DIY

The evening news tonight reported that "Do It Yourself" is now the cool thing to do. So many people can't afford their contractors, gardeners, pool boys... so they're "doing it themselves." (roll of the eyes) A true DIYer does not turn to DIY out of necessity. I have a theory. A REAL DIYer has certain traits that are an inate desire that drives them to accomplishment. To get their hands dirty and be proud of their creativity, hard work, and ability to do something nice all by themselves. I mean, who could enjoy a garden if they didn't plant it and care for it??? And, that wall's color would NOT be as nice if you didn't paint it yourself! So, to be a DIYer, you really have to be born with that trait or raised in a home that nurtured it.

Well, I don't know much, but of Barbara Mandrell was country when country wasn't cool... then Ron and Sheron were DIYers when DIY wasn't cool...
Now, Mama and Dad didn't DIY just out for fiscal frugality- it wasn't because they had a choice with a contractor, gardener, or pool boy. They are the true, original DIYers. I mean, it started when they basically built their own house.

Here's why I know my theory about my parents as the original DIYers is true:
1. My dad has single handedly (except when we were helping him- or when he'd let us help him) re-roofed the house, re-carpeted the house, finished a basement, put in a pool, taken out a pool, re-tiled the floors, installed hardwood flooring, built and installed his own cabinets, crown molding, shelving, and porches, and built furniture for us- desks, lop-sided picnic tables (just one...), and maintained all appliances in the house...
2. 5 acres- 30 years, 2 riding lawnmowers... mom rides a mean lawnmower...
3. The only mechanic I've ever met is dad. Did anyone besides me and my brother have to learn how to change both a tire and their oil before getting a drivers licence?
4. Why hire a painter when mom can reach the ceiling on a stool?
5. Curtains? Easter outfits? Quilts? Answer: sewing machine.
6. Half the finished basement is storage for future craft projects...
7. Did anyone else have a tree house with the roof of a truck camper- 10 feet off the ground?
8. There were curtains in the treehouse...
9. Why order pizza when you can make your own?
10. What teenager's Saturday alarm wasn't a weedeater at 6 AM?
11. My parents are past 60, and they are spending the weekend tearing out the back porch, rebuilding it, and extending it. (an entire story off the ground...)
12. Best of all, Home Depot knows Dad by name (and if you ask Will, nothings better than a Saturday morning, riding in Papa's truck and shopping at the Home Depp-O.)

The first time I ever saw Dad let someone else do something to his house, I was 25 and they had to replace the HVAC system. And that poor installation guy. It's gotta be hard to work with a big man following you around and breathing down your neck.

Lesson Learned: If Mama and Daddy couldn't do it, then it wasn't important.
Oh, if I could've known then what I know now: man, my parents are cool!
And, they've taught me everything I know!
Now,Lord, help me pass these talents on to my kids.

Something Small

It starts small, and then it grows. Lately, that's my weight... but that'd be a different blog...
What I'm talking about is harder to measure... but it is still growing.
I can see it in my kids.. their comments, ideas, new words they learn and how they use them.
I see it in my church.. new faces, new ideas, excitement to make a difference somewhere pouring out in action.
And, I see it in the stories on the news, stories from friends, stories from home...
Sure- there are people out there who get paid to create a study, measure, poll, interview, document... and they come out with results to wow us. Of course, that's one way we discover this growth- because someone wrote an article and we overheard someone else talking about it...
But, then there's the growth we see- the growth without any scale, pie chart, or statistic attached.
It's simply a God thing. God growing out all around us. God growing IN us.
Is it always going on and I'm just now really noticing it? Or, is because in the face of "one of the toughest times since the Depression" we need to see it more?
It really doesn't matter, though, because He is here. He's here to grow us.

Easter '09

Easter 2009 Easter Sunday Outfits Sliding at our new Church Building's Slide
Face Painting at Easter in the Park Bunny Faces Bounce House and Jump Slides...

Will runs sound-check...

