the start of something amazing...

Last Spring, a publishing company and a church came together for a beautiful marriage. Like all marriages there have been ups and downs, and a LOT of teamwork. I am excited to share with you a project that I have been blessed to be a part of. It's called Trû Ministry, and I believe that it will change the face of kids and family ministries. When the website went up just over a week ago, I really couldn't believe that it was finally up for all to see. While there are specific people writing the lessons (and I am not one of them), each lesson is brainstormed in a group and I feel so attached to our Prototype lesson for Preschool! As Alex and I were talking about the project last week, I told him that I never would have imagined that I would be working on a curriculum project, yet now, I can't imagine not being a part of this process! I am so excited that God chose the team that he has to work on Trû. I hope you'll take a jump over to www.truministry.com, check out our philosophy and our sample lessons. I'd love to hear what you think!

it's that time again...

...for baseball season! Well, technically it's softball! We went to see our favorite player last saturday, and Alex got some fun shots of his little "Madutas." He wants his own nickname for her since we all have our own!
after getting popped in the face at practice, she stands with her glove over her face and looks through the holes ::

The BEST pulled pork recipe

This photo and recipe come straight from Real Simple via realsimple.com

I tried this recipe a couple of days ago, and I was a little curious whether it would be good or not...oh my, it was GREAT! It's simple, and anything that I can leave cooking while I go to work is always a plus. Here's the recipe, and I hope you'll try it!

• 2 cups store-bought salsa, plus more for serving
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 tablespoons dried oregano
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• kosher salt
• 1 2 1/2-pound boneless pork butt or shoulder, trimmed of excess fat
• 18 corn tortillas
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro sprigs
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1 lime, cut into wedges

1. In a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine the salsa, chili powder, oregano, cocoa, and 1 teaspoon salt. Add the pork and turn to coat

2. Cook, covered, until the meat is tender and pulls apart easily, on high for 4 to 5 hours or on low for 7 to 8 hours.

3. Twenty minutes before serving, heat oven to 350° F. Stack the tortillas, wrap them in foil, and bake until warm, about 15 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, using 2 forks, shred the pork and stir into the cooking liquid. Serve with the tortillas, cilantro, sour cream, lime, and extra salsa.

best idea ever

I just have to say that Mr. Roscoe is a genius. This was the first visit to Roscoe's House of Chicken 'n Waffles for my dad and I, but not for Angelina and David. Dad and I choose the 1/4 chicken smothered in gravy and onions while Angelina and David had the original chicken and waffles. As awkward and weird the combination of chicken and waffles sounds, it definitely isn't. It's one of those "if you haven't tried it you can't bash it" things. No doubt the best waffle I have ever tasted with it's soft, moist, cinnamon taste of goodness. Top that off with some fried chicken and syrup...amazing. Not that I wanted to prove a point, but I was able to cram it all down and still be able to breathe. I mean how could you not finish such a huge plate of goodness. This made quite a highlight in our evening since the Kings hockey game was the real reason for being in downtown LA. As fun as the game was, Roscoe's basically tied that.

shameless plug #2

Twice a year, we offer the Spiritual Parenting intensive at RH. Once in the fall, and once in the spring. It's a great class that was designed for parents, but our entire family ministry staff has been through it, along with our interns and key leaders as it's the foundation of everything we do. Michelle Anthony, who is our Pastor of Family Ministries teaches the class and has some amazing insight. If you know anyone in the greater OC area, I would urge you to suggest this class for them. It will change the way you look at parenting or the way you lead your ministry. Here's the info ::

Description:	This teaching-interactive course will allow parents to be educated, inspired and supported with the tools they need to embark on the quest of raising their children to live out a compelling faith in a way that maximizes spiritual growth.
Facilitator:	Michelle Anthony
Meets:	Tuesdays // March 10, 17, 24, 31 // 6-8pm
Location:	Mini-Lab 1 @ 3080 Airway
Cost:	$20
Notes:	Childcare available upon request.

I hope you or someone you know will join us...you won't be disappointed!

Were awesome

Angelina and I have definitely hit a milestone in our Wii bowling careers. As of yesterday we are both Pro! Angelina is totally proud that she became pro first. Being pro in Wii bowling is quite difficult. Not really, you just have to play a lot and build good scores up. Although we sure think it's an accomplishment. One of the perks we noticed so far is you get a sweet sparkling star decorated ball. I don't really know anything more exciting. Here is a look at us(Wii version).On another note, while putting some food away in the freezer last night I cam across an interesting discovery in our freezer. Angelina mistakenly put some leftover snap peas from lunch in the freezer instead of the fridge. It brought me to an interesting question when I found them. It went something like this...

alex: "umm, why do we have snapeas in the freezer?"

ang: hehehe!

