Jem Jam part 1

Another wonderful year of Trick or Treating on Main Street! 

youtube stars

Since my family is pretty awesome, people like to look at us on youtube.  Well, not me actually - but them.  So I thought for your weekend excitement I'd post some of our most popular youtube videos.

If you haven't seen Greg's Winning Ticket, I don't know where you've been.  This has been a family classic for years!

Here's Travis' brother Greg right after he got his wisdom teeth out.  It's pretty awesome.  Everyone I've talked to wishes that it would never end.  

This is actually the second most popular video on my youtube account.  It's not funny, just precious.  Sweet Savannah singing Jesus Love Me.  

And here's a classic America's Funniest Home Videos one.  

Travis trying to teach Savannah to catch with a ball of play dough.  

Happanin's

Here's a quick update on the kinds of things that have been happanin around here (yeah, i know it's spelled wrong - this time it was intentional).

We took a family trip to Ankeny last weekend - like 30 minutes away - and went to TJMaxx.  Who doesn't love that store?  I have never left TJMaxx without feeling like I got a steal!  Actually, I was changing my shirt in the car when we left (the shirt I had on smelled weird like dinner and i was excited about my new shirt) and Travis actually accused me of having stolen the new shirt from the store!  He said he was shocked but he would not have made me return the shirt......
Anyway - we told Savannah where we were headed and this is how she left the house.

I should tell you that the green lunch box has a sweet potato, and onion, and a head of garlic in it.  I guess she wanted to be ready for anything!

Savannah started her second session of "Tumbling Tykes" last week.  It's just a kiddo gymnastic class.  It's 30 minutes long and she goes to it alone!  I sit outside a read or catch up on stuff.  It's great for both of us.  On the first day of class the parents are supposed to sit in and watch.  You can guess which one is mine...she's a great listener :)  I had to leave the room after 10 minutes because she kept coming over to tell me stuff.

Here's something new.  Pretending to sleep at the table because Daddy said "Do you want to finish dinner or just go up to bed right now...."

And when you get bored of sitting at the table pretending to sleep - just get up and walk away with your eyes closed.  No one will notice.  They'll all think you're just sleeping so you are unable to finish your dinner....

I'll say it again.... 3 is the best!

Live Strong Travis Pierce

We had a little scare around here this week.  Saturday night Travis discovered a lump in a place on his body that no man wants to have a lump.  He had intended on going to the doctor at the end of this month because of business at work, but then last night decided he should take it a little more serious.  He did some research on WebMD and here are some of the one-liners that have been flying around here - we've been teasing about us saying these things now that we know everything is mostly ok.  - Turns out the it's several cysts.

Travis: I looked at WebMD and I am 100 percent sure that I have cancer.
Me: People always look at WebMD and freak out, it's probably not that serious.
The Nurse: Everyone looks at WebMD and tries to diagnose themselves...sigh.

Travis: I have cancer, I can just feel it.
Me just before Travis goes back to the clinic to see the radiologist: Well if they try to make you pay the $15 co-pay again, don't.  Tell them you were already there today. (I guess this made Travis feel like it wasn't worth $30 to find out if he was going to die soon or not)

Travis: I prayed and told God that I know he probably wont hear me because I tell bad jokes sometimes  and I'm not that good, but I prayed he would here Todd and Jeff's prayers because they are REALLY righteous!


Travis: Are those the results?
Doctor: It is not a Tumor.  (I have no idea what her voice sounded like because all I could hear was the line from Kindergarten Cop).
Me: If you have to have surgery you should try to have it after the first of the year so your deductible will count for the next 12 months after that.

Travis: We're going to dinner tonight!  I don't have cancer!
Me: You do realize you didn't actually beat cancer, right?

Anyway, it's a group of cysts.  He goes into a Urologist the second week of November.  We'll know more from there but for now, it's not life threatening.  So we're okay!  We did celebrate with a family trip to Orange Leaf today.  Lots of ups and downs today, but we made it, and we're okay.  It was for sure a demonstration though of Travis and my different personalities and ways of looking at the world.  I love him and I'm so so glad he's okay and so so glad we get to keep him!

FALLing in love with Savannah

We went for a little fall hike the other day.  

Three is for sure the best age.  

Here Savannah was trying to show me how to hold my hand to look at the bird that was really far away.  Is she the best?

Savannah is so brave and so capable.  I thank God every day for all her words and abilities.  Even when they overwhelm me a little. 

Between me and Jesus

Confession Session!

At Escape the other night we were given a paper to write down the thing(s) that get in the way of our hearts connecting to Jesus.  The examples given were hobbies, relationships, interests....I started to write and was a little surprised and what exactly came out.  We were suppossed to throw our papers away to symbolize that we were getting rid of those things, but I didn't.  Part because I wanted to read mine later and think about it more, but maybe part because I wasn't ready to....