So spring's got us busy out here...
Let me let you in on what we've been up to.
It all started in January (way before spring) when the cargo trailer for BCR was stolen... right out of the parking lot at our church offices. Being a mobile church, we used that trailer in the "off seasons" to store up things for children's ministry. And, at the time of January, it housed spring and summer items.. you know, a few puppets, an outdoor speaker system, a couple tricycles, and 20,000 Easter eggs. Yes, 20,000.
Each spring BCR has done an Easter in the Park event. We're doing it again this year, April 11... with WAAAAAYYY more than just 20,ooo egges.
Let me back up. So, the trailor was stolen. It left us standing their thinking, "What???" What do we do now? What can we do to make up for all those eggs? What are those thieves thinking now? (Can you imagine hauling a cargo trailer away thinking you're making off with something good inside- only to find out when you crack that lock that it's full of plastic eggs? Now, those eggs are in some dumpster somewhere or someone's having a heck of an egg hunt in their back yard this weekend.)
That last "what" made us laugh.
Then we got back to worrying a bit and asking "how". How did this happen to us? How are we ever going to come up with 20,000 more eggs when times are as tough as they are?
Next, "why" was our question. Why us? Why now?
But, as the next few months unfolded, God answered all those questions.
It's amazing what a church of about 100 people can pull off when they pull together. We bought eggs oursevles (you can get 200 eggs at Wal-Mart for $10, you know.), we told friends who bought eggs for us, it was posted on facebook and random strangers (who said they don't like church much but hate it when people steal from kids) brought us eggs. Then, after the police report for the missing trailor was taken, and the Roseville police got ahold of our story, they sent out a press release. The next day, there we were on the six o'clock news. Not only did it get up free publicity to let everyone know about our egg hunt, but we had people call in to donate more eggs and money to help with the event!
Now, we're standing around, looking at close to 30,000 eggs, and just in awe. All our questions now are turned to prayers- prayers asking God to bless this event (as if He hasn't already showed us it's in His hands!), bless the families who will come, and to prepare hearts to find his love and bit of hope from this small church doing big things.
Ain't it something what can be done when we step back and stop asking oursevles What, How, Why and start asking God those same questions?

The Sound of Hope (Easter at Bayside Central)

We're Baaaaack!

We are finally back on a sleep schedule. Our little, fast trip to the South really confused us... I mean, when my kids are running down the hall at midnight, I know somethings wrong... See Schedule below to understand:

Visit Home Itenerary:
Wenesday (PST)
4:00 AM- wake up and mentally list everything I need to write down on an actual list for Scott to do... charge camera, clean sippy cups, pack toothbrushes (after brushing kids teeth)...
6:00 AM- get out of bed and finish packing..
12:40 PM- get my lunch duty covered so I can leave work- race home
1:15- leave home for airport
2:00- check in at airport
2:15- security
2:20 arrive at gate (we're leaving from Sacramento- not ATL!!)
3:30- board plane, settle kids, take out coloring books, DS games, and blankies

5:30- arrive in Vegas, bathroom, eat, board another plane for Birmingham, AL
11:55 PM (CST)- arrive in Birmingham, go to Billy and Bethany's, try to calm down wired kids, watch Bethany play the Wii (and do it very well)

Thursday-
spend day with the Alabama Ivey's

4ish central time, borrow Billy's car and head to Tyrone
7:45 (EST) arrive at mom's- hug, laugh, smile, giggle, run around, EAT real Southern food, and visit with the Fam

Friday-
Divide and conquer: Alison to RSMS and Mandy's (RE: Lily!!!); Scott and kids to visit Mimi
4:30- reconveine, load up with Nana and Papa, go to Alex's b-ball game to watach him coach and watch Dad stand up for him...
8:00- dinner at Ted's (wedge salad and bison burgers... yum!)

Saturday-
Sleep-in
biscuist and gravy, visit with Nana, Papa, Stretch and the girls
11:30- Partner's Pizza with friends
2:00- Happy Birthday Ella and good-byes
4:00- good-byes at Nana and Papas... depart for Birmingham
7:30 (Central time again)- arrive in B'ham, pick up dinner, hang out, watch Bethany dominate at Wii again

Sunday-
7:00- Scramble to get 5 kids ready for church
9:00- Church
Cracker Barrel for lunch
1:30- depart for airport
3:55- "non-stop" flight leaves for Sacramento
6:15- stop in Chicago- do NOT get off plane...
7:30(PST)- arrive in Denver- again, do NOT get off plane
9:40 (PST)- Finally arrive in Sacramento, get kids McDonalds as promised if they slept the last leg of the trip, crash

A Night in South Lake Tahoe

Scott and I took off yesterday afternoon to South Lake Tahoe to celebrate, a month late, our birthdays. Marc Broussard was playing at the South Shore Room at Harrah's, and, since we've followed him for years, we took the opportunity to make the 1.5 hour drive into the snowy Sierras and spend a night alone. The kids went to a great friend's house (Thank you, Sovia and Andy!!), and, for the first time in 8 months, Scott and I got a night without sippy cups, cutting someone else's dinner, pull-ups, and bed times. Although, we were in bed by eleven and watching Ocean's 11 on the TV.


We ate dinner in the Hard Rock Cafe at the Casino...







Here is the best picture we could get at the show.






Below is the view from our hotel room... Scott took several pictures and pasted them together for the panaramic view.



It's in the shadows, but it's the 30+ stairs I slipped on (at stair 3...) and slid to the bottom... Scott reached out to help me, but he fell, too- we laughed all the way to the bottom... but it's our bottoms that aren't laughing now!!



Our "Snow Shoes" (ha!) that helped us slide all the way down the stairs... we're actually standing on part of the frozen lake- can you see the crack in the ice below us?