Baby's First Trip to the County Fair

In my family the county fair is a fun summer tradition. The fun exhibits, smells of fried dough and adorable farm animals always give us something to look forward to. This year was extra meaningful because it meant Julianna got to experience the fun for the first time. Here are some of my favorite pictures of this year's trip to the  county fair.

                         Grammy is showing Julianna how fun merry-go-rounds can be.

                                      Eric is enjoying the fair's legendary kettle corn.

                                         Julianna sees a cow for the first time.

                                        Julianna is making friends with barnyard critters.

Julianna loves her stuffed bunnies and any picture books that feature rabbits. Imagine her excitement when she got to pet a real live rabbit.

                                                         A close up of the rabbit.

                                                         Being silly with Grandpa.

                                    Here I am introducing Julianna to Mr. Ed.

Julianna just might have mommy's horse crazy gene. Hmm....mother/ daughter riding lessons might be in the future.

A Cheap Date

Many raid the Sunday paper for coupons, but little do people know that other goodies sit buried under the news articles. A couple months ago a white paper bag appeared in the Sunday Oregonian. On the Border is a popular Mexican restaurant chain known for their mouth-watering cuisine that recently had an anniversary. As a way to show customer appreciation, the company offered free dinners to locals. Each bag promised one meal not to exceed $9.99. On the Border is famous for their unlimited supply of chips and salsa, as well as their legendary large meals. We figured that for $9.99 we could split a meal and leave happy.

For $9.99 we created our own south of the border combo. Jesse enjoyed chicken tortilla soup while I feasted on a chicken enchilada with rice and refried beans.

The atmosphere at On the Border makes dining in an enjoyable experience. I love the restaurant's colorful walls, pottery and other lively accents that reflect a beautiful culture.

 

Our date didn't end with a tasty entree from one of our favorite restaurants. As a special treat we decided to take a scenic drive into Oregon's countryside. Our escape from suburbia included mountains, evergreen trees and ended with a view of Multnomah Falls.

Fourth of July Fun

                  Here is how the Worden clan celebrated our nation's holiday.

Julianna, my mother and I chose to wear patriotic colors to show pride for the USA. Jesse claims his outfit is patriotic since green and black are used for BDUs.

I live for bargains and couldn't resist taking advantage of Macy's holiday sale. Now Julianna has a Christening gown for her baby dedication. My mother went with me to pick out some items for the home.

Jesse, Julianna and I had a late lunch at my parent's house. My mother decorated the table with fun summer colors.

Lunch included delicious grilled veggies along with gorgonzola cheese burgers, corn on the cobb and ice-cream for dessert.

Jesse and I accepted an invitation to a neighborhood block party. Our neighbors supplied hot dogs, chips and salsa, veggies, soda and fireworks. I decided to make deviled eggs to share with everyone. I prepared both traditional style deviled eggs and the Paula Dean inspired southwestern version.

Here are the neighbors enjoying the cookout. Jesse is a big kid at heart who loves to play baseball with the boys on our street.

Every fourth of July leaves me with much to be thankful for, but this year the holiday left me with extra gratitude. The neighbors hosting the party immigrated from Russia and some of the guests are originally from Ukraine. The family hosting the cookout suggested that we  think about why we're thankful to live in America. Once the Russian family spoke about being able to make trips to the supermarket without worrying about their personal safety, I felt humbled. It also amazed me to hear how grateful they are for our medical care. Maybe to some the 4th of July is an opportunity to miss work, have a barbecue and watch fireworks. To others it stands for a better life where their children have more opportunities. As for myself, I know I'll start a new tradition with our family. Each year I'll ask my daughter to think about what it means to live in America and why she should be thankful.And while I raise my daughter to have pride for our country, I'll also encourage her to form friendships with those living in our multicultural neighborhood.

Pasta soup

Here in the Pacific Northwest summer doesn't begin until July. The cooler temperatures and overcast skies can best be described as June gloom. I can't wait for warmer days with sunshine, swimming, county fairs and backyard barbeques. Until summer officially arrives, homemade soup remains a favorite comfort food in the Worden household. This hearty soup is easy to make and loaded with nutritious vitamins.

