Category Archives: life

Christianity, life

Communication is Key

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Here in the NerdFamily we support Compassion International. We believe in the work they do and I encourage you all to support them too! But onto my point.

I was reading my facebook  feed (that Compassion is on;) and they had a couple of posts that really convicted me. See I have a nasty confession… I have never written my sponsored child. Frankly, I never knew what to say and I figured he didn’t want to hear about my life. Then I saw a couple of posts. In both The Impact of Letter Writing and There is Power in Sponsor Letters, they talk about how important their sponsor letters have been.

I then realized how prideful and sinful I have been. I felt so self-conscious at the idea of sitting down and writing what ever was on my heart. What would he think of me? But it isn’t about me. How dare I withhold myself because of fear and pride? How dare I withhold the affirmation and love God has placed in my hands to give?

I need to go and write a letter now. You need to go sponsor a child or bless someone in what ever way God has put in your reach!

child rearing, life, Wordless Wednesday

Complicated Women

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This is one of NerdPie’s favorite new book series and her very girlie bow. This is how my girls and I roll. Fire and ice, concrete and lace;).

But it does seem to illustrate why I feel like such a contradiction sometimes, like today. I was watching Fame while geeking out on a nano semiconductor. This seems to explain why I have never really fit it. I tried for so long to hide my dweeby nerdy side for so long because it was becoming. Once I started accepting my separate sides is when I found my husband and a little peace. But I still struggle when I am around large groups of women sometimes because I just don’t seem normal.

Then I feel nervous for my girls. I don’t want them to feel as conflicted as I often have. I want them to take joy in all God has created them to be. I want them to feel secure in both their girlie and nerdy sides! I guess the best way that they will do that is by seeing me accept myself. It is a lot of pressure knowing you have to deal with your junk so your kids won’t have to;).

Fresno, life

Pictures

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I dislike pictures of me. I don’t like having them taken and I don’t care to look at them later either;). But I didn’t have any decent pictures of me for a headshot for my blogs or anything else I wanted to write for. (Why do you need a picture to take a written piece? But that is another issue) I happen to have a friend who is a talented photographer and I let her do her thing!

I have to say, I think I like the results. It would be much better if I was 100 lbs lighter but what wouldn’t be better;). I had seen Cali Morgan’s professional photography many times in wedding pictures, pregnancy portraits and family portraits and kid’s pictures. I knew that she specializes in making women look good. But I still wasn’t keen on it being my turn in front of the camera.
But as soon as I sat down for Carli, she instantly put me at ease. I know that I tend to be stiff and cheesy in front of the camera but she was able to totally work around that. She was a total joy to work with! I look forward to loosing some of my weight and having to take new ones;).
Now if you are looking for a photographer and are in the Fresno area, look no further! Go check Carli out!
(For disclosure purposes: This is not sponsored in any way. I payed for my pictures and my digital file like everyone else. I just really like Carli’s work!)

humor, life

I am WOMAN, Hear Me Roar!

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So NerdDad and I ordered a new tv!!! It is a 47 inch and isn’t here yet but there will be pics when it is set up! But I digress. Since we ordered it from Dell I got a call today. They wanted to know if I had gotten it yet and wanted to talk to me about paying someone to come mount it for me. The conversation was both comical and a bit shocking.

Dell Guy: “Are you planning on mounting the tv?”
Me: “Not now, maybe in the future” (at this point I still didn’t know why he was calling)
Dell Guy: “Are you a preferred customer? We would love to have someone come out to mount that tv for you with either a flat mount or a tilting mount.”
Me: “When we decide to mount it, my husband and I will probably do it.”
Dell Guy: “You would help?”
Me: “Well, I would assume my few engineering classes could prepare me for something like this.”
Dell Guy: “No, I meant the labor side.”
Me: “Well, I did carry 4 children”
Dell Guy: “That’s different”
Me: “Yea, its harder”
Dell Guy: “Umm, well”
I pretty much ended the conversation there. He was pretty dumbstruck at that point… The labor side, really?
Kind of a funny way to start my day;).

child rearing, life

And We Have Hair Do’s!!!!

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You know how there are some little girls that look so cute on Sunday (or any) mornings? Their hair is perfectly done with just the cutest styles? Well, I missed the mommy gene that gives me the natural ability to do my little girls’ hair. Frankly, I really can’t do my own;). I was afraid that it would take for ever and would just lead to huge fights but I was tired of them always looking like little ragamuffins.


So you can imagine how excited I was to find a website that could walk me through step by step a cute hairstyle for my girls! Babes in Hairland had this cute up do so I collected my water bottle, comb, and rubber bands and then set to it!


As you can tell, I did both of them basically the same. It isn’t quite a cute as the website’s but the girls’ are cute so that works. It is also so much better than how their hair is normally done;). I have yet to try any of their other hairstyles (like even a French Braid) but I am going to bask in this one just a little longer! It is the little things, right?

Christianity, church, life, Wordless Wednesday

Be a World Changing Family!

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Today at MOPS we had an awesome speaker who spoke on being a world changing family. Shelley was awesome. Not only did she talk about some great ways to change the world with our kids (Operation Christmas Child, making sandwiches to give to the homeless, etc) she also brought treats!!! She made the adorable cookies herself!!!

