The Rod-Holding Rodriguez Family

Fresno Road Trip with Aaron & Andy

2010-07-29T23:04:00.000-07:00

Two More California Temples left - will we make it??

Utah - Soooo many temples!

2010-07-29T01:42:00.000-07:00

Sherry, Amber, and ME!

Draper Temple

Jordan River

Oquirrh Mountain Temple

Salt Lake Temple

4 more added to the list...

More Southern Cal Temples

2010-07-13T12:43:00.000-07:00

San Diego

Newport Beach

Look Closely and you'll see the LA temple -

we didn't stop this time - but we took a pic from the freeway.

Rodriguez Summer Temple Challenge

2010-07-10T23:08:00.000-07:00

This summer's challenge for myself is to see how many temples the members of our family can touch.

Here's a start:

Andy chose to do baptisms at the temple for his 13th birthday!

Los Angeles Temple

Austin went to EFY and also stayed with The Danny Rodz family:

Here is Austin in front of the

Mt. Timpanogos Temple

Some of us got to enjoy an amazing weekend with my

brother's family in Redlands

Ryan returned from his mission, William & Jeffrey are getting ready to go.

We are proud of them!

Here we are in front of the

Redlands Temple

Maybe we'll get San Diego while we are already down south. :0)

Another Favorite Quote

2010-06-23T14:31:00.000-07:00

May I invite you to rise to the great potential within you.

But don’t reach beyond your capacity.

Don’t set goals beyond your capacity to achieve.

Don’t feel guilty or dwell on thoughts of failure.
Don’t compare yourself with others.

Do the best you can,and the Lord will provide the rest.

Have faith and confidence in Him,

and you will see miracles happen in your life
and the lives of your loved ones.

Dieter F .Uchdorf, Sept. 2009 Ensign

Conference Tidbit

2010-05-25T09:01:00.000-07:00

I think Elder Uchdorf was at my house, because he must have been talking to me when he said this at last conference.

"The Savior revealed the perfect priorities for our lives…when He spoke of love as the great commandment upon which “hang all the law and the prophets.”We can spend our days obsessing about the finest details of life, the law, and long lists of things to do; but should we neglect the great commandments, we are missing the point and we are clouds without water, drifting in the winds, and trees without fruit."

Click HERE for the whole talk.

I gotta remember what really counts is LOVE!

Positive Parenting

2010-05-18T09:12:00.000-07:00

Found this while reading the Church News. I really needed this today -

 Give Daily Outpourings of Love!

It is difficult for teenagers to feel a sense of worth if their parents do not express love appreciation and respect for them. Those young people who exhibit a healthy confidence not only have come to feel Heavenly Father’s love for them but also have experienced consistent expressions of love and support from their earthly parents… A daily outpouring of love is not only vital for emotional well-being but also essential to spiritual development.

 Parent by Praise!

Children, especially adolescents thrive on recognition and acceptance. Parents should look for opportunities to praise their children – accomplishments need not be monumental to deserve parental recognition and praise. Youth in the study… with low levels of spirituality and confidence overwhelmingly reported that they received far more criticism than praise from their parents and rarely felt respected and acceptable.

 Encourage Expressions of Ideas & Feelings!

Study found that young people who have internalized the gospel, gained their own testimonies, and developed a healthy sense of individual worth are those whose parents have counseled with them but have not sought to control them emotionally and intellectually.

How could I NOT parent positively when I am blessed with four AMAZING boys!

Butterfly

2010-03-20T23:28:00.000-07:00

Austin loves swimming!

We love watching him.

Success

2010-03-10T17:52:00.000-08:00

After 8 years of going to the Father & Son FISH-OUT at Hart Park -
We finally have Success!

Visiting Teaching!

2010-03-06T07:40:00.000-08:00

If you've never checked this blog out - click on the button below! I love it!

And I love the GREAT ladies I visit teach.
I'm going to try harder to be a better friend to them. I don't know if they realize how much I think about them and pray for them.

Here's my favorite quote about Visiting Teaching!

