Two Little Monkies

Exercise your spirit

2011-12-03T12:50:00.001-08:00

Taken from Care2.comThis is something I think I can make time for....An Exercise Instead of MeditationThe past is layered in to us in many intricate layers. Your inner world is full of complex relationship, for it contains the past not only as it occurred but all the ways in which you would like to revise it.All the things that should have turned out differently do turn out differently in that place where you escape into fantasy, revenge, yearning, sorrow, self-reproach, and guilt. To get rid of these distractions, you need to realize that there is a deeper place where everything is alright.In Siddhartha, Hermann Hesse writes, “Within you there is a stillness and sanctuary to which you can retreat at any time and be yourself.” This sanctuary is a simple awareness of comfort, which can’t be violated by the turmoil of events. This place feels no trauma and stores no hurt. It is the mental space that one seeks to find in meditation, which I believe is one of the most important pursuits anyone can follow.However, if you do not meditate, you can approach this place of calm with the following exercise: Write down this affirmation:I am perfect as I am. Everything in my life is working toward my ultimate good. I am loved and I am love.Do not pause to analyze the statement, just write it down. When you come to the end, shut your eyes and let any response surface that comes to mind, then write down the first words that come to you (write this response directly under the affirmation).Your first thought is likely to contain a lot of resistance, even anger, because no one’s life is perfect and it is hard to believe that everything is working out as it should.Now, without pausing, write the affirmation again, shut your eyes, and once more write down the first words that come to mind. Do not stop to analyze or dwell on your reaction. Continue the exercise until you have repeated the affirmation and your response twelve times. This exercise allows you to eavesdrop on the innermost levels of your awareness.Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/an-exercise-instead-of-meditation.html#ixzz1fVTwwIYi

Something positive in AZ.

2010-08-14T12:06:00.000-07:00

I just read that Luke Air Force Base in Glendale, AZ will be installing 52,000 solar panels starting in January 2011. Finally the Government realizes that Arizona is the perfect place for one of it's branches to use solar panels! I think that all Government buildings should be required to have and use solar panels! At least in Arizona, where the sun shines more days than it doesn't.

Singing the Praises

2010-08-05T11:09:00.000-07:00

So I have been using göt2b's smooth operator for over a month now and I love it even more now! My hair is amazingly soft and smooth. I have not had flyaways or frizz since I started. I know I said it in my post last month, but I REALLY love this stuff. Thanks göt2b for making this wonderful product and keep up the great work!

I'm a BzzAgent and I have received a product sample, coupon, collateral or other special premium from BzzAgent.

Yeah for me!

2010-07-20T15:12:00.000-07:00

Thank you to Today's Mama! I along with a few other won first place in thier Enjoy a Summer Stroll contest. I will be getting a bebe bella Minky Chenille Blanket! I know Sophie will be so excited!

Too Soon!

2010-07-15T13:11:00.000-07:00

Enzo's First Day of Pre-kindergarten 2008

I don't think that I ever thought to prepare myself for Enzo's first day of Kindergarten! I still have a few weeks, but I am not sure what to do. I know that he is ready for it, with 2 years of Pre-Kindergarten under his belt he is ahead of the curve. I just don't know what to expect my days to be without him here. Sometimes I imagine a serene house with calm and relative quiet while Sophie entertains herself and get everything on my list done. Other days I imagine I will get nothing done because my cling-on Sophie will not detach herself from me.

I know that there will be tears, it will be me crying just like I did on his first day both years of Pre-Kindergarten. I don't know how other mother's deal with this situation?

I am excited for him! I know he loves to learn and he is already scary smart! We shall see how things go. Stay tuned.

Enzo's First Day of Pre-Kindergarten Second Year 2009

Thinking of Paris!

2010-07-08T11:54:00.000-07:00

I just stumbled upon le chateau des fleurs and Ms Frenchy's site makes me yearn for Paris!

She has a beautiful little giveaway happening right now! Go say Hello!

Borders Double Dog Dare

2010-07-07T12:24:00.000-07:00

I started reading to my children when I was pregnant with each one of them. I continued that after they were born. There has not been a day without at least one book being read in our house. I loved reading from an early age. Literacy is a wonderful gift that can transport you to another time and place, you can be someone else for a day.

My Mom told me about Borders Double Dog Dare Summer Reading Program and of course I went to their website and printed out the forms. After your child has read 10 books you sign off that they did then take the forms to Borders and the kids get a free book from a selection of titles.

I can't wait to take them in for their new books! I am grateful to my parents for instilling the love of reading in me and now I am passing that love onto my children. I hope that they continue to love reading as much as I still do!

göt2b's smooth operator

2010-07-01T13:01:00.000-07:00

As a Buzzagent I received some sample of göt2b's smooth operator. It is amazing and makes my hair look beautiful, soft and of course smooth. There are no flyaways or frizz. Plus it smells delicious! I have given samples to friends and family and everyone loves it as much as I do. Thank you for making a product that works just like it promises it will!

