A Whole Hand Old

Sam is officially five. He has made sure everyone knows it. It's all he talks about.

"I'm a WHOLE HAND."

"I'm FIVE now."

"I'm allowed to watch STAR WARS now!"

Five is a big deal. We haven't had a big birthday party for Sam since his 1st, which took place at a park during a heat wave with about bajillion people in attendance. We celebrated his 5th in much the same way.

It's hotter than Hell outside - it must be Sam's birthday.

In a cute little twist of irony, Sam specifically requested Dinosaurs in the Snow as his party theme. I capitalize that as if it is an established party theme, a children's movie or something....nope. I was on my own with this one. Even Pinterest just shrugged at me with its stupid "no pins found" page and left me in the dust.

We worked it out. Pretzels for dinosaur bones, powdered sugar donuts for snowballs and plenty of ice blue and white lollipops and vanilla tootsie rolls. We found a dinosaur cake at the store (store bought! hallelujah!) and I added some marshmallows to it for "snow."

The kids had 4 activities - arctic swimming pools, ice boat races, snow n' slide and blue water balloons. All activities were destroyed in about five minutes - the snow n' slide (tarps with shaving cream on them) bunched up in the grass and the cream ran out quickly. The arctic pools (baby pools) became murky from the shaving cream covered bodies jumping in - but it actually ended up making a cool arctic effect in the water, so yay! The ice boat races were bars of soap with little homemade sails out of scrapbook paper and those worked well - as did the blue water balloons that seemed to completely drench about four children while the rest managed to stay dry.

I made 17 tiny scarves and/or winter hats for all of Sam's toy dinosaurs, and we taped down winter and dinosaur themed jokes onto the tables. All our scarves, gloves and hats made an appearance.

And I forgot to take pictures of everything. Ah well! I did get pics of the adorable kiddos at the party - this was Sam's first "friend" party and he has some pretty great ones.

                                         Elisa came over early with Cara, where we proceeded to
                                        get the most awkward photo ever of our three kids. Hey,
                                        at least he's wearing pants....

                                          They picked up where they last left off and got along famously :)

                                          I love that our daughters are only 6 months apart! So many incredible years ahead.

                                                    I can't believe that little tiny baby is 5!

                                                    Sam got a birthday cupcake from Autymn. He was awestruck.

                                                     Sam was so excited he was allowed to drink Kool-Aid, he went a little nuts. He pounded it like cheap beer at a frat party and ended up puking in the grass at the end of the day.

                      After the cake, Annie was crazy excited she was allowed to go wild with the remaining marshmallows.

                                       I told Charlie no to candy...but Pastor Michael said yes.

                                         Gabriel made Sam the cutest card. I just love these two :)

                                          Best friends holding future BFFs :) Love these ladies.

                                          I probably should've taken the cake out of the box and at least
                                         pretended I made the cake....

                                                   This child is not uncomfortable with attention ;)

                                         All of Sam's friends. So blessed to know all these incredible kids, most of which go to our amazing church. Such wonderful families - excited for more parties!

                                                   Don't mess with Charlie when she's eating Nonna's homemade ziti.

                                          Best friends.

 Tracy was Sam's overnight NICU primary. 5 years later, we still keep in touch with her. Still surprising, she showed us she has had Sam's first footprint and handprint on the back of her badge for five entire years. Cannot believe how far he's come.

                                                  Izzy loved the "snow"

                                         Charlotte's friend Vanessa - inseparable.

                                          Hailey and Aiden in the "arctic pools."

                                         More "snow."

                                          It didn't last very long.....
                                          

 

                                         Covered in "snow."

                                                    Some of the dinos' winter ensembles

                                                  Charlie got a new present too. She takes her play kitchen very seriously, and now she has an outfit to match.

What NOT To Do With a B.A. In English....

As I write this post, that hilarious song from Avenue Q is running through my head.

Well boys and girls, I can now officially tell you what NOT to do with it. 

Frank told me this morning to take the month off of all writing opportunities except for the two long term contracts that pay the bills, in order to focus on finishing the book. He's very obviously my biggest fan when it comes to writing, and who knows if anyone will read it but him! (Note to self: make husband a really great, bada** character....) 

Completely jovial at the prospect of dedicating the day to writing things I actually enjoy, I checked my work email. One publication I write for periodically yields emails from readers, both good and bad. Usually I take it like water on a duck - writing is subjective, so whatever. But I found it odd the subject of the email was regarding a community events piece I wrote. 

As it turns out, in the hustle last week to meet deadlines and balance my work with motherhood, ministry and sanity, I advertised an incorrect 4th of July event. The time wasn't wrong, the location wasn't wrong - the ENTIRE THING WAS WRONG. The venue I listed hasn't had fireworks since 2011. I have no idea how I did this. To make matters worse, I actually wrote an article last summer about how this long-time destination was ceasing to offer fireworks. Somewhere in my magical land of ponies and sunshine I had come across an undated press release (okay really, there's no such thing. I did not note the date), and advertised an event that did not happen. 

