Thankful November

I love that for the month of November (at least in non-presidential election years) fb fills with posts of gratitude.  this year I decided to partake in the challenge of finding the things that I am thankful for.  Here is what actually ended up on my fb page for *most* of the month...

Day 1: Thankful for beautiful weather that allows us to run in tanks and shorts though it's November in Colorado.

Day 2: Nov. 2: Today I'm thankful that I have the right to vote and for the short lines at early voting!

Day 3: I am thankful for amazing news!!! Just received news that my good friend from Denver is moving back!

Day 4: Today I'm thankful for the whole extra hour of uninterrupted reading time due to Day Light Savings!

Day 5: I am thankful for my friend Allison, who has demonstrated what it is to trust God, and inspires me regularly to do so myself.

Day 6: I am thankful for the individual time I got to spend with each of my kids today. It never seems to happen often enough, so I cherish the spare hour every once in a while.

Day 7: Today I am thankful for the Word of God, that give peace and births faith.

Day 8: I am thankful for family dinners. Even if Maddox wiggles so much the bolts on his chair are loose and Madison dominates the conversation with middle school drama though insisting she's not in the drama scene. I love that we are all together, talking and sharing our day.

Day 9: Today I am thankful for an amazing teaching partner. We work so well together and have SO much fun traveling to conferences all over the country! Next up our own backyard, Denver!!! Hope you have a fabulous birthday riding the rim in your tutu!!!

Day 10: I'm thankful alone time during retail therapy today.

Day 11: I am thankful to have an amazing partner in this journey called parenthood. My husband is an excellent example to both of our children of what a man/husband/father should be- hard working provider, protective, and selfless to name a few. I pray that Maddox will grow to be a great man like his dad, and Madison will find one of his caliber to share her life with.

Day 12: I am so thankful for my friend Anne! She encourages me in my life with prayer and scripture. She can tell me things that are difficult to hear and know we will both be better for it. She is the best running partner (one that is completely ok with skipping a run when life gets crazy OR because we would rather pop open a bottle of wine and start cooking together). Thank you Anne for your amazing friendship.

Day 13(only 5hours late): I am thankful to have made it to Denver safely, for the hysterical laughter in the way over, an incredible view of the city from or 31st floor room, 5 days of conference attending, 5 nights if city life, and 120+ hours of no responsibilities. (Man I'm going to miss my family by weeks end.)

Day 14: I am thankful for good company to debrief the massive amounts in information we received today, all over French Martinis.

Day 16: I am thankful for the birth of a beautiful new life, Oslin Sandoval, came in to the world today, becoming Vycci and Danny’s 4^th child and another Sandoval life that I have the honor of being a part of.

Day 17: I'm thankful for a lovely girls night out with my sister in law. She picked me up in her new car ;) and took me to dinner and desserts that were so delicious she got caught licking the plate! Love you and I'm so thankful for our great conversation, love you Krick!

Day 18: I'm thankful that my husband endures live sporting events for me. (B forgot a hat, so he's thankful for the rally towels they were handing out at the gates.) I think I'll spare him further embarrassment and go buy him a new hat...

Day 19: I am blessed beyond measure, abundantly thankful, and blissfully happy to have Brian as my husband. Happy birthday to my my best friend, and favorite person to live life with. I love you!

Day 20: I'm thankful for modern conveniences, especially a heated home, and running hot water. Think I'll go take advantage of it with a nice soak and book.

Day 21: I am thankful for a house full of family, children laughing, running, and playing, and most of all that we get to share the day together.  Happy Thanksgiving 2012.

Kings and Elections

As I picked my Bible up this week, the bookmarks still at the beginning of 2 Kings where I last left off (in February), I thought it only fitting that I would be reading about the kings of Israel and Judah as this week was election week for the United States of America.   As in every election there is political drama, and this election was no different.  It was easy to allow myself to get caught up in the drama, and even allow fear, panic, and anger to take root.

This week while looking back through 1st Kings, I saw that Israel had its overwhelming share of terrible, ungodly, and even evil rulers, and God was there with His people.  Just as God is with me in the midst of this countries abominable political situation. Whether Obama continues to drive our country farther and farther into debt, or IF Romney would have brought the extinction of the middle class and taken away "women's rights", my trust is NOT in man but in God who has promised to never leave or forsake me.
Rulers- they come and go as we've see through out the Bible, only God is truly constant.  Therefore, my focus is not on complaining about the politics of this country, but seeking God with my entire being,  and finding ways to love people as He loves them. 