What gets in the way?  My own style.  Will be be able to dress in what I want?  Will my house look how I want?  Can I cook or blog or craft the things that express who I want to be and how I want to be seen?  I worry, focus, search, and work to that end, while ignoring the glorious riches Christ has for me.  Ignoring the "style" He wants for me.  Am I willing to take on the style of a homeless carpenter? He had nothing because He gave everything.   My tendency is to let all the things he's given me to express how he's made me become who I am, when who I should be is a Christian.  


I was further challenged in a Bible study this week when a girl said "When people think of me, I'm sure they think "Christian" as one of my many attributes, but ideally I think God would have it be THE THING they think of."

She's

FAST.  

Coconut Oil Crazies!!!

One of my kitchen heros (Cindy Rebarcak) suggested that I try using coconut oil a couple weeks ago.  I found a cheap jar of it for $9 at HyVee (also at Fareway) and I thought it was pretty comparable to what I pay for olive oil so I went for it.

First, let me tell you - it's hard!  It's like waxy.  It melts really fast (like even by just touching it) so that's not a problem - but I was a little caught off guard.  I have been cooking with it instead of whatever other oil or butter I would be using.  It's working pretty good.  Use a littl lower heat than usual though.  Also - it cleans off the pan WAY easier.

I've also been doing some reading and I guess coconut oil is like super super good for you!  I was reading a website (the coconut oil research institute I think) and they make some pretty crazy claims.  I think some of them are true, but once they started saying that it can cure HIV and Cancer, I kinda zoned out.  But I DO really believe it falls in the "good fat" category and that it is helpful with skin issues.

I also read on the jar (I had to read the whole jar to figure out how to use the hard "oil" at first) that it can be used for hair and skin.  So of course the next day I warmed some up and glopped it all over my hair.  I left it on for an hour, then washed it out.  My hair felt pretty awesome.  I'm thinking I will try doing this once a week and see what comes of it.

So, that's my report on the hottest newest...i dont know if it's not or new... thing!

Hide and Preschool

Savannah has been playing hide and seek a lot lately.  It's her fave. It's really funny when she plays it when we're on walks though.  Here - can you find Savannah?

We decided to start doing a Preschool Co-op thing this fall.  Savannah has a handful of friends that are her age - not quiet ready for preschool - but ready to play and learn with others.  So we set it up where each mom takes turn hosting and teaching all the kiddos once a week.  So that means I have them once every 4 weeks.  No Problemo!  My turn was last Friday and it was a super blast!  I loved it.  We talked about weather and made wind socks.  

One of my best friends from forever, Meghan, had a baby the other day.  I think she was in labor for like 10 minutes.  Since Savannah LOVES Meghan's two older kids we had them over the other night.  It was really fun and we attempted to make Jar-O-Lanterns. The kids all chose to use pink paint, it didn't really work.  But it was super fun!  I love that Savannah and Meghan's kids get along so well.

So, Savannah, tell me about Thumbilina......

And that's okay with me.

I was talking to a friend of mine today about the sense of entitlement that we can so easily wrap our hopes around.  Recently I have heard people around me talk about some of the things they think they deserve - to eat what they want when they want, have a smart phone, to one day move to a better house, to sit shot gun in the car, ... and the list goes on.  

Why do we do that to ourselves? 

In our conversation today, my friend told me of someone she was talking with recently that said "Ya know, I just realized that this standard of living is as good as it's ever going to get for me, and I'm okay with that."

What awesome perspective!  What is THIS, right now, whatever your circumstance (financially, relationally, physically) is the best it's ever going to be?  Are you okay with that? Because God Promises to give us everything we need and even some things we want.  And we should be okay with that. 

I was walking past our table the other day and noticed my reading materials waiting for me - I thought it was kind of funny.  The Bible, The Ikea Catalog, and The Christ Centered Life.  Judging by this picture, I might need to make some adjustments :)

It's 4 o'clock somewhere....

Savannah woke up from her nap the other day and we didn't know how to spend that draaaaging last hour of the day (you know the one, 4-5pm.  Waiting for daddy to get home.  Tired of all the same old toys, games, tricks... you know the one.) So we decided to take a little trip to the beach! Savannah loved it.  I loved it.  The beach is amazing this time of year.  

The beach got a little old after a while (about 5 mintues) so we decided to head up up up!

We went so far up that Savannah became an alien!

I know you're laughing...

Okay, but really.  Every once and a while when we just can't take it anymore we just play around on photo booth on our Mac.  We set up different back ground.  I make videos of her singing.  We make our faces look funny.... it's a great and FREE way to waste that dreaded 4pm hour.  Have some fun!