBr6mojcg1u6IJ6EGROiL6ihvCxJ9WvJaqoTWlN6mUA4RSWJGzqG2lkeFoo7GQ5v-HNmHG0ZGCrHjTCtTSBRlgBs9JbnluoRrAGWkdkCNU/s1600/securedownload.jpeg" height="480" width="640" /></a><br />
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I am so down with the one piece now, I ordered <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Juicy-Couture-Womens-Stripe-Bandeau/dp/B00EVBS5TM/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1398920585&sr=8-3&keywords=juicy+couture+swim">another one</a> just a little bit ago. I can't believe I waited so long to make the switch, but I'm so glad I did. Here's to a summer of slouching and not sucking in!!<br />
<br />Alyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15062455056663538873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4961933379539500266.post-60790586644642307152014-04-26T22:35:00.000-07:002014-04-26T22:35:01.246-07:00SpidersDo you want to know a fun fact about California? It's overrun by spiders!! How awesome is that?!?!<br />
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It's actually not very awesome. There are spiders in our bushes, spiders in the railing on our porch, spiders in our grass, and spiders in our house. Webs cover the landscaping and porch corners. We clean them off, but California spiders are ambitious arachnids and re-web everything by morning. Awesome, right?!<br />
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The worst spiders of course, are the ones found in the house. I find them behind toilets, under furniture, on walls, in the bath towels, and on window sills. Most of them are harmless, but I have found several brown widows on our outdoor toys and 1 in our laundry room. <i>Brown widows are poisonous, just like the black variety, so... EEK! </i><br />
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We go through spells where there are more spiders in the house than not, but there are always spiders in the house. And that has me a bit on edge, as you can imagine. I'm always on the lookout for 8-legged terrorists. After 2.5 years of being surprised by them, I now walk into rooms scanning the walls, floorboards, and ceilings knowing they are there, waiting to be discovered.<br />
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And sometimes they are there. I am brave now and can make a weapon out of most anything. <i>Shoes, books, toilet paper, trash cans, and the mail are some favorites! </i>I don't enjoy killing, but these spiders are out of control. I'm just doing my part for population control. Plus, there is a huge spider problem outside of our house, so releasing them just contributes to that issue. Murder is the only way!<br />
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I wasn't always this lethal though. Some of these rascally spiders JUMP, so instead of quickly squashing them, I would scream, cry, call JD, call the neighbors, and call the police. The threat of a spider crawling on me is bad enough, but imagine one lunging off of the wall in my direction... you would become murderous too.<br />
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I've grown so accustomed to looking for spiders that I see them when they're not really there at all. A wad of thread on the floor in my sewing room? Spider legs. A discarded candy wrapper in the corner? Spider abdomen. Texture on the basement wall? Spider. Naturally, I go into full annihilate mode, for nothing. Basically, the spiders have made me crazy.<br />
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The pest control guy tells me there is no way to completely de-spider our house. We have a basement and spiders like cool, dark lower levels, so it's likely we will have unwanted housemates for all of our days here. Our best bet is to sweep away webs, kill the live ones, and make sure other bugs don't make it into our house. <i>Other bugs = spider food. </i>He says lots of Californians have spider problems in their houses, it's just a California thing.<br />
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Super awesome, right?!<br />
<i><br /></i>Alyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15062455056663538873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4961933379539500266.post-82858551354499477352014-04-20T22:29:00.002-07:002014-04-20T22:29:51.902-07:00Jesus LivesEaster weekend was such a joyful time. It is my absolute favorite holiday and I love everything about this season. It warms my heart to know the name of Jesus is lifted high all over the world this weekend. He is risen and lives forevermore! Amen and amen!<br />
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Friday was spent shopping for new shoes, preparing Easter baskets, and crafting. I love teaching the girls about our faith and I take every opportunity to teach them about God. Penelope can tell you the Easter story like she is behind a pulpit. Watching my girls celebrate our risen Lord is the best.<br />
