Life with the three bears

Bringing in 2012

2012-01-01T20:36:00.000-08:00

Last year around this time I wrote a post regarding not wanting to do the resolutions list and to remember the good times of the years past. Well this year I am thinking that I would like to do a few long term goals along with remembering the past year. I have enjoyed blogging so far and it was only towards the end of the year that I had become weary and I did not get a good chance to post. So instead of going back and re-hashing it all out I can give you a brief over view of things.

After October and all the trick/treating came went, the busy-ness of November hit. Thanksgiving was a huge success and simple beyond belief. Papa Bear deep fried a wonderful turkey and we did not have a lot of leftovers for long.

December snuck in like a thief in the night. It took convincing from our Young Bear to get us to decorate 2 weeks into December. I told her it was a year of firsts and so Papa Bear and I would put up the tree and she would get to decorate it. She did a wonderful job and it will be a tree to remember.

Now with 2012 coming in I no longer feel like we were running from one thing to another. All of our family and friends are recovering from being sick and getting over the stress of the holidays. It is time to bring in the New Year with some long term goals.

Papa Bear and I have lost a significant amount of weight in the last year and we are not only wanting to keep the weight off but to continue to eat healthier and live better. Young Bear has been such a wonderful motivator that she keeps us on our toes. We want to be able to keep up with her in the coming years and be able to run with her as she grows.

Along with the weight loss comes new looks. Young Bear and I have been keeping our hair cut short and Papa Bear has been sporting a full beard for a while now. We really need to get new family pictures done because there have been so many changes. Look for these on the horizon!

I have also recently gotten into an improve acting troupe... okay it is a LARP and I play a Vampire ... but that is not the point. The point is... I have gotten out of my own personal boundary bubble, met new people, forced myself to be social and have been urged costume. I have made new personal growth in all these areas and I have enticed Papa Bear to do it with me. So this year will be another year of making personal growth in areas that we least like to deal with sometimes. I hope to show our Young Bear that you can get involved, with out taking on the personal problems of others.

With the LARP, has come the costuming and dress up. With the costuming, I have been sewing more this year than I have in the past. I have learned that patterns are not all that they are cracked up to be. Another goal of mine is to teach our Young Bear the basics of hand sewing and hopefully by the end of the year, teach her the basics of the sewing machine and allow her to take part in the creation of her own Halloween costume.

Dressing up is another thing I have made huge personal growth in. I was never a woman that went out looking for a dress and now I am looking to make my own. Papa Bear is also looking to dress up with the creation of his character and together we have found that you can put yourselves out there just by the clothes you wear.

As for other long term goals, moving is has now been put back on the table for negotiations & talks. The Bear Cave that we are currently living in now is wonderful and we really enjoy it, however the price of living has gone up and we are no longer in the mind set that we are getting a great deal. So we will be looking in the area we are now and we are starting to research new areas in Oregon. So stay tuned....

Another long term goal that is close and on the horizon of reaching, happens to be Papa Bear looking forward to the completion of his 4 years of study. He looks forward to the break from the pressures of academy and he is excited and already experiencing all his hard work will be for not. I know that we are all so proud of him for all the work he has accomplished so far. We are cheering him daily now due to the goal being in such reach.

All in all 2011 was an eventful year. Young Bear became a Galloway and the Three Bear Family got a brand new car. We are all looking forward to what the new year brings us. 2012 is the year of the Water Dragon... so we will go with the waves as they wash over us.

October is a wonderful month

2011-10-30T14:56:00.000-07:00

The month of October in the House of The Three Bears marks the beginning of the holiday season. We have been getting ready for Halloween for a few months now, and it is come down to the weekend before. We have dressed up multiple times and have been out making the Halloween party rounds. We have also had great success in growing our own family pumpkin this year along with our Young bears carving of her very own pumpkin. I have manged to snap a few photo's along the way.

In the beginning she thought it would be cool to be able to gut out the pumpkin. Papa Bear took off the top for her and she started to dig in.

As you can see by her face... it was not so cool!

So after doing what she could... Papa Bear finished cleaning in out!

As you can see .... he is enjoying it.

Yes... he is enjoying it!

This is when she really got excited, cause she was determined to carve on her own.

And after a quick outline... she was off!

Second Eye... gone!

Yes... she takes after her Papa Bear!

Our Proud Young Bear!

My Proud Papa Bear!

Our Family Pumpkin that we grew in our backyard garden.

Papa Bear carved a wonderful symbol of love in to it!

Papa Bear's Pumpkin

Mama Bear's Pumpkin

Young Bears' Pumpkin

It's that time again...

2011-10-15T08:11:00.000-07:00

So it is that time again where we celebrate our Young bear's birthday. She still wanted to have her 24 hours of doing whatever she wanted. So there we were the day before her birthday and the day of her 24 hours. She woke up at 6:30 to eat her Lucky Charms. Shortly after that she woke me up to paint her nails... pink!

Around 8ish her friend bear down the street came over and the two girls started in on the cartoons and giggling. They moved back and forth from Young Bears room... to the couch to back to the room and then outside once it was 10:00. They giggled, laughed... tried on clothes... changed shoes... ate.... giggled and then ate some more.

Around 10:45 Young Bear comes in and makes the announcement that she and her friend were hungry, and cereal was not going to cut it. She wanted Bacon. So bacon was made along with scrambled eggs and toast. They both ate it up and out again they went. They both came in asking if it was time to go and knock on her other friends front door to see he could join the 2 of them. I told her that he would and is always up by noon and they could wait until then. Cartoons and crafting it was then... till 11:55 when the neighbor came knocking on our door.... like clock work.

Out the door they all went, down to the plum tree where all the kids like to hang out. That was a big deal.. the Plum tree! She rode her scooter down to the mail box and down to the end of the street and back again. She had a blast running and riding her scooter everywhere. Then around 1:30 it was time to eat some lunch and out of the sandwich I made for her she ate the meat out of the bread... ate the string cheese and had the chips that she enjoyed. She had some of her favorite white/orange gummy candies and washed it all down with a juice box and a glass of water at my insistence.

2:00 pm and we were off to her others friends birthday party, who was actually turning 8 that Saturday. We brought a cake for her to blow out a candle for and besides a gift in hand for her friend... she wanted to bring a Pinata (full of candy). Play they did... running around... coloring goodie bags for the Pinata... eating... stomping balloons.... building marshmallow towers... and more running around. To everyone's surprise (besides the parents) we had a friend of ours come towards the end of the party and make balloon art for all the kids to take home. Both Young Bear and her birthday friend walked away with wild hats and shapes.

The party came to a close once the candy from the Pinata hit the floor and a blind folded kid was still swinging. I, Mama Bear, went in to take one for the team hoping that I would not get hit to badly and lucky I was able to grab the stick in mid swing. Saved!

Once we packed a wired up on sugar Young Bear in the the car with her new stuff and balloons into the car that was already pack with her suitcase... and off we went to Grandpa and Grandma Bear's House. Over the river and through the woods we went singing her favorite songs along the way. We arrived and we packed in all of her stuff with her only caring the balloons. We came in... we dumped and we ran away! She didn't want us around... she asked us in the car to drop her off and go. I ask later what she did and when did she go to sleep and the answer I got was amazingly articulate and full of details. I will sum it up... she played... went shopping (I think), went out to eat to her favorite restaurant, and finally went to bed at 11:45 pm.

So as we were driving away, Papa Bear and I reflected that she is growing up and in some ways we were happy but in others we are sad... we are starting to lose the little bear and yet we are gaining a more mature young bear. Funny how time flies when you are having fun.

Catching your breath

2011-09-24T13:28:00.000-07:00

Have you felt like you need to catch your breath, cause this one moment just took it away?

That is exactly the way I felt when Papa Bear set me this picture of our Young Bear at her first day of second grade. At first I wanted to just cry ... cause that is my baby bear.

My baby bear that I watched take her first steps and eat her first solid foods.

The baby bear that grew up in to a little kid bear that always ask why?

The little bear that at 3 was doing math because she was trying to figure out a way to get out of eating her veggies.

Now it is the young bear who may not like tomatoes but she will eat the salsa strait out of the dish.

Papa Bear and I are so glad to see how she has adjusted back into the swing of the school routine.

We also recently acquired a beautiful hutch desk that we ended up giving to our young bear. She has been so please with her own private space to do homework that it seems to have taken the edge off of actually having more homework to do.

I have to remind myself regularly now... She is almost 8... almost 8.

Because she will be forever in my heart... my baby bear. <3

Growth comes in so many ways...

2011-09-09T15:15:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful weekend BBQ to celebrate Papa Bears adoption of Young Bear and her name change. Fun was had by all and it will day that we will all remember especially the food!

The wonderful 5 days we had as a family was full of staying up late and sleeping along with movie watching and family visiting from out of town. The remaining month of August has not been uneventful as the

"Three Bears Style" dictates... but not all bad either. One thing I did notice as I was walking around showing people our lovely family garden, was I realized that I had not done a garden up date in a while.

So without further a due....

The honeysuckle plant has grown way beyond what I originally thought.

It's ability to grow and adapt to it's surroundings reminds me of all the things we as a family have

gone through this summer. Just like it's extending branches they reach out in faith that there will

be something there to grab on to. We as a family walk in faith with the idea that no matter what happens in our lives, we will continue to walk together closer to each other and held together tightly with our love.

I took this picture while following a bee that was visiting this flower ... but once it focused and shot... no bee. Isn't it just like life to put a bee like annoyance into your life for a small moment in time.

You later realize, once it's gone, that not only did it help you grow

but made you appreciate the bee for what it was.

Nature also has a wonderful way to bloom flowers and then allow those flowers

to die off to make room for new flowers.

Now on to the tomato's... As you can clearly see I have had to "trim" them back. Oh who am I kidding, I have had to clear cut some areas just so we could get rid of the dead and dying branches.

I have also had to removed whole strips of areas off each plant.

The end results were not pretty, but as you can see we finally have ripening tomato's.

Boy oh boy are they wonderful!

We get about 3-4 a day that we can pull of the vine before the snails get to them. Goldylock's has even made a homemade tomato sauce that we have been able use and freeze.

This picture I love! These were the sunflowers I did not think were going to make it this year.

I really did believed that the success of our garden last year was due to the large amounts of sunflowers we had in the back yard. They attracted the bees and pollinators from miles around. Once I found that the sunflowers were not coming up panic set in.

Like true Three Bears Style, I was gifted patience. Patience to wait out the small and minor details and to wait and have faith that the little things would work out. So this year these sunflowers mean more to me personally cause no matter what I put on them they did not show up until they were ready.

Now on to the pumpkins... There is really not much to say.

Papa Bear and I planted 6 seeds all randomly on the far side of the box opposite of the pickling cucumbers. I was told we would be lucky if we got 2 or 3 plants... We got 5 plants in the beginning and we wilted them down the the healthiest 3. Once we realized that the cucumbers were bitter once they got too big and we were not going to pickle them, I pulled out the plants making more room for the pumpkin plants. I am glad that I did it, cause as you can clearly see they needed the room.

More pumpkin plant that has even evaded into the grass.

Our very first pumpkin... isn't it sooooo cute!

What I want for my birthday

2011-08-17T10:00:00.000-07:00

YB: Do you know what I want for my Birthday?

MB: No.... I don't know what you want for your birthday.

YB: Do you want me to tell you what I want for my birthday day?

MB: Sure... What is it that you want for your birthday?

YB: Well I can tell you I don't want presents and I don't want a party. I want a full day to do whatever I want!

MB: Really? No Presents?? No Party??

YB: Nope... I just want to be able to do whatever I want.... that is appropriate for me.

MB: You want a full 24 hours of doing whatever it is you want?

YB: Yes, like if I want to ride down to the mail box on my bike ... I can, and if I want to stay out late past 8... I can. If I want to go to the park and play past 7... I can. Even if I want to have a pudding for breakfast... I can. Well with in reason too, I would have some protein.

MB: Well that seems reasonable... wait, where did you hear this idea?

YB: Neighbor boy bear, across the street told me that's what he gets to do. His parents are strict and on his birthday he gets to chose what do to and what to eat and I want to do that... What do you think? Can I?

MB: So you know we are not just going to hop in the car and go to Disneyland just because that is what you wanted to do.... And I don't think your going to be able to eat at 11 o'clock at night.

YB: I know... that takes money and it would hurt my tummy if I ate that late.

MB: Okay... Well you know that I don't make and decisions with out Papa Bear. I will talk with him about it. You might want to think about what you would want to do,
so when he asks you...you can be prepared to answer.

YB: I am ready Mama Bear... will you talk to him today about it?

MB: Your birthday is in 2 months, we have some planning time.

YB: I understand... will you tell me what he says?

MB: Yes I will let you know what Papa Bears about it.

Small conversations like these, makes me wonder what age she really is. I promptly told Papa Bear and Goldlocks about her wish for her birthday. We determined that all she really wants to do is ride her bike another 30 feet, stay up late with her friends till the sun goes down, and eat her special cereal Coco Puffs for dinner....

What could be so bad about that???

Stay Tuned!

Just around the corner..

2011-08-16T15:00:00.000-07:00

Now I could start telling you how much I am going to enjoy having our Young Bear back in school and the house on a semi normal/regular schedule again, but I have to keep in mind that there is still a part of summer that has not yet happened. Our family vacation will still be happening near the end of August and Papa Bear's birthday will be coming up in the next couple of days. We both have been able been able to rearranged our work schedules and take some much needed time off together as a family. Yes we will have things and appointments to keep, however we will be able to do it together.

One thing we are looking forward to is having a friends and family gathering on one of our days off together. We are doing an old school BBQ with Young Bear's favorite drink of choice... RootBeer! Our family is celebrating Papa Bears adoption of his Young Bear and she is proud to call him "Her First Papa Bear". She is also thrilled to be able to change her last name officially to his. This gathering has been in the making for almost 4 years now and we are all ready to shout it from the roof tops!

2011-08-14T14:46:00.000-07:00

The Craziness of Summer has started to peak in the house of The Three Bears. There have been multiple weeks of church camps, horseback riding, swimming lessons and who can forget the staying out late playing till the sun goes down. Most recently, we Three Bears were sitting outside in the moon lit night watching the meteor shower. Young Bear was so excited that she could hardly wait. She got all her nightly things done and out of the way, cause she was going to stay up past 10:00 and in the end we didn't get to see much. Due to the brightly lit full moon it was hard to see meteors, however the ones we did get to see were a cool thing to experience as a family and that's when I got to thinking.

Even though many things have happened this year, that could have weighted us down, here we were sitting in the cool evening air together... sitting and enjoying the small precious moment that it was. As I sat there listening to Young Bear talk about all the things that were going on in her life and I as I sat there holding Papa Bears hand, I released... It truly doesn't get better than this!

2011-08-08T20:58:00.000-07:00

It is Sunday... late afternoon and as I am sitting here in the quiet living room trying to recall all of the days leading up today. The events of week have blurred together and not really surprisingly so. When I started this blog post it was 2 am Friday morning and I found myself not sleeping in Papa Bears hospital room 7124. I had so much on my mind and I thought at the time that "writing it down" might help me make sense of my thoughts and feelings. As you can see I was not able to finish said post and I am still having a problem of what to say and how to say it.

Normally when I sit down to blog, I have had it running in my head for at least a day or so giving me the time to write ... rewrite and process my thoughts. However this blog has been essentially brewing since Monday and what better way to process my thoughts and feelings, than to finish my post.

Monday was a big day for our Young Bear, she was able to take part of a horse day camp. They were able to wash, feed and ride the horses. She was so excited and so proud to be able to take part of a little show at the end when all the parents came to pick up the kids.

Since the Sunday incident letting her go to a all day camp that she had never been to before, was really hard on Mama and Papa Bear. Papa Bear calmed my fears and I manged to keep the anxiety down enough to walk out the front door to go to work.

When Papa Bear showed up to pick her up, he found one happy and tired Young Bear. Despite her best efforts of staying up and awake, we managed to rangled her to bed at a reasonable time. It helped to remind her that the rest of the week was going to be just as packed as her Monday was. Once she hit the pillow, she was out.

Tuesday was the first day of an all day church camp. She went and enjoyed making crafts, playing games and learning new songs. Again Papa Bear picked her up and she came home a happy but tired Young Bear. She wasn't too tired though to start her swimming class that were happening later that evening. Shortly after I got home from work we headed down to the pool. Young Bear was quiet excited that she was going to be in the Bass class of swimming. She had been waiting all summer to start her swimming lessons and trying to get her out of the pool after the 30 minute class became quiet the challenge.

Wednesday was camp again and Papa Bear made her lunch the night before and sent her off with her Scooby Doo Lunch Bag. Off she went after a full nights sleep, to enjoy her new friends and to play and learn. Papa Bear dropped her off and went home not quiet feeling right. I came home to surprise him at lunch and found him laying down with pain in his right side. I left to go back to work, leaving Papa Bear to sleep and rest.

Thursday was our day to sleep in for everyone unfortunately Papa Bear woke up still in pain. After dropping Young Bear off at camp, I finally convinced Papa Bear to call the doctors office and they directed him to Urgent Care. After about 2 hours in Urgent Care, the doctor basically told us that we were very lucky to have come in, cause Papa Bears symptoms were a classic sign of a Appendicitis. They admitted Papa Bear into the hospital and schedule him to be seen by the surgeon with in a few hours.

