Our California vacation will definitely go down in the record books as one of the best times we have shared as a family. In 6 days we hit Santa Monica Pier, California Adventure, Disneyland, Laguna Beach, Dana Point, American Girl Place, Hollywood, Beverly Hills and the LA airport. Seven out of the 9 stops were fantastic. I could have done without LAX and Hollywood. (Minus the big Hollywood sign on the mountainside, my 1950's image of Hollywood was completely dashed)
We took over 250 great pictures and narrowing them down to just a few favorites is next to impossible. But here is at least one from each place. . .and maybe a few more. AND if these aren't enough and you're just dying to see more, go to Kevin's blog for his own favorites. FYI - he is much better at narrowing them down than I. Enjoy!
Vacation Favorites
My Home School Top 10
When people hear that we home school, one of the favorite questions they almost always ask is, "What curriculum do you use?" There is no telling how many times I have rattled off the list of the good, bad and ugly that I have tested over the years. I have never been able to stick with just one company that produces a full curriculum of study. All companies have their strengths and weaknesses. And though there are many great things out there I have yet to try, I thought I would take a few minutes to compose my Top 10 List as of today.
So here you have it. . .from Kindergarten to 5th grade, here is Amy's Top 10 (but in no particular order). . .I won't bore you with the details as to why, but if you ask, I'd love to share.
1. Abeka Language/Phonics/Spelling (Click Here)
2. Singapore Math for K-1st (Click Here) and Math U See for 2nd-5th (Click Here)
3. Apologia Science - today this is probably my favorite (Click Here)
4. Anything written by Jean Fritz for U.S. History (all at the library)
5. You Tube videos of Bill Nye the Science Guy and SchoolHouse Rock
6. Kay Arthur Inductive Bible Studies for Kids (Click Here)
7. Evan-Moor History Pockets (Click Here)
8. Sonlight Curriculum for read-a-louds and chapter book reading - I don't use the entire curriculum (Click Here)
9. Heroes of History and Christian Heroes:Then and Now from YWAM (Click Here)
10. Leading Little Ones to God by Marian M. Schoolland (Click Here)
First Day of School
It's that time of year again! I can hardly believe that my girls are in 5th, 2nd and 1st grades. Even though we home school, they are in an all day Friday school program every week. To read more about it you can see Emma's blog (Click Here) where she wrote about her new school year.
September 8, 2009 - Happy 6th Birthday, Olivia!
Olivia had to postpone her birthday party this year for a few weeks because Mom and Dad's weekend schedules have been so crazy, but here are a few photos of the big day. We called this "Family Birthday Party - Part 1." This weekend it's Chuck E Cheese time, so more photos will be coming later. . .
You can click on each picture to make it larger. . .
It's the Little Things that Make Me Happy
Joy and Happiness are two very different things.
Joy is a choice. It is a gift freely given from the Father no matter what circumstances of life come our way. It's there. It gives us a sense of peace and "lightness" in our step no matter what the day might bring. We just have to grab it and hold on tight.
Happiness, on the other hand, is found in the little things that unexpectedly happen throughout life. Happiness is that thing that sort of makes us giddy for a brief time and then fades away as life progresses, only to make it's appearance again at yet another unexpected, perfect moment.
For example, here are some little things that have brought me "Happiness" this holiday weekend. . .
The $1.99 rack at Gymboree
Perfectly sweet peaches from the Farmer's Market
The purchase of a french press that makes a perfect cup of coffee
A great haircut
What more could a girl ask for??? So here's wishing you true joy and lots and lots of unexpected happiness, not just this holiday weekend, but every day. . .just when you need it.
What little things make you happy?
The Blogging Family
It's official. Everyone in our family now has a blog of their own except for the dog. This year I decided that there is no better way to incorporate writing, computer skills and typing into homeschool than to create a blog for Emma, Claire and Olivia. So far this has been the highlight of their first week of school. So. . .as if you didn't have enough blogs to follow and sites to check out, I'll kindly add a few more. They look way better than mine! Emma (5th Grade). . .Claire (2nd Grade). . .Olivia (1st Grade).
It would be great for the girls if you would kindly add a comment to their writing and pictures every once in a while. They will be posting poetry, stories, pictures and journal entries at least once a week. Hope you enjoy!. . .Hope I haven't gotten in over my head. . .4 blogs to maintain, o my!
A Weekend in Estes to End the Summer
Kevin being a pastor in Colorado has some great perks. . .one of the best being that everyone gets married in the mountains. This means that at least a couple of times a year the family gets an all expense paid weekend to some of the best wedding spots on the map. This weekend we just so happened to get to celebrate the wedding of some friends in Estes Park at the YMCA of the Rockies. . .one of our family favorite places to visit.