Based on the response I've received, it would seem approximately 1,000 people attended this fireworks "event" last night. Fortunately, the carnival and concert happened. The fireworks did not. Here's an excerpt from the email: 

Mine, & many others 4th of July fireworks show was ruined by you.

By the time we were told by a security officer that there was no fireworks display there, it was too late to go to another.

In comparing stories with others, I found at least 2 other groups that go their info from you. In all, there were about 1000 there to watch the fireworks. Seeing how you're the only one to list a fireworks display there for 2013 (Google search, first 50 results, with you being #2), I wonder how many of those 1000 people were there because of you.

This is extremely irresponsible of you. How much did you get for that article? $50? $100? Was it worth it to ruin so many people's celebration?

As the mother of two children, imagine my horror at this. As a person who makes a BIG DEAL out of holidays, imagine my dismay at this. In my mind, causing anyone to miss fireworks equates being responsible for political unrest in the middle east, global warming and the obliteration of the McRib at McDonald's....and then some. I flipping love fireworks. 

I. Am. A. Putz. 

I looked at my numbers and over 8,000 people viewed that piece over the past few days, and in a way it is strangely exciting to see that around 1,000 of those people did exactly what I said to do. Perhaps world domination isn't so out of reach after all. 

No. Not better. This sucks. 

So if you went to the event that shall never again be spoken of, I sincerely apologize. I am going to go stick my head in the oven now. Oh wait - ours is electric. Dang it, I cannot win today. 

July: Impossible

Happy 4th of July! The kids were decked out in red, white and blue this morning as we spent the morning at home having a dance party (typical) and then went swimming. Follow that with time with Frank's amazing parents and then home again for naps and another dance party - and it was a good, chill day.

I am going to need a lot of naps this month. 

Sam has changed his birthday party theme a bunch of times, and as much as we all love Phineas and Ferb, I just could not come up with cute ideas for it. I refuse to buy a party theme pack at a party store and call it a day. Birthdays are a BIG DEAL and I apparently like to punish myself every step of the way. 

Sam likes to punish me too I think - because after cuddling up with him and my phone looking online for party themes, he came up with his own....dinosaurs at a ski lodge. 

Yes, on the 14th we will be hosting a Dino Snow party. In the middle of July, in the middle of the day, outdoors. Suddenly Phineas and Ferb doesn't sound so bad.....

I love Sam so much. One of the biggest reasons is he's just so darn funny and has the hugest imagination. 

So....come on out to some fun in the...snow....only my kid, I swear :) 

What Gives You Hope?

Directing a ministry can be a headache. It can be heartbreaking. It can be budget breaking.

But, at the end of the day, these are just simply comforts that Royal Stage is on the right course, because Jesus never said ministry would be easy. In this world we will have troubles.....but at the end of the day, in the grand scheme of things, it makes me so, so happy and holds an incredible place in my heart.

Great, incredible things are happening in Royal Stage. The only NON-incredible thing is definitely that I am STILL working on the thank you cards from Arts Day of Giving. So if you gave on that day, thank you thank you thank you! Your legit thank you card will be in the mail by Friday, I promise.

Things I LOVE about Royal Stage right now

 - I have heard repeatedly from our instructors these past few weeks that they've had incredible prayer times, spiritual breakthroughs, etc. in their classes. Things are so anointed in that studio - we love it!

- We officially have signed on to a studio in Sacramento - more ministry, more classes, another safe place for people to come create for God. Two dance studios in two years - I'm gobsmacked.

- Our two camps are going FANTASTIC. I was scared to death to simultaneously run two camps, because it seems I never get the administrative & teaching support we need to get it right. But this year - gosh, our staff is incredible! Amanda, Laura, Sue, Kyle, Autymn, Shamaya, Arianna, Hannah, Ryan - I love you guys so much!

- Some of us are leaving the country for a bit in April :)

We also are working with more trafficking survivors, continue our ministry to Section 8 kids, and teach dance at the Mercy house in Lincoln.

If you can, please consider allowing God to use you to help Royal Stage continue to do all these amazing things. If you weren't able to give during Arts Day of Giving, that's okay! We need to round up at least 25 MONTHLY supporters of $25. That is seriously so easy, right? If you can't give $25 a month, consider giving $10. Every little bit helps!

You can give here  - just select recurring donation - http://www.gofundme.com/kw8s4

Or if you have paypal, you can paypal it to me at princesstam25@yahoo.com - just please be sure to specify it's for Royal Stage so it's transferred and credited properly.

Thank you so much everyone! This ministry seriously makes my heart soar - and I like to think many others, too.

Summer Up

I cannot stand summer. I have reverse Seasonal Affective Disorder. I hate the heat, hate my birthday, hate the heat, hate the mosquitos, hate the heat.....