I'm a BzzAgent and I have received a product sample, coupon, collateral or other special premium from BzzAgent.

Unbelievable!

2010-03-13T16:04:00.000-08:00

Yesterday afternoon I called my Mom because I had not heard from her all week. We normally talk every other day. She asked me how I was doing and I said fine, then asked her how she was doing. Her response was "why do you ask?". I said what a strange thing to ask me. Then she proceeds to tell me the details of the accident that she and her boyfriend Charlie had been in the evening before. They were riding his motorcycle and were rear ended while they were yielding to traffic. She was thrown over Charlie's left shoulder and landed in the street on her neck. Charlie managed to keep the bike upright. The guy was on his cell phone when he got out of his car and speaking to someone in his native language, not English. My Mom did not move from laying in the road, she knew that she was really hurt.

The paramedics get there and cut all of her clothes off except for her fairly new leather jacket. This was her trip in an ambulance. She has a minor concussion and a cervical spine injury. The hospital released her later that night, so she was not hurt too badly.

Now here is where the details start to get a little sketchy.
I did not receive any kind of phone call letting me know that any of this had happened! I had to call my Mom to find this out. I suggested that she may want to mention to the rest of the family that should something out of ordinary happened like an accident or death that any no call rule would be overruled by said event.
I got a lot of different excuses;
1. Mom says that Charlie called my house number and got the answering machine, but he did not want to leave something like that on the machine. I checked my caller ID and his number was not on there!
2. Mom said Aunt Dian did not call me because when Charlie called my Aunt he had down played the events of the evening and made it sound like she just took a little spill off the bike.
3. My Aunt calls me to tell me the reason she did not call me was because it was after 8PM when she found out and we have a Do Not Call Rule after 8PM. I told her that something like this superseded that rule. She was obliviously angry at me.
4. My younger sister emails me to tell me that she looked at the clock when Charlie called and it was 6:43PM, she thought of calling me, but then decided against it because she "did not to be verbally abused by my husband" (another long story, but basically my family hates my husband for protecting me!) She says she never thought of emailing me because she was "a little upset herself".

Basically if my Mom was dead I probably would not even know it right now. I would find out when I called her house. Makes me feel like I am of no value to my family!

So now it seems like my family is pissed off at me because I am upset that NO ONE called me to tell me that Mom had been in an accident. Seems kind of odd. Am I in the wrong here?

WOW

2010-03-02T14:36:00.001-08:00

Life has been crazy busy. We just finished remodeling our bathroom and it is BEAUTIFUL! I love the colors, Mocha and Ice Blue. Thanks to our brother in law Kevin for all of his hard work! He did an incredible job. I have been doing a ton of work on The3dStudio.com and we are almost finished with a major project. I haven been enjoying the amazing weather, low 70's. It's prefect. We have a play date tomorrow with a boy in Enzo's class, we are going to a local park to play. It should be a good time and it will be nice to get outside for a little while.

Sweet as a Honey Bee

2010-01-23T08:43:00.000-08:00

Another sweet blogger giveaway found on Kate's blog, Chronicles of a Country Girl. I would love these! Go swing by and say Hello!

French Home Gourmet LaRochere 9-oz. Water Glasses

(set of 6) in a Napoleonic Bee Motif

Not Yet!

2009-12-09T14:33:00.000-08:00

My sweet little girl will be 2 this weekend! I can't believe how fast this year has gone by. She is amazingly smart and quick. She catches on so fast that it is scary. Monday after I put her down for a nap I closed her door and was walking down the hallway when I hear her door knob turn, door open and her cute little head pops out!

She has learned how to escape from her crib! WoW. Enzo never even tried to get out of his crib. We had to bribe him with something so we could move it from his room to Sophie's room so she would have a bed to sleep in after she was born. I guess the next step for this big girl is a big girl bed.

35 Under 35

2009-10-25T15:42:00.000-07:00

I am so proud of Matt! He has worked so hard for so many years to make The3dStudio.com what it is today. He made into an article about 35 entrepreneurs 35 and younger in The Arizona Republic. Very cool and very exciting to see him reconized for his hard work. Here is the link to the Mens list. Great job Babe!

So True!

2009-04-28T13:10:00.001-07:00

"'Whatever you give a woman, she will make greater.
If you give her sperm, she'll give you a baby.
If you give her a house, she'll give you a home.
If you give her groceries, she'll give you a meal.
If you give her a smile, she'll give you her heart.
She multiplies and enlarges what is given to her.
So, if you give her any crap, be ready to receive a ton of shit"

My Sweet Boy!

2009-04-11T22:09:00.000-07:00

As part of Enzo's bedtime routine he lays in bed with me and we read a book and he plays with my iphone while we watch TV. Just like every other night he was laying with his head on my arm, he hands me my phone, looks up at me and says "Mom, you're my best friend"! Instant tears. He truly is the sweetest, most loving boy I know!

Sophie Wins a Photo Contest!