Visiting teaching is much more than a visit or sharing a thought with a sister. It is how we connect with one another. We share hearts and souls and extend charity, which is "the highest, noblest, strongest kind of love" . Visiting teaching brings the love of the Lord to every home and to every sister. It is a sacred trust we have been given.
Elder Henry B. Eyring

Maybe I'll even try to call my VT supervisor after I've visited my friends (sorry Nancy) :0)

They are Growing!

2010-01-27T11:59:00.001-08:00

Aren't they Sweet?

Disneyland - Here We Come!

2010-01-27T08:03:00.000-08:00

If you haven't heard - Disneyland is running a
"GIVE A DAY - GET A DAY" program
to motivate people to volunteer in their communities

Sign your family up thru Disney - then volunteer - then get tickets your family!
(thanks Renee' for keeping us in the loop)

We signed up for Project Linus & made fleece blankets!

NOW we get to go to DISNEYLAND!

Why don't you join us?

Just click HERE to sign up!

Baby Bunnies are Called "Kits"

2010-01-22T15:14:00.000-08:00

Remember these "GIRL" bunnies?
One's a BOY! :0)

My Hubby's Favorite Cookies

2009-11-04T11:48:00.001-08:00

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

Yield: About 2 dozen cookies (depending on size)

2 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup butter, melted
1 cup packed light brown sugar
½ cup white sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1½ cups chopped macadamia nuts
2 cups white chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease baking sheets
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt and set aside.
3. Beat together the melted butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Beat in the egg, then beat in the egg yolk, then beat in the vanilla.
4. Gradually add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture until just moistened. Stir in the macadamia nuts and white chocolate chips by hand with a rubber spatula.
5. Roll into balls or drop by heaping tablespoons onto baking sheets, and press down on the cookies with your palm a bit to flatten (not too much!).
6. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the edges look golden brown and the middles don’t look quite set. Allow to finish cooling on the baking sheet.

Check out this amazing site for other yummy cookies

We feel loved!

2009-10-09T08:57:00.000-07:00

What CAN"T Abe do? He is amazing! Come visit and he'll make you one too!

Conference Favs

2009-10-08T11:36:00.000-07:00

Why do we keep having to learn the same lessons over and over again?

I love this conference talk!
Preserving the Heart’s Mighty Change
Gotta use this one for FHE!

Conference Highlights

2009-10-07T09:16:00.001-07:00

The drive was not too bad
We had to stop at the giant rocking chair in Beaver!

St. George temple!

St. George Visitor's Center
We stayed the night at our sweet friend's parents house! (Thanks Topete's)

We attended Saturday afternoon session in the Conference Center

The art was amazing - Aaron took this!
Abe & Austin & Andy got to attend thePriesthood Session in the conference center thanks to a a a sweet man they didn't even know! (gotta love those tender mercies)

Family's are Forever!

(AJ stayed home to work - we missed him!)

The Newest Deacon

2009-07-05T13:04:00.001-07:00

Andy was ordained a Deacon today by his Dad!

Payday for Dad & Mom

We have a Priest, Teacher and a Deacon for a few months.
Only one son left in primary
(actually two because AJ just got called to TEACH the 10 year old boys in primary!)

We are proud of you ANDY!

Happy Birthday Andy!

2009-06-29T16:15:00.000-07:00

Andy is twelve years old!

Andy is "Mr. Personality"

He was even trying to give us a SMOOCH in his newborn picture in the hospital!

Andy finds fun wherever he goes.

Andy can do AMAZING things!

He has earned his STAR rank in boy scouts already!

That's why we call him AMAZING Andy!

We love our Andy BOY!

Treasure Hunting with a GPS!

2009-06-17T16:39:00.000-07:00

Geocaching - Has anyone tried it?

My brother introduced it to us a few years ago and we've been running around with a GPS ever since. Check this site out if you want to learn more: http://www.geocaching.com/

Abe and I like it because it takes us places we wouldn't otherwise find, AND the kids like it because of the cache (treasure)!

Once you find the "treasure",
then you get to make a trade: one of theirs for one yours.