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Saturday was our neighborhood Easter party complete with egg hunt and petting zoo. It was freezing and windy with the scent of pony poop filling the air. I did not enjoy it. Thankfully we had church later that night. Church was awesome. It was a raucous party. The Saviour of the world conquering sin and death is no ordinary thing, you know! There ought to be some celebrating!<br />
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Saturday was also our 6 year anniversary. With all of the other festivities underway, we didn't have anything special planned. It was fine though, we smooched a lot and told the girls about our wedding day. I love being married to JD. He's a keeper. <br />
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Today we had Easter baskets, more egg hunting, and lunch/party with friends. We had a blast. We came home with full bellies and sunburns. Also, candy.<br />
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We had a blessed weekend! I hope you all did too. Happy Easter!! I hope with all my heart you know Jesus. He makes all the difference in the world.Alyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15062455056663538873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4961933379539500266.post-26704992502232249492014-04-18T16:55:00.000-07:002014-04-18T16:55:14.776-07:00This Year's Easter DressesI made the girls' <a href="http://alysbloggityblog.blogspot.com/2013/03/thoughts-on-easter.html">Easter dresses</a> again this year. I didn't really intend to, but my sister in law begged me to make <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/110916047/sweetheart-dress-sewing-pdf-pattern-for">this dress</a> for my niece to wear, so I bought the pattern and fell in love with it. For awhile last month, I was a one woman dress making machine. I churned out 3 little heart cut-out dresses for my favorite little people. I couldn't be happier with the outcome!<br />
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The dresses were fairly simple to make. The pattern was very detailed and easy to understand. I was really proud of myself for making a successful garment after so many <a href="http://alysbloggityblog.blogspot.com/2013/06/not-quitting-my-day-job.html">failures</a>.<br />
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The girls love their dresses too. It's so rewarding to make something that they actually want to wear. We bought some new glitter shoes today to complete their outfits. They look lovely, dontcha think?!<br />
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Penelope says Happy Easter! And make sure to wear your panties under whatever you're wearing this weekend!Alyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15062455056663538873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4961933379539500266.post-50972097377218185222014-04-15T22:09:00.000-07:002014-04-15T22:09:11.941-07:00Full Heart Hey hey hello! We just returned from a 2 week visit with our family in Tennessee. There are only a few reasons I will get on an airplane and new babies are at the top of the list.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDIyOFXF9gRgvO82326lZNJ-oj4y3FXLsq7GXSOSbjcJ7nXBipuoShvKEGyURzsW2cy56JGxv3czHFQC6AjsXg2K46-r_nS-TCvWRr_LVa5uLWP_ReSiamgXwvmCQRu6fMo4bEDg3uffw/s1600/IMG_5249.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDIyOFXF9gRgvO82326lZNJ-oj4y3FXLsq7GXSOSbjcJ7nXBipuoShvKEGyURzsW2cy56JGxv3czHFQC6AjsXg2K46-r_nS-TCvWRr_LVa5uLWP_ReSiamgXwvmCQRu6fMo4bEDg3uffw/s1600/IMG_5249.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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That's Rosie, my little brother and sister in law's new baby girl. She's pretty much the most perfect baby ever to be born in a living room. Jenni had her at home on a Monday night. We flew in early on Tuesday and went straight to their house to smooch on our littlest family member. She's tiny and sweet. I love her.<br />
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Our visit was different from past trips because we split our time between my older brother's house, JD's parents, and my mom's house. It was great, although a bit of an emotional roller coaster when it was time to leave one house to go to the next. It felt like we had to say goodbye just when we got settled, but then the excitement of being welcomed somewhere new snuffed out the sadness. It was fun! And sad. Like I said, emotional roller coaster!<br />
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2 weeks was the perfect length of time to be away. We were busy every day visiting family, old friends, and former employers. JD mentioned after one long day visiting 3 different homes that this wasn't his idea of a relaxing vacation. I told him we can relax at home, we came to see everyone and if we don't triple up some days, we'd never get to everybody!<br />
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It was his first time back to Tennessee since we moved 2.5 years ago. He enjoyed seeing our old stomping ground, but we both agreed it no longer felt like home. As much as we hate being so far away from our loved ones, we really love Southern California and were excited to get back. <br />