2009-04-11T20:30:00.000-07:00

I entered Sophie's picture into a messiest baby contest and she won! She was one of five winners. It's so exciting!

The Easter Bunny Came Early

2009-03-17T13:45:00.000-07:00

Ok, so it was UPS and not the Easter Bunny, but Easter is officially here at the Anderson house! Every year before Easter Matt orders "Eggs" from Fannie May.

They are the most scrumptious cream eggs I have ever had. In my life PM(Pre Matt) I never knew such beautiful eggs existed! It was a pleasant surprise to come home to after visiting with Aunt Tracy and her villagers.

You know I had to open one up, just to make sure they were safe for everyone else to eat.

What Goes Around Comes Around

2009-03-13T15:32:00.000-07:00

A nice little story...

One day a man saw an old lady, stranded on the side of the road, but even in the dim light of day, he could see she needed help. So he pulled up in front of her Mercedes and got out. His Pontiac was still sputtering when he approached her. Even with the smile on his face, she was worried. No one had stopped to help for the last hour or so. Was he going to hurt her? He didn't look safe; he looked poor and hungry.
He could see that she was frightened, standing out there in the cold. He knew how she felt. It was that chill which only fear can put in you. He said, 'I'm here to help you, ma'am. Why don't you wait in the car where it's warm? By the way, my name is Bryan Anderson.'
Well, all she had was a flat tire, but for an old lady, that was bad enough. Bryan crawled under the car looking for a place to put the jack, skinning his knuckles a time or two. Soon he was able to change the tire. But he had to get dirty and his hands hurt. As he was tightening up the lug nuts, she rolled down the window and began to talk to him. She told him that she was from St. Louis and was only just passing through. She couldn't thank him enough for coming to her aid.Bryan just smiled as he closed her trunk.
The lady asked how much she owed him. Any amount would have been all right with her. She already imagined all the awful things that could have happened had he not stopped. Bryan never thought twice about being paid. This was not a job to him. This was helping someone in need, and God knows there were plenty, who had given him a hand in the past. He had lived his whole life that way, and it never occurred to him to act any other way.
He told her that if she really wanted to pay him back, the next time she saw someone who needed help, she could give that person the assistance they needed, and Bryan added, 'And think of me.' He waited until she started her car and drove off.
It had been a cold and depressing day, but he felt good as he headed for home, disappearing into the twilight. A few miles down the road the lady saw a small cafe. She went in to grab a bite to eat, and take the chill off before she made the last leg of her trip home. It was a dingy looking restaurant. Outside were two old gas pumps. The whole scene was unfamiliar to her. The waitress came over and brought a clean towel to wipe her wet hair. She had a sweet smile, one that even being on her feet for the whole day couldn't erase.
The lady noticed the waitress was nearly eight months pregnant, but she never let the strain and aches change her attitude. The old lady wondered how someone who had so little could be so giving to a stranger. Then she remembered Bryan. After the lady finished her meal, she paid with a hundred dollar bill. The waitress quickly went to get change for her hundred dollar bill, but the old lady had slipped right out the door. She was gone by the time the waitress came back.
The waitress wondered where the lady could be. Then she noticed something written on the napkin. There were tears in her eyes when she read what the lady wrote: 'You don't owe me anything. I have been there too. Somebody once helped me out, the way I'm helping you. If you really want to pay me back, here is what you do: Do not let this chain of love end with you.' Under the napkin were four more $100 bills. Well, there were tables to clear, sugar bowls to fill, and people to serve, but the waitress made it through another day.
That night when she got home from work and climbed into bed, she was thinking about the money and what the lady had written. How could the lady have known how much she and her husband needed it? With the baby due next month, it was going to be hard....She knew how worried her husband was, and as he lay sleeping next to her, she gave him a soft kiss and whispered soft and low, 'Everything's going to be all right. I love you, Bryan Anderson.'
There is an old saying 'What goes around comes around.' Good friends are like stars....You don't always see them, but you know they are always there. WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND

Dedication!

2009-03-08T16:14:00.000-07:00

I am completely PRO Breastfeeding! I believe that it is the best gift you can give to your child. But I am not a Breastfeeding Nazi, any woman should be able to do what she is most comfortable with. I weaned Enzo at 13 months so I could have my LASIK done and I wish that I hadn't.
I have been nursing Sophie for 15 months now and I don't see anything wrong with it. She is starting to self wean though. She really only nurses a few times a day now. Mostly because she wants to be like her brother and drink the same milk out of the same kind of cup that he is. Monkey see, monkey do.
I feel kind of sad about it, as she is the last baby I will ever have! But happy too because I will have my breasts all (well, kinda) to myself, I won't be a 24/7 buffet for a hungry baby. I think that I have fulfilled my role as a lactating mother and given my children the best start that they could have! Anyway, I found this photo on the web and thought WOW! That is dedication!

A Little Overdue

2009-03-03T12:15:00.001-08:00

Sophie's first year was filled with many surprises and delights!

