Testing 1,2,3....

Well, let's see how this goes. It's definitely been a long time since I have blogged. I can't believe Christmas is already here. I am going to post a pic of the boys that we took for our Christmas card this year. If my computer cooperates, then I'll post again in more detail to catch everyone up on the happenings in the DeShong home!

Out of Order!

Sorry folks, but my computer has been on the fritz and it won't allow me to post anything on this blog. I am furiously typing before the window will just shut down, as it has on me everytime I have tried to post! Stay tuned, I will try to post as soon as we figure out this whole computer issue!!

The Fairmont Fair 2007

A highlight event at our church is the annual Awana Fairmont Fair. Our kids participate in the Awana program, as mentioned before, and the clubs put on a classic carnival style fair every year, filled with game booths, fair food, prizes, and lots of fun for very little money.

Last night, our family went down to church to help with the setup. Dave was helping to build the booths, and the boys and I helped paint the signs that went on each game booth. It was a lot of fun! I received the ultimate in complements (if you want to look at it that way). Someone asked if Luke and I were brother and sister. Yes, you heard it right. Brother....and....sister. Are you kidding me? When I told him we were mother and son, he looked at me with a blank stare and said, "Well, I knew you were related, because you look so much alike!" OK. Whatever!

Today, we went to the fair, and had a great time working in the booths, visiting the booths, winning prizes, and eating an extremely healthy lunch. Oh yes, I just love nachos. Yum! The boys ate nachos. And popcorn. And candy. And snow cones. And soda. And soon, we are going to ask them to actually go to sleep???? We'll see how that goes. They even helped their Awana leaders by working in their game booths with them. And Vance and Luke also helped Dave and I work in our booth, as well. They are such sweet helpers.

All in all, a lot of fun was had by all. It is such a joy to be a part of our wonderful church. We are truly blessed by all that goes on inside and outside of its walls.

Out of the woods....Literally!

Well, officials have declared that Santa Clarita is now at no risk of being damaged any further by these horrific wildfires. Our neighboring communities have lost several homes, and that is literally just around the corner. Streets I drive often. God has sovereignly kept our family and all of our friends in this valley safe from harm. Some of our friends reportedly had fire as close as 100 yards away from their homes, but have all returned after evacuations to find their homes still in tact. God is good. By the way, God is good if the house burned down, too.

I forgot to mention one detail that we are thankful for. The truck is now running! After a two-month engine rebuild and some rough edges to smooth out, Dave got it running...just in time to leave in case of fire. How do like them apples???

I intend to put up a video of the engine starting (I know, it's exciting stuff), but the cable to download my pictures is, yes, you guessed it, packed up in the trailer! We are slowly putting things back where they belong and returning back to normal life, if there is such a thing! We are even having some friends over for dinner tomorrow night. Life goes on....

Fire....Close to Home

For those of you not living in our immediate area, several (around 15) wildfires broke out in Southern California simultaneously on Sunday, creating a state of emergency over 7 counties. It is an incredibly treacherous situation here. Included in these fires is the Agua Dulce Fire, which traveled down into Canyon Country, one of our neighboring communities. Yesterday, it started making its way into Saugus, just about 1 mile from our home. As neighborhoods north of us were being evacuated, it became apparent to us that we must prepare to leave. We figured we should start packing up before it's too late and we are rushed out. Better safe than sorry, I always say. So we hitched up the trailer and began filling it with important documents, boxes of pictures, and other important momentos. The boys thought they should bring everything they own, and began to pack up the sheets on their bed even! (Let's just say we had to do some sorting out)! Being raised here in Southern California, wildfires have always been a threat, but I have never gotten to the point of actually starting to pack things up. We watched the news over the course of yesterday afternoon, and thankfully, the fire began to move away from us and evacuations were being lifted. With the Santa Ana winds, extremely low humidity, and the 90 degree heat, however, we are still in danger of flying embers, which have already started countless other fires in the area. So we are ready if we need to leave, althought it's unlikely at this point.

You know, it is these "big life issues" that I have no trouble with. In the big things, such as the loss of a loved one, the loss of a home, etc, I tend to find my heart calm, trusting in God, patient with the outcome no matter which way it goes. I found myself saying yesterday, "it's just a house". Big things remind me that I cannot control the circumstances of life. I would be in desperation if I thought I could do even the slightest thing to change or alter the events that will occur. To know God is to know He is the one in control. He rules this universe and orders every detail. He allows all things, good and bad, according to His purposes. It's the little things I struggle with. Why did the milk get spilled again? Why is there gum on the pants? Why do I always find dirty clothes on the floor every day? Why can't the boys just sit quietly and do their schoolwork? Why...why...why? But God orders the big things as He does with the small. I struggle with thinking that I can control and order the events of my day. What folly! In my own strength and ability I can do nothing. Then I tend to get the frustrated, impatient, controlling attitude, wondering why things aren't going MY way. I need to be content with how God has planned my day, and not try to plan it on my own. It's OK to have a general plan, but I need to truly be content when that plan goes off track.