Because in the end, that is the only thing that will matter. (1 Cor 13:13 Psalm 94:14)

Fall Festivities

Celebrating the fact that soccer is over for the season (don't worry, winter trainings will start up soon an reclaim soccer's prominent time commitment in our lives) and Maddox is in a lull between flag football and wrestling, we decided to spend our Monday evening enjoying the beautiful fall weather by getting lost in a local corn maze.

Studt's is much more than just a corn maze, and has so many activities that kept us all  entertained until the twilight hour fell.   From a petting zoo with vocal piggies (my favorite), baby goats (Madison's favorite), skittish alpacas (B's favorite)and the Thanksgiving Turkey fattening itself in preparation for next months feast (Maddox's favorite) ,
to GIGANTIC air trampolines,
 
 and even a hay bail tower with a massive slide


- getting lost in the maze soon became the side attraction!

Once in the maze we stuck together for a while, but being the competitive family we are we split off into teams with the challenge being the first to find our way out. 

B and Madison hurried off in one direction wile the boy and I ran in another.  Maddox was so intent on winning that he just took off in the lead; I finally had to tell him that mommy would break her ankle if we kept running over the furrowed field at our current pace.  His panic set in when I received a text from B and Madison saying they have made their way out.  I finally had to tell him that I appreciated his competitive nature, and wanted him to always try his best and want to win, but right now he was so worried about winning (loosing) that he was making a fun activity not so fun.  (I am sure this is a conversation I will have on a regular basis with him.) He pulled it together, and didn't even complain to his dad and sister when we made our own way out of the stalks a few short minutes later.

Before leaving we made sure to have some fun pumpkin head photo ops...


And my favorite photo of the evening...
 

As we headed out of the parking lot the harvest moon rose above the bookcliffs, providing a picturesque ending to a fabulous fall evening.

Pumpkin Carvin

It is becoming a tradition for Brian's siblings to gather our families for an evening of jack-o-lantern creating. All the grand kids haul their pumpkin patch finds to their grandmas kitchen. Each jabbering their creative concepts above the voices of the other.

Tastey treats and a warm pot of chili, do their part to tame our bellies.

The aroma of spiced cider hanging heavy in the air in stark contrast to the crisp autumn cross breeze cooling as they work.

Wrinkled noses, oohs, and giggles accompany the removal of innards. Next Sharpies are wielded marking one of a kind designs.

Carving tools, from butcher knives, to battery operated mini saber saws, scattered across the tables are ready to do their part in the metamorphosis from pumpkin to art.

Our final products this year: Harry Potter, Zombie Brains, little Myla Face, a ghostly ghoul, and a Peyton Manning Bronco.

Life's Calling

Contemplating life's calling. . . 

Some days it would be easier to believe that we are not meant to do the things we have been called to do, for then we could abandon with no consequence. 

But when you know that what you are doing is EXACTLY what you were meant for, the cost of persevering is miniscule to the cost of quitting.

Prayers of a 6 Year Old Boy

Dear God,
I pray that my mom feels better soon and that my dog's farts don't stink tonight.
Amen.

(Maddox's prayer the other night).

Crabtree Family Weekend Year Two

For the second year in a row my mom and her husband planned a fabulous weekend get away for all of their kids and grand kids.  This year we went to the Hilltop House in Mesa Colorado.  This place was HUGE, comfortable accommodating all 18 of us.  2 grand parents, 4 children and their 4 spouses, 7 grand children, and one friend of Madison's made the trek this year.

My mom and Dan are so creative in finding fun activities for us all to do.  The first morning we had a fishing derby, complete with 6 pink Barbi fishing poles, and one yellow-very boyish-pole, power bait, fish eggs, awards for biggest, most, and first fish, and 2 adults for every kiddy fisher... the only thing missing were the fish... not a single bite.

They also hung glow-in-the-dark stars in the bushes around the cabin to provide fun star watching during the Blue Moon weekend.  The kids were captivated with a nature scavenger hunt, going on a hike and trying to spot animal poop and prints, flowers, insects, and even some man made items like fence posts and power poles.  Dan took the older girls (Madison and her friend Gracey) on a hike up to the flag pole on the summit of Beehive Mountain.

Thanks to Kristen we had a tie dyeing adventure, where all the kids came away with a brightly colored shirt, and us ladies turned our shirts into pretty amazing scarves.
Amazingly all the kids behaved and played really well together for the majority of the weekend, making it a pleasant experience for the rest of us.

Brian had to work so my mom made a cardboard cut out of his head so he could be included in the fun event pictures.  We got a lot of good laughs and great entertainment by placing Biran in random photo ops. I was thankful that he made it up after work on Saturday to help me cook dinner, and we managed to get in a family picture as well.

A HUGE thank you to my mom and Dan for putting all this together for us, it is greatly appreciated and completely enjoyed by this Caster Clan!