Mommysondra

I don't blog anymore...maybe in the future

2011-07-22T12:56:00.002-05:00

Since having our second daughter Giavauna in July of 2010 I have very little time to blog. She is almost a year old! I may someday get back to it, until then I will see you on Facebook.

Bonding time and short lived joy!

2010-06-08T00:29:00.003-05:00

With Daddy out of town for a quick 2 1/2 days, I am really looking forward to some bonding time with Alessondra.

We had a great date night with Sushi for dinner and City Bites cookies for dessert, however the real bonding came once we arrived home for the evening.

Jeff and Alessondra have been checking in on and giving water and food to this pigeon (Fuzz) for 3 days or so, it flew into our ceiling fan on the patio of a recently empty lease property. I spoke with the animal shelter today and they agreed to help it and fix it's hurt wing and or leg so today we brought it home to take to the animal shelter tomorrow morning.

Poor Alessondra took this pic , then we put it in it's box with some food, which it did eat a little bit of, checked on it, it was ok, then 5 min later she found it "gone."

Wow, she cried over and over " No My Lovee wake up, no wake up, Lovee I don't want you to be dead!"

One eye did not close when it passed, and she kept saying " No mommy look her eye is still open she is not dead!"

Wow, I am tearing up just remembering all of this, I just had to hold her when she cried and cried : ( We both cried!

She then wanted to keep Fuzz (to remember the bird forever), luckily I was able to talk her into letting me bury it. I found the big shovel and she found her sand shovel.

After the burial and prayer, Alessondra said to me "Mom, you can go inside now, I am going to swing for a little bit and think about Fuzz, I want to be alone."

I am still crying, Am I this emotional because I am pregnant or is it normal??

I just hurt when my little girl hurts... I am in trouble when some stinky boy breaks her "heart!"

Here is a link I found that may help some of you now or in the future:

http://vetmedicine.about.com/od/lossandgrief/a/PetLossAndKids.htm

What about preschool? Aren't you afraid she will be behind?

2010-04-17T09:43:00.007-05:00

A friend of mine wrote and posted this on her blog Mommyscope (click the link to go directly to her site for many other great post!)

It is statistics and information like below that led us to slow down our early on "formal" academics with Alessondra. Once I stopped trying to teach her to read at 18 months and started playing with her and doing more games her learning took off!

Have you been thinking about preschool lately? Those with three and four-year olds tend to crank up the anxiety meter about this time of year thinking of their babies heading off to school next fall. Aaaack! Picturing the moment they walk through those doors, forever exiting the baby years, parents feel sudden pressure to get them into the best and brightest preschool academies, some shelling out hundreds (or thousands) of dollars per year in the hopes of propelling them into academic greatness before they reach kindergarten. Others pray they are blessed with a public school or daycare teacher adequately trained and equipped to get their child off on the right foot.

So what about that? Are you one of the majority of parents who believes children will be more successful if they are plunged into the world of academia from the age of….well, birth? Any Your Baby Can Read graduates out there? This is a tricky game our culture has created for children. Does anyone note the peculiar irony of parents scrambling for position to get their little darlings enrolled into ”Harvard” nursery schools, meanwhile the “darlings” themselves would just as soon spend their days digging in the dirt and chasing bugs? (which is precisely something they should be doing) It almost sounds like a humorous scene in a Norman Rockwell painting.

But to be frank, we parents of young children do feel enormous pressure to do this “school thing” right. The varying statistics and information floating around about factors related to early academic success can make a person’s head spin. And because we’re all new at this, we tend to believe whatever is the current trend in early education practices touted by family and friends. We willingly hand our precious children over to professionals, often assuming they know what’s best and can turn our little babies into studious pupils by year’s end. And some of these “professionals” don’t mind letting you know that “we’ll handle it from here.” That literally came out of the mouth of a teacher to a friend of mine once.

In the past few decades, a couple of factors have compelled the government to find ways of improving our early childhood education system, accommodating parents in the work force needing childcare and responding to pressure to compete academically with other countries. And because they, along with teacher’s unions, have financed expensive research in this field, the rest of us tend to accept whatever they recommend. They are the professionals, after all. One method of change has been the tendency to “push down” learning, meaning they are pushing our children at progressively younger ages to pick up formal academics, which basically include reading, writing, and math. They started recruiting three and four-year olds into the schools, “institutionalizing” them, as my friend referred to it the other day, plopping them into tiny little desks for hours a day. The assumption was that if children entered the system earlier, it would allow more time to cram knowledge into their brains, roll them down the conveyor belt called “school”, and turn out a better and more successful product for society in the end.

Well, that hasn’t worked out so well. Amid this grand experiment, educators have begun realizing that formal academics for these youngsters isn’t the answer. Test scores have not improved and cases of learning disabilities have actually increased, along with ADD/ADHD and other behavioral problems. We have essentially backtracked as a result of pushing these young children to do things their brains are developmentally unprepared to handle. And their little bodies, made for running and jumping at this age, are being stifled by extended hours sitting at desks. Did you know that cognitive learning is directly built upon proper development of gross and fine motor skills? It’s no wonder these children, little boys especially, are being incorrectly labeled as ADD/ADHD and learning disabled. They should be outside! They should be spending more time doing arts and crafts, not worksheets. And early reading CAN be accomplished. But if the child is pushed before he/she is ready, it can result in reading comprehension problems not apparent until as late as middle school. More recent research has shown that preschoolers ARE capable of more than we think. But in our narrow-mindedness, we have connected early formal education with future academic success…there’s so much more to it than that.

A recent study by the Albert Shanker Institute titled “Preschool Curriculum: What’s In It for Children and Teachers” shows that through various experiences of free play, structured play, read-alouds, discussions, songs, games, projects, and other active learning opportunities, preschoolers develop the cognitive and social skills necessary for successful elementary learning. For those who stay at home and spend any amount of time with your children, does this all sound familiar? Pre-reading and pre-math skills are learned through activities that have no resemblance to formal education at all. Art, music, movement activities, and imaginary play all serve vital roles in preparing their minds for reading and math skills. It’s interesting that after all the time and money spent on research, we’ve come to the conclusion that young children learn best just by being children. But it’s also encouraging to know that educational scholars are taking note, and it will be interesting to see how soon it filters down into the public school systems.

Dr. Jane Healy, author of Your Child’s Growing Mind, Endangered Minds, and Failure to Connect, would probably agree with some (not all) of what this study concluded. Brain development progresses from the lower to upper regions, from brain stem to outer cortex, through a process called myelination. Infant development centers around lower functions such as basic neurological, sensory, and gross motor skills, gradually spreading outward. The neuron connections build upon themselves, forming pathways which ultimately lead to the outer cortex where cognitive skills are mastered, including reading and math, among other things. Pushing children to develop formal skills before their brains are ready causes forced neural pathways in lower parts of the brain to undertake complex tasks they are not equipped to handle. That’s why you have children show up with learning disabilities later in school, because they’ve been using the wrong parts of their brain to handle complex cognitive tasks and it eventually catches up. Have you ever heard that until a child can ride a bike without training wheels, their brains are not ready for reading? The gross motor skills required for balancing a bicycle are foundational in making the connections required to develop a successful reader. You won’t hear the makers of Your Baby Can Read talking about the science of child brain development. But then again, they stand to gain a lot of money from unsuspecting parents, taking advantage of their natural desire to see their children succeed. Just because they CAN read at that age (and it’s not even actual reading, but rather memorization of word pictures) doesn’t mean they SHOULD. More information can be found in Dr. Healy’s book, Your Child’s Growing Mind.

An added note regarding early formal education is the eye factor. Until age five or six, the eye muscles are still developing rapidly. Many optometrists agree that straining children’s eye muscles too early by forcing reading of small print is likely a contributor in the rise of nearsightedness among our youth. Just another thing to think about.

My point in discussing this is to encourage you as parents to take an active role in your child’s education, realizing that only in the last few decades has there ever been such a push to force young children into early academics. If you choose to put your child in preschool or are in a position where you have no choice, ask questions, get an idea of what type of learning environment the school has created. If it includes lots of hands-on activities, free-play, outside time, read-alouds, and interaction with nurturing staff, you are probably on the right track. If your child sits at a desk all day and gets sent home with a stack of worksheets every night, voice your concern or get them out of there if at all possible. Some may not have recognized it, but we are ALL “homeschoolers” to some degree. Just how much of that role you are willing to relinquish when they reach school age is up to you. But keep in mind that you are ultimately your child’s best advocate, and a quality education from the start will serve your child well throughout the rest of their life.

My next post on this subject will discuss Preschool At Home, an argument in favor of what I believe to be the highest quality preschool education available, teaching them yourself in a nurturing home environment. I will outline what that looks like and how you can get started. So check back or subscribe to my e-mail list. Happy schooling!

Go to Mommyscope blog

Happy 54th Birthday Dad, We miss you!

2010-01-30T13:12:00.004-06:00

My husband, Jeff produced this video for us. It is one of the BEST gifts he has ever given me!

I wish you all could of known him he was the BEST father!

Sept 9th 2007 he went on to Heaven.

I am thankful that he is GREAT, he is not in pain, he is happy, he can run and he can use his hands completely.

Even knowing all of this, I still miss him and wish he could be here.

I hope you enjoy the video:

Bible Study starts up this Wed Jan 27th 9:30 am

2010-01-25T15:53:00.003-06:00

Within The Word:

We will be studying the letters of Paul, starting in the book of Galations. We meet Wednesday at 9:30am-11:30am

Our group is a mix of ages and different stages of life. Mostly (28-60 years of age) some college students, Younger Moms , older moms, some have teenage children, blended families, and a few have grown children and grand children.

These older women have become such awesome role models and mentors for me and I learn tons from the other moms. So it is a great mix! We are all from different walks of life. We will laugh, cry and fellowship together.

Childcare: Currently we meet at a home in Gallairdia and the children are upstairs in the playroom.

We do pay for childcare, those of us that use it, it usually comes to $3 or $4 per child apiece.

We have 3 homeschooled girls that watch them.

The girls are great and the oldest is 15 years old and is CPR certified!

However if you can not afford to pay childcare, we can take care of that. We have a fund that other members donate to, so we can take care of any childcare if it can not be afforded! Please let me personally know if this is something you need assistance with.

Kathy Patton teaches and writes the Bible study.

After she teaches we then break up into 2 or 3 small groups to discuss the passages and that weeks homework.

The homework is not a lengthy assignment. It is usually about 15-20 questions about that weeks chapter that should take you anywhere from 30 min to 2 hours, depending how much you dive into the passages.

Kathy has written and taught many bible studies and has taught for many many years, she is AWESOME!! Found out more about her by clicking HERE

There is no cost for the study, we will upload the HW to our website www.withintheword.com weekly and you can download and print it at you convenience. .

Please check out our website too see some of the videos of the teaching and samples of the homework.

We do not mind if you come and try us out....kinda like speed dating : )

We begin meeting again on Jan 27th, 9:30 am

Just come and check us out at any time and if this is not the group for you I will try to help find the "one" for you, no problem!

