Beautiful November

With one week left in November, I'm being pretty audacious tagging it "beautiful"...after all, what if some craziness erupts and it takes on more of a somber adjective??? or people start to notice that I'm losing my summer glow and I'm not nearly as beautiful when the pastiness of my whitey genes kicks in this time of year and they think , ugly November for that one, poor homely thing?? These are all things that have crossed my mind, but nevertheless, I feel it's a perfect word pertaining to the state of the month...

Last night the Husband and I hosted Thanksgiving Dinner at our home. We invited the entire family, including the rascally ones, the catty ones, the ones with excessive flatulence, and the ones that make bomb food (we figured we'd be nice and let um all partake this year, flaws and all)...We also extended the invite to our Somalian refugee neighbors whom I claim as my own children because I love them so...Word got around and the rest of the neighborhoodlums showed up in search of food too. Let me back up in events for a minute...When morning broke, I arose with a spirit- filled heart, stumbled downstairs, and started my morning devotionals. In prayer and conversation with the Lord, I asked Him to protect the house from any ill-intent, negative attitudes, unseen spiritual battle stuff, and fires of any sort from candles or kitchen chaos. (See Ephesians 6.12) and lo and behold, He delivered. Not surprised, He is faithful... Thankfulness was permeating as the morning began and continued well on into the night. It was a Beautiful November evening and everyone was in good spirits. The food turned out perfectly as the Turkey Chef nurtured that beautiful beast of a bird in the oven; rubbing it tenderly with butter and herbs.
Sis hooked it up with all kinds of sides and sweets, and the layout was almost too much for my starved tummy and beady eyes to behold. We gathered around the table late afternoon, and took it all in. I wanted to settle the kids down and really let it soak in that there was so much to be Thankful for: God has brought us through a tough season and held our family together this past year; blessing us with amazing neighbors, family, and friends. We all drive each other crazy when we are around for long amounts of time, but we are all here for each other and it is Beautiful; our faith has grown and so has our love for one another.
Here are some pictures of our Beautiful November evening:

 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.  And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.~ Colossians 3.15-17

Out with October...On to Giving Thanks!

October is generally a good month; although, somewhat of a tease to my senses as the weather plays games with my emotions and tantalizes my need for fireside reading, hot tea, bubble baths, and cozy sweats.The drastic change in temperature every other day didn't really allow a fall feel to settle, so I am looking forward to a chilly November with some rainy day weather (hopefully).

It was a BUSY month for this bunch of brutes & beauties...Here is a recap of  our October adventures: We started off on the right high heel with Glitz, Glam, and a Whol'otta Wine.

Me and 15 fabulous girls dolled ourselves up for an evening in; enjoying each other's company, great wine, and decorating our décolletage  in  gorgeous jewels!

Every Friday, we went out and enjoyed the Friday Night Lights...

I enjoyed watching the hot coach do his thing from the sideline...I'm his #1 Cheerleader you know...

My Sister-Beautiful "Chae" gave birth to a precious little girl. A true miracle and gift to us all...

...and we packed up the crew for a day trip to Julian. Such a great little country town.

The kids had so much fun running through the orchards, exploring the countryside, and picking fresh apples from the trees.

We also made it out to the cutest local pumpkin patch where we got lost in a corn maze, admired the sunflowers, and picked out the perfect pumpkins. The sunflowers were in full bloom as we toured the patch on a hayride.

Our family church held their 4th Annual Harvest Festival last Sunday where we rode ponies, painted pumpkins, and got a hands on experience with some cute farm animals.

 We ended the month with a Halloween bash at Gram n' Pops decked out in our finest Día de los Muertos attire, in honor and celebration of the those who have passed....Although it was a great month filled with fun, I am happy to move on with November, detox my sugar-overloaded body, and prepare my tummy for a Gluttonous Thanksgiving.

¡ Feliz día de los muertos amigos y extraños! Paz a vosotros en la tierra y en los cielos.

