Sure, if my dd is interested. I LOVED my barbies when I was young and I managed to grow into a fully functioning adult without barbie-induced self-esteem issues or eating disorders. It's just a toy. My brothers used to torture my dolls, too. Isn't that part of growing up? :)

This week... Started reading: Shiver Shepherding a Childs Heart Still reading: Pride and Prejudice Completed: 47. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie 46. Forbidden 45. Instructing a Childs Heart 44. Stuff Christians Like 43. Sin and Syntax: How to Craft Wickedly Effective Prose 42. Gone Girl 41. Matched 40. Days of Blood and Starlight 39. Daughter of Smoke and Bone 38. The Hole in our Holiness 37. Romeo and Juliet 36. The Night Circus 35. Alone With God 34. What Angel's Fear: A Sebastian St. Cyr Mystery 33. The Strange Case of Dr.Jekyll and Mr. Hyde 32. Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy 31. Frankenstein 30. The Lotus and the Cross 29. Desiring God 28. Blood Feud: The Hatfields and the McCoys 27. Among the Gods 26. The Deadliest Monster 25. Faith of My Fathers 24. A Good American 23. They Say/I Say:The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing 22. Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking 21. Insurgent 20. Stand: A Call for the Endurance of the Saints 19. The Strength of His Hands 18. The Meaning of Marriage 17. Funny in Farsi 16. The Constantine Codex 15. What the Dog Saw 14. What is the Mission of the Church?: Making Sense of Social Justice, Shalom, and the Great Commission 13. Gods and Kings 12. A Skeleton in God's Closet 11. My Hands Came Away Red 10. The Omnivore's Dilemma 9. Dead Heat 8. Redeeming Love 7. Family Driven Faith: What it Takes to Raise Sons and Daughters Who Walk with God 6. Organized Simplicity 5. Year of Wonders 4. The Holiness of God 3. The Paris Wife 2. The Peach Keeper 1. Relic

I LOVE my Kirby and you can get them much cheaper on Craigslist.

Morning coffee out on my patio with warm breezes warming my skin. Afternoon tea and a good book while listening to the daily rain coming down. Watching ELF with my kids. We love that movie.

I am pretty much the same person online and IRL.

We got married in a random church near our home town because dh was a divorced catholic and I was raised pentecostal. Neither church would marry us. So we found a Congregational church that wasn't too picky and they married us.

I feel the same way. So many people think that a woman having a career means they are just too materialistic to understand the righteousness of being a SAHM. I don't get rich off my career and I have never even thought of my career as a way to get rich. I do it because I love it. And I still manage to raise 3 happy children. It is not a comfort vs. children thing for me. That is a false dichotomy.

I would go with the smaller house as well. Here people actually give up their houses all together and buy a condo (we call it an apartment in the states but they call it a condo here) when they get older. Running a business is a lot of work. I agree with staying busy when you are retired but not that busy... And busy with the choice to not be busy if you don't feel like it.

I am not usually a violent person but.... DIE THREAD DIE!!!!!!!!!!!!! I wish there was a way to actually block a thread so that I don't even have to read the title any more. UGH.

My boys are still asleep (it's early Sunday morning for me). My dh and dd just left for the farmers market to pick up food for the week. I am enjoying the warm breezes and drinking my coffee!

We did not see the 3D version but had no dizziness issues with the regular version. It honestly did not seem long at all because we were so engrossed and my 8yo was fine too. It was so action-packed that I can now see how they will stretch it into 3 movies without a problem.

I know not everyone agrees but we saw it today and my whole family loved it!!!! I can't wait until the next one. :)

For my family it is grilled cheese sandwiches with tomato soup!!! I can make the fanciest meal ever but they will always ask about the soup and sandwiches.

Well let's see... I was raised Pentecostal and the church I attended burned down about 6 months before we were married. Dh was raised catholic but since he was divorced and planning on getting remarried to a non-catholic, his church was obviously out of the question. So we found some random church called "The First Congregational Church" and they married us for a fee... No questions asked.

How awful!!!

Back when Beverly Hills 90210 was popular I was told all the time that I looked like Jennie Garth. Now I am pretty sure I look more like Jennie Garth's much older sister!! People tell my dh all the time that he looks like Russell Crowe.