Just let me know or check to make sure we are meeting, we do not normally take breaks during a semester but sometimes we do have to switch locations.

Oh Yea there are approx 15-20 that attend regularly and yes we have room for you!

PS Let me know if you plan to come, so we can be prepared with adequate childcare.
Let me know any other questions

Gaillardia Edition. ½ mile north of Memorial Road on MacArthur Boulevard

address is 5301 Pulchella Dr Oklahoma City, 73142, let the "guard" know you are going to the Tibbs home.

Turn in front gate of Gaillardia, turn right, take next right.. It's 3rd house on left, you can park along street by waterfall

Link to a map click HERE

email me at deziray@clickworld.net if you have any questions

Fit Kids Make Smart Adults

2009-12-05T22:29:00.004-06:00

As most of you know I am into health, fitness and education so I thought I would share this with you:

I loved the latest blog post from
Joyce Cherrier’s Blog
Empowering People to be Healthy and Fit And Having Fun While Doing It!

I follow her on Twitter and her blog, she knows her stuff!

Fit Kids Make Smart Adults
There are dozens of articles about all the physical and mental reaosns to get fit. Almost on a daily basis a new study comes out, giving another compelling reason to be healthy. As an adult we make the decision every day to either move towards being healthy or away from health. That’s our choice. But what about our kids? Is it really fair to short change them because we lack motivation to get healthy? I really believe it’s our responsibility to give them opportunity to be their very best. I won’t even begin to go into a rant about obese children. They eat what we give them. As adults we set the table. Now a study shows evidence that not only does exercise affect a child physically but also mentally.

In this article in ScienceDaily a study showed a connection between young adults exercising and their I.Q. Here’s what the study found: Young adults who are fit have a higher IQ and are more likely to go on to university, reveals a major new study carried out at the Sahlgrenska Academy and Sahlgrenska University Hospital.

The study shows a clear link between good physical fitness and better results for the IQ test. The strongest links are for logical thinking and verbal comprehension. But it is only fitness that plays a role in the results for the IQ test, and not strength. “Being fit means that you also have good heart and lung capacity and that your brain gets plenty of oxygen,” says Michael Nilsson, professor at the Sahlgrenska Academy and chief physician at the Sahlgrenska University Hospital. “This may be one of the reasons why we can see a clear link with fitness, but not with muscular strength. We are also seeing that there are growth factors that are important.”

“We have also shown that those youngsters who improve their physical fitness between the ages of 15 and 18 increase their cognitive performance,” says Maria Åberg, researcher at the Sahlgrenska Academy and physician at Åby health centre. “This being the case, physical education is a subject that has an important place in schools, and is an absolute must if we want to do well in maths and other theoretical subjects.”

Based on this study the link seems to be about oxygen and the brain. Great incentive to walk the dog and take the kids when you do. Or maybe they can mow the lawn and shovel the driveway. I think I dreamed about that once. A bike ride on an afternoon is a great way to get some cardio time in. I also suggest a DVD by the creator of Insanity called Shaun T’s Fit Kids Club. Great for a winter day when outside is not an option.

The whole family can get involved and it can be used as quality time. It’s an investment in your child’s future. It also sets good habits in motion. And fitness is contagious. Before you know it, the whole family will be involved. I remember as a kid my mom telling me to get off my duff and go outside and get some fresh air. Of course she never said it would make me smarter. I’m sure she would have liked that in her arsenal. Now we parents, needing a break as we do sometimes, can say, “Go outside and play, you’ll get in a good college!” I’m really hoping one of these studies come out about cleaning bedrooms, doing their own laundry and washing dishes.

4 year old funnies

2009-11-11T22:14:00.003-06:00

Alessondra: Dad, can we still watch the CMA show when it's on? The one with that Carrie Underwear girl on it? #alolod

Alessondra, crying over @DezirayClick's trip away: Daddy, we'll do art, watch movies, & play war with cards. But there! Will! Be! No! Mommy!. #alolod

Jeff Click to a crying Alessondra as @DezirayClick leaves for a trip: Will a Twizzler cheer u up? A: Wul, no, I because I want Mommy more. #alolod

Are you smarter than a 4 year old..I am FOR SURE NOT!!

2009-10-31T23:37:00.005-05:00

We were blessed with tickets to The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Ballet tonight, Thanks Aunt Lisa! What a great way to spend Halloween night!

We have looked forward to the day when we could take Alessondra to one of our all time favorite restaurants, Cheevers!

Daddy decided that tonight would be a great night, it is not far from the Civic Center and she is old enough to behave properly in a nice restaurant. Below is a conversation between Jeff and her on our way to the restaurant:

Jeff: Alessondra we are taking you to Mommy & Daddy's favorite restaurant, Cheevers. There'll be art on the walls that I bet you will like.
Alessondra: Monet?
Jeff:No.
Alessondra:Daddy will there be any pointillism?
Jeff:Monet didn't do pointillism.
Alessondra:I KNOW THAT DADDY, Georges Seirat did! #alolod

Alessondra enjoying her first look at her "Seafood Tamales"

ROFL, more 4 year old funnies!

2009-10-26T21:56:00.000-05:00

Daddy (Jeff): Don't you think that fresh broccoli is a bit too sweet for so late? Alessondra, rolling her eyes: Dad, I'm trying to grow my hair longer.#alolod

Alessondra, to her cousin: "That's annoying." @DezirayClick: You could say that nicely. Alessondra gently, smiling & batting her eyes: "That's annoying." #alolod

4 year old funnies

2009-10-25T18:03:00.002-05:00

Alessondra: "Mommy, today at lunch at Red Lobster, I had cheese biscuits. But I'm pretty sure they were organic". #alolod

A: On the hay ride this guy w/a mask jumped out & I was like "What the heck?" & Mommy said I can't say that. He wasn't scary anyway. #alolod

Alessondra: Hey, guys, now that I'm older (still 4yo), the drive to Uncle CJ's is much shorter. #alolod

Kids say the cutest things:

2009-10-19T20:37:00.001-05:00

Alessondra grabs her Daddy's face, pulls his lip down and says " So Daddy, Which one of your teeth is the sweet one? #alolod

The funny things a 4yr old says.

2009-10-17T15:09:00.002-05:00

Alessondra: Mommy, I don't love you any less even though you look different from me & you have freckles. Actually I do have ONE of those, on my booty. #alolod

Alessondra Laugh Out Loud Of the Day (ALOLOD)

2009-10-16T21:00:00.002-05:00

My husband Jeff (@jeffclick) has been tweeting the funny things our daughter says, so I am going to start sharing them with you.

Alessondra, pre-bite to her calamari: Sorry, Squid, but yer gonna be dead for sure when you get in my belly! Have fun in heaven... #alolod

You are not alone, by Heather Parker

2009-10-06T14:12:00.002-05:00

My friend, Heather and fellow blogger had a great post for all of us mommies, I have learned a TON from her blog, she has SIX, yes SIX girls. So when she talks I listen, read her latest post below or click HERE to visit her blog.

Are you exhausted?
Are you willing to take any sales call just for some adult conversation?

Do you feel alone?
Do you feel like no one else has ever felt the way your feeling now?

I'm here to offer you some encouragement. As a mom of many little ones I can remember days when I only had three. They were all so close in age. There were many days that I felt overwhelmed. I saw other moms that were a little further down life's road and thought they had it all put together. But I have come to realize two things. First, they had older ones to help with their many little ones (thankfully I do too now). Second, they did not have it all together. They felt overwhelmed weekly, if not daily, just as you , and I do. So the truth is we all feel overwhelmed, but we all make it through.

How do I make it through?

First, I would encourage you to daily spend time in God's word. He will be your strength, joy and peace. When you start to feel like you're loosing your mind, stop and think "Have I had time with Him today?" I can always tell those days when I told God I was to busy to read His love letter to me. Make this a priority. Dive into His word and get to know Him in a new way. He is the one that has called you to motherhood. He has a plan. Ask Him what His plan is for you and your little ones. Your heart will be softened as you read His word and spend time in prayer.

The next thing I would encourage you to do is to start an exercise routine. Whether you are a size 2 or not, this can help. I don't say this to encourage vanity, but motherhood is a demanding job, you need to be ready for everything. I wish I had started this earlier in my life, but I often poo-pawed it. In the last year, I have made it a part of my morning routine. It is my time to do something for myself. I do it before anyone else is up so I get to watch the show I like, or spend time praying, or even listening to music. All of this starts my day off with a smile. This does mean you will lose some sleep, but "no sleep" is just part of motherhood. Everyone needs to have their own time. Maybe your special time is not exercising, but you need to find something you enjoy. Make time for it!

The last thing is, who is your support group? You must have a support group! Who are those around you that you know will encourage you? Even if they are not on the same path as you, who are those that will let you vent your struggles and call you back to Christ? This is not a one person job, that is why I used the word group. You need ladies around you that have older children. These are the ladies you could seek advise from. Ask them how they survived. Have others whose children are the same age as yours. There can be some real validation from these ladies. You will realize you are not the only one, you are not alone. You should even have those that have younger children than yours. Through them you'll be reminded of how you felt before and made it through. You could be a big encouragement to them.

So remember:

You are doing the greatest job in this world!

Satan wants you to fail!

You are not alone!

Let the joy of the Lord be your strength.
Posted by Squirly Girls at 5:58 PM

The Simple Woman's Daybook

2009-09-29T08:35:00.000-05:00

The Simple Woman's Daybook (suppose to be posted on Monday...I'm late, does this surprise you?)

~THE SIMPLE WOMAN'S DAYBOOK~

Would you like to linger on the simple things...then join me and many others in taking a little look into the day plans and thoughts of those who are focusing on simplicity...beauty of the 'everyday moments'.

Outside my window...Back window patio plants and coy pond, front window recycle bin at the curb

I am thinking... I will miss Alessondra while in Chicago Wed-Sun, and it will be chilly there : ( Jeff should enjoy it!)

I am thankful for..my husband, that God has gifted him with creativity. His niche is building MODERN homes!

From our lesson plans/ home education...learning to skip count 2 and 3's, working on sounding out words, vowels, and learning the 10 commandments, and getting use to giving presentations in front of people

From the kitchen...
Sunday- Healthy taco salads

Monday-Leftover taco salad for Jeff, soup for Alessondra and I, frozen yogurt from the new Fro Yo place called Berri Licous on N Penn Between NW 164th (15th st) and NW 178th st (2nd St)

Tuesday-Roast
Wed-Sun- Chicago.

I am going...

Monday - gym, hobby lobby to buy supplies for Preschool Activity Swap

Tuesday - gym, Return WAY pass due library books and movies, quick pedicure (Maybe), need a haircut?? Shop for a few fall/winter shirts for Chicago (TJ Max)

Wednesday- gym, Then off to Chicago

Thursday - Chicago

Friday - Chicago

Saturday - Chicago

Sunday - Chicago

I am reading... Bible, Acts, Creative Counterparts, and just borrowed "Taking Charge of your Fertility" (Thanks Angela!), Runaway bunny If Jesus came to my house (Over & Over) see above the past duee library book!

