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I headed to the mall today. The mission: to buy some Clinique moisturizer. I had to have a mission, because I avoid the Christmas-time mall like the plague.

The winter weather is doing a number on me..I like clinique, it's a little un-exciting, and yes, I've been using it since high school..but it gets the job done, and is not alarmingly expensive. A girl on the other *cough* side of 20...or 30...*cough*, does need to start paying attention to her upkeep; sooo, I decided to purchase a night cream, or whatever extra special stuff they have for this dry weather, and maybe a jar of that nice eye cream I had a sample of months ago.
Upkeep girls, gotta invest a little in the upkeep...!

The man behind the counter (yes-man!) corralled together my dramatically different lotion, ($24) and then found the night cream I requested and then the "anti-gravity eye cream"
...with a name like that, how could I NOT get it?!!

....and then he rung up my purchase and it came to:

-One hundred and a few more dollars.

Now, the Clinque man already had me a little disarmed, he was not the petite, dressed in black, guy-friend- wearing some eyeshadow-make-up guy I see quite often at the M.A.C. counter...you know that guy, he's fun and your best-friend, and given the chance he will give you advice or even a make-over to make you bee-u-ti-full, 'girl-friend'! No, the Clinque man was quite tall, and had a beard, and no eyeshadow. I'm trying to re-evaluate our relationship here and adjust myself to getting moisterizer recommends from a guy with a beard. He has a beard!!

He rings me up, the total of which makes me feel a little dizzy...and then he goes in for the kill:

Looking at my face, he squints and asks, "do you need some lip moisturizer, too?"

And yes, my lips are a little bit cracked. But I don't need Clinque- man, who throws me a little off-kilter, to comment on the sad state of my lips. Was that a sales ploy or a veiled critique? I truly don't know. And now I am slightly paranoid. Does bearded Clinique-man think I look bad? Does he know some beauty secret I am bareft without? Will he recommend the lip moistureizer that will solve all my problems?

But, thank-you-very-much...after spending One Hundred and a few dollars on moisturizer;

One Hundred and a few dollars...

I will stick to the Burt's Bees lip gloss in my purse.

And, "umm-mmm, don't you be going there with me, honey...umm-mmm!" (insert sassy finger wave in the face here)

I only thought that part, I am after all, crispy white toast girl and have never actually tried that move.

I did attempt it for Sky when I told him the story.

"nice finger wave thing, Jen!" he said with admiration and surprise...

ummm-mmm, don't even go there with me...

I have been so busy this week, but then again, I'm sure all of you have been really busy, too! We had our annual Bible conference (called the Winter training)-it's a week long conference, kind of a mini-intense-Bible school, and people come from all over the U.S. and from all over the world to attend. We had 7 people stay with us this year. This time, they were all recent Bible college graduates we know through having them in our home for dinners. We had a wonderful time with them, we only have 2 left with us today, but the house is strewn with mattresses and bedding and laundry!!!

Sky's mom hosted a very big surprise birthday party for his grandmother's 90th birthday. Most of the grandmother's children went on to have very large families (Sky is from a family of 7 kids) so we were a very big group, I don't even know how many great-grandchildren were running around. It was really neat to see all of the cousins that we only see every few years. Most of them arrived in time for Christmas Eve, when we enjoy Grandma's home-made tamales...it was really a nice week.

We went ice-skating at a birthday party on Christmas Eve, the kids had a blast, and I even got out there. Meg went on a trail-ride that day.

I have taken lots and lots of photos with my new camera...but I don't know how to upload them yet!! Photos coming soon...as soon as Sky has the time to show me what to do...

It has been unusually cold here in Orange County, a few evenings ago I noticed it was 42 degrees as we were driving back from (where else?...) Barnes & Nobles. For us, this is very cold- I never see it dip lower than the 50's(and that at night). I went out and ran/walked...(more walked) in it, which wasn't bad for only a few minutes and all bundled up, but I am really glad that I do not live where it snows. I'm a wimp, I know...

I just finished reading Guinevere's gift by Nancy McKenzie, which is part of a series. (Meg received the book as a gift and I promptly high-jacked it.) It was really a superior book, very well written and a very good story with very like-able characters. I give it 5 stars out of 5 stars.

Last but not least, how could I forget? Our credit card number was stolen about a week before Christmas!! Someone charged $15,000 on it -in one transaction!! The card company caught it right away and froze our account, we actually spotted a problem a week before with 2 small transactions in another country and called them about it right away.

So, they froze our account...a few weeks before Christmas. We only keep one credit card.

