Today is the end of my journey here in Ohio, and it is also the beginning of my dad's journey through colon cancer. As I type this, I am packed up ready for Shannon to take me to lunch (White House, of course!) and the airport. I had to say goodbye to my dad this morning at the hospital. I had a great trip, all things considering. God definetely made the best out of a bad situation. My cousin Jason got married on Saturday, so I was able to attend that. It also meant that I was able to see almost my entire family that had flown or drove in from out of town to go to the wedding. My grandma and aunt from Kentucky had driven up to be there for my dad's surgery yesterday so I got to see them. I never thought I would be able to see my grandma again so this was a huge blessing to me. I never thought I would have to answer to "JaimeLynn" ever again, but it sure was nice to hear that. I had forgotten the southern accent and the things she says, like "lawww.." haha. I got a kick out of her stomping her feet at her daughters making her get in the wheelchair at the hospital. She may be old, but she's fiesty!
Onto the surgery report...The mass was bigger than the doctor expected, and had drown out into the tissue behind the colon wall. It was headed for the pancreas. Thankfully he was able to clear it out and still have a safe margin of healthy tissue between the pancreas and colon. He would have been in BIG BIG trouble if this had gone any further. They were able to resect the colon and small intestine and only remove the right side (ascending) of his colon. He also removed the lymph nodes in that area and we will know more about chemo once the pathology comes back at the end of the week. He was awake today, just constantly pushing his pain pump and dreading the news that he will have to stand up today. Thank you to all of my friends and family that have been praying for us, and please continue to do so! He has a long road to recovery ahead of him.
To the followers that I don't know personally- I will be back to craft and food blogging soon! I've been sidetracked by this family emergency. I look forward to getting my hands dirty again! =)
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Hope
Normally my posts are about crafts, recipes or family adventures, today is not normal. I have always appreciated my family, I don't feel like I've ever taken them for granted....although maybe I'm forgetting all of those times we've had to drop what we're doing and leave x or y place because child x or y was temporarily having an out of body experience, otherwise known as a tantrum. Our children are a bit older now and while life's challenges usually just morph into new ones with the different stages of life, I feel like this stage is the easiest I've had since they were born. I'm sure back in those hard stages I had a lapse in appreciation that I shouldn't have.
Several things have happened in my life lately (or in the lives of my loved ones) that have given me a new level of appreciation for my Baeza clan of four. Last week, my dad found out he has colon cancer. The only reason he found out is because I, The self-proclaimed Colon Queen, (I know you are SO jealous of that title, aren't you?) found out he hadn't had a colonoscopy in over 10 years. He had no symptoms, thankfully he just heeded my warnings (and wrath) and finally allowed my mom to make his appointment. As I type this, my bags are packed for my 5 day solo trip to Ohio to be there for his surgery.
There is another situation happening to someone I love that is so serious the only thing to do is fall to your knees in prayer. Literally, that's all we can do. And all I can think of through all of these challenges of life is how blessed I am today. Since life is but a vapor, here for awhile and then will vanish away, today I choose to appreciate my family as much as possible. I am going to steal as many hugs as I can, diffuse as many 5 and 6 year old arguments as I can. I have a family that is united in our love of Jesus and I can't ask for anything more than that.
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. Psalm 46:1-3
Several things have happened in my life lately (or in the lives of my loved ones) that have given me a new level of appreciation for my Baeza clan of four. Last week, my dad found out he has colon cancer. The only reason he found out is because I, The self-proclaimed Colon Queen, (I know you are SO jealous of that title, aren't you?) found out he hadn't had a colonoscopy in over 10 years. He had no symptoms, thankfully he just heeded my warnings (and wrath) and finally allowed my mom to make his appointment. As I type this, my bags are packed for my 5 day solo trip to Ohio to be there for his surgery.
There is another situation happening to someone I love that is so serious the only thing to do is fall to your knees in prayer. Literally, that's all we can do. And all I can think of through all of these challenges of life is how blessed I am today. Since life is but a vapor, here for awhile and then will vanish away, today I choose to appreciate my family as much as possible. I am going to steal as many hugs as I can, diffuse as many 5 and 6 year old arguments as I can. I have a family that is united in our love of Jesus and I can't ask for anything more than that.