After an Epidural I was induced at 11PM Wednesday December 12, 2007. Matt tried to sleep there but all the machines kept him awake, so he decided to go home and get a little sleep. The nurse told us that it would be several hours before anything would start to happen as I was only dilated to 1cm.
I started having BAD contractions about 2:30AM; the nurse saw them on her monitor and came in to check me. She said I was at 7cm so call your husband and have him head over. She also paged the Anesthesiologist because my epidural was not helping; I think I could have bent the bed rails! So I called Matt at 2:45AM and told him contractions were 3 minutes apart so get here when you can, no rush.

About 10 minutes later the Dr shows up to check me; they had called her for another patient that would end up delivering 2 hours after me. The Dr says I am at 10cm and they start to prep my bed and the room, thankfully Matt walked in about then and I was in tears the pain was so bad. Matt barely had his jacket off when they told me I could start pushing, so I did and had Sophie out in 3 pushes, the same as Enzo.

When her head was out Matt looked over and said "I don't mean to alarm you, but you have a head sticking out of your vagina". It was crazy! She started crying and I started crying. They handed her to me and she was beautiful and perfect and she smelled amazing. I couldn't believe how happy I was with the birth of Sophie Giselle our family was complete! By the way, the Anesthesiologist made it into my room about 30 minutes after Sophie was born!

She is quite an amazing girl! She has 5 teeth; she can walk and climb on anything! It's pretty funny and scary at the same time. She loves her blankie and her binky. She can keep up with her brother and is just as tough as he is. She can say Momma, Dada, brother, bath and ball. She makes the cutest monster growl that you have ever heard! She likes to eat and she will eat anything you give to her. I think she eats more than Enzo! She wants to feed herself. She is funny and crazy. She laughs when she farts. She will throw her sippy cup at you when she needs a refill. She has appetite for paper. She is stealthy and quiet as a Ninja! You won't hear her coming if she doesn't want you to. She cracks me up, gives me heart attacks and white hairs!

She is beautiful and sweet. She loves to give wet kisses, especially to her Daddy. She is a Daddy's girl without a doubt! I think she already has him wrapped around her finger. She loves to type on the keyboard and play Xbox with Matt. She will only sleep in her bed! She refuses to take a nap anywhere else. She loves water; both of my kids are fish. She likes to help me clean up and put things in the trash. She can sleep for 12 to 14 hours a night and will take up to two naps a day. She responds to Sophie, Sophers, Soph, Sis, and Sister. I love her more than I thought possible. She is the perfect person to round out our family. Although belated, Happy Birthday My Sweet Baby.

Chihuly: The Nature of Glass

2009-02-01T15:24:00.000-08:00

We went to The Desert Botanical Garden today with Gran, Grandpa, Aunt Tracy and Austin to see the Chihuly glass art exhibit. It was all very beautiful and breath taking! If only I had a fraction of that talent.

http://picasaweb.google.com/bethahol/ChihulyGlassArtExhibitAtTheDesertBotanicalGardens

Enzo is 4 years old today!

2009-02-01T15:03:00.000-08:00

I can't believe how quickly 4 years goes by! I remember my water breaking and going to the hospital, getting the epidural (Thank Goddess!) and waiting for what seemed like an eternity (about 5 hours) for the Dr to tell me that I could now push. Well Mr Enzo was so tiny that it took all of 3, that's right 3 pushes to get him out! His little head was the size of an apple. He arrived at 8:16PM February 1, 2005. The most beautiful boy in the world! He has been so many things to me in his first four years, genius, hellion, snuggler, spaz. He has the most beautiful eyelashes I have ever seen on a boy! He loves Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Santa Claus.

He is amazingly smart and can figure things out on his own, is quite a problem solver, has an incredible memory, loves to play with his Grandpa and help out Gran, loves to read with Nana, and make tortilla soup for Dad with extra pepper, loves to snuggle with me every morning after he wakes up, loves his cousins and Aunt Tracy without end. He likes to share his juice and sometimes his milk with his little sister Sophie, loves to take baths and play in the sand. He will play with a cord for hours and not get bored. He can write his name, knows his ABC's, type his name along with many others on the keyboard. He loves to cut and glue, paint and draw. He still makes me kiss his owies. He loves sweet and sour chicken and hot dogs, will put ketchup or BBQ sauce on just about anything. Likes to help me cook, but not clean up.

He is sweet, kind, annoying, handsome, helpful, thoughtful, messy, loud and shy.

So Happy Birthday my sweet, sweet boy!

Love me Some Scrapcandy!

2009-01-16T10:28:00.000-08:00

This awesome blog that I follow Happy Daisy is at it again! She has another giveaway and it looks pretty cool!

http://happydaisyaz.blogspot.com/2009/01/its-giveaway-time-again.html

It's a Scrabble Tile Pendant and pretty snake chain! I saw it on her blog recently and thought how very cool, I want one! This may be my chance!

Check out Happy Daisy, it's entertaining.