Working with Goldy Locks, Grandma & Grandpa Bear we managed to get Young Bear picked up, packed up and set up with a ride to and from swimming lessons to keep her schedule as much to the norm as possible. We did not want to frighten or panic her by bring her down to the hospital unnecessarily. Goldly Locks with her years of wisdom explained very simply that her Papa Bear was still not feeling well and that there was a part of his body that need to be removed so he could start feeling better.

Young Bear took the news well and was thrilled that he was going to get better medicine that she got in the hospital, "cause what they gave her ... she could still feel stuff". I always find it amazing what you find out from young bears after the fact. Never the less I heard later, she too had a big day at camp and a wonderful time at her swimming lessons.

After getting Young Bear settled, the waiting seemed to be the next task at hand. The time in the Urgent care was long... nothing like you think it would be, especially when you are waiting to get admitted to the hospital. At this point everything started slowing down and seem to start happening into slow motion. Not like the Matrix slow motion but slow enough to where minutes turned in to hours. It felt like it took them forever to admit him to the hospital but once they did and he was taken to his room I lost all track of time. The only thing I can relate to would be a hotel in Vegas.

To my readers that have never been to Vegas... and to the ones who have and might not have noticed, Vegas hotels NEVER have clocks on the walls. They don't want you to see what time it is.. so you will keep doing what your doing.. losing money. That's the way it felt... like someone had removed all the clocks from my life and I was so focused on what was going on around me... that I just didn't have the time to bother... to look at the time.

Now this whole time I was on my cell phone with people changing and rearranging schedules so I could stay at the hospital. I was updating family and friends via text and Facebook. I can't tell you how many times I looked at my cell phone but still I was not pay attention to the time. So I couldn't say when exactly he went in to surgery, or when he even came out and went into recovery. I know that a family friend came by to drop off some food cause I hadn't eaten much since we left the house at 9:30 that morning.

Finally, we got into the room and the surgeon was in shortly after. We really liked and even enjoyed Dr. Littman. Papa Bear and him found a common ground when he came in after seeing the results of the Cat Scan. He comes in and says... in his driest and most serious tone:

"Well Papa Bear I hate to be the one to tell you but your appendix has officially filled for divorce and has got to go. She is packed up her things and needs to go."

Papa Bear's response... "Fine.. but as long as I get to keep the dog.... and my lamp."

Laughter could be heard probably down the hall and into the other rooms. I am glad there was humor in this time of worry and anxiety. I don't really know how I managed to stay so calm and level headed through out this whole thing... I have to chalk it up to the humor.

Again we found humor when the anesthesiologist comes into talk to Papa Bear and he says "Hi my name is Papa Bear and you are Brad....wait I'm Brad and you are Papa Bear.... well at least I think that is right, it has been a long day and I'm afraid I don't know who I am anymore."

After a brief conversation and some more laughs, the anesthesiologist is telling us he would be back in a few minutes to finish prepping Papa Bear for the surgery... Papa Bear says "make sure to bring two forms of ID."

Shortly after meeting with the anesthesiologist David was taken off to surgery. I don't even really remember the time I just remember the waiting and staring at the rolling screen of numbers that told people who was in surgery and who was in recovery. It was quiet the system and both Goldy Locks and I were pleased when 45 mins later Dr. Littman came out and told us that Papa Bears surgery went great and he was going to do fine. We waited to to be notified that he was out of recovery and heading back to his room. By late Friday afternoon, I was able to take Papa Bear home with strict instructions on how to take care of him.

With everything that took place over the course of this last week, I found myself appreciating the fact that I living in the 21st century. From the cell phone that I can track my Young Bear and keep our family and friends update without calling each and everyone, to the technology that kept my Papa Bear from suffering from a infection that could... could have taken him from me. I also have to appreciate the knowledge gained from years of experience in the medical field that doctors are now being taught.... Laughter is truly the best medicine.

From baby steps to full strides... where is the time going?

2011-08-02T21:28:00.000-07:00

This week in The Three Bears Household there has been much going on and as much as I have not wanted to notice.... our Young Bear is growing up. Despite the out burst of yelling and talking back, the slamming of her bedroom door, and the throwing herself on to her bed... she is growing up.

Now before I continue, I need to premise this post with a few things;

First; As Mama Bear people that know me, know that I can be a loving, caring yet fierce Mama Bear in all the sense of the name. I can be a playful, soft and cuddly bear but cross me or my family and you won't see anything but my teeth and claws. I have worked very hard in my life to learn how to deal with problems tactfully, logically and with less anger emotion involved. I am not going to say that I am perfect, cause nobody ever is, however I am doing a much better job of asking questions first ... maiming later. :)

Second; We can be old school... No let me rephrase that... We are old school when it comes to parenting and we also find that we are not the norm when it comes to parental teaching on self-worth, motivations and boundaries. Don't get me wrong I am not knocking anyone else's parenting style, and if your .parenting style works for you, I say more power to you. The fact is we would like to think that we are raising our Young Bear to be independent, logically thinking, emotionally sound and to know the difference from right and wrong. I know she will have her own set of issues down the road and they could come from anyone or anything, however we are doing our best as parents to teach her how to deal and cope with any issues that may arise.

Third; Since Papa Bear has entered into our lives, he has made a huge impact on the way we both parent together. Like you might have read before ... He has brought knowledge, wisdom and patience to our family unit and has taught me a lot about not panicking in the moment. He has taught me how to ACT and not react.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~On to the post ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On Sunday afternoon we were asked by Young Bear if she could go blueberry picking with her friend. Papa Bear and I spoke briefly with her friends Parental unit and decided, due to the improved behavior Young Bear was displaying we would allow her go. We confirmed where she was going and how long she would be gone, and what time we should be expecting her for dinner. Young Bear was thrilled! Off they went to go picking berries....

A few hours later... we are sitting around the table playing a game and we start looking at the clock. The arrival time for our Young Bear to home had come and gone and I was starting to worry. Papa Bear and Goldly Locks reassured me that she was in good hands. About 20 mins later I decided I had enough of the waiting and I would start taking steps to look for her. I did so in a very calm manner.. I call over at their house and getting no answers or new ideas from the other parent on the phone, I let him know that I was very concerned. He also informed me that she had not taken her cell phone.

So Papa Bear and I packed up our cell phones and left Goldly Locks at home to wait for news. Off we went... Papa Bear calm and reserved, me surprisingly calm and determined. We drove around where we thought they were going to be and it felt like hours not minutes going by. We saw the signs for the Farms and Papa Bear would take out his GPS phone and map out the area.. We went from place by place farm to farm were we found they were closed or they did not do the U-pick. At this point we had even stopped and knocked on some doors. Nothing was turning up and slowly but surely my anxiety was turning to anger and panic. I starting thinking of all the way we could not let this happen again.

Locking her up in a deep basement with no friends and putting up electric barbed wire around the house... Next came to mind all the things I would say to her friends parent when I saw her next... I won't go into detail because I am trying to keep this blog as PG... okay.. PG 13 as possible, so yes all these things came flooding to mind as I was slowly breaking down into Mother Bear Mode.

Then I saw him... Papa Bear, he was approaching me as I was heading back to the car after being told from a business owner that they had not been by at his farm. His face was grave and emotionless and it made my heart sink so far into the pit of my stomach that I almost wanted to run away. As we made eye contact, his eyes brightened and he started to smile... I knew at that point she was safe. At the time that I had left to go and speak with the owner of the farm, Papa Bear was looking up more places to stop at and he was in constant contact with Goldly Locks. She had text messaged him to let him know Young Bear had arrived safely at the house. She messaged us again to let us know that she told Young Bear that we were out running an errand, that she was feeding her dinner and all was good.

I held on to Papa Bear for a few minutes while my anger, anxiety and panic all turned to tears. I cried... cried so hard that I though for a minute I would be sick. On the ride back home I replayed the last 30 minutes in my head... and thought.. if I was only a bit more patient, if I only asked for the Parents cell phone number, if I only didn't let her go....

Now I know, that it is inevitable that our Young Bear is going to grow up, and face challenges that I would not want to have her face. I know that when she faces challenges, she is learning to use her skill set that we have given her, and hopefully she will be wise, strong and ultimately safe. I know that she is going to grow in an age, where technology rules, and not having that technology could hinder her success.

So to wrap up my deep thoughts for the afternoon, I will close with this;

A few weeks ago, Papa Bear and I were in the cell phone store getting a replacement for his phone that was damaged during the car accident. In order to get the "newer & nicer" phone and without paying a huge price out of pocket, we ended up changing our plan around bit and added another line (to get the nicer phone), all for the same price we are paying now. I was amazed at the time that was even possible, and realistically we did not need the other cell number.

We ended up going with the new plan with new added number with the idea in mind that we would use this phone for our Young Bear in time. We even went for the cheap little phone and programed only 5 numbers into it. After this mishap with her friends parent not having a cell phone we are going to be teaching our Young Bear about this emergency phone and how and when to use it. It really goes to show how much she is growing up and how it is time that I as a parent start letting go to the idea that we can protect her all her life. If Papa Bear and I survived childhood... I know she will be able to as well.

Learning From Each Other

2011-07-30T12:14:00.000-07:00

Papa Bear and I started thinking about all the things that have happened in this last year. We have been through many challenges and triumphs all together as a family. Papa Bear and I give thanks to God that we still are able to get up every morning and we are blessed beyond all measure that we can enjoy our family and friends around us. We also thank God for each other and the blessing that we have imparted on each other. We have shared the good times and the bad times together all while holding hands.

People laugh when we say Papa Bear is the Spock to my Bones and the Yin to my Yang.. but this is all completely true. Papa Bear can temper my fire with a calm cool waters, and I have been able to inspire passion with in him.

We both decided to have a small memorial to each other and to what we have inspired in each other. We will always have a piece of each other no matter what happens reminding us that the other person is with us in spirit.

As you can see Papa Bear has inspired Wisdom, Knowledge & Patience in me.

Just as he has inspired me ... I have been able to inspire Passion, Fire & Strength in him.

We have we cleaved together as one, yet we have still been able to maintained our own personalities. We are still growing and learning from each other and know that there are many more years ahead. We look at our past as if to learn from it and we look forward to the future with heads held high and yet still enjoy the present as it is truly a gift from God.

Rain in July???

2011-07-18T20:40:00.000-07:00

I have been asked a couple of times now and I am afraid I can not answer this. Someone told me that if you looked in the Farmers Almanac all our crazy weather is already predicted. I took a look for my self and low and behold... They are predicting the weather with in weeks of it happening. They say that the hottest part of the Summer will be the end of July first part of August. Also as I talk to people they are telling me that their home gardens just haven't taken off.

When I tell them that my tomato planets have gone insane they ask me what I did... I have to reply

"I really don't know!"

We have picked yet another Zucchini and this one is big enough and thick enough to slice up and BBQ!

Lettuce has come back at least 3 times and it looks like we need to harvest it down again!

You can see the crazy tomato plants in the box in the background, and the little tomato plant that could in the foreground. At this angle you can see many tomato's on both plants!

Finally flowers on the pepper plant.... means peppers.

Crazy Tomato Plants! There are tomato everywhere on them!

Pumpkins are coming along nicely, you can also see the encroaching cucumbers.

Cucumber!

The peas are starting to die back but the tomato plant and zucchini are just getting started!

So there is your weekly update... I know that now that things are getting and growing fast I will be updating the garden a bit more often.

Life Growth and Family Time

2011-07-15T13:15:00.000-07:00

We went out the other day to check and water the garden, we found that since the last time we went out major growth has happened. Not only did we get to pick the Snow Peas, Blueberry's, Strawberry's, we also got to pick our first Zucchini! YAY!

Baby Cucumbers ... Look how cute!

Look at all the Zucchini

Blueberry's

It's like where's Waldo... but with Papa Bear....

Where oh ... Where is Papa Bear?

The first Zucchini to grow... and the biggest of the bunch!

Now it is the first Zucchini to be picked and eaten. We fried it up with the chicken and threw the whole mixture over our salads... Papa Bears exact comments were

"This garden was the best idea I didn't have."

Honeysuckle has gotten so big that now that we need to get more of a support structure for it.

The Sweet Pepper Plant is actually growing bigger now and taking in all the sun that it can.

I can see buds of peppers now.

Pumpkins... Theses are going to be the pumpkins... look at them grow! Young Bear has asked but I don't think she will understand fully until we actually have pumpkins on the vines.

This is the Little Tomato that Could. This was the tomato plant that was given to us half dead, and now I have replanted it twice... It loves it's final home and the one tomato on it, seems to be growing bigger and starting to lighten in color.

Papa Bear is so shocked at the size of the tomato plants! I have to say that they have become extremely HUGE!!! Plus there are tomato's all over inside. We will be having tomato's coming out of our ears soon.

It is always amazing on how things have grown. Everyone has taken part in this family project and we are constantly learning something new. Not bad for a small family garden!

Small Reminders

2011-07-13T20:44:00.000-07:00

told myself that I was not going to do a remembrance post regarding the accident. However, today I was seeing a lot of people at my office that I had not seen in about a month and everyone wanted to know how the family was doing. I was reminded that today was the 13th and it was exactly one month since the accident. So today was a day of telling and retelling of the accident. Even though everyone is doing much better, it was still very hard to think about and retell as a story. I teared up a couple of times and people were amazingly supportive.

After the story was told, I always ended with... "Everyone is doing well and on the road to recovery. We know as a family that God did not make the accident happen, yet He is using it to his advantage. After all is said and done, we have found that there was much more silver lining than we originally thought."

Also, Papa Bear and I have had plenty of time to reflect on the outcome of things that have happened since the accident. The biggest change that we have found is, we as a family have slowed down and even stopped to smell the roses along our path together called life. We also have a great appreciation of life it's self and to have realized more so, that to grow and nurture life is a privilege. Our wish to all of our family and friends is live your lives to the best of your ability. Tell the ones you love that you love them... and often. Try not to waste your time worrying about what might happen or what is not in your control. Live life to the fullest and try to live without regret.

I will sign off with a simple phrase... "Everyone is home, everyone is safe, everyone is healthy and everyone is loved."

Learning more about life

2011-07-10T11:44:00.000-07:00

Life here at the Three Bears house is beginning to return to a type of normal. Papa Bear and Young Bear are feeling much better and are on the road to recovery. We have had a few backyard BBQ's and it is starting to feel like summer.

We have been able to spend quality time in our backyard garden between the BBQ's and the water fights. I did manage to get a few pictures of Young Bear picking Snow Peas early in the morning.

She won't eat them but she really enjoy's picking them for her Papa Bear!

She has also enjoyed watching things grow....

These pictures may have been taken at dust but you can clearly see the tomato that could...

These tomato plants have just out grown the area that we put them in... next year we will plan a bit better.

The beginning stages of Zucchini!

The strawberries got a rough start but they are actually starting to produce fruit now.

I don't know what kind of Pepper plant this is but you can already see the buds that will lead to peppers.

Now this is what I call relaxation!

Let more healing begin...

2011-06-26T21:20:00.000-07:00

As most of my readers know some of The Three Bears Family were recently in a car accident. As stressful as all of this has been, we are still focusing on the sliver lining of it all. It has brought us all closer as a family and Thankful to God for all the gifts that he has given us.

One of the things that was really stressing us was the fact that we are now down to one vehicle. Between our work schedules and Young Bear's ever changing social calender, one vehicle was not going to cut it for long. So between Papa Bear, Grandpa Bear and the internet... research was started. We looked at all makes and models and finally we found a few we liked.

Off to the local dealership... and after about an hour and not being treated with the best that they had to offer, we walked away. The next day and our heads held high it was off to another dealership.

They treated us with respect, dignity and all around common courtesy. We bought the newest addition to Three Bears Family from them.

Papa Bear's Stylin New Ride!

Safe Vehicle for his Family!

Gardening Therapy

2011-06-26T20:37:00.000-07:00

There is nothing like the beginning of summer to brighten your spirits and perk up your garden. I have been busy watering and watching over our little garden of love. Papa Bear and I are blessed to wake up in the morning to a window with sunshine coming through and the flowers and plants blooming.

I have taken many pictures of the garden to demonstrate the beautiful nature of God and all of his many blessings. Enjoy!

Cucumbers are on the move!

Lovely Lavender Blowing in the Wind

I had to add a climbing ropes for the Snow Peas to keep going. I under estimated there growing potential

The first food of the summer!

Zucchini has gotten HUGE!!

We were given a tomato plant that was slowing dying because it had out grown it's plastic pot.

2 days after I put it into the dirt it started coming back to life.

I have since replanted in the box with the Honeysuckle

A full week later after replanting this Charlie Brown Tomato plant... It has it's first fruit.

Now this year we planned for the growth spurt in height for the tomato plants... we did not plan for the "dense" nature of them. Next year we won't plant them so close together.

California Dreaming

2011-06-24T14:47:00.000-07:00

After all the recent events... The Three Bears Family have been doing a little California dreaming of our own. There were so many pictures that Papa Bear was able to snap with his camera phone and I am picking out the ones that make us all laugh and have a great story behind them. Enjoy!

"Pick on someone your own size"

I guess the big turtle was trying to push out the little guy... but some how the little guy still got plenty to eat!

"Is this where the Homeowners Association Meeting is held?"

Yes, those are Pink Flamingos... This pictures was taken for the Auntie Bear (you know who you are)

"We are just hopping around"

When I saw this picture I laughed so hard I almost fell out of my chair. Young Bear and Little Bear both have great posing smiles! It must be that family Bear trait!