As you can guess they were unedible, hard as rocks, and looked like this...

hair drama

Getting a haircut is a big deal for me. I'm not a fan of haircuts in general even though I have a salon that I love and have been devoted to for 7 years. I am not one of the girls that thinks that it's just hair and it will grow back. I know that it will grow back, however, I really like my hair. I like my style and the color. I just like it. We've been together since birth and I don't let just anyone get near my hair.

So, my first mistake was to try a new salon. I was worried about it, but it was closer to home than my old salon and a tad cheaper so I looked around online and saw that it had GREAT reviews. I didn't see one bad comment so I thought I'd go for it. I made an appointment and Friday was the day. I walked in and thought, "okay, looks like a nice place." The receptionist was super friendly and helpful so some of the apprehension went away. That feeling lasted only until I met my stylist. She was NOT friendly. She asked what I wanted done and I explained that I needed my bangs cut and I like to leave as much length as possible in the back while eliminating split ends. So, she shampoos my hair. Fine. It wasn't the luxurious wash that I'm used to, but whatever. Then she cuts my hair in 10 minutes flat. Weird. Then the blow dry was the worst part. She used a round brush and would roll my hair around the brush and leave it there! At one point there were THREE brushes rolled into my hair. It hurt, and I told her that it hurt, but she left them! The last time I complained about it hurting, she laughed. LAUGHED! I was appalled, but let her finish and got the heck out of there.

As I was walking in the parking lot, I was already on the phone with my old salon. I told them I needed my bangs cut because she didn't even touch them, and they told me to come right in. The guy who helped me was incredibly helpful and basically re-cut and styled my hair for the price of a blow-dry. I will never stray from my salon again! Toni & Guy, I love you and I'm sorry for cheating on you!

Oh, and I did go back to the first place to talk to the owner, and he gave me a full refund. And here's the final product...I am very happy with it.

Our fun trip to...

So, we took a trip to Big Bear Lake/city/mountain two weekends ago with Angelina’s side of the family and it was quite a blast. We stayed in a small cabin on the north/east side of the town and there was a ton of snow. Typically the funniest part about Big Bear is the lack of snow although its pretty cold and at an elevation 7,000 ft. Oh wait, it is still in Southern California. That’s why. Although to me, the fifty degree weather, occasional rain, and fake snow on the mountains is a lot of fun. Where else can you go snowboarding in a sweatshirt or wear workout shorts and snow boots? And hey, shoveling snow is fun for like ten minutes.
We had a good time just chillin’ most of the day Saturday sledding, playing, and building stuff in the snow. Once we found a place to hang out we built a cool sled hill for the girls and a jump for me to snowboard on. We also enjoyed a classic snow ball fight. We were all very nice to each other too. All that and then seeing Sophia being dragged around a in mini sled with her head bobbing and arms flailing around like crazy. We weren’t sure if she liked or not until we stopped and she starting crying. It’s interesting how what we thought would be fun for her, then looked like torture, she really enjoyed. Snow clothes are always fun considering they make you look like an eskimo marshmallow.Angelina and I for sure got a kick out of the drive up the mountain. I think we saw something like 10 winter/ summer like camps in ten minutes. We also saw a whole bunch of interesting signs that don’t typically pop up on the freeway in Orange County. It seems that there is a warning for everything you could ever think would go wrong on a windy mountain drive. So funny I felt that they needed to be documented.

Seeds Family Worship

A while back when I was babysitting, I heard a CD called, Seeds of Courage. I played the CD for the kids all the time. Whenever we were in the car or just playing in the house, we'd throw on some music, and this CD was in regular rotation. Just today, as Alex and I were reading in the one year Bible, I came across a verse that I had actually memorized thanks to listening to the CD with the kids. Some of the songs are cheesy sounding, but hey it's a kids worship CD, what do you expect!? Even with some of the musical cheesiness, I think it's a great way to introduce scripture memory to kids. As it turns out, there is an entire line of Seeds Family Worship albums that are devoted to, "planting the seeds of God's word in the hearts of families." There are five albums in the series :: Seeds of Courage, Seeds of Faith, Seeds of Praise, Seeds of Purpose and the Power of Encouragement. If you're interested, I would urge you to check them out!

woohoo!

