Tagged again.... ok, Jen tagged me again to spill 10 random facts about myself. Here's goes....

1. I am one of three, middle child to older brother by 9 years & sister1 year younger
2. My name means garden of God in Hebrew & song in Spanish. Originally to be named Tamara by my mother, my dad won out with Carmen after a popular song of the same name by Marty Robbins.
3. I played volleyball in jr high & high school (pre-Christian school transfer). I also played for the US Army Vilseck/Graf team....though not much good, but had great fun & great exercise.
4. I love ice cream...can make my own. You name it, I'll make it...if I don't have a recipe, I'll make up my own...right, Randy? This is where you should applaud my butter pecan ice cream in a comment or post on your own blog, eh? Perhaps I'll make you some!~
5. I have been a prison penpal for the last 7 years.
6. I can speak a bit of spanish and more German...spanish in my work at least 2X per week and German, I am learning more everyday & trying to teach Grace. There are some things she knows only in German...
7. I was the coordinator for Scholastic Book Clubs in my college "Teaching Reading" courses, as well as 7 years I was director at Discovery Learning Center...thus amassing several hundred children's books. I plan to volunteer to coordinate the book orders at Gracie's preschool in September.
8. I dream of owning/running a children's book shop when I retire...where there is a daily story hour in which children can visit far away places via books & stories. Kind of like the Little Bookstore Around the Corner in You've Got Mail.
9. When I was a Jr in high school or perhaps it was younger, I thought I wanted to be a speech pathologist. I long forgot that until a couple of months ago I found that Who's Who in whatever boo at mom's house...there it was, I was planning to major in speech pathology. They say the average college student changes their major 7 times...I only changed once but somehow forgot about the Speech Path thing... Now, I'm well on my way to the speech pathology degree, beginning my Master's in the Fall.
10. I am recently addicted to Yahoo Answers...answering questions on child development. I love to share what I know with others~ If my contributions help a parent, calm a fear or lead to an appropriate diagnosis...I am happy.

No tags this time...you are all safe :o) Have a good one!

Birthday pictures

The much awaited bday pics came last night...just a few cutie shots~

Yummy birthday kisses~

Gracie makes her own snowcone

Irresistible carousel cake. This photo doesn't capture the finger side of the cake. Gracie 'bout had her fill of icing before we even cut the cake. :o)

Yum...cotton candy. Is this blueberry? Raspberry? No wait, it's watermelon or maybe strawberry? Eight flavors were served up by SnoBiz...they set it up, serve it up & clean it up! That's my kind of cotton candy machine.

Caitlyn's enjoying the bubbles after searching for treasures in the hay stack.

Sweet Grace and Auntie Em. Uncle Randy's turning blue. Is that from a snowcone or cotton candy?

My friend, Kim, Shortycake Cookie maker/baker. Aren't these carousel horses sweet??

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Happy Happy Birthday Grace

It's been quite the birthday week! 

Blowout party on Sunday with 50 of our most favorite folks, all you can cotton candy in 8 flavors as well as limitless snow cones!  Whooo hoooo!  Party pics to come later...waiting for Uncle B. He shot most of them as I was entertaining all those lovely folks~

Keeping with tradition I had with my mom,  I took Gracie on our 1st mom & me strawberry picking expedition. See pics below.  They irrigated the crops that morning so to say it was muddy is quite an understatement. Gracie did lots of picking...out of my basket into hers. :o) She took it upon herself to warn each passerby that "It's pretty muddy out here." After we hosed ourselves off, we enjoyed strawberry pie and other sundry strawberry sweets in the onsite bakery.  On our way out the door, we picked up some lovely geraniums & herbs for home. THEN we headed 1/2 an hour north to the beach....what a time we had! Gracie has a healthy respect for the waves & water this year which is very nice. She's growing so fast~

Today, the actual BIRTHDAY was spent downtown Chicago. We took the train & played in Millenium Park & fountains for a huge chunk of the day. Enjoyed the kids festivities/activities at the Target/Chicaco Children's Museum Tent.  Do it yourself facepainting....thankfully it washed off both of us at the fountain. She's napping now after a well spent day. We will have pizza & cake tonight with Nate, Steph & Emily. 

Happy Birthday, meine Schatze~  Ich liebe dich so viel~

PS.  My keyboard took a bath yesterday...I have no idea if it will recover after a night of beeping.  There was no means to type last night...only point & click.  We'll see~~~~~

Princess Play & Party Prep

Here I sit in my jammies & lamby ears (evidence of a mom who plays) while Gracie dances around in her everyday princess/flapper attire. We've discovered more dress up fancies in a lovely tote tucked away from Christmas. Must try them all on at once.