I'm this big!

Again with the Homeowners Association... however this picture reminded me of the nosy kids getting caught peeking over the fence into the neighbors yard. :)

Loins & Tigers & Bears ... OH MY!

This is Goldy Lock's Mountain and the inspiration for the many pictures in our house.

This is Young Bears favorite animal...

She has yet to tell me why but she is absolute in love with them

I can be a Zoo Keeper!

So from what I hear there is a story behind this bird.

Apparently as Papa Bear was taking pictures of him he started calling out really loud and giving Papa Bear the evil eye. I asked him how can a bird give you an evil eye?

Papa Bear said in his most serious of voice "If you were there.. you would have thought he was giving you the evil eye too.

I laughed at him, then he made we watch the video that he took... and I'm here to tell you;

This Bird was not only loud but he was giving him the evil eye!

Over all the family trip to Sunny California was Toadly Awesome!

Summer of changes...

2011-06-17T18:06:00.000-07:00

Since the last time I posted so many more things have happened to The Three Bears family. So many unforeseeable things have happened so far this month and it is only half way through. I finally got the "Road Trip" pictures downloaded to my computer. I have gotten a brief look at them and I have to say that I really missed out on a fun time. I will post some more pictures as I get to go through them.

After the California trip in the beginning of the month, we discovered that we were having a refrigerator malfunction. After a trip to the local grocery store, our refrigerator stopped cooling and we had to ditch it for ice in coolers. Luckily we were blessed with a new refrigerator 3 days later and we were very blessed with family and friends bringing us fresh groceries.

Around the same time that the refrigerator was going belly up, Papa Bear, Young Bear and a family friend "Big Bear" were all in an auto accident. That's exactly what it was... an accident. Fortunately everyone, including the driver and passenger of the other vehicle, walked away from the accident. Everyone is blessed to have walked away with their lives and I do believe that God was sitting in the car when the accident occurred.

We are taking some well needed time to recover from a multitude of things, and I wanted to thank all of our family, friends and readers for the calls/texts/messages of support and love. We encourage everyone to love, honor and hug your family and friends as much as possible. It only takes a few extra minutes to tell someone how much you love them.

Sowing Seeds for tomorrow

2011-06-11T20:58:00.000-07:00

So as my wonderful readers probably already know, the garden is in and things are beginning to take off and grow. We put new boxes up and we have filled them with love and hope... and most of all seeds. Young Bear has been so excited about all the new things we are growing from seeds and it makes stop and think about the seeds/thoughts we are growing inside of her.

Like the lettuce, we put in the basic principals of boundaries into her life. As they grow and develop, her own thought/seeds of boundaries begin to emerge and she starts to realize how important her own boundaries really are.

As with the Sunflowers this year, we only started with seeds. (We had to put sticks over the boxes to keep the local animals from using it as a local bathroom.) As parents we act as the sticks placed over the box where the seeds sit and push through the ground. We protect the seeds of thoughts and aspirations of our Young bear and still be hands off enough to let her ideas room to grow.

The snow peas we planted have really enjoyed the box we have put them. When I look at the growth that they had made, it reminds of me of our Young Bear's growth. She has learned so many lessons so far this year and I see (like the Snow Peas) so much potential.

Lastly, the Radish Box.

I see the blank canvas that is our Young Bears future. I look forward to what is to come.....

Road Tripping

2011-06-08T16:41:00.000-07:00

So as of recently the Two Bears and Goldy Locks went on a road trip. Over the river and through the woods ... over mountains and through valleys they traveled. The ended up in the land of sunny California where the rest of the Galloway Bears happen to den. For 5 days they enjoyed the company family and friends. Papa Bear was able to catch up with old friends and share his beloved beer. Young Bear got to play with her little cousin and they all got to visit the ZOO! (Pictures to follow) So as I, Mama Bear, stayed and hold down the preferable fort... I learned a few things about living by yourself;

It's is so much easier to clean a den when there is not a 7 year old coming behind you to clutter it up again.

It maybe easier to clean said den... but since there is no one to come along and make it dirty again... it limits the amount of cleaning you can actually do....especially if it was all ready pretty clean in the first place.

You can eat whatever and whenever... however since there is nobody to really cook for you end up eating just about nothing.

You learn to enjoy the one cup French Press coffee in the morning cause making a full 12 cups just goes to waste. This you learn the first day!

You find that you have great friends that come and keep you company and hang out so you won't be alone... but when it is all said and done, you still fall asleep on the couch with dog at your feet and the cat on your head.

There is nobody around to fight you for the master chair... and the remotes always in the same place you left them.

"Young Bears" keep you on a timely schedule of when things should be happening. When you live alone all those hours of watching, maintaining, prepping and keeping them in step go away and open up your schedule to endless possibilities. You can find yourself sleeping in till 8 and then watching late night TV again like you were a teenager. I forgot how funny Conan can really be and I still think Letterman was better when he was drunk... and Saturday Night Live... nothing like what it used to be the late 80's and early 90's.

You can buy an Ice Cream Cake ... and leave it in the freezer... and it will ACTUALLY stay there and not disappear, unless you eat it.

The dog will learn your schedule and adapt very quickly... almost too quickly and he starts herding you to do the things you should be doing at that time. He will make sure you get up with the alarm.. and then take your warm spot so you are not able to lay down again. :)

After taking in account of all these things I have learned living alone with only the cat and dog for company, one thing has not changed... I love my family and I miss them when they are gone. So I am happy Mama Bear today for my family returns to me... <3

Growing Lessons

2011-05-22T17:13:00.000-07:00

Recently here at the house of The Three Bears, we have had a multitude of growing lessons. Last week Young Bear and some of her neighbor bear cub friends had a run in with the Neighbor Bear Lady. She was not happy with the bear cubs, who we found out later were all playing in the Neighbor Bear's yard.

We are still to this day not quiet sure what exactly happened to make the Neighbor Bear so upset, but what we do know is, Young Bear was breaking her own boundaries by even being in her yard. Bear cub friends or not she was not playing in any neighbors yard that she;
A~ Did not know or we did not know.
B~ If you were not playing with a Bear cub from that house.
C~ If that Bear family specifically told you not to play in their yard.

She was not the only Young Bear cub that got into trouble that day and she was put on restriction. Why "Restriction"? We call it that because I hate the verbiage "grounding" or being "grounded". What does grounding actually mean to a young bear... From personal experience, I remember it meaning stuck in one place not being able to do anything that I considered fun. The word "restriction", we feel it more clearly defines the type of consequence that is actually happening.

So she was restricted from going outside for a week and for the most part she handled it quiet well. We felt that not going outside and playing with her friends for a week... was the punishment that fit the crime. So when it came time to come off restriction, she was doing so well with the week prior that Papa Bear let her know that she could go out a day early. She was instructed with the tighter new boundaries and she went out to play. This last Friday afternoon went well and Saturday was going along swimmingly ... till... She got caught yet again down by the Neighbor Bear House way beyond her boundary limits. So again she is under restriction for another week and with and added bonus of no T.V. and videos.

With all that being said, I have to say parenting is hard work. It is rewarding in it's own ways, just hard. It is the best example of having to look 3 steps ahead constantly. We seem to find ourselves .... repeating the same things over and over again, and even then we never stop saying something... just a different version.

Papa Bear and I have been reflecting more than normal lately and we find that as our Young Bear grows and goes through lessons, so do we. We are constantly growing with her. It could be as simple as changing a word in our verbiage or challenge what we think we should do with what we know.

So in short.... You never stop growing and learning and living, and that in it's self is a reason to keep going.

Spring is in full gear

2011-05-15T22:00:00.000-07:00

Between Mama Bear celebrations, Mama Bear's Birthday, the rain and life in general...

I have not had time to get our family garden going.

Well fear not my loyal Three Bear followers.. As of this weekend, the garden is on the move.

I want you introduce you to our newest member in The Three Bears Backyard. She is a beautiful Honeysuckle plant that was just about out grown her pot. She was pointed out by our Young Bear while on a brief excursion out to find our tomato plants. Young Bear first wanted to get a Foxglove flower plant, and after a quick call the plant guru... Goldy Locks, we decided on the Honeysuckle.

As you can see we got more than just the Honeysuckle plant. We so many things that we wanted to plant that we ended up putting something in to every box. We now have a dedicate herb box that is all ready to starting to smell wonderful!

Of course we did another Lettuce box because last years lettuce crop just keep coming and coming.... We are starting with some lettuce starts and the other side is well seeded. Our goal here was to have a constant batch of lettuce going at all times.

This is the box in front of the bedroom window. We wanted some type of climbing plant and again, thanks to the plant guru of the house... our choice was Snow Peas. These things have been in the box for about a week now and they are already looking for something to grab on to. I am going out daily now to help them find the wood lattice setup. You will still notice that we have the chicken netting on top of the boxes to keep our cat and any other wandering cats out of our big box of soft dirt. Once things start to get big and leaves and plants get bigger hopefully the cats will stay out of the boxes.

This is another look at the box... but notice, there is another young plant. Squash!

This has not always been my favorite veggie, however in the last couple of years I have learned to appreciate it for it's taste and versatility in a meal. Actually... Young Bear picked it out and thought it would be a good thing to have for the family. All I can say... Good Call my young one!

As for the bigger box, in which we were going to plant the pumpkin, Young Bear went with a different approach. She picked out 2 cucumber plants and 1 watermelon plant. I told her that the watermelon would be a long time in the making but if she want to see if it would grow then we could make room for a pumpkin plant else where... (where I don't know as of yet)

Now for the pride and joy of my garden ... Tomato's!

We actually have 3 different kinds of tomatoes this year and I do believe that we have more tomato plants in the works. We got Willamette's, Early Girls and a Beef Steak aka Beefy Boy. I have left the markers on which ones are which so we can tell the compare what we get and see which plant we like the most. Last years tomato's were so much fun that it was almost overwhelming the amounts of fruit we actually got. This year I wanted to be prepared for how big they were going to get, hence the wire racks to have them "grow into".

We are a year wiser on what we can grow successfully and what works where. We have more knowledge on the things we need to prep for and how to prepare for the upcoming crops. Now that this project is finally getting underway I can't help but be excited for the coming summer.

Bring on the May Flowers

2011-05-15T21:09:00.000-07:00

I have not posted much as of late and I take full responsibility. The house of the Three Bears have been very busy and finding time to even sit down for any length of time has been hard. I could do a long run down of all the things that we are doing and have done.. or I could go through a picture diary of the end of April and the starts of May.

All in favor of the pictures say "awe"... wait you don't get to vote.

This picture was taken on the evening of April 30th, 2011. It was rainy that day and the sun came out later that night and it was just breathtaking!

Welcoming in the first of May

April showers brings May Flowers....

What nice flowers they are starting out to be!

My Mother's Day BBQ and I am the cook!

I love to BBQ come rain or shine and nothing was going to stop me!

So I also had to share this picture... not because it a terrible picture that only shows my backside, "butt" because if you look closely ... that is hail that is falling.

I was not going to let a bit of rain stop me from BBQ'ing, however I was a bit concerned once the hail started. We ended up with a plate full of Chicken and wonderful salad made up from the Farmers Market. Grandma and Grandpa Bear, even Auntie Bear, traveled over the river and through the woods to come visit us for the afternoon. Games were played and good time was had by all!

We are now into the middle of May and I have made a promise to myself to keep things updated more often. So all of you that have been calling and harassing me about posting... can be shocked and amazed again more regularly.

April Showers...

2011-04-22T15:47:00.000-07:00

Bring May Flowers... hopefully :)

So where to start... April Showers have brought not only the rain but the hail, really cold temps and some great, yet fleeting sunny days. One thing I am starting to do is carry my camera around with me more often. I find myself seeing beautiful moments / pictures and no camera to witness it!

One thing that has happened recently is our Young Bear has been able to go outside and play with the neighbor friends again on those momentary days of sun. The common knock at the door is happening more and more now and it is enviable that she will be gone outside most of the summer. Even on the days it rains the knocks at the door still happen. "Can Young Bear come out to play?" has become the question of the month. We have found that our answers must be clear... " If and when she can come out, she will... so you don't need to keep coming back and knocking at the door". If you are a parent, you will know why we say exactly that... and if you are not, well you can guess or just wait till you have kids.

Now I do have to make comment that even though it rains just about everyday, she can still be found outside. On day that it is rainy and cold we can look across the street at the neighbor bears front porch. There they sit together on the porch swing playing Game boy video games. It is the cutest picture to see when she and him are sitting there side by side... (again....no picture ... YET!... just wait...)

As for the rest of the month and Bear Family Members...

Papa Bear has been steadily working .. studying... homework... brewing.... working... studying... homework... brewing... and so on and so forth. He has been so busy this month with his school and the family, he has found it hard to even blog... I am going to try and help him when I can ... maybe just maybe I could be a guest writer. He was a bit disappointed that he was unable to make his next paint ball game. Due to the organizers planning the game on Easter Sunday they will be losing a few more. As much as he is looking forward to the next paint ball game, as he says... Watching our Young Bear freak out on Sunday about the basket and goodies she was given is worth a thousand games! For now he waits ...

We are also taking full advantage of the spring cleaning. Young Bear and I cleaned out her clothes, toys and over all room. I have recently started cleaning out our closets and getting the old out and opening them up for the new. What new things will come I do not know, yet you never know when you will need closet space. I guess we will just have to wait...

The gardening project has been on a small detour until the weather decides to corporate more. It has not yet been a combined temp of 100 yet... On the rainy days it is a high of 45-50 and then a low of 35-40. Then on the warmer days it can get a high of 50-60 but the lows dip into the low 30's. This is a most unusual year in weather and I am going to try and remember to document the weather here and there with in the posts, so come next year I can look back and see if things change. For now the boxes stand empty and ready for whatever I may plant. Waiting for weather to change and for me to plant...

I think I am beginning to see the pattern that is forming here. I guess I will have wait to see if it really is...

Signs of Spring

2011-04-07T20:15:00.000-07:00

Little Hail Storm late March

Looks Like Late Winter

I Almost Don't Think It Is Spring

Oh Wait... It Is Spring..

This Is A Spring Evening!

Things that happened this month...

2011-03-27T20:44:00.000-07:00

The precious moments don't stop happening. I don't have a whole bunch to say about things happening lately... but pictures speak a thousand words... with out saying anything at all. Enjoy!

This was one of the only photo's I was able to grab... during her performance in the school play "Willy Wonka" She was a gobstopper! :)

Yep... Can you tell what we are planning this summer?

New gardening boxes... That's what we are doing this summer!

Not a lot to say about this picture... She is just giggly!

Nothing like family time with toys!

This was made in between making deviled eggs and playing dragon & the knight.

Somebody is watching me.....

*Young Bear and I became obsessed with taking and looking at these types of pictures. I would take them and then we would look at them and laugh. It reminded me of when a school friend and I would blow through a package of her dad's Polaroid film. We would have such a fun time with taking the funny shots and getting the instant gratification of seeing them. That is one thing I'll never see our Young Bear do... holding a picture and waving it in the air...

Again... I'm watching you!

Such the relaxed student!

So I had to post this picture because it has been the norm around here. Papa Bear counted it down and his last day of school for his Bachelors Degree is April 09, 2012. Despite his relaxed way at doing homework, he currently holds a high B average and still working full time. I still remember the day he told me that he wanted to go back to school like it was yesterday.

It just goes to show that time does fly!

First Steps... even through the wind and storms

2011-03-14T21:11:00.000-07:00

The first steps in the beginning of Springtime. I don't know about you but I am very excited!

These first pictures were taken on Saturday before the big wind storm.

It was a beautiful day and I got really excited about the idea of gardening.

I went out with Young Bear and Grandpa Bear and got the dirt.

I planned on working on the project on Sunday, however THE STORM came...

After trying to keep the Gazebo from walking away.... the rain and heavy winded stopped later that day...

Then we were able to start by filling up the first garden boxes

Then we were able to start on one of the new garden boxes. I thought to myself this evening when I went to enjoy my handy work...

"I think it looks so cool I would hate to ruin it by actually planting something in it."

Sometimes I just have to laugh at myself!

Knowing is half the battle

2011-03-06T13:06:00.000-08:00

I have been thinking about this blog, and trying to blog for a while now with no luck. With everything that was going on in the month of February, it felt like I had much to say, yet no time to say it. I am going to find more time for those few moment to myself to think/read and most of all... blog. I wonder sometimes why it has taken me so along to figure out that if you don't live in the moment and for the moment, time will slip through your fingers like fine sand. So with that said I'll bring you up to speed with some of the bigger life events happening.

Our Young Bear is doing so well. She is enjoying school and still working hard at the piano. She has talked about playing the flute one day, which is almost a relief from the drums idea. Amongst other things of being 7 she has been asking all the questions we thought we had a few more years to wait on. She has put together that she is 7 and Papa Bear and I have only been married 4 years this coming May. She has been on her own small mission to find about those missing years...

We have only answer the questions she asks, honestly and simply. She has now put together that Papa Bear is her Step Papa Bear, and that she has another Father. Papa Bear has told her that no matter what you call him he will always be her Papa Bear and he will never stop loving her as his own Young Bear. He told her that he will be there when she needs someone to tuck her in or to help clean up that scraped knee. He would be there when she needs help with reading a word or playing a video game. Since they had their "talk" she still continues to call him Papa Bear with more conviction. Our Young Bear has taken everything in stride and is very accepting of the situation. She has been told about the adoption but has not quiet grasped it's full meaning. So... we just keep reminding her that we are working hard and as fast as we can so officially change her last name. Papa Bear has been so supportive and loving and I couldn't have asked for a better husband or dad.