Life is better

2009-01-08T07:58:00.000-08:00

Very strange, but as soon as January first rolled around I was feeling much better! It really is the Thanksgiving to Christmas season that makes me sad!

We celebrated New Years in our normal fashion, in bed by 11PM, listening to some idiots outside shoot off noise makers and fireworks just before midnight. Thankfully the kids slept through the noise.

So far so good with 2009. Sophie is starting to say more words! like night-night, ball, mommy, daddy. She makes the cutest monster sounds, to which we all act scared and ask if there is a monster in the house, then she just makes more monster sounds. She laughs at her farts, I think that is pretty damn funny! She is also climbing on every she can, it is Karma biting me in the butt!

Enzo and Sophie got an amazing play kitchen from the Best Aunt in the World (aka Aunt Tracy). They both love it, they spend most of the day playing with it. Enzo likes to make Matt tortilla soup with lots of pepper from the pepper grinder. It has a real clock, a burner the lights up, a light under the microwave.

Today I am having lunch with Jennica, my birthday twin. I am so excited, I haven't seem her for awhile. Then the kids and I are meeting up with the Romero family at AMY (AZ Museum for Youth) to play and have some fun.

Not the Happiest Time of the Year

2008-12-22T19:52:00.001-08:00

So the holidays are here again and I wish I could say that I was happy about it! I don't know if it is all the rain this year, but I seem to be extra gloomy. I don't think that I have truly enjoyed Christmas since I was a young teenager. I can't say why, depression, an abusive stepfather when I was young, having a miscarriage right after Christmas during my first marriage (which turned out to be a blessing), not speaking to my sisters. I don't know. I cry a lot at stupid things and nothing really makes me happy. I know I should be happy, I see my sweet babies play and grow, they do amazing things everyday and I have to force myself to smile! I lose my temper way too easily. I try really hard to be happy, but nothing seems to work. Maybe it's hormones. Maybe it's all in my head. Hopefully the New Year will bring me some joy. Merry Christmas to all of my friends and family, May you be healthy and safe.

Enzo's Class Christmas Party

2008-12-16T14:42:00.000-08:00

All of the kids in Enzo's class had been practicing for 2 weeks on "We Wish You A Merry Christmas" and "Jingle Bells". They had their class party on Thursday December 11, 2008. It was so cute watching them perform heir songs! They did such a good job! They played Christmas Bingo, Musical Chairs and Where's the Snowball. Then they all decorated a sugar ice cream cone as a Christmas tree. They were all beautiful. I think they parents did most of the work there, I know I did! It was a good time.

Before I was a Mom

2008-12-01T12:31:00.000-08:00

I am sure everyone has seen this before, but Grammy emailed it to me and I think it is beautiful every time I read it!

Before I was a Mom, I never tripped over toys or forgot words to a lullaby. I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous. I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom, I had never been puked on. Pooped on. Chewed on. Peed on. I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts. I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom, I never held down a screaming child so doctors could do tests. Or give shots. I never looked into teary eyes and cried. I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin. I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom, I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put her down. I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt. I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much. I never knew that I could love someone so much. I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom, I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body. I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby. I didn't know that bond between a mother and her child. I didn't know that something so small could make me feel so important and happy.

Before I was a Mom, I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay. I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache, the wonderment or the satisfaction of being a Mom. I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much, before I was a Mom.

A Sweet Treat

2008-11-30T14:33:00.000-08:00

This was my gift from Matt and Enzo for Valentine's Day 2007. It was very sweet and I am finally getting around to putting up the picture.

Cute Little Buns!

2008-11-30T14:28:00.000-08:00

I just had to post this picture because Enzo has the cutest little boy buns in the world! And he likes to put his undies on backwards, so you get a really good view!

You could buy them a toy store!

2008-11-30T14:03:00.000-08:00

Isn't it funny how we parents spend so much money on gifts throughout the year for our kids and then one day you bring home something in a big box and all other play things are forgotten! Enzo has loved boxes right from the start and now Sophie shares this passion with him. We had to buy a new microwave. We brought it home and took it out of the box, we didn't even have a chance to take out all the packaging when the sharks started to circle! What a time they had in there! They drank their juice, then each other's juice. They hid. It was a fort, a rocket, a castle, a quiet place for Enzo. It kept Enzo busy for most of the day. He wouldn't let us cut it down to recycle it so now it resides in his room. I think Christmas could be pretty easy for him this year, get the kids some boxes and some cord and you are good to go!

I love that you can only see their little hands!
Drinking some juice.
Enzo says here, let me have yours.

They swapped juice cups!

Surprise Mom!

Their own cups again.

Sophie looks like she is done with the box.

Ways You Can Help Children in Need

2008-11-25T19:34:00.000-08:00

I feel very strongly about helping people less fortunate than myself, especially children. There is so much pain and sadness in their lives and the smallest thing can bring them joy and comfort. I have been donating formula and my kids gently used clothes to the East Valley Child Crisis Center in Mesa. As the holidays near we become more willing to help others. So please take a few minutes and go through clothes or anything around your house that you haven't used in awhile and consider donating them. The future in never certain and we never know what tomorrow brings. Anyone of us could could be in someone elses shoes.

