Full House...Full Throttle Ahead!

Our house is always full.

Full of kids.

Full of voices.

Full of laughter

Our house is loud.

Ask anyone who has visited us. We have an irrational Chihuahua named Senor Harjo who barks every time the door bell rings or there is a knock on the door. He can see you...even know you...but he still barks foolishly. It has to be inbred because regardless all our attempts to get him to stop he just can’t stop. I wished the dog whisperer would come whisper sweet threats into his big ears. Senor Harjo is Darya’s dog. My mom got him for Darya when she was just 2 years old and she is now 12. Which makes Senor Harjo an OLD man and he certainly fits the part, he is grumpy and his farts would put Walter the Farting Dog to shame! There he goes again barking and there is no one at our door! Do you think he knows that I just posted that truth on my blog? Maybe I should switch to our newest addition Cuddles.

Don't let Senor Harjo fool you, he isn't as smart as he looks.

Senor Harjo and his friends - at least they are quiet!

Cuddles is a rescue dog and soon you will know why. We found this sweet little girl at the Yukon Animal Rescue Shelter. She is Jayden’s dog. We originally named her Sally not sure why. Once we got her home and discovered how much she loved to cuddle we changed her name. Well after having her for a few days we soon realized why she was probably at the rescue center, let’s just say she has an over active bladder when someone speaks to her. As soon as you greet her she will wet the floor. I am so thankful we don’t have carpet! So if you ever come over to visit ignore the cute brown/blonde terrier mix dog, just act like she is not there. Since we are Native Americans we believe in giving names that fit personalities, so we had an official re-naming ceremony and Cuddles is now Puddles. Does anyone know do they make Detrol for dogs?

Cuddles, I mean Puddles.

They melt my heart!

When I think of how loud our house always is, I think of my dear friend and co-worker Pamela. Pam lives in Wynnewood, OK which is out in the country. Well I grew up with concrete under my feet, I have always been an Urban Indian so all those pastures, cow chips and barbed-wire fences are new to me. The first time I went to visit her at her new house, we pulled up some carpet and sat on the floor of her new home and begin to talk and laugh (we do a lot of that when we are together). I asked her, “Pam, how do you stand it?” She said, “Well Dione, I am going to get furniture, I just moved in.” I replied, “No, I am talking about the silence!” It was so stinkin’ quiet there...AND she didn’t have curtains, which freaked me out! See, I am used to noise...and coverings over my windows. Right now the noises are Darryl Skyping with Joe, my children plus Nadia playing hide and go seek in the house, so lots of counting and high pitched shrills, followed by that’s not fair!!

See what happens when you take the county to the city?

One of my all time favorite pictures/trips of Pamela and I.

I love my LOUD home. And when it gets too loud, I remind myself that I would much rather them be here, under the safety of our home than any where else. I know one day this house will be less loud, but now it is a blessing to have a full house that goes full throttle from am to pm. I guess the doctors were right when they told us that our kids were "crashers and bangers".

So God tells us in everything give thanks. I am blessed beyond measure and today, as every day for many years now, I am profoundly grateful for my loud family and house.

Do you remember the Loud Family on Saturday Night Live way back in the 70’s? Well, we don't yell at each other, but our walls echo with loudness. Is your house loud like mine? Do you always have extra children at your house?

Oklahoma! Where the grease and fat come sweeping across the plains...

As many of you know I live in Oklahoma, where our allegiance to God, country and college football is legendary and for some not necessarily in that order. In fact, if you think I am joking I will take you to meet my brother, whose blood type is CC in that he bleeds crimson and cream. He is not a fair weather fan, he has always been there supporting the Sooners through the good and bad times and through all sports, he can quote facts and figures about the team and even has a room devoted to OU memorabilia. It is true the University of Oklahoma is one of only two schools to capture seven national football titles.

My brother Levi (Buster) takes OKLAHOMA wherever he goes!

And if you live in Oklahoma too, you may or may not be aware of something other national statistics. However, these statistics are nothing to brag about or boast in, did you know that Oklahoma ranks near the bottom in multiple key health status indicators? For example, Oklahoma still leads much of the nation with deaths due to heart disease, with only Mississippi having higher rates. Add in high rates of strokes, respiratory diseases and diabetes one can certainly begin to see why our “health report card” is failing. The last report I found online was from 2008, we had F’s in Cerebrovascular Deaths, Chronic Lower Respiratory Deaths, Unintentional Injury Deaths, fruits and vegetable consumption, no physical activity, adult dental visits and current smoking. I also found 2010 information on the Healthy Americans website that indicated we are still failing in fruit and vegetable consumption and no physical activity. Although there has been some improvements made, we are still a very unhealthy state.