As for Papa Bear, he is doing well and is fully enjoying the fruits of his hard work in school and at his job. He has not brewed new beer as of late but with his new work schedule changed, we have once again been pushed into that oh so familiar "getting used to it" stage. I personally think the constant changing of schedules is God's answer to my prayers of helping me become more flexible. Also this time around the his work hours are not so bad and it allows him more time to study in the afternoon uninterrupted. His days off have changed, so he now has Thursday and Friday's off and works early mornings on Saturday and Sunday. Thursday has become the day I love most cause I get to spend most of the day, if not all, with him. ;)

We are starting to prepare for this years garden project, and we are learning from our mistakes and our success of last year. We are going to be adding on at least 3 new boxes, possible 4, and adding to the things we hope to grow. We are looking to continue the lettuce, tomato's, strawberry's and sunflowers of last year, and looking forward to seeing what comes of our bell peppers, carrots and herbs ideas. We are also planning for a pumpkin patch that will be interesting to watch as it grows. Corn would be fun however we will have to wait and see what kind of boxes we can get to hold a row of corn. I will be blogging the garden as it comes together.

As I bring this blog to a close let me share a bit of personal wisdom that I have come across as of late. One thing that has become apparent to me as the years slip by, is that change is enviable. Change being the constant thing in our lives is sometimes the hard concept to grasp. I find that when I hide or shy away from the change, it makes it all that much harder to deal with. I believe so far this year, the winds of change happening in "The House of the Three Bears" is here to open our minds, heal our hearts and make us ready and flexible enough to with stand any passing storm that may come by. My prayer for my family and friends is to have all of you embrace the changes that maybe happening in your lives. Let to winds of change wash over you and then out again allowing it make the small but significant changes it needs to make to strengthen you and prepare your for the coming years. I wish you all the best with your changes and know that we are all there with you.

Amen

Permanent Reminder

2011-03-02T16:10:00.000-08:00

Sometimes we ask ourselves what is so permanent in our lives that we feel the need to write it in ink!

That's right... Papa Bears First Tattoo freshly done. It has healed up really nicely and I will up date you with a more close up and detailed picture.

Winds of change

2011-02-20T13:30:00.000-08:00

We knew inevitably Papa Bear and I knew that the questions of our Young Bears familial ties would come up. We have been hoping and praying that they would come at a time and place, in where we could answer them honestly, openly and with very little detail would be needed. It looks like that time is near....

Last night as Papa Bear and I are getting into bed, a little mousy noise of "mommy can I come in" comes through the door. I open the door and there is our Young Bear with blanket in hand. She came in lay down in the bed with her blanket and we started talking about the fun drive we took that day. Out of nowhere she asked us how we met. Then she wanted to know when we met... how old was she, why couldn't she remember when she was a baby. Then she wanted to know where/how was she born. She wanted to know how could I have her if I didn't have a uterus (and yes she used that word).

We answered all these questions with grace and honestly, including the question of why Papa Bear and I were not living together when she was born. We answered who I was with and also why I did not want to be with him anymore. She excepted all our answers with really? or why? We answered her questions till her curious mind couldn't come up with anymore. We tucked her in with a kiss on the nose, and tickle.

As she drifted off to sleep, Papa Bear and I stayed up talking about the changes that were happening right underneath our noses. She is growing up and making yet another advancement into her childhood. This only makes us wonder what other changes are on the way. I never thought I would say this but... I miss the little 3 year old running around the house.

You did what?

2011-02-20T12:42:00.000-08:00

With Papa Bear sick... and I mean sick, I have been left to my own devices. I recently went to the local store to pick the prescription the doctor gave him to get him over the double ear infection that has been plaguing him now for a few days. I had a few minuets to spare and went in search for Kool Aid.

Now let me explain... que in flash back sequence.

Goldy Locks and I were in a conversation about drinks and soft drinks the other day. Now we don't get a bunch of soda here, and we treat it like a very special treat. We ended up talking about the benefits of Kool Aid over Soda in a can. She was telling me that I could control the amount of sugar in the Kool Aid where I could not in a can of soda. I never really thought of it that way so after bunch of jokes and laughter, I was determined to find out.

Jump back in to the present.... que back in flash forward sequence.

So I'm walking around the store looking for Kool Aid and found in the juice aisle. I picked out a couple of kinds and started reading the ingredients lists. Now I found some had already added sugar and those I put back right away, cause that was the point of all of this, controlling the sugar. At this point I started looking at what ingredients I actually did know about.

Citric Acid I know from high school chemistry to be a weak organic acid that is found in fruit naturally. It is used often in soft drinks. So not a terrible..

Calcium Phosphate I thought I knew to be an additive used by companies to increase there "calcium" amounts and food additive. I also knew in the back of my head that there were many types of the Calcium Phosphates and they are used for all types of applications, such as in anti caking, glass making, plastic making and animal food. (What I didn't know is that it also used in fertilizers.. yikes)

Maltodextrin I knew was mostly a corn additive that is on the sweet side or sometimes flavorless. It is added to things to cause it has fewer calories than sugar. Goldy Locks once told me that it is added to things sometimes to be used as a thickening agent.

Ascorbic Acid I know to be Vitamin C.

Now these were all the things I knew of the top of my head. That's when I started "googling" the rest of the ingredients on my phone. There were only a few, and one of them was BHA which I found out to be anitoxdents and prevents the Kool Aid from spoiling. Artificial Favor was another and that could be about anything, but ... hopefully it there wouldn't be enough in a package of Kool Aid to kill us. Just as I started to look into the last general ingredient, which happens to be Artificial Color Red 40, I happened to look over and there was a mother and her child arguing.

So normally I would have kept to myself and stick to what I was doing, however I could emphasis with the mothers plight. She was trying to buy a decent juice drink for her child and he was wanting the one that had the most crap out of them all.

Thats when it happened.... I looked over that the ensuing struggle between the two and I walked over with the Kool Aid packet in hand and just started talking. I told the mother that she could compromise with Kool Aid. I told her that it is better that what he wanted and she could ultimately control how and what sugar was added. Then I walked away ... with out the Kool Aid packet.

Now some of you reading this blog will remember the Green Bean incident, and know how taken off my guard I was when this woman out of no where started telling me how to do something. In the end it ended up working out for the best and that is what I believe will happen in this case. Even if only the mother goes home to research more on what is in things she feeds her child, I hope and believe that have done some good in the world.

What makes me laugh... is I have become that old lady!

Home again...

2011-02-07T20:17:00.000-08:00

Papa Bear and I went on an outing that took us over the river and through the woods literally. We went to a seminar that was held in Portland at Janzten Beach off the Columbia River. Now I went to the seminar for my re-education hours and Papa Bear got a chance to worked on his school work. It was a chance to get away for a weekend together, without our Young Bear. She was excited and upset all at the same time. She got to stay with her Pop Bear & Nan Bear for Friday night and was able to squeeze in a friends roller skating birthday party on Saturday with Goldy Locks.

I ended up with the day off, (due to a sick boss) and I thought what a fun afternoon to get my hair colored. I ended up going with a flaming Fire Engine Red. I absolutely love this color and I think it matches my personality. Papa Bear loves it too!

The weekend was full of interesting thoughts, comments and surprises. Even though 10 hours of it I spent in seminars, we still found plenty of time to play. We caught up with some friends of ours from Salem and we all went out on Saturday night. We ended up at the Rouge Brewery Pub, where we enjoyed Kobe Beef Burgers and their famous beer cheese soup. I fell in love with Rouges Somer Orange Honey Ale and Papa Bear had a famous MC Rouge Scotch Ale and a Moritoto Pislner. We had a great time getting lost in downtown Portland at night in the dark and while drizzling. We parked... walked ... got lost... walked some more... ask directions from strangers... walked some more... found the car (finally)... then found we were around the corner of the pub the whole time. Nothing like needing a beer!

After the last 4 hours of the seminar on Sunday we headed home. Both Papa Bear and I were really missing home and missing our Young Bears face. We ended up driving strait home and surprising Young Bear who was out playing with friends. The rest of the weekend was relaxing and stress free.

It was nice to sleep in our own bed and again and realize once again... There's no place like home!

O'ley (saying it in my best Spanish accent)

2011-02-03T19:37:00.000-08:00

So we Three Bears started out this week with a smiles on our faces. We all had things to look forward to!

Monday: A No School Day :) Now for the Mama & Papa Bear that isn't much to smile about... but after a full weekend of birthday parties, Young Bear was all partied out and ready for a much needed rest. She slept in late and had a great afternoon with Goldy Locks. She (with a little craftiness from Goldy Locks) made a beautiful bouquet of flowers, for her Mama & Papa Bear as an early Valentines Day gift.

Tuesday: Beautiful weather and cool crisp nights = BBQ! I took a couple of Papa Bear homemade brews (with permission of-course) and used them to covered some Johnsonville Brats on Monday night. We invited the Grandparents from over the river and through the woods to come and enjoy the feast that we were going to partake in. Once everyone was over and the grill was nice and hot... on go the brats. We enjoyed a great game of Dominion and after a while the brats were sizzling and popping... They were done and we feasted! So good was the food that everyone went to bed full and content! I would have taken a picture but we were all hungry and food went fast!

Wednesday: 1st Grade Fiesta Day! Come one, come all to the Fiesta! The 1st grade class had their Fiesta performance. I managed to actually get time on my lunch break to see it. Young Bear sang ... she danced... and even shook it a little bit. I video recorded some of it and they are so cute. She even managed to get me up and up in the stage area and dance with her.

I wore this flower in my hair the rest of the day!

Author's Note** I am normally not a PTA parent but some how my Young Bear is turning me into one. The more I fight or question our own parenting style something like this comes along and lets me know that we are doing a great job. Things like this... seeing her up there listening and paying attention and have a great time do it, just goes to show me that she is growing up. I know many people can tell Papa Bear and I that we are doing a great job with her, but I always love the moments where we experience it. I think this is the best part of parenting... seeing it in action.

Ohhh what a week...

2011-01-23T19:36:00.000-08:00

I look back on my last Sunday's post and wonder... maybe I wrote too soon.

*Monday held a day full of interesting phone calls, work oriented and personal as well. Nothing really exciting to write home about ... but if I knew what the rest of the week had in store I would have called in sick on Tuesday.

*Tuesday held a fascinating wave of drama filled issues that did not directly impact me but made me hold my breath while they were happening. An hour or so after those events took place, was given a new title at work; "Advanced Sensitivity to Interpersonal Dynamics Coordinator" I can not go into detail of what happened and how I deserving earned that title, however I can tell you that you never want to put an pissed off ex husband in the same office with a highly volatile ex wife.

*Wednesday held a curious day of gifts.

Gift of advice; I was talking to an acquaintance about her scrap-booking and told her I was crafty but not that crafty. I joked about not starting my daughters baby book till she was 5. We both laughed and another person interrupted and said "Oh dear you never want to wait on making a scrapbook for your kid, you will regret not doing it." I promptly told her that I had started our family blog last year and that was my way of scrap booking, but to no avail she continue by telling me how have a physical reminder of our lives was the only way to go. I had to wait patiently through a 20 minute sermon on documenting my daughters life for her in a tangible way. Well I'll tell you my readers... I am documenting our families life in a way more tangible than what this lady will ever know. (But we won't tell her that!)

Gift of treats; A young man came into the office (where I work), dressed as the Statue of Liberty. He held a small box and some flyers. He told me that he was "In the neighborhood" handing out flyers to the business that he represented and also a box of donuts. I did notice at the time that as he was speaking that he happened to have a bit of white powdered sugar on the corners of his mouth, as if he had just gotten done eating such a donut. I laughed and gracefully said thank you and told him to have a great day. He left the box of donuts on the counter and I went back to what I was doing prior to him walking in. A few minutes later I went back to remove the said box of donuts and flyers of the front desk, and set them back into the office.

Later that morning I went to "check out" what he had left, thinking... mmm donuts, and to my complete surprise... there in in the box was a donut with a bit taken out. Now I know what your thinking... NO WAY!

Well here it is... that said box of donuts. Check out the lower left hand corner of the box!

Gift of friends; We started our game night again! We invited a few people after dinner to come over and play a board game or two. We ended up playing the Creationary Game for a couple of hours over a glass of mead and a bottle of wine. Is it a Pear? How about a Banana? This game is hard to do if you are a very literal person, however after a glass of wine and a round of funny creations everyone gets into it.

*Thursday rolled around and the morning still came to early for this Mama Bear's day off. A part of me wanted desperately to sleep in, but I some how my Young Bear talked me into volunteering in a class project. Volunteering you say... yes I know, I don't do well doing PTA things and I know my getting involved doesn't always turns out good, but it always turns out funny. This I volunteering gig I though would prove to be different. It involved to of my specialties; driving & eating. I was taking part in Young Bears school field trip that had 50 kids and about 15 adults to a Mexican Restaurant. There were many things that could have gone better and worse and the best way to describe that adventure was ... It was a ZOO!

*Friday I was hoping to be the end of craziness of the week but unfortunately it ended up being a very EARLY morning. How early you ask... it started actually the night before around 11:30, that was the first wake up call. Then again around 3, then again around 3:30, then again around 4.... do you see the pattern here? I do have to say there was a reason for each and every wake up call out; drink of water, can't sleep, don't want to be alone, I'm bored. I didn't say they were good reasons... just reasons. I can tell at the end of the very busy office day, I had 3 cups of coffee a soda and I was still yawing. We did come up with a new rule for the Bear Cave tho.... You are not to get out of bed till 7 o'clock, unless you are going to the bathroom and going right back to bed, or you or something in the house is on fire.

Editors Note** So far it has worked... so far. :)

As for Saturday and Sunday... Between birthday parties, brewing beer, grand-parental visits and cleaning house, this has been a wonderful relaxing weekend. This is what this Bear family needed... We did things we enjoyed and spent time with the people who make us happy. Now we have the house that is picked up and clean and smelling like a brew pub... just the way we like it! Here is to the next week... No matter what you throw at us, we always come home to ones we love!

All is quiet on the western front...

2011-01-16T21:46:00.000-08:00

There has not been a whole lot of Three Bears shenanigans going on lately. I can tell you, it is not from the lack of trying.

Papa Bear has been super busy with his school work and new webpage that sometimes I don't know when the Bear stops and the computer begins. I caught him even posting on his blog, from his phone right as we were going to sleep. I had to stop and make fun of him for being so "techie", then promptly grabbed my phone to bring up his blog on the internet so I could read it.

Speaking of Papa Bear, not only is his doing great with his "Trip around the Sun" project, he was also recently blessed with a schedule change that allows him to be able to take our Young Bear to school and still be home in time for dinner with the family. This is a much improvement from the last shift that didn't get him home sometimes till after Young Bears bedtime. With the first week of the new schedule under our belts, we can start to get back to the more family activates/shenanigans our bear cave is used too.

One of the first things we would like to start doing is having our weekly game night back. Both Papa Bear and I realize that maybe not every week would work but a bi-weekly game night is perfect for our forest path. We recently had a friend over that we hadn't seen in a while, and I will call her Mr. Peter Pumpkin's Lovely Wife. We had a great evening of play board games and laughing. With Young Bear away at a friends cave for a sleepover, we ended up staying up till 11. That is hours after our normal bedtime and we felt like young bears again, staying up late and playing games. This feeling however, ended when we slept-in till 9 the next morning. Papa Bear said later... I'm to old for this dreck...

Another thing we want to start doing in the next couple of months is getting ready for the family garden. Our first attempt at gardening went well, however there are a few things we want to do that we didn't seem to get to last year. We will be adding at least 4-5 more raised bed boxes for our garden. This will give us a total of 8-9 boxes and allowing us to dedicate one food type to per box. We will have in mind to make separate room for a pumpkin plant. I am starting earlier this year to allow us to plan what we want to make sure we plant things at the right time. I found through a friend that there is a place in town locally that is great with all naturally starts and the tomatoes starts that we got last year from them ended up doing great! I will be talking with "The Grateful Gardener" as soon as it opens.

We also started a new puzzle that I found that would fit the theme of our Entertainment Room.

I originally bought it with our Young Bear in mind but it was I that broke it out and started putting it together. Now if you ever want to learn about a person... try putting a puzzle together with them! I think it could be a new way of learning about a person and what that person is like on a day to day basis. Now more testing has to be done on this theory, however the theory proves my OCD personality type and I think it shows Papa Bears logical personality type as well.

We all enjoyed, including Young Bear, having Goldy Locks recent puzzle out for all to come along and place a piece. Even our family cat Hank came along and gave his stamp of approval by laid on the half that was completed while it was still in progress.

So as we go into yet another week, we try to keep our minds focused on the tasks and life in the present, but I know all of us are keeping one eye into the future.

Finishing Touches

2011-01-11T21:16:00.000-08:00

Finishing Touches are what makes a project perfect for me. I find that as much as I enjoy the moving of furniture and the organizing of things, I find I love putting the finishing touches on a project. Lately a bunch of our family projects have been in a holding pattern due to one thing or another. However as of this weekend 2 of those projects as finally finished and I even got to put the finishing touches on them.