I am hoping...alessondra's fever does not return while we are away, and that we do not miss her too much

Around the house...packing, laundry
Two Pictures I thought worth sharing

Alessondra reading her Bible book:

Her FIRST Thank You note, I can not wait until she can write all of mine!

You can share with others a little look into your day plans andthoughts while you are focusing on the simplicity of the everyday moments around you. That is my vision for this idea! Slow down, take time and enjoy the moment...the day.

If you would like to join the fun: http://thesimplewoman.blogspot.com/

Parable told by Jesus

2009-09-22T14:14:00.005-05:00

This week at Lifechurch.tv Craig Groeschel spoke on Drifting from God. Part of his message was on a parable out of Matthew. This passage ALWAYS speaks to me. So I thought I would dive in a little deeper, I hope it speaks to you as well!

Jesus tells a parable…
Matthew 13:3-8,
3 “A farmer went out to sow his seed.4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow.6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants.8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop–a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.

Matthew 19-22
19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path.20 The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy.21 But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away.
22 The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful.
23 But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

There are two especially important symbols in this parable—the seed and the soil.
The seed is God's Word.
The soil represents how we receive and respond to God's Word and His calling on our lives.

The seed that fell on the hard path (13:19) represents those who hear God's Words and don’t understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches the seed away from their hearts.

Pathways are worn hard and smooth by constantly being walked on.
Many people are like a path. The world has walked upon us so much, that we are worn smooth.
The fertile soil in which God's word could take root is packed down so tight that it is as hard as concrete.
Are you a follower of Christ?
Have you let God take root in your heart?

Is your life like a hard path…

The rocky soil (13:20-21) represents those who hear the message and receive it with joy. But like young plants in such soil, their roots don’t go very deep. At first they get along fine, but they wilt as soon as they have problems or are persecuted because they believe the word.

People can have a lot of rocks in their lives. On the surface, they seem fine; but, hidden beneath the surface where no one sees are hard rocks that keep God's word from making good roots.

Is your heart full of rocks that keep the roots of God's words from spreading deep into your life?
Dig up the rocks and throw them away.

The thorny ground (13:22) represents those who hear and accept Gods word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares of this life and the lure of wealth, so no crop is produced.

There are so many things to care about and worry about in our world… Kids, Houses, Cars, Clothes, Food, work, school, groceries, little league, soccer, girl scouts, boy scouts, yard work, house work, doctors, medicine, vitamins, gasoline prices, noisy neighbors, politicians, taxes, elections, holidays, birthdays, PTA’s, bake sales, weddings, funerals, baby showers, parties, friends, enemies, family, community, shopping, exercise, newspapers and magazines, the dishes, the trash, having enough cash, and don’t forget the kitchen sink (it’s leaking)…

It’s no wonder that so many people in our time are turning away from the word of God. There’s no time for it!
Our lives are so full of the cares of this world; Gods words are choked out like a flower in a field full of weeds.

How do you get rid of weeds?
Pull them up! Spray them with roundup and kill them!
But you’ve got to know the difference between a weed and a useful plant…
What’s really important in your life? What are your priorities? What has God called you to do? There are a lot of weeds that are pretty!
Do the things in your life bear fruit that is consistent with what is important in your life? What type of fruit are you producing?

The good soil represents the hearts of those who truly accept God’s message, live it and produce a huge harvest—thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted.”

This is the goal—good, fertile soil where God's Word takes root and grows into a healthy and fruitful plant.
What does a good, fertile life look like?
Soft and easy to work with—God can shape you and make of your life what He wants. (Contrast with the concrete soil)
Fertilized—God’s word and prayer
Watered—Christian fellowship, friendship, and support

What kind of soil is in your life today?
Are you worn hard like a well-traveled pathway?
Is your life full of rocks that need to be dug up and discarded? Or is your life like a field full of weeds that threaten to choke away the beautiful spirituality God wishes to establish in you?
What type of soil are you?
What type of soil do you WANT to be and what are you going to do about it?

Oklahoma mom opts for traditional birth after C-sections

2009-09-07T09:49:00.002-05:00

Click below for more info:
Oklahoma mom opts for traditional birth after TWO C-sections

- women with a previous cesarean and have a trial of labor have a 99% chance of not having a uterine rupture.

A glimpse into Alessondra's Home Education

2009-09-05T09:44:00.004-05:00

Tracing and writing letters. She is working on following directions, fine motor skills, precision and focus.

She found a frog in the pond and put it in her butterfly home.

I used the opportunity to work on science, the life cycle of a frog and environmental stewardship. She was not happy about it, but she did the responsible thing and let it go back "home".

Here she is helping to make chocolate chip muffins!

Cooking with a child helps to teach team work, listening skills, following directions and math!

She loved that while using the chocolate chips for subtraction she was able to EAT them as we subtracted them!

Teaching a child cooking skills while they are still young and eager participants is very rewarding and pays off in the long run. Not only do they learn cooking skills, but they also learn self-confidence in a job well done.

Painting: Fine motor skills, much needed if she is ever going to have better handwriting than me! Painting also requires her to analyze, organize and THINK about what she is going to paint, and whether the image she paints is complete.

Here, Daddy is helping her work on the letter "E"

That day she learned about eskimos, elephants and used plastic eggs for sorting and counting.

These verses are some of the verses that God used to speak to me about home educating Alessondra:
Our family verse:
Proverbs 24:3-4 (NIV)

3 By wisdom a house is built,
and through understanding it is established;

4 through knowledge its rooms are filled
with rare and beautiful treasures.

Deuteronomy 11:18-19,
18 Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 19 Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

Proverbs 22:6
Train up a child in the way he should go,
and when he is old he will not depart from it."

ALOLOD (Alessondra Laugh Out Loud of the Day Part 1)

2009-08-08T14:10:00.006-05:00

Jeff became a father on March 17th 2005 to Alessondra Cielo Click.

he is a "Daddy's Girl" in every sense of the phrase!

He her "Prince" and she his "Princess"

As a way to document the special moments with his "Princess", "Prince" started a photo blog via Flickr.

He also journals online the cute things she said, the "Alessondra Laugh Out Loud of The Day, (ALOLoD) via Twitter.

I thought I might share some of those funny ALOLOD with you.

Laughing because my 3yr old just boldly informed me, "Daddy, I won't stop sucking my fingers because it helps me relax when I'm onda couch."
Sep 10th, 2008

LOL! "Daddy, this rubber ducky will make your back feel better." No Super, I don't think it will. "Yes, it will, Daddy. It's a Duck-ter.8:55 PM Oct 28th, 2008
Super asked "Do I get a transportation?" to the ballet teacher today as she handed out INVITATIONS to the recidal.
Nov 10th, 2008

LOL! Alessondra, why did you have to tinkle AGAIN this week during ballet? "Because I dranked water and it digested, Daddy."
Nov 17th, 2008

Still laughing at Alessondra. "Daddy, don't tell me again that Mommy is coming home tomorrow. You already told me like twenty times already.
Nov 22nd, 2008

LOL-o-the-day: "Mommy & Daddy, I have a big problem. Something is making me not clean up like you said."
7:34 PM Nov 28th, 2008

Best line of the day...Alessondra: "For dinner, I'm sitting next to my hero. Daddy, where'we sittin'?"
7:07 PM Dec 7th, 2008

LOLing at my jaded Alessondra watching Enchanted, saying to me, "Prince Charmy, this show is just silly. Dragons can't talk."
7:38 PM Dec 11th, 2008

LOLing: "Mommy, why did you say I can't have boyfriends? I NEEEED my Daddy!"
8:45 PM Dec 22nd, 2008

Only in Oklahoma, from a 3 year old: "No, Daddy, I won't sample that off the fork. I only eat ribs off the bone."
7:07 PM Dec 26th, 2008

My 3 year old wants to know why so many parents drop their kids off at the mall to be babysat without a babysitter. It's a good question.
8:08 PM Jan 17th

LOLing @AlessondraClick: Can we have ice cream? @DezirayClick: We'll see. @AlessondraClick: See what? What are you even talking about?
8:39 PM Jan 25th

A: Daddy, tonight, I'm a tiger. Roar!/(toot) Me: I don't think tigers toot and roar at the same time. A:Yes, they do. Roar!
7:25 PM Feb 24th

A:"Daddy, now that we have the new puppy, it's still all girls and you. If JohnnyY was here, you wouldn't be the only boy."
10:28 AM Mar 28th

Alessondra: Daddy, Adam & Eve should've said "God, may we speak on the matter? We think the snake seems nice, so may we eat from the tree?"
7:20 PM Apr 13th

@DezirayClick asks "What made you just ask about helping homeless people, Alessondra?" A:"My brain just told my mouth to ask, Mommy."
8:15 PM Apr 20th

Alessondra: "I think David Archuleta is Adam Lambert's little boy." The ironic, innocent profundity of a 4-year old in this day and age.
10:51 PM Apr 22nd

TV'S in our childrens rooms & Why we want our children to READ, READ, READ

2009-07-12T18:11:00.003-05:00

Photo taken by Aaron Escobar http://www.flickr.com/photos/aaronescobar/

Cheryl Lange of Lodestar ( http://lodestar.publishpath.com/community) posted this on her blog

For decades, Jim Trelease has been one of the best-known advocates of reading in America. His book Read-Aloud Handbook has made a huge impact on many families and education – and on me and my family and how we homeschool and what I teach others.

I will be sharing from some of his writings (From “Ten Reading Facts” brochure) over the next few blogs.

7. THE top winter Olympians come from states where they have the most ice and snow. And reading research shows that children who come from homes with the most print—books, magazines, and newspapers—have the highest reading scores. They also use the library more than those with lower scores. Libraries have the most and best books in the world—all for free. Remember: a used book for 50 cents— like you find in garage sales or thrift shops —has the same words as a brand new copy for $12.95. Reading families use the 3 B’s (to help the 3 R’s): Books, Bathroom, and Bed Lamp. Make sure there’s a box for books and magazines in the bathroom for idle or captive moments, and add one near the kitchen table. Install a reading lamp near the child’s bed and allow the privilege of staying up 15 minutes later to read (or just look at book’s pictures) in bed. It might be the most important night-school he’ll ever attend.

8. THERE is a strong connection between over-viewing of TV by children and underachieving in school. Simply put: those who watch the most know the least. Research shows that up to 10 TV-hours a week has no impact on children’s grades but beyond that the grades decline. Sixty percent of children now have a TV in their bedroom. Oh-oh! A side-by-side comparison of third-graders’ math and reading scores tells it all —scores of children with or without a TV in their bedroom (from —Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 2005): Third grade math scores: 53.3 with TV in bedroom 63.1 without TV in bedroom (That is TEN whole points difference) Third grade reading scores: 47.5 with TV in bedroom 55 without TV in bedroom The average child spends 1,460 hours a year watching TV/DVD’s and playing computer games—equal to watching “Gone With the Wind” 392 times year. What about buying those computer programs or tapes you see advertised on TV that teach reading?