Here's the wedding spot
And just a few more snapshots from the day
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And lastly, the 56 degree outdoor, rainy wedding reception. . .notice Olivia fighting for her spot around the heater. . .
The 56 degree end of the weekend reminded me all too well that Fall is just around the corner. I guess this was our last hoorah. . .school starts next Monday!!!
Emma's Golden Day
The older my kids get, the easier birthday parties become. No more Chuck E Cheese with 20 preschoolers. A fun day with a best friend seems to make everyone feel like celebrating. So, on Monday, that is what we did. We celebrated!
Here is the party crew...
Claire, Kate, Olivia, Megan and Emma
And here are the best friends...
Emma and Megan
Then we can't forget the sisters of the best friends...
Kate and Claire
Olivia
Then there's the party...
Color Me Mine pottery painting
And last but not least, the UPS man delivered lots of boxes from family in Kentucky. . .family party to end the day...
Emma is officially double digits! I was told it was her "golden birthday" because she was 10 on the 10th. So happy golden birthday, Emma! Can't wait to see all of the amazing things God has in store for you. You already make your dad and me very proud!
I Can't Believe I'm the Mom of a 10 Year Old!!!
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August 10, 1999
Emma Grace Colon
Happy Birthday, Emma!!!
Snapshots from our KY Vacation
Long overdue, but regardless, here they are. . .ENJOY! I know we did!!
WKU Days
Every summer our family makes it back to KY to visit family. Sometimes the trips are shorter than I would like. Other times I find myself with opportunities to really sit back with good friends from the past and reminisce about the old days. So far, this has been a reminiscing vacation. As I write, I'm in Louisville at my mother-in-law's house. It's great. We have been fed and loved on. The girls have been given 24/7 undivided attention. And Kevin and I have had the opportunity to not only enjoy family, but also to enjoy friends. Just tonight I'm sitting here realizing that I feel alive like I haven't in a long time.
Have you ever experienced that feeling? Something or someone just resonates with your spirit. . .For me, it's one of those things that hits me out of nowhere. I usually don't even realize that my soul is so thirsty, but after drinking in that huge gulp of life, the refreshment proves to be almost overwhelming. That's how I have felt the past 2 days, thanks to some time spent, and love shared, and common bonds felt between us and some fantastic people. . .Pete and Brandi Wilson, Jeremy and Kelly Nelson, Kevin's sister, Carol, and Jeff and Vicki Rogers.
For me, each of these connections are very unique. I went to school with Brandi from middle school through college. Kevin and Pete were roommates and great friends at WKU. They were the studs of the BSU (then the Baptist Student Union), or so they think. I even brushed shoulders with Kevin's sister, Carol, at WKU during those days. Yet through it all, our paths were always crossing (some more than others), but never completely woven together by God for quite some time.
Jeremy and Kelly were other WKU BSU faces that I only recognized but never really knew (Kevin was friends with them and they knew all of his OTHER girl friends, but not me). And to me, Jeff and Vicki were always just doing life on a different level of "cool" from me. Although I knew them enough to say, "hello," that was about it. All of these great people struck me as somebody to take note of during those days. None of them were really my close buddies. Yet somehow this entire group mentioned danced through mine and each other's lives for 4+ years on that WKU campus.
This week I have been amazed at how God has brought these fantastic people back to the surface of my life once again. To each of you, you have given me "life" through our conversations and memories and LAUGHTER and your boldness to serve the Lord. Each of you have impacted my life with your faithfulness and relentless passion. In your own way you have inspired me with the way you are living life out in your corner of the world. And you have encouraged me to continue to take giant leaps for the sake of Christ.
Years have passed since we first met. . .12+ to be exact. I never had a clue that these last few days would happen. In the grand scheme of life, our brief time eating and drinking coffee together may have been nothing more than just a fun vacation moment. Who knows. But for those moments, your hearts and lives spoke into me. And your passion for a relationship with the Father shone brightly. You taught me to never underestimate any relationships, that's for sure. And maybe God will continue to do the weaving and maybe he won't (I hope he does). . .but for this week. . .thanks for the time you shared with us. I can't wait to see what adventures God has planned for you next!
My New Favorite Author
No one directed me to Debbie Macomber. I wasn't shopping for a fiction book. But as I passed through the book aisle at Costco a few weeks ago, this one just seemed to beg, "take me home." It's rare that I ever spend $ on a book unless it has been recommended and researched heavily first. Books are so stinkin' expensive, even though I admit that I love owning them much more than I should. But for $4.49, it was a risk I was willing to take. And let me just tell you. . .I have discovered my summer vacation! Who knew it resided in the pages of a book. I was thinking something tropical or adventurous sounded like a nice plan for the summer. But no, I discovered my summer vacation for $4.49. Now THAT's a deal!!!! And in my opinion, these books are somewhat equal in comparison to sipping a fruity concoction on the beach. You just need a little imagination.
