40 by 40: #39 and 40 -The End...

Well, this is it.
I ventured out to experience 40 things I've never done before (big or small), and I have done it. I have had a ball and have been encouraged along the way to continue "living life". I will...

As you have gathered by my posts, I love to eat, explore and experiment. And, I love natural beauty - God's creation, especially the ocean. How fitting that on the first day of my 40s I enjoyed all of this. We enjoyed breakfast on the deck, reflecting on the past decade and hopes for the year.

 Later we went for a brief walk along the coast.

 Our final stop was in Santa Rosa for lunch at Guy Fieri's Johnny Garlic's (#39). Volcano chicken and molten chocolate lava cake (what's a birthday without cake??) were my selections, and I was not disappointed. Delicious.

Volcano chicken
pic from http://onefellin.blogspot.com/2012/04/out-for-dinner-at-johnny-garlics.html

We returned to Richmond to pick up our sweet daughters (thanks Dave and Josie!!) and go home to Enoch (thanks Ann!!). And the celebration continued...more chocolate cake and 40 kisses from my 3 year old son. Makes me smile.

Thanks for joining me as I pursued 40 by 40!! It's been a fun, eye-opening, encouraging journey. I am glad that I took it (thanks for the inspiration Jan!), grateful you have joined me, and I look forward to what God has in store as the year goes on.
Now. Go.
Do your own!

Oh, the 40th thing I've never done before is TURNED 40!!! 

40.
Rest.

40 by 40: #36-38

The remaining 5 posts involve portions my birthday celebration this weekend.

#36 We traveled along the northern coast of California on CA-1, the Pacific Coast Highway (aka PCH). There were spectacular views along the way as we traveled to our destination of Elk, CA (which is #37), a small (very small) town of 250 people, and the location of our bed and breakfast and home for the weekend, Greenwood Pier Inn (#38). Located on a cliff next to the ocean, there are 14 unique rooms housed in several different buildings. This is a picture of where our room was located.

Pic from http://www.cabbi.com/inn/Greenwood-Pier-Inn

We found this B&B through a great deal they offered on Travelzoo (how else would you find Elk, CA???). It was so worth it.

In this town of 250 people, there was no cell phone service, 1 store, 4 cafes/restaurants and the ocean. Our room had no telephone, no flat screen TV, and no reliable wi-fi. What it did have is a private deck with this view of the ocean and rock formations at sunset.   

 It also had an upper level, with a 2-person soaking tub with this view from the bay window by the tub.

There is a wood burning stove, and a sitting area, perfect for cuddling up on the cool nights.
On the premises there is an outdoor hot tub (too cold for me to do that), a restaurant (so we didn’t have to leave unless we wanted to), and a continental breakfast of granola, yogurt, fresh fruit, juice and pastries, was brought to our door around “9ish”.

It is quiet and peaceful - I’m sitting in the room with my boo, a fire going, while enjoying the sounds of the ocean as I type (of course I can’t post it yet because the wi-fi is spotty).
I am resting.
Of all of the possible ways I pondered to bring in 40 (a party, dancing, Vegas, Lake Tahoe), this was perfect.

Last day of my 30s

For my 30th birthday I threw a "My Favorite Things" party, and it was fun. Then, that year alone I changed careers, moved to a different state, and met the man who would become my husband. My 30s were marked by whole lot of movement – I moved to 3 different states (Florida, Tennessee and California), moving at least 2 times within each location. I met, dated (very long distance-he lived in South Africa at the time) and married my boo. I went from being a teacher to an event planner and missionary to a wife and stay at home mom (and writer!!). I had 3 children – with the twins being born 10 months after we moved to California.  My thirties was all about movement and transition.
I look forward to rest (internally, if not externally). I know you are wondering how in the world is she going to rest with 3 kids 3 and under??? LOL. For the record, I'm wondering too - but God knows, God knows.
I am learning that rest is not only a state of being, it is a state of mind. Looking forward to it...

40 By 40: #35 - Ladies' Trip - Monterey Bay

#35 is a ladies' trip to Monterey Bay for our friend, Ann’s, birthday. The trip came about as a reward for goal-setting (and achieving). Four months prior, Ann created a list of goals that she wanted to accomplish. As motivation, she came up with the idea to reward herself with a trip for her birthday once she achieved them. Then, she decided it would be even more fun to involve others. So, she invited a few of us to create our own goals. At the end, we all traveled to Monterey Bay to stay at Casa Munras (a first for me) and spend the day at Carmel-by-the-Sea. What better way to help get motivated to do what you know you should be doing anyway, than an overnight trip with friends, to the beach. I mean, really?

40 by 40: #34 Enoch's Birthday celebration

I love celebrating birthdays, my own and others, so the remaining 40 by 40 posts will involve birthday celebrations.

#34 was our birthday celebration for Enoch in November. There were a couple of firsts involved. It was our first toddler party (a sundae party), and first party at a marina. It was so much fun to celebrate with our firstborn who now understands birthday celebrations, is excited about them (he sang "Happy Birthday" to Jesus during Christmas time), but isn't old enough to have a sense of entitlement or be demanding. He only asked for two things, a truck and a "brown cake". 