The kids and I thought this "last one" would be
a quick stop and grab -
but Abe left out a few details:
mosquitoes, poison oak, and a 2 mile hike (in flip flops).
But everyone agreed it was worth it when we found the treasure!

Try it, you'll be hooked too!

Morro Bay Beach Bums!

2009-06-16T21:21:00.000-07:00

Krafty Kids

2009-06-09T11:19:00.001-07:00

Andy and Aaron are being crafty this summer.

Last week it was ORIGAMI!

Talented Teachers!

2009-05-30T18:15:00.000-07:00

Andy and Aaron have been blessed so much this year.
They have had the two most amazing teachers!

Mrs. Townsend - Aaron's First Grade Teacher

Everyday Aaron would come home and tell me a fun story Mrs. Townsend had shared. Stories like her beuatiful backyard full of hydranges and roses and how her hubby had built a tree house for her son. Words like nocturnal, symmetrical, and aphids became a part of his daily vocabularly. And his love of reading skyrocketed!

She is famous for her amazing quotes: "Practice Makes Permanent" and "A Good Student is an Organized Student" (you know I love that one). She also taught them the golden rule, "Treat Others the Way You Want to Be Treated" and that "Good Students say "YES" not YA"

What are we going to do with out Mrs. Townsend ? Thank you Mrs. Townsend for all you do and all you are! We really love you!

AND there is Mr. King - Andy's 5th Grade Teacher!

Andy was lucky enought to get the COOLEST teacher on campus, Mr. King. He has really brought out Andy's personality this year. Andy had a good time teaching his class about BYU and the State of Utah. Mr. King made the projects fun by helping the students learn how to create power point presentations - a skill they can use the rest of their life.

Andy had the courage to run for School Historian and WON!

Andy's favorite thing about Mr. King is his personality - "he's funny, witty, and teaches us interesting things."

Thank you Mr. King for the effort you put in and the self-confidence you give to your students!

We will miss you!

The Graduate

2009-05-30T17:28:00.000-07:00

CONGRATULATIONS A.J.!

It's been quite a journey the last few years!
Thanks for for all the love and support everyone has given to AJ and our family!

Happy Birthday Austin!

2009-05-22T08:04:00.001-07:00

15 years old!

My Awesome Austin is growing up!

During Recess at Austin's preschool - he was always the first one to grab a super hero cape -
and he still loves to climb trees - and anything else he finds to get up on!

Austin was made to move - he loves football, baseball,

and this year he learned he was a pretty good swimmer until...

..the broken arm

Austin has earned his Eagle Scout - his court of honor will be in September!

We LOVE you Austin!

Have a great Day!

Father & Son's Campout!

2009-05-17T19:44:00.001-07:00

Buena Vista Lake

The Set-Up

The Friends:

The Fun:

Swimming Again!

2009-05-05T16:23:00.000-07:00

Notice anything missing?

Yay - The cast is off!
Just in time for that infamous Bakersfield HEAT!

Utah Trip

2009-04-30T09:23:00.001-07:00

I was so lucky to travel to Utah to see my neice, Amber's graduate from BYU Nursing School!

Congratulations Amber!

Here are some more AMAZING things I got to do:

Be in the same room as President Uchdorf and listen to him speak at the graduation. (He received an honorary doctorate degree)

Took a quick peek at Temple Square with my SIS, Sherry

Visited the House where Abe and I brought AJ home from the Hospital - 18 years ago!

Went with Katie to pick up her NEW siamese kitty, Fiona.

Pedicures with Katie & Heather

Shopping at Ikea with my buddy, Renee -

(thanks for fun drive Renee!)

I even got to see the awesome basement apartment my nephew has been living in - reminded me of Abe's BYU hangout.

Watching movies LATE at night with my nephews, Jason & Kyle, was a blast!

Great Memories!

Cast On!

2009-04-15T16:48:00.000-07:00

Three Weeks till the next check!

Spring Break Highlights!

2009-04-12T13:42:00.000-07:00

It started out with Aliens invading our van on the drive!

Boyz get pretty creative when game-boys and
dvd players are banned from the vacation.

My Hero!

Creatures of the Sea.