Since reading Twenty Wishes, I have now researched and planned out my entire summer reading list. I feel like an elementary school student again doing my summer reading program. I wonder if I can get Kevin to buy me a personal pan pizza from Pizza Hut when I complete my "vacation?" (That's what I remember getting as a kid when summer reading came to an end)
So, if you are like me. . .needing a good vacation. . .I simply suggest to you readers out there that this is a great place to start. Sorry, guys, it's pretty much a ladies only kind of book. But there is not mushy romance happening very often. . .just a lot of good clean and compelling fun. Click Here to start your vacation. . .and make sure to pick a series and read it from start to finish. The books seem to stand alone and yet I'm discovering that the order makes the journey much better. You'll find LOTS of them at the library. I can't help but wonder if I'm the last person standing to discover Debbie Macomber. Now that I mention her, EVERYONE seems to know her stuff. Check it out!
1st Grade! 1st Grade!
Today was the last official day of school. We now have a 1st grader, 2nd grader and 5th grader in the Colon family!! Girls, you did it again, and Daddy and I are so proud of you!
Kindergarten graduation was a very big deal for little Olivia. 
I just love these priceless moments. . .
Happy Mother's Day to Me!
I have to say that Mother's Day, although it has always been celebrated in our home, is usually pretty low key, just like birthdays beyond 30 and President's Day. I prefer it that way. Just give me a day where I don't have to cook or clean, do laundry or pick up after anyone other than myself and I'm good.
This year, once again, was a fairly low key day. I am blessed to have a husband and kids who make sure that Mommy is taken care of well year round. So I don't expect or even feel the need for HUGE celebration. But as the girls get older they seem to get more excited about the whole idea of celebrating special occasions. And this year, I have to say that my greatest gift was getting to watch their excitement in their scheming and whispering and giggling as they planned to celebrate Mom.
Here's how the day went. . .
6:15 - Kevin and 3 little girls woke me up to go on a scavenger hunt. . .
And the treasure at the end of the hunt?. . .
Emma quickly took credit for this surprise. She is a great little shopper. Watch out future husband!
The Gift - Okay, so I was really good at making it obvious what I wanted. For weeks I have strategically walked the girls past the bikes every time we went to Target and said, "girls, wouldn't it be fun for Mommy to have a bike now that all of you are riding without training wheels? We could have so much fun this summer." Olivia, the precocious one that she is, quickly took the idea and ran with it. She has probably been whispering and telling this to Daddy over and over again for weeks. I guess you might call me sneaky to go about getting a gift in this way. . .I call it a valiant attempt to assure my family a very happy mommy - my gift to them. See everybody wins!
So here it is. . .my new Schwinn Cruiser
And here they are. . .the one's who call me Mommy
The day continued with a fabulous day at Cool River, a trip to every bike store in town, an afternoon nap while it rained, a solo outing to the AMC to watch 17 Again (two thumbs up and no, not just because it was Zac Efron. . .I'm married for goodness sake!) and dinner at Chili's. Kevin put the girls to bed. I read a book. Goodnight, Mommy! Now that's what I call a perfect day of celebrating!
Thank you Kevin! You amaze me at how you go above and beyond all expectations to love me!
Simple Fun
Simple Fun is all it takes. . .
Just because we are a church planting family, it doesn't really mean that we are any different from anybody else. We work hard and often don't play enough. It's the typical story of just about everyone I know.
Kevin and I learned very quickly how important it is to calendar life. I fought this idea for some time. It sounds so UN-FUN. . .okay, I made that word up, but you know what I mean. Calendaring life is often for those black and white, spreadsheet kind of people like my good friend, Sharon. It never sounded like Amy, the procrastinator. But let me just tell you now, IT WORKS!! And the proof is in the pictures. . .
Earlier this week our family spent 2 nights and 3 days in Estes Park at the YMCA of the Rockies. For the last 4 years we have taken a spring getaway to the mountains. This year we chose Estes. It's only 45 minutes from our house. Granted, a lot of people can't say that. But regardless, just about everyone lives 45 minutes or so from someplace at least kinda cool.
And here's the deal, getaways aren't about the glitz - that's the difference between a getaway and a vacation. . .they are much more about the slowness and simpleness and quiteness of the moments. We didn't actually RIDE the horses. We just attempted to pet them. We hiked and we ate yucky camp food and we swam with over 70 LOUD middle schoolers in an indoor pool. We played putt putt on a course that was probably older than me. We climbed on rocks, watched deer and elk and swung on a tire swing. It was fantastic! And the renewal those moments provided was invaluable. Take it from me. This girl needed to be renewed! I'd be willing to bet you do, too.