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I'm thankful to have the time with our family the last 2 weeks. My kids loved playing with their older cousins and mothering their younger ones. We didn't get to see everyone as much as we hoped to, but that happens when you have a huge family and lots of friends. Plans are being made for lots of visitors coming our way this year. Until then, I have a heart full of memories and love to carry me until we see them all again.Alyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15062455056663538873noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4961933379539500266.post-14338872450948220952014-03-30T22:53:00.000-07:002014-05-07T21:46:16.512-07:00EarthquakeThis past Friday night, I felt my first earthquake! It was simultaneously super scary and kind of amazing. I was sitting on the couch crocheting, when the room started moving. It felt like the house was on a wave machine. The movement was smooth, rolling, and nauseating. It lasted at least 10 seconds - long enough for me to feel it and be totally freaked out.<br />
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My initial reaction was that JD was messing around with me. This was completely ridiculous and irrational considering he was upstairs putting Penelope to bed. When I realized he couldn't move our furniture from upstairs, I concluded someone was behind my couch, moving it. <i>I'm serious, that was totally a reasonable explanation for me. </i>I jumped up, fully expecting to see somebody hiding under the couch. <i>Maybe I was in shock??? </i>Then I noticed the chandelier swinging and the blinds swaying and deduced, oh my goodness, that was an earthquake!!!<br />
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I ran upstairs and said to JD, "did you feel that?!?!"<br />
"Feel what?' he asked.<br />
"We just had an earthquake! Come look, everything is moving!"<br />
"You know what? I totally felt nauseated a few moments ago, like the room was rolling or something."<br />
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We both felt it. I texted friends and they felt it too. Soon, it was all over the news. There was a 5.1 quake about 30 miles from where we live. What we felt, the rolling waves, is typical for the distance we are to the fault lines where the quake occurred. For the next 24 hours, there were dozens of aftershocks, but we never felt them.<br />
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There have been earthquakes almost every month since we've lived in Southern California, but I've never felt one until Friday night. I've got to say, I'm excited to have experienced one, but I never want to feel another one again. Feeling the earth shift and move is unsettling (pun intended) and I don't really want to feel it again!Alyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15062455056663538873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4961933379539500266.post-13216840427572930602014-03-28T21:50:00.000-07:002014-03-28T21:53:10.665-07:00When They Grow UpThe girls love to talk about growing up. Their conversations are the sweetest. Beatrice wants to get married to Isaac, go to work, and never have children. She will live with me forever and also visit when she goes home to her pink house. Isaac likes pink, she says, so it's okay.<br />
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Me - "If you don't have any children, who will my grandchildren be?"<br />
Her - "Well, I don't know. But I'm never having children, it's gross."<br />
Me - "What will your job be?"<br />
Her - "A shepherd. And a ballet teacher. And a police lady."<br />
Me - "Can you reconsider not having any children so I can be a grandmother?"<br />
Her - "No, it's gross."<br />
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Penelope is going to live with me forever and stay home with her babies. She's naming them baby Alyson and baby Rapunzel. She says she wants to be Rapunzel when she grows up and also stay a baby.<br />
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Me - "Don't ever leave me when you grow up."<br />
Her - "I won't, mama. I'm a baby."<br />
Me - "Please have lots of babies so I can be their grandmother."<br />
Her - "I will. And I can be a baby too."<br />
Me - "Who will you marry?"<br />
Her - "I wanna marry daddy!"<br />
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The future is looking bright for these two!Alyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15062455056663538873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4961933379539500266.post-10599379340545408152014-03-25T15:46:00.002-07:002014-03-25T15:46:47.896-07:0032, WI had a birthday last week. It was one of the best ones yet. JD flew my <a href="http://alysbloggityblog.blogspot.com/2011/10/jamie.html">best friend</a> out for a week and then told us to spend a day doing something fabulous while he watched the girls. We booked a cabana at <a href="http://deals.whotels.com/W-Los-Angeles-Westwood-Hotel-97518/special-offers?PS=PS_aa_WSW_WestSouthwest_Google_BD_97518_Sitelink_100110_NAD_FM">the W Hotel in Los Angeles</a> and spent the day lounging, eating, and tanning.<br />