First the "Entertainment Room Decor"

This project has been in the "arranging and rearranging phase" since we moved in. Most of our family & friends have seen the living room in all different types of configurations. I even think that Goldy Locks has learned to expect the room to be changed every time she comes home from a day out. Whether it be the couch and table that moves or just having the whole room be turned up side down. We have moved art on and off the walls and have even now moved the main computer and printer out of the room. The changes that we have made have paired down what we have in the room and what the room is used for. Now we call it the Entertainment Room or Movie Room for short. Everyone agrees that this configuration is the best. There is great distance between the TV and the couch and plenty of room for when we have guests over. We have picked out some more great movie posters and only have one more that we are looking to get.

Please forgive the pictures I took them with my camera phone

This is the view from the Kitchen

This is the view from the back door.

This is the view from the hallway.

We have even added a new member of furniture to our household. I found this wonderful chair at my local thrift store. It took a little convincing of Papa Bear but in the end he "caved". hahahah get it "caved". I am so happy that this on going rearranging can really come to an end. Everyone in the house seems to think so too. .... Alright... alright all ready I'm done. :)

Second the "Young Bears Borders"

This trend of finishing projects has even extended to finishing our Young Bears room decor. If you remember... we started this project awhile ago. Now that we finally have finished getting the lines up (which are not perfect) on the wall next came the music notes.

I started with sheets of foam from the "Dollar Store"

Next I printed out my templates

Then it was a couple of weekends of cutting out the notes.

Did I mention all the cutting I did?

After finally recovering from carpal tunnel surgery from cutting all the notes out... (joking)

The notes went up on the wall.

And then more notes went up on the wall.

And finally more notes.

I really enjoyed this project despite how long it took me to finish it. It was a combination of things that kept getting in the way. I do look forward to doing this kind of project again, but I will set a better time limit on myself. All in All... Young Bear loves it and was so happy to see this project finish. Her happy "OH MY GOSH MOM ... THANK YOU" was all I wanted and needed.

I can't wait to have family and friend over for a get-together soon, so everyone can enjoy

"Our Finishing Touches"

Look what I can do...

2011-01-08T08:57:00.000-08:00

Thanks goes out to a wonderful teacher and music mentor Ms. Maribeth Soderberg (aka Judy Dench). Every week she sits down with my Young Bear and manages to have her sit up strait and pay close attention to what she is doing.

She has inspired our Young Bear to practice and love what she is learning. The Three Bears can not say Thank You enough to our Ms. Maribeth for all she has done.

All I can say is well done and we will see you next week!

Things you start thinking about....

2011-01-02T19:46:00.000-08:00

I realize that it is a popular thing for people to make New Years Resolutions at the first of the year. People can end up feeling bad a couple months later because they have forgotten about what they wanted to do or even why the wanted to do the resolution in the first place. So to set myself up for success I am going to do a "flashback" of the year and put no extra expectations on the new year so to let everything that happens be new and exciting.

So in the spirit of the "flashback" idea, I wanted my first post in the New Year to be about remembering the funny stories that have happened in the last year.

A very funny moment in the Three Bears 2010 year, can easily be called "The Death Conversation"

Another funny moment that has happened to us can be only be named "The Blues"

Now the humans in the house are not the only ones that make things funny around here, you can understand when you read "The Doorbell Rang"

Now you probably remember "The Panda That Poops"

Who can forget "Learning on the Job"

We talk about remembering things... we can not forget about "Where's the Bear?"

Lastly and my most favorite funny moment I will simply call "The Table"

Now that we have looked down memory lane for the year of 2010, I hope you have enjoyed reading my blog as much as I have enjoyed writing it. I hope that all my readers look forward into the next year with hope, joy and pure excitement. I look forward to writing in the coming year and I am wondering what does 2011 hold for The Life With The Three Bears???

Our Pre New Year Eve Get Away

2010-12-31T18:28:00.000-08:00

That's It! We are out of here...

We all took off to the coast for a little break from the crazy busy times of the Holidays. We found a great house sitter and we all packed up and left for the coast. We found a great condo right on the beach and watched the storms roll in. The next day was absolutely gorgeous... All these pictures are taken with my camera phone. Enjoy...

Young Bear's attempt at writing her name in the sand.

You would have never thought that it was raining and storming/hailing the night before.

Young Bear is "old enough now" according to her as she runs out in front of us... runs out and runs back. I remember when we had to have her with us at all times.

It was such a windy day and hard to take a picture.

For the brief moments I could catch her and make her sit down... It only reminded me that time is fleeting and she is growing up fast.

Last but not least... I am learning to use the video recorder on my phone.

I love hearing her laugh! This is a moment you never want to forget.

We had a wonderful time and we look forward to going again. Next time tho;

~I will actually look more carefully through what Young Bear packs, so we don't have to go to the local store and buy more underwear or a bathing suit top!

~I will actually pack more carefully myself and remember to bring my own pair of underwear!

~We will also remember to bring our own pillows.... cause it doesn't matter where you stay, home is always where your pillow is!

Finally the Christmas Post

2010-12-31T16:45:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas! I know.. I know it is a few days past Christmas but I wanted to make sure that I got this Christmas post in.

After coming home, over the river and through the woods, Young Bear was in a rush to make sure to get into bed and get to sleep. We had been tracking Santa all evening via Norad. By the time we got home Santa had been spotted in Canada and was making his way south. She was so nervous that she wouldn't get to sleep in time.

After we put out the cookies for Santa and the carrots and shredded wheat for the reindeer we all went to bed. We told her that we wanted her to sleep in as long and she could but if she did get up early she had to come and wake us up first.

Like normal she woke up at the crack of dawn... so not only did she have to wait patiently in her room for mom and dad to wake up and make coffee but she also had to wait until her Grandma and Grandpa Bears come over.

Just as they are walking through the door and she is coming out to greet them... she sees her first Santa gift. The Key Board! "I knew he would bring me it!"

Out comes the piano music and she successfully plays "Deck the Halls" & "Away In A Manager". She takes her bow and we all move into the entertainment room.

It first started with one gift at time and Young Bear was in charge of handing out gifts. This slowly degenerated into Mama Bear handing out the gifts and the Adults taking turns opening gifts, all while Young Bear feverishly opening everything she can get her hands on. She got the Wii games she want from Mama Bear and Papa Bear but where was the game system? She was on a mission! A mission looking for the gift that meant so much... but some how it wasn't there. But where was it? Santa said in the email that she was looking forward to getting a video game...

She went from happy to feverishly excited and then went to let down. The gaming system wasn't there... it wasn't under the tree. Now noticing that her attitude had peaked and she was now on her way down, we all started towards the kitchen for breakfast. As Goldy Locks and DeDe Bear moved there it was... all hooked up and ready to go, under the TV. Who would have guessed it, Santa knows electronics! After pretending to almost pass out, she became elated!

We all had a great Christmas breakfast and then later nice Christmas Naps! Then thanks to Goldy Locks we had a great Christmas Lasagna ... I mean ham.. :)

So there you have it our Christmas all wrapped up... This year we all learned a couple of Christmas lessons;

1~ Santa knows electronics and you should NEVER under estimate the power of Santa!

2 ~ Even tho sometimes we don't know what we want, at Christmas you always get what you need.

3~ Always make your bacon the day before!

4~ Know that anyone can surprise you! **I'm looking at you Papa Bear :)**

5~ Having family around on Christmas Day is the best way to celebrate!

The Panda Who Poops!

2010-12-27T16:41:00.000-08:00

Christmas Eve Dinner... was full of wonderful chill and cornbread. We all ate our fill while our Young Bear was on the verge of a breakdown from all the waiting. She finished her dinner in record time, while us adults enjoyed the chill, cornbread and great conversations. I think at one point she was going to burst out screaming "come on all ready", if she heard us talking about one more Christmas past.

Finally she got us all rounded up in the living room with all the gifts on the table. We all picked numbers and Papa Bear got to go first. He opened a blue Ceramic "Cat" bowl. It was really cute and ultimately could be used for many purposes.

I, Mama Bear went next and opened a 5 lb bag of salted peanuts, not a bad gift in my mind cause I love the peanuts.

Grandpa Bear went next and took my bag of peanuts ... that he brought as a gift may I add, cause he loves the peanuts too!

Since my gift was taken I ended up opening a bag with a picture key chain along with a panda that poops jelly beans. Really.. a panda pooping dispenser?

Goldy Locks took her turn when she took her gift that ended up being a Chill Crockpot made in China for the Bat'l Do-it, Inc, South Series. Chill from China... what will they think up next?

Now when it came down to DeDe Bear's turn she was going to take my panda that poops but opted to open a "Made in Taiwan" aluminum silver coated serving dish and bowl with matching lidded containers.

After the laughing had stopped Grandma Bear chose to take the smallest gift of the bunch and opened a crazy straw set of glasses. So she could always look at what she was drinking....

We started laughing when she was trying to put them on, when Young Bear came in to take that gift. Young Bear brought that gift to the table and she was determined to walk away with it.

Now Grandma Bear needed to choose again and went after the peanuts ... which was taken back by Grandpa Bear, again who brought the present to the table.

With one gift left on the table, the gift Grandma Bear brought, she opted to take the Chill pot set from Goldy Locks, who took the blue ceramic bowl from Papa Bear.

Now with Papa Bear without a gift, he choose to take my key chain and panda that poops... so I knowing that I wouldn't get the peanuts back successfully, I choose that last gift on the table.

A coffee mug in the shape of Disney's Gennie, that is just as awkward to look as it is to drink from.

I am truly amazed that I was able to remember all of that 3 days later, and fun times and great belly laughs were had by all, and in the end I think the gift that got the best laugh... was the Panda that Poops.

It has been awarded the 2010 Christmas Year, The Best White Elephant Gift. We can't wait till next year!

The White Elephant just came into the room with 3 days to go...

2010-12-22T22:58:00.000-08:00

So this year, The Three Bear family had a great idea to have a white elephant gift exchange, with our close family on Christmas Eve. Everyone is involved and on board, including our Young Bear. There is only one qualification that you have to take into account, you are allowed to spend only 5 dollars max on the gift, less is better and free is best!

I have talked to everyone involved and I found out that we all have our gifts acquired and wrapped. I have only taken part in a couple of white elephant exchanges, but I can tell you I had a wonderful time at each. I will update on the "outcome" of the gifts that are exchanged and who got what!

On the Santa front... I think we are still a go... I think, but more on that later.

As for this year, Papa Bear and I shopped early for the Young Bear, unlike last year. We have now gotten all our gifts bought and wrapped to avoid the craziness of the outside world. Goldy Locks has wisely gone foraging for food early and so we won't really even need to leave the house that weekend. All in all, I think we have it in the bag, sort-of speak.

Bring on the smell of baking cookies and Christmas Music Playing. I feel like a little kid again ... dancing in my mind, around the Christmas Tree to Johnny Mathis and Raffie. I remember all about the hard part of waiting and looking at all the fun gifts under the tree, wanting to so desperately find out what they all are. I remember Christmas's with snow on the ground and hot chocolate. I feel delighted that hopefully I will have one more year to give my Young Bear memories that she will look back on at my age (and when she has kids) and laugh and feel as giddy and childlike as I do now.

The count down continues

2010-12-20T20:49:00.000-08:00

With seven more days before Christmas, our Young Bear was still on the fence about Santa. We as her parents have been trying to convince her that Santa really exists. We were doing everything, buying reindeer food, planning for Santa cookies, trying to figure out how to string sleigh bells outside her room.

Then the morning of the sixth day before, low and behold ... What is this Daddy? An Email from Santa... does he do that? Oh My Gosh ... he does email!

Not only does he do email but he has GPS and the route to McKenzie's House. OH MY GOSH MOM! Then she proceeds to read the email ...

Santa sent her a video message and we were all so amazed. He knew things though... things that only Santa could know. She was so awwwd that she couldn't stop talking about all day.

As a parent you say things out loud such as;

"How did he know that?" and "We better listen to what Santa says."

As a parent you say to yourself "SCORE"!

So now with five days left to go... Santa is a go as well! T minus 4 days....

Where did the time go?

2010-12-12T15:29:00.000-08:00

That is the question that we all ask when things sneak up on us. I asked myself that same question on the 7th of December and I have been trying to live in the moment every since.

I can tell you that our Young Bear is starting to move away from the "Santa is a person" aspect of Christmas, and more towards the "Embodied spirit of Santa" idea. We are still going back and forth on it but the questions that are coming to us are getting more and more well thought of and are needing more detailed answers too. Papa Bear and I knew that "Santa" would come to and end eventually but like the idea of her graduating High School thought we had more time. So all we can do now is wait, write and remember of this year as possibly being the year that our Young Bear grows up just a little bit more.

It really all started at Thanksgiving and the accidental look into the closet of Goldy Locks. Who knows if she meant to look into the closet while she was in there with her cousins, but we all know she is a precocious 7 now. Either way, she did.

She comes out on Thanksgiving afternoon and makes the announcement that she knows what Goldy Locks is getting her for Christmas... a piano keyboard. We all are looking at each other and wondering what to say and still to this day I am not quiet sure who said what but, we all ended up trying to convince her that Goldy Locks did not buy that for her. We all went on about how Goldy Locks also has another Little Bear in her life that she is buying gifts for. Young Bear wasn't buying it... at least at first.

Goldy Locks came up with the idea that if we show her that we are wrapping it to mail it off, she will realize more that she is not actually getting this gift. Then just on chance, after the gifts are all mailed down to the Bear family down south, she will be given the chance to see that the keyboard is truly gone. *Having been moved to a more secretive hiding place.* Hopefully she will forget about the keyboard and it will be a great surprise that on Christmas morning it is not under the tree. More on that idea later...

Next came the day after Thanksgiving when she got the idea that she was getting the Wii she had been asking for. Now this gift was going to be our ultimate Santa surprise cause she knew that Papa Bear wanted one and was in support of getting a Wii, however she knew that Mama Bear was not. Since she knew that Mama Bear was against buying one, the only way she was going to get one is if Santa brought one.
*Writers note... yes we as parents have taken the time to set this idea up on purpose. *

Black Friday is one of my personal favorite days to get up early in the morning and hit my local store and buy the half priced socks. I can buy socks on that day for everyone and not have to buy socks all year long, so it came to no surprise to everyone that I would be looking for a deal on a Wii that very same morning. It so happened that the Wii was purchased and our shopping for the year was completed.

I as a parent was ecstatic how everything had come together so easily, unfortunately my excitement was soon over when a friend made mention of the Wii purchase in front of our Young Bear. At first I couldn't believe what she had asked about... then she asked again. Young Bear who was sitting on my lap looked up at me with her big Christmas eyes and asks... "You bought me a Wii?"

I told her that I went shopping to see what the prices were and what type of deal I could get, but you know that I don't make any major purchases with out your Papa Bear. Her response was "But we are getting a Wii!" and before she could finish that statement she was off my lap and off to find her Papa Bear. In her mind.... she was getting a Wii!

Well there goes our Santa Christmas surprises... now what? Papa Bear and I have been going over plans to hopefully trick her into the idea that Santa is still out there. However, there is apart of me that knows now that the magic is gone. She has now asked more than a couple of questions that need hard answers for;

What does Santa have to do with that guy who's birthday Christmas is... you know that guy who died?

What age do you think I will stop getting Santa gifts? Cause you know I'm 7 now...

When did you stop getting Santa gifts?

I have answered all these questions to the best of my ability and staying true to my heart, also knowing ... this is it. She is growing up and she is looking to for a hard answer that no one wants to give her.

As her Mama Bear I know in time she will come to realize that Christmas is not only about the birth of our savor Jesus Christ and a big jolly man in a red suit. She will come to understands that we embody the spirit of Jesus, just as we also embody the spirit of giving.

This is one more proof that our Young Bear is growing up and becoming aware of more than just her world, and with every growth opportunity she is able to take it in stride and great humility. As a parent I could not have asked for a better gift.

After it is all said and done...

2010-11-27T22:41:00.000-08:00

The Three Little Bears Thanksgiving day feast was a feast with in a feast. Good food was made and eaten by family and friends.

The planning stages all started about 3 weeks ago and thanks to the due diligence through out we managed to pull of a feast to be hold. I could go into the details of what was made and how good it tasted but there is something so much more important that I want to share in this post.

I want to thank everyone that came, took part and helped out. Your help was greatly appreciated and my gratitude goes out to everyone from the one who cut celery to the hand washing of the china later that night... Thank you! I do want to give a special mention to Goldy Locks who single handedly made sure that we were prepped and ready for anything. She started as the list maker and moved into to prep cook and ended being instrumental in making sure that we had everything. Many times she did venture out into the forest foraging all the necessary materials and ingredients we would need come that busy day. Now I can't say that there wasn't an emergency run to the local market... but Thanksgiving wouldn't be Thanksgiving if there was at least one run to the market.

We were so busy playing games and making food that I didn't grab as many photo's as I wanted but I did grab a few of those moments that say everything. Enjoy... cause we all did!

This is Papa starting the fried turkey and NO he did not blow anything up!

Props goes out the cousins that hung outside with Papa Bear while he was watching over the bubbling pot. They braved the cool crisp air to stay outside to watch the turkey bubble.

I personally think they were waiting for something to go boom... :)

After seeing these pictures again I think the post should read "After all is said and eaten".