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. Psalm 46:1-3
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Morro Bay Museum of Natural History
Last weekend, we impulsively decided (well ok, I begged and Brandon caved) to go visit his brother in Pismo Beach. I thought I would share some pictures of the girl's favorite place to visit when we are at the coast...the "musem" (as Emma calls it) in Morro Bay. 
The entrance to the museum has a great view of the bay and Emma even spotted something...
....a jellyfish floating in the water!
They have these boards that you lift up to read the answers to the questions on the front. The little thing on Emma's ear is "Rocky", the mascot that tells you things about each topic. It's cute because it's shaped like Morro Rock and has a face and eyes on it.
The girls playing a giant game.
Emma exploring a food chain.
The girls watching a short film on sea otters with Uncle Marty.
These different wheels turn and as they spin, the panels on the board in front of you move to show 3 different pictures each.
Building a food chain of the bay with blocks.
These wheels spin and a little door flips over to reveal something on either side.
A giant wheel with beads in it to demonstrate "sculpting the landscape".
A wind tunnel.
Guess the object game.
This exhibit tells about rain.
On the observation deck you are given binoculars to look out into the bay.
Ten bucks says they are debating something about sharks... haha.
They have a puppet theatre set up, so Emma and Uncle Marty went back there and put on a show.
Cami thought it was quite funny that the silly spider was talking about cheeseburgers.
These drawers have many different things to explore inside of them.
The best part is..kids are FREE! =) Adults are only $3. Check out their location and hours here, I'm sure your kids would love it too!
The entrance to the museum has a great view of the bay and Emma even spotted something...
....a jellyfish floating in the water!
They have these boards that you lift up to read the answers to the questions on the front. The little thing on Emma's ear is "Rocky", the mascot that tells you things about each topic. It's cute because it's shaped like Morro Rock and has a face and eyes on it.
The girls playing a giant game.
Emma exploring a food chain.
The girls watching a short film on sea otters with Uncle Marty.
These different wheels turn and as they spin, the panels on the board in front of you move to show 3 different pictures each.
Building a food chain of the bay with blocks.
These wheels spin and a little door flips over to reveal something on either side.
A giant wheel with beads in it to demonstrate "sculpting the landscape".
A wind tunnel.
Guess the object game.
This exhibit tells about rain.
On the observation deck you are given binoculars to look out into the bay.
Ten bucks says they are debating something about sharks... haha.
They have a puppet theatre set up, so Emma and Uncle Marty went back there and put on a show.
Cami thought it was quite funny that the silly spider was talking about cheeseburgers.
These drawers have many different things to explore inside of them.
The best part is..kids are FREE! =) Adults are only $3. Check out their location and hours here, I'm sure your kids would love it too!Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Berlap candy corn
Yesterday I saw candy corn bunting on my favorite blog, Tatertots and Jello and LOVED it! I knew I had to do it myself! This morning, after looking at it again, I looked through my fabric scraps but didn't have the solid colors I needed. Idea! I had tan, orange, and cream berlap...indian corn! It was super easy!
Step 1: Draw and cut out a template from cardstock.
Step 2: Cut strips of your berlap (lay them as shown so you know you are cutting strips large enough to make your template)
Step 3: sew the strips together
Step 4: Cut out with the template
Step 5: Pin on ribbon and sew
Hang up and enjoy!
I may add another layer and put them closer together, but I love that I was able to do it with stuff I already have!
Step 1: Draw and cut out a template from cardstock.Step 2: Cut strips of your berlap (lay them as shown so you know you are cutting strips large enough to make your template)
Step 3: sew the strips together
Step 4: Cut out with the template
Step 5: Pin on ribbon and sew
Hang up and enjoy!
I may add another layer and put them closer together, but I love that I was able to do it with stuff I already have!
