Christmas past

I have been using Google photos lately to back up my photos online. They have a neat feature that puts together a collage for you. These two popped up right around Christmas. The last collage is one I made from this year.

Still making gingerbread houses and being our weird selves. I love a good timehop.

60

My dad would have turned sixty this week.  He was always the birthday wizard, making special days extravagant. I'd like to think all my party planning madness came from his genius. So I thought it only right that I do a birthday post.

I happened upon a website where you enter your birthdate and it spits out a mostly right-on analysis of your personhood. (gee-golly am I ever a sucker for that type of thing!) My Dad's said it perfectly, in regards to my memory of him;

 "... July 23 people also have a great deal to offer the other party in a relationship: their highly developed problem-solving abilities, compassion, understanding and human qualities are invaluable....
The emotional complexity of those born on this day, their warmth and human struggle, generally makes contact with them meaningful."

A whole lifetime of meaningful packed into his 42 years. Cheers, Dad!

Pinterest in real life

During many hours of scrolling through Pinterest and not doing many of the projects I loved, I'm over it. More doing, less "pinning".  I found quite a few ideas for these plastic animal topped jars, like the ones on this blog. 

 Pretty easy, and straight forward. I even had some of the crazy strong glue around from attempting to make a cake stand a few years back. It also got Matt off my back about my hoard of glass jars.

 Not this: "³ And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron.

⁴ And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt."

This:

 One I started spraying everything gold I couldn't stop.

 And they are in Aden's room storing valuables or what an eight year old values anyhow. (btw, those may not look like much but that half jar of Squinkies is like $20...ugh...)

Hilar.

 Collin tells me, " If I have twin boys, one will be Justin and the other, Bucket." This kid.

 On another funny note; I almost passed out soft porn valentines to kindergartners. Almost.

 We went with these instead.

Whew. That was a close one.

holiday hangover

  I found this little saying someplace on the interwebs when we first moved to Seattle. I meditate on it often and it really helps.

  How is your January going? I am slow-moving but motivated. My oldest is trying to turn into a teenager on Monday so I am working on a post for that.

  Happy weekend, Friends.

the middle

I am at a weird place with blogging. We have no internet right now. I thought that would help because I could carve out special time to write at the library or a coffee shop. Yea, the people that frequent those places are more than a little distracting for me. 

Also, I feel the blog gets ripped off. I rarely blog about the highs of life, because I am too busy enjoying those moments. I also do not blog most of my struggles. The stuff that I so benefit from reading on other's blogs, I have a hard time sharing. Sometimes this is not wanting to whine online but mostly I fear the vulnerability that brings.

So I blog the middle. Which I think most of life is, the middle. Hopefully there are more highs than lows but mostly there is a lot of middle. No resolution, just putting this out there. 

Growing older has been on my mind a lot lately. I always feel so vain and silly about it but it doesn't stop. 

A week ago I read this from natthefatrat.com; 

nothing about fall can last, not the colors nor the crispness, because in reality, fall is dying. fall is the death of nature. and it is beautiful. isn't that interesting? death is beautiful. do we recognize its beauty because it happens so fast and we can see it before our eyes? in real life, death is frightening because it sneaks up on us. we're young and we're young and then gradually and suddenly, we're not. but could it still be beautiful just the same? 

And then I felt hopeful and not so silly.

aww, schucks

Thanks for responding to my last post with such love and light. I have the best cheering section a girl could hope for. It made me want to push more of the words out. To write more about the struggle and the joy we are walking through. This video sums up my hesitation best, I see that vulnerability as weakness and it is simply not true. Thanks again, for listening.

lol

I heard about this free app for iPad called aLike. Seriously, a good time folks. These were some of our results

 I guess it is okay for me to be into Legolas, right?

 Matt kept changing his expressions to get different results, I almost peed my pants when this popped up.

The boys kept getting females except for Aden, he repeatedly matched with this guy. I do not see it.

around the web

So I promised some links to what I have been finding interesting in cyberspace:
On blogging
“There’s something sacred about reading a blog post on someone else’s site. It’s like visiting a friend’s house for a quick meal ’round the breakfast table. It’s personal — you’re in their space, and the environment is uniquely suited for idea exchange and uninterrupted conversation. In many ways, we should be treating our blogs like our breakfast tables. Be welcoming & gracious when you host, and kind & respectful when visiting.” – Trent Walton
via

Because it is so good & Mother's Day is around the corner.

Kind of a weird site but WOW, the 1st & 4th child roles totally apply to our boys.