Today is party preparation. Gracie's 3rd birthday is on Sunday. 50+ folks are coming to celebrate. What in the world was I thinking inviting all those people?? I love a party, though Gracie insists that just the two of us should come. "Remember all those people came to our house that one time? And we had a princess cake and I weared my princess dress?" Just the two of us.

We're at a park this year..that was the plan last year but it rained. So, we've booked the princess park with pavillion and potty privileges. This is a simply sweet party with a cotton candy & snow cone machine to send us into a sugar coma. I can't wait to get pictures of the cake...it's a carousel cake! My friend from Shorty Cake Cookies is making several carousel pony pops to adorn the top of the cake. We're making a maypole sort of carousel. Sure to be delightful!

Today's to do list:

• clean house for folks coming over pre-party
  
• clean up the cooler to tote all the ice for 100 snow cone, bottled water & punch
  
• pick up paper grocery bags for our stick ponies
  
• pick up the snow cone machine
  
• pick up keys to the park restroom - potty privileges
  
• buy misc food/drink stuff
  
• purchase misc decorations/partyware stuff...more candy for haystack hunt
  
• have fun with Grace at the water park - not sure why I promised a visit to the water park with everything going on, but......
  
• complete 2 work related items....

You know I'm procrastinating when I take a moment to blog with a to do list that long....or perhaps this is helping me put things in order to move forward. :o) Plus, I just wanted to capture that princess play picture.

A few pics from our recent visit to the Meadow Fair last weekend with Nate, Steph & baby Emily. So much fun...pony rides, petting zoo, jump & slides, hayride, crafts, face painting, exotic animal show (hence, the alligator & non pictured python!!!), possibles (Gracie's word for popsickle), duck pond game & so much more!!!!

Have a great weekend folks. More to come post party~

Allistair the Alligator

Pony up folks~

Melon Face

Gracie & Nate waiting for the pony ride

Ducky play with Em & Grace

Our latest Gracie repeat song: He's Got the Whole World In His Hands...

Of course, more animals make it into His hands than people do...go figure.

Water play & peonies

Time to play...it's a one piece swimsuit day for the girls :o) Thanks for weighing in on that one a couple of weeks ago...

We have a baby pool still in the shed. Grace is convinced it's ok to put your entire body in the water table...it worked for this day. A hot day but cold water. Burrrrr

These are my neighbors peonies. Unlike any other peonies that grace her garden, Doris said these have simply evolved over the years to such a charming blossom.

Here's to a great weekend~

7 Random Facts & A to Z tag

I've been tagged AGAIN. I'll take Bumblypick up on this one. Thanks for the invite, Christy. My apologies to others who've tagged & I was too pooped to play. :o) AND see below for the A to Z meme game...

The rules are: People who are tagged start by thinking about 7 random facts/habits about themselves. Each player then must write about those seven things on their blog, as well as include these rules. Players then need to choose 7 people to tag and list their names. Don’t forget to leave each person a comment telling them they’ve been tagged.

I choose: sininole, buhle73, leanonfaith, Gr8Grace, Worldofrandomness, HimmelFeuer & Hope4TheNations.

So the little known facts:

1. With a passion for the harvest, I have served with missions teams in 11 nations around the globe including China, Senegal, Turkey, Guatemala, Bulgaria, the UK, Puerto Rico/Bahamas and then some. Those were my BG days...before Grace. :o) Ya'll know what I mean! My mission field is a bit closer to home these days, but I believe I'm cultivating a heart for the harvest in my little Grace. Most recently, I've been sowing into our newest church campus, CLC South Bend, as part of the worship team. What a privilege to serve~

2. While working on my undergraduate degree, I was a licensed forklift operator. Now, it didn't take long for the folks at this 10,000+ acre warehouse & distribution center fo find something more suitable for me to do rather than drive a fork truck around taking out this & denting that. Actually, the damage was when I tried to drive the stand up fork truck:

"Wes, your truck is blocking the aisle. Will you move your truck please?"

"Move it yourself, girlie"

"Ok, how does this thing work?" Wes gives a few basic instructions..."This is easy & a bit fun.....Ok, how do I stop...HOW DO I STOP?!!"

"Well, running into the racks is one way to do it"

Hee, hee....well, not so funny then.

3. At 19, I was on record as the youngest person employed as an official staff member in the history of SouthEast Missouri State University. Part of the work study program, I worked for the University Police department, assistant to the Transportation Coordinator. When my boss resigned, I got the job..meaning I coordinated all the official travel for the University, managing a fleet of cars, vans, buses & coaches for faculty, sports teams, etc.