Friday, September 10, 2010
Speech Class {"Me Bag"}
Today was the day the girls have been waiting for.... speech day! They were so excited to give their speeches. They were supposed to give a "me bag" speech. A me bag is a bag full of stuff that, as you pull out one item at a time, will tell something about you. Cami, being the stubborn little mouse that she is, took everything but her two favorite dolls out of her bag before we got to school. She said that those were the only things she was going to talk about. {sigh} Cami, I hope you read this when you get older.
Here they are waiting for the other kids to arrive.
Cami was the first one to go! Yikes! I was hoping she might see Emma go first so that she would realize what she needed to say. The crickets had fun chirping because she only held up her two favorite animals and said "that's it". HAHA. Thankfully Mrs. Fisher helped her kind of fill in the gaps as she was up there. I'm just glad she DID IT! I thought for sure one of my kids would see all of the audience looking at them and freak out and run behind me, but they both did it with big smiles! I look forward to hearing their speeches next month, a "how to" speech. Hopefully Cami will allow me to help her practice this time!
Next it was Emma's turn! She did GREAT! She wasn't afraid at all, she showed each item slowly so that the whole crowd could see it. After her speech was over, kids can raise their hands and ask questions, I could tell she got a bit nervous during that time because she kept playing with her lip....BUT she did it!
Here is Emma loading her bag back up with her picture of our extended family at our annual Disneyland trip. My favorite part: "Here is my bible, because I love God" =) So proud of my two girlies today!
Here they are waiting for the other kids to arrive.
Cami was the first one to go! Yikes! I was hoping she might see Emma go first so that she would realize what she needed to say. The crickets had fun chirping because she only held up her two favorite animals and said "that's it". HAHA. Thankfully Mrs. Fisher helped her kind of fill in the gaps as she was up there. I'm just glad she DID IT! I thought for sure one of my kids would see all of the audience looking at them and freak out and run behind me, but they both did it with big smiles! I look forward to hearing their speeches next month, a "how to" speech. Hopefully Cami will allow me to help her practice this time!
Next it was Emma's turn! She did GREAT! She wasn't afraid at all, she showed each item slowly so that the whole crowd could see it. After her speech was over, kids can raise their hands and ask questions, I could tell she got a bit nervous during that time because she kept playing with her lip....BUT she did it!
Here is Emma loading her bag back up with her picture of our extended family at our annual Disneyland trip. My favorite part: "Here is my bible, because I love God" =) So proud of my two girlies today!Wednesday, September 8, 2010
{Chrysanthemum Pillow!}
Today I stumbled upon a tutorial at Vand Co. for a flower pillow. I fell in LOVE! Check out her blog, I love the summer version she has on her page! I decided to give it a shot because I happened to already own everything I needed, including a pillow form that wasn't being used. 
Two different sized circles traced from cups and the good felt, on the bolt, not the sheets.
I had two fabrics that went perfectly! I used an ivory for the flower side and the back is the leftover fabric from my chair makeover. I'm not going to go through all of the steps, because I included the link to the detailed tutorial...head on over to the beautiful blog of V and Co. to get the exact directions.
Looks pretty cute!!
When I hear the word "chrysanthemum" I always hear the voice of John Ritter on Three's Company saying "Chrissy-anthemum", referring to Suzanne Somers and her character Chrissy. =)
Here is a view of the back side of the pillow...I am in love with this fabric! Hope you like it!
Two different sized circles traced from cups and the good felt, on the bolt, not the sheets.
I had two fabrics that went perfectly! I used an ivory for the flower side and the back is the leftover fabric from my chair makeover. I'm not going to go through all of the steps, because I included the link to the detailed tutorial...head on over to the beautiful blog of V and Co. to get the exact directions.
Looks pretty cute!!
When I hear the word "chrysanthemum" I always hear the voice of John Ritter on Three's Company saying "Chrissy-anthemum", referring to Suzanne Somers and her character Chrissy. =)
Here is a view of the back side of the pillow...I am in love with this fabric! Hope you like it!Tuesday, September 7, 2010
{Taco Tuesday} Chicken tacos!
Today is {Taco Tuesday} for the Baeza family. Tonight I made my famous Chicken tacos. I can say they're famous because my mother in law, who has eaten more tacos than anyone I know, LOVES them! 
