NEW EMAIL

Please take note and begin using Bernards727@gmail.com for any future emails.
Thanks!

We are "Auntie" and "Uncle" to a newborn nephew!

Congratulating Bub and Toby on baby #3, Roland "Roley" William Theule.
Check out the details on their blog page at http://www.theule.com/

Happy Birthday America and Daddy!

Look what I found...

...in the house! I sent Riley to "get it" and the lizard was scared stiff. It allowed me to grab the tail and carry him out.

In Honor of My Girls...I thank you.

"When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives mean the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand.

The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness, that is a friend who cares."

— Henri J.M. Nouwen

Room to Roam

This past week Jeff was in Loreto, MX with the usual group (brother, dad, brother's father-in-law and bro-in-law). The 5 of them go down every year for about a week. This year, I asked a dear friend to come stay with me and the kids while he was away.

While B was here, we went shopping, ate out, and had long talks together, it was truly a blessing in time of need for me.

On one of our shopping days, we were headed back to the car after a very successful day. While passing through a department store to get to where we were parked we had to walk through the bedding dept and that's when I saw it. It was the bedding (bedspread/quilt) that I just HAD to have! In 1997 my mom bought me the rose and forest green floral quilt that had been on our bed since...and it was fine, but we have not changed anything other than that in the 15 yrs that we have been together--it was about time.

Well, this purchase (that was marked down by $75) snowballed into refreshing the entire master bedroom. The change happened within a span of 48 hrs with lots of 'cleaning out' of the old stuff that just accumulates over the years. Due to the last minute idea to really change it up and have it beautified by the time Jeff arrived home Sunday afternoon, I did not get "before" pictures. In a way I am relieved that I don't have to show the pics but it would have been fun to look back on. Below are some pictures of how the room looks now.

The changes that I made include:

• Removed a press board bookshelf and about 125+ books
  
• Reorganized the linen closet just outside our bedroom door to add the VHS and DVDs into that were also apart of the very jam packed book case
  
• Saved the books that I wanted and moved them to an upper shelf in our closet (easily accessible instead of storage in the garage)


• Removed 2 large storage tubs and 2 sleeping bags that were being stored in our very tiny closet


• Moved the TV cabinet out from the corner and centered it on the wall at the foot of our bed (where the bookshelf was)


• Removed the random pics of guys fishing and other peoples weddings...etc put up some of just Jeff and I


• Bought a plate (to use as a tray) to display my perfumes on our dresser (thanks for the idea B!)


• Hung new rods (thanks mom and dad!) and new valences and sheers


• Bought some coordinating pillow cases until the shams arrive


• Replaced lamp bases and shades


• Hung a metal art piece above our bed


• Removed the nursery glider and replaced it with our wooden rocking chair (bought accessory pillow)
  
• Hung 2 other metal pieces that were stored away in place of the framed art we had in the bath and shower areas

Before Jeff left we discussed investing in a new TV for our room (mounted flat screen). And since the day we moved into the 900 sq ft trailer with all our salvaged pieced-together furniture we always said, we would get a new (matching) bedroom set for our 15 yr anniversary....well, that's this summer!!
So, more changes are to come, but for now this was a much needed face-lift to a very special room. And for all of those wondering what Jeff thought after the big reveal when he got home Sunday...well, he loooooved it!

Thanks again to Barb for the inspiration, Julie for the encouragement, and parentals for the last minute help on the window project!

New Book Study

I am starting another book study with my dear friends, Stephanie and Julie. We are planning to meet the 1st and 3rd Wed. of each month, reading and discussing one chapter at a time. My goal is to post my thoughts (5 pts from each chapter) here at READING RUMINATIONS.

You are welcome to follow along and contribute to the blog if you so desire.

My Savior My God

This is currently my new FAVE song and I love to hear it loud and sing it loud. So, if you happen to see me in the car about town rockin out--it's most likely to this tune.
When I googled the song (to read the lyrics), this YouTube video came up and so of course I rocked it! While watching I realized just how relevant this song and the pictorials were of our upcoming Easter celebration.