SNOW

2010-11-27T22:37:00.000-08:00

The word snow brings so many memories to mind when you hear it, and so many more memories when you see it. For a few (very few) days in November this year we had a light dusting of snow. It was so cold and frozen that the school districts even closed school.

This is where I want to go off about how when I went to school it took at least 3 inches of snow to close schools down and even then we still went sometimes on "late day" schedules. So to have only a 1/2 an inch closed down schools made me laugh. But once I went out to take pictures, I realized very quickly that having school buses on the roads with it being this slick was probably a bad idea.

Even though the roads where practically dry by that evening, it was fun and memorable.

I really hope deep down in my heart that this is only the beginning and maybe ... just maybe we will be blessed with a White Christmas. Here's hoping! :)

New Life Lessons Learned...

2010-11-14T20:04:00.000-08:00

Young Bear got her cast off on this last Thursday and we were told that not only is her foot is healing fast but it is healing beautifully. The doctor was able to point out where the break was, due to it being more evident, because the bone wasn't as dense, however it clearly showed new bone growth. He told her that she will be using what is called a solid/hard shoe, and then with in a couple of weeks she will be able to go back her regular shoes. So by mid December she should be back to running and jumping and normal life. This poses the question... What is normal life for the Three Bears?

We are all so happy that she won't need more cast time, however, she was and still is little anxious about walking on her "healed foot". I didn't really find out how anxious she was until we were getting ready for our mom and daughter pedicures, but more on that in a minute.

It started off as she was very hesitant to walk on her left foot on the way out of the doctors office... cause just having the cast off was unnerving to her. There was no real pain involved, just the thought of walking it was so distressing that it cause pain to be there when there was none. We as adults know that sometimes just the thought of things can make them 10x worse than they really are or create a pain when there is none. This is a concept that is hard to explain to a 7 year old, but I knew this to would be come yet another life lesson coming sooner than for most people. Plus Papa Bear and I need to remember that these are all life lessons she is having to learn with out any references or even a focal point to base things on. I do believe that lessons are the best teachers in life, and sometimes those lessons come in waves.

As the day progressed she still refused to walk on her foot without the aid of her crutches. She and I had talked earlier and we had both thought it would be a wonderful and fun idea to get pedicures after her cast was removed. I told her that if we were going to get pedicures she had to wash and soak her foot to get used to the idea of that foot being immersed in warm water along with someone else touching and moving her toes. She was excited about the idea of it all, however, the actually act of getting left foot immersed in anything was a different story. So we started with a warm bath.... and 30 mins later (with no yelling or even raising of voices), success!

*** I have to put on record that the time and patience that I used to get her into the bath, and also convincing her that she would not died in horrible agony if she got it wet... has put me in the running for Mama Bear of the year award. I would normally not toot my horn, sort of speak, but for my friends and family that really know me you would have no doubt that I would clearly be in the running. There was only loving, concise and matter of fact words that used to convince her that this was a necessary thing to do.***

So a few hours later we both walked out of our local salon, with freshly painted toes and renewed spirits.

Over the last few day she has become more confident on walking with the new hard shoe. We all know in time (a week at the most), we will find it difficult to stop her from running and jumping. At least now she can finally put away the Wicked Witch Costume and fear of melting away in rain.

Adventures in our daily lives

2010-11-05T23:54:00.000-07:00

I have recently had a brief conversation with another parent/friend regarding the status's of our children. We all have these conversations; where you share what you are going through or what you just went through and they do the same with you. Sometimes I think we do this as parents so we can not only hear what we have been thinking in our own heads, but now since we have shared it with someone we can learn to put it behind us and look more towards the future.

Later that day I commented/answered a post on my local networkworking social site regaurding our mutual plights as parents. Between that earlier conversation and the posts, I have come to a couple of conclusions of parenting that I find to be very profound and funny all at the same time. I can not help but share. The names have been changed to protect the innocent. :)

My friend (we will call her Rose) is having the moody like teenager at the age of 19 and she is struggling with him being very depressed. Rose goes on to tell me that all within one year's time he has gone through all the phases that he missed throughout his high school pilgrimage. For some reason she thought, since he didn't go through those certain phases in what society calls normal time frame, she would not have to worry about him going through them at all. Her comment to me and I quote "Boy oh, boy was I ever wrong."
I won't go into to anymore detail about said young man, however I can tell you he is in counselling and they both see a light at the end of the tunnel.

I told my friend Rose that along with having the precocious 7 year old, I was finding it hard if not impossible to get through my Young bears head that, hopscotch is not something one does while recovering from a broke foot. I went on to tell her that I had to recently "ground her" from going outside to recess during school hours. I explained that I had told my Young Bear that "I am upset not only at the fact that we have to remind you daily that you are still in a walking cast, but you can not control yourself in your own daily activities to the point of me having to control them for you."

Now our Young Bear would not be our Young Bear if she did not come back with a logical comment. She explained to me that she would not feel like a "Young Bear" without being able to go outside and be young. This after she concluded that I was not falling for the crocodile tears she tried to lay on me in the car on the ride home.

I also explained to her that my Young Bear went to school the next day with her head held high and she told the teacher herself and everyone else that would listen that she was grounded and she was to stay inside during recess.

We both laughed, cried and scratched our heads a bit with each other and then went on our merry ways, and probably in our own each way pondered our little conversation.

Later that this day I commented on a post that tugged at my own personal heart strings. A friend of mine was having a hard time with their child and there was not a lot that she felt should could do. She was reaching out because sometimes thats all there really is to do. I commented that I felt her pain and in true Three Bears style, I tried to lighten it up with the story of my Young Bear getting grounded. I wanted in some way to let her know that I too understand her plight, not only from the stand point of the parent but as the child as well. My loving advice to her was she was doing the very definition of good parenting, doing what you can with what you have. (I have heard that from a really good source once or twice.**)

As for my day of profound and though provoking conclusions;

Each child is different and no matter what society says... follow your heart and go with what you think is best in the moment. Listen when and where you can because you never know when the next best tip of parenting will come from. There is no "Parenting for Dummies", and if there was one don't waste your money. Our children are just like fingerprints, there are never two the same.

Talking and reaching out about what you are going through is very helpful. Sometimes that's all we have in the moment. Being able to share my life with someone is a privilege that I take great care with. I have found in my personal life, that blogging has become so therapeutic that I can't imagine not doing it. A friend showed me that you can share your life and your stories with others and knowing that someone, somewhere will helped, touched, enlightened or moved. Thats why I started blogging about my own life, because that one person moved me so much that I thought my life could help inspire someone else.

One day maybe I will publish it.. but for now this all you get. ;)

As for the funny.... Well it came me when Young Bear and I went to the local bookstore pajamas book reading and movie evening. She found a cuddly dog to snug with and a book to read while they read a book aloud and I wandered around the children's books section trying to piece together what would be now this post. Thats when I saw it... and I think the picture speaks for it's self.

Start them off reading the good stuff I always say!

I would also like to let everyone know, that some posts are only as good as it's comments. Please feel free to comment, cause I am open to hearing what other parents or not so parents have to say. I can't promise that I will publish all of them, but if it comes from your heart then I will get your meaning. :)

It's that time again....

2010-11-01T18:26:00.000-07:00

Where witches and princesses can mingle together with out fear of someone dropping a house on each other. Yes, I am talking about that special time of year when it is really okay to try and scare your neighbor by hanging a dummy from your front apple tree. That time of year when we celebrate the dead by digging them up and borrowing their clothes to dress like them. HALLOWEEN!

I took a couple of pictures before Young Bear and her "bestest friend" headed out for a little trick or treat time. She is still in the walking cast mind you, however she is not letting it stop her from her friends and her "active" lifestyle. Currently the most popular phrases/questions in our house are ...

"What is the cast called?"

"You wear a what cast?"

"It is called a walking cast for a reason!"

"It is not a running cast or a jumping cast... it is a walking cast!"

Young bear was out for a few hours with her bestest friend and again with the neighborhood bear pack, she brought in load of candy in which she openly shared. All in all... a very good productive "treating" night.

After the evening of fun and candy was over, and our Wicked Witch was showered and in pj's and heading off to Grandma & Grandpa's house over the river and through the woods, we put the pumpkins to bed and turned off the lights and called it a night.

In some ways we also called it a month, as in saying goodbye to our dear friend October. It was like saying goodbye to a house guest that just stayed too long. You enjoyed their company and for the most part you had a good time. They brought blessings of many types and with those blessing came life growth and a bit of stress. We have all learned a bit more about ourselves and what we can handle together as a family, along with what we are all willing to do when one of us is in need.

A big deep breath

2010-10-22T16:06:00.000-07:00

Thursday morning a little after 8am, Mama Bear, Papa Bear, Young Bear, Goldy Locks & Red Riding Hood all pilled into two cars. We drove to the Orthopedics Center and checked in (as a group). We went up stairs and met the doctor.

He explained that her fractures are strait across the 2-3-4 metatarsal bones. They don't look like they have broken to close to the grow plates, and she should be able to heal up quickly. I asked about getting new X-rays now, and he told us they would not do much good until they start to heal. So he put her into a walking cast for the next 3 weeks and then they will do a re-X-ray, to see her healing progress. We (especially me) took a deep breath of relief.

Young bear is in good spirits and has become very confident on her new crutches. She is bitting a the bit to go back to school and theres a part of all of us that wants her to go!

We are all learning lessons and as Red has pointed out, some are a life skills that even adults haven't mastered. So hopefully soon life will get back to a less than a yellow alert and we will be on our ways again.

My Bones to His Spock

2010-10-19T12:10:00.000-07:00

Now this title will not be understood by everyone, however if you do understand it, I say to you "Remember Doctor".

So this post is right on the heels of the last post because it normally takes me a couple of days to get a post together, in my mind and then a couple of days to get onto paper (so-of speak). I really don't have time to do my normal time line so "bear" with me as I ramble.

As you probably read in the last post, our family recently watched Star Trek I-V, the movies that actually count. Since then Papa Bear and I have come to some new conclusions (besides the title of this post);

1~ It doesn't matter what shirt your wearing or what away team you are on, sometimes you get injured. You can have broken a bone without even knowing that it's broke.

2~ Our young "red shirt" is as tough as nails, and if she wants to go on the away mission or play on a broke foot, there is no stopping her.

3~ Papa Bear in all his mighty logical-wisdom, can calm a Mama Bear and talk to the doctor, all while joking it up with a Young "red-shirt" Bear, teasing her how she will grow a tail to help her balance while her foot is broke.

4~ Urgent Care at Sacred Wallet at the "RiverBend" out post is not a patient friendly zone, and should be considered out of the neutral zone. Your phaser should be stun, however if the nativities get in your way be prepared to kill.

5~ If you are in a unknown territory make sure you assemble your away team with people you know and trust. The terrain will be bumpy and unknown but your away team will have your back.

After 5 hours in the Urgent Care we have found out that our Young Bear broke her left foot, the how and when is still yet to be determined. She is resting now with her left foot higher than her heart trying to make the swelling go down. She is doing whatever she can to use the new crutches, which she is getting really good at. We will be having a follow up appointment with a pediatric orthopedist on Thursday and I will be updating as things as I can.
Thanks goes out to all of our family and friends who have helped, called and or stopped by to cheer up a very bored 7 year old.

I know that breaking a bone is a major life event that most kids have happen at sometime or another. As parents we try to protect them from harm, but we also understand that sometimes a little hurt teaches the most important lessons in life. So be it then, we will learn patience, respect for our bodies and learn to slow down and listen to that inner voice. If she can learn these things... she will be a head of the rest of us. :)

Boldly Going Where No One Has Gone Before...

2010-10-19T09:58:00.000-07:00

It finally happened... that moment where you blink your eyes and time passes. I didn't really believe it could actually happen, especially when people when told me that if I wasn't carefully my Little Bear would be 7 in the blink of an eye. So now when "Little Bear" turned 5 people told me watch out in a blink of an eye she will be 15. I laughed it off knowing you can't just blink away time, it's physically impossible isn't it?!

Oh Boy was I wrong... It can happen!

We just celebrated Young Bear's (or Mac as she is called in school) 7th birthday. Between the crazy week leading up to the celebration and Papa Bear & I working on not giving her already inflating sense of self, we almost forgot to even shop for a gift let alone a card. We were so busy trying to get people invited and confirmed that we almost forgot that Red Riding Hood was coming to visit for the weekend.

So as the big weekend arrives we still hadn't thought about or gotten a gift. Red came in to town just about the time that I got home on Friday night and some how the whole weekend came together. We all sat up watching Star Trek "The Motion Picture". Young Bear had such a great time staying up with everyone that she completely forgot (at one point) that she was having her birthday party the next day. After tucking the "prebirthday" girl into bed, both Red and Papa Bear went out with me to finish up any last minute shopping. We first started with our favorite game store and finished the up the very early morning with a trip to Wally World. I have to say that if you need a gift for a kid, Red is the one to take with you shopping! We returned home in the wee hours of the morning with gifts, cards and wrapping in hand.

Saturday arrives with great anticipation for the Birthday Bear, who gets up at the crack of dawn. Red convinces me that we need to take time for ourselves before we get caught up in the momentum of the day. So we start the day off with deep water aerobics for which in the end I was truly grateful for. It gave me the energy to keep going.

We made it through the weekend of birthday parties, birthday dinner and 8 hours of Star Trek all with a very excited and bouncy 7 year old. Due to mom's schedule (factor in a crazy time of life), pictures will be coming shortly.

My advise to any parents.. take time for yourself, love your kids even though they get drive you crazy, and most of all... DON'T BLINK!

New Out Looks

2010-10-16T15:43:00.000-07:00

So after a great visit to our new Optometrist, Young Bear has walked away with a new out look on life. She like the rest of the family will need to use glasses. She is so thrilled that she too will have sparkling frames that make her look great, with pink lenses in all. We told her that for now they will only for reading and up close work.

Now we are hearing comments such as...

"Mommy the TV has faces"
or
"I can read it now want to listen?"
or
"There is a stop sign and it is not blurry... see I can read it! S T O P, stop."

So these comments are not only funny but make us stop and think... oh man only if I knew earlier. However, on advice that I got from other parents, how could she could have known to tell us. There was no point of reference for her until now, so as her parent you wouldn't have known either. DO NOT BLAME YOURSELF.

It reminds me again that first time parents only have a few points of reference and the rest we get on the job training. So not only does she get a new out look on life with her new glasses, we as parents get a new perspective through her new eyes.

They will be just like you!

2010-10-02T12:54:00.000-07:00

Remember when your parents told you... "Oh wait until you have a kid, they will be just like you."

This was the comment I was remembering the other day and it is one of the sparks that drove my need to blog.

My young bear in all her mighty 6 going on 7 wisdom, wanted to rearrange her furniture in her bedroom ... again, all because I was having her help me strip the sheets on her bed to wash.

I have to be honest, I too like to move our furniture around. About every 4-6 months) now, but I do talk about with Papa Bear and Goldy Locks and try and get outside ideas before I move things. Now it was not always like this. When Papa Bear and I were first married he would go to work on my day off and when he got home later that night... everything would be moved or rearranged, almost every couple of weeks. He learned to deal with this habit of mine till one day he asked "Why do you do this to me? I just start to get comfortable where things are... and you move them!"

I realize now that it was my little way of having control. So 3 years and some months later, we only move furniture when we feel like it, and when we do, we go through things and we rid ourselves of clutter and it brings refreshing feel to the room. I have learned that giving up control doesn't mean you lose something. I found when you give up control you actually start gaining things. With that said I understood completely her need to refresh her room.

The difference between her ideas of refreshing and our ideas of refreshing is we think it through and sleep on it for a day or so. We measure and draw it out and discuss how things would be. She thought that a 2 foot table and a 2 foot shelf would fit together fine on a 3.5 foot wall. Some how I knew that if I just told her it wouldn't work, it would hold the same effect as if she found it our herself.

So therein lies some growing pains...

~For me as the parent, patiently talking her through measuring everything, herself mind you, adding things and subtracting things, and in the end finding out that it doesn't work on paper. Trying to explain calmly that you really can't have the bed on that side of the room, because it just doesn't work.

~For her the growing pain of figuring it out on her own that it just won't work and then trying to avoid the major meltdown of disappointment, and trying still get her way on moving her bed.

After all the picking up and organization of toys and rearranging of bookshelves and the making of the bed, we both came to some very reasonable compromises. She would not take on such a big project if she was not truly ready to see it too the end, and I would try and let know when a big project, might be bigger than what she thinks.

I know that all these growing pains for the both of us are necessary and vital to our both lives. Her to grow to learn and figure things out for herself so she can become a confident and self sufficient person. Me to be a better parent in patiently helping her learn these things.

Things they don't teach in a book

2010-09-30T08:28:00.000-07:00

There is no one all knowing book on being a parent, cause if there was one, I would be trying to find it's author and give him/her a piece of my mind. There are many books published by well known authors who are considered to be leading authorities on parenting, however there are things about parenting that they never tell you all. Such as;

Cold Calling... that's right cold calling. Calling phone numbers to people (parents you hope) that you have never met or don't even know, let alone trying to figure out if the name you have been given is the kid or the parent. You do this all in trying too find out an address to snail mail a birthday invitation, that you would have thought your child could do.

Leaving messages like "Hi, my name is Mama Bear and I am Young Bear's mom, and my daughter is in your daughters first grade class. My daughter has given me this number as has failed to tell me if Ethel is you or your daughter, but either way she would like to invite you daughter to her birthday party. I apologize in advance if this is not Ethel or Ethel's mom. I look forward to hearing back from you. BEEP!