So, if you haven't had a personal or family getaway lately. . .what are you waiting for??? No one can put it on the calendar but you.
Look Out World, Here She Comes!
My 5 year old, Olivia, just learned how to ride her bike a few weeks ago. I'm posting this one especially for Pop because I know he's been wanting to see her ride. . .
Olivia Riding Her Bike from amy colon on Vimeo.
Gotta Love Kindergarten Performances!
Olivia's Kindergarten Song from amy colon on Vimeo.
Funny how this song brings back old memories. . .Our principal, Mr. Anderson, used to make us sing this song in chapel at West Side Elementary. . .YES, chapel in a public school! How times have changed!!
Our Spring Flower
Claire has been taking a dance class on Friday for about 6 weeks. . .not a bad debut performance for my rough and tumble middle girl. . .(beware, it's definitely a "home video" quality movie, but it's still super cute.)
Claire's School Dance Recital from amy colon on Vimeo.
Chocolate is Great. . Chocolate is Grand. . .
Happy Valentines Day, everyone! Sit back and enjoy this video just for fun - from me to you - guaranteed you'll feel the need to go out and buy some chocolate right away.
Trying To Catch Up - January 2009
Obviously I have had little time to blog so far in the new year, so I thought that I should at least post a few pictures to catch everybody up. . .
A Day at Cool River
We took a family walk to the park - it felt like Spring in January!
Inauguration Day - I'm so happy that I thought to snap a few pictures as the girls watched such a historic day unfold. . .I was amazed at how much they enjoyed watching it all with us.
A 70 degree day at the zoo
And I can't forget to show you ECO - did you know he is part poodle, part cocker spaniel, part mountain goat?
The Last of Christmas 2008
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Pink Razor scooters from Pop for everyone!.JPG)
Emma's Christmas gifts have officially gotten smaller - no more little girl toys for her. . .this picture actually kinda makes me sad..JPG)
The first official web admission of my short hair - not thrilled. . .the next one you see I will be back to the old Amy :-).JPG)
I wonder if Taylor Swift started out in her pj's?.JPG)
Preparing for a tea party with Gran.JPG)
The men watching basketball.JPG)
I can't even think of an appropriate caption for this one. . .Any ideas??
Hope you had a fantastic Holiday, too!!!
New Sister
Meet Ingrid, the girls' new Compassion International "sister" from Ecuador. They don't realize it yet, but Ingrid is definitely the best gift they received this Christmas. We will start supporting and communicating with her starting this New Year. 
It took over an hour of sitting in front of the computer browsing for the girls to choose Ingrid. Such indecisiveness (and Kevin was so patient!). . .but after praying about it, we are sure that we chose the right little girl for our family.
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Up on the Housetop
Emma's Piano Recital - Up on the Housetop from amy colon on Vimeo.
I'll add a few more songs later. . .
Christmas Traditions (Part 3)
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Just finished reading this one to the girls. . .it's so much fun to hear them laugh out loud as I read. . .
Christmas Traditions (Part 2)
Every year since the girls were tiny we have made a gingerbread house during the holidays. I have done everything from making it from scratch (the overachiever Christmas about 3 years ago) to buying the Wilton Gingerbread kit (the one that made me so mad that I threw half of it on the floor in anger in front of the kids and they still remind me of it to this day.) But this year my goal was simplicity during the holidays. So, here is our 2008 gingerbread house..JPG)
It took 30 minutes to complete. There was no mess except for all of those little white papers from the sticky foam shingles. No one cussed (oops, I guess I forgot to share that part from last year) or threw it down in anger. .JPG)
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And we still have a lovely "gingerbread house" to be proud of. . .actually a gingerbread house with LANDSCAPING!
Are you doing anything SIMPLER this holiday season?
Thanksgiving Day "Must Haves"
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**Making and eating Cranberry bread on Thanksgiving morning with our own "secret recipe" while watching the Macy's Day Parade..JPG)
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**Emma LOVES her homemade cranberries - she doesn't eat turkey or dressing, only cranberries.
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**And homemade applesauce makes the day complete.
I hope you all had a terrific Turkey Day!
What were your "Must Haves" for the day??
Let the Traditions Begin
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Emma is my girl who loves TRADITION. . .she is always very intent on sitting in the same place every Christmas morning as she opens her gifts. She wants very specific kinds of food every Thanksgiving. . .so this year I decided to chronicle every holiday tradition that our family enjoys.
Here is tradition #1. . .Operation Christmas Child. Last week we delivered 51 boxes from Cool River. The girls always shop for and prepare one box of their own. This is a tradition I'm always pretty excited to keep.
