A Tour of Our Apartment, Part 2

I hope you enjoyed the tour of our dining room. Now, on to the living room. It is immediately to the right as you walk in our front door. We have a couch and a love seat that Chris also bought before the kids and I moved to NJ. People in the cast were so worried that he would pick out stuff that I didn't like, but not only did he pick out nice furniture, he got great deals on the different pieces. The picture hanging over the couch is also one of my most favorite things in our apartment because it is a painting of trains leaving a train station in New York City. It's really cool! He also got the entertainment center before we came. I like it alot because it provides alot of storage. The black speaker looking things at the top can come off, and we have a bunch of junk stored back there. It is a great hiding place! There is a sliding glass door that leads out onto the porch. I will include that picture in a later post. This is our lovely living room!! Come and visit us!!!!

P.S. Not forgetting about funny things kids play with...Jordan and Jaron have always loved to listen to the Phantom of the Opera music and act it out. They were doing this way before Chris even thought about auditioning (isn't that funny!). Guess what Jaron was using for the mask? A broken lid to a CD walkman thing!!! He was holding it with one hand, singing and leading Jordan down to his "lair". It was sooooooo funny!

Odds and Ends

Just as I typed the title to this post, it made me think of something funny that happened when we first moved in to our apartment. Chris's parents were helping us unpack, and he and his dad got the TV set up in the entertainment center, but needed the remote. Well, we couldn't find it. I was sure I had put it in the box labeled "DVDs and movies". We opened every box, looking for the beloved remote. Of course it was in the last box that we opened, but what was so funny is that Chris couldn't believe I had put it in the box labeled "Odds and Ends".

Anyway, this post is really about the funny stuff that kids play with. It is amazing how a straw will keep a baby entertained for hours!! Or how an asphalt rock suddenly becomes your toddler's best friend. So, Jordan and Jaron have cracked me up the last few days with some of the things they have been playing with.

#1 The other day Jordan got out a handful of skewers from the kitchen. She pointed the sharp end at her throat and wanted me to help her hold it like a violin!!!!!!!

#2 Yesterday, she wanted a bandaid to put in her doctor's kit, but we only had one left so I wouldn't let her have it. So she gets the bright idea to use Scotch tape. Good idea at first, until Jaron came along. By the time they were through, she had covered, and I mean covered, one of her stuffed animals with tape, and Jaron, not liking they way the sticky felt on his fingers had flicked thousands of pieces under Chris's chair at the table. The funny part was when Chris went to put on his shoes to leave. The bottom of his socks were covered with tape, and then after the show when he was putting his clothes on to leave, he was still pulling tape out of his shoe by the hand-fulls!!!!!

#3 Jordan loves to help in the kitchen. Here is a picture of her chopping up a pipe cleaner.

#4 Jaron found some scrap material from a pair of Jordan's pants that I hemmed. He has been using it as a mask ever since. He has been catching all of the bad guys in the apartment. *See picture* Oh, and he insisted on wearing it to bed.

A Tour of Our Apartment, Part 1

Candace wanted me to take some pictures of our apartment and send them to her, so I decided to take everyone on a tour! I am starting with the dining room. When you enter our apartment, it is immediately to the left. Chris bought us a new dining room table before the kids and I moved up here--he did a good job, we really like it. The piano is the one Ninny and Pa had in their house, and we bought the writing desk and chair for Christmas. I also took a picture of the sunflowers and pitcher because it got cut off in one picture, and because it is one of my favorite things in our apartment. Nana and Papa gave me the pitcher last year, and they sent me the sunflowers to put in it. Enjoy, until next time...