From the Child Crisis Center Fall Newsletter:

Donate New Clothes. The Child Crisis Center and Arizona Adoption & Foster Care provide each child that moves into a new resource (foster) or adoptive home a brand new outfit to begin his/her new journey. We help place kids of all ages and sizes, from babies to 17 year-olds, into more permanent places to call home and are in need of new clothes and shoes for these children.

Give a charm… spread the word… make a difference. Purchase unique jewelry and charms from Charity Charms for a friend or loved one; in doing so you support the Center. 25% of all jewelry sales are donated to CCC and 50% of each CCC charm sale - make sure to choose Child Crisis Center as your favorite charity as you check out.

Consider Donating Gift Cards to the Center. We love to receive gift cards and movie passes as donations. We can use them year-round to purchase items we need for the children.

Do Your Holiday Shopping Online at www.goodshop.com. Simply enter “Child Crisis Center” (or Child Crisis Center - East Valley) in the “Who Do You GoodShop For?” field and hit the “verify” button. Any online shopping you do through the hundreds of stores listed on the site will result in a donation to the Center!

Walt Disney World October 2008

2008-11-16T10:49:00.000-08:00

It had been two years since we have been to WDW, so we decided to take a little trip there for nine days. In May we went to Las Vegas for 4 days and we took our 16 (now 17)year old niece Dana with us. So we thought we should take her to WDW with us, not only to help with the kids, it was her birthday and she is an Disney Addict like her mom!

We had a lot of fun. We stayed in the Club Concierge-level, which is really living! They have a Continental breakfast, snacks and evening wine and cheese reception. There are always coffee, tea and soda available. When food is out, which is most of the day, they have milk and Evian water. It's nice especially with kids!

During the day we pretty much walked onto all of the rides. The parks were more crowded than I expected them to be considering that school was in session. But it wasn't too bad.

On October 28th we went to Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party, it was from 7PM to 12AM. It was Packed! We had to wait for 40 minutes for The Haunted Mansion. The lines for candy were ridiculous! Thirty plus minutes for a hand full of mediocre candy! It was not very well lit, I know it's a Halloween party, but you couldn't see where you were going! It was fun, but I don't think that is it worth the price we paid. The only highlight was the Character dinner at The Liberty Tree Tavern, the food was good and we got to take pictures with Minnie, Goofy, Pluto, and Dale. That was pretty cool.

Dana was a huge help with the kids! I don't think I can go on vacations without her now! Some of the nights she would stay in our room with the kids and watch them while Matt and I went to the parks, had dinner and went on rides.

I have to say that this was the best WDW vacation I have had so far! We are going next October when the schools have their fall break. The whole Anderson, Eau Claire, Fanslow clan will be going! As of now that is 12 of us. I can't wait, I think next year will be fun in it's own way!

Check out the photos....

http://picasaweb.google.com/bethahol

Why so fast?!

2008-11-16T09:19:00.000-08:00

Sophie officially took 10 steps last night, walking from me to Matt! It was so exciting and sad all at the same time! I can't believe that in less than a month she will be celebrating her first birthday. I guess I will just have to take more pictures.

My Handsome Boy

2008-11-15T12:47:00.000-08:00

Enzo had his first school picture taken on October 14, 2008. He is in Pre-Kindergarten in Mrs Norgren's class 2008-2009.

The Season of Giving

2008-11-15T10:55:00.000-08:00

I just saw this article on The Cradle...

http://www.thecradle.com/thecradlecrush/?p=178

Robeez just launched their fourth annual Season of Giving campaign – a charitable initiative to donate shoes to infants in need during the holiday season.

For every e-card sent, Robeez will make a $5 product donation via its charitable partner Kids in Distressed Situations (K.I.D.S.). One card = $5 worth of Robeez footwear… 10 cards = $50 of footwear… and so on!

And, by taking the time to send out an e-card, you have a chance to win a Robeez Shoes and Socks Gift Set (these are so cute!). Winners are drawn weekly and the campaign will last up until December 20th.

So send some ecards and help some kids.

Click here to start spreading some holiday cheer.

Everything is Beautiful

2008-10-24T08:54:00.000-07:00

This morning Enzo showed me the bean stalk in our garden had sprouted amazing light purple flowers. As I was bent down looking out the window at them he comes over, hugs me and tells me that everything is beautiful. Funny how children can remind us of the simplest pleasures in life!

La Calabria Ristorante

2008-10-19T18:33:00.000-07:00

So we went there again on Friday and I had the Filet with Balsamic Caramelized onions and Gorgonzola cheese. HOLY MOLY! It was delectable. I don't like onions, but I ate them this with meal. For dessert I had the Creme Brulee. Yummy as well. Again Matt had two bites and I had to finish the rest myself! I believe that when it comes to alcohol and dessert you should never leave a man behind! I need to take my camera from now on.

