I Can't Believe It's Only Wednesday

You would think that since Labor Day was Monday, I would not expect today to be Thursday.  But when I woke up this morning, I was convinced it was indeed Thursday.  Oh well.

This morning started off pretty rough because we could not get Spencer's computer to read his DVD for school.  I didn't lose my cool; I just moved on to Cole's computer which played the DVD but with no picture, only sound.  I held my tongue and moved on to my computer which played it perfectly.  After he started school, I went outside with my coffee and my Bible and spent a long time out there talking to God.  I am so blessed to start my day with a little quiet time and a thankful heart for God.

One thing I have noticed while being in LA is that it is giving the boys a chance to spread their wings.  Being in the city and living within an apartment complex offers many opportunities for the boys to interact and do things they would not ordinarily have a chance to do at home.  I love watching them take to this new experience with gusto.  I especially love watching Spencer try new things that he probably would not do at home.  I will admit that it is sometimes hard for me to sit back and just let them "do".  Of course, I want to help and fix everything.  But, while they are spreading their wings and learning to fly, I am learning to stay put and let them succeed and fail.  Definitely not easy.

After the hiccup first thing this morning, we got all the computers working great and the rest of the day was smooth sailing.  At about 3:00p.m., I decided to ride our bike to the grocery store to get some french bread.

As Brad says, "She's a beauty!"  Cole is friends with Louisa, who is from Romania.  Louisa left today to fly back to Romania so she gave us her bike!  Wasn't that sweet of her?  It is great and makes it so easy to get around.  Anyway, I decided to "run" up to the store today and as I was leaving, Spencer said, "Don't you think it's a little hot to be riding your bike to the store?  I know Miss Coppelia's phone number and I will call her if you can't make it back home."  Well, that really fired me up and I was gung ho on riding to the store...until I got there & saw the digital sign that said it was 100 degrees.  I pedaled a little slower coming home but I made it!

I cooked Grant's Special Mardi Gras Pasta tonight for dinner, one of those amazing recipes on AllRecipes.com.  I cooked enough for 10 people but we only had eight.  We sat around the pool and ate and talked and laughed....it was so much fun.

We found out today that Cole is one of two finalists chosen for the commercial he auditioned for last week!  They will make the final decision next week....we're keeping our fingers crossed.

Hope you all had a great day.

"For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.  So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing."

~James 1:3-4

Mundane Tuesday

Today was spent trying to get back in the swing of things.  The boys picked back up with school and I washed clothes and bought groceries.  Even in LA the mundane jobs are still necessary.

It was hot today, as in 102 at 3:15 this afternoon.  Evidently the "extremely unusual" (meteorologist in LA) heat wave is sticking around the rest of this week.  So glad that our family in Arkansas are finally getting a break from the heat and are in the 70's & 80's but sure wish they hadn't sent it to us.

Cole is feeling a little better today and Spencer is still fine.  I'm ready to hit the sack & they still have energy.  Some things never change.

Love to you all.

"Nothing...will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus.

~Romans 8:39

Happy Labor Day

Sunday was a nice relaxing day and I am planning on the same for today.  We went to church with the Shea's and we loved the service as much as last week.  I think we have found our church while in LA.

We spent the rest of the day relaxing around the pool or, in Spencer's case, watching more football.  I did tear him away from the tv during halftime for the A & M game to get in the pool.  I was so glad he was outside or else he would have missed the beautiful rainbow...

We didn't get any rain but we got to enjoy God's beautiful promise.

Cole's allergies have kicked up big time and his head is completely stopped up while his eyes are so droopy they look like a basset hound.  I have loaded him up on allergy meds and he slept for 12 hours last night.  He always has these allergy attacks when we spend any time in a new environment.  I'm just praying we can keep Spencer and I well.

Spencer is going to work out with his trainer today.  We are so thankful he is feeling better and his blood sugar seems to have stabilized.