Studies have shown C- sections are performed WAY too much and are not always the safest option.

2009-06-16T12:00:00.007-05:00

They are however more convenient for some and they do create more revenue. So are these reasons good enough to put you and your newborn at risk??

I feel strongly about this topic.
I am qualified to speak or type on this matter seeing how I am a medical professional and I unfortunately have had a Cesarean birth.
However there are many more qualified individuals speaking out about this.

I do not post this to condemn or make those who have had c-sections feel guilty. (Remember I have had one) It is NOT the mothers fault! It is the medical community and the insurance companies who are at fault.
Us mothers need to know the true facts and scientific statistics that go along with the opinion and preference of our health care providers.
Read below:
www.chicagotribune.com/business/la-fi-cover-birth17-2009may17,0,5454504.story

chicagotribune.com

HEALTHCARE: ROADS TO REFORM

Childbirth: Can the U.S. improve?

C-sections are expensive. Doctors ask if we are doing too many.

By Lisa Girion

May 17, 2009

After an emergency cesarean with her first baby, Ruby Wales was holding out for a vaginal birth with her second one.

With a toddler underfoot, the 33-year-old Mission Viejo woman wanted a faster recovery. But finding a physician to deliver her second child wasn't easy. Her first obstetrician turned her down flat. "She said, 'No -- no way,' " Wales recalled.

Once reserved for cases in which the life of the baby or mother was in danger, the cesarean is now routine. The most common operation in the U.S., it is performed in 31% of births, up from 4.5% in 1965.

With that surge has come an explosion in medical bills, an increase in complications -- and a reconsideration of the cesarean as a sometimes unnecessary risk.

It is a big reason childbirth often is held up in healthcare reform debates as an example of how the intensive and expensive U.S. brand of medicine has failed to deliver better results and may, in fact, be doing more harm than good.

"We're going in the wrong direction," said Dr. Roger A. Rosenblatt, a University of Washington professor of family medicine who has written about what he calls the "perinatal paradox," in which more intervention, such as cesareans, is linked with declining outcomes, such as neonatal intensive care admissions. Maternity care, he said, "is a microcosm of the entire medical enterprise."

As the No. 1 cause of hospital admissions, childbirth is a huge part of the nation's $2.4-trillion annual healthcare expenditure, accounting in hospital charges alone for more than $79 billion.

Because spending on the average uncomplicated cesarean for all patients runs about $4,500, nearly twice as much as a comparable vaginal birth, cesareans account for a disproportionate amount (45%) of delivery costs. (Among privately insured patients, uncomplicated cesareans run about $13,000.)

Pregnancy is the most expensive condition for both private insurers and Medicaid, according to a 2008 report by the Childbirth Connection, a New York think tank.

"The financial toll of maternity care on private [insurers]/employers and Medicaid/taxpayers is especially large," the report said. "Maternity care thus plays a considerable role in escalating healthcare costs, which increasingly threaten the financial stability of families, employers, and federal and state budgets."

The cesarean rate in the U.S. is higher than in most other developed nations. And in spite of a standing government goal of reducing such deliveries, the U.S. has set a new record every year for more than a decade.

The problem, experts say, is that the cesarean -- delivery via uterine incision -- exposes a woman to the risk of infection, blood clots and other serious problems. Cesareans also have been shown to increase premature births and the need for intensive care for newborns. Even without such complications, cesareans result in longer hospital stays.

Inducing childbirth -- bringing on or hastening labor with the drug oxytocin -- also is on the rise and is another source of growing concern. Experts say miscalculations often result in the delivery of infants who are too young to breathe on their own. Induction, studies show, also raises the risk of complications that lead to cesareans.

Despite all this intervention -- and, many believe, because of it -- childbirth in the U.S. doesn't measure up. The U.S. lags behind other developed nations on key performance indicators including infant mortality and birth weight.

And in at least two areas, the U.S. has lost ground after decades of improvement: The maternal death rate began to rise in 2002, and the typical American newborn is delivered at 39 weeks, down from the full 40. Public health experts view the trends with alarm.

At a recent conference held by Childbirth Connection, physicians, employers, insurers and hospital operators wrestled with the disappointing data and discussed thorny questions, such as whether insurers should stop paying more for cesareans than for vaginal births.

"Cesarean birth ends up being a profit center in hospitals, so there's not a lot of incentive to reduce them," said Dr. Elliot Main, chief of obstetrics for Sutter Health, a Northern California hospital chain.

But there is a lot that hospitals can do to reduce them, as illustrated by the wide variation in cesarean rates. Among California hospitals, cesareans range from 16% to 62% of births.

Such variation means a lot of women are getting unnecessary cesareans, Main said. "There's no justification for that kind of variation."

The surge in cesareans may owe more to celebrity magazines than medical journals. After word got out that Victoria "Posh Spice" Beckham had three, physicians reported a surge in requests for such deliveries, dubbed the "too posh to push" bump.

Physicians, too, have been blamed for failing to make women fully aware of the consequences of cesareans, and for promoting them for convenience.

But change is underway. The Institute for Healthcare Improvement's Strategic Partners program trains hospitals to implement a set of guidelines, such as the careful use of oxytocin, and a ban on elective deliveries before 39 weeks. In four years, 60 hospitals have signed on.

"It's a culture change," program director Frank Federico said. "We're at a tipping point. . . . It used to be that we spent more time defending the 39-week rule. Lately, there's no question about that. It's, 'How can we improve the process to support that?' "

WellPoint Inc. and UnitedHealthcare Services Inc., the nation's largest health insurers, also are trying to curb cesareans.

In an analysis of its claims, United found that 48% of newborns admitted to neonatal intensive care units were from scheduled deliveries, many of them before 39 weeks.

United targeted a group of Texas obstetricians with particularly high rates of deliveries before 39 weeks.

An analysis showed that the babies these doctors delivered were admitted to neonatal ICUs twice as often as the national average.

After being notified of the correlation, the physicians changed their practices and reduced neonatal ICU admissions by 46% in three months.

The rise in avoidable first-birth cesareans has had a multiplier effect. Most U.S. physicians discourage vaginal deliveries after a cesarean because of some widely publicized cases several years ago in which the uterus split disastrously along the prior incision.

That's why Ruby Wales' first obstetrician refused.

"She said it was because there is a 1% chance of a uterine rupture," Wales said. "And I thought that was weird because there's more chance of things going wrong with a cesarean section."

But some obstetricians believe that new evidence supports allowing some women the option of trying for a vaginal birth.

"If the old incision was a vertical, then a trial of labor is not a good idea," said Dr. David Lagrew, medical director for the Women's Hospital at Saddleback Memorial Medical Center in Laguna Hills. "But what happens now in the United States is the low transverse, an incision in the bottom part of the uterus, from side to side. Those heal better. All the studies say, in those types of incisions, the risk is less than 1%, probably a half percent, that it will open during labor."

Saddleback delivers about 3,000 babies a year. In March, it joined a few hospitals nationwide that are pioneering the "hospitalist" approach to maternity care, which adds a measure of safety to attempted vaginal births after cesareans. A hospitalist is a doctor who cares only for hospitalized patients.

Hospitalist obstetricians staff the maternity ward 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They are there to deliver babies when an attending obstetrician gets stuck in traffic, to monitor lengthy labors and to assist in emergencies.

Saddleback supported Wales' desire for a vaginal birth. Nine days after her due date and after 30 hours of labor, she gave birth -- the way she wanted -- to an 8-pound, 11-ounce boy.

"I was so glad nothing happened at the last minute to have an emergency C-section because I'd gone through all this work," said Wales, resting in her hospital bed with baby Carson in her arms. "I'm so relieved that I don't have to deal with a [cesarean] recovery because I have a 2 1/2-year-old at home who is very active."

lisa.girion@latimes.com

Copyright © 2009, The Los Angeles Times

Jeff Click Homes up for Readers Choice Award 2009! Please Vote!

2009-06-14T22:29:00.004-05:00

Friends, Family, and Associates,

Please pardon the "form letter" nature of this email, but I wanted to send this to those whom I think would be willing to help. I'm honored that my company, Jeff Click Homes was named a top-5 finalist for NewsOK/The Oklahoman's 2009 Readers Choice Awards in the category of "Best New Home Builder - North".

It's no secret that the housing industry is in a slump, and those who are still privileged enough to be surviving in the industry need everything they can get to keep some forward momentum. My staff and contractors have worked tirelessly over the past 18 months not only to make sure JCH survives, but gains market share and momentum through a tough time. I would love nothing more than to win this award for them as affirmation of my team's efforts in putting forth both the product and level of service worthy of such recognition. This would be a great morale booster, as well as a good PR tool for the company.

I would be very grateful if you would give us your support by voting for us in the Readers Choice awards, and each time you vote you make yourself eligible for a $500 shopping spree, or lots of other gift certificates. Here's how you can help...

1) VOTE ONLINE EVERY DAY: From June 11 through June 22, you can vote once per day online at by going to: http://www.JeffClickHomes.com/ReadersChoice

Once at the Readers Choice page, look for the "Home" category, which has a picture of a house with a yellow door, and you'll find Jeff Click Homes listed. Select us, then click submit and your vote is cast. (There are many other categories you might want to vote in, as well.)

2) GET YOUR SUNDAY, JUNE 13 PAPER: If you receive the paper, ballots will be included in this edition. If you are willing to fill it out and send it in, please do. If not, we'd love to get your copy of the ballot and we'll send it in. If you have neighbors, friends, or family that you have close access to, getting theirs to send in would be greatly appreciated, as well.

3) ASK OTHERS TO VOTE: If you have a friend, family member, or associate who would be willing to vote for us, we'd love you to pass this on. Please don't spam and mass email. Just personally pass it along to anyone that you think would be willing to support us.

Thanks so much,

Jeff Click

Owner/Manager

Jeff Click Homes

Wish you could do more to help out others? Eat some GREAT Pizza and help 3 Families out!

2009-05-26T05:52:00.003-05:00

You have to eat today, right? I promise you will LOVE Papa Murphy's Pizza, the ingerdients are FRESH and great quality...no fillers!

These families could use our help:

Is your child a picky eater, or only wants JUNK??

2009-05-01T14:53:00.003-05:00

Well first, if your child only wants sweets and junk or fast food, that is YOUR fault. Anyway here is some advice from Dr. Leman:

I ran across this of the Focus On The Family website Click HERE to go to the site

If you are the parent of a picky eater, here is Dr. Leman's advice.