With all that said, we are thankful to still be in our home. I am thankful for a husband who takes care of us. I am thankful for my sister who is standing by ready to receive us if we have to leave. I am thankful for the countless firefighters and officials who are tirelessly working on our behalf. God is faithful!

Busy, Busy, Busy

Life is busy. There are always things to do. But sometimes we have seasons that occur in this home in which it seems we will never have a quiet moment. This is one of those seasons. In fact, I have attempted to post an update on this blog on several occasions, only to have something more important that needs to be done take precidence.

Comparatively speaking, we are not "busy" people, as are some other families. We are not the "go to soccer, to karate, to sheep shearing lessons, to underwater basking weaving, to the grocery store, to pick up Johnny, to drop off Lisa, to stop for dinner, to stop home and drop the groceries off, to pick up the kids, to drop dead from sheer exhaustion, wake up and do it all the next day" people. I cannot live like that. Some days are like that, don't get me wrong. Like today: School, laundry, off to PE at the park, to the dentist for two "complicated" extractions, and then back home. But we have purposefully made the choice to not be running around people, because we enjoy the simplicity of life at it's minimal activity level. After all, there are always things we delight in doing that keep us busy enough, such as Sunday church and Wednesday night youth ministry, along with our homeschool group's activities.

But even so, life is still so busy right now. There is a long list of "to do's" around here, which all seem to be knocking at poor Dave's door all at once. The truck is still saying "Get me to run, please", the flooring in the garage says "Install me", the kitchen cabinets are arguing with the floors, demanding "no, we come first, we WILL be fixed first!", "no, Dave, you must first spend 8 hours a day with me," whines Dave's job, "Daddy, could you fix my bike", "Dave could you fix the leak in the toilet", "Dave, Dave, Dave"! Poor Dave! At one point, it will all calm down, but for now, there is work to be done. It is hard for me to keep a proper perspective when life gets overwhelming. I tend to crave the order that once characterized our home. It's not the way I like it. I am walking on bare dirty concrete, the house does not appear clean or ordered. Visually, it bugs me! I just want everything to be back to normal! But I am learning that in the busyness of life, there is one constant. God is always the same, yesterday, today, and tomorrow. He is always faithful, always merciful, always sovereign. And He wants me to delight in Him, no matter what my circumstances may be. It's nothing deep and theological. God is simply God, and He never changes. It's my stinky attitude that changes, demanding that things go my way. I need to love the road I'm on, not just look for the destination. Enjoy the process of repairing cars and homes, extracting teeth, living in dust, and enjoying the God who gives us these priveleges. They are, indeed priveleges that are bestowed upon us by a gracious God. It is a privelege to be given the means and ability to repair our vehicles and our home. It is a privelege to have dental care. To have an education, and activities by which the children can learn and grow. Thanks be to God for the busyness of our life. Perhaps after Christmas it will all calm down.......

What L.A. Needs is a County Fair....

Yesterday, the boys and I took a field trip to the L.A. County Fair with our homeschool group. OK, well, with another family. No other families showed up! But what a way to go-with a school group! You get free parking, free admission, free milk, and free ride tickets for turning in book reports. The boys probably rode about $100 worth of rides for free! It was such a wonderful day. We spent the day with the Kirby family from our homeschool group, and it was delightful. We saw shows, animals, exhibits, and of course, went on the rides. A highlight for everyone was the Shangri-La Chinese Acrobats. We all sat there with our jaws in our laps for about half an hour. Amazing! I would have gone to the fair just to see them perform. And I went home with a new dry mop for my hardwood floors! What a deal. Everyone left happy! I could have spent hours just perusing the shopping areas, but I spared the boys the torture. And, by the way, our pig didn't win any of the pig races. No free bacon for me this year. Maybe next year!

Work Hard and Be Rewarded

We are in the process of some home improvement projects around here. Our ultimate goal: To install the new hardwood floors we bought! Of course, there are other minor projects we have to finish to get to that goal. This past weekend, we ripped out all of our tile. Here is Suzanne's list of must-have home improvement helps:

1) A handy husband

2) A rented jack-hammer

3) Some male offspring

The combination of the three was entirely too effective in making quick of what otherwise would have been a very long and tedious process! We had a production line: Dave was ripping out tiles, the boys were removing tiles to the wheelbarrow in the backyard, and I was sweeping up the mess! The boys worked SO HARD. Not a complaint. Not a "Daddy, can I take a break?" Not a "what do I get if I help"? Just honest to goodness sweat and hard work. We were so proud of those boys, who truly did make the project so much quicker and easier. Dave loves to reward our boys for hard work, so off to Val Surf to get some much needed new skateboards. The boys have all taken quite an interest in the sport, and have really enjoyed watching the X-Games and using our little mini-ramp in the backyard. So here's to another reason to visit the emergency room, yeah? Well, I'm alright with it. They're boys, and they do boy stuff. All I can do is sit back and enjoy!

