Snippets

A snippet list of things we do around our house almost on a daily basis:

1. Wear buckets on our heads.

2. Laugh and laugh because we are cotton headed ninny muggins'.
(Just kidding, that is just too much fun to say. We do indeed giggle though. A lot.)

3. Sit in boxes.

4. Eat oatmeal. Sometimes with cinnamon and apples, or honey, syrup, bananas, or jam. It is oh so good. We also watch tv, which is why she wouldn't look at the camera. Oh well. :)

Life in the Rice household would simply not be as fun without these things!

Oh Spring, How We Love You!

I know it's not TECHNICALLY Spring for a few more weeks, but we do love the changing of season from winter to spring and being outdoors once again. It has been such a long winter. Not that it's particularly balmy as of yet, but it's getting there! We have SO enjoyed the sunshine and warmer weather this past week. On the first warmer day of this year, we decided to celebrate by going to Hoover Reservoir and feeding the ducks. It turned out to be a bit colder than we had anticipated but still, a great time! The geese appreciated our presence there, if nothing else. Unfortunately, the water was still frozen and the snow around there hadn't melted there yet, as it had everywhere else. Figures.

Audrey loved it.

Alas, a terrible picture of me. Oh well.

The geese took their time coming up to investigate the bread we threw out to them. When they finally did get up close, my camera ran out of battery so I can't post the proof. Ha.

We also spent a wonderful morning at the zoo recently, celebrating our friend Sadie's 1st birthday. It was great fun and the weather cooperated beautifully! We also saw Jack Hannah, pictured in the middle here, which was neato. (Audrey and I are on the far left)

Other than that, Audrey and I have been enjoying our long walks outdoors once again. It is so fun to walk with her, both with her in the stroller and on foot. She has a comment for everything and is very curious about each tiny detail along the way. Today and yesterday have been rainy, so we've been confined, once again, to the house. However, we love the warmer weather and can't wait for the beautiful days to come!

I will try to post more often. I know I say that every time. Like I said - my time and creativity are being used elsewhere for now, so bear with me! :) Meanwhile - enjoy my new banner and spring colors. I had fun taking a break from other things to create the banner and mess with some fun html! Woohoo!

Catching Up - Or Trying!

It has been awhile, hasn't it? I don't think I ever posted my pictures from California, *sigh*. We have certainly been busy. My free time has been tied up with some projects of my own, so I haven't had a lot of time for blogging, which is quite time consuming, believe it or not!

Audrey is growing, talking, and developing like crazy. She's such a sweet, cheerful little girl and my heart positively explodes with love for her on a daily basis. We have a lot of fun together! I must admit that we've had a bad case of cabin fever lately with the snow that keeps piling up in central Ohio. We can't wait for SPRING! Oh to take walks every day and play at the playground!


I will try to post more. I have a lot of creative ideas and would love to funnel them into this blog, but they are being funneled elsewhere for the time being. :) Meanwhile, please enjoy some pictures.

Highlights from California:

We LOVED being at the beach.

A BEAUTIFUL victorian castle turret in a hidden cove at Laguna. Thanks Noel for the tip - what a fun time we had there!

Playing at the playground:

Whale watching:

We didn't see whales, but we saw dolphins - they were so cool!!!

Audrey loved the boat ride for the first half hour, although the remaining 2 hours was... interesting.

My wonderful, beautiful parents:

Photos that my talented father took during a little photo shoot we did with Audrey:

This is a real face. This photo didn't happen by accident.

This is one of my faves. She isn't really crying, only using her wiles to get her way. So typical, so funny, so cute!

Grandma and Grandpa and one happy little monkey!

We had a GREAT time. I always love being there, spending precious time with my family and enjoying the weather. We went to the beach quite a few times and I enjoyed every second. I miss living in So Cal so very much. There are disadvantages to every location, but since I don't live there anymore I they don't bother me! :) I grew up there so perhaps nostalgia helps. Anyway. Thanks Mom, Dad, Kim, and Liz for sharing your home for two weeks with a crazy, loud, nosy little monkey. Can't wait to see you again!

I Don't Think So, Dr. Oz

I don't know if you watched it, but Oprah's show a few days ago was all about diabetes ("The Silent Killer" *sigh*). I caught the last couple minutes but didn't watch much of it. Apparently, Dr. Oz needs to go back to school, hire an endrocrinologist, and just stop talking about it altogether. Almost all of what he said about diabetes on the show was completely off track. On facebook, a few of my diabetic friends have linked a blog that was posted about it, written by a type 1 diabetic of 35 years. The link to that blog post is below. As most or all of you know, I've been a type 1 diabetic since I was 5. It frustrated me to hear that someone who is a "doctor" and therefore someone with an opinion to be "trusted" was spreading falsehoods on national TV about the auto-immune disease that I and so many others live with. If you watched the show and are curious about diabetes, read the blog and do your own research on diabetes (The American Diabetes Association is a good place to start.), or reply to this post and ask me questions. I don't mind. If you're not curious and don't feel like reading this random guy's blog post, no worries. Just know that Dr. Oz doesn't know what he is talking about.

Pay No Attention To That Man On Oprah

An Excerpt From My Devotions

Just something that blessed me today. From Streams in the Desert, by L.B. Cowman.