Give your kids food that God made. I once watched as a mother gave her four-year-old a choice of breakfast from a breakfast bar. There were many yummy things including fruit and eggs but the little girl chose French toast. OK, there is nothing wrong with French toast. I love it myself. But according to Dr. Leman, if you want to grow a child who is not a picky eater, don't overexpose them to sugary foods and snacks. Why? It creates a habit for "bad-for-you" foods that will encourage your child to be a picky eater. So instead of loading your kitchen cupboards with junk food, load up on fruits, vegetables and things that God made.
Don't make a mountain out of a molehill. According to Dr. Leman, "Many studies have been done that show that children, if not pushed by their parents, will eat what their bodies crave. For example, children who are in a growth phase might require a lot more protein. Who cares if a child eats a lot of fish one week, and feasts on veggies the next week because that's what she craves? She's still getting an overall balanced diet."

What this boils down to is not making too big of a deal about eating. Just bring home healthy food and don't push your kid to eat all of her veggies or try to bribe her with a candy bar to eat all of her peas. This kind of reasoning not only doesn't work, but it's detrimental to kids. They'll eat when they're hungry if you don't make a mountain out of a molehill.
Remember that your kids will eat how much they need when they are hungry. Kids don't typically have hang-ups about food like adults. Unlike many grown-ups, they eat when they are hungry and they stop when they are full. Dr. Leman suggests not pushing your kids to finish everything that's on their plate. "Studies have shown that your child can eat in one sitting only the amount of food that is the size of his fist. If parents push children to eat more than they are comfortable with, it can lead to struggles with overeating later on."

It's official, she is an ATHLETE!

2009-04-19T22:53:00.003-05:00

Alessondra is playing soccer at Crossings Community Church, and daddy is PROUDLY coaching her and her coed team.

Coach Jeff posing with Alessondra, 1st game

Coach getting the kids "pumped up" before the game

Last minute pointers:

Alessondra did pretty well the first week, but she could not understand why the ball would not just come to her. She was use to her practice sessions with Daddy, where he always kicked the ball right to her. I have video of the tears this created.
Team picture minus 1 : Carson , Ella, Hunter, Alessondra, Isabella, Cameron, Avalon & Chloe not pictured

Alessondra, ready to play at the 2nd game.

Taking a few seconds to pose with her fans:

Alessondra and I
Alessondra and Papa, (Nindy was there too, but she is busy documenting the game for us : ) )

Coach Jeff leading the 2 teams in a half time devotional and prayer

Alessondra not only played better this week, she cheered her team on when she was not in the game. Alessondra getting a little excited with the pom poms:

Coach with the team, yes that is my child with the Scooby Snacks in her mouth!
Coach daddy, Coaching Alessondra:
"no one told me soccer would be so much running, I am tired!"
Alessondra getting ready to go after the ball:

Sad 2 Smiles

2009-03-23T22:46:00.005-05:00

When we first got Emmie 7/2008 :

Wow, what a whirl wind 24 hours we have had here at the Click house!! Last evening I came home after being gone most of the day. After preparing and enjoying dinner I went to let our 2 dogs out, Emmie (Yorkie) and Justice (German Sheppard).

A little history on Emmie.

We purchased Emmie in July of 2008, she was 3 years old when we bought her from my Step-Sister, Pam. Who was once in the Yorkie breeding business. My mother bought Emmie's "boyfriend", Jack, from her as well.

Emmie is a very shy and timid dog. Due to Emmie being older and not used to children, Emmie did not bond too well with Alessondra. She pretty much runs from us and stays hidden most of the time.

So we decided to breed Emmie and Jack in hopes of getting a puppy that we could raise around Alessondra.

Two weeks ago I took Emmie to the Vet for x-rays to determine if she was pregnant. Much to our dismay she was not.

The Vet showed me the x-ray, NOTHING , no babies in there. : (

We were all sad because we just KNEW that she was pregnant. She showed all the signs of being pregnant. They diagnosed her with a "false" or hormonal pregnancy. Which I guess is pretty common.

Anyway, I digress (often)

Back to letting the dogs out. Our little Emmie did not come when we called to to go outside. (This is not normal for her)

So we looked and looked and looked all throughout the house. Normally if we go into an area or room she is in, she will dart out, this did not happen.

Jeff recalled that earlier in the day, Alessondra had went outside and left the door open for quite some time. We concluded that Emmie must of slipped out at that time.

Thank God she has her tags on, however no one will ever be able to get close enough to catch her, much less read her tags!

We prayed (numerous times), Jeff drove the neighborhood and others around us, he even had some neighbors helping. Alessondra and I walked around calling for her.

Jeff checked the ditches and ponds : (

It was so heartbreaking to see how upset Alessondra was. I stayed up late into the night designing a "Lost Yorkie" flyer.

Early Monday morning I went out and searched the neighborhoods again as did Jeff and my MIL Cindy. (Big thanks out to them!)

Jeff printed my flyers, I dispersed them, called the Animal control shelters. Thought about what type of dog I might get to help heal my baby's griefing heart...

At about 5:00 my friend, Robin and I visiting. She had just suggested that I call the Animal Shelters, so I did. We both hear a "Jingle" of a dog collar! Turn and look, and guess who is standing in my living room...Emmie!

Where had she come from? Where had she been? I was just so glad she was home! Has she been in the house the entire time?? NO WAY!

Robin and I discussed how we would never know what she had been doing the last 24 hours.

Emmie sat with us for a few minutes, (which was odd), Emmie even let 3 1/2 yr old Jaxton pet her...(even more odd).

What was going on? What alien dog took over my Yorkie??

Emmie jumps off the couch, "Hey let's follow her into the bedroom" Maybe she will take us to where she has been hiding?

She goes straight to my closest...(Strange)

Robin spots her!

I reached behind the clothes, pull Emmie out, along with a few things I should of hung up months ago, but never "found the time", and OH MY GOSH,

what else do I pull out...........................................................................

A healthy 6 ounce newborn baby girl yorkie!

Look at the joy in her eyes!! That is so awesome to see that type of smile on your daughters face!

Mommy Emmie and baby yorkie(no name yet) are doing great!

The Vet says that the puppy is beyond healthy...very very fat!

God is so great! Our prayers answered and then some!!

I guess the x-ray and the Vet were wrong...she was pregnant! (Do I get my money back for that visit?)

My thoughts on exciting things in my life now vs the past! .21 cent steak, My Target deals this week,

2009-03-21T16:04:00.011-05:00

By using the tips I gathered from my friends, Angela and Kim and these awesome $ saving blogs I visit Christi's (2) Cents & moneysavingmom I purchased $50.12 worth of groceries for $24.67! This is all stuff I buy every week, not a bunch of things I will never use!

The steaks are boneless beef chuck steak. Each package has enough steak to feed all 3 of us.

One package I paid .21 cents for and the other .77 cents for! I use the $2 off Sutton & Dodge steaks coupon, and buy the meat they have on sale that week. You can print coupons off of Targets website or here.

Normally I just type into my google search "Target deals" and go to someone elses website and get that weeks deal! Clip or print my coupons, then head to the store.

I told the cashier I was doing 3 transactions and placed things on the belt with the coupons on top.

Oh yea, I almost forgot, Target has a special, if you buy 5 quaker brand items(which are all on sale), you get a $5 gift card. My 1st transaction I purchased the oatmeal (Which has no sugar in it and helps keep me full), cereal(which has a ton of iron in it and make a great grab and go snack for Alessondra) and the carmel corn snacks (that Alessondra LOVES), received my $5 gift card, then turned around and used it on my 2nd transaction!!!

After I posted this I started thinking..."How sad that .21 cent steaks, coupons and $5 gift cards from Target are the exciting things in my life."

I remember when the "exciting" things in my life were things like:

when a patient came in for her post op appointment after a masectomy and could not tell the difference between my sutures and the surgeons sutures!

Or being the first person to sign a little boys cast after putting it on in the ER.

Or getting to see the look on a mom's face the first time she saw her newborn baby that I just helped to deliver.

Or seeing a patient at a follow up appointment that actually took my advice and changed their diet, become more active, quit smoking and lost weight! To see their face when I told them I was proud of them and we could now come off of insulin!

All the above thoughts and memories are nice, but truth be told taking care of Jeff and Alessondra, my family that God has blessed me with is what TRULY matters in this season of my life.

Don't get me wrong I miss it, however God has called me to another job for now.

There are 100's, 1000's of surgeons who can suture better than me with one hand!

There are orthopedic Dr's, PA's and others that can put that little boy or girls cast on, and sign their name much more legible than me!

There are too many to count, others that will show those parents their newborn baby, once they lay their eyes on that baby, the medical personal are forgotten!

There are so many MORE qualified people that can manage a patients diabetes than I!

However I am the ONLY one who can take care and love my family the way I do! The job was created for me! I am still in training for this job and will never be perfect, but it is the MOST exciting job I have ever had

Below is the woman I strive to be:

Proverbs 31:10-12 and 25-31
A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.
Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.

She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.

She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.

She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.

Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:

"Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all."

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

Give her the reward she has earned,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

Now that is exciting!!

A Twist on Birthday Parties: 4th Birthday Celebration (For the Sake of Others)

2009-03-16T11:03:00.020-05:00

We celebrated Alessondra's 4th Birthday this Sunday. Her actual birthday was Tuesday March 17th. We typically do not do a party celebration, Last year we devoted the whole day to Alessondra and spent the day having family time!

However this year we decided to do something a little different.

Alessondra is always asking "Mommy, when am I old enough to help people?" "When can I go on a mission trip?"

We wanted to encourage and foster her giving spirit.
Studies show children who take on altruistic responsibilities at an early age exhibit higher self-esteem, gain a deeper understanding of the needs of others and improve critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

So for her birthday this year we teamed up with The Tapestry Project to provide some much needed items for a Mom, Jennifer and her daughter Serenity.
If you would like to help this family see the list below and contact me or another family check out The Tapestry Projects website

Jenifer & Serenity list of much needed items:

1. household kitchen ( silver ware, cups, dishes, pans)

2. towels

3. baby toys ( this is a BIG need) and reading books (cardboard)

4. girl clothes 6months

5. Bottles

6. Formula

7. any decorative house needs.

8. clothes for mom. ( Large, size 12-14)

9. Walmart gift cards (these will be used to purchase some of the bigger itmes needed for the baby and mom)

Thank you Angela Steele for lending us your "cupcake tower"

Alessondra blowing out her candle, (Thanks Jeanie for such a great picture!)

Alessondra "helping" me make the cupcakes, more licking than helping...

Alessondra enjoying her cupcake: (her eyes sparkle when sweets are involved!)

My niece's Ashlen and Makayla

Jackson and Alessondra have so much fun together!