Love this little boy.

His party involved many of his favorite things:
Kite flying

"Brown cake" and ice cream sundaes 

His family

And the playground with friends.

 

40 By 40 #31, 32, 33: Atlanta: Impact 2013, ER and Chick Fil A

The remaining posts (10!!!) will be about locales outside of the East Bay area.

We have been to Atlanta, numerous times. Love the city. It is definitely one of my favorite Southern cities to visit. And, it holds a special place in my heart. Reggie proposed to me in Centennial Park in Atlanta 8 years ago. During Operation Eastward, we were in Atlanta to attend the Impact 2013 conference, held by the Impact Movement, a ministry to African-American college students, were we both served for a couple of years. It was at Impact 2004 where we met.

So, it was very exciting to take all three of our children back to where it all began, Atlanta, to the Impact conference, and introduce them to people who knew us before there was an "us". Sweet times with great lifetime friends who have prayed with/for us, journeyed with us, cried and laughed with us. Just sweet times.

Enoch at the conference with Josiah, one of his godbrothers.  

Of course, you noticed "ER" in the title. Unfortunately, our first trip to the emergency room for one of the children occurred in Atlanta. Bella fell off the bathroom counter as I reached for a towel. I was alone with all three kids. And, hysterical. Yeah, that is how you would describe it. Hysterical. As God would have it, I had just returned to the room from the opening session of the Impact conference, and had just seen my friend, Melody, with her sister. The significance of that is her sister is a pediatrician.

I called Reggie immediately and in between tears (and bashing/blaming myself), I tried to explain to him what happened and told him to find Lynn. Yes. In a ballroom full of people (about 900-1000), I tell him to find one. And, he set out to find her. The first person he asked said, "Oh, there she is right there."

They came up, she examined Bella, assured me she was going to be ok (I was still in hysterics), but because she felt a small lump (hematoma), she recommended we go to the ER of the children's hospital nearby, where she had privileges. That hospital happened to be about 4 minutes away.

We arrived, and we spoke with the attending physician, who is asking questions - what happened, why are we in Atlanta from Cali, etc. etc. The questioning proceeds in such a way that she finds out who recommended we come. To which she replies, "Oh well, if she already checked her, you were in good hands, she's my boss." Understand this, our first significant injury (head trauma, no less) happened less than 5 minutes away from a children's hospital, with a pediatrician in the same building as us, and not just any pediatrician, a professor and one who trains, supervises, manages and directs other pediatricians, I had just spoken to her in passing, so I knew to ask for her, and Reggie found her in a ballroom full of people. Do you see the grace in this? Do you understand how differently could've gone? So grateful.

Bella in her hospital gown.
Playing with Daddy while we waited for her x-ray.

Thankfully, Bella was fine. The next day as we were walking around the hotel, people kept inquiring about her. We found out a message had been sent to the conference workers requesting prayer for her. People had been praying. For the remainder of the week, people would inquire and we were reminded of God's grace. His grace and love covers a multitude...

To end the trip on a lighter note is #33...
Atlanta is the location of the Chick Fil A Bowl. The hotel that hosted the conference also hosted Chick Fil A Bowl activities, and the Duke team. There were fans everywhere, and mascots. While we didn't attend the game, I had the chance to take Enoch to his first parade, the Chick Fil A Bowl parade. Great first time experience - free footballs and frisbees. He loves Chick Fil A. And the cows. That is, he loved the cows until he realized how big the Chick Fil A cow really is, then he decided he didn't like them anymore and a picture was not going to happen. Oh well... I was able to get a couple of shots of both Duke and Texas A&M marching bands.

40 By 40 # 30-Twins Everywhere!

We have twins. When we went to Johnson City, Reggie's mother pointed out that over the last year there were two other sets of twins born on her side of the family (cousins), and recommended we gather them all for a picture. Here they are from youngest to oldest.

I don't know what Issa was doing, but I think she'd had enough pictures.

I am often asked if twins run on my side of the family. Um. Yes. My dad is a twin. My mother has twin brothers. A great uncle was a twin. An uncle had twins. A cousin had twins. And here is a picture of my children with my sister's children. She has two sets of twins. So. Yes. Yes. Twins run in the family.

From left: Chauncey is holding Enoch. His twin, Charis is standing behind them. Ayah (the oldest), is holding our twin girls. Jaden is standing behind her, with his arm around his twin, Jaila.
We have made Ayah and Enoch honorary twins. Ironically, they do have similarities.

40 By 40: #29 - Multi-state Photo shoots

Every year we do well if we are able to get one family photo session. We usually do it in November (or if we are really late, December) to be used for our Christmas card. And every year, Reggie and I have some type of disagreement right up until the moment we snap the photo. Then we get positioned. Set the timer (Reggie has taken all of our past Christmas photos). Smile. Marvel at how well the pictures turned out in spite of us. And, then vow to do it differently the next year. Every. Year.