Here are the basics, all prepped and ready to go: tomatoes, lettace, red cabbage, and monterey jack cheese. I also put out a couple of different salsas. You could add whatever you like....avocados, etc.
Ok, so this is what sets my tacos apart... the chicken method! I like Las Palmas tacos, and this is based on me trying to make their food at home. Unfortunately it ruined Las Palmas for me because mine are actually better and I can't stomach their chicken anymore. (I think they boil it! gasp!) Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Get out a standard rimmed cookie sheet, and use bone in chicken breasts. Leave the skin on, don't worry, you're not gonna eat it. It makes your chicken so much more moist and flavorful. All you have to do to the chicken is a few drops, the lightest drizzle, of EVOO and top with coarse salt and cracked pepper. That's it, toss it in the oven and set the timer for exactly ONE HOUR. When the hour is up, take out the pan and leave the chicken on the bone until you are ready to assemble. It will get cold too quickly if you take it off the bone too far in advance. If you are not using the large, bone in chicken, then you will need to alter your cooking time or you will have dry chicken. When you split into the chicken, there should be clear juice running out, and plenty of it...if not, it's overcooked!
After your chicken rests for 5 minutes, and when you're ready to eat, peel off the skin and discard. Cut off your chicken and then cut it up into small pieces.
When I eat chicken tacos, the only answer for me is CRISPY tortillas. Not the healthiest, I know, but sometimes you just can't substitute for flavor. Just keep telling yourself you are going to be loading it with healthy chicken and loads of veggies. ;)
Mmmm
I like to drain them like this, shaped like tents. That way when they harden, they won't be closed and unable to hold your goodies! =)
One last trick is I put the cheese on the very bottom of the shell, then top with the warm chicken, then veggies. When you do it this way, the cheese will slightly melt and it is so much more flavorful than cold! So, mine look slightly plain, but I can't handle heat {world's most sensitive and all-around terrible stomach, party of 1}, so I have no salsa.
He started with a warmed up corn tortilla before he hit the crispy ones, but his look more exciting than mine.... Enjoy!
Here are the basics, all prepped and ready to go: tomatoes, lettace, red cabbage, and monterey jack cheese. I also put out a couple of different salsas. You could add whatever you like....avocados, etc.
Ok, so this is what sets my tacos apart... the chicken method! I like Las Palmas tacos, and this is based on me trying to make their food at home. Unfortunately it ruined Las Palmas for me because mine are actually better and I can't stomach their chicken anymore. (I think they boil it! gasp!) Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Get out a standard rimmed cookie sheet, and use bone in chicken breasts. Leave the skin on, don't worry, you're not gonna eat it. It makes your chicken so much more moist and flavorful. All you have to do to the chicken is a few drops, the lightest drizzle, of EVOO and top with coarse salt and cracked pepper. That's it, toss it in the oven and set the timer for exactly ONE HOUR. When the hour is up, take out the pan and leave the chicken on the bone until you are ready to assemble. It will get cold too quickly if you take it off the bone too far in advance. If you are not using the large, bone in chicken, then you will need to alter your cooking time or you will have dry chicken. When you split into the chicken, there should be clear juice running out, and plenty of it...if not, it's overcooked!
After your chicken rests for 5 minutes, and when you're ready to eat, peel off the skin and discard. Cut off your chicken and then cut it up into small pieces.
When I eat chicken tacos, the only answer for me is CRISPY tortillas. Not the healthiest, I know, but sometimes you just can't substitute for flavor. Just keep telling yourself you are going to be loading it with healthy chicken and loads of veggies. ;) 
Mmmm
I like to drain them like this, shaped like tents. That way when they harden, they won't be closed and unable to hold your goodies! =)
One last trick is I put the cheese on the very bottom of the shell, then top with the warm chicken, then veggies. When you do it this way, the cheese will slightly melt and it is so much more flavorful than cold! So, mine look slightly plain, but I can't handle heat {world's most sensitive and all-around terrible stomach, party of 1}, so I have no salsa.
He started with a warmed up corn tortilla before he hit the crispy ones, but his look more exciting than mine.... Enjoy!
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