Brother and Sister, Ashlen and Blake checking out the windows in the new playset (Thanks again to Jeanie for capturing a cute moment)

Alessondra caught a lady bug which she named Frances, and wanted to keep it close by:

Cousin Sophia enjoying playing outside:

Papa (Richard, Jeff's Dad)), Kari and newest edition to the Click family, Kinzie

My mom (G-ma) helping Alessondra and Frances up:

Nephew & Cousin Blake, cousin Jackson and Alessondra enjoying the playset:

Jeff with his Mom, Cindy:

My mom (Kathey) and I..."Party pic time"

Little sis, Kerri, Aunt Loretta, Mom and Me

CJ (Jeff's Brother) and Ava enjoying some "daddy daughter time"

Fun with Friends, Blake, Alessondra, Makayla, Jackson and Ava

Family Pic:

Bangs in our face (as my older sister always says "An apple doesn't fall too far from the tree")

More party pics: Steve and Jeanie (Sophia and Jackson's parents)

Nindy reading a book to Kinzie and Alessondra

Jackson, Alessondra and I checking out all the gifts that guests brought for Serenity and Jennifer.
Bottles, formula, towels, lots of CUTE clothes, cleaning supplies, baby toys and books!

Family and friends, your generosity was AWESOME. Thank you so much for showing the love that Jesus Christ shows us daily! Without your help we would not been able to bless this family so abundantly

Gpa, Andy, Cj and Jeff preparing to move the play set over a few feet (with a little help from Ava and Blake)

The almost finished playset. Alessondra and I are so proud of Daddy for working his tail off this week to get it done for the party.

I originally called around to see how much it would cost to hire someone to put this together...$350-$450. Jeff said "NO WAY, I want to do it!" And he did!
One of our friends Dustin, came and helped one evening (Thank you D-Train), other than that Jeff did it ALL BY HIMSELF!

98% finished!!!

For the Health of our children, Turn off the DVD players (yes even in the car), the TV, computers and the video games.

2009-03-05T08:36:00.006-06:00

Data indicate children who watch more than two hours of TV per day may have increased asthma risk.

Commenting on the study detailed by Bloomberg News, Mary Engel pointed out in the Los Angeles Times (3/4) Booster Shots blog that "asthma is generally thought to influence sedentary behavior rather than vice versa: A wheezy child opts to watch TV rather than risk an exercise-induced asthma attack."

But, the work published in Thorax by researchers in Scotland shows "the opposite to be true." After tracking "3,065 children from 3.5 years of age to 11.5 years," investigators found that "about six percent of the children had asthma by age 11," whereas they were all asthma-free at study start.

Furthermore, "those who watched TV for more than two hours a day in early childhood were almost twice as likely to have been diagnosed with asthma by age 11 as those who watched less."

The authors explained that the "relationship between physical activity, sedentary behavior, and asthma is complicated," but "one hypothesis is that failure to stretch airway muscles by the kind of regular deep breathing that comes from exercise may contribute to the development of asthma."

Click here and here to read a little more about this

"I get to eat seaweed...

2009-02-16T16:27:00.002-06:00

Alessondra was singing joyfully "I get to eat seaweed, I get to eat seaweed" as she waited for her miso soup to arrive. She had never had seaweed, tofu soup before, but she will most likely have it again, she LOVED it!! We had this at Yakimono Japanese Express Grill (on Memorial just west of May Ave near Mimi's), very yummy!

Happy Valentines Day

2009-02-14T10:57:00.001-06:00

Make a Smilebox greeting

Fun in the "snow" AKA Ice pellets, Now and 3 years ago...

2009-01-27T16:16:00.010-06:00

Jan 2006

Jan 2009

Ice Skating on the back patio

"Mommy Can I eat this WHOLE bowl of snow?"
"Snow Cream"

Alessondra (My Baby) Jan 2006
Such a Lil Girl Jan 2006

Alessondra My "Big Girl" Jan 2009, but still my baby!

So Much Fun!!

Slid a LITTLE too fast in our homemade "sled"

Do you remember your Mom trying to get you to eat by saying "There are starving kids in... China, Africa..."

2008-12-29T08:30:00.012-06:00

Well here is a chance to REALLY help children that do not have adequate nutrition.

This fundraiser is to provide the orphans with one egg and one piece of fruit per day for a year!

While visiting Africa recently, I saw how poorly the orphans at the Wellington Orphanage were being fed.

They only get 2 meals a day, breakfast and dinner. This usually consist of porridge or rice.

Very rarely do they get protein or fruit and vegetables. When mission teams are visiting they may get a piece of fruit a few times or protein on SPECIAL occasions.

This is a picture I took of one of the "special occasion" meals, rice with cassava leaf:

The Wellington orphanage is doing the best they can on what little budget they have.

However the children are malnourished which has so many side effects.

New research shows that even mild under-nutrition can prevent learning. Malnutrition can even affect learning before slowing down growth.

Under-nutrition increases how often and how long a child may be sick. They do not have proper medical care to treat the every day illnesses.
So when they get something that would be considered minor here in the United States, it could be fatal for these malnourished kids.

Poorly nourished children tend to be less physically active, less curious, less attentive, less independent, less responsive socially, and more anxious.

These traits keep them from developing reading, verbal, and physical skills, among others.

Because of their lack of protein, vegetables and fruit most of the children showed signs of iron deficiency such as anemia.

Anemic children do not do well on math, reading, vocabulary, problem-solving, or psychological tests.

Even mild iron deficiency causes fatigue and a shortened attention span.

Feeling hungry affects learning.

These hungry children tend to be irritable, disinterested in learning, nervous, timid passive, and unable to concentrate.

If we REALLY want to help this country, these children it all starts with proper nutrition!
Here are some pictures I took that show the malnourished children:

Please come to this AWESOME fundraiser! Have fun and help change the world!
January 4th at 6:30pm
There will be a concert with ARANDA and a hilarious comedian who is a Christian named Elijah Tindale!

It is at Club Venu in Bricktown 222 East Sheridan
MUST BE 21 years of age
Admission- FREE
Espresso-FREE
Parking-FREE
(parking garage right next to Venu is free on Sundays)

Please pass this on to anybody you want, post on your own blog or forums.
Thanks!!!

Thankfulness, Gratitude, Meekness and Self-Control

2008-12-16T09:37:00.005-06:00

This was written by my dear friend and mentor Kathy Patton. It really spoke to me today so I thought I would share it with you:
I love learning new visual aides and word pictures.

This morning I learned a few details about a very important small device on a boat. It is called the Trim Tab.

The Trim Tab is not the boat, nor is it the motor, it is not even the rudder on the motor. It is a small tab that when slightly turned in a new direction can affect the entire boat and its ability to properly ride through the water at greater speeds and allows the boat to turn with greater ease. It can significantly reduce the time needed to get up on plane. It also allow a boat to keep its bow down and stay on plane at lower speeds and thus conserving fuel.

I began applying this new concept to my life. What are some of the trim tabs that allow me greater effectiveness and ease of maneuvering through life?

Thankfulness and gratitude. I read in an article, "Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow."

Meekness. John MacArthur’s notes say it well, “This is not weakness but a genuine concern for others which will be reflected in a desire to treat others gently, just as the Lord treats all believers.”

Self-control. The restraining of my passions and appetites for the greater good. Not allowing my desires to dictate my actions but laying them down out of love for Jesus.

Of course there are many others that could indentified but for today I will be concerned with putting these three into practice. I know it will improve my effectiveness for Christ. This time of year can be filled with things to do, places to go and people to see if I do not focus my attention on the eternal. My hearts desire is to fill this Christmas with Christ.

Merry Christmas and a very blessed New Year,
Kathy

Posted by Deziray

FREE Jack Russell Terriers

2008-12-15T16:41:00.006-06:00

This has been passed on by a friend, if interested please call Tracy at 625-2195 not Deziray!
I know nothing about these dogs or which are left:

These puppies are 6 of the CUTEST, SWEETEST puppies I have ever seen!
They were going to get dropped off at the Animal Shelter and I
volunteered to care for the puppies until suitable homes can be found!

Please call Tracy at 625-2195 if you are interested in providing a good
INDOOR home. JRT's coat are soft, smooth and too thin to fare the
elements outside for more that a very short period of time. They crate
train very well (I have been crate training them all weekend) and the
potty training has been going well!!! They are loving, loyal sweet
animals and I will provide a general care sheet for JRT's if you would
like to adopt one.

I cannot take care of them for long and I will be heart broken if I have
to take them to the animal shelter, but I have 4 dogs myself and cannot
take care of 10 for long!

I believe there are 5 males and one female These are SWEET natured
puppies!! They love to cuddle, are very smart and love children.

They have been wormed and flea bathed.

Africa pics coming soon...

2008-11-22T15:38:00.002-06:00

I will return home tomorrow! I will have been away from my family for 2 weeks upon my return, so be please be patient with me. I will first love on and catch up with Jeff and Alessondra BEFORE I start posting pictures and notes from Africa. I am excited to share with you what God did with your prayers and the funds you donated!
I love each of you,
Deziray

Despite the short lines, I still had a LONG wait...

2008-11-05T17:42:00.007-06:00

Here is Alessondra helping me to vote. The wait was not too long, however it was close to nap time so she did become a little cranky, and was not looking too happy in one of these pics.
Speaking of cranky, let me tell you what I did AFTER we voted!
We rushed to the car. I was trying to quickly get home so Alessondra could take a nap and I could get to my 2:00pm dentist appointment (that they squeezed me into)! Alessondra's shoe fell off, the wind blew her "I voted" sticker away, and my hands were full. I opened the front passenger door to get rid of everything in my hands.
Just as I sat my purse, phone, her shoe and my keys in the seat, swung the door closed, getting ready to pick her up and all at the same moment she hit the lock, just as the door shut!
OH NO SHE DIDN'T! She locked my keys, my phone and her shoe in the car. OK, you think "Just call your husband and have him bring you his key" Well not a bad plan...except , I took Jeff's key to my car a couple of months ago. Mine broke and I was too frugal (cheap) to go get another one. So here I am in the parking lot of this PACKED church, cranky daughter with ONE shoe on, no phone and no keys and a dentist appt . Luckily I had seen a friend of mine (Thanks Brooke) in line to vote. So I had to make that dreaded phone call to my already stressed out husband, in the middle of the work day! Where is AAA when I need them? Oh yeah I am too cheap for that too. So where is the police officer with the slim jim when I need him. Actually he too was in line to vote, however that is a negative. They do not perform that task any longer, darn it!

So Jeff meets me. I take him and Alessondra home. I then drive (speed) to the dentist and beg them to still see me even though I am unable to pay due to no purse equals no form of payment.

My prince is here to save the day! While I was being gassed up, numbed up and drilled on, my husband scoured the yellow pages, compared prices and found a locksmith for $40!! WOW that is cheap, relatively speaking! He had to shut "Jeff Click Homes" down to accomplish this. His office manager, came to the house to sit while Alessondra napped, his project manger drove him to the church and Jeff waited in line to vote. All so he could retrieve my keys.

I am so lucky!

I am not telling you how to vote, or suggesting that you should be for or against partial birth abortion, but you should be informed.

2008-11-04T08:00:00.006-06:00

OK, today is the day, please go vote!
I know a BIG issue is abortion, mainly "Partial Birth Abortion". In my medical training and in my interaction with patients, I have found that the majority of the population do not know REALLY what a partial birth abortion is.