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It started out cold and cloudy, but shortly after noon the sky turned blue and the sun blazed. We fried. We stayed all day (8 hours!) and made it home just in time to eat homemade spaghetti and garlic toast. Thanks, honey!<br />
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It was such a fun treat for this mama who rarely gets any me-time. A pool day with my BFF? Best gift ever!Alyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15062455056663538873noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4961933379539500266.post-57591383599916562542014-03-17T23:23:00.001-07:002014-03-17T23:23:06.068-07:00In BloomMy <a href="http://alysbloggityblog.blogspot.com/2013/05/lemon-tree.html">lemon tree</a> is in full bloom. <br />
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It's a tiny, little tree so full bloom may not seem like much to you, but it's pretty exciting to me! This little guy is so low maintenance and happy, he's the easiest plant I've ever kept alive. The blossoms smell so sweet, the bees cannot keep away. I can't wait to see my lemon harvest this year.<br />
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Living in Southern California is such a treat for citrus lovers like myself. The endless sun and mild temperatures create the perfect environment for little lemon trees like mine. Having kept him alive for almost a year now really makes me want to get more trees. I'm thinking avocado next, maybe lime. Definitely kumquat. My own little container orchard, coming soon!Alyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15062455056663538873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4961933379539500266.post-71636670236626976102014-03-16T21:47:00.001-07:002014-03-16T21:47:27.524-07:00Up, Up and Away<br />
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I've only flown a kite a few times in my life. I remember my dad flying a box-shaped kite with us at the beach as kids a few times, and I loved it. I see people flying kites here in California all the time and I think it's so peaceful. I love kites. </div>
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I found 2 awesome plane kites on a local bargain website for $5 (for both!) and scooped them up thinking the girls would love flying them. Last weekend we busted out our new kites. The girls were into it for about 3 minutes, then decided hunting ladybugs was more fun. (Probably because we wouldn't let them hold the reel by themselves for fear that they would take flight too). But JD and I love flying our new kites!</div>
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On a windy day, you just may catch us flying kites.</div>
Alyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15062455056663538873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4961933379539500266.post-64666270613404033442014-03-08T22:55:00.001-08:002014-03-08T22:56:13.734-08:00Hike Turned Picnic Turned SwimYesterday we planned a hike with friends. It was a beautiful day and we were itching for some fresh air and ocean views. We were supposed to meet at 11 so we packed lunches, just in case everyone got hungry along the way. We hiked along the cliffs down to a rocky beach close to home. All we had planned was a hike, but our hiked turned into a big beach picnic and an impromptu swim in the icy waves. In California, that's pretty normal.<br />
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The hike was pretty uneventful, but when we reached the beach, there were tide pools to explore, rocks and shells to find. We checked out sea anemones, crabs, and barnacles. We found every shape of rock and a few dried up sea creatures.<br />
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California is really awesome. You can be on a hike near the ocean and come upon a tiny ecosystem right before you eat a ham sandwich. Amazing! I hope my girls remember these adventures. Living here is such a blessing.<br />
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After lunch, the ocean called to the children. We couldn't keep them away.<br />
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What started out as wave jumping...<br />
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Quickly turned into scuba diving.<br />
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I wasn't prepared for this! I thought we were just going for a hike!<br />
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That's California for you!<br />
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We rounded up all the dry clothes and pieced together outfits for the swimmers to hike up the cliff in. It was the most eventful hike to date.<br />
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<br />Alyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15062455056663538873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4961933379539500266.post-25391240412561471022014-03-06T21:20:00.000-08:002014-03-06T21:20:11.405-08:00Grapefruit Revolutionized I'll be 32 in 2 weeks. This post is not about aging though, it's about fruit. For 30-something years, I have been eating fruit the wrong way. Mainly, grapefruit. This cannot go on!<br />
