How Sweet

Look, they really do love each other! Today in primary, the teacher was teaching how we are all different and how none of us look alike. Zachary raised his hand and told the teacher that he and Nathan look alike because they are twins. I had to laugh. They may be twins, but they sure don't look alike. In fact, if I didn't dress them alike, most people wouldn't know they were brothers.

ha! ha!

Thanks Missy for sending this to me. Too funny!

Fireproof

Mario and I went to see the movie "Fireproof" last night for our date night. I didn't know much about it other than it looked like a love story and was rated PG. After reading some reviews I found out it was a Christian movie. We have enjoyed other Christian films like "The Ultimate Gift" and "Facing the Giants" so I figured this one would be good too. It starred Kirk Cameron from "Growing Pains." In an interview, Kirk Cameron said that he refused to kiss his costar in the movie. He said that he believes in the sanctity of marriage. So his real wife stood in for the scenes that required him to kiss his wife in the movie.

Anyway, the movie was terrific. It was low budget and so the acting was so so. But the messages were for every married couple. The movie was about a couple that was headed for divorce and how the husband, with a little help from his dad, found ways to change his life and become a better husband. They talked about how parasites like gambling, drugs, and pornography will destroy marriages. Mario told Eric that he wanted him to watch the movie when it comes out on DVD.

I cried through much of the movie. Mario was a good sport to sit through yet another love story with me. But he liked it too. I am grateful for the gospel and to know that marriage can be eternal. Throughout the movie they kept saying that marriage is for life. How happy I am to know that I can be with my husband through the eternities as well.

I love you Mario!

What a Relief!

The kids went back to school today after being home for their 2 week fall break. I have to give parents who homeschool a lot of credit. I don't know how they do it. I was very excited to take them back to school today.

We did have 2 great weeks. First Erin and I went to LA. We had a lot of fun. Erin got her ears pierced and she bought a new American Girl doll. The picture is Erin and her dolls having lunch at the American Girl Doll Cafe. It was a fun weekend. Then last weekend we went camping as a family to Mount Madonna in Watsonville. It was a beautiful park with nice trails and also paved roads for the kids to bike ride and use their rip sticks. The weather was perfect. We had a great time and are planning our next camping trip. I am lucky that Mario does most of the planning. He has all his camping stuff very organized and he plans all the meals. I just have to pack for myself and the twins.

Nathan scored his first goal in soccer. He and Zachary had a game within an hour of us getting back from our camping trip. So we were all exhausted. Nathan didn't want to play. He didn't even want to put on his uniform. After a little pep talk, he went out there and played more aggressively than I have ever seen him play. Maybe I need to give that same pep talk to Zachary. I thought the five dollars Mario gave Nathan for his first goal would make Zachary try harder. Nope, he seemed happy for Nathan but not concerned at all that he didn't get five dollars. He is so aggressive at home, but not the slightest bit aggressive on the soccer field.

Beware of impersonators

I will be leaving my blog unattended for a couple days. So if anything is posted between now and Saturday evening, you can assume Mario got a hold of it again! Don't believe anything he says. I think my mom is the only one that fell for the last time Mario got a hold of my blog pretending to be me.

Salad for Sale

Today, after being inspired by some young children with a lemonade stand, my boys decided they would sell some salad. Salad? Who would buy salad? They came and asked me to make a sign for them. I made the sign after they told me it was just for pretend. Then as soon as I handed Zach the sign he went outside and started yelling "Salad for sale." Nathan was nudging him to go down to the street to advertise. I had to stop them at that point. We don't even have any salad in the house to sell. I told them we didn't have any salad and then they pointed down to two salads they have made from the bushes outside. Interesting. Maybe I should bake some cookies or bread and let them have a real stand. Unfortunately for them, we don't live on a high traffic street.

Maybe I have 3 little entrepreneurs in the house, referring of course to Erin and all her little business ideas. I just hope one of them makes a lot of money to support Mario and I in retirement since we are watching our retirement accounts dwindle because of this financial mess our country is facing right now.

Mom and Daughter trip to LA

Erin and I are going to LA for the weekend. We are so excited to break free from a house full of boys! We are going to have lunch at the American Girl Place, ride scary roller coasters at Six Flags, and then visit a mission in Santa Barbara for a 4th grade history project. To prepare for our trip, I made Mario a to do list like soccer practice, games, reading with twins, meetings, etc. This morning he wrote his own list. I will share his list since it is more entertaining than mine.

Dad's To Do List

• Say goodbye to Terri and Erin (try to hold back tears)
• Mope
• Call Terri
• Mope More
• Call Terri
• Make dinner (trying the best I can to hold it together)
• Mope
• Call Terri
• Meeting (try to focus despite depression)
• Call Terri
• Mope
• Go to bed (lie in bed hopelessly missing Terri)

Friday

• Wake up and resume moping

I am sure he and the boys will have a great weekend. But it is nice to be missed so much.