I know some of you are laughing at this and say.. no that won't happen to me, but trust me it will! If not now, later, but mark my words it will happen.

When does it become socially acceptable to get your child her own blackberry? When did her social calender become as complicated as mine?

What to take to Grandma's House...

2010-09-26T20:17:00.000-07:00

So in the last couple of days I have been on the edge of being obsessed with green bean casserole.

Now before I start my green bean story, I need to introduce to you all to our family friend.

I, Mama Bear, happened to be out one day and happen to notice this woman in a beautiful red cloak out for a walk in the woods, probably on her way to grandma's house. We exchanged smiles and went about our merry ways. These chance encounter meetings went on for a while until one day we saw each other we both stopped and chatted for a bit. We found that we had a few things in common and that we actually enjoyed a few of the same hobbies.

Next we both started to making the effort to "run into" each other. We both share stories of family and of our lives. With this beautiful friendship starting to grow between us, I invite Red Riding Hood over for dinner to meet the rest of the bear family.

Now when you think about Red Riding Hood, I want you to take in-account that she is all grown up. This woman can not only take care of herself , but others as well. Put it this way, she doesn't need a woodcutter to save her, she brings her own ax. She is one of the most confident, honest, caring, brave, capable, strong and friendly people we know.

Two years later our friendship is still going strong, and we consider her another member of our family. Red Riding Hood comes to visit us Bears and Goldy Locks regularly and we enjoy it when she stays for a weekend at a time. We enjoy our visits when she comes to see us and we are starting venture out more regularly to visit her, in her neck of the woods. Red Riding Hood has showed us how to take advantage of the woods around us. She has shown us biking and camping (who would have guessed it), and how to have outside fun. She has also introduced new and exciting foods to our table. One thing I can say for her, she can make a mean bowl of porridge!

So this is where the green bean casserole comes in.

I have been making plans for the Thanksgiving holiday with Red Riding Hood. We have discussed what main courses will be served, what sides we have and who will bring what desert. This year Red Riding Hood wanted to make a non-traditional main course of her very yummy salmon. We told her that we would take care of the more traditional courses such as the turkey, garlic yams and of course the green bean casserole.

"As long as the green bean casserole isn't canned green beans and cream of mushroom soup!" Red Riding Hood exclaimed. If we are serving a fried turkey, roasted turkey and smoked salmon, we can only serve top notch sides... besides nobody wants fake cream sauce, especially me."

I promised that I would make an homemade and original green bean casserole, with fresh green beans and homemade cream sauce. So my mission was clear I had to find a first class recipe for the casserole. I found a couple I really liked and went off to the store to get my ingredients.

I was at one of my favorite local grocers, gathering my ingredients. I had fresh mushrooms, green beans and parmesan cheese and I was looking at getting some onions. I was waiting and looking when an older lady approaches me.

She looks at me and smiles and then looks at my basket, and out of the blue she says "Your making a green bean casserole aren't you?"

"Yes" as I smile back hesitantly.

"Your not going to ruin it with those ghastly onions are you?" as she looks deeper into my basket.

"Well..." I begin to say.

Her shopping partner approaches both of us as she turns and begins talking to her friend. She calls her by her name, which I have completely forgotten by now, and then begins to talk to her friend as if I am not even there. We will just call her friend Mable for story purposes... plus there is not enough Mable's in this world besides.

"Mable, this lady is making a green bean casserole, and she was not going to put those terrible onions on the top. She was going to take this loaf of bread (as she picks up a loaf of round artisan bread) and tear it up and make her own bread crumbs with olive oil and garlic and cheese. Then she is going to make her casserole and she is going to top it with the homemade bread crumbs and then she will put it all into the oven to bake."

At this point Mable is shaking her head, "What a great idea sweety..."

I feel so compelled to take the bread from the first lady who approached me that I was afraid that she might make a scene if I didn't. I took the bread and put it into my basket and thanked the ladies, and backed away from them both. I didn't take my eyes off of both of them until I had rounded the corner towards the check out counter. I told the checker about my experience and under his laughing he told me that was a common thing here.

I have now made a green bean casserole 2 times in the last 4 days, and I have a feeling I will be making it couple more times before Thanksgiving dinner. I have made it each time with the homemade breadcrumbs and we have all enjoyed it. I have since then told Red Riding Hood about this experience and she said that it has happened to her a few times at that store and it is a more common place experience that what I would think.

"They all have great ideas... but not just good deliveries, take it for what it is worth... the experience of someone that has probably made a few hundred casseroles before you." ~Red Riding Hood

An Unseen View

2010-09-19T21:09:00.000-07:00

Getting back into the swing of things has been a little bit more challenging this school year, and we are only a week and half in. Young bear has started her first grade year going to a new school and she has taken to it like a duck takes to water. She is excited about the upcoming school year and all the events it holds. It has only been a year since she was in school and somehow I have forgotten how time consuming it is to have two people in school. Thats right I said 2!

Between the piano lessons, after-school art, dance programs that our young bear is doing, we must also balance the craziness of Papa bears schedule due to the more intensive 5 week classes. Now just for kicks.... lets just change Papa bears shift at work as well. Well it is not all that bad but when it all happens at once, it can get a little hairy.

This is what our September calender looks like ... and it is only half way over. (yes that is the mead burbling away in the bottom left)

This calender idea was the best piece of advice that I have ever taken from a complete stranger. She told me that this was the only way she could keep track of her ever moving and changing plans last minute family. BEST IDEA EVER!!!!

With everything going on and the ever changing schedules, there have been some wonderful stabilities in our lives. I could go on about how healthy we all are and how that no matter what happens we all love each other, but thats not what I want to point out.

One secret to our success is; someone in our family. She is a rock when we needed one, she has been a shoulder to cry on when we needed one and she has been the one you laugh with when all hell just broke loose. She helps us celebrate the victory's and she is there to give advice if you want it when you just can't make the puzzle piece fit. She has brought a whole new prospective of life, love and family to us. Some how she always knows when to stand back and when to stand in, and because she has done and continues to do all these things and more, we The Three Bears wanted to do something extra special this year for her.

So what do you do for the person who asks for nothing and gives her all.... you do something that is close to her heart.

This work of art was painted by Erin Beltran who happens to be a friend of ours. We all have seen and enjoyed her work, so much that we asked her to create this wonderful master piece for our very special Goldy Locks. We were going to try wait to give it to her on her birthday but on the day we picked it up ... we just couldn't wait. It hangs in the living room for all to see and is a daily reminder of how special she is to us. We just love you Elaine!

The EWEB Police

2010-09-14T16:07:00.000-07:00

I went outside last night to turn on the sprinkler for the front grass and let Young Bear know that she only had another 15 mins of outside time. She agreed and I went inside to finish the yummy lemon bars I had started to tide over my sweet tooth. 15 mins later I went out to collect my Young Bear and turn off the sprinkler. She pitched the biggest fit about coming in and in having to give her my complete attention, I totally forgot about turning off the sprinkler.

Now this wouldn't be so bad if was the first time, or even if Papa Bear or Goldy Locks caught it and turned it off. However, this is not the first time and lets just be honest, not the last. I seem to have the worst habit of turning on the sprinkler and leaving it on all evening till about 10/11or when the last person turns in for the night and still hears the water running or hitting the window.

So early this morning, Papa Bear is helping me gather my things to go to work and opens the garage door and for some reason the water from the sprinkler is still going.... and going... and going...

He comes into the house and asks "Honey, did you water the yard last night?"

I reply "Yeah, whhhhhhaa.... aa crap!" Upon hearing this his laugh is heard through out the house.

"Well at least we know the grass was watered...well" he says under the laughing.

I told him the EWEB police will be coming for me.... tell them I've moved. :)

Where's the Bear?

2010-09-14T13:51:00.000-07:00

Success!!! I can now highly recommend Dr. Gerald Harper for all your oral surgeon needs. He is great surgeon and he was genuinely caring about how I did. He call the house later on Friday after the teeth removal just to make sure that I was getting taken care off and things were progressing well. I am going out today to find a nice thank you card for him.

I am getting better everyday and I can not wait till I can eat a really chewy meal again... however that is not why I am writing. I am writing to amuse you with the funny stories that happened while all of this was going on.
~~~~
Well on Friday morning I had to stop by the office to "help out" my replacement for the day (bosses wife) to get off and running. She saw me and imparted on me in a very serious tone that

"An Officer in Uniform came in the office looking for you and needed your cell number. I was sure why but he sounded very official. He told me that you knew him and gave it to him before, so I gave it to him. I hope everything is okay, I know that if something was wrong you would let us know."

I asked her if it happen to be a patient and she thought a minute and then came up with the officer's name. It happen to be a patient and I had given him my cell phone number because he was going to have bunch of bottles for Papa Bear's next brew. Papa Bear was with me and the three of us had a good laugh. She told me before I left, "I knew it had to be something simple like that but when he drove up in a cop car and came in asking for me she slightly panicked."

*Authors note... Our Officer friend came by on Sunday and dropped off a great number of 12 oz recappable bottles! Thanks Dale we really appreciate it! We will have plenty of 12 oz bottles for the mead, and more for the next couple of batches of beer, once the mead has been bottled.

~~~
After the successful removal of my wisdom teeth, Papa Bear drove me home. I don't remember the drive but some how I got my pants wet all down the front of me.

They were helping me into what would be my chair for the next two days and Papa Bear told me "Thank you for bearing with us, while we get you all settled".

I replied "Where's the bear?"

I took this to mean ... well I don't know what I took it to mean but I was concerned that there was a bear and some how I was involved. Funny as they thought it was, I am still wondering ... Where is the bear and why does it keep stalking me?

Changes that happen when your not looking

2010-09-08T22:09:00.000-07:00

I think this is the most appropriate title that I could possible come up with. Please forgive me if I get mushy...

Today was Little bears first day of first grade school. Papa bear and I, unfortunately, were unable to take her and both looked forward to hearing about her day first hand. She wanted to wait to tell us what happened and all that she saw once both of us were home.

So we sat around the dinner table and she told us all the things she did and saw that day. She was so excited about seeing her neighbor friends and then also meeting new friends. From what we found out from Goldy Locks, is that she went in with her head held high and her arms full of stuff.

She was very excited about tomorrow and we are so excited for her. However, I feel a little bit remorseful that she is growing up so fast and that I know that there is truly very little time left with her as my Little bear. Since the exorcism of the "Princess Stuff" from her room this summer, she has recently announced to us that she no longer needs her "blankey".

"I don't need to sleep with my blankey anymore. It only gets in my way when I sleep and last night I only slept with it at the foot of my bed down by my feet." Little bear proudly stated.

"Well Okay, where did you want to keep it, in your room or mommy's?" I ask her as she gets up into my lap, giving me a hug like she just knew I needed.

"You know my shoe cubby in the closet right? We put it up in the top cubby this morning, and if I needed it I can reach it." as she hugs me tightly and kiss my cheek, as if she is trying to soften the blow.

"That is a great idea, and when ever you want to see it or use it you can. You are really becoming my big girl." I tell her as I hug her back.

*Authors note: At this time I am just about to cry and I am holding it all back the best I can, cause I don't want to make her think that I am upset over this simple gesture of independence.

We go about the rest of the night as if nothing has changed, but I know it has.

She knows it has... and she knows I know it has.

She is growing up and soon we won't be able to call her our Little bear, but something more fitting for her.... She is becoming the Young Bear.

So to our Young bear (who will one day ready this and laugh); We will never forget how you were when you were our little bear, and we so look forward to having you as our Grown Up Bear, and no matter what happens in between we will always love you.

2010-09-04T12:28:00.000-07:00

I have been recently having really bad tooth pain for the first time in my life. I have gone a long time with out cavities (31 years) and I was surprise (at first) that I even had them. I had those first 2 "pin hole"cavities filled and thought, I'll never let that happen again. Well 3 years later, I have two more cavities in my upper wisdom teeth that they can't fill.

Me: What you can't fill them???

Dentist: No, they are to far in the back and they will only come back later and be worse.

Me: What now???

Dentist: You have them removed, it's the simplest way to go. Your roots are fine and they will come out easy.

~ So next Friday I am having my upper wisdom teeth taken out. ~

Since then, I have been talking and telling people my plight, I have been getting all the stories about teeth removal. It's like I'm pregnant again and everyone is telling me about their horror stories about giving birth. So I was really starting to freak out about having it done. Till I found someone to restore my faith in Dentistry.

A friend who had told about my plight, asked who was doing the removal and I told him "Dr. Harper"

"Oh my gosh, (with a twinkle in his eye) he did mine and he was the best!!!" "Your going to love him!"

He proceeded to tell me that he had a great experience and that I was going to be in great hands. I didn't realize until that moment how much I had been feeding into all the bad experiences, making me more nervous than I really needed to be. This person put me at an ease in a way that no one else could, not even my best friend.

I find most times, amazingly true, that it can take 10 happy people to help you get over one person with a bad attitude. This day was the day to prove that wrong. Thanks to this one person, I now am more at ease with having my wisdom teeth removed.

So this post goes out to my favorite radio personality...

Troy McClure! Thanks :)

What time is it?

2010-08-31T21:19:00.000-07:00

Holy Cow, does anyone have the time? I am forcing myself to stop and type for a minute or two so I can put down in words the rush, frustration, loss of time, and what was I saying?

Well maybe it's not really that bad...

School is right around the corner and the rush feeling is from trying to get a 6 almost 7 year old back on a normal sleep schedule. Thanks to Goldy Locks .... this happening easier that I make it out to be. We have been also rushing to finish any last summer projects. Little Bears re-decor won't probably get done for a couple more months. I am shooting for the finish before Christmas break, or maybe during Christmas break. Thankfully she doesn't seem to be complaining. She has gotten really used to having a shelf for her clothes instead of the dresser we originally planned. She likes being able to see all the clothes instead of having to pull out drawers. Plus we like it because she is forced to fold her clothes, and pile them neatly.

My frustration is coming from trying to get all the doctors appointments scheduled, rescheduled and then gotten to on time. I have recently found out that the cavities in my upper wisdom teeth have gotten past the point of filling and they need to come out, plus they hurt! Because they are being moved to the front burner, everything else has taken a backseat. We were hoping to have our teeth cleaned, eyes checked all before school started. It was a great idea that slowly was derailed with my teeth.

We have also been trying to schedule all the last minute "play dates" before school starts. I personally don't remember my young elementary social life being so busy, so I have not been very prepared for all the last minute play dates. It is funny when you look at our family calender it has been taken over and sometimes looks like Little Bears personal calender. We know and realize now that this is only the tip of the iceberg and we need to be more prepared in the future.

Papa Bear and I have been making the effort to get some of our social life back, such as start our Parent Night, Date Night, Game Night, since the mid summer. We are still on the track to start scheduling things but sometimes it feels like the craziness of life takes over and nothing that we planned gets done. "We will make this happen!" we tell ourselves as we drift off to sleep.

David just asked me as I am typing away.... "When did our lives get so busy?"

A friend reminded me other day "Life is what happens when you are busy making plans."

I told her... "Who every said that must not have children"

Now about my loss of time.... oh my gosh I have been here for 20 mins, I must get to bed sometime, goodnight.

Coming home ....

2010-08-25T21:37:00.000-07:00

So recently our family went on our first of many camping trips. We left Thursday and came back early Saturday to catch a friends wedding. Like most trips, we over packed and under estimated, but all in all, we had a great time. We were at the most perfect place and we will be going back next year!

Most of you know that I (aka Mama Bear), happen to have many OCD tendencies. I have been this way for most of my life. However, in the last 4 years, I have been trying to break out of the "cycle" of OCD. My loving family has given me that support I have needed to help break out of my cycle of OCD, so I can gain back time that would other wise be spent in the "cycle". So for me to go camping is a huge milestone in my personal life.

There are a few things I have learned on this camping trip, that I will personally need for the next one;

Bring baby wipes. You don't know when the next time you will get to shower or "wash" your hands. Babywipes burn nicely in campfire, and leave your face "baby fresh", even when your not.

Make sure you have a tent that you can move around in. When I say move around... I mean, you should be able to stand up fully and walk around your bed and be able to get dressed. You never know who is up and watching at crack of dawn.... you gettng out awkwardly of your tent from a half leaning, half crawling position, all the while with your pants around your ankles and your top half off, letting it all hang out and with bed head hair to top it off. (Yes, this did happen and I was surprised I even made it to the bathroom in time!)

I will most definitely need a bed up off the ground. I know that I am not "young pup" any more and my body creaks in ways it didn't, not even 5 years ago, but a cot built for 2 is going to be in future.

Don't drink the creek water, no mater if it is dripping off the wine bottle or not. It does not make for happy times a few days down the road.

Bring good friends, good food, good wine and whatever you do... never forget the coffee!

Also remember to bring the camera again! Little Bear and I both took great shots of our camping site.

Her idea to climb on the rock and pose.

This one was just fun!

Early Morning Gaming!

She was just walking through what was the never ending leaves along the path.

The other tents across campsite the of persons who don't want to hear you snore! .... David

Camp Kitchen... and what a kitchen it was!

We are both sitting on a rock in the middle of the creek and she wants to take a picture.

You won't believe how hard this was to balance on the rock and take a picture!

But we did it and then she sees it and laughs... "mommy you cut my face off"

We start laughing so hard that I almost fell of the rock.