Since before we got married, we knew that Alex would need a new computer. His laptop is awesome, but with the way technology advances, he needed more power. We actually have a couple of big purchases that we've been saving for, but knew that in his line of work and with his desire to continue to pick up freelance jobs when possible, the computer would definitely come first. And, well, with the help of our tax return, it was delivered today!!

We are so excited...can you tell?

third wednesday

Every month, there is a day set apart to pray and seek God. It's called third Wednesday because, well, it falls on the third wednesday of each month. It's something that has grown from Seek Week back in September. It seems as though something ALWAYS happens to me on third Wednesday to derail any focus I may have had. I have been sick during 3 of the 5 third Wednesdays. Last month was when my brother's apartment was destroyed due to fire. This week was the first time that I have felt great and been super focused. It was a great day, and I had a great time with God. I was also reminded how amazing it is to work somewhere that takes an entire day to clear the deck and focus and God. Even in most churches, it's pretty unheard of.

new book.

Tonight I started The Crescent Through the Eyes of The Cross, by Dr. Nabeel Jabbour. It's been a long time since I've read anything that didn't have to do with kids ministry, and I have to admit, it's refreshing. I have a deep love for the middle east. The closest I've gotten was Bangladesh, but I have a huge desire to understand the culture and people more than I do currently. In the first two chapters, I've already learned so much, and can't wait to finish reading. Is there another culture that captures your heart and your curiosity?

this is for jenny.

I'm definitely behind on blogging. I'm not gonna lie, I probably won't actually "catch up." I did however want to post some pics of the gifts I made for the little girls this Christmas. I promised Jenny some pictures, so here they are ::

photo shoot

A couple months back, Alex and I had a photo shoot with one of our friends, Richelle Dante. We had a ton of fun roaming downtown Fullerton looking for interesting places to shoot.We think she's pretty dang talented, and here are some of my favorite shots from that day (besides the ones that made the christmas card).

shameless plug

Every month, the Family Ministry team writes a Family Night curriculum. The blurb from the website says this ::

ROCKHARBOR family ministries is calling you and your family to a weekly family night; a time set aside to grow spiritually and relationally. we believe the Bible teaches in deuteronomy 6 that parents are the spiritual nurturers of their children's faith and the role of the faith community is to play a supportive role in that process. this curriculum gives you the resources, you as a parent need, to lead your family.

I would urge you to check it out here. There's over a year of curriculum for you or anyone you might know who would like to have a tool for a weekly family night. There are tons of ideas and activities for all ages....and it's FREE!

wasting time...

I need to leave in about an hour. I have a funeral to attend, followed by a Family Ministry Experience tonight. Basically that means that when I leave I need to have everything ready for all day and night. So, maybe I should be getting ready?? Nope. I don't want to right now, so instead I'll procrastinate and tell you about our sweet find!
Meet Orange Guard. Alex and I have grown to love Orange Guard. Our ant problem that was driving us insane drove me to investigate what actually works at preventing them from returning. Now, I know that the walls are completely infested. It only makes sense since they come in from every tiny hole in the wall in each area of our house. I am coming to terms with that, I just don't want to see them. So, about a month ago, I found out about Orange Guard. The active ingredient is orange peel extract. It is safe for indoors, and so we thought we'd try it. Well, since we first sprayed, we keep finding dead ants around the areas we sprayed. The only thing we can come up with is that if they return to the spot we sprayed a month ago, they are still killed! Amazing! I highly recommend this product. It's supposedly safe in the kitchen, around pets and around kids which is great because most of our ant invaders like the kitchen!

I suppose I should go find something black to wear and something Picnic-y to wear later and get my butt in gear!

a new year.

2009 is here! Unfortunately, for most of today, my head has felt like a balloon that just looks like my head and is floating over my neck! We did however have a very fun time welcoming the new year. We had a (somewhat) quiet night over at my sister's house. We had gone over for a visit in the afternoon and instead stayed and had a "party!" Maliah donned her party dress and we played our new favorite game (the Wii Fit!)! Alex and I would LOVE to have one, and hey, it costs less than a year of gym fees...we seriously might be investing in one sometime soon!