Well it will be midnight for some of YOU but it will be noon on Saturday for ME. :) We are going with another family and I am SO EXCITED!!!!

For my dd: The Jesus Storybook For ds 8yo: Diary of a Wimpy Kid #7 and the The Secret of the Fortune Wookie For ds14yo: Divergent and Insurgent

Several things have happened to me that blew me away: 1. A boardie recently mailed epipens to me because I can't get them in Malaysia and my ds has a severe peanut allergy. 2. Another boardie let my whole family stay in her guesthouse for a week free of charge when we visited the US last summer. 3. Three years ago, when we got the call that a baby girl was available for adoption, and we had about 12 hours' notice before we had to pick her up... and NO BABY ITEMS whatsoever (we were completely taken by surprise)... My entire staff did a phone/email chain and within 7 hours our home was FILLED with baby items... Everything you could ever need for a baby! 4. Six months later my dh was in a motorcycle accident and broke his neck and I was on the other side of the world when it happened! Again, my staff banded together and took care of my dh and kids and home, etc. until I could get all the way back to Malaysia. Those are just a few instances off the top of my head. I have some really amazing people in my life.

I know, right? I keep reading these comments about what people are seeing when they are "standing in line at the grocery store. " All I can think is "I never notice what is in anyone's cart because I am usually reading a book or playing some silly game on my cell phone when I stand in line." So maybe the key to improving everyone's mood is to stop looking in each other's shopping cart? It was worth a shot.

LOVE LOVE LOVE "He's probably going to cry himself to sleep on his huge pillow!" I forgot about that line! Hee hee. Now I wanna watch it again too!

We just bought this one for our two youngest http://www.walmart.com/ip/Little-Tikes-7-First-Trampoline/16529105 It is a 7 foot trampoline designed for kids in the 3-10 age range. We love it!! Yes, I know there is the possibility of injury ... Just like there is for gymnastics or baseball or football or ice skating or cheerleading or a whole lot of other things people let their kids do. You know that going in and make your decisions accordingly.

I haven't seen or spoken to my father in 13 years. Neither have my brothers. It is mutual. We don't want to see him and he doesn't want to see us. Actually, he doesn't want to see ME and my brothers are standing with me on this. I have thought about this same scenario many times. If my father were dying and HE asked to see me, I would go. I am so far beyond that magical moment of reconciliation, but I would honor a dying man's wish. But if he did not ask for me I would not go. Period. The relationship,is over and has been for over a decade. I don't believe in pretending for the sake of appearances.

History. I hated it when I was in school and now I can't seem to get enough of it.

This week... Started Reading: Instructing a Child's Heart by Ted Tripp Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin Forbidden by Ted Dekker Still reading: Completed: 44. Stuff Christians Like 43. Sin and Syntax: How to Craft Wickedly Effective Prose 42. Gone Girl 41. Matched 40. Days of Blood and Starlight 39. Daughter of Smoke and Bone 38. The Hole in our Holiness 37. Romeo and Juliet 36. The Night Circus 35. Alone With God 34. What Angel's Fear: A Sebastian St. Cyr Mystery 33. The Strange Case of Dr.Jekyll and Mr. Hyde 32. Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy 31. Frankenstein 30. The Lotus and the Cross 29. Desiring God 28. Blood Feud: The Hatfields and the McCoys 27. Among the Gods 26. The Deadliest Monster 25. Faith of My Fathers 24. A Good American 23. They Say/I Say:The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing 22. Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking 21. Insurgent 20. Stand: A Call for the Endurance of the Saints 19. The Strength of His Hands 18. The Meaning of Marriage 17. Funny in Farsi 16. The Constantine Codex 15. What the Dog Saw 14. What is the Mission of the Church?: Making Sense of Social Justice, Shalom, and the Great Commission 13. Gods and Kings 12. A Skeleton in God's Closet 11. My Hands Came Away Red 10. The Omnivore's Dilemma 9. Dead Heat 8. Redeeming Love 7. Family Driven Faith: What it Takes to Raise Sons and Daughters Who Walk with God 6. Organized Simplicity 5. Year of Wonders 4. The Holiness of God 3. The Paris Wife 2. The Peach Keeper 1. Relic