Happy 6th Birthday... Our Sweet Avery Mae

Today is our little girls 6th birthday.  Where has the time gone?  I look at her and I can still see that sweet newborn that laid on my chest in the hospital shortly after she was born.  I remember feeling so full of love that I thought I would burst.  I remember being so tired and dozing off while resting in the reclined hospital bed and snuggling with her on my chest, doing skin-to-skin and waking up and being so enamored with how beautiful she was.  She was amazing!  She was both everything and nothing I had ever dreamed of.  Her sister Payton, was so fair and light haired... so when she was born with a giant wig on her little head that was as dark as her daddy's hair, I was shocked and couldn't believe half of her came from me!  Her 1/8th Cuban ethnicity really came out.  As we examined her sweet little body, we laughed at all the hair that covered her full-term, 9 lbs 2 oz. body.  Even on her little ears!  She was a little werewolf! 

So, 6 years have passed and she is still our hairy little mama!  She will someday be embarrassed by this, but my husband trimmed her nose hairs the other day!  It was quite the sight and memory.  We were all in the bathroom observing and laughing about what was about to take place.  I said to my husband, "There's something a little off about you trimming your almost six year old daughters nose hairs."  We laughed and continue to laugh about it.  The poor Bazzocco side of the family got blamed for the hairy gene, and we got a great laugh out of it all. 

Avery is our hearts delight!  She is both spunky and sweet.  A for sure fire cracker!  We honestly are not sure she knows how to walk anymore, as she skips everywhere she goes... literally!  Even from the kitchen to the bathroom and back.  Sometimes it drives me bonkers, but it reminds me what a joyful, free spirit she has... and that, I am thankful for.  Avery loves doing anything and everything artsy and crafty, yes the apple does not fall far from the tree.  She loves playing with her friends, watching t.v. (despite our limiting it), reading and being read to, eating, and going to Tap/Ballet class.  She has many wonderful gifts and we love seeing what God does in her life and what He has planned for her future. 

So today... Sweet Avery Mae... our little hairy momma!  We love you, we adore you, we are proud of you, we are honored to be your parents and we celebrate this memorable day that God blessed us and showed us His plans for us in giving us you, sweet girl.  Happy Birthday to you....

Love Mommy, Daddy, Ben Ben and always Payton

Snowman Soup or Snowman Poop!

Hi all we wanted to share two holiday treats that the kids and I made for friends, family, kindergarten classmates, MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) friends, our favorite Post Office Staff Ladies and Nugget Grocery staff... well you get the idea.  I help co-coordinate crafts for my churches MOPS group and for our last week for fall session, we made the Snowman Soup bags.  They were quick to create and the moms seemed to enjoy them.  And the Snowman Poop, well that was a little something that we discovered on the Internet.  They made me laugh and who doesn't need a little more laughter in their lives, so I had to make them too.  (You can also make Reindeer Poop with raisins, Leprechaun Poop with green jellybeans and well I am sure the ideas are plenty).  The fun part starts with making these little guys with your kids.  The hard part is keeping them from eating them all.  The best part is watching the gift receivers face when you've handed them the Snowman Poop!  They are inexpensive to make, fun, quick to assemble (the labels take the longest time and make sure you check your spelling before you print them, cut them out and corner round them.... ugh!  I misspelled Cane... I wrote stir it with a can!  OOPS!) and great to give.  Have fun and Merry "Christ"mas everyone!  

Snowman Soup Assembly Recipe

Step 1: Measure 3Tbls. Chocolate Mix into small plastic bag and close with twisty tie (Small and larger bags and ribbon were bought at Joannes Fabric)

Step 2: Insert into large bag: Chocolate Mix, 5 marshmallows, 2 kisses, 1 candy cane

Step 3: Tie with ribbon and attach Snowman Soup Recipe Tag (Our Tags were made on a Windows Doc. and Clip Art, then we cut card stock with paper trimmer and rounded corners, whole punch and tied with holiday ribbon and raffia). 

Step 4: Keep for yourself or give to someone special. Merry Christmas and enjoy!

Snowman Poop

Just plain mini-marshmallows in a bag!

Our family also made this:

It is a metal star cookie cutter places in an organza bag and inside is a card with a Christmas note wishing a Merry Christmas, along with the recipe for our favorite homemade play dough and the idea of making the play dough with your kids and while it cools, cuddling together and reading the Christmas Story about Jesus' birth.  Taking time to talk with your children about what Christmas is really all about and why we celebrate it.  And telling them about the Wise Men and how they followed the Star to Bethlehem to meet the King, our Savior, Baby Jesus.  And that we too can choose to follow Jesus.  Then after your done sharing the story, go back into the kitchen and cut out stars with the star cookie cutter from yellow colored play dough.  It is a great preschool and school age activity to focus on Jesus this Christmas season. 

Here's our recipe and what our cards said:  the recipe was passed along several years ago by a friend from church(Thank you Staci for sharing this awesome recipe with us, we miss Puggles, Avery still talks about it!).  Best recipe ever! And feel free to use my wording.  

Merry Christmas!

This Christmas Season take some time to slow down and spend time with your kiddos.

Make some of this play dough and color it yellow. While the play dough cools from cooking, cuddle up

with your kiddos and read the Christmas Story to them. Talk to them about how

the Wise Men followed the Star to Bethlehem to baby Jesus and how we too can choose to

follow. Then go back to the kitchen and have fun with your star cookie cutter, cutting out

yellow play dough stars. We love each of you and wish you a very Merry Christmas!

Love Heather, Aren, Avery and Ben

(we tied on alphabet ornaments for their 1