Today is more pool time for me.  I could totally get used to this....until tomorrow when we start back to school.

Not everyone is fortunate enough to be able to take Labor Day off, especially our men and women in the Armed Forces.  If you see one of these amazing people who sacrifice so much for all of us, please make sure you thank them.

"Those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.  They will soar high on wings like eagles.  They will run and not grow weary.  They will walk and not faint."

~Isaiah 40:31

Football Games, Shopping & Haunted Tours

So, anyone that follows football knows that yesterday was THE day for college football.  Opening day.  The day all crazed college football fans have been anticipating since last January.  Because we are on West coast time, Spencer turned on the tv at 9:00 a.m. and games were already underway.  We had guys in and out of our apartment all day watching games on tv and the Razorback game on Spencer's computer.  Can you say CRaZy?

In honor of opening day of football, I went shopping with my Australian friends, Coppelia and Freya.  They cannot understand spending a beautiful Saturday at home watching "Footie" when you can be out shopping.  That's why we are friends!  We went to the Americana Mall in Glendale and it was so nice.  In fact, their parking garage had carpet and wing back chairs for you to lounge in while waiting for the valet to bring your car or your car to be washed...

It's sad when a parking garage has nicer furniture than my house!

After shopping, our neighbor Susan organized a private tour with Starlite Bus Tours to take us to some "haunted" houses in the Hollywood Hills.  It was more of a history lesson with some great stories thrown in but we had a lot of fun.  By the time we finished at 11:45 p.m., everyone could not wait to get home.  That's a little too late for this chick.

Today is (I hope) going to be a relaxing Sunday.  We are going to church with the Shea's and then sitting by the pool and reading a book.  I hope you all enjoy your day of rest.

"Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy."

~Exodus 20:8

Fun Friday

Our weather has been gorgeous here and yesterday was no exception.  Sixty degrees with zero humidity equals perfection in my book.  I hope all our hot days are behind us.

Cole went with a friend who lives here in the apartment complex, Aaron, to Santa Monica beach.  Because of storms they have had at sea, the waves were 3 to 5 FEET tall and the water was freezing.  Aaron's mom said the boys had a blast but she couldn't even stick her pinky toe in the water.  

Spencer and I hung out at the apartment.  He is still having some issues with his blood sugar and I am having a hard time getting it regulated.  It was 32 yesterday afternoon (I knew something was wrong because he couldn't even walk a straight line) but after he ate it was 180.  Ugh.  I will be contacting a doctor next week at the LA Children's Hospital and get him in to see someone.  

Megan, a cute little five-year-old that lives here, got everyone fake mustaches.  Don't they look great?

We said he looks like Hitler!  And can you believe he is wearing a jersey from any team besides the Razorbacks?  The Powell's that live upstairs are HUGE A & M fans and they brought Spencer this shirt to wear.  He will wear it on the days they DON'T play the Razorbacks.

Yo.

Motley Crew.

We had a huge cookout last night that was awesome.  Beef & chicken fajitas, beans, rice, bacon wrapped & cream cheese stuffed jalapenos, homemade pico, homemade guacamole, and the piece de resistance, Eton mess which is ice cream, meringue bits, marshmallows, bananas, strawberries, walnuts and layered with raspberry coulis and topped with home made chocolate sauce.  I need to run today but I am afraid I will need to run to San Francisco and back to work that off!  I know I have said this before but we really are so blessed with fabulous neighbors.

Today, I think Cole is heading back to the beach and Spencer has already informed me that he and Mr. Tim (from upstairs) will be watching football ALL DAY!  Guess I will see which of my sister chicks want to do some shopping.

Hope you all have a great day.

"Encourage those who are timid.  Take tender care of those who are weak.  Be patient with everyone."

~I Thessalonians 5:14

Recovery

As most of you know by now, on Wednesday Spencer had a seizure brought on by low blood sugar which caused him to lose consciousness.  He was transported by ambulance to St. Joseph Hospital and although he is fine now and did not have to spend the night at the hospital, it was definitely a scary experience for us all.