Silly Girl!

2008-10-19T15:32:00.000-07:00

Sophie is the typical I will put anything and everything I can into my mouth baby. This is an eyeball from Enzo's Mega block set. She loves it! She reminds me of Uncle Fester!

Just for Fun

2008-10-16T20:00:00.000-07:00

Jen had this posted on her blog and it looked way too fun to pass up so here goes.....
so you answer 17 questions and when you do you Google your answer... you must use the first image on Google for your answer. Please try I'd love to see what your answers are....
so here goes nothing....

1. City where I live - Mesa

2. Favortie Food - Chinese

3. Favorite color - Pink

4. Favorite Object - My Aeron Chair

5. Where I was born - Mesa General Hospital Mesa, AZ

6. My maiden name - Adams. Picture is actress Amy Adams

7. Favorite Animal - Cat

8. My name - Elizabeth

9. My first job - Checker Auto Parts

10. My best friend - Matt

This pic almost made me pee my pants!

11. What I am doing right now - staring at my computer

Cool see through monitor!

12. Degree - none

13. My bad habit - plucking my eyebrows

She seems to have the same problem I do!

14. Place I'd like to visit - Italy

15. Favorite place - Maui, HI

16. A past pet - Espresso, my rottweiler

17. My age - 31

the famous Andromeda galaxy.

OMG! OMG! OMG!

2008-10-10T10:03:00.000-07:00

There is this delicious Italian restaurant in Gilbert, AZ. La Calabria Ristorante. It is family owned and operated by Giovanni Spartaro and his wife. They are both very nice. Matt's parents told us about it 2 weeks ago and we have been there twice! So far I have had the Chicken Marsala and the Mahi Mahi. Both very yummy! Both times I did save myself for dessert, the Tiramisu is amazing, I could have eaten two pieces! At our last visit Mrs Spartaro talked me out of a cannoli into a piece of Italian Cheesecake. OMG! I am so glad she did! I have never had it before and I was stuffed after my dinner, but I forced myself to finish the whole piece, Matt had 2 bites. This is the kind of place that you need to go back to! NEED not want! Next time I will give the Filet with Gorgonzola a try and maybe a new dessert, but the Italian Cheesecake haunts my dreams! If you love, or even like Italian food you must eat here! We have to keep this place in business! If all else fails I will make Matt hire him as our personal chef! Please visit, tell them Matt and Beth sent you.

La Calabria Ristorante

1534 W Ray Rd Suite 110

Gilbert, AZ 85296

Behind Discount Tire on the North West corner.

Scary Times Ahead!

2008-10-06T20:09:00.000-07:00

I know that when I was younger I caused my mother a lot of grief! I would not keep my diapers or clothes on. I had to be completely nude or I would make everyone suffer. I climbed walls, shelves and doorways. I would spend hours in the attic playing and thinking. My mother would often refer to me as the devil child and in many ways I was. I was grounded more often than not for many summers. The longest grounding was for hairspray flamethrowers in the bathroom. I was just curious, not evil! Besides, my brother made me do it! ;)

I have always worried that fate would come back around on me someday and that day has arrived! Sophie, my perfect little angel, will no longer keep her diaper on if she has a chance to remove it. My little nudest, once my mother's burden coming back to bite me in the ass! While I love seeing that cute little tushy Matt is horrified of what bodily functions might happen while she is roaming free. So for prosperity's sake I had to document this moment to give my mom a laugh now and me a laugh in the future!

Full Circle

2008-09-27T16:51:00.000-07:00

It's funny how life truly does come around full circle. When I was 4 years old my mom was in The Phoenix Gazette for an article on the "Time of Your Life" program at Mesa Community College that shows women that the traditional routes are not necessarily the answer in life. The specially tailored courses included exercises in self-assessment, assertiveness, vocational guidance, career testing, basic English, reading and family finance training. These courses truly did help my mom to improve her and our lives.

Now 17 years later my daughter Sophie is featured in an article on RSV in The Arizona Republic. When Sophie was 5 weeks old she contracted RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus). She had what I thought was a cold, but it wasn't getting better as the days went by. I took her to the Pediatrician and she said that Sophie had a cold not RSV, but to watch her. The next day she was so much worse, not eating, no wet diapers and she was struggling to breath. The Pediatrician's nurse called me that morning, but I missed the call. I called her back and left a message. I was a nervous wreck waiting for the return call! It was early afternoon when she did call back and Sophie had not improved at all.

So I took her to Banner Desert ER, they have a pediatric ER there. After I got her checked in I was told the wait would be about 2 hours minimum! After 5 minutes they took her into the triage and they sucked some mucus with a tube down her nose to test for RSV. The Dr wanted to send us back out to the waiting room, but the nurse told him flat out NO! That she was too young and they needed to monitor her. We were moved to a temporary room where a new nurse started an IV in her arm. Then we went sent to another temporary room where we waited for the results. While we were in this room they started Sophie on oxygen. After about 2 hours a Dr came back to tell me that yes, it was RSV and that she should be admitted. At that point we were put into a new temporary room inside the ER, but at least this room had a door to close. Around 11PM Sophie and I were wheeled on a bed to the Children's Hospital inside of Banner Desert Medical Center.