Happy Holidays!!! Keep checking back for more.
(Also, Click here for photoblog pics of Claire playing basketball. . .)
Family Fun WEEKEND!
So this weekend we took advantage of this perfect time of year and had some extra family fun that took us all the way from Saturday morning to late on Sunday night.
We rarely go the to theater as a family. It's pretty crazy what 2 hours at the AMC can cost a family of 5. My girls weren't really interested in taking pictures, but I was able to catch Claire grinning in her High School Musical attire. Yep, you guessed it - what brings a family of 5 to the theater on an early Saturday morning - only Gabriella and Troy in HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 3! Yea, it rocked! I'm not sure who liked it more, the girls or me. . .or maybe even Kevin. . .I did see his head bopping a little bit to the music a time or two. . . .JPG)
Saturday afternoon was yet ANOTHER birthday party. Thank goodness this time all we had to do was attend. The girls had a great time at Julia's American Girl mystery party.
Finally, Sunday night was the official Family Fun Night #2. It was a bit impromptu and after a long day of church activities we were a bit pooped, but still, we had a lot of fun celebrating Fall by dipping caramel apples (thanks for the idea, Wilson's) and carving a giant pumpkin into none other than Snow White. .JPG)
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Isn't she beautiful??!! Happy Fall!
A Gooey Twist on the Original. . .
During family night a few weeks ago we tried this fun new dessert recipe from my friend, Brandi Wilson. . .it was a huge, sweet and yummy hit.
This morning we decided to try our own new twist on the recipe and make "cinnamon rolls" for breakfast. You've gotta try it!
All you need is a bag of large marshmallows, one package of original crescent rolls, cinnamon sugar and a cookie sheet..JPG)
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Roll marshmallows in the cinnamon sugar and place them on the crescent to be rolled up. MAKE SURE you seal off the openings so that marshmallows are completely covered..JPG)
Cover wrapped marshmallows with cinnamon sugar - the more the better!
Bake at 375 for 10 minutes.JPG)
I was surprised that the marshmallows popped out, but it didn't matter. . ..JPG)
It's gooey and yummy and sweet - everything a kid loves!!
ENJOY!
Is She Ever Going to Write Again???
For those of you wondering what has happened. . .I'm still around. It's just not as easy to keep up with 2 blogs as I thought it would be. If you haven't heard, I am also writing for a really great organization called Glocalnet. You can follow me here .
As for keeping up with the family - I'm really trying, but forgive me for being so brief. I did successfully post new pictures this morning from September. Click here to see those.
I will continue to use this blog to let you know what is happening in the life of the Colon family. Don't stop checking!
Have a great week!
Venture Vietnam Fall '08
Check out Kevin's blog to see pictures of Cool River's latest relief trip to Vietnam. . .http://kevincolon.blogspot.com
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Check Out My Newest Adventure!
For a long time I have dreamed of sharing my stories and experiences and lessons learned with other church planting wives. It has always just totally amazed me that these brave ladies aren't loved on more or equipped more fully. But for me, life has been crazy since we started Cool River. And I needed lots of experience before I could ever speak anything worth hearing into their lives.
I suppose God has now decided that I am ready to get my feet wet. Check out my newest adventure. I feel very honored to get this opportunity. . .pray for me, please, and wish me lots of luck. It's going to be a lot of fun!
Family Fun Night #1
So I've been following my friend, Brandi, as she has started blogging about their testosterone filled family nights. Minus the testosterone in a house full of girls, it sounded like fun. So this week I decided to give it a try. I must admit, I stole some ideas. Hopefully I will get more creative as we continue. But for now, here are some pics from the first official Colon Family Fun Night. (And by the way, Brandi, Kevin and ECO may be interested in joining your family every once in a while for some rough and tumble boy time. Next week I'm planning a fairytale princess night!)
Ingredients to a yummy Family Night - Emma was my Sous Chef as we cut up everything for make-your-own salads..JPG)
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Appetizers - Mine, Kevin and Emma's favorites - the other girls just said "EEEEWWWW" and dug the white bread out of the leftover French baguette..JPG)
Make-Your-Own salad buffet was a hit!.JPG)
And dessert was yummy! (This is the idea that I stole. Thanks, Brandi!).JPG)
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We ended the night with everyone's favorite game - Apples to Apples. . . Claire won! (I just didn't share the pics because she didn't have a shirt on and I don't want to be one of those moms who scar their kids by sharing naked photos :-)).JPG)
O yea, and ECO joined in the fun, too..JPG)
FUN, FUN family night!!! You should try it!
So Proud of My Claire!