He is Risen, He is Risen Indeed!

Fearless...

Fun afternoon at the park. Nathan's friend had a 16" bike and a helmet that fit Nathan perfectly. A BIG difference from the only bike he's had...12"). He circled the park several times, (about a mile) having so much fun!!

Time for some spring cleaning...Riley included.

"Fluff" got a hair cut!

Fun Times with Friends...

Jeff was in Phoenix over night and so I thought quick on my feet and took advantage of the Friday night and set up a sleep over for the kids. They had soooo much fun and I was 'cool' too cuz I let them drag all the blankets out and make a fort out of the dining room table.

Dining room turned fort...
Cameron, N8, Emz, & Macy.

Nice company...

What's in YOUR Water?

Thanks to JA over at What's Cooking for bringing this to my attention...
http://www.ewg.org/tap-water/whatsinyourwater/CA/Castaic-Lake-Water-Agency/1910048/

Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History

Every year during the second weekend of February (which falls around V'day), Jeff has a contractors convention up in Reno for several days.

This year, V'day was on a Sunday so, I took the kids up to Carpinteria and stayed with my brother/sister-in-law and kids, as I had done last year as well.

Last year, I planned with my brother to go to Carp (inviting myself and kids) and stay with them so that Bub could take Toby out, and I would stay with the kids.

Well, it worked out so well that I invited ourselves again this year.
So Saturday after a previous commitment, we drove up and all went to dinner together. When we arrived back at the house, we gave the kids dessert and put on a movie for them and Bub and Toby went to see a movie at their local theatre.

The following day, we drove to the SB Museum of Natural History together before the kids and I drove home from there to meet up with Jeff. Below are a few pictures from that day.

Thanks Bub and Toby for your hospitality and fun activities!! We all had a great time.

1st Annual Mother-Daughter Weekend, San Diego

Last year, when my friend Jill found out she was having a girl with her 3rd pregnancy, she immediately started dropping hints for a mother-daughter weekend away with friends. Her daughter was born in July 09 and we finally made the trip down to San Diego to meet up with her and her 6mo old daughter.
7 of us sardined ourselves and all our bags into my car (Steph & Madeline, Julie & Emma & Savannah, and Emily and myself) to all drive down together. The trip was a lot of fun. On the morning that we were to leave, Jill called and mentioned that we were offered the opportunity to stay at her parents (2b/2b +loft) condo Fri-Sun (we would then have Sun PM and Mon AM on her boat (the original plan for all 3 nights).
We took her up on the idea of 'more space' for the girls. It turned out to be the best decision. The 4 girls slept up in the loft, Julie had a single and Steph and I shared a queen (both beds in same room) and Jill and Sailor were in the master.
During our stay at the condo we were able to take walks to the park, relax around a cozy fire, nosh on some really good food, and allow the girls to play in the enclosed courtyard (with a couple condo kids) while the mommies visited with one another and watched movies and noshed on more food.
Stephanie had the idea that we all bring our wedding albums to share with each other and our daughters. Well, Saturday night the 4 of us mommies stayed up looking at 2 of the albums and retelling some of the good, the bad, and the ugly details we had of that blissful day way back when.
Saturday we had a great lunch at Hodad's (a popular hamburger, fries and shakes hole-in-the-wall) that has been featured on Food TV. Sunday we packed up and dressed up for our day out (Tea and Manicures). Sunday night we boarded the boat and had another late-night together fellow shipping. Monday we packed up after breakfast to head home. On our way home we stopped for lunch at Chick-fil-A. Yum!! Thanks Julie for this suggestion.
Unfortunately, in the slide-show below, I did not capture pics of our beautiful and gracious host Jill (or her daughter). The pics were taken with my iPhone, and I know some of the other moms had their "real" cameras, so I am hoping to get some more pics from them. For now, here is what I have....enjoy!

Make a Smilebox slideshow