Yesterday was a day of recovery.  Needless to say, we all took it easy and just hung out by the pool.

The boys love playing Lost Cities, a fun card game.  The weather was perfect to be outside.

I spent the day reading, washing clothes and dogging Spencer.  I was constantly staring at him or checking his food or asking him how he was feeling.  He finally had all he could take and politely, but firmly, ask me to leave him alone!

By the Grace of God, I am usually able to handle any medical situation we come up against with Spencer but I have not handled this episode very well at all.  I am a nervous wreck!  As I was driving to the grocery store, I started thinking about how freaked out I was by this whole ordeal and I came to the conclusion that it's because I don't have Brad here to help me share this burden.  He is always my rock, especially during difficult times.  So thankful God blessed me with a wonderful husband and so glad he will be here next weekend.

After a relaxing day, I was ready for bed when the kids came to tell me that we were all going OUT to Barney's Beanery, a sports grill, to watch a football game.  To say I was not thrilled is the understatement of the year.  It was 7:00 p.m.!  But Spencer was so tired of sitting around and the boys really wanted to go so.....

we headed to downtown Burbank to eat smores and watch football.

Look at this screen!  I tried to find the remote because House Hunters International was on HGTv but NOBODY would even entertain the idea of me changing the channel!  All of my sportsy friends, and you know who you are, would have loved this place.  It was crazy.

Got home at 9:00 and went to bed!  Spencer had fun, did fine and slept great.  As my friend, Andi says...

Parenting....it ain't for sissies!!!

Amen sister!

"Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever.  As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds His people both now and forevermore."

~Psalm 125:1-2

Busy Tuesday

Since I am constantly stalking animals in LA that are not mine, I thought I would share a picture with you of my baby at home...

Brad was trying to fold clothes and Kobe wanted to crawl under the clothes.  Looks like a not-too-happy baby.  I'll bet in the end, Brad relinquished.  He always does.

It was a wonderful 66 degrees this morning when I went running and I had a companion with me...

Cole rode his ripstick and was urging me along as I ran.  Dang, I was tired when we got back to the apartment.  I'm going to have to sneak out without him in the morning.

Spencer started school today and it was a full day for him.  I love that he is always so diligent to get everything done and he jumped right in first thing this morning.  He was a little stressed this afternoon (the first day is always the worst) but he is much better tonight. 


Cole had his first audition today for a video game commercial!  I was nervous and he was excited.  I wasn't nervous about the audition...oh no, I don't get butterflies about that.  I get nervous about the traffic between here and there and where we are going to park (parking is horrendous in this town!).  Cole is constantly saying, "Mom, we're fine.  We have plenty of time.  We have plenty of quarters."  It doesn't matter how early we leave, I still fret about getting there.


We may hear something from them in the next week or so.  Here's how cute he was before we left...

After the audition, we headed to the famous Mel's Diner for dinner.

A little side note if you decide to eat there.  You have to pay $2.50 to park there, EVEN IF YOU EAT THERE AND HAVE YOUR TICKET VALIDATED!  Don't even get me started.


To top our evening off, I realized I threw away a receipt I needed so when we got home from dinner, Cole did a little dumpster diving!  Yuck.  But, he did find my receipt!  Yeah, Cole.


Now, the boys are outside with everyone playing a rousing game of Apples to Apples.  I'm too tired and just want to put my pj's on and veg on the couch in quiet solitude.


Here are some of Cole's headshots I received from the photographer today.  I thought they turned out great.

This one is my favorite, although he looks too grown up.


Hope you all found something to laugh about today.


"The Bible talks plentifully about joy, but it nowhere talks about a 'happy Christian.'  Happiness depends on what happens; joy does not.  Remember, Jesus Christ had joy, and he prayed 'that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.' "
~Oswald Chambers