After the whole wallet debockle we headed home, made dinner and got ready for a night out in Hollywood. A bunch of kids from youth group joined us, most of which had never even been to Hollywood. Craziness since it's only about a half an hour away. We drove to a subway station and missed all the traffic and didn't have to worry about parking in all of Hollywood's craziness. Plus it only cost us $2.70 to ride the subway, way worth it!
Once on Hollywood and Highland we walked down the walk of fame to Grauman's Chinese Theater. Everyone had fun putting their footprints in the cement and taking pictures of the Hollywood landmark. After strolling around for a while we got some dessert at U-Wink, which by the way is Daniel's favorite restaurant. The whole place is computerized, no waiters, just order on the computer and food is brought to your table. Also you can play games against other tables. It's a lot of fun, and we had no idea there was one in Hollywood. Everyone loved it, our tables were probably the loudest with laughter and fun.
This afternoon has been crazy. I had planned to take the team to Santa Monica Pier and then get home early enough to go to Hollywood tonight. Well about five minutes before we got to the Pier, Daniel called me asking if i had my wallet. I told him i did, because i just paid for lunch. And he asked me again. I looked all over the car and it wasn't there. Daniel informed me that he just got a phone call from a man who had found my wallet in the middle of the street and was picking up all my papers and credit cards that had been ran over. We had to turn around and head back to the restaurant where we had eaten lunch. The bummer thing was we had been sitting in traffic for a while and now had to turn around and sit in it again. By the time we had gotten there the man had already left, thankfully my mother in law was able to come and pick it up and found more papers that belonged to me on the side of the road. I felt so stupid, i knew exactly what happened. I had put my wallet on the top of my car so i could put a hair clip in my hair and completely forgot to grab it before getting in the car. And i drove away and no doubt it flew off the car and was run over by every car possible on Devenshire. Themajor bummertastic part was we didn't have enough time to go back to the Pier, i felt so bad that my forgetfulness cost my guest a fun day at the Pier.
God is awesome! Between the man and my mother in law ALL of my stuff was found. Not one credit card missing not one penny lost. Also the man found a ten dollar bill and assumed it was mine and put it in my wallet, however i knew i only had a twenty in my wallet. Now i had thirty and i wish i could have given the ten to the man who had found and saved my wallet. I so wish i could have met this man and thanked him properly. He didn't have to stop his day and run into a major busy street to pick up the pieces of my wallet and then try to find the owner. He could have just gone about his business and I would have just had to deal with consequences of my forgetfulness. This could have been a disaster, having to cancel credit cards and or getting my identity stolen. I have never lost or missed placed my wallet or purse, i am always so careful and double check everything. It must be my pregnancy brain running rampant. These days it seems that i could lose my head if it wasn't on my shoulders. However God is in control, it's these reminders that give me peace that God is my Father and He is always taking care of me. Thank you Lord for putting the right man in the right place and for his willingness to be so kind.
After a long day at the beach we came home to Daniel BBQing up some burgers and making us a lovely dinner. He had to work today so he couldn't join us at the beach, but wanted to make sure we got to do something fun when we got home. The smell of teriyaki burgers and grilled pineapple was amazing after a long day at the beach. We enjoyed a great meal and spend the remainder of the night outside around our fire pit talking and eating smores. I have so enjoyed getting to know the summer team. They have such a heart for the Lord and are really excited to serve at our camp. Sienna has really taken to Jordan, they have really bonded and become fast friends. It's so cute! Well it's time to rest up we are heading to Hollywood tomorrow. Nighty Night bloggers!
This morning my house was full of out of town guest and about 10 teenagers all ready to spend the day at the beach. We all packed into cars and drove to Zuma Beach. The weather was perfect. I love when it's warm at the beach, it's such a bummer if you go to the beach and it's cold. We all packed lunches and enjoyed a lovely day together. Sienna loved having so many play mates to play with. She helped Andrew and Aimee build a sand castle, she also loved playing with Meghan and Nikkie and thought it was great to watch all the kids in the water. However again Sienna did not want to go play in the water. However she had much more fun at the beach this trip then she has ever had at the beach and that is one big step for one little girl.
Jordan, Mike and Casey loved getting to play in the Pacific Ocean. It's so fun being a part of a new experience for someone else. Plus i loved being able to give that to them. Once the sun started to set we headed home where Daniel was BBQ for us. Got to love my wonderful husband!
Daniel and I have the honor of hosting a Ministry team from North Carolina for a few days before camp. They work at a sister camp in NC called Camp Dixie and every year we get a awesome batch of people to help us out at our camp. I have met some of my closest friends because of our little "exchange" program. I so look forward to meeting the team every year and love working with everyone from Camp Dixie. Today Meghan, Jessica and I picked Jordan, Mike and Casey up from LAX and took them to a must eat restaurant for CA, In N Out. hehe! We are still missing one team member, who we will be meeting on Saturday. After a fun afternoon together they come home with me and got some much needed rest. And they need to rest up it's going to be a busy few days then we are off to camp. Please be praying for us, that the Lord will use all of our staff to bless the campers and that the love of Christ will be shared with each teen.