Autumn Aspirations

  The days are getting shorter in sunny San Diego and finally feeling like fall. With a chill in the air, I can now drink a cup of coffee or soup without breaking a sweat and hide my muffin top under sweat-shirts as I feed it lots of carbs (winter-coat fluffing; primitive survival). My obsession with creating a cozy house for my crew is being fueled each day by too much time spent on Pinterest and an overabundance of cinnamon scent exposure *courtesy of the Vons floral department.
Because time seems to tick faster as my kids grow older, I've set out to be methodical in my Autumn aspirations this year. Time is indeed a treasure and I want to make good use of my days, creating lasting memories with my family. This fall, I've made a list of everything I feel is necessary in making the most of my favorite season. I have all the best intentions of marking off each activity as the days fade away, but we shall see how it goes. So far, here's whats on the agenda:

 4ACE CrewFall Plans 2012

•  Apple Picking in Julian

•   Pumpkin Patch @ Bates Nut Farm

•   Autumn Nature walk with the crew ~ collecting things for autumn crafts

•   Splash in rain puddles with the kids

•  Play soccer in the mud after a downpour

• Make at least 5 fall treats from my Pinterest Board (coco@inspiremecoco)

•   Wine tasting with my girlfriends.

•   Minimum of 4 hot dates with The Husband, *venturing out to new places

•  Fall Family Pictures

•   Bi-weekly Bible studies with my babies

•   Watch a football game or two with the husband for more than 5 minutes

•   Read 2 new books

•   Feed/clothe the homeless

•   Pray more, worry less  

•    Cultivate a heart replete with thankfulness

• Passionately kiss my husband in the pouring rain (for a minimum of 2 minutes), followed by spiced apple cider and a movie by the fire.

So there you have it. My Autumn Aspirations. Because life is never picture perfect, it will be interesting to see how this turns out :)

Hey, I can have hopes...I'll keep you posted. xo 

A New Season...

My favorite season of the year is quickly approaching. Fall~ a time for retreating into the home... Creating a comfortable atmosphere for my family to gather... Cinnamon and spices permeating throughout my kitchen and home-cooked feasts every Sunday... Creating  crafts as keepsakes for my quickly growing babies...Reflecting on life and lessons as the leaves fall, the colors change, people change...

This season I can rest in the peace of the Lord, being at home with my family, in the arms of my husband; in the company of those I love, focused on what is important. As the season changes from summer to fall, I can feel my heart settle, ready for a change of pace. The comfort of home with the most precious people I've ever known....Peace to you this beautiful season...A peace that surpasses understanding.
 

Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.  Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

~Philippians 4.5-9 

All Dolled Up

I don't get dolled up too often these days. My usual attire tends to fall on the dull side. More often than not, I grace the public in work-out gear and flip-flops. Sometimes I'll get daring and put on a nice blouse with shorts and mascara. If I really want to make a statement, I'll paint on my eyebrows and blow dry my hair.


However, I have these girlfriends that spice up my life and help me step out of the bland. Their style is bold and their confidence is contagious. They don't care the occasion, they dress with flair. They inspire me to treat myself like a princess and get dolled up every now and then; even if its just to stay home and watch movies. Sometimes they get into make-up that is a bit much, and maybe colors that are unfitting, but they wear everything with such confidence; I can't help but smile.

The other night, I invited the girls out for a "ladies night", NO BOYS ALLOWED. As they put on their finest attire, decked out in bright colors and their pink n 'purple stilettos, I felt inspired. I tossed my jeans and blouse aside and headed to my closet to grab something fancy; a dress I was saving for a "special occasion". What is a special occasion anyway, I thought,  hanging with my favorite girls of course!

 The husband handed over the cash and keys, warned us not to get too wild, then off we went- music blaring out the windows, a car-full of girls giggling away.

 An onlooker may have thought us to be over-dressed, the sight of fancied up ladies in such a low-key place, but we felt just right. You've got to embrace your inner fancy and play dress up when you can... Take notes from the younger generation. Here is a picture of us that night:

We plan to play "dress-up" more often.

Cowboy

My babies were born in suburbia with a  1/2 Filipino, 1/2 country bloodline. They have an undeniable wild side that warrants plenty of outdoor time, running wild and getting dirty.  My family came from Oklahoma and Texas then settled in the conservative town of Bakersfield years ago. In the house that built me is where I grew my love for country music, ropers & wranglers.