Making Memories!

The Party at McDonald's after the Urgent Care

Yes - it's broken :0(

Say goodbye to swim team!

The "Hole" Family!

We Did It!

2009-04-04T14:39:00.001-07:00

Today Abe, Austin, and I ran a 5K. It was fun making a memory together!

This run is neat because it's set up by a family who was given $400.oo to do something good with. Every year since then - they have set up this run and donated the money to a good cause. They have turned the $400 into $75,000. Isn't that inspiring?

Here is Austin at the finish line! He came in 2nd place in the whole race and 1st place in his catagory! (21.18 min.)

Way to go Awesome Austin!

Here' Abe at the finish line - he came in 1st place in his age category! (25.09)

Here I am turning the last corner - sweet Austin came back and supported me for the last bit. I came in 3rd in my age group - but I was just glad to finish and not throw-up (like I did last time)

Here we are with our medals - kind of fun! Great Day!

Fun with the STRONG Cousins and the Spring Festival!

2009-04-01T07:24:00.000-07:00

The Wall!

Funny Bunnies!

Row, Row, Row, your boat?

Lovin' the "BOX"!?!

Motherly Things

2009-03-31T12:09:00.000-07:00

As I re-dedicate myself to getting back on track this week - studying the gospel is one of my TOP "getting back on track" priorities. Since my new calling is a Ward Missionary, (totally OUT of my comfort zone), I thought I'd start by studying the Preach My Gospel manual. I came across a quote I that hit me like a pile of bricks. I thought I'd share it today. (FYI - I substituted mother for missionary)

You need

to be a Christlike mother,
not just do motherly things.

Learning to be like Christ is a lifelong pursuit.
You follow Christ’s example—develop His attributes—

one action and decision at a time.

Changing to become Christlike requires
exercising faith,
repenting,
keeping covenants,
receiving an increased measure of the Holy Ghost,
and enduring to the end.

I LOVE it - don't you?

First Class Scouts!

2009-03-26T07:52:00.001-07:00

Andy earned his First Class rank last night!

What a Awesome Group of Scounts!

And check out that cute guy giving the Scoutmaster Minute!

Saying Goodbye to some Wonderful Gals!

2009-03-24T20:28:00.000-07:00

We love you Sister Stoddard and Sister Larico!

Till We Meet Again!

the Rodz

AJ & the "Prom"

2009-03-15T14:05:00.001-07:00

AJ went to the Mormal (the Mormon Formal) last night and had a great time with a darling gal named Marissa. They started the evening off with picture-taking in a park-like backyard and then it was off to a steak dinner at a sandwich shop (transformed into a exclusive restaurant). Then off to the Hollywood-themed dance, held in an almond factory decorated like a glamourous ballroom. AJ had a great time- thanks Marissa!

Twiners!

2009-03-15T13:35:00.000-07:00

Andy & Aaron dressed alike for twin day at school.
Brother's Love = Real Happiness!

Swimming Star!

2009-03-07T08:08:00.000-08:00

The Back Stroke is Austin's Specialty:

He got First place in two events:

100 Backstoke - 4 lengths of the pool
200 Medley - Relay with 4 boys. Austin started the team off in 1st place by backstroking two lengths of the pool.

Austin and his cousin, David

We are proud of you Austin!

Garden of "Weedin"

2009-03-01T16:47:00.001-08:00

Prepping the Gardening Beds!
I can't believe how many weeds grow over the winter!
It feels good to get in the fresh air and get our hands dirty again.

It's Gardening Time!

2009-02-26T19:19:00.000-08:00

I just found this great site for square foot gardening. She even has a e-mail newsletter where she'll e-mail us what to do and when. Yeah!!!! (If you live near me you are the color RED.) I can't wait to fix up my garden and start again! I can taste those fresh zuccini and tomatoes already!

Banana Chocolate Bran Muffins

2009-02-19T16:19:00.000-08:00

I was looking for the "famous" WW bran muffin recipe - found this: gotta try it!