Even though we don't celebrate Christmas, we still do quite a bit of celebrating with the grandparents. I am a procrastinator. You can see where this is going..., I still had most of the gifts I was planning to buy, un-purchased. Since we also usually have a lot of company during that week, and we need to buy an obscene amount of food...we like to keep our checking account unfettered and put the gifts on the card to deal with later. It was all just a little bit messy and very annoying. We ended up taking the gift money out of savings and we will just put it back next month. Which, philosophically is wiser...but it was still annoying.

My new card arrived yesterday...can't wait to break it in (insert evil grin here...)!

Wishing all my bloggy friends much peace and joy this week!

You're Welcome!

This is my nephew E. He arrived at Nana's house lugging a big box in his little arms, and disappeared into a room to make a quick-change into his power-ranger costume (Nana doesn't have a phone booth handy).

"Oh wonderful, we have a super-hero here! Just what I needed, I have some really big boxes I need help with!"

E says, his big eyes very serious..."you do know this is just a costume, so I can't help you with that?"
!!

He has an older brother, who is 5. I told my sister that I suspect they might test as gifted. She looked a tiny bit pleased, but more worried. The part I didn't say was...gifted like Ferris Bueller!

Nana said the brothers routinely call her on the phone to report on some mis-deed by the other brother, that they feel mom is not handling to satisfaction.

They are very wonderful, but very busy...maybe I need to share with my sister the thought about God not giving you more than you can handle...

I was tagged for this photo meme over at
The Dewey Hafta Academy for unfairly mistreated children, which is a private blog, sorry I can't link...

Anyways, here are the rules;

The directions: Go to the fourth picture folder you have and go to the fourth picture. Explain what it is and don't crop or edit it. Then tag four more people to do the same.


My photos are arranged by event on my computer, so this photo is the 4th event...and my mac is fairly new, so this picture is from the summer of 2007, it is of Demi-Sky, playing at Corona Del Mar beach. We went to the beach with the OC Sitcom gang.

Soo, I am going to tag...

More to this life
From California to Singapore
Barefoot Cowboys
At a Hen's pace


you are welcome to play along, let me know if you do!

Labels: memes

Thoughts from the yoga studio:

ohh, I really like this studio...nice green color on the walls. I wonder what shade it is? Would that color look good in my bathroom? Or hallway? I don't like the color we painted the hallway, but would Sky be put-out that I want to repaint so soon? That reminds me, I still haven't hung any photos up in the hallway...

oh good, sun salutations...these are my favorites.

Nice small group of ladies here. That red-head looks a lot like our old pediatrician. She was so nice. I miss her. She has 7 kids, not likely to be her, not like she would have the time, successful pediatrician and mother of 7 and all...I should bake some cookies and take them to her office.

I really like the paint in this studio..but oh, look, a crack already on the wall. That would really bug Sky. I wonder why it is there, this being a new building? I wonder if they know it is there?

Okay, stop, stop...concentrate on the breath. Why can't I touch my toes? ohh, I like the way she went into the triangle pose, I've always had a hard time with my left side, it makes sense the way she approached it, so yes..I'm doing it right, I'm just not that flexible on that side for some reason...

oh goody, more sun salutations...I like these. Why did my knee pop? Was that my knee?

Concentrate on the breath. How can I inhale and lunge at the same time? Or is it exhale and lunge? This part has always eluded me.

My feet are cold. I knew I should have gotten my special yoga socks out of my bag.
..But I didn't want to be the freak trying to figure out how to put them on, besides being the freak wearing socks, because no one wears socks in yoga. Would it be really disruptive if I got up and went to the back and got my socks?

..And-then...took them out and tried to figure out how to get them on. No. I'll suffer through.

Concentrate on the breath. I like this class. ohhh, she has a Tibetan singing bowl, very cool.

Breathe. stop thinking.
okay, I acknowledge the thoughts and don't dwell on them and let them go.... breathe.
stop thinking....

oh look, the girl on the right just put on some socks.
My feet are soo cold. I wonder if she has raynaud's syndrome too?

I covet her socks. My feet are really icy. It's wrong to covet. I should pray.
But, is it wrong as a yogi to covet? First do no wrong...it's not like I'm going to go and take her socks...I just wish I had mine on.

my feet are cold. Concentrate on the breath.
my feet are cold.

Thou shall not covet.

I'm going to buddhist hell....no, make that hindi hell...

just ignore the cold feet, rise above it. Stick it out.
How much longer is this class? You know, this kind of defeats the whole relaxing point if you can't wait for it to end, because your feet are cold...

Fine, I'll go get my special yoga socks.

How do you put these on? Oh, wrong foot, big toe goes on other side.
dang my weird, freaky little pinky toes!! I can't get them through the toe-holes. Careful! You don't want to break a pinky toe for the 4 th time, that really, really hurts.