I've always thought it admirable, the way of the cowboy; whether a real western boy or cowboy at heart. I remember the Summer I spent in Texas as a little girl and the kindness and respectful demeanor of the people in that small sleepy town. The way everyone greeted you with a smile and 'God Bless; the way they'd tip their hats and offer a helping hand to anyone in need.  The way the good ol' boys would hand out a whoopin' for the slightest sign of disrespect in the presence of the ladies. I admit, while my time there was short, it left a lasting impression.

I've made a conscious effort to instill the ways of the cowboy into my sons, building within them a desire to serve and work hard. Instilling a nature that is respectful, polite, honest, courageous, loyal, and thankful. I pray they will keep a sense of wonder as they grow, having adventurous spirits, full of dreams, and strong in character; Always willing to lend a helping hand or bow in prayer for a friend in need. 

They have their Daddy's sweet nature and momma's wild at heart. As my husband and I sit back and watch the blessings that God has given us grow into young men, we tilt our hats to the Maker with thankful hearts. We love to take the boys out into the trails and streams and let them run free. Skipping rocks, getting dirty, and scraping knees.  I hope that whatever path they choose in life, whatever city they call home, they will remain cowboys at heart.

 I hope I shall always possess firmness and virtue enough to maintain what I consider the most enviable of all titles, the character of an "Honest Man"-George Washington

It is not enough for a man to learn how to ride; he must learn how to fall.

-Mexican Proverb

The grand essentials of happiness are: something to do, something to love, and something to hope for.

-Allan K. Chambers

My father used to play with my brother and me in the yard. Mother would come out and say, "You're tearing up the grass." "We're not raising grass," Dad would reply. "We're raising boys."

-Harmon Killebrew

I won't give up...

Ok guys, This is a gushy one, but necessary none-the-less:

Life has clearly demonstrated that Marriage is not the fairytale you read about as a kid. It's not like the romantic movies that cause you to get irritated with your significant other because he doesn't "love" you like the guy on The Notebook. Humans are irritating/selfish creatures, and just because you marry one, doesn't mean they will stop with their irritating ways...it's a common issue with the human variety. Marriage was never meant to be easy, or fun. Marriage was meant to change you; to shake you out of your selfishness and cause you to grow; to help you learn the most important lesson you will learn on this earth...how to love.

I used to tell my husband that I loved him. To be honest with you, I didn't...most people don't love eachother...we don't know how. We have to be taught...The definition of love as defined by it's creator states that love is...

  ...patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. (1 Corinthians 13.4-7)

So while we may say we love someone, the truth is, it takes a life-time to learn how to truly love, and even then , some may never learn. The Husband and I have been through some hard times together. We have both been selfish in our ways and understanding of how to truly love each other. However, we have not given up. We know we need God's help to learn this lesson. We need God's perspective and Spirit of Truth to teach and guide us. He has shown me in my darkest hour that He won't give up on me...  Day by day we grow.. we learn...we mess us, and try again. We may not demonstrate all the factors that are encompassed in truly loving someone, but we persevere...we keep at it. With him by my side, I can say I will love you. I will choose to learn what that means and apply it to my life with you. Thank you for choosing the same my Turtle-bear.

Thank you for singing to me these words and reminding me when I am sad, that you won't give up on us. I love you...the best I know how, and I will learn to love you more for the rest of my life. You, my beloved, are precious and one-of-a-kind...I may not understand love in it's entirety, but this I know for sure...

I won't give up on us
Even if the skies get rough
I'm giving you all my love
I'm still looking up

 And when you're needing your space
To do some navigating
I'll be here patiently waiting
To see what you find

'Cause even the stars they burn
Some even fall to the earth
We've got a lot to learn
God knows we're worth it
No, I won't give up

I don't wanna be someone who walks away so easily
I'm here to stay and make the difference that I can make
Our differences they do a lot to teach us how to use the tools and gifts
We got yeah we got a lot at stake
And in the end,
You're still my friend at least we didn't tend
For us to work we didn't break, we didn't burn
We had to learn, how to bend without the world caving in
I had to learn what I got, and what I'm not
And who I am

 

BUT I WON'T GIVE UP