As for resolutions, I'd have to say eating healthy is at the top of my list...especially given the amount of tamales, posole and chocolate chip cookies that have been part of the Pavone diet this past week! Yikes! Another one would be to spend more time getting creative with our time....looking for fun (cheap) things to do that get us out of the house. I know our time of being together for 4 days straight each week is going to be coming to an end soon and I want to fully take advantage of that. I'd also like to make it part of my routine to wake up just half an hour earlier than normal. I am always so rushed in the mornings that it throws me off. What can I say, I (we) LOVE to sleep. I have however noticed that if I'm able to get my Bible reading in before work, it sets the trajectory of the day and although I like night much more than morning, I definitely feel a difference when I'm in God's Word in the AM.

So, that's that. 2009 is alive and kicking, and I hope this cold gives me some relief tonight!

perspective

This year we had five Christmas Eve services with kids ministry. I have to admit, I was overwhelmed going into the services, especially since they came right between two full weekends with their own programming. It took a lot to get everything prepped and ready to go, and honestly I was pooped by the time the first service came around. I had a GREAT time at the first service. It was fun, there was purpose to the activities, we had tons of volunteers, and the kiddos seemed to be having a great time. The morning of Christmas Eve was really busy trying to finish baking, and visit with my Grandparents since we wouldn't get to see them on Christmas. I spilled nail polish all over myself on the way into work, and must admit that my attitude totally needed a check.....and boy did it get one!

I was scheduled to go to church during the noon service. It was GREAT. It's hard to put into words how incredibly moving it was. I feel that it was the best Christmas service I've ever attended. Hands down. The Spirit of God was so thick in that room. What a great start to the day! The next two services were great. Alex was chosen to be the Christmas tree during one of our games ::
Around the time that the 6pm service started, I realized that I was actually going to be able to leave to be with my family for our annual Christmas Eve dinner. I was STOKED to be able to leave, and extremely thankful for the people that were staying to finish up. On the way to my sister's house, Alex and I were reflecting on the night and although it was hard to be "on" for all of those services, I don't know that we would have chosen to be anywhere else. Was it hard? Yes. Was it a TON of work? Yep. Was it worth it? Absolutely. All I could think about was how blessed I am to have been chosen for this time at this church. I know that I am incredibly undeserving, but He picked me. I think that we were able to convey the birth of Christ in a biblical, God honoring, FUN way for our kids, and how great is it that their parents were given the opportunity to experience something totally life changing at the same time?!

We are now almost a month removed from those services, yet I think that the feelings we felt during those services will guide us in 2009. Being able to do ministry with my husband is probably the greatest feeling, and I know that it makes my experience all the richer.

why i don't take days off

So, I've been planning some time off around Christmas and the first week of the new year. This may sound wonderful, and I know that it will be nice to have a break, but I honestly don't know if it's worth the craziness that I will endure to get myself there. I will be off the 25th, 26th, and 27th. Sounds great, right? Well, yes. Except the 27th is a Saturday. Saturday, the rooms need to be set up with curriculum and the offices will be locked down the 25th and 26th so the set-up volunteers will not be able to come. With me also gone, how will the rooms get set up? Oh, maybe I could set them up after the last Christmas Eve service? Nope. I am trying my hardest to leave during that last service because my family is getting together during that time for the big Christmas Eve dinner. Soo....that leaves me at the mercy of my volunteers. Hopefully they will be VERY flexible with me!

Then, I will be back to work on Sunday the 28th. At the end of the services, I'll be taking down all of the Chrismas decorations since they need to be down by Saturday and I have the entire week off. I also have to set up the curriculum for the following weekend since the building will be locked and the set-up volunteers will be unable to get in! This might not sound that bad, but that's only because you haven't seen my rooms...Alex climbed on our ceiling to put some trees on the roof and hung lots of lights and garland from a VERY high wall in the Playhouse. So, Alex should be able to get them down, right? WRONG! This happens to be the one day that Alex is going somewhere without me and will not be around at all! Yikes!

So, that gives you some insight into my life right now. Logistics are crazy. Christmas IS coming and I do need to be ready. My plate is full. My volunteers are amazing. My volunteers are also vacationing. There is curriculum to be written, volunteers to schedule, rooms to be stocked, curriculum to be prepped, emails to be answered and details to be ironed out. I know it will be a crazy few weeks, and at the end of it all, I just pray that Jesus is glorified in all that happens in the Preschool Playhouse...whether I am there or not!

maliah's cuteness

Maliah had a Christmas performance at school. Since this is one of the busiest times of year for me at work, I couldn't afford to take a morning off, but Alex was able to go with my dad and he got some pics for us. She's so cute! My mom and I were both jealous that they got to see her and we didn't! :)