I can't let the evening pass me by without sharing a quick story that was just so fantastic from today. I wish I had a picture to share as well. Maybe next time.
Today Claire and Emma went to try out for a theatre group in Boulder called the Peanut Butter Players. It's a kids group for ages K-6th. They are terrific, and because my girls have been twisting my arm for such a long time to let them be in a play, I finally gave in.
Anyway, a long story made very short is this. . .there were 30 kids. Each child had to prepare their own song to sing for the audition and they had to sing it in front of everyone. For my girls, this was their first solo experience. I have to admit that I was very nervous. And I thought that they would be nervous as well. My heart beat so fast when each of their names were called. I really had no idea what to expect.
First up was Emma. She did fantastic! She rocked and her boldness shocked this introverted mom who has thought all along that she had the introverted first child in Emma - but theatre definitely brought out the best in her.
Next was Claire. Now Claire is my sweet and innocent 6 1/2 year old. She has a heart that is bent towards God and loving others. She is so sweet. And Claire chose "Jesus Loves Me" as her solo debut.
(Now let me just remind you all of this. I LIVE IN BOULDER COUNTY, COLORADO. This is the place where they say that 1 in every 10 people that you pass on the street MIGHT believe in Christ. This is liberal-town, USA. Obama rocks here! Trees are loved a lot here. And "Jesus Loves Me" - well, let's just say that it's NOT the first song that most preschoolers learn like in my home of the South.)
Anyway, my sweet Claire, of course, has no idea of these things. She loves Jesus. I'm fairly sure that she believes everyone loves Jesus. She has no fears or apprehension in talking about God like her best friend. And as she marched up onto that public school stage in Boulder, Colorado, she gave it all she had. She sang at the top of her lungs. She hit every note. She was confident. She was so darn cute. And she had no idea, but she was one of the greatest witnesses at that moment that I have seen in a really long time - knowing the crowd as I did.
I breathed a sigh of relief when the entire group applauded. No one raised a hand in protest or yelled any rude remarks. And Claire was beaming.
The best part was still to come, though. At the end of the auditions - when we had successfully made it through and I knew that no one was going to give a second thought to her song selection, the teacher gave one final call. She said that she was giving anyone who thought that they might need one more shot to re-audition and do a better job the second chance. Any takers? And whose hand shot up in the crowd? Calire's! I have no idea why. She did so great the first time. All I can figure out is this. . .God wanted somebody to hear those words ONE MORE TIME! And so once again. . .she bounced up on stage. "Jesus Loves Me" rang throughout the school auditorium. She smiled her biggest Claire smile. Everyone cheered even louder than before. I didn't have a heart attack after all. And at the end of it all - it was a beautiful thing.
I fully believe that God was using Claire today - if only to plant some little seed in one little child's mind. Who is Jesus? What was that song about? I suppose we'll never know the real significance of today. But I'm so proud that I have a brave little girl. I'm so proud that God is using her even in her niavity. I'm so proud that the Holy Spirit prompts her. I so wish I was as brave.
Honky Tonk Murder Mystery Night
Meet some of our very best friends in Colorado. They are a rough looking bunch - an up and coming country music star, a bar maid, a guy named Rowdy who just got out of prison, a trailer park manager who much resembles Mama on Mama's Family, the sheriff, the corn dog machine cleaner, the tv evangelist and me, Mary Kay, the preacher' wife.
You move to a new place and you never know what kind of friends you're going to get. . .Kevin and I lucked out and got the very best!!!!
Another Birthday Has Come and Gone
I can tell I'm getting older. The birthday celebrations aren't quite as anticipated. The gifts are becoming more practical. And I'm blogging about it 3 days late.
On Monday I turned 33 years old. It really didn't seem that old to me until some of my Facebook friends who were once little bitty kids when I knew them were all amazed that I was so old - thought I was still in my 20's. But this year, once again, I'm embracing my 30-something and finding thankfulness that at least I'm not in my mid-thirties just yet like my dear, sweet hubby.
Here is a photo rundown of this year's birthday festivities. . ..JPG)
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Kevin cleaned the house. . ..JPG)
while I got a pedicure with my friend, Jenna.
I got cards and gifts from family, lots of hugs and kisses from Kevin and the girls, and 46 Facebook "Happy Birthday" wishes. I felt loved.
WooHOo! Happy Birthday to me!
DNC '08
It all starts today! All eyes will be on Denver for the next few days. I'm only 30 minutes away. It's so tempting to go celebrity seeking. But I think I'll stay in the suburbs and watch it all on TV like you. They say that we in the Denver area will get 6 hours/day nonstop coverage of the Convention. Somebody save me now!