I try to make informed decisions, not just emotional, or "party line" decisions. So I thought I would post these links so you could see exactly what is a partial birth abortion. If we are going to claim that we are for or against something we should at least have a general idea of what we are standing for or against.
Obviously there are other issues that you need to consider before you vote, please just educate yourself on the candidates voting record. Go with the one that voted the majority of the time the way YOU would vote if you could.

PS I was born during my mothers 7-8th month of pregnancy and my younger sister was born in the 6th month. Obviously we were both capable of life, surviving and thriving even though were were not full term.

Not graphic, just more informative:
Video Demonstration of a Partial Birth Abortion

Video of diagrams showing the procedure, this is usually done in the 5th through 7th month of pregnancy

The joys in life

2008-10-29T16:19:00.007-05:00

Here are a few pics just to prove that our child DOES get treats every once in a while, and to show you that she IS a HAPPY child.
Not a sheltered, miserable, unsocialized, homeschooler that has no joy in life. : )
Alessondra enjoying a Braum"s Yogurt twist cone

Alessondra waiting with her cousin Makayla for some popcorn

Alessondra & Makayla playing dress up at UnPluggits "Princess Cowgirls"

Alessondra & her Daddy roasting marshmallows

Alessondra collecting CANDY at the Storybook Forest, Arcadia with Gracie and Jackson

Do want to help me save lives?

2008-10-14T14:45:00.010-05:00

Miracoulsly God has provided the $3330 to pay for my way to Africa!

I am continuing to raise money to meet the many needs that we will come across in addition to the expense of the travel.

If I have a patient I can not help, hopefully I can pay to send them to the hospital, or if there is a need for other meds, I could purchase them, I want to be able to buy, fruit and eggs for the orphans. There will be so many needs I can not even begin to list them all.
I plan to take pictures of the people/needs I am able to meet because of your generosity and will give you an account on what your money was able to do!
Please pray for our entire teams health, safety and that we will respond to the prompting of the Holy Spirit.

Below is more information, and how you can donate:
I am so excited to write this! I want you know about what God is leading me to do. As you more than likely know, one of God's calls on my life is missions.

I currently volunteer as a Physician’s Assistant at ROC medical clinic in Oklahoma City, and in the past have volunteered in other local shelters and clinics. I grew up without health insurance and vowed even as a young girl, that I would try to provide medical care to those that could not afford it or did not have access to it.

“I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”
Matthew 25:40

I have always had a burden for Africa and its people. A few days ago I was studying about Moses and his burden for the Hebrews. Moses felt inadequate and was reluctant to obey God and go back to Egypt to free his people. I feel the same way, but God is clearly is telling me to go to Sierra Leone, Africa with 4 H.I.M ministries, NEXT month! No, He did not speak to me through a burning bush as He did Moses, but I am just as sure He is speaking to me!

Through scripture, God has assured me: “I will be with you",
- Exodus 3:12

I trusted Him, that He could pull this all together in less than a month!
Let me give you some information on Sierra Leone (If you are the type that does not need details, please skip the next paragraphs):

Sierra Leone is the poorest country in the world, despite its richness in diamonds and minerals. The people see none of the benefits. They have been devastated by an 11 year civil war that has gained understanding by Americans only by the film “Blood Diamonds” and a book by Ishmael Beah, “A Long Way Gone,” that recounts his experience as a boy soldier. (Don't worry the war ended in 2002, and I will be safe!)

During this war, rebels burned homes and businesses indiscriminately, raped women and children, killed over 300,000 people, and caused incredible terror by amputating index fingers (“You will never be able to vote for freedom again”). Emboldened by the great fear it caused, rebels went on to amputate arms, legs, ears, and other body parts.

As a result of this genocide, many children were orphaned. While there we will minister to and serve an orphanage. (If you would like to learn more about the orphans go to www.4-him.net and click on the link "Sponsor Now". It will give you a bio for each child. It will tell you how their parents and families were killed and give details on how they became orphans.)

While we are in Sierra Leone I will be doing medical clinics, visiting villages and amputee camps. We will give every person who comes to the medical clinics an opportunity to accept Christ. Of course, we would never make this a prerequisite, I will treat any one and everyone!
We will also be providing emergency medical attention to those who need it. Last time, 4-H.I.M. went many lives were saved because they were able to take them to the hospital and pay for their care.
I am told I will treat between 400-600 people! What an awesome opportunity!

This baby's life was SAVED because the last team that went was able to provide much needed medical care!

There are only three doctors for every 100,000 people in Sierra Leone. The average life expectancy is 38 years of age; this is only 3 years older than I am! I will be the ONLY medical provider on this trip. (Hence the reason for my insecurities and doubts I mentioned, but also the great need for me to do this!) I am told I will see between 400-600 patients!!

You may be thinking "So why don't they just graduate more doctors and other health care providers?” There is a medical school in Sierra Leone, but it has only just started up again following the war, and in 2006 there were only 7 graduates, 6 of whom left for Europe or the USA.

Three types of people do mission work: those that physically take part in mission work, those that pray for and lift up missions, and those that finance the missions.

Those that do the mission work usually must fund their own way on mission trips. I need to raise over $3300 to fund my participation in this wonderful opportunity. I am asking you to prayerfully consider participating with me through your financial support. Whichever way the Lord leads you, the blessing you will receive will be the same. You will be helping me to save lives!

All financial contributions, by the way, are tax deductible!
Miracoulsly God has provided the $3330 to pay for my way to Africa!

I am continuing to raise money to meet the many needs that we will come across in addition to the expense of the travel.

If I have a patient I can not help, hopefully I can pay to send them to the hospital, or if there is a need for other meds, I could purchase them, I want to be able to buy, fruit and eggs for the orphans. There will be so many needs I can not even begin to list them all.
I plan to take pictures of the people/needs I am able to meet because of your generosity and will give you an account on what your money was able to do!

You may donate electronically at www.4-him.net Click on "donate now" at the bottom of the page. (In the comment section, please be sure to include my name so the donation will be applied to my participation in the mission.) Or you can send a donation in the mail. Every little bit will help!

Donations may be mailed to or I will come to you to get them:

Deziray Click
17412 White Hawk Drive
Edmond, OK 73012
call me at 405-408-3878

Please make checks payable to “4 H.I.M.” in order to receive a tax deduction.

I feel as Paul did when he wrote:

“Because a great door for effective work has opened to me, there are many who oppose me.”
- 1 Corinthians 16:2

I sincerely ask you to cover me continually in prayer as I prepare to go, even if you are unable to give financially to the mission. Thank you for letting me share this with you and for your consideration and help.

In His Service,

Deziray Click

Supporting the local Farmers market

2008-10-13T18:23:00.004-05:00

Actual post date OCTOBER 24TH 2008
I try to visit the Edmond Farmers Market as often as i can, which isn't often enough. I have always had a desire to do this, but at first was too lazy to do it and thought "can it really taste THAT much better?" Well, let me tell ya, I am here to answer that LAST question, YES IT DOES! Click here to check out the Farmers Market around here.
I have recently started buying ground beef, from Whitmore Farms, they sell at the Edmond Farmers Market
OMG it is great, even Jeff, commented on how good it tastes.
It is cheaper than what I was paying at Crest. Saturday it was $3.25/ lb, at Crest I pay $3.55-$3.85/lb for the lean. If you can not make it to the market , they said you could call them to arrange a meeting. One of the owners works in the city so he could meet whenever the need arises. (Do you think I could get Crest or Walmart to meet me with a few steaks and ground beef when I need it?) Whitmore Farms LLC 405-466-2279
I love the fact that I am supporting local farmers and that what I am feeding my family is MUCH healthier, tastier and a smaller "carbon footprint." The last comment is dedicated to my tree hugging, hippy, lives in Colorado, hate to admit: registered democract, older sis!

So anyway I just wanted to share the info. This picture does not do the meal justice. We seasoned and cooked up beef patties, grill onions enjoyed this with a plate of fresh tomatoes and cucumbers. All this was bought at the Edmonds Farmers Markt, and was locally grown. Some farmers market only sale locally grown produce but not all of them, So you should ask before you buy: "Where is this grown?"

More info on Farmers Markets:
THE FRESHEST, MOST FLAVORFUL FOOD IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER

FOOD TRAVELS ON AVERAGE 1,300 MILES FROM FARM TO TABLE

Most fresh fruits and vegetables produced in the U.S. are shipped from California, Florida, and Washington.
Fruits and vegetables shipped from distant states and countries can spend as many as seven to fourteen days in transit before they arrive in the supermarket.
Most fruit and vegetable varieties sold in supermarkets are chosen for their ability to withstand industrial harvesting equipment and extended travel not taste. This results in little variety in the plants grown.
TASTE THE DIFFERENCE IN FRESH, LOCAL FOOD AND JUDGE FOR YOURSELF!

Premium Taste. Locally grown fruits and vegetables are usually sold within 24 hours of being harvested. Produce picked and eaten at the height of ripeness has exceptional flavor and, when handled properly, is packed with nutrients.
Maximum Freshness. By choosing local produce at farm stands, farmers markets, pick-your-own farms and grocery stores, you pay for taste, not transportation and packaging.
Unique Varieties. Local farmers often grow a large assortment of unique varieties of products to provide the most flavorful choices throughout the season.
BUYING LOCAL IS THIS EASY:

Find a farmer, farmers' market, farm stand, or local food outlet near you, visit
Shop at your local farmers' market or farm stand for the freshest, best tasting food available. It's easy to find local food. There are over 3,100 farmers' markets in the U.S.—one is probably near you!4
Encourage your local grocery stores and area restaurants to purchase more of their products from local farmers.

Fruit, vegetables, meat and milk produced closer to home rack up fewer "petroleum miles" than products trucked cross-country to your table. How do you find them? Search localharvest.org by ZIP code for farmers' markets, greengrocers and food co-ops in your area. The website, which includes handy contact information in its directory listings, also identifies restaurants that specialize in regional and seasonal ingredients. If you really want to get close to the farm, join a Community Supported Agriculture project, which lets you buy shares in a farmer's annual harvest. In return, you get a box of produce every week for a season. It will take more than a few visits to the farm stand to reduce the carbon impact of the U.S. food supply. In the meantime, here's another reason to go local: the taste is great.

Left or Right...She is CUTE (In my opinion)

2008-10-13T08:21:00.003-05:00

These pics are about 2 years old, but I thought with the upcoming election, it was a good time to post them.
More than likely you will never find a "political" argument on this blog. I am not about to get into that type of discussion, but Left or Right I would vote that she is a KEEPER!
When Jesus comes back, He won’t be riding an elephant or a donkey. He’s an Independent and He has the only vote that counts!
Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God... Rom 13:1-2:)

My healthy "Food Buddy"

2008-10-08T17:21:00.002-05:00

Alessondra and I went to Penn Square Mall the other day to visit our FAVORITE store, the Apple Store!
Anytime she knows we are going to this particular mall, I can count on hearing the SAME question, with excitement: "Can I have Sushi and Edamame, PLEASE?" The food court has a GREAT sushi bar!