She bugged and bugged us about going in the creek to swim. We all warned her that it would be ice cold.

She didn't believe us and so she had to find out for her self.

Her tell us ... do you want me to jump in?

No .. but you want to... so do it, it will be cold!

Her just cannonballing into the deepest of the shallows.

It's cold!

Now it's really cold!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We got her out and wrapped in a towel,

See we told you!

PS she survive just fine, after changing her clothes again, and warming herself by the fire.

All in All... An Awesome time!

Summer updates...

2010-08-01T12:42:00.000-07:00

We have been quite busy this summer which comes to no surprise to us. We have been doing so much day to day, that even though we update the monthly calender, we sometimes pass ourselves on the way out the door.

So I have tried to put together an update on things that have been going on so far....

First the garden... tomatoes everywhere! In texing lingo I would type... OMG! We have learned so much with our first garden, things we want do again and things we won't. All in all it was a great first attempt.
The first tomatoes are finally getting lighter green and I hope they turn red soon. We are all looking forward to BLT'S!

Papa Bear has been the early bird riser right and gets up with the sun and starts his work day. My day starts right before he leaves and we both go till late at night. We both have been managing full time work and part-time jobs. Along with our full time parenting and jobs, Papa Bear is also managing full-time school with a great deal of success. We are all so very proud of our Papa Bear!

Along with work and school and the massive amount of origami,Papa Bears first IPA of the summer has been a huge hit.

Not only with his family and friends ... but businesses as well. We found out that Toshi (of Toshi's Ramen) likes it a lot.

He will be starting the mead the first part of August so hopefully we will be having mead for Christmas. I know he has a Belgium Ale in his mind next but .. who knows?

Little bear has also been busy this summer with Goldy Locks. Between the play dates, birthday parties, and "over nights" with best friends, she has been going to Summer Swim classes and has just recently graduated to "Bass Fish". We are so proud of her and her determination of conquering the water.

She has also decided, that now because she is a first grader, the princess stuff must go. We have taken down posters pictures and the "frilly" things that go along with princesses. She loves music and animals so up go the music notes, High School Musical & Kitty Posters. She has her own art table in her room for quiet "creative time". We have started putting up the lines for her musical bars... more on this to come.

She is getting a new dresser and we thought it would be a fun weekend activity to have her paint it herself. We have yet to pick out the dresser but she is very convinced that she will put bright colors on it and musical notes. I will update as the crazy painting day ensues..

As for the dog... well his behavior has gotten so much better as he has gotten older. He is must calmer and "sleeps in" as much as he can.

He still barks at the door (sounding like a pitbull) and then runs and hides behind a chair. He recently heard the door bell and came running down the hall and lost traction on the tile floor and slammed himself into the wall.

Wall 1 : Dog 0 or Wall 0 : Dog 1

How he did it we will never really know, but he is fine and nothing that a little patch won't fix.

We have been able to set up shady spots in the backyard and we have all enjoyed sitting outside for meals or just for early morning coffee.

I think all in all, we have gotten so many things done and accomplished as a family. I won't lie tho... I am looking forward to fall and those old familiar school days.

Over and out for now...

Oh My Gosh!

2010-07-16T19:11:00.000-07:00

I came home today and while I was going for a wine glass, I noticed this. I went out and took pictures cause I couldn't believe the over night change. Our tomatoes are just loving this weather as well. We all can't wait... BLT's here we come!

2010-07-15T19:27:00.000-07:00

We have had family staying with us for the last couple of weeks and it has been fun to see everyone. We have gotten to see first hand that Papa Bear and I will have our work cut out for us as our Little Bear grows up into Teenage Bear. We have also gotten to see how much we take for granted that our Little Bear is so independent and grown up for her age.

She asked me a question the other day, while hanging outside at the wadding pool, that made me stop and think...

"I love you mommy!"..... "I love you too sweety" .....

"How mommy?" ...... "How mommy what?"

"How do you love me?"

Pause..... pause.....

"I love you in many ways."

"Well how?"

"Well my Little Bear, (as I looked into the beautiful blue sky)...Lets see... I love you enough to make sure you have roof over your head. I love you enough to make sure you always have food, and clothes to wear. I love you enough to teach you appropriate boundaries. I love you so much that I will help you if you are hurt and laugh at you when you are acting silly. I love you enough to tell you no."

She says "oh okay" and continues to play in her pool, with her cousin, Toddler Bear.

Having Papa Bears family staying with us for the past couple of weeks, this very simple question made me really stop and think about what love and family really is. Having been immersed into this family of bears, I have come to a new understanding of love and family. I would like to think that the question that Little Bear asked me is her trying to make sense of all the new family, and help define her idea of love.

Love is not conditional and won't call you clumsy even if you keep falling down. Love is understanding and you understand because of love. Love won't worry about dust on the furniture or dirt on the floor. Love says come in and sit on the white couch, it is a really comfy couch. Just because you don't know them doesn't mean they can't love you, you should always give love a chance. And you can love from a distance!

Thank you goes out to the Aunts, Uncles, Brothers, Sisters, Moms, Dads and very close friends in our lives. Without you none of this would be possible.

The unexpected yet expected?

2010-07-02T09:48:00.000-07:00

David and I were outside last night watering the garden and what did we see? Low and behold... two baby tomatoes! We couldn't believe it. Where did they come from?

This being our first garden we both just shrugged our shoulders and hoped for the best. I was worried if the plants would even take off due to the extra wet weather.

Well it did and God has blessed us with radishes, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, left lettuce, and really tall sunflowers.

Now He has blessed us once again with tomatoes. I have looked back at the pictures of our little garden and wonder what it will be like next month.

As the summer has progressed and the garden is not the only thing to grow. Little bear has been doing so well in her swimming lessons and she will be staying in the Angelfish class for her next round of lessons in late July. I can really see the growth and independence that she has gotten from taking the swimming lessons. I look at her at times and wonder what is going on in her head, and then out of the blue ... she tells me.

I think sometimes she knows what I am thinking and just comes out of nowhere and finishes my thought.

Sometimes I see her as a plant in our family garden, we water and nurture her in life and time flies by so quickly. One day when I least expect it all of a sudden out of the blue... fruit! She never ceases to surprise me. :)

We also had surprise guests this last weekend. Family came from California come to visit. David's Aunt Janey (famous for her grilled cheese) and cousins came to take in the cooler weather. We had already offered to host each of the cousins sometime in the summer, and what better time then now? The older of the two cousins has stayed with us and it will be sad to see him go.

One thing I can say for our family, they will always keep you on your toes.

Sunny Days

2010-06-23T09:01:00.000-07:00

Hopefully now with the sun coming out, spring will start to feel like spring! Spring will bring us Summer and Summer brings us outside things to do. Last year our goal was to get the front yard really picked up and putting the dog run in before the rainy season. We were successful in getting both of those done in the nick of time before the rains hit in the fall. Now this summer the family is out to tackle the backyard.

~Our first goal was getting the mini garden in... check!

It has taken off despite the weird wheather we have been having. Now it is time to thin out the radishes that have been mixed in with the carrots, along with cutting back the leaf lettuce.

We also need to make tomato baskets to hold up the fast growing tomato plants. This project has been fun and good to eat. It will be a great day when we can eat a BLT's with fresh ingredients from our own backyard!

~ Another goal is to weed the edges of the grass strip, and lay a bit more pea gravel down to keep the weeds at bay... I guess this is one of my goals and I am still working on this one, due to the grass pollens at an all time high, it is hard for me go outside let alone "weed the yard". I have managed to keep a good eye on the strawberry/blueberry/raspberry plants that I slaved over last year.

I recently picked some of these strawberries and I have to say....mmmmmmmmmmm

~ A goal that may take more time will be to train the dog to only "go" in the dog run without the gate up... Even though I think we may have a handle on one... wait a min.. "DAVID your dog did it again!"

Oh what was I saying? Oh yeah thats right,

~Our next goal is to create a shady area for the backyard in general. Now this one I don't know is going to happen right away but we are determined to put something up. I give this one time, once the grass pollen calms down enough to be out there regularly I will put more energy into making it shady.

Now as for our little bear, who is not so little anymore, has many things she wants to do this summer and we have asked her to limited her to 2 big activities. She wants to take swimming lessons this summer, so we enrolled her into lessons 2 weeks on and 2 weeks off, until the start of school in the fall. She is already having a great time and we look forward to seeing the progress she is making.

In the off weeks we have planned things like; piano lessons, painting her new dresser, redecorating her room, arts & crafts in the park, along with trips to the coast. I did asked her the other day if there was anything else she wanted to do and she just wanted to make sure she was going to have enough time to "play outside" with her neighborhood friends. I am really glad that she is able to enjoy the simplicity of her life, and to be able to sing & dance when she hears the music.

I know we have a lot of things planned for the summer, yet I know that if we don't get everything done, we are going to have a great time just trying. I find myself getting distracted from the list and doing whatever comes to mind. I think I'll take a lesson from our little bear, when you hear the music get up and dance!

Oh that old familiar smell...

2010-06-22T18:08:00.000-07:00

Father's Day from here on out will be known as officially as "Brewer's Day", and this is no reference to the baseball team. Why you ask? Well I see in the future that instead of the tie that most father's get, David will be getting brewing materials for his next 5 gallons of beer.

On Saturday the day before Father's Day, Little Bear and I went for a drive to our local home brew shop. I went towards the back going to go through the recipe book they have thinking she was following me. She had other plans, she went up to the first guy behind that counter (that was helping a customer at the time) told them "I am getting my daddy beer stuff's so he can brew beer. My mommy is with me and she will pay for it."

The guy in good humor laughed and said "Okay little lady"

I told him that David was looking to brew an IPA and he offered a sweet but strong & bitter IPA. Little Bear helped him gather things up along with a new brewing bottle for the yeast starter. He asked if we would need a stopper for the new bottle and I say without missing a beat...

"Whatever daddy needs just put it in the bag" The guy looked at me and I looked at her and just started to laugh cause it was just funny.

After we got home, she goes out to play and I let David know that he might need to start his gift early. So he started the yeast Saturday night, and by Sunday morning (after playing surprised) he started brewing this sweet smelling IPA. I realized that I had actually missed that smell in the house. You know the smell... the boiling wort. The smell I so complained about in the beginning.

I have learned to love that smell wafting through the house. Needless to say, the carboy is bubbling away and in a few weeks when David's brother Brian comes to visit they will be bottling together.

2010-06-15T11:42:00.000-07:00

Soon Little Bear will be ending her "official" Kindergarten year. We have all seen her grow and change so much this year. I find it hard to even type about the growth and maturity that she has done without tearing up a little bit. I know this is only the beginning and no matter what she grows up to do, I know we will be proud of her!

Congrats to my Little Bear, who isn't so little anymore.

He doesn't clock in till later...

2010-06-02T06:30:00.000-07:00

As you all may know we are big movie fans, and we wouldn't be complete with out the dog named Indiana Jones. He is our 2 year old border collie, that "maintains" order in the house. Well at least he thinks so...

We routinely wake up to him sleeping on the end of our bed...(with cat sometimes). The other day as I was walking out the door to go to work, found Indiana on the couch in the front living room. Now this is not a "new" thing but the way he looked at me was so funny that all I could think was... I don't clock in till later, go away!

I had to take a picture so you could decide for yourself.

Road Trip....

2010-05-23T19:01:00.000-07:00

Once again we hit the road to visit our close friend Carla in Lincoln City. The weather was to be rainy and overcast all weekend but the sunshine prevailed and we were glad that it did.

Carla and McKenzie enjoyed a little beach time.

David and I enjoyed snack time... If you are in Lincoln City, we highly suggest going to Humble Pie Pizzeria.

With the rain comes...growth

2010-05-23T18:48:00.000-07:00

With the rain still pouring down this year, even into May, things are still thriving and growing faster that we anticipated. As you maybe have read, Little bear and I have been working on our first little garden. We are all very conscious of getting back to basics when it comes to our day to day lives and now even more so our food. The plants we planted back in April have been kind of "mix" blessings.

In our first big box we planted cucumbers, watermelons and sunflowers. When we planted leaf lettuce and Romain lettuce in the other bigger box, some of the basil plant "happened" to fall in, so we didn't know what to do but to bury the remaining plant with the seeds that made it in.

We also planted carrots and radishes in a smaller of the 4 boxes, and left the remaining small box for our tomato starts we were planning on getting later. We ended planting the tomato starts about a week ago and we have already started to see new growth on the plants.

A few weeks ago we had seen huge growth when it came to the watermelons and lettuce and sadly some death to the cucumbers and sunflowers. Little bear was very concerned that we didn't take care of them enough and wanted to plant more seeds. She was very upset about losing her sunflower and she though if we planted more seeds right away that we could insure new plants. At this point Papa bear and I talked to her about seeds not always growing into plants, and it is not a fault of ours, and we must be patient with the seeds cause some seeds take longer to grow.

We did end up planting more seeds ... in a kind of interesting way. She and I both forgot where original things had been planted, so what did we do, we planted where we thought things were. She also thought it would be a good idea to "stir" things up so the dirt could "breath". Now, we have things growing and we don't what it is going to be.

Our first attempt at gardening, will bless us with many things. We just don't quite know what or how much yet. I know this holds true for many things in life. You must plant in order to reap, however, you must not throw your seeds to the wind and depend only on prayer. You must try to be diligent, purposeful, meaningful, and willing to work hard. These things I want to grow and nurture inside of my little bear, so she will have the skills to grow her own beautiful garden of life inside her.

We will update the garden as it grows!

Giving Thanks....

2010-05-18T09:52:00.000-07:00

So lately McKenzie has been on a mission to pray about everything, which is a good thing on many levels, but it has taken the funnest turn. Now praying at the table before our meals has been an on again off again thing, so it is no surprise that it has come to the fore-front since we had our talk about a couple of days ago.

Que wavy flashback lines...

I was tucking her in one night and she asks " Mommy, does God get mad if you don't believe or pray?"

My reply " No my love, God loves you no matter if you believe or if you pray, and if you don't believe or pray, I think he love and watches over you a little bit more. He is with you whether you know it or not. We should try and pray at least a little everyday to give thanks for all the things that He has done for us and even give thanks for the things He hasn't done yet. God will never turn away from you or anyone else, whether they believe or not."

She was quiet just for a min ... and I took that is to get up and turn off the lights and say one last good night. As I walked out the door she says "Mommy... what if we had to live in a haunted house?"

~Now please remember that she has been going through what we call "How Scary Is It" phase. She has been watching more "adventure/scary" movies. Please refer to my older post if you need a refresher.~

My reply " Honey, we don't live in a haunted house. I wouldn't let us live in a haunted house. God and I would work together on this one, and He would make sure that we didn't have too."

She continues with "What if we couldn't afford anywhere else? What if we didn't have the money to move?"

I reassured her that there would be no way that Daddy, Mommy or Grandma Lanie would let her live in a haunted house, even Nanna and Poppi wouldn't let that happen. God would make sure that mommy and daddy would have the jobs that made the money to make sure we could afford what we needed, and with that she was happy. I told both David and Elaine about this conversation and we chalked it up to "the phase" and we were all glad that she is comfortable enough to ask questions as adult/child like. Everyday since then she has been coming up with the craziest things to be thankful for and we look forward to hearing what she has come up with every night...

Fast forward two days....

We are sitting down to dinner and after everyone has eaten a few bites, she once again asks to have prayer time. We agree as the norm and this is what she comes up with just last night...

"Dear God... thank you for this food and for not letting us live in a haunted house. Amen"

We all said Amen, cause I don't know about you ... but I am glad we don't live in a haunted house, just as much as she does!

The first of many...

2010-05-12T11:18:00.000-07:00

Right now I feel like I'm in that Indiana Jones "The Last Crusade" movie where I am looking across the wide expanse and I am trying to look where to step. Like in the movie Indiana makes the step of faith and finds that the way was there the whole time he just had to push past the fear and the unknowing of what will happen next. I am there now looking across the wide expanse and I don't know what to expect. I know that I am not the only one in this place and look to my right and I look to my left, seeing the people standing there with me, wondering if they know something I don't.... and we wait... and wait.

From out of now where I hear this voice... a voice that I know, a voice that I have heard once before. It whispers in my ear...

"I will meet you at your level of expectation, you just forgotten to have a high level of expectation from me. I have already promised you that I will meet you where you go, it is your job to get there. So go make that step and I will meet you, take the leap and I will catch you, know that I will be there for you. You may not see my works all at once or see my hand in yours but know it will be there."

This word was simple and so powerful that it took a voice to speak them into existence. So now I have I have spoken them, I am going to sharing them, I am going to scream them from the high mountain, and whisper them into the smallest of ear.

I am not a person to quote verse, however, these verses were put on my heart to share with everyone.

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified
because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you;
he will never leave you nor forsake you.
Deuteronomy 31:5, 6

Yet I am always with you;
you hold me by my right hand.
You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will take me into glory.
Psalm 73:23, 24

So this is me taking the first step of many.

2010-05-12T08:45:00.000-07:00

I am going to start this post off with thanking my wonderful husband & family for a wonderful birthday celebration dinner with friends. Thank you so very much!

I got to reflecting on my birthday on the things that I have done, come through, survived through and things that I am looking forwarding to still doing. Then while I was driving home yesterday and a song came on the radio that summed up all the feelings and thoughts I had been having. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

I am looking forward to the next 30 years with my papa bear and family!