First Day of Friday School
Yes, we homeschool, and we love it. . .but my saving grace is Friday School. Because there are so many homeschoolers in Colorado, the public school system started offering a day of school just for them. It's full of extra curricular activities such as art and science lab and geography and PE and Kindergarten and. . .you get the idea. So at the end of every week the girls get one day, 8:30 - 3:30, to really go to school. It's a great balance for us. This year there are over 130 kids in the program we attend and today they were all thrilled to say the least. . .especially Olivia. There has never been a more excited Kindergartener. She bounced all the way to her class, waved and blew me a kiss as she ran to high five her teacher and enter into her classroom. .JPG)
To celebrate the first week of school, tonight we went to Chuck E Cheese. The pictures are obviously not made with Chuckee. . .instead, the girls were more excited about the little girl statues outside of the restaurant..JPG)
It's Official
Summer has come to an end in the Colon home and all three girls are officially in school this year. Here is Olivia on her first day of Kindergarten. 
I was reading a friend's blog this morning and it made me laugh so much that I had to share. . . I'm not sure if the humor can be appreciated to the fullest until you have tried to teach the English language rules and phonics to a child learning to read for the first time, but at least it will give you a glimpse into my world for a few minutes. My girls have asked so many of these questions already. I feel like such a dummy when my answer to "why?" is always. . ."just because. . .I really have no idea."
Let me know if it makes you laugh, too.
Let's face it
English is a stupid language.
There is no egg in the eggplant
No ham in the hamburger
And neither pine nor apple in the pineapple.
English muffins were not invented in England
French fries were not invented in France.
We sometimes take English for granted
But if we examine its paradoxes we find that
Quicksand takes you down slowly
Boxing rings are square
And a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig.
If writers write, how come fingers don't fing.
If the plural of tooth is teeth
Shouldn't the plural of phone booth be phone beeth
If the teacher taught,
Why didn't the preacher praught.
If a vegetarian eats vegetables
What the heck does a humanitarian eat!?
Why do people recite at a play
Yet play at a recital?
Park on driveways and
Drive on parkways
You have to marvel at the unique lunacy
Of a language where a house can burn up as
It burns down
And in which you fill in a form
By filling it out
And a bell is only heard once it goes!
English was invented by people, not computers
And it reflects the creativity of the human race
(Which of course isn't a race at all)
That is why
When the stars are out they are visible
But when the lights are out they are invisible
And why it is that when I wind up my watch
It starts
But when I wind up this observation,
It ends.
Lao Cai, Vietnam - Tragedy Hits the Area Where Cool River Works
Click Here to Watch Video
Tropical storm leaves 100 dead, missing in Vietnam
HANOI (AFP) — More than 100 people were dead or missing in flash floods and landslides as heavy rains brought by tropical storm Kammuri pounded mountainous northern Vietnam, officials said Saturday.
At least 72 people have died and 37 are missing since the storm hit the poor and widely deforested region on Friday, having previously lashed Hong Kong and southeastern China, said central and provincial emergency services.
Worst hit was Lao Cai province near the Chinese border, where at least 36 people died and 32 were missing, hundreds of houses were destroyed or damaged, and transport links were cut, isolating some areas, emergency officials said.
"Landslides have hit many areas, but flash floods have caused the largest number of deaths," said Pham Van Quang, an official with the provincial flood and storm control committee. "It's still raining hard here.
"At least 800 houses have been destroyed or damaged. We are still trying to get in touch with local authorities to help the people there. Rescue efforts are ongoing but they are being slowed by the severe weather."
State-run VTV showed residents in Lao Cai moving on wooden canoes through a town where flood waters reached the roofs of one-storey houses.
Quang said that authorities were updating the figures of dead and missing, but that they had no contact with some districts because of damaged telephone lines and cut-off roads, including the "completely isolated" Bat Xat district.
PLEASE JOIN US IN PRAYING FOR THESE PEOPLE WHOM WE HAVE COME TO LOVE SO MUCH. IT IS HARD TO BE SO FAR AWAY FROM THEM AND UNABLE TO HELP AT THIS TIME.
Gifted to Lead
I read this entire book last night and today - less than 24 hours!! That's my kind of book. It is FANTASTIC! So, I had to give it some blog time. . .
"Nancy Beach encourages women with God-given leadership and teaching gifts that they are not alone, their gifts are not a mistake, and God has exceedingly important work for them to do."
What an Honor (Part 2) - the Concert
So like I said in my "Part 1" post, I spent last Sunday evening with Steven Curtis Chapman. At least I like the sound of that a whole lot better than saying that I was one of thousands that filled the stands at Coors Field to hear his story and concert. Alas, it is true, though. I was just one of thousands. . .check it out!
And yet, what an honor it was to be one of the thousands.