                                                      The Ingredients
                
                1 cup of noodles                                             1/2 16 oz bag of frozen peas   
                3/4 cup of chopped carrots                              1 TBSP of minced onion
                2 TBSP of Parmesan cheese                          3 1/2 TBSP of chicken base powder
                1/2 tsp of oregeno                                           dash of basil
                1/4 a cup of lentils                                          1/4 tsp of garlic
               1 32 ounce package of chicken broth              3 1/4 cup of water

I stick with the all natural, gluten and MSG free chicken broth. You can find them at your local Dollar Tree.

Simply combine all of the ingredients and bring the mix to a boil. Allow the soup to simmer for 40 minutes or until the noodles and veggies are tender.

A Fiesta Potluck

Family is not limited to those who share your blood. Julianna is blessed to be part of a loving church family that cares for her, including a friend lovingly known as grandma Gabriela. Tonight Jesse, Julianna and I headed over to Gabriela's house for a potluck dinner. I brought homemade chicken enchilada soup while Gabriela prepared a tasty enchilada casserole for us. Dinner at Gabriela's house means a feast fit for a king. You'll see a table resembling an all you can eat buffet with delicious authentic Mexican cuisine. Here are some of the highlights from this evening.

Preparations for the family feast.

Grandma Gabriela playing with the baby.

Gabriela loves to buy gifts for the baby. Tonight she surprised us with a doll cradle she can enjoy when she's older.

Our dog Skeeter is like a 2nd baby to us and we take her everywhere. Here is Skeeter befriending a mutual church friend that joined us for dinner.

It's fiesta time!

Pure Joy

Here is Julianna dressed in her Sunday's best and on her way to church. Julianna and I look forward to church for many reasons. Walking inside the Word of Life Church means you're likely to be greeted with hugs and everyone eagerly asking how your week was. We listen to encouraging sermons and have the pleasure of listening to a talented worship team. Julianna is quick to greet our church family with smiles and move to the beats of Sunday's worship songs.

Sometimes after service we go out to lunch and today I thought I'd make a trip to the golden arch. I really wanted to use my coupon for a free berry chiller at McDonald's. I also decided to order chicken tenders and fries to go. Once we got home I decided to go get the Sunday paper from a nearby gas station and that's when the horrible discovery took place. MY WALLET WAS MISSING. I frantically double checked the diaper bag and truck only to remain empty handed. When we went to McDonald's we realized the wallet wasn't there either.

A missing wallet meant having to make multiple phone calls in order to deactivate my Capital One card, Jcpenny's charge card and my debit card. As of this upcoming week I'll have to make trips to the DMV and the Social Security office, call to request a new insurance card, and it's safe to say that I'll never see my Macy's gift cards ever again. Yet even in frustrating circumstances I have much to be thankful for.

Thank God I didn't have any cash inside my wallet. Thank God I deactivated everything in just enough time for no mystery charges to occur on any of my accounts. Thank God I have a missing wallet and not a missing child.

My heart is not only filled with gratitude but also a deep concern for the wallet thief. Many questions enter my mind regarding how my wallet disappeared. Does this thief know that he/she is worth so much more then criminal acts? Does the thief not have enough love in their hearts to understand how such an act can effect someone else? I felt led to pray for the person who stole my wallet, because it's safe to assume he/she does not know Christ. Before I knew Christ personally I would've referred to the unknown wallet thief with unkind names. My spiritual maturity proves that my walk with the Lord is becoming stronger, and that my friends is pure joy.

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” - James 1:2-4

Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.

Today Julianna and I took a stroll into a nearby thrift shop. This weeks treasure hunt left us with: a Care Bears DVD, a white pillow case and a brand new set of Bible stories for babies. I thought that the Care Bear DVD would be perfect for Julianna's upcoming Care Bear birthday party. As for the pillowcase, I figured it would be perfect for the backing of a counted cross-stitch bib I recently completed. For 49 cents you can't go wrong when the cost of fabric is costly. While I'm pleased with this week's bargains, I think the Bible stories remain the greatest treasure. For only $3.99 Julianna can learn about Jesus's mission, God's plan and the Bible heroes. It's never too early to start training a child about having Godly character, and I believe these books will serve as valuable learning tools.