Banana Chocolate Chip Bran Muffins
1 WW pt per muffin
Servings 12

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup skim milk
1/2 cup water
2 Tbsp vinegar
1 1/2 cup Kellogg's Original All-Bran
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup SPLENDA
1 medium banana
3 egg whites
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:Combine milk, water and vinegar. Mix in all bran. Let sit for 20 minutes. Mix together all dry ingredients in separate bowl. Add 1 mashed banana, 3 egg whites and applesauce to bran mixture. Add dry ingredients to bran mixture and mix with spoon. Fold in chocolate chips. Spritz muffin tins with Pam Bake at 375º for 18 - 20 minutes.

Here's the real one:

(thanks Kellie!)

Chocolate Bran Muffins

1 Muffin = 1 pt. (18 muffins)

No-Pudge Brownie Mix
1 ½ tsp. vanilla
2/3 cup applesauce
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
3 cups All Bran Cereal
1 ½ cup water
Handful of chocolate chips

Bake at 350 for 18 min.

** works well if you mix the water and cereal together first and then add to the rest of the ingredients .

Yummy way to get your daily fiber (I turned 40 this year you know!?!)

Mind Travels

2009-02-18T18:50:00.000-08:00

Have you ever noticed how our mind travels from subject to subject?
Maybe it's just me - but today my mind really went places.
Worked in the yard today. Found a little guy just like this:
Looked scary. Googled it. Learned he (or she) is a GRUB or baby june bug

Started thinking how happy I am that our babies don't look like that!?!
Decided to look at some pics of my babies - they grow up way too fast.

Remembered about a key chain - mini scrapbook I made.

Found it - decided to blog about......... my crazy brain.

MY BABIES:

Snow Trip w/ the Rodriguez boyz

2009-02-14T21:16:00.001-08:00

AJ is on top of the world!

Snow-Angel Aaron

Amazing Andy!

Austin always finds something clever to do everywhere we go!

How many Rodriguez boyz can you fit in one VAN??

Senior Pics

2009-02-14T10:52:00.000-08:00

We are proud of you AJ!

Way to Go Andy!

2009-02-09T21:01:00.000-08:00

Andy earned the "Fairness Award" at his elementary school! We are proud of him! This is what his teacher said about him:

"Live so that when your children think of fairness and integrity, they think of you." exclaimed H. Jackson Brown Jr. I feel like my class as a whole view Andy Rodriguez in this way. Students on campus know that when they are around Andy, they are treated with integrity! Not only does Andy's willingness to be a fair and honest person make him enjoyable to be around, but it also is the foundation of a leader in our society. Andy Rodriguez exhibits several great character traits, but he glows most with fairness and integrity.
We Love You Andy!

Beans, Beans...

2009-02-02T13:39:00.001-08:00

I've been working on my three-month food storage lately. For those of you who don't know - that's 90 dinners. I am trying to find space to store enough ingredients to make 15 meals SIX times.

One of my favorite recipes calls for three different types of canned beans. In order to make the soup six times, it takes EIGHTEEN cans of beans - that's a lot of shelf space.

So I decided to try to be smart and find out how to switch out the canned beans for dry beans.

Here's what I discovered:

1 can of beans is about 1/2 cup of un-cooked dried beans
18 cans of beans equals about 9 cups of dried beans.
Dried beans can be used for up to 30 years if stored properly. http://providentliving.org/content/display/0,11666,7798-1-4224-1,00.html
There are about 12-13 cups of dry beans in a #10 can.
Just because you STORE the dry beans - doesn't mean you can't USE canned beans. :0)

I thought I'd share that in case anyone else is trying to store tons of food in not-so-tons of space.

Here's some great charts on exchanging dry beans:
http://whatscookingamerica.net/driedbeantip.htm

Making Cake Balls with the Sisters!

2009-01-30T14:40:00.000-08:00

Here's a recipe for the most delicious, melt-in-your-mouth cake bites you'll ever taste!

Make any flavor cake mix according to directions.
After it cools, cut and crumble into a large bowl.
Add any flavor (complimentary) frosting to the crumbled cake.
Mix well until combined. Cover and place in freezer for one hour.
Scoop into balls and dip in melted chocolate. Place on wax paper.
Drizzle different color chocolate across the top.