And it's the reason why my toes are freaky looking. Probably.

oh much better. Warm feet. Except my toes.
Better than nothing.

Concentrate on the breath.

oh yea-hhh...that's how you do downward-facing dog...do I rock, or what?! I've got a great downward-facing dog..

Stop thinking.

I hate the corpse pose. It's like this big waste of time. We're not really doing ANYTHING. Can't we at least do a reclining- pigeon pose, because then, you know-we'd be doing something constructive like stretching our hamstrings, not just lying here, doing nothing.
relax.
doing nothing.
Now I'm cold all over, not just my feet. Can we just leave now?

"Namaste". I love that word. After "Grace", that is my favorite word. And "Serendipity", that is a top word, too.
Wow, what a great class! I feel great! I think I'll come back next week.

I'll just bring better socks.

Have to call Sky now and tell him I went to yoga class, because you know, I rock now. I'm fit. Or I will be. Lets think positive thoughts.
wait, that's a yoga thing, right?

Labels: Jen's world, yoga

Sky gave me an early Birthday gift. I have wanted a better camera for about 2 years now, I have seriously outgrown my old point-and-shoot. Soo, I told Sky to check out PW's suggestions-and to please, please not get me the latest/greatest (he loves new tech, so that is exactly what he would want to do). He got me the D80...it arrived a few days ago, and I finally used it today. I admit I am intimidated by it, I finally cracked open the owner's manual to try and figure out how to turn off the flash. It took us 10 minutes to figure it out.

I am so excited to have it, but oh my, the learning curve is going to be huge!

He's so good to me!

Labels: Jen's world

First order of business: Moms with little ones at home, you should go read *this letter for mom's over at A Holy Experience blog.
Go on over, read and meditate, you'll be glad you did.

So, how was your week?

This week has found us deep in the study of Ancient Greek myths. Meg, Josie and I are reading Black Ships before Troy, a retelling of the Illiad. (with 3 of us sharing the same library copy, I am wondering if I should go buy a copy...) Meg can't put it down and has asked to read an adult translation of the Illiad...which means I will have to pre-read it, so I guess I will put that down on my list. I took Black Ships before Troy along with Demi and I, for a trip to the Dr. (he had asthma and an ear infection), and I was very pleased that he got into the story...(lots of battles to keep his interest).

I jumped into the world of special needs education and ISP's, I met with Teddy's mom and a special education teacher to discuss how our new charter school might try to help Teddy. I admit I am a little skeptical...he was given hours of help each week last year at a public school and we saw no progression or indication that the time helped him at all. He is progressing with what we are doing, I am not sure this time will be helpful...but I will go with the flow and see what happens. Frankly, it looked like busy work. I will be taking him twice a week for 1 hour meetings with this teacher, at the library and at B & N. I was very encouraged to have the special ed teacher pull out a recommendation for a spelling program...and it was
All about Spelling, which I purchased to use this year with the three youngest students-

We moved into the second half of our Headsprout phonics program with all 3 littles...a benchmark for us, I am so excited to see them reading more. Amie read "Good night moon" to me today at Barnes & Nobles, a really sweet moment- I read that book to my children nightly, it was sweet to have her read it to me.

We are gearing up for our church's semi annual winter training, which is a Bible conference of sorts. We are going to have 7 people stay with us (at last count), so we are beginning the cleaning, planning and airport pick-up coordination. We are so excited to see old friends.

Demi-Sky started piano lessons 2 weeks ago. Today I sat in on his lesson, usually Sky handles the piano lessons. It was very interesting being the spectator, not the teacher with him. The teacher was very patient, Demi did impressively well with his playing;

But
-he-could-not-sit-still.

I was amazed at how he was all over that piano bench. I guess I just don't notice it when I'm doing the teaching. I think trying to re-capture the attention of the 3 littles keeps me from noticing how much they have the wiggles.

This is my week so far. How is yours going?

Labels: Wordless Wednesday

I rarely find rocks in my dryer, but this was the haul from 1 single load the other night. The screws are from Sky's pockets, he is usually good about emptying his work jeans for me, but I guess he missed a few. The advil is from Meg's pockets, ditto the dreaded verbottem chapstick, the girly beads and stickers are Amie's, and the bullets and what-not are Demi's. I tell them all that the policy is that mom keeps all money found...but they know I'm bluffing, and I give it back. Usually. No berries today. The motion detector-lock was a surprise.

Labels: Jen's world

Some excerpts of reviews for playmobil's security checkpoint set over at amazon. Click on over if you don't believe me...some people are creative in a mad sort of way...