This past year, we had the sense to realize there was no way we could do the timer thing - not with three little ones. So, we enlisted a friend (thanks Curtis!!). Mostly to take the photos, but also as a safeguard against arguing (just keeping it real...) You've seen some of those:

Session 1: Point Richmond, California

Once we started planning Operation Eastward, we thought it would be a fun opportunity to take photos with our siblings' families in both Tennessee and in North Carolina (although the TN shoot grew a bit). So, we did it.  For the first time ever, I participated in (and lived thru) three Christmas photo shoots, in 3 different states:

Session 2: Johnson City, TN with Reggie's family

Session 3: Cary, NC with my sister and her family.
Yes, we've got a lot of kids :D

*Note to those who are looking at these wondering where your copy is. We got 'em. You'll get 'em... eventually.  Send us a self-addressed photo envelope and you'll get them even faster. No need for stamps. I bought the stamps. Forgot the envelopes. 

Ok, ok I'm just kidding...sort of. 

40 by 40 #28 - Glazing pottery pieces

Step 2 of creating pottery is glazing. Pretty simple to do, just put a wax coating on the bottom to prevent sticking, select the desired glaze/glaze combination, and paint it on. Easy enough. However, I still had more to learn. First, pottery shrinks during the initial drying/firing stage. Then, several of the glazes look alike (red) until it goes thru the final firing phase. And, there is still more waiting until we see our final products. Stay tuned...

Ann and I working on our pieces

Step 2 completed. Stay tuned...

40 By 40 #27: Surprising NC cousins

We had been planning the trip "Operation Eastward" for months and decided that one of our gifts to our nieces and nephews would be to surprise them, by arriving late on Christmas Eve. This was no small feat. They are inquisitive, intelligent detectives. It is five of them - a 15 year old, a set of twins who are 12, and another set of twins who are 10 - (yes, my sister and her hubby have two sets of twins. Yes, it was sort of inevitable for us I suppose...) And, they work together. So, we needed to be alert at all times once they decided to start their investigations on when/if we would finally come to visit. I must say, they are pretty good detectives, and pretty slick - they almost caught us off guard a couple of times. But, the surprise to introduce them to their newest cousins was a success!

Does this look like 11:00pm Christmas Eve???

40 by 40 #26: Gingerbread building

I have always wanted to build a gingerbread house. But, I don't always enjoy baking, and I have a short attention span when it comes to crafting. Combining the two, and the thought of buying all of the candy, icing, etc. needed to actually make the house always seemed daunting and overwhelming. Daunting and overwhelming does not sound like fun. So. No gingerbread house building for me! Until now.

Now that companies make gingerbread house and train kits (both Trader Joe's, Toys R Us house kits), it's much easier to accomplish. My sister-in-law had the great idea and bought these. We built the gingerbread train in Johnson City, TN and took the gingerbread house with us to Cary, NC. Gingerbread building is quite tempting for little ones who want to eat the building materials. And it's a tad bit messy, but so much fun. The best part was watching and helping Enoch make memories with family. Fun times!!
I feel a building contest in the works for next year...

 Johnson City, TN - Train
Auntie Neesie getting us organized, while Granna, and cousins Jadon and Jace look on,
 and Enoch "examines" the candy.

Daddy and Granna getting in on the action.
 Three generations working together.

Cary, NC - House building

With cousins Ayah, Jaila, Jaden, Chauncey and Charis

40 by 40 #s 23, 24, 25 - Family Travels

As many of you know (because we saw you!!!) we did a lot of traveling over the holidays. A lot. It was fun, crazy, exciting, exhausting, beautiful and insane. On the front end, I had no idea how we would get it all done. While it seemed like a wonderful idea during the early planning stages, as we got closer to departure, the practicality became a bit overwhelming. Picture our return flight (I've got to get better at photo-journaling, but I trust you'll get the word picture). We returned with and checked 2 large suitcases, 1 large box, 1 expanded roller carry-on, 3 car seats,  a stroller frame and a pack and play (thank goodness for Southwest's 2 free bag policy!). We carried on a duffle, a small roller bag, an adult backpack, a kid backpack, a diaper bag, 2 infants and a toddler. Yeah. Craziness.

Over 2 1/2 weeks, we took 3 children - 7 month old twins and a 3 year old -  on 4 flights (that's a first for me - #23) covering almost 5000 miles. We rented a minivan (that's also a first, so I'll call that #24) and took our first family of 5 road trip, driving almost 1000 miles (and that is #25). On the back end, I am amazed and grateful that we did it all and would not trade the experience.  Even with all of the activity it was a refreshing and encouraging time with friends and family after such a challenging year. I am so glad we pushed through and even more grateful for those who prayed for us every little step of the way. Several of the next few posts will be a few things I'd never done that occurred during the trip. Almost there...

Although this was Enoch's 7th flight, it was the 1st in which he was able to articulate his emotions. He was so excited.  As we took off he exclaimed "I LOOOOVE THIS!!"

Issa (above) and Bella's first flight!

Yes, that is a look of relief that we made it.
One thing we learned is each row has 4 oxygen masks. We are a family of 5, so we were not able to sit together.  So two fortunate individuals got a chance to sit with our family. Seriously, the kids did great. Ask the flight attendants who played with them and gave Enoch a bag of goodies to thank him as we left.

Enoch in the back of the minivan with Granna and his Tennessee cousins.