MONDAY TOP TEN: why I am on Team Jacob

With several days under my belt since watching the second-in-the-Twilight-series movie, New Moon.....

(yes, I did stand in line for a couple hours waiting to get seated for the midnight movie)

I must declare my still-allegience to Team Jacob.

Seriously.

Yes, I do know that I am old. Never really went through the teeny-bop stage.

My sister Amanda was the only one with a Kirk Cameron poster on her wall... until now:

Top ten reasons I am on Team Jacob.

1. He is hot.

2. His friends are all hot.

3. And he is also hot. (108 degrees is his running temp, btw - what else could I have been referring to?)

4. He is oblivious to how fantastic he is (read: scene when he first removes his shirt in the movie - to wipe up Bella's bloody ol' head - he doesn't realize at all that the hoards of tweens *and thirty-year-old-women* are swooning in their velvety theatre seats).

5. He is kind and sincere. He does not ditch Bella, even though he is afraid he is bad for her. He sticks around to protect her.

(Edward, I'm sneering in your direction)

6. Nobody in his family might "accidentally" try to attack you to suck your blood when your clumsy self falls all over the place and gets tore-up.

7. He is just so sweet...

8. No future evil sister-in-laws...

9. No evil-secret-vampire societies are contemplating tearing him limb from limb.

10. You can tell your friends you are dating him.

Yes, I am now officially one of those crazies....

A Twi-hard fan.

To my defense, aren't all of us now?

note: edited to remove the embarrassingly exposed chest photos of little Jacob Black. He's sweet and kind - that is the best feature about him. The eight-pack abs don't hurt, of course-unless you are a vampire trying to punch them.

iPhone lovin'

Jane is constantly asking me for a game:

"mama, gay! MAMA! Gay! Pea, gay?"

This is the soundtrack of my day. And it is pretty cute. (BTW, translation: "Mama, game! MAMA GAME! Please, can I play a game?"

If any of you are iPhone fanatics, check out the Itsy Bitsy Spider game by Duck Duck Moose. It is just a few screens with tons of interactive animals and things. Almost anything you touch has some animation - and it is different all the time, too.

There are lots of great apps, but this one I love so much (because Jane loves it so much) so that's why you get this lovely commercial.

Plus the iPhone just rules.

the nerdy thing is...

that these shoes are the whole reason I wrote my previous blog post. But the photos where still on my camera.., and

well...

I plain got carried away looking through all the old photos of Jane.

The whole point was to tell my mom that a miracle has happened.

After a million years of my mom liking one thing and me turning my nose up...

or me loving something my mom finds appalling...

THESE SHOES WE AGREE ON!!!

they were super cheap,

from a resale shop,

a little big,

but finally fit.

And three generation approved:

Grandma bought 'em,

Mom thinks they are super adorable, and

jane loves them and has been begging to wear them since coming home from Grandma's last month.

we are all happy:)

Jane's Ten Cutest Shoes

In no particular order...

1. Brown squeaky shoes. Staple.

Modeled here with Victoria and Camila:

2. Mom's running shoes.

Modeled here in our spiffy new bathroom:

3. Tri-colored squeakers. Thought they wouldn't match anything, but they actually match everything!

Modeled in the Gizditch Farm orchard:

4. Blue squeakers (ok, so she has a lot of these) with the pink leather flowers.

Modeled here in our old living room on the day she discovered pockets:

5. Golden roman sandals.

Modeled here with BFF Olivia on Grandpa's/Cheryl's front porch:

6. White squeaker sandals. Perfect for the whole summer long.

Modeled here in Grandma Julie's backyard (CUSTOM, mind-you) swing:

7. White patent leather for easter 2009.

Modeled in Grandpa's yard with Cousin Carson:

8. First Flip Flops. 'Nuff said.

Modeled here in our old dining room:

9. Red cowgirl boots. Every gal needs 'em.

Modeled when received in the mail from Grandma Julie:

10. Handmade boots by Jenny Stover Plumb. Super cute.

Modeled here in our old living room:

11. First pair of red squeakers.

Modeled in David's Bridal while helping Aunt Kylie pick out a wedding dress:

12. Trying on dad's dirty ol' work boots.

Modeled here in mom & dad's old bedroom:

13. Bright pink Robeez. Staple.

Modeled here in Aunt Laura's kitchen, with Cousin Kacie watching carefully Jane's new steps:

14. Blue and Pink Pumas. Second-hand from Olivia.

Modeled here in Papa & Grandma Alice's house with Uncle Mitch:

15. Polka dot Ped-i-peds. I bought these for Jane. Just because they are so danged cute.

Modeled in our old dining room:

16. These may be my favorite shoes of all time: the white sandal-looking Robeez. Totally versitile, totally classic, totally my favs. I bought these, too.

Modeled along with one of my favorite hand-me-down outfits from Cousin Elsie:

17. First shoes. From Melissa Costa (you had better read this young lady). Jane's first babysitter buys her first shoes.

Modeled on the old Wilson couch. It is also the current Wilson couch:

Such a cute kid needs to sport such cute shoes. I think they have done each other justice thus far. What do you think?

just in case you forgot what my kid looks likes

Today has been a trying day.

As in,

i am TRYING to be patient;

i am TRYING to teach a kid how to pee in a potty;

i am TRYING to be healthy and fit;

i am TRYING to stay slightly sane;

i am TRYING to be loving to my kid while she is screaming bloody murder;

i am TRYING to read the bible and then actually behave the way it teaches;

i am TRYING to be patient (um, i had to say that one twice for a reason);

i am TRYING to avoid reading 'the big red barn' for the eighteenth time today;

but, do you really expect me to say no to this face?

MONDAY TOP TEN: my hands

MONDAY TOP TEN: my hands

So, I have these lumps in my knuckles. They've been there at least as long as Freshman year

in high school when Josh Dressler (sp?) would make fun of me saying, "freshmen can't have

arthritis!". I've just always assumed that's what it was.

Fast forward to last monday, when I finally made an appointment with a general practitioner

for a couple things: arthritis, my left knee, etc...

They did a couple blood tests and xrays.

Tuesday I got the results of the xrays: knee looks good, no arthritis in my right knuckles.

And I'll be damned if I wasn't lamenting to my dear friend Adrienne about my lack of sympathy

for people the very next day. I am pretty sure I uttered these words: "remind me not to pray for

empathy, because you know God will throw down something big."

Maybe it's a little melodramatic of me (me? dramatic?), but the Dr. called that very night to tell

me that I was very positive for Lupus. What the...?!! Lupus? (well, i really thought it was spelled

lupis before googling it).

Here's what the Lupus Foundation of America has to say:

"Lupus is a chronic inflammatory disease that can affect various parts of the body, especially the

skin, joints, blood, and kidneys." Their website, as well as WebMD (which I think kinda sucks)

adds that it is an autoimmune disease.

Weird.

So, in honor of my dear inflamed hands, here is the real purpose of this post: TOP TEN!!

1. I really take advantage of my hands. They do nearly everything for me: brush my teeth,

hold my baby, turn the steering wheel, and wipe my butt. They are my slaves.

2. My hands sometimes hold important information for me: like this little reminder to

write a long overdue thank you note to the dear Sarmentos for their kindnesses, and

flowers sent to the store:

3. Heck, I am even using my hands to type this top ten about my hands. I hope they

are appreciative.

4. I wear this new little reminder about faith on my wrist (which is held together by my hands, really - so it counts). Kelli had this fantastic idea to make them at MOPS. It reminds me to have faith in the God who created and loves me, faith in my capabilities as a mother, and faith in myself, period.

5. I am thankful for most days when I can use my hands to accomplish all this without

any pain or hindrances at all. If I used any man-made machine as often as I use my hands,

the warranty would have expired long ago.

6. On my right hand I wear my grandmother's wedding ring. On the inside it is engraved: "JT to M 8-31-35" Translated, it means Julius Tjerrild to Mary, and the date is their wedding date. That small and thin band was good enough to last over 65 years on her hand. Of course it is now worn on mine.