Another place that we frequently visit because it was one of my Dads, AKA Papa Bear's favorite places, is Souper Salad.

Children her age eat for free, and if you know me this is very enticing! I guarantee they are reconsidering that deal, once they witnessed how much salad she can eat! She does not eat the unhealthy iceberg blend, with tons of sugary dressing and gold fish and raisins on top. Oh NO, my child goes for the broccoli, okra, spinach and carrot toppings with a big helping of vegetable soup, dressing on the side! She also wants pickles on it, lots and lots of pickles, which I am not too crazy about the sodium level in that....But hey she eats sushi and edamame with me, if she wants a pickle, by golly she can have one!

"Daddy we are at da Fair of The Rides, NOT da Fair of the Heart"

2008-09-30T21:28:00.002-05:00

We like many of you visited the State Fair of Oklahoma recently. I have to share this AMAZING story. I lost my new iPhone while at the fair, and much to my amazement, some honest person turned it in! The battery was dead and a lady in the ticket office charged it, located a text message from Jeanie, and called her and told her that they had my phone!

Jeff took these two pictures 364 days apart. I knew she was maturing but I did not realize how much more of a "little girl" she is now than last year.

Fruits of her labor...

2008-09-18T10:21:00.001-05:00

We have our FIRST tomato on our Aerogarden. Needless to say Alessondra is REALLY excited, she already wants to eat it!
She has worked REALLY hard on these plants. She checks them several times a day, talks to them and helps me water them almost daily. I hope she gets to taste a little of her hard work soon!

Milestones...Come too quickly!

2008-09-16T17:37:00.005-05:00

Alessondra recently had her first visit to the Dentist Office

In the first pic you can see that my normally fearless daughter seemed quite anxious, this is why we allowed "White Blankie" to accompany us outside of our home.

After the dental hygienist let her touch all the instruments and put on gloves, Alessondra cautiously let go of her blankie to show off her new set of gloves.

In this third picture Alessondra let her count her teeth, she has 20 of them!

Oh how quickly my sweet baby has grown up, I am seriously setting here typing this with tears in my eyes...what will I do when she gets married!

Excuse me I must go get another box of tissues...

Alessondra enjoyed our guests today!

2008-09-14T22:18:00.005-05:00

Alessondra spent the afternoon trying to impress NBA OKC Thunder player, Kevin Durant and his Mom, Wanda. She made him look through her photo album, watch videos on my iphone and offered him her Mater truck (character from Cars). He was very patient and kind to her.

Blessings in life...

2008-09-13T17:54:00.003-05:00

I have learned you must be careful what you ask for. I guess sometimes I forget that He is the "All Knowing and the All Powerful"
As you may know ( Or not) , my husband and I have been prompted by the Holy Spirit to simplify, downsize and create margin.

With the housing market being in a unique state right know I was not sure how this would work. Remember the account in Matthew, when Jesus instructed Peter to go fishing and in the first fish he caught he should reach in his mouth and there would be the coin, the EXACT amount he would need to pay the temple tax. This seemed unrealistic but Peter obeyed, and of course Jesus provided what he said he would provide!

God has provided an AWESOME situation for us and our current home. We had some individuals dropped in our laps, they want to move into our house...like NOW!

Our house is not on the market, is not "showeable" condition and was in disarray yesterday when I got the call that in 2 minutes a Realtor would be at my door with some potential clients.
I had just finished steam cleaning the 2 big area rugs and all the furniture was pushed aside, I was in a tank top (bra straps showing, thank God I had a bra on!) no shower and the Realtor could not stay, so I had the pleasure of showing them around!

They want it, they want to be in by the 21st, of this month! This meant we needed to get out by today, so Jeff can schedule crews all next week to get it ready for our new tenants!

Jeff and I, my MIL, Cindy and FIL, Richard have spent the last 5 days packing, cleaning and sorting. The movers just left, they took all of out stuff to storage. This is a huge blessing, but a STRESSFUL ONE! So I BIG THANK YOU goes out to my in-laws!!!

God has so blessed us with this move, but he has never blessed Jeff and I like he blessed us on March 17th, 2005.

I will most definitely use A LOT of bubble wrap when packing her! (See the pics above)

Trying to "catch" a duck

2008-08-16T17:47:00.005-05:00

Trying to "catch" a duck
Originally uploaded by dezirayclick

With a break in the recent 100 degree and plus weather Alessondra and I took a little trip to the park. We were joined by my lil sis Kerri and her 3 children: Ashlen, Blake & Makayla. Much to our surprise the resident ducks were VERY social, or maybe just REALLY hungry. Whatever the reason "the cousins" had a blast feeding them out of their hands.

www.flickr.com

dezirayclick's Fun w/ the ducks photoset

A day remembering Papa Bear

2008-08-14T16:50:00.004-05:00

A day remembering Papa Bear
Originally uploaded by dezirayclick

A day remembering Papa Bear

Thurs 8/14/08
Today Alessondra and I visited "Papa Bears Bench". (My father who passed away almost a year ago)
She actually gets very excited when I tell her we are going out there, which I am thankful for. At first I was not sure about her seeing me cry. Her sweet hugs and little voice saying"Mommy it's OK, I'll make you happy, and when we go to heaven it will be HAPPY." This let's me know that she enjoys comforting her mommy.
She and I both love looking at the pictures on the bench and "talking" to Papa Bear.
She said to me "Mommy, are you SURE Papa Bear can hear me? Heaven is so high up there."
OH SO SWEET!

2008-08-14T08:21:00.004-05:00

I have decided to try blogging on flickr. I figure If I take pictures throughout my day then this will help me with what to say in the blog. What mom doesn't like taking pictures of their child...so check it out at Myflickr

Breakfast of Champions

2008-08-13T16:50:00.000-05:00

Breakfast of Champions
Originally uploaded by dezirayclick

Wed 8/13/08
Jeff and I decided early on that we would sit down as a family at the table for meals. Even though Jeff has been extremely busy lately he rarely misses breakfast with Alessondra and I.

After seeing her Daddy eat a healthy version of an egg Mc Muffin, she decides that she will follow in her "Champion's" footsteps and partake in one also.

Uploaded by dezirayclick on 13 Aug 08, 3.14PM PDT.

2008-07-23T15:32:00.002-05:00

Sorry, I am not good at blogging, so no new posts. After just reading 3 blogs of my friends, I truly do want to get better at blogging. Maybe these friends (Erin, Keysha and Kim) can give me some pointers : )!!

2008-06-24T17:37:00.003-05:00

I am terrible at remembering to blog!

You helped me "plant" today. Actually I planted and you played in the water hose. I enjoyed you being out there with me. I so enjoy being your mommy. Thank you for being an awesome lilttle girl!

Aunt Kerri and the kids came over so you guys could swim!

2008-06-03T08:56:00.003-05:00

Yesterday you completed your very first swim lesson. You did rather well. You did not want to put your face in the water, but you and Daddy will work more on that at home. You obeyed your swim coach and set a good example for the other kids. Your cousin Makayla is also in the class with you.

It seems ever since you stopped "snuggling" you have quickly become Our "little girl" and not our "baby girl". With this new stage comes a whole new level of fun and interaction with you!

You are the coolest little girl we know!

Return from 2nd annual family vacation

2008-05-31T20:00:00.004-05:00

We just returned from our family vacation in Puerto Morelos, Mexico.

You love the beach. You would run up and down the beach screaming "I LOVE the beach!" You did this time and time again. I love watching you enjoy life! You are a really happy child.

Daddy and I LOVED being with you with no other distractions. We only stayed from Monday night to Friday morning.

You were complimented on your Spanish. We have allowed you to watch "Muzzy" videos for the last couple of years. These videos are in spanish. They were the 1st videos you ever watched. We are hoping that this will make it quite easy for you to speak Spanish fluently. You also like to listen to the German editions of Muzzy.

As a result you really enjoy any thing on the Spanish channels. Which is a good thing since there was nothing in English on TV while on vacation.

Whenever you would see other kids on the beach you would have no problem approaching them.

You are a very friendly, talkative and outgoing little girl. You get that from me, I talk a lot also.

You get your brains from Daddy and personality from me.

I'm back

2008-05-31T17:32:00.002-05:00

In the hussle and bussle of Mommy hood I sorda forgot to journal.. Too much time has passed. I so regret all the thoughts and memories I have now lost. I guess there is no use crying over spilled milk. I will start today and try to record my thoughts and memories from here on out for Alessondra to some day read.

Time flies

2006-01-21T22:51:00.000-06:00

Today we went to your cousin Jackson's 1 yr party. It was Construction them, like tonka trucks and hard hats, too cute.
Your Daddy and I have been thinking about you 1 yr party. I think we might do a "bow" theme. I am pretty crazy about your bows. If you leave the house I make sure you ALWAYS HAVE a bow on. People ALWAYS stop and comment on your beauty and your bows. So maybe. I can not belive you are almost 1 yr old. I am sad b/c I do not want for you to grow up. I love you so much, and I love doing things for yoy. I dread the day when you think that you do not need me. You mean so much to me. You took a nap with me yesterday. It amazes me that you sleeping with me can touch my soul like it did. you are so special to me

Sweet Child of Mine

2005-08-09T21:53:00.000-05:00

Hey Sweety,
Tonight you took a bath with Daddy and I. We were in the jacuzi tub. You had such a good time! Poor baby, you have had a stuffy nose since Wed, almost a week. You will nurse, then have to take a big breath, then nurse, then breath...I guess Oklahoma is going to reak havok on your allergies. Oh Yeah we gave you a red ball to play with and you LOVED it!
I Love you so much, you have inspired me to be a better person

1st plane ride

2005-08-05T14:44:00.001-05:00

Today Aug 5th 2005, You and I are going to Arizona to visit Chris, Dana & Blake Byers. You flew in an airplane for the very 1st time. You did GREAT! I let you nurse on the way up, that way your little ears did not hurt, on the way down i gave you your pacifier, even though you prefer to suck on your fingers on your right hand. You only slept for about 30-45 min on the plane. You were very interested in all the people and listening to the flight attendant talk.

Thumb

2005-07-25T08:20:00.000-05:00

When you nurse you wrap your hand around my thumb, and nestle you head in the bend of my arm. You also make the cutest coo sounds while your eating. You are a very fast eater. When Aunt Kerri watched you , she gave you and Makayla a bottle at the same time and when you had finished your 6 oz, Makayla had only finished 3oz.

4 months & 1 week

2005-07-24T20:52:00.000-05:00

Today your Dad and I went to the lake with Uncle CJ, Aunt Kari Jo, Kim and Trevor. You stayed with your Papa and Nindy. They have so much fun with you, I have never seen grandparents that do as much or love their grandchild like they do you!
When I was nursing you tonight a thought came to me: It will not be long and you will not fit in my arms or on my lap. I rocked you as you nursed. I stroked your cheek, and looked into your eyes, I wish these times could last forever. I love you so much, every day with you is a gift!