Did you know American Indians/Alaska Natives disease rates
are almost 2 to 3 times the rate of the general U.S. population?

Part of the equation as to why our nation is facing an obesity epidemic.
Did you know that this generation of kids could be the first generation not to outlive their parents?

Some of you know that I lost about 45 pounds in 2008-09 by doing WeightWatchers (WW). I have managed to keep 35 of it off, but I am still struggling with those extra 10 pounds that found me again. Well WW has revamped their program with a whole new point system. I was soooo mad when I found out that they changed the point system. I had just figured it out, entered all my recipes in the recipe builder, found the foods that I liked and that fit within my point allowances for the day and then they go and change it! It took every thing in me from not flinging myself to the floor and throwing a big old fit! How rude! Why? Why did they have to change it? Their plan worked, after all look at all those asterisk holding people featured in their magazines. It was a conspiracy I am sure to make my life miserable or they were just out to make more money, it certainly couldn’t be because it is a better way! My plan was to quit all together, I’m sure that would get them to switch back! Yeah, right! So as I faced this disaster in my life I thought what would I tell my children to do? And that is to have a good attitude, because our attitudes reflect our actions and our outlook determines our outcomes. So I picked myself up off the floor and went to the computer and begin the new tutorial about the points PLUS system.

BEFORE WW: See what I mean? We were living LARGE!

AFTER WW: We feel so much healthier

What I am discovering is that the new system is designed to look more at the nutritional values of the food by adding protein and carbohydrates into the equation which takes into consideration how our bodies process these different types of foods. The best part that I have found is almost all fruits and veggies are now zero points! Zero means hero in my book! I love bananas and on the old system they could cost up to 2 points! Now they are free! I am doing my monkey dance! The sad thing is that my all time favorite High protein – high fiber cereal the Original Kashi Go Lean (red and white box only) is now double the points, but you do get more points in a day than you did on the old system, so it works out. I also noticed that I am eating less processed foods and more fruits and veggies.

So let me get to the point of this entire post! I was searching new recipes on the WW website when I discovered Beth! Beth also lost a significant amount of weight on WW and is now successfully removing all processed foods out of her diet. She has some really great ideas and recipes, but to her advantage (IMO) she lives on the east coast (DC area), where they have multiple whole food stores and products to choose from at competitive prices, not to mention DC is a very pedestrian friendly which promotes more physical fitness activity. She was also just offered a job at WW. I really want to try that Ezekial 4:9 bread, she said it is cheap at Trader Joe’s! Oooooo how I wished we had a Trader Joe’s, but good news is I hear a Whole Foods Market will be opening at the end of 2011 in Oklahoma City! Now if we could get some healthier fast food options like Chopt' Salad and if we could have more walking/running/bicycle paths spring up!

The only thing about eating the whole food way is getting my children to follow, I have corrupted their taste buds for years with processed foods and I am desperately trying to correct that.

I usually eat the same thing for breakfast every morning, no variety. What do you eat for breakfast? Or do you even eat breakfast? What time of the day do you eat it? When you first get up or mid morning? What are your thoughts on whole and organic foods? I am still learning about all this and would love to hear your thoughts .

In the meantime I encourage you to check out her blog at http://bethsjourney.com/ and see what you think of breakfast ideas she just posted. They all sound very filling.

Holey Socks and Un-manicured Toes

After preparing lunch for my family which happened to be Crockpot Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti I spend most of my Sunday afternoon reading my new book, “Black Heels to Tractor Wheels” by Ree Drummond, the Pioneer Woman. I found myself laughing out loud and reflecting back on when Darryl and I met. I then took a short nap which I haven’t done since Jay Ray was a baby and boy did it feel good, but it left me feeling a bit groggy. I would love to have a cup of joe, but I know that would cause me not to sleep well tonight. I need my sleep especially since I have to put together a presentation for Tucson and it probably should make some sense.

Where I spend most of my Sunday afternoon, doing something I love to do
but don't get to do too often. I love my crushed velvet green chair!

As you may know, Ree refers to her husband as “Marlboro Man” I don’t think he smokes Marlboros but because he is a Rancher Dude. When I think of Marlboro, I think ewwww nasty cigarettes and I think about the Marlboro waterfall advertisement as you begin entering the suburbs of Dallas that marked the spot of “almost to grandma’s house” to me.

It’s true opposites attract. It is true with Ree and Marlboro Man, with Darryl and I, and I am sure many other couples out there; but the beauty of opposites is they complement each other. What the one doesn’t have the other has and often times it can drive you insane!