YUM! YUM!

A Favorite Conference Quote

2009-01-27T14:56:00.000-08:00

Only God can bless us.
Only He can sustain us.
Only He can cause our hearts to beat and give us breath.
Only He can preserve and protect us.
Only He can give us strength to bear up the burdens of life.
Only He can give us power, knowledge, peace, and joy.
Only He can forgive our sins.
Only He can heal us.
Only He can change us and forge a godly soul.
Only He can bring us back into His presence.
And He will do all of that and much more if we but remember Him to keep His commandments.

What then shall we do?
We will remember Him to keep His commandments. It is the only intelligent thing to do.
http://lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-947-12,00.html

Music on My Blog???

2009-01-27T10:41:00.001-08:00

Okay - I've only been blogging for about a month now. I finally have music playing. I have the little player on the bottom of my blog. How in the world do I put the music I want on it?

Someone please HELP me!

The Little Things ARE the Big Things!

2009-01-24T10:11:00.000-08:00

Babysitting Twin GIRLS!

FINALLY our turn to take home the class pet!

An "AMAZING"-ly creative Son!

Two AWESOME Young Men attending Youth Conference!

FINISHED Projects by Abe! (a.k.a. the Energizer Bunny)

This little piggie...

2009-01-22T12:47:00.001-08:00

We got to take care of the Himle's pigs this past weekend! I didn't know that pigs could be so cute! To top it off - Vicki brought over some ham to thank us! (good one Vicki)

In Stitches with My Sister!

2009-01-10T21:21:00.001-08:00

Visiting my sister is always a blast!

This time we got the sewing machine out and had "SEW" much fun!

See what we made:

Baby Blankets for the Humanitarian Center

Abe's T-shirt Quilt

and matching Monkey PJ's!

Food Storage Friday and my Dad!

2009-01-02T20:18:00.000-08:00

We had fun opening up a can of Food Storage Candy today. It didn't look like the candy we were used to. It was candy my Dad sealed up in 1973!! I was five year's old - I'm 40 now - you do the math. The dum-dum suckers were a lot bigger than they are now! The lifesavers were discolored - but the good old fashioned lolipops won for long-lasting looks and flavor. So if you want to seal up some candy and you don't want to worry about rotating it - lollies are the way to go!

My dad's the best! Sealed up food storage candy typifies my Dad - two of things he's always been good at: thinking of his family and following the prophet! What a wonderful example I have to follow!.

Love This Quote!

2009-01-01T08:41:00.000-08:00

Thanks Laura - I borrowed it from her blog!

Anyone who imagines that bliss is normal
is going to waste a lot of time running around
shouting that he has been robbed.
The fact is that
most putts don't drop,
most beef is tough,
most children grow up to be just ordinary people,
most successful marriages
require a high degree of mutual toleration,
most jobs are more often dull than otherwise.
Life is just like an old time rail journey. . .
delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders and jolts
interspersed only occasionally
by beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed.
The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride."
Gordon B. Hinckley

Let's all enjoy the ride in 2009!

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T08:23:00.000-08:00

The teenagers all ready for the New Year's Dance.

The Dad's having a "Rockin'" New Year's Eve.

The little boyz with their own version of a "Rockin'" New Year's Eve

The rest of the "Bakersfield" Rodriguez Clan waiting for clock to strike twelve!

Happy New Year!

Taking it All Down

2008-12-30T10:46:00.001-08:00

It's kind of sad when it's time to take down the Christmas decorations. It feels like the end of something and the house feels a little empty. But then again - it's kind of exciting because it's the beginning of something too. A brand new year is coming. What will the new year bring? It's up to us to fill it with love, service and good memories. This next year I'm going to try to remember what Elder Wirthlin said, "Come what may - and love it."

Reaching Upward

2008-12-28T19:52:00.000-08:00

Abe took Austin, Andy, and Aaron to Action Sport's Rock Wall yesterday for a boys-night out. I loved it! I stayed home and tried to get my head together after the Christmas Crazies. I always thought Girl's Night was great - but I have to say ...three cheers for boyz night out!

