Rest, Relax, Repeat

 Aunt Bebba and Nugget Time

Joben + Magooch + Shiner Bock + Poolside + BBQ = Much needed R&R

Family Fun

I love this little girl... Nugget and "Bebba"

Pink Pool Day with Popsicles

Life's Little Secrets

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

 

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

 

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

 

4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents  will. Stay in touch.

 

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

 

6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

 

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

 

8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

 

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

  

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

   

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

 

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

 

13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

 

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

 

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.

   

16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

 

17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

 

18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

 

19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.

 

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

 

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

 

22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

 

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

 

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

 

25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

 

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'

 

27. Always choose life.

 

28. Forgive everyone everything.

 

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

 

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

 

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

 

32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

 

33. Believe in miracles.

 

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

 

35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

 

36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.

 

37. Your children get only one childhood.

 

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

 

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

 

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

 

41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

 

42. The best is yet to come...

 

43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

 

44. Yield.

 

45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

Family Field Trip, Drunken Sailor, and Indian Joe

Uncle Fuzzy's Retirement Fiesta

Friday night, I picked up my pops and we headed to the valley to pick up my brother for our cousin's retirement party. My dad and I had a great drive up even though traffic was the typical ihatedrivinginla kind of traffic. We had great conversation and we also discovered Tapatio Doritos which should be banned from anywhere near my reach. Since I wasn't drinking, I sat back and enjoyed the show that night. Alex has these dance moves that you wouldn't believe. After an hour he was drenched in sweat and had every woman, young and old surrounding him as he wowed them with his suave moves. My dad and I were laughing because we thought he looked like an idiot but in the end, there we were dancing by ourselves because now, even the MEN were surrounding Alex. Anyway, as a re-cap from that night, I still suck at salsa dancing, really love Del Taco and forgot how loudly my dad snores.

She LOVED the water

Saturday I headed south to look at a property with my real estate agent and on my way back to check the surf in Salt Creek, I got a spontaneous phone call from sis telling me we were going on a Duffy in Newport. The trend this weekend is traffic, so let's just keep following that. It took me about 45 minutes to get from Salt Creek to Newport because the US Open brought in about 300,000+ people and their cars all up and down PCH. Once I got there, I was greeted by a drunken sailor who was dressed to impress in her sailor hat and over sized life vest. Jayme loved the Duffy and what do you do with a drunken sailor? Snuggle her while she passes out from all the fun. I love my nugget/sis/ry time. They've stepped up to a much bigger role in my life and without them, I wouldn't be the person I am today.

Her way of making sure I'm still singing

Sunday, Alex and I headed to the Garden for an early set up before service at 9. First thing was first- COFFEE. I don't ever really need it but I love everything about coffee. Alex and I are both pretty new to the whole coffee experience. I made it all through college without one sip of coffee and as soon as I got a 8-5 job, I was doomed. Usually I go the first 3 hours of the day without it because I'm a morning person and then about 10-11am I go into siesta mode. Anyway, I consider myself a social drinker when it comes to coffee; Sunday mornings or Saturday evenings at church, I love to have a cup of coffee with my brother. Whether we are sharing a bottle of wine or enjoying a good cup of Joe together, we always have good bonding time.

Starting the day/week with church is something I highly recommend to anyone, even if you aren't a believer. "Why?" you ask? Well let me tell you. Church is full of positive energy and that same energy gets taken out into the world to make people happy. Anyway, Alex and I parked and decided we were going to give all the cash in our wallet to the church that morning. I told him to save some for parking and he said "don't worry, God will provide." Okay, buddy sure"- I went with it.

While we were setting up, I looked into the prayer room and noticed one of our girls praying in tears. I kept quiet about it and didn't approach her but instead, I prayed for her all morning. After the pastor spoke, he asked whoever needed prayer to come up front. She did. He then asked for whoever wanted to pray over these people to come forward. I did. I put my hands on her and prayed over her and reminded her who was in charge.

At that time, I didn't know what she was going through but it didn't matter because apparently whatever I said, struck a nerve and was exactly what she needed to hear. She had a financial burden and was struggling with her tithing. She knew she was to give 10% of her income but she couldn't afford it. I reminded her not to keep from a God who has given her everything. She cried, walked away and came back to me with a smile on her face. She told me she trusted God to take care of her and in my hand, she slipped whatever cash she had left. She wanted to pay for my parking.

As we left the structure, we didn't need the $3 she gave us because it took a credit card so I told my brother I wanted to find someone else to give it to. If you've been in downtown Long Beach, you know there are PLENTY of people to give it to. After I planted my eyes on the man I wanted to give it to, Alex pulled over and I ran up to the man. I told him God wanted me to give him the money that was previously given to me. He asked why and I told him I didn't know but maybe he knew why. He held my hand with the money in both of his and said "may God bless you." I asked him his name and he said "Indian Joe; I live in the park over there on Orizaba- that's where you can find me." I smiled and said "Okay Indian Joe, I'll pray for you." As I walked away, he called out and asked my name. I told him and he said "Okay, Rebecca, I will also pray for you." That money the girl  trusted God to use went to a purpose greater than she probably would have thought.

I took the positive energy from that morning and spent the rest of the day doing whatever I wanted. And I'm sure you can all guess what that was; yup- surfed, ate pizza and ice cream, and fell asleep on the couch. It was the perfect day. 

Weekly Bible Verse:
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7

Keep a Green Tree in Your Heart and Perhaps a Singing Bird Will Come.

Life on The Toledo: It's been 2 years on The Toledo and I'm not gonna lie, I'm anxious to move on and into a place of my own but it's days like Sunday that keep me happy. My girls have been my rock over the last month and sitting outside on the lawn in our party pants is just one of the few memories I'll take with me. They remind me I can't do things on my own. Lo reminds me God has a plan and Bertman reminds me how to let go of the small things and lean on the people who love me most.

Loseph

Bertman and I in our "party pants"

Jayme, is my entire world right now. She walks now even though she looks as if she was over-served at the milk bar. She laughs and when she sees me (or any watch) she says "be-ba." Only 14 months and she's already turned into a little person. Sis doesn't exactly approve of the way I let her feed herself yogurt, or the fact I taught her to jump on my bed like a monkey, but hey... :-) 

Alex and I have started going to this church downtown called The Garden. It's upstairs at Cohiba which is kind of funny to me. Saturday night, people are drinking, smoking and doing God knows what just to turn it around 8 hours later into holy ground. The people are so real and I would love to make this church my home. Bill, the pastor has a lot of good points and one that stuck with me this week is "if you can't learn to be content without something, how will you ever learn to be content with it?" This spoke to me especially after this crazy month.

At the end of the week, I'm still reminded of my priorities and guidelines. Pray deeply every day even for those you wish not to, keep God first, family second, myself third.

Bible verse of the week: 1 Corinthians 13:4-8
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.   Love never fails."