I'm sure that many of you have heard the Chapman story about how they lost their adopted daughter, Maria, back in May. If not, Google it. You'll easily get the whole scoop. 
I have been to numerous SCC concerts over the years - quite a few in Nashville, the Dove Awards, in Dallas/Ft. Worth, Colorado Springs, churches, amphitheatres, and now in Denver at Coors Field. (FYI - I had to laugh. . .you could even have a beer at this concert as long as you bought it before the end of the 7th inning stretch) Some concerts were more intimate than others. Some were more flashy and loud than others. All have been worshipful and wonderful. But this one. . .this one was different from all of the rest. This time with SCC sat in a league of its own.
I wish I could really express to you what it was like. . .to see his determination. . . to watch his sons behind him. . .to watch his face on the big screen and see no smiles and little excitement. It was so real, his pain. And yet I found myself drawn to his words and his stories like never before. He and his kids were on a mission. You could tell that they were out there not because their hearts felt light and worshipful, but because they had to do it. . .they had to re-enter life.
God had given them a story to share and they had determined to put on their game faces and go for it. . .in the middle of the pain. And the authenticity from SCC's story about Maria was both heart breaking and refreshing. It made him real - one of us - and at one point, no lie, the thousands were crying (this came when he told us that the first song he sang in the emergency room after her death was "blessed be you name") Then he sat at the keyboard and played "When love takes you in(a song about adoption). And in the middle of it, it started to RAIN! It rained hard. . .
But 20 minutes later the coolest thing happened. Almost within the same second, the rain stopped and the sun popped out so bright that I went scrambling for my sunglasses. 
And SCC and the band must have noticed it too - the dramatic change in weather that seemed to be a gift from the Father. And in seconds he was up on the stage again. . .if only for a few moments. . .the old Steven. His smiles had returned. He started joking around with the crowd. "God is God and I am not" was the first song he opened with after the rain, followed by all of his signature stuff like "The Great Adventure" and "Dive." And it all ended with "How Great is our God!" How appropriate it was.
What an honor it was to be there on that wet and cloudy evening in downtown Denver. What an honor it was for God to allow me to be a part of this story. I was only an observer. I was only one of the thousands. But for some reason, God decided to give me a bird's eye view into the heart of a family on that night - I heard the breaks in Steven's voice and and the notes that passed without a word being sung because he simply couldn't sing. And then I saw the sun pop out and the smiles return and the joy of life fill him up again. And it was a precious picture of what the Father does for us every day. We go through the valley and yet he promises to make all things new.
Steven, thanks for being determined in Denver.
What an Honor (Part 1)
Last weekend was a lot of fun for me. It's not very often that for two days in a row I get to fully play. But this last weekend I had 2 great days of fun and play and relaxation.
It started with a trip to the Nature and Science Museum for Emma's 9th birthday. On first glance, I know that does not sound like a ton of fun. You are imagining having to keep up with 20 wild and crazy kids in a public place, cake and presents and chaos. Though we've had many birthdays that looked a lot like that, this one was different. Emma is growing up. And this year all she wanted was to be with her best friend, Megan. No sisters, no other friends, no mound of gifts to open. . .just Megan. So that is what we did. I let her pick ANY place that she could imagine to go with Megan. And being the "eco friendly, green girls" that they are, together, they chose the Nature and Science Museum. Just 2 girls who never even disagreed for a second, and me. . . what an honor it was to watch Emma on that day. She truly is growing up. And it was a lot of fun!
Next came Sunday afternoon. It was gray and cloudy and everything about it screamed thunderstorm. But in the back of my mind I knew this. . .Steven Curtis Chapman was in town. Now for those of you who know me and who read my blog, you know that it would be the rare occasion of hospitalization or extreme disaster that would keep me away from one of his concerts. This time he was going to be at Coors Field (only 30 minutes away!) and perform after the Rockies vs Padres game. And all I had to do was get there before the game ended, purchase my $10 ticket and sit back and enjoy. That is exactly what I did. I arrived at the top of the 5th inning, found my seat, did the wave once or twice and sat back - not to watch the World Series team play, but believe it or not, to read a book. . . okay, that's my confession. I read a book at the Rockies game!!!
And 3 innings later, I packed everything up and began to move to the third base section of the lower level of Coors Field. Upon arrival to the field I got the inside scoop from the guy at the ticket counter as to where the best place to sit for the concert would be. So off I went - just me at Coors Field - on a mission to get the best seat in the house. BTW - The Rockies lost - I did at least notice the final score.
Now, I have been known for writing blogs that are way too long. . .so for now, this is where I will stop. But you absolutely HAVE to check back later today or tomorrow, because the best is yet to come. . ."What an Honor (Part 2) - the Concert."
Until then, what have you done for fun lately?