4. While serving as the Transportation Coordinator, I was assigned to the Transportation Unit of the SECRET SERVICE to assist and facilitate transportation during President RONALD REAGAN's visit to SEMO Sept 1988. I belonged to the Secret Service logistical team for two weeks prior to the Presidential visit. Of course, the highlight was seeing/hearing this great President in person. However, the letter that came from the White House personally thanking me for my assistant was also pretty sweet as the youngest staff member in the history of the University. :o)

5. Between my job as a developmental therapist working with infants & toddlers with special needs AND my priviledge as MOM to 3 yr old Grace....rarely a day goes by that I don't make animal sounds...with a quack, quack here & a quack, quack there~

6. I love the orange-chocolate combination...from a kid, I'd add orange juice to my chocolate ice cream, making a tasty shake. How wonderful find as a grown up there are lots of choc-orange indulgences. :o) My favorite...Swenson's Swiss Orange Chip Ice Cream. Sadly, the last time I ever enjoyed this tastry treat was in San Fransico trapsing up Nob/Russian Hill. Now, that was a refreshing pit stop. :o)

7. Aside from the Six Flags/Cedar Point cheesy recording studio stuff, I am recorded on 4 CD productions including 2 live performances (plus a ton of studio work) with our worship team from CLC. I recorded with the IBC chorale/choir in Indianopolis. AND finally, while living in Germany I did some vocals for a German recording artist as well as co-wrote 2 songs for his newest production.

AND then of course, Carol tagged me with an entirely different game:

A to Z

“A to Z Meme”

A. Available or Single? Available

B- Best Friend. Grace...she says so

C- Cake or Pie. Chocolate Zuccotto from Maggiano's

D- Drink of Choice. Water w/lemon or diet Dr. Pepper

E- Essential Item. Music

F- Favorite Color. Green

G- Gummi Bears or Worms. Bears

H- Hometown. Dexter, MO

I- Indulgence. Chocolate dipped fruit or that Zuccutto cake

J- January or other: I love July...give me fireworks and parades!

K- Kids: 1 sweetie Gracie girl; kisses or hugs....oh, I like kisses but hugs are a nice complement

L- Life is incomplete without… relationships with God, family & friends

M-My birthday...September 22; Master's degreee...yes, starting another in the fall; Monopoly piece...shoe or the hat

N- Number of Siblings? 2

O- Oranges or other? Watermelon, nectarines and peaches

P- Phobias/Fears. I'm overcoming a fear of dogs...Gracie is praying for/ thanking God for a doggie & I know that means I'm getting one sooner or later~

Q- Favorite Quote: My grace is sufficient for you~

R- Reasons to smile: Grace

S- Season(ing). Season: summer seasoning: fresh herbs cut from my garden, but I'm trying a new grill seasoning this weekend.

T- Tag Three. Jen, Randy, Tom and Tracy - I know that's four, but just in case one doesn't want to play.

U- Unknown Fact About Me: In addition to singing background vocals on a German record/CD...I also co-wrote two songs for the same project; I used to be a licensed forklift operator...wait you know that if you read above. What else: I have an extra bone in my knee & my 6th grade teacher believed I had perfect pitch.

V- Vegetarian or Meat eater...Meat eater for sure, but I love my veggies as well; vacation spot...anywhere there's a beach

W- Worst Habit. Tardiness

X- X-ray or Ultrasounds. Ultrasounds-super cool to see Gracie grow & develop via ultrasounds. The German give one each visit so I really saw from month to month, then week to week as she grew in my womb; xylophone or other instrument...french horn.

Y- Your Favorite Foods: Chocolate, most Italian and cheese

Z- Zebra or other favorite animal: well....I do enjoy watching the penquins at the zoo

As told by my pastor, Jerry McQuay, on Sunday May 20 2007:

A new name for me~~

No, I'm not taking on a new name because of my son's wedding. But this morning one of our CLCers, Boris Satey, delivered some food from his restaurant to our house for the wedding party and family guests. He came back to me a few minutes later with his daughter Abigail in tow - she's only 3 years old - to say that she had something to tell me. Of course, like all kids, she instead got very quiet, so Boris prompted her, "Do you know who this is?". When she nodded yes, he said "What do you call him?" She smiled sweetly and said "God"!

After I got over the initial shock, Boris explained that when she was smaller and they were at church together, they would caution Abigail to be quiet, since they were at "God's house" and evidently she decided since I was the guy up front, I must be Him!

My biggest laugh came a little later when he told me that recently they were at the Shorewood campus for service (where they now attend) and she leaned over and said, "Dad, I want to go back to the other church." When he asked which church she meant, she said, "The one where God is".

Out of the mouth of babes! I totally agree with Abigal - don't you? I always want to go to the church where God is!