But I'm determined to love summer. They always say that love is a choice, right? So if I have to be in an intimate relationship with this dang season until September or October, then let's do it right.

Things I Love About Summer (and I actually do): 

• reading stories to the kids in the hammock
• swimming, water slides, white water rafting, anything H20! 
• barbecues
• walking through parking lots at night without it being dark
• more opportunities to see people I love 
• pedicures!
• my skin achieves color level PALE instead of just regular TRANSPARENT. So white :( But less so!
• seeing kids' eyes light up as they discover the arts at our summer camps
• Sam's birthday :) 

That's pretty much it. Not a long list, but a decent one. I'll keep working at it....

Old Men Versus Mama Bears

As some have the driven passion to share the message of vegetarianism or Scientology, I have become a zealous fan of the Lemon Blueberry Shortbread ice cream at Baskin Robbins. I have converted many, and some of my Royal Stage teachers are asking for it as payment now, since it's only available at the BR by my house for some reason. 

Excellent. One step closer to my own world superpower - we officially have a currency. 

So as I went to get a scoop for a singing class sub who had caught wind of the ice cream euphoria, an old man was sitting there eating a come of chocolate. Chocolate?  I silently judged him for his lack of adventure. 

Just then, a woman burst into the shop with three exuberant little boys. One of them jumped up and down and shouted in excitement. The mom reached out to calm him, but before she could, the old man shouted "HEY!" angrily at the poor kid. 

Uh oh. 

The mom whipped around and I thought certainly the fire in her eyes would melt the chocolate ice cream and HIS FACE. Mama bear senses criticism of her cub. Must. Destroy. 

I totally get this. I have a little boy. Boys are packed tightly with physical energy and emotional aggression wrapped up in a cute, mommy-lovin' package of dirty fingers and big smiles. There is seriously nothing like being the mom of a little boy. 

But don't. Mess. With. Them. 

"Hey YOURSELF!" She snapped at the old man. "THEY don't get Baskin Robbins every day! They are just excited and he's a CHILD." 

Point for old man - how did woman know the old man got ice cream every day? Seemed like an unfair assessment. 

"We'll I had three boys all at once, and they weren't noisy." 

Point for mom - because really, you had triplets back in the good old days? And even if you did - what do you mean YOU 

Had them ALL AT ONCE? Like babies blew out of your non existent uterus, making a perfectly synchronized entrance into the world? Why aren't you in a museum? Or medical journal? Or you know, dead from that? 

"Go eat your ice cream somewhere else!"  The mom screeched. "I mean it! Get out of here!!!" 

Point for old man as he suddenly became the Rosa Parks of waffle cones, defiantly sitting there, licking his ice cream and staring her down. 

I was impressed by how valiantly the old man defended his right to eat an uninspiring ice cream flavor in peace. I completely understood the mom's freak out over a stranger bellowing at her son. 

We all need something in life to fight for, to stand with. Maybe it's your child, maybe it's chocolate ice cream....whatever it is....make it something good. 

Right now I'm really defining what is worth fighting for in my own life. My kids, obviously. But beyond that? My work....my ministry....certain relationships....myself. Am I worth fighting for? My heart swings back and forth in opinion and honestly, I'm not sure which side will win. 

But I'm here now, and I hope God uses me for something as tough as an old man and as exciting as 31 flavors of ice cream before a child's eyes. 

Yeah. That would be amazing. 

Bad Into Good

On my Facebook feed today, I saw this incredible story. I don't usually click on video links - I like to read, and with two little ones running around it's hard to gauge if a video will be appropriate or not. But I'm glad I clicked this one.

http://www.upworthy.com/long-shot-doctors-inject-fatal-virus-into-dying-girl-this-100-true-story-will-amaze-you?c=ufb1

If you don't have time to watch it, basically this little girl had terminal cancer. The doctors injected the HIV virus into her system, and her cancer vanished. She has been in remission for over a year. They took the HIV virus, made it so it no longer caused illness, and created what is known as "serial killer" cells. These cells kicked butt and took names on Emma's leukemia, and now she is gorgeous, healthy and thriving. She was already gorgeous though - her family's blog is amazing.

I'm not going all granola on you. I don't believe that this will work for everyone with cancer, and neither do the doctors who designed it. But I love the miracle here, and the lesson it teaches.

God has given us incredible minds. He desires us to do good things in this world.

To take something evil like cancer, and then obliterate it with something equally evil like HIV....whoa.

We need to take a cue from this and look at our own lives. What is something bad that has happened to you or is currently happening? How can you fight fire with fire and create something beautiful in the end? Will we let the Devil win in our lives, or will we take hold of our situation....and turn it into something good?

God gave me the opportunity yesterday to help someone with a circumstance I would not have had any chance of giving input on if I hadn't experienced it myself. In one of my most horrible, ugly, shameful life moments - God used it for good for a brief passage of time.

Yeah. I want more of that.