Inspiration Comes from the Most Unlikely Places

I wish I had spent more time telling my mom how much I love her. I realize now that I am a parent of a little girl, that there are times that we don't see eye to eye, but that doesn't mean my love for her ever diminishes. In fact it grows stronger every day. I can't wake up in the morning without her coming to my mind almost immediately. Thankfully, it's never too late to start. Mom, I love you very, very much. I am glad Jordan, Jaron, Jaden and Claire have you for a Granny. And I am glad Candace and I have you for a mom.
My mom has always loved to read. She always took us to the library as kids, and I continued to enjoy reading as I got older. The only reason I stopped reading for pleasure is because I got too busy and just didn't seem to have the time. She has read all of the Harry Potter books, and loved them. Once we moved to New Jersey and found the library just down the street, I decided to take up reading as a hobby again. Boy am I glad I did! I decided to start with the Harry Potter series since Mom had enjoyed it so much. And we had seen the first two movies and enjoyed them, so I thought it was a good place to start. As of today, I am about two thirds of the way through the fourth book, The Goblet of Fire. It is so good, but probably not for the reason you may think.
After Jordan's ballet class this morning, we all went to eat lunch before she had to go to school. Chris and I were talking about some of the podcasts by Jentzen Franklin he has been listening to on the train. Something he said (that I cannot remember) sparked a thought in me. Many people would think that Harry Potter is only about an adolescent boy toying with witchcraft and sorcery. But it is, in fact, a portrait of what every human being, regardless of race, sexual orientation, or economic status, is searching for. And I have noticed how desperately some are searching. Harry Potter is the story of a boy who doesn't know he was born to wizard parents. He discovers this truth and also that he too has wizard powers. Harry Potter goes to wizardry school and finds out that he is famous, and he only 11 years old. Why is he famous, you ask? He is the only person to have ever survived the Death Curse. Lord Voldemort, the most evil dark wizard of all time was rising rapidly to power and murdering many innocent wizard and non-wizard families. He entered the Potter home with the express purpose of killing Harry and his parents, but his plan went terribly wrong. Harry's father was murdered, and Lord Voldemort turned his wand on little Harry. Only what happened next, he never expected. Harry's mother did something that Lord Voldemort could never comprehend. She stepped in between her child and the evil wizard. She took the curse from his wand so that Harry wouldn't have to. Lord Voldemort rejoiced in another "successful" murder and turned his wand once again to Harry. As the power flowed through his wand, something terribly wonderful happened. Harry did not die. In fact, the curse was reversed and fell upon Lord Voldemort, rendering him utterly powerless. Harry crawled away from the confrontation with nothing more than a scar in the shape of a lightening bolt on his forehead.
With each book that represents a year of Harry's wizarding education, he has to face Lord Voldemort in some form. And every time Harry faces the Dark wizard, Voldemort is defeated once again. There is a scene in the fifth movie, The Order of the Phoenix, that I will never forget, that makes a huge impact on my spiritual being. Lord Voldemort has regained some of his power and has taken over Harry's body and mind. He is trying to finish Harry once and for all, but again, he can't. As Harry is lying on the floor, convulsing under the evil power that has momentarily taken him over, one of his best friends, Hermione Granger, walks into the scene. Harry's eyes meet hers and he instantly relives every laugh, smile, hug and triumph they have experienced as friends. In that single moment, Voldemort is rendered powerless yet again. Why? Why does a 15 year old girl have that much authority? It is in the simple, but powerful words that Harry issues out of his mouth. Lord Voldemort has never known love. And Harry has. Harry has known the love of not only one, but two best friends. These were the friends that stayed by his side when everyone else was against him and thought he was a freak. These were the friends that he had to rescue over and over again from various trials. Harry continually thought about other people rather than himself, even people that he didn't like. But most of all, Harry knew the power of his mother. His mother loved him with the ultimate love. It was completely and totally unselfish--she loved him to the death.
You know what I realized talking to Chris today? I realized that the reason this and the many stories like it are so popular is that the main character always gets what he wants. In essence, he is always the one that is loved. He may get the girl, or reconcile a difference with someone in his life, but he always walks away knowing he is loved. Isn't that what we all want? Let me reword that: Isn't that what we all HUNGER for? Why do we hunger so much just to feel loved? Why is it so important to us? Because that's how we were created. When we were created, we had already been loved to the highest level. Before we even issued forth from the womb, we were loved unconditionally. Before we even had memory, we were loved, and loved to the DEATH. Jesus stood between the devil's horrible plan to kill us. He had his powerful wand pointed straight at us, but Jesus stepped in between us and that wand, and He took the blow. Just like Harry's mother, Jesus died so that we wouldn't have to. And just like Harry, we are alive and powerful because of what our Savior did for us. The devil is, and always will be rendered powerless. We may face him in his many different forms over and over in our lives, but he will never defeat us. He has always been defeated.
I cannot read the Harry Potter books without thinking about Jesus. Anytime Harry remembers the story of his mother, I cannot help but think about Jesus. Anytime Harry puts someone else's life in front of his own, I cannot help but think about Jesus. Many people read the Harry Potter books and wish they had someone that loved them that much. I read the Harry Potter books and know that I DO have someone that loves me that much.
Inspiration comes from the most unlikely places.