Tulpen Fest 2007 & More

Keukenhof, Holland

This weekend we ventured to Holland, MI for the Tulip Time Festival. Not quite Keukenhof, Holland where precisely 3 years ago I waddled around 2 weeks shy of the Gracie girl's due date. I knew if I didn't go, chances were slim to none that I would ever take in the glorious sight of those Dutch tulip fields. So, not quite the real deal but it certainly was grand to spend the day with two of my favorite folks...Grace & the highly esteemed, Uncle Bob.

Make a slide show, scrapbook, or ecard

White lovelies

Making a Wish~

Reflections of Grace

Great day & tasty (?) food with a parade & Dutch marktplatz. Scrumptious ice cream at Cold Stone Creamery...nothing Dutch about that I suppose but we were hot & ice cream certainly sounded good. We ambled on up to the Dutch Village with quaint canals, tulip beds with demonstrations & exhibits of the ins/outs of daily life in old time Holland. Grace & I learned a traditional dance, the girl can kick up some dust with all that stomping! She has some really cool custom wooden shoes on the way....I'll post pics when they arrive. We enjoyed several turns on the carousel...one of her most favorite things in all the world.

Giddyup!

Just a swangin~

Wheeeeeeee

Yeehaw!

Mother's Day was a delight with a delicious lunch at a Sabor de Brazil...something like that. If one could get drunk from eating food, no way I could've walked a straight line. :o) For those less fortunate & lack such an experience, all or most of the sides...anything really you could want is available at a buffet...grilled asparagus & red peppers, fresh mozarella & basil, salads & antipastas...so many choices. Then a plethora of grilled meats are brought to your table & sliced right onto your plate. The most tastiest thing of all was the grilled pineapple with dusting of veru fine sugar & cinnamon. Talk about mouthwatering...I have to try this at home. Grilled pineapple is nicht neues, but with cinnamon....YUM!

Holidays are still a bit persnicky given the still fresh loss of my mom...feels fresh at holidays anyway. And then there's the whole single mom thing. Someone very, very thoughtful "helped" Gracie send me a sweet...very lovely African violet for Mother's Day. What a treasure & just brought extras smiles to a day I was actually dreading. Thanks, Tracy...du bist ein schatz!

Just to recap...I have totally finished my SLPP degree with license & certification processes underway. Talk about a happy dance!! Whoo hooo....I guess I have been talking about it the last couple of posts. Still dancing. Gracie is happy to have mommy back & I'm happy to be a mostly at home mom again. We've had lots of park play and tricyle riding; lots of painting, sprinkler play and star glittering to hang above the princess bed.

Ok...here are a few pics from the last few excursions...yes, dating back to Easter & our most recent visit home to visit the horses...family just happened to also be there. :o) I'm catching up on these Grace Full days~

Here horsie, horsie~

Easter egg hunting in our winter coat! Oh, yeah...that's Chicago for you!

You Are a Ham Sandwich

You are quiet, understated, and a great comfort to all of your friends. Over time, you have proven yourself as loyal and steadfast. And you are by no means boring. You do well in any situation - from fancy to laid back. Your best friend: The Turkey Sandwich Your mortal enemy: The Grilled Cheese Sandwich

What Kind of Sandwich Are You?

Thanks to Googlism.com, I found out this interesting stuff about my siblings, Tracy & George.  Some true, some not & some just plain funny!
tracy is back
tracy is too cute for this entry
tracy is normal
tracy is seeking an individual who is able work independently with minimal supervision
tracy is the best name
tracy is featured on us postage stamps commemorating the 100th anniversary of comic     strips
tracy is one of america's leading authorities on the development of human potential and personal effectiveness
tracy is very committed to promoting the creativity of children through her weather sketcher's club
george is moving
george is go
george is so unhappy
george is taking a nap
george is nuts about ??
george is gorgeous
george is aiming high
george is cool
george is a natural
george is driving so slowly (NOT)
george is a costumer and recently competed in the world science fiction convention masquerade in chicago
george is a place of grace

More later, Gracie is awake!
Hey check out these Mother's Day contests at 5 Minutes for Mom
 
AND finally...interesting conversation this weekend at an unnamed social event.
Me:  So, do you have a place in mind or heart that you would like to eventually visit on a missions trip?
XXX:  India.  I really have a burning desire to go to India.
Me:  Really, why is that?
XXX: Well, one of my ancestors was a full blooded Cherokee Indian.  I really want to get over to India and search out my roots.
Me:  HUH?  - no really, I didn't say what I was thinking....
Me:  Oh, you're interested in work with NATIVE AMERICANS???
I'm not typically one to poke fun at others 'cause God knows I fall short my share, but this was too much~ Or am I missing something??

Happy Dance ~~^^!!!^^~~

Internship status: OVER