Daniel and I are so happy to know that Eli is healthy and strong, and that is all we could ask for. However Sienna isn't as overjoyed as we are. When we got home we told her she was going to have a brother and she said, "No, that is not what i asked for." She very much wanted a sister, it's a good thing we have a few more months for her to get used to the idea of having a brother. hehe :)
"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb." Psalm 139:13
It is my prayer that my son know the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal Savior. That he would live his life to glorify his Heavenly Father. That a fire would burn deep inside his heart and that people will come to know Jesus because of him. I praise you Lord for the gift of Eli and I long to meet him and watch him grow. Thank you Lord for your abundant blessings, I hope to honor you in raising all the children you give me. Amen.
This week we got to attend two weddings in our family. Last Saturday was Daniel's brother's wedding and today's is Daniel's Grandfather's. Sienna just loves her Great-Papa, and we all were so happy to be there when he married Carol. It was a small intimate wedding, with just family. The garden was stunning and everything looks so prefect. I so enjoyed the ceremony. It was so Christ centered and God honoring. It was truly a celebration of love. I am so happy for Grandpa and for finding happiness and love in his golden years of life. It is my prayer that the Lord blesses Grandpa and Carol and that they find joy in each day they have together.
Tonight after church Daniel and I cooked together and made pizza's on the grill. My sister Cameo had come over to go to church with us and spend the night so we wanted to do something different for dinner. My mother in law made grilled pizza's before and they were AMAZING, so I thought we would try to make our own. They turned out great, and were super quick and easy to make. If you have ever made pizza in the oven you need to try this, you will never go back to heating up your house and getting mediocre pizza.
Grilled Pizza:
2 balls of pizza dough (by them at the grocery store or a local pizza place)
2 balls of fresh Mozzarella, sliced
1 package of mushrooms, sliced
1 red bell pepper, roasted and sliced
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper
Roast the red bell pepper until completely BLACK over open flame on your stove or on your grill. Once black put in a paper sack or in a bowl with plastic wrap and let steam. After about 5 minutes peal off blackened skin and slice. Set aside. Or you could just by a jar of roasted bell peppers, however a jar is about $4.99 or so and my pepper was less then a dollar.
Cook mushrooms in a little olive oil season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Let pizza dough sit out for at least 15 minutes, it will be much easier to roll out if it isn't so cold. Stretch or roll out dough to desired thickness. I like it to be crispy yet soft in the middle. But if you like it really crsipy roll it pretty thin and if you like it doughy then roll it out thick. Oil one side of dough really well and season with salt and pepper.
Preheat grill on medium heat. Brush grill with olive oil so dough doesn't stick. Place pizza oil side down and let cook for about 3 minutes. While it is cooking brush olive oil on the top and season. Now both sides of the dough is oiled and seasoned. Once the dough has bubbled and gotten grill marks on the underside flip over. Be ready with all your toppings. Top pizza with topping and close grill for 3 to 5 minutes. Once cheese is melted remove from grill. Serve with a summer salad and enjoy!
This was the BEST pizza I have ever eaten. Just the right texture and not too many toppings. If you wanted to you could make the pizza's smaller and have everyone make their own. Super fun idea for a party. I'm also thinking about doing this again and just making flat bread like this on the grill, I will let you know how it turns out. I also enjoyed cooking this with Daniel, he is the keeper of the grill and I am the chef of our kitchen, but this brought us together in cooking and that was awesome. I think we will be trying to cook together more often. Please try this, it's something new to make on your grill this summer, instead of the same old burger or steak. Let me know how yours turns out.
Tonight at church we sang "In Christ Alone". I have this song on a worship CD and I love it. However i had never sang it in church before and heard the sound of so many believes singing it together. It was touching and breath taking. At the end of the song we sang the last chorus with out any instruments.The sound of a group of believes lifting their voices and singing with all their hearts to their Savior was amazing. I had chills all over my body, it was a feeling I haven't gotten in church in a long time. I felt God in that place, and I could feel Him working on my heart and others in the room. Wow, that's pretty much all I can say, it was awesome. The church service was beautiful and powerful. I'm bummed that we will be missing church next week, while we are at camp. However I am looking forward to when we get back and hear the last few weeks of Todd's "Summer on the Mount" series. So I hope you read the words to this song and listen to it as well. Let it touch your heart and feel the love that Christ has for you. I am in awe of Christ's love and what He did for me. Praise Jesus for loving me even though i don't deserve it!
In Christ Alone
In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when striving cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand
In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
'Till on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live
There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost it's grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Brought with the precious blood of Christ
No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life's first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
'Till He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand
Tonight we had a FULL house for our yearly tie dye party. We had kids from youth group, along with friends from camp, and two visitors from North Carolina. We had a great bunch of people. Sherry made burritos for all of us and we enjoyed an amazing meal together, then the tie dying started. Everyone brought shirts and other white clothed items and we had a ball make our creations. I love tie dyeing and think it's such a fun thing to do together with a group of people. After everyone had finished their art project we enjoyed some cupcakes, shocker i know! :)
Well I had a full and crazy weekend, now I am off to bed to prepare for what the Lord has in store for me this week. Nighty Night friends, hope you had a great weekend!