But is it hard to be a world changing family, especially with younger kids? I don’t think so. The focus is to teach them to be generous and to care for others starting at a young age. The best way I can see to change the world is to show it God’s love. So start involving your kids (or start serving someone yourself) in showing love to others and that alone will change the world.
I think of the joy my kiddos have gotten putting change in the Salvation Army buckets. Or helping me take food to a family with a sick mom or a family that just had a baby. I love the idea of just making bagged lunches and handing them out to people who need them. I don’t know where you live but around here we seem to have people begging on every corner. You can also do canned food drives, collect change for your local Pregnancy Care Center or just about anything. Just do something no matter how small.
It isn’t hard but it is intentional.
That was a word that Shelley used a lot, intentional. This doesn’t just happen but you have to do it. Shelley had a great idea we might start doing. She has a friend that takes all of her kids’ artwork down to the convalescent home. I might have to start doing that. Between church and what the kids just make at home, we are swimming in the stuff. To think it might brighten someone else’s day and not have to go in the recycle bin (at least so soon) makes me happy.
So what do you do with you kids to make them World Changers?

Pray for Shelley and her family! They are a world changing family in a big way. They have sold their house and will be moving their family down to Colombia to preach God’s Word. They are not already in the ministry (her hubby is a teacher) and their kids are young (4 girls ages 10-6). So this isn’t convenient but they were called by the Lord. So I ask you all to keep them in your prayers!
Updated: I was asked why I would consider this a WFMW. I can say that for many years I was looking for ways to help my kids serve others. I think there are some really good ideas on how to get your kids active in showing generosity and love to others!

life

Home Hilarity

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Since we are now living without the satellite we are exploring our many free online options. We have recently discovered that all of Scarecrow and Mrs. King is online over at Slashcontrol.com. Scarecrow and Mrs. King was a favorite of mine as a kid and a teenager. I had a little thing for Scarecrow. The funny part is I always wanted to be Laura Ingalls and marry Scarecrow. Then Laura Ingalls (Melissa Gilbert) married Scarecrow (Bruce Boxleitner). But I digress…

To start with it isn’t as dorky to watch as I was afraid it was going to be. And the kids love it. We are about 7 episodes into the series right now. At the end of the last episode Scarecrow got shot. We decided that we were going to watch another episode during dinner. NerdPie express how she hoped he was going to be all healed by this next episode. To which NerdDad said how he was sure that Scarecrow would be fine…he heals quick, like Wolverine.
It really tickled me (yes, I am a dork). But it tickled me even more that the kids didn’t even blink at the statement because they knew exactly what NerdDad meant by that;).

humor, life

First Impressions

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So I was talking to a woman from church about some service stuff and right before we were done she said she had something kind of funny to tell me. OK, I like funny;). She recalled bringing a meal out to my family after a surgery (or baby) and that was the first time we really had a discussion. She had seen me at women’s ministry things and checking in my kids on Sunday at church but hadn’t really talked to me. At that point she said she thought I was bubbly, friendly and a bit airheaded. When she brought out the meal we were talking about Bible Studies and the book Bad Girls of the Bible came up. I had said it was a good book but not really deep enough for a study. For me it was bathroom reading. I lent her the book and she went on a trip. She said that she poured over the book and thought it was way to deep for bathroom reading and then realized I couldn’t be a ditz. So at this point in the conversation I am laughing. Then it gets better. I was meeting her for a quick exchange of stuff at church on my way to my Precept study and quickly met her husband (again). She said that she later asked him what he thought of me. He described me as cute, bubbly and kind of ditzy or airheaded. She said she then went on to tell him how wrong he was;).

I have to say I am a bit shocked. 15 years ago this would have really bothered me because I was so afraid of not being taken seriously but now I don’t know what to think. Objectively, I do not think I am an airhead and I don’t really feel the need to defend myself too much (did I mention that I was have a discussion about whether or not studying end time prophecy has a needed place in your spiritual health?;). But this is a new one for me. There have been many phrases used to describe me but ditzy? airhead?
I remember my husband saying that I came off very serious the first time I met him (at a Bible Study in college and I was wearing nylons and a skirt after work;) and at the same meeting scared and intimidated a man who later was our best man and a dear friend of mine. My best friend met me quickly in a computer lab in college and thought I was quiet (man, was she wrong;).
But what does it mean or matter? I can’t really control what you think in that 30 second exchange? I can try and put my best foot forward but beyond that? When I met this woman’s husband I didn’t say anything stupid or factually wrong. I shook his hand and looked him dead in the eye. I also had been talking to people and was in a rush to exchange material, both physical and informationally, and then get to the study I was already running late for. So there wasn’t really anything different to do. Maybe I should have talked about the speed of light, programming or calculus… No, that would have just come off as pompous or rude. Better a ditz;).
So you, my readers, what was your first impression of me? Either in real life or just from my blogs? I am curious!

life, TV

I Can’t Believe We Did But We Did It and It’s Done!

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Yes, I am channeling a little My fair Lady;). But to the point!

We love tv over here. When NerdDad and I got married money was tight but we always found a way to pay for cable. It was a priority right behind tithing, rent and power;). It was right after the then slow internet. Then we grew up to the Dish. And 2, yes 2 tivo’s. But it has hit us lately that most of what we really want to watch, and not all the mindless drivel that we often watch, was actually free on the internet. So we cancelled the satellite dish.

Yes, we don’t even get local channels right now. I am still in shock. We cancelled Monday morning after we saw the second half of the Doctor Who special (can’t watch BBC online in America). I am still adjusting because Food Network doesn’t really have anything online and that is disappointing. We are planning on getting an antenna and digital converter box for the tivo so we can record things like Jeopardy so that will change. But over all we are doing pretty good and still watching a ton of tv;).