Crepes are yummy!

I have had a serious hankering for crepes since we returned from San Francisco, where I partook of that delicious lemon crepe at Pier 39. Can you believe I have never attempted my own crepes? My sis, Karen has been making them for years, and I had convinced myself that they were just "too hard"! Yeah, yeah, nice excuse. Well, this morning I pulled up a simple recipe online, and I was surprised to find how easy they are to make! I whipped up two fillings: one was chopped apples sauted in butter, cinnamon, and allspice, and the second was a nice thick blueberry sauce, simply made from some frozen blueberries, sugar, and some cornstarch to thicken. My kids LOVED them. Well, wouldn't you? A crepe, a little fruit filling, some whipped cream, and a syrup drizzle? Now you're talking. The boys just couldn't get enough. So, if you have never made crepes, and love to eat them, I insist, it really is very simple to do. Impress your family today! Make them crepes!

A Trip Up the Coast!

Austin and I just returned from a whirlwind weekend up the California coast with my Dad (Austin's Papa Steve). In years previous, my Mom and Dad would take this same route every year, the ultimate destination being a party given by a long time friend of my parents, Norm, at his house in Sonoma. Last year, my Dad escorted Karen and Emma on this same trip. This year, Austin and I had the privilege of accompanying him.

We left Thursday afternoon and headed up to Solvang for a little shopping (most stores were closed by the time we got there, however)! We then had dinner at AJ Spurs, which I can honestly say has the BEST beef ribs I have ever tasted! YUM! We then drove another hour or so to our hotel in Arroyo Grande, just a few miles south of San Luis Obispo.

Early the next morning we headed up to Monterey for a visit to the famous and extensive Monterey Bay Aquarium. We all enjoyed perusing the fish, otters, and various sea life. The otter exhibits are amazing! I could have stood there watching their antics for hours. Our visit was paused in the middle for a delicious lunch at Bubba Gump's Shrimp Company (Run, Forrest, Run)! We enjoyed garlic peel and eat shrimp, artichoke dip, and fried calamari. Perfect! Back to the aquarium to finish up, and then we were off to San Francisco.

We arrived around dinnertime, checked in to our hotel, and promptly made our way over by foot to the Rainforest Cafe. This must have been "frog heaven" for Austin, as it was a highly decorated theme restaurant centered around their mascot, Cha Cha the frog. Good grief, what a sight! Waterfalls, animatronic jungle animals, stars, fish tanks...What more could a kid ask for? Ok, some mini hot dogs. There. Now it's complete!

The next day brought many activities in the charming city of San Francisco. Austin and I rode the cable car, and then we all took off on a cruise to Alcatraz. This fascinated Austin, as I can remember it doing for me as a child. We took the audio tour, then browsed the gift shop, where Austin was intrigued by a "rock", which my Dad bought for him along with a historical book of the island. This "rock" is an actual piece of the island that results from the recent renovation they are doing on the island. The proceeds from the sale of these rocks will continue to fund the restoration process. Apparently, this rock is extremely valuable- at least to Austin- he insisted on locking it up in the safe at the hotel for "safe" keeping. No pun intended. We ended our day at the famous Scoma's restaurant, where, after an hour long wait, Dad and I feasted upon the well-worth-the-longest-wait-imaginable: Cioppino. To die for!!!! And the sourdough bread: A masterpiece in itself. A little shopping at Pier 39, along with a lemon dessert crepe, and we were good to go. Not bad for a day's work.

The next morning we awoke and made our way over to a very quaint little local restaurant, the Balboa Cafe for breakfast. Dad insisted this was the BEST breakfast he ever had. He enjoyed corned beef hash, while Austin had the most delicious french toast I have ever laid my eyes on (not to mention my mouth). I had chorizo and eggs scrambled with bell peppers. YUM!

We were then on our way to Sonoma, but before we crossed the beautiful Golden Gate bridge, we stopped for some postcard perfect pictures. We checked in at the Sonoma Valley Inn, and then off to Norm's party. It was a wonderful party, and Austin had an absolute ball. There was swimming, casino tables (where Austin learned to play Blackjack using chips of no real value), a bounce house, cotton candy, popcorn, a pinata, Mexican buffet for dinner, ping pong, etc. etc. We all had a wonderful time. We ended the evening with a lovely soak in the hot tub back at the hotel. Oh, and Aunt Jan and Uncle Ron even came out from Vegas to the party. It was lovely chatting with them and seeing them.

The following morning, it was already time to leave. We had breakfast with Aunt Jan and Uncle Ron at the local cafe, where I had the most superior biscuits and gravy on the entire PLANET. No, I was not lacking in good food this entire weekend. I don't think I tasted one thing that wasn't worthy of an A+ rating. We made our way down the coast in six hours flat and back to reality. My Dad was very sweet, very generous, and really enjoyed himself, as did Austin and I as well. This will be a trip we will not soon forget. Thanks for everything, Dad (and Papa Steve). We enjoyed our time with you.