Uh hello! Know anyone that needs to read this?

Thanks, Andrea.


Fed up with the church? This was SO validating and gave me hope. Thanks, Jim.

post 401

Yes indeed. 400 posts, and this post is going to be another weird one. They are not really weird so much that they are a less filtered version of me. I am trying to do more posts like that. I get great feedback from them. 
 via

So, I was feeling a bit old. I turned 30 in the fall & I am noticing subtle changes. Most aren't bad, just that I perceive them negatively. Then I went to the doctor for the first time in 5 years. Yup, bad girl I am, my last visit was 6 weeks after Mr. Collin Joseph made his grand debut. 

Funny thing about the doctor visit, it made me feel really young. All those boxes next to hypertension, diabetes, etc.?  I did not have to check a single one. The Dr. said I was the picture of health. And other than a rather dramatic (on my part) blood draw, I was on my way. Feeling young, and fit, and so very blessed. Thanks, Mom, for the stellar genetics. 

Also, I have read a lot of really great articles online lately, I am thinking I will share some with you. Like I found this one which is exactly what I was trying to say about this terrible letting go of babyhood a few posts back. She really nailed it though, beautiful writing. (and yeesh!, nine kids!)


p.s. I have no idea what is going on with the font or photos in this post...sorry.

more love

Another week of our life according to Instagram. Happy Saturday, friends!

in love

Currently geeking out on Instagram. I love how the filters make our daily grind look much more interesting. Follow me at thefunnyfarm if you can't live without knowing what color my nails are painted or when Collin is taking a bath, you know, the really important things in life.

around the house

Not a heap o' trash, it's the garden.
Grow baby, grow.

Culturally sensitive door mat, came with the place.

Yay! I decorated. I first saw this project here.
It is hot glued to the wall, wow, that is resourceful,  if I don't say so myself.

The before shot. Have I mentioned how much I lurve having a fireplace? (2 actually!)

We also have a sofa now, almost like we are grown ups, almost.
Good thing this is not smell-o-vision, the couch smells TERRIBLE.
I have been running to Bed, Bath, & Beyond like mad for de-stinkafication products. Yuck!

Back to the fireplace, love the fireplace. Bonus, it does not stink.

A lot of trees in our yard. Funny, because the shade is not really needed here in the Northwest.
The sun has been persistent though, we have seen it shining through the trees more days than not.
Welcome to Seattle, Archuletas!
p.s. do not get used to this nice weather.

And my very most favorite, a love note from Aden.
Complete with eye glitter. I ADORE eye glitter, man, this kid gets me.
 My love of eye glitter & my boy's affection made me think of this snippet I read on the internets:

"The only way I can describe what it's like to hold you as you make these high-pitched, exhilarating outbursts about the simplest of things is, well, use of illegal drugs. People ruin their lives with illegal drugs because they want to feel that feeling I feel when I'm holding you in the morning.

Because it is the purest essence of that which hasn't been desensitized by pain, loss, disappointment, or failure. It's the thrilling rush of hope and possibility shooting right into the core of what it means to be human: we are alive! We live! Look! Another day to be alive! That is the fundamental principle behind everything meaningful. We are alive to witness."

advice

Collin has been giving out some priceless words of wisdom around our house. This includes:
"Don't eat poop, that would be yuck!"
"Don't eat Jake, then she would be ruined."
"Don't eat trash."
"Don't eat your shirt."
And on, and on. This kid is keeping all in line. They usually come with a warning after "Then it won't be bootiful anymore." I am loving the practical nature he is taking on, and that it is mixed in with all his imaginary four year old awesomeness. Yesterday he asked if I had seen his "bonfoomerang." 10 points to the person that can guess what he was referring to.

Lovely pink donut photo from the interwebs.
It makes me happy to look at. 

Don't be afraid to fail. Be afraid not to try.

Another gem from cyberspace.
Writing on the blog has been surprisingly difficult lately.
Not sure why, what with us being unemployed and all.

 "Don't give cherries to pigs or advice to fools."
 Irish saying. Those Irish really knew how to sum it up. I bet they knew not to eat trash.

Happy Halloween

found here

Options

Click this if you would like to hear a Good word about the unborn. Or, if that is not your thing, just look at this cute pic of Aden on his 3rd birthday.

Parker is cool

http://pjarchuleta.blogspot.com/

Go here, now.

http://www.sketchysantas.com/
So, I was going to take the boys to see Santa this week but...

SO entertaining.