Take for instance; there is some setting on the TV that drives Darryl crazy if it isn’t right. Something to do with the screen size. I can watch it any old way, but Darryl has to fix it “to fit”. Then there is the way we shop. He has a methodical way about shopping, it is a chore to be managed. For me it is a whole experience of highs and lows and sometimes even flashing lights and now coupons! Driving is just crazy. Our travel paths would never cross because his way of getting to a location and my way are polar opposites so it’s better that he drives and I go along for the ride and just appreciate being chauffeured. Who says you can’t get no satisfaction?

How can two people so different collide in a relationship that lasts? That strives? That overcomes obstacles, setbacks and differences? For us it is simply - God. Being equally yoked one to another through the love of and for Christ. One thing I know: God makes no mistakes. It was no mistake that when I first meet Darryl we went bowling and to my horror and I am sure his I showed up in holey socks and un-manicured toes! But hey, I drove a red hot Mustang! Christmas was not far away can you guess what I received? Yup! New socks! Now I am married to the man who washes my socks! And they are no longer holey. Yes! And Amen!

Reading “Black Heels & Tractor Wheels” is a timely encouragement to me that opposites do attract, but God brings unity. One flesh. Despite the fact that the early years of marriage at times where exhausting and overwhelming it was God that transitioned us both from being selfish to being selfless. No, we haven’t arrived, we are still a work in progress, but it is indeed progress. Each day, each year, married life gets better.

This upcoming week we are going to go to a Sunday School fellowship that will be talking about the Five Love Languages. It is good we know each other’s love language. Darryl’s are Words of Affirmation and mine is Starbucks. Partly teasing, mine being Acts of Worship…okay, seriously…mine is actually Act of Service. It took him 12 years to find it, but it was a day worth celebrating! Since he discovered my love language I have had my uniforms ironed, coffee ready, car warmed up, clothes washed, etc..it is those endless acts of service that he does that make me feel especially loved. As we go again and attend this Love Language fellowship, may we both learn a new dialect of speaking each other’s love language so that we grow together in unity and love and may I never have holey socks and un-manicured toes ever again! Amen!

Part Rancher - Part Money Saving Queen

As I traveled home from work yesterday evening there was a guy standing in the middle of I-35 in the median, waiting to finish crossing the interstate. While we have lots of snow and slush, people still drive fast and it was rush hour – I wonder how long he stood there before he actually made it across. Even more so, I wondered why he didn’t walk over the bridge to cross over the interstate. Gee, maybe that would be the smart and safe thing to do and Oklahomans don’t always pick smart and safe. When I see things like that I keep wondering, here it is Saturday and I wonder if he made it, I guess it is the public safety and injury prevention side of my brain that keeps me reflecting on that image.

However the stupidities of people don’t keep me from my sleep. I slept hard last night, waking up energized and boy am I glad because I needed that as I faced a day of shopping, which requires great skill and agility when facing 50,000 other stir crazy sufferin’ from cabin fever Oklahomans, these people are serious about gettin’ their eggs and milk. Darryl drove and I tucked and rolled out the passenger door and into the stores. We make a great team!

We spend the day sloshing from store to store with pants legs tucked into our boots, cashing in coupons and replenishing our supplies. I felt part rancher and part money saving queen with my jeans tucked into my cowboy boots and toting my coupon box. We got a lot of good deals, but the purchase I am most excited about is a love story…Black Heels to Tractor Wheels by the Pioneer Woman Ree Drummond.

I actually didn't mean to wear my pants like this, but once I stepped out in the slosh I was glad I did!

Shopping can work up a mighty appetite so we went to Sandro’s in Norman, this time to try something other than the pizza. I had a chicken dish, Jayden pizza and Darryl a Philly Cheese Steak sandwich and they were deeeelish! I highly recommend the pasta and sandwiches. Pizza. Well my favorite still is Pizza Hut, but the pizza at Sandro’s is good too. You should check it out, the owner is super friendly, great food at a great price but don’t go on a Sunday, they are closed. They are on Main Street in Norman right across the street from the high school. Let me know if you do!

Chicken Sandro! Enough for two meals or two people! We say it is better than Olive Garden.

Darryl's Philly Cheese Steak Sub, that I personally thought was better than those from Philadelphia.
Any way I say cheese whiz doesn't belong on sandwiches.

I love Saturdays and working from home, not just for the comfy clothes and PJs but because I get to spend time together in prayer with my husband. Today was no different. First thing is first before starting our day and that is stepping into the throne room of God. Have you been there? It is full of love, compassion and mercy! Today as my husband prayed he thanked our Heavenly Father for the snow. I know most people are tired and complaining and are dreading the next storm expected to roll in on Wednesday. There are pleas for summer, sand and sun; but you won’t hear my husband complaining. He truly exhibits the life of Christ, not for show or pats on the back, but because he truly has opened himself to be controlled by the Spirit of God. He loves me as Christ loves the church. He is content, rejoicing in all things, and always points me to Christ even through the Snowpocalypse. As you look at the white snow may it turn your thoughts to the glorious news that though our sins be as scarlet because of Jesus they are white as snow!