I was a little disappointed when I first bought this item, because the functionality is limited. My 5 year old son pointed out that the passenger's shoes cannot be removed. Then, we placed a deadly fingernail file underneath the passenger's scarf, and neither the detector doorway nor the security wand picked it up. My son said "that's the worst security ever!". But it turned out to be okay, because when the passenger got on the Playmobil B757 and tried to hijack it, she was mobbed by a couple of other heroic passengers, who only sustained minor injuries in the scuffle, which were treated at the Playmobil Hospital.
The best thing about this product is that it teaches kids about the realities of living in a high-surveillence society. My son said he wants the Playmobil Neighborhood Surveillence System set for Christmas. I've heard that the CC TV cameras on that thing are pretty worthless in terms of quality and motion detection, so I think I'll get him the Playmobil Abu-Gharib Interogation Set instead (it comes with a cute little memo from George Bush).

My family was planning a vacation to Europe, so I purchased this item to teach my twins about what to expect at the airport and hopefully, alleviate some of their anxiety. We also downloaded the actual TSA security checklist from the American Airlines website and then proceeded with our demonstration. Well, first we had to round up a Barbie and a few Bratz dolls to play the other family members, so that cost us a few extra bucks at the Dollar General and it is aggravating that the manufacturer did not make this product "family-friendly." Of course, since the playmobil Dad could not remove his shoes or other clothing items, unlike the Barbie, the playmobil security agent became suspicious and after waving her wand wildy a few dozen times, called her supervisor to wisk the Dad into a special body-cavity search room, (which incidentally led to quite an embarasing and interesting discussion with my twin daughters about personal hygiene and a slight adjustment to the rules we had them memorize about touching by strangers). But worst of all, since the suitcase did not actually open, the baggage inspector made a call to the FBI and ATF bomb squads which then segregated the family's suitcase (which btw was the only suitcase they provided for our educational family experience) and according to the advanced TSA regulations, had to blow it up, (since they could not otherwise mutilate the luggage, break off the locks and put one of those nice little advisory stickers on it), which we had to simulate out in the backyard with a few M-80s and other fireworks. The girls started crying. They became so hysterical by the whole experience that we could not even get them in the car when the time came to actually take our trip, and so we had to cancel the whole thing at the last minute, losing over $7,000 in airfare and hotel charges that we could not recoup do to the last minute cancellations. We've now spent an additional $3,000 to pay for the girls therapy and medication over the past year since this incident occurred, and the psychologists have told us that this will affect them for life, so much for their college fund and our retirement. Then, to top it all off, when we tried to use to playmobil phone to call the company to ask for reimbursement, as you might expect, of course the damn thing didn't even work; neither did our efforts to e-mail them using the computer screen on the baggage checkpoint; and our real-life efforts to contact them to obtain re-imbursement have also likewise been ignored. Worse yet, we had the product tested and found out that it was positive for both lead paint and toxic chemicals, having been manufactured in China by workers holding formerly American jobs, so now we all have cancer and have been given only another year or so to live. My advice - educating your kids about airport security with this toy may actually be more harmful to them than just packing them in the damn luggage with some bottled water & hoping they survive. :)

Not comple te without the line....
This toy would be a lot more realistic with about 350 people standing in line for an average of an hour. It still makes a nice set with the interrogation room.

Help, I've fallen under a pile of catalogs and I can't get up!...

Here is a toy hall of extreme annoyance list from catalogs I have lying about all over the house:
In case you need help or extreme warnings for your 2008 Christmas toy shopping...

Well, I 'm sitting up late thinking of chocolate..what's new?


Chocolate made me think of candy-cane Joe-Joes...which made me think of candy-cane Joe-Joe brownies..you see the clever paths my mind follows?!

OC Mom posted this wonderful recipe for Candy-cane Joe-Joe brownies. Follow the link.
They are totally worth the effort!

Here's how to pronounce the name "Miggery Sow" from the book
The Tale of Despereaux, for those of you finding my blog through googling that question... I heard it pronounced on the audio book- (which is wonderful, go get it!) -like this.. -Miggery is pronounced, 'Mig' -(rhymes with big) 'ory'-(rhymes with story) so put it together and you get Miggory -(rhymes with diggory-hard g). Sow is just like a pig-sow, rhymes with cow.
You're Welcome!!

As for "Roscuro", try saying it with a Russian accent.
You really, really have to listen to the audio book, it is wonderful. *Here's my review on it.

Well, homeschool is trucking along, we are enjoying studying the Ancient Greeks- I think we are going to take our time with this one, it is so interesting. I'm getting lots of battle scenes in our narrations from the 3 youngest students.

We had art lessons on Tuesday, met with our charter school teacher in the afternoon.

Demi is anxiously awaiting Wall.e to arrive from netflix

Tomorrow/today we are heading to the skatepark. It's p.e.
Happy December, everyone.