10 (Wonderful!!) Things I Hear Everyday Without Fail

10. Can we watch Spongebob?
9. I need some food.
8. Will you...?
7. Mama, HHHHEEELLLLPPPPP!
6. Jaron, stop it!
5. Jordan hurt me!
4. Goodnight, Jordan.
3. Goodnight Jaron.
(after I have left the room and shut the door, they do it without my prompting)
2. I love you, Mom.
1. I wove you, Mama.

Puppet Show

I couldn't let my first blogging day pass without posting some pictures. Jordan, Jaron and I went to the library today after school for story and craft time. We always meet 2 of Jordan's classmates there. They got to make puppets for their craft. Needless they are very unique!! Jordan made hers all by herself, and all I did for Jaron was help him with the glue (it was hard to squeeze). I thought they were so cute!!! Enjoy!

Funny Stuff

It is a well known fact that if you can drive in New Jersey, you can drive anywhere! It is even worse than Dallas, believe it or not!!! So, yesterday we were in the suburban driving to the park to play on a cold, but sunny day. We were behind a small, imported car that decided to slam on the brakes for a YELLOW (not red) light. The little lady in the back turned around because she obviously knew the driver had made a silly decision. She was so cute! Reading her lips, she said, "Oooooohhh!" and then she waved. Chris just shook his head, but I waved back. So at the next RED light, we pulled up next to them and she looked over at us. So I waved!!! She was soooooo adorable in her little hat and bright red lipstick, that I couldn't be mad at her. What's the point of this story? Chris laughed at me for waving at the old lady!

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

So, I owe this and future blogs to one of my greatest friends, Ashley Drue Core Nelson. She is the best blogger I know and she has encouraged me to set up a blog since we have just recently moved to New Jersey. Now everyone back in Texas can keep in touch in a fun way, and I can look forward to posting!! Ashley and I have known each other since the first grade!!!!! That's 24 years people! She is definitely the funniest friend I have ever had, except for Chris!! Anyway, this is my initial blog and I hope you enjoy as much as I do. Some of you may be wondering how we ended up in New Jersey. Well, it was truly amazing. I taught elementary music for 7 years in Lubbock, Texas and Chris worked at Day Break Coffee as the general manager. He got tired of it and certainly was not using his talent, so he went back to Texas Tech to work on his music degree. To make a very long story short, his friend David Gaschen set up a private audition with Phantom of the Opera for Chris. David is a fellow Monterey High School and Texas Tech grad, and he went on to work for the Phantom company for quite a while. So Chris went to NYC in August, auditioned and received the call a few weeks later that he was hired!!!! He left Lubbock a week later, began rehearsals on a Monday and made his Broadway debut 2 weeks later!!!!!!! He is the understudy for the roll of Ubaldo Piangi. Piangi is the house tenor at the Paris Opera house where the musical is set. His roll requires operatic training and the ability to sing to a high C. I have seen him perform 4 times since October, the kids have seen him once. He is absolutely wonderful in his roll. The kids and I are so proud of him. He truly is the most talented person I know. As of right now he is in the audition process for the lead roll in "Shrek the Musical". He will be going to his call-back audition on January 31. He is so excited!!! Jordan and Jaron already think he is in "Shrek"!! They love going to New York City to see Daddy. He is our hero!!!!!!!!