Volkswagen Commercial: The Force

This commercial reminds me of three family favorite stories. I will let you watch the commercial and then I will share our memories.



My first memory is when Darya was about 6 years old, she LOVED Spiderman. In fact, that was her birthday theme choice so we ordered her a Spidey outfit to take her picture in for her birthday invitations. When the outfit arrived in the mail, she immediately stripped down, put it on and started climbing things! Jayden at age one couldn't figure out if it was really Spiderman or just his sister.

Introducing our first Spiderman...Darya

See little Jay Ray in the back, really unsure who this wall climbing Superhero really is.

Our absolute favorite pose...good thing the outfit was stretchy!

Introducing our second crime fighting Spiderman...Jayden

Doing the Spider Weave

My second memory is when on our way to Destin, FL Darryl played a prank on Megan, our oldest. Megan had gone out to the car at the hotel to get something out of the car. After getting it out she walked away pushing the remote key to lock the car, after she walked away a good three or feet away, Darryl from our hotel window using our remote key to set the alarm off and on. She walked back three or four times repeating this before she figured out what was going on! It was so funny!

My third memory is of course, my VW Passat. I loved that car!!!

Just as I was finishing up this blog post, Spidey #1 (8 years later) comes in with this artwork.
She is still a BIG Spiderman Fan!!

Wordless Wednesday - February 2, 2011

SNOW...klahoma - Where the cold front's sweepin' down the plain...and the piles of sleet, beneath your feet follow right behind the freezin' rain! We know we belong to the land...but it sure could use more salt and sand...That's why we say.....WHOA! We're sliding the other way.....YIKES! We're only sayin'....you're slick as snot SNOWklahoma...S-N-O-W-K-L-A-H-O-M-A... SNOWklahoma...SNOW-K! 

It's official! Our family is tired of being cooped up!

It is NOMOORE, SNOWKLAHOMA

Schools have been closed three days, will it be four? We are ready to get back to some normalcy.

Wondering if Senor Harjo is OK?

Oh yeah, Senor Harjo was in his cubicle.

Cuddles too, safe and warm inside the doggy hotel.

Jayden digging out a path for Senor & Cuddles to go make some yellow snow.



Tinkerbell Snow Stop



School Official Meeting

Conditions were perfect for homeschool.

and for working from home.

Almost time to do meal planning again!

Leftovers for lunch!

Darya's lunch planning and preparing ahead for those college years.

The Roadside Find/Save finally gave out!

Love my cozy house slippers, wished they matched my uniform.

Crockpot Stew for Din Din - Not sure I am fan. Give me chicken, turkey or a veggie burger!

Ambam the Gorilla Walks Upright

Have you seen this gorilla that walks upright? It is soooo funny!



Of course, evolutionist are saying that this is proof of evolution, but the question remains if evolution is how this world was created, if it is how we as humans came about, why do we still have apes? Shouldn't they have evolved into humans by now? This is just one smart gorilla who discovered he could be more productive walking upright, thus being able to carry more logs.

If I am wrong about evolution, I have nothing to loose; but, if I am wrong about eternity I have everything to loose. For we are all sinners, falling short, we have all broken at least one of the ten commandments. True? We have all lied. Coveted. Dishonored our parents. Not kept the Sabbath Day holy....so are breaking some commandments worse than others? James 2:10 says, "For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it." We have all sinned and fallen short of God's Holy Law and our wages for that sin is death, but the good news is the gift of God to us, the payment for our sins is Jesus Christ. It is nothing we have to or even can do, otherwise it wouldn't be called a gift. Romans 6:23 says, "For the wages of sin is death, but the GIFT of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." I am so thankful and grateful for the gift of eternal life, the gift of love, compassion, mercy, grace...the gift of Jesus. I am so thankful that my darkened eyes have been opened that my understanding has been enlighted with an eternal perspective. I want to be the real deal for His glory.

God has given me another gift and that is the 86,400 seconds today. I pray that my life has been honoring to Him. I don't want to be mediocre. I want to walk uprightly, I want to carry more than my load and I want it go popular, spreading to my brothers and sisters-in-Christ so that the world and YouTube will take notice.

"Greatness is not found in possessions, power, position, or prestige. It is discovered in goodness, humility, service and character." ~ William A. Ward