Way to Go Austin!

2008-12-26T16:28:00.001-08:00

Here's an amazing catch at the Turkey Bowl! Thank you Iva Hawkins for e-mailing it to us!

Christmas Morning 2008

2008-12-25T20:42:00.001-08:00

The kids were up by 6:00 am. We stalled them until 8:00, but not before a picture on the stairs in those Christmas Jammies.

My Dad & Mom came to celebrate with us!

What a great day! I'm sleeping in tommorrow!

Give What You Can

2008-12-23T10:12:00.001-08:00

Thanks to Renee - Our family visited the most interesting Christmas Display in Bakersfield. It's located a little bit west of the bike path entrance on Coffee Road . You've got to go see it!

While we were there, a homeless man came up and asked us if we liked what he and his wife had done. They watched Charlie Brown's Christmas at a nearby church and wanted to give something special to the community. They decided to turn something ugly into something beautiful. They found an old dead tree and after three months of digging through trash cans, did just that; they turned an old tree stump into something you've never seen before. Their theme caught on and many of us have added to their art project. I think it is the most beautiful Christmas Display in all of Bakersfield.

Here's a poem Elaine Davis pointed out to me that reminds me of what Christmas is all about!

What can I give Him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part;
Yet what I can I give Him: give my heart.

Lets all give what we can this Christmas!

Christmas Ornaments

2008-12-23T10:08:00.001-08:00

We have made ornaments each year for several years. Andy, Aaron and I decided to try to find them all and take a picture - maybe we've shared a few with you.

Children Learn What They LIve

2008-12-22T07:39:00.000-08:00

I love this:
If children live with criticism,
They learn to condemn.
If children live with hostility,
They learn to fight.
If children live with ridicule,
They learn to be shy.
If children live with shame,
They learn to feel guilty.
If children live with encouragement,
They learn confidence.
If children live with tolerance,
They learn to be patient.
If children live with praise,
They learn to appreciate.
If children live with acceptance,
They learn to love.
If children live with approval,
They learn to like themselves.
If children live with honesty,
They learn truthfulness.
If children live with security,
They learn to have faith in themselves and others.
If children live with friendliness,
They learn the world is a nice place in which to live.
by Dorothy Law Nolte

Real Life

2008-12-19T09:22:00.000-08:00

I found this in my files when I was cleaning yesterday - if you can't read it - the last box says, "Man! Kissing underwater looks so great in the movies!" Isn't that the truth! Real life isn't always what we expect - but as President Monson says "Find Joy in the Journey!"

The Last Straw

2008-12-16T12:21:00.001-08:00

To counter act the "tradition-al" fights. We've started building a " soft bed" for the baby Jesus with straw. I'm sure most of you have heard of this, but after we read the book,"The Last Straw", we picked family members names from a hat. Then we spend the week doing nice things for the one we picked. Each time an act of service is done, a piece of straw is added to the manger. It's been wonderful to watch the kids sneak into each other's room and do quiet acts of service. It's really true that when we help each other, we feel love for each other more. Now believe me it's far from "the Brady Bunch" around here, but every act of kindness helps and like my blog title says, "Pressing forward - never giving up!"

Do you have any great ideas to add love in your home this season?

Christmas Tradition-al Fights

2008-12-11T13:46:00.000-08:00

After days of trying to figure out what to write in my family blog - I've finally decided to use the blog to help me solve a Rodriguez Family Christmas Traditional Argument: Who's turn is it to put the star on top of the tree this year?

I'm going back into the depths of my Christmas pictures for proof of "who dunnit" the last few years? I'll post as I find the pictures of Christmas Pasts to solve the mystery!

Are your Christmas Traditions riddled with spats? :)

I started out with an organizing blog & then realized I had to have a family blog so I called on my blog fairy and she granted my wish!

2008-12-07T21:38:00.000-08:00

Copy and paste the code below into your HTML/JavaScript to add a JOY button to your blog:

<a href="http://justorganizeyourself.blogspot.com/"></a>