"This is my doing." 1 Kings 12:24

The disappointments of life are simply the hidden appointments of love.
~ C.A. Fox

My child, I have a message for you today. Let me whisper it in your ear so any storm clouds that may arise will shine with glory, and the rough places you may have to walk will be made smooth. It is only four words, but let them sink into your inner being, and use them as a pillow to rest your weary head. "This is my doing."
Have you ever realized that whatever concerns you concerns Me too? "For whoever touches you touches the apple of [my] eye" (Zech. 2:8). "You are precious and honored in my sight" (Isa. 43:4). Therefore it is My special delight to teach you.
I want you to learn when temptations attack you, and the enemy comes in "like a pent-up flood" (Isa. 59:19), that "this is my doing" and that your weakness needs My strength, and your safety lies in letting Me fight for you.
Are you in difficult circumstances, surrounded by people who do not understand you, never ask your opinion, and always push you aside? "This is my doing." I am the God of circumstances. You did not come to this place by accident - you are exactly where I meant for you to be.
Have you not asked Me to make you humble? Then see that I have placed you in the perfect school where this lesson is taught. Your circumstances and the people around you are only being used to accomplish My will.
Are you having problems with money, finding it hard to make ends meet? "This is my doing," for I am the One who keeps your finances, and I want you to learn to depend upon Me. My supply is limitless and I "will meet your needs" (Phil 4:19). I want you to prove My promises so no one may say, "you did not trust in the Lord your God" (Deut. 1:32).
Are you experiencing a time of sorrow? "This is my doing." I am a "man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering" (Isa. 53:3). I have allowed your earthly comforters to fail you, so that by turning to Me you may receive "eternal encouragment and good hope" (2 Thess. 2:16). Have you longed to do some great work for Me but instead have been set aside on a bed of sickness and pain? "This is my doing." You were so busy I could not get your attention, and I wanted to teach you some of My deepest truths. "They also serve who only stand and wait." In fact, some of My greatest workers are those physically unable to serve, but who have learned to wield the powerful weapon of prayer.
Today I play a cup of holy oil in your hands. Use it freely, My child. Anoint with it every new circumstance, every word that hurts you, every interruption that makes you impatient, and every weakness you have. The pain will leave as you learn to see Me in all things.

~ Laura A. Barter Snow

The Final Season

That's right. The final season of LOST begins on February 2nd, much to the chagrin of fans such as myself. It'll be bittersweet as some of our questions might be answered, but it will also be over. It would be too much to ask for ALL of our questions to be answered, right? As we well know, the makers of LOST have teased us since day 1, mercilessly taunting us with unshared details, believable and endearing characters, and incredibly addicting plots from episode to episode, rubbing their hands together and laughing maniacally as they string us along from season to season. It's true, you know it. And we continue to watch willingly. Desperately. Well, maybe not desperately. You get my gist.

There is still time to get caught up to watch the final season of the best show on earth. Check out the LOST Starter Kit that will help fill you in. There are highlights and pivotal episodes you can watch from each season. The Timeline may also help and provide interesting details. Don't forget to ask Sawyer for your own Nickname. :P

Without further adieu, I leave you with the official LOST countdown as I do every season.



On a side note. As it turns out, I am currently unable to transfer the pictures (from California) from my camera to my computer. I've got a lot of pics from my parents as well so I may end up posting them first. I think I might like to post them all together though, so I may wait until I am able to use my camera card. It will be a few weeks I imagine. =(

The OC List

Well, it was my intention to post a big long blog with loads of pictures for all of you, but I left the flash drive with my pics on it in Audrey's room and she is fast asleep. I'm sorry to say I won't waking her up to get it, so consequently won't be posting that ginormous page of pictures for probably a few days. I WILL say that I am having a great time in California with my family. Christmas and New Years were great fun. Audrey and I miss Eric very much, as he went home last Friday. However, we are enjoying our walks in the sunshine, playground time, seeing old friends, watching countless movies per tradition, and naturally we are joyfully chasing after Audrey during all waking hours.

I'm due for a list. Definitely. So a list it is. I cut it down to a top 10 list because it would get too long otherwise.

MY TOP TEN FAVORITE THINGS ABOUT ORANGE COUNTY:

1. Wearing flip flops year round.
2. The Ocean. I miss late night walks on the beach when I need to think or be alone.
3. Coffee Bean. Better than Starbucks. We need Coffee Bean in Ohio. Please. Now. Please?
4. Where else can you live where the beach and the mountains (aka snow) are both within 2 hours driving time?
5. The surf scene. I always kinda wanted to be in that crowd, living in a little shack at the beach, surfing every day, letting my hair get super blonde under the sun, riding a beach cruiser or a long skateboard instead of driving a car, being tan all the time or constantly being on fire in my case, getting skin cancer at age 22. In all seriousness, surfers have a pretty lazy, non motivated mentality about life. It's kinda appealing and kinda repulsive. I love it. If my corn fed white boy hadn't swept me off my feet I may have actually learned how to surf and begun to become the laziest version of myself.
6. The super fast paced culture lets you have anything you want or need at your finger tips at any time.
7. Islands. Best chips & salsa and burgers on the planet. The Hawaiian is my fave: Pineapple slices, teriyaki sauce, lettuce, tomato, and swiss cheese (It comes with onions and mayo also but yeah. Ew.). Eric and I used to eat there regularly when we lived here. We had a blast eating there the other day before he flew home.
8. Disneyland. Knotts Berry Farm. Six Flags. The OC Fair. The Swap Meet. Catalina Island. Just to name a few cool places to hang out, all very close by.
9. The malls. They are like free standing cities. Self sufficient communities. They practically have cultures all their own.
10. Being able to take a freeway to any destination, even if is right down the street. Going 80 mph without the cops caring is also nice.

I do plan to do more blogging on Tuesday night, so stay tuned.