It was so heartbreaking to watch Sophie trying to breath and even worse to hear and watch her during various treatments done to make her feel better! Every 4 hours a Respiratory Therapist would come in and insert a long tiny tube down Sophie's nose and suck out as much mucus as they could. She was on an IV the whole time she was there. She started eating for a few minutes every few hours on the second day. She was there for 3 days and 2 nights, the staff was all very nice and compassionate. They took her off of the oxygen on the third day very early in the morning and was able to maintain her O2 level by herself. After doing that for 12 hours they released her.

She was sent home with a breathing machine, albuterol and an antibiotic for her double ear infection. At home I had to give her breathing treatments every four hours, after I put saline drops in her nose and used the bulb to get out as much mucus as I could. It took her a few weeks to get better. She is healthy now, but with RSV season coming up again I am getting worried. Enzo is in Pre-Kindergarten and he can bring home all sorts of germs! That scares me a little, but hopefully we can keep Sophie from getting RSV again. This is the link to the article online. There are 2 different pictures in the actual paper itself. http://www.azcentral.com/community/mesa/articles/2008/09/26/20080926ev-rsv0927.html

Lucha libre

2008-09-24T12:50:00.000-07:00

Enzo loves hats! But not traditional hats, he loves to put random items on his head to make a hat! Apparently now he is a Lucha libre with his colorful mask, aka his underwear! This kid cracks me up on a daily basis. He loves to find new ways to entertain himself and us in the process.

Maybe

2008-09-22T09:40:00.000-07:00

I just received this email from a friend and I thought it was nice.

Maybe ... we were supposed to meet the wrong people before meeting the right one so that, when we finally meet the right person, we will know how to be grateful for that gift.

Maybe ... when the door of happiness closes, another opens; but, often times, we look so long at the closed door that we don't even see the new one which has been opened for us.

Maybe ... it is true that we don't know what we have until we lose it, but it is also true that we don't know what we have been missing until it arrives.

Maybe ... the happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way.

Maybe ... the brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past; after all, you can't go on successfully in life until you let go of your past mistakes, failures, and heartaches.

Maybe ... you should dream what you want to dream; go where you want to go, be what you want to be, because you have only one life and one chance to do all the things you dream of, and want to do.

Maybe ... there are moments in life when you miss someone -- a parent, a spouse, a friend, a child, your girlfriend/boyfriend -- so much that you just want to pick them from your dreams and hug them for real, so that once they are around you appreciate them more.

Maybe ... the best kind of friend is the kind you can sit on a porch and swing with, never say a word, and then walk away feeling like it was the best conversation you've ever had.

Maybe … you should always try to put yourself in others' shoes. If you feel that something could hurt you, it probably will hurt the other person, too.

Maybe ... you should do something nice for someone every single day.

Maybe ... giving someone all your love is never an assurance that they will love you back. Don't expect love in return; just wait for it to grow in their heart; but if it doesn't, be content that it grew in yours.

Maybe ... happiness waits for all those who cry, all those who hurt, all those who have searched, and all those who have tried, for only they can appreciate the importance of all the people who have touched their lives.

Maybe ... you shouldn't go for looks; they can deceive; don't go for wealth; even that fades away. Go for someone who makes you smile, because it takes only a smile to make a dark day seem bright. Find the one who makes your heart smile.

Maybe … you should hope for enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human, and enough hope to make you happy.

Maybe … you should try to live your life to the fullest because when you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling, but when you die, you can be the one who is smiling and everyone around you is crying.

Enzo Loves School!

2008-09-14T10:09:00.000-07:00

I can't believe how much Enzo loves going to school! Everyday he asks if today is a day that he goes to school. I feel bad when I have to tell him no. He says "I love having a good day at school". He is growing up so fast! I know that every parent says that, but it really is true. I miss my tiny baby boy! It is fun to watch him grow and learn new things. He is the best helper and he loves to clean (just not his own messes). Right now he is learning his colors at school, he already knows quite a few of them. It will be interesting to see what he takes away from this experience and hopefully he will continue to love school.

My Big Boy

2008-09-08T14:44:00.000-07:00

Today was Enzo's second day of Pre-Kindergarten and so far he loves it! I thought I was going to have a complete meltdown when I left him on his first day last week! But there was only a minor tear up, by me of course! He had so much fun. I felt fine today when I left him. The class way learning about the colors of the rainbow today and Enzo painted a rainbow. He told me that his rainbow didn't look like the other kids did. So I told him that it is because we are all different and it's ok when your art looks different from other peoples art. It was sweet.

The Beginning

2008-09-08T13:37:00.000-07:00

So I decided to start blogging. As if my days weren't busy enough. We'll see how this goes!!