7. My left hand bears my engagement ring and wedding band. Over eight years I have been wearing the engagement ring, and in February I will have worn them both that long. It is a reminder of my commitment and longevity.

8. Also on my left hand, ring finger, I have a scar from a time my hand was smooshed. I had just arrived at the mainland dock to the Young Life camp, Malibu in July of 1999. We were the first ones there, and helped to load the ferry with the week's goods. On the way down the ramp, with dozens of those plastic milk crates loaded up on the big cart, the load shifted and my hand was caught between the crates and the bar. OUCH. I spent the rest of the day with my hand in ice & thinking that I would be without a portion of my finger the rest of my life. But, in Cheatham dramatic fashion, it wasn't really that bad. I do have a scar, though.

9. I like my fingernails. Only until they get any longer than in this photo: after that, they tend to bend in funny angles and look warped. Not bad today, though.

10. Lastly, my hands are a little window to the whole me. They have scars, disfigurement, strength, and stature. They can nurture or harm, depending on how I choose to use them. They are my hands, and I am grateful for having two of them with ten fingers in all.

Unlike the foe of Inigo Montoya - you know, that swordsman with the six fingers.

Monday TOP TEN: my brother-in-law Dean

I really love my family.

We are quirky.

But we like to party.

It brings me no greater joy than to see my family happy.

It is because of all the joy that this dude brings to my sister, their kids, and to the rest of the clan that I present to you:

MONDAY TOP TEN:

MY BROTHER-IN-LAW DEAN.

There are a lot of great things about Dean, certainly more than ten. However, I must abide by my own rules and stick to ten.

Please be aware that these are really not in any particular order, I am placing numbers in order to make sure I get all ten on here :)

1. Dean is a fantastic photographer. In fact, I am shamed by my poor photography of him taking a photo at the Gonzales Ranch last Easter:

2. Dean is a devoted family man. He adores my sister Jodi and practically waits on her (and those little darling twinsies of theirs) hand and foot.

3. I love myself some Chick-fil-a. Seriously. I really dig it. My fantastic brother-in-law Dean not only humors me with a Sacramento Chick-fil-a dinner every single time I am in town, but I am convinced he is equally lovin' the Original Chicken Sandwich.... plus a twelve piece nugget please.

4. My brother-in-law Dean is always up for whatever activity we suggest. Wanna take a tram ride in Palm Springs? He's there. Wanna jaunt up to Tahoe with the in-laws, Dean? Oh, yeah. How about a little trip to Bass Lake with the crazy Cheathams? He says: "Bring it on".

5. Last year I trained for and ran the Half Marathon on the Monterey Bay. Dean totally blessed me that day. Here I have just run a butt-load of miles, and when I find them (of course they came to cheer me on, because they rule): my kid, sister, the twins, and my dear brother-in-law Dean are all sporting SHIRTS WITH MY PICTURE ON THEM! I laughed until I cried. It was his idea, and the shirts read: my sister/mommy/aunt is not a quitter! How flipping awesome is that?

(answer: pretty awesome)

6. When I came for a visit & babysat for Jodi & Dean, he bought me the hat I am wearing in the above picture. It was perfect. I wear it all the time.

7. Oh yeah, Dean is a studly runner, too. Much more so than me, because he has actually completed a FULL MARATHON. For real. And, he now runs with a double BOB stroller preceding him - that's really hard, too.

8. Jodi & Dean are the best gift-givers (see #6). They always discover the perfect thing to really honor the person to whom it will be given. It is either a fantastic talent, or a honed skill that they both practice regularly. We are all thankful for their generosity and thoughtfulness.

9. Dean plays games. Apples to Apples. Cribbage. Mancala. Mexican Train. Maybe even a little X-box? That is fun. We all really laugh and have fun and learn a lot about each other during those late night Apples to Apples sessions at Bass Lake!

10. Dean has been a shining light in our family since the day he walked into 1010 Kentfield Drive exclaiming "Sequence! I love Sequence!" (see #9).

Whoops, I am breaking my rules here, but #11: those two make really cute kids :)