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My entire life, I have always cut the grapefruit in half, cut along the triangles, and spooned each fruity bite. (Like the photo above). This has been a perfectly fine way to eat grapefruit, but it is messy and time consuming. Plus, I never felt like I ate all of the fruit. There always seemed to be some pulpy bits stuck inside my triangle cuts that I could never spoon out.<br />
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Then one day last week, I saw a picture of a salad with grapefruit <i>wedges.</i> A lightbulb went off inside my head and my grapefruit eating has been revolutionized ever since.<br />
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ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS PEEL THE FRUIT!!<br />
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Peel the thick outer skin, separate the wedges, remove the membranes, and eat! It's so easy and nothing is wasted. All of the fruit and all of the juice (my favorite part) is consumed this way.<br />
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This is probably not a huge news flash, you may be smarter than me and have been eating grapefruit this way your whole life. That's awesome, you are my fruit consuming hero. Me? I have wasted way too many years eating it the wrong way and I won't waste another one! I haven't been this excited about fruit since I discovered I have been opening pomegranates the wrong way, but that's another post...Alyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15062455056663538873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4961933379539500266.post-65981137887380698702014-03-04T22:21:00.002-08:002014-03-04T22:21:53.868-08:00HiOh, hi!<br />
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It's been 2 months since I've last posted and now it feels weird just popping on without some sort of explanation for my absence. The problem is, I don't really have one. I intended to take a small break from blogging after Christmas, but a week turned into 4, then 8, and I sort of lost the desire to continue on here.<br />
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Sometime last month I set out to delete the whole thing. I didn't feel relevant and I was tired of making my blog something it is not. I didn't like anything I was posting and everything I wrote felt stale. I couldn't delete it though. All of the stories and photos? That's our life and I didn't want to erase any of it.<br />
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The kind of blogger that I am makes me feel weird though. I'm never going to be the super inspirational blogger or the cool mommy blogger, I blog about nothing! What's my purpose on the internet?!! But I realized that's okay, I don't read those kinds of blogs anyway. The blogs I read are just like mine: random, normal, and pretty ordinary. So I decided that I am going to blog because I like blogging. I don't have to put myself in a box.<br />
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So here I am, I guess I'm back. I can't guarantee that I'll post with any sort of frequency or that I will have anything awesome to contribute to the blogosphere, but the hiatus is over. I may never inspire a single one of you, but that's okay with me. That can be some other blogger's job. I just want to write about fruit and my hair and post pictures of my kids being awesome.<br />
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Is that cool with you?<br />
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<br />Alyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15062455056663538873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4961933379539500266.post-50320272572450096132014-01-01T22:50:00.000-08:002014-01-01T22:50:33.106-08:00Party PeopleWe had a New Year's Eve party last night. It was a raucous good time. There were balloons, noise makers, bubbly drinks, party hats, games, and music. Oh, and did I mention 183 rounds of hide and seek? We partied hard until the ball dropped on Eastern time (don't tell the girls it wasn't midnight here in California).<br />
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We told the girls they could stay up late for a party if they were very obedient all week. They were good listeners so the party was on after nap time yesterday. They were so excited. I didn't have much in mind in terms of a party, but they loved every thing we planned. I cut little strips of paper with different activities printed on them and taped them to balloons. Every 30 minutes or so, we would pluck a balloon off the wall and do the activity. The girls loved it, we all did. We went outside to count stars, we played games, we ate cookies, we had a dance party, we were busy! The ball dropped around 9 Pacific time, we toasted sparkling cider, threw confetti, and had the girls in bed by 10.<br />
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What a night! Happy New Year!<br />
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<br />Alyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15062455056663538873noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4961933379539500266.post-20654480610385964462013-12-27T21:05:00.000-08:002013-12-27T21:05:11.999-08:00Merry MerryYesterday we woke up and took the tree down, put all the Christmas decor away, and removed the exterior lights. The girls protested, but it was time. We made the most of December and packed in so much holiday cheer (<a href="http://alysbloggityblog.blogspot.com/2013/12/christmas-things.html">here</a> and <a href="http://alysbloggityblog.blogspot.com/2013/12/christmas-eve-ice-skating.html">here</a>), I wasn't sad at all to pack the holidays away so soon.<br />
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Christmas was wonderful. We separated the gifts into towers the night before so the girls could eye their haul right away. They wasted no time and began opening before JD and I could pour our first cup of coffee.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Im3Bcj76HejlQ6fOx8LrnUdgTdKmeGGpZ4ZlqcbdTruFgNfi3v1_MhgXEcTAVTKQnQgB_Z4rrCWkLJ41hEgflN0MbPRMndRXZC96KPTwLzkNs61qeLXmgcbpGo4K4D8eEGfN5waodGE/s1600/christmasmorn10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Im3Bcj76HejlQ6fOx8LrnUdgTdKmeGGpZ4ZlqcbdTruFgNfi3v1_MhgXEcTAVTKQnQgB_Z4rrCWkLJ41hEgflN0MbPRMndRXZC96KPTwLzkNs61qeLXmgcbpGo4K4D8eEGfN5waodGE/s640/christmasmorn10.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC-AjgdMTzK60DQ7P2EqlqiRhjXQptXkW4QWMld-ghoOy2YhnBCW7FZhZ7uycZMot32ldlX0D0zkpEsqJyyHXFnUZfa4ecfmE4xGu99goOUZ1-0eTqsoGmGRBRcdGtLQL-beYYzvtnCt8/s1600/christmasmorn11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC-AjgdMTzK60DQ7P2EqlqiRhjXQptXkW4QWMld-ghoOy2YhnBCW7FZhZ7uycZMot32ldlX0D0zkpEsqJyyHXFnUZfa4ecfmE4xGu99goOUZ1-0eTqsoGmGRBRcdGtLQL-beYYzvtnCt8/s640/christmasmorn11.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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I never know when to stop shopping for Christmas gifts. At what point is it enough? 5 gifts? 10? I remember growing up, my brothers and I each received 3 gifts from our parents (usually a pair of jeans, shoes, and a game or toy). It always felt like a ton of gifts to us. I figured anything over 3 gifts would be a good Christmas surprise for my kids. I was thoughtful about my gift-giving and really tried to select things that my girls would like for a long time to come. In the end, they each had 10 presents from mom and dad to open and several from their grandparents and aunts and uncles. Some favorites were a tiny sparkly J. Crew purse for Beatrice and a toy wooden coffee pot set for Penelope.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX_BMNNppaQcUySuMmcPPEEBzpU2Ptl0dDHBIoNAfXYc0V4bcmyUxGbnmtbNurRVr5OzNJtTiJ8avBKmLfg_4Q_yFHrJ7EQzEIowfTwZPW5MIWSC3FQENvOMUtU2nhNVGLdgorpTyuH8Q/s1600/photo+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX_BMNNppaQcUySuMmcPPEEBzpU2Ptl0dDHBIoNAfXYc0V4bcmyUxGbnmtbNurRVr5OzNJtTiJ8avBKmLfg_4Q_yFHrJ7EQzEIowfTwZPW5MIWSC3FQENvOMUtU2nhNVGLdgorpTyuH8Q/s640/photo+3.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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Christmas isn't about gifts though, it's about God taking on flesh to come to earth and walk among us, pay the price for our sin, and become our righteousness. It's about Jesus, the Light of the world. We attended our church's candlelight service on Christmas night. It was beautiful and a perfect end to our Christmas.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjDRpN-KdJv8c47iALr-rfmLBvrK-VwhTJgfBHNlF0VlT_Zb4DgkhdteQOFgR1h0umR3oL_p7Ma9nyxM342f7MTp5gMllZoBhfSDPVCD-ucUGFVdDQy88SdJEW1FVjCxmmsPINHyQiGTY/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjDRpN-KdJv8c47iALr-rfmLBvrK-VwhTJgfBHNlF0VlT_Zb4DgkhdteQOFgR1h0umR3oL_p7Ma9nyxM342f7MTp5gMllZoBhfSDPVCD-ucUGFVdDQy88SdJEW1FVjCxmmsPINHyQiGTY/s640/photo+1.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGUhBzam_fyAkRA7IH79KvhUiQFq_emwwCwQfo6sG3XRDZGAHXaVB6j9qr4sWeyBCCeCX-ieXviQetSZqvPSJf1cRANlTFrGfpE38T3RqQExeHHMfWdAhozjY_l7x0JC34LgNL52LHSwU/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGUhBzam_fyAkRA7IH79KvhUiQFq_emwwCwQfo6sG3XRDZGAHXaVB6j9qr4sWeyBCCeCX-ieXviQetSZqvPSJf1cRANlTFrGfpE38T3RqQExeHHMfWdAhozjY_l7x0JC34LgNL52LHSwU/s640/photo+2.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I hope you all had a very merry Christmas!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQQ_FHWB3CAoyTLzzpFmz3n20_JWj3iYX07-ARxv4ySfRsswR-TkfIxBONEB_7wRtxK0D8TtwoCyv6riNGufAvNn4tSqoMBEP8sOQsFA39tj5cF7PIuVWHR9k5T3hvpH52w87SDiwhRN0/s1600/christmas13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQQ_FHWB3CAoyTLzzpFmz3n20_JWj3iYX07-ARxv4ySfRsswR-TkfIxBONEB_7wRtxK0D8TtwoCyv6riNGufAvNn4tSqoMBEP8sOQsFA39tj5cF7PIuVWHR9k5T3hvpH52w87SDiwhRN0/s640/christmas13.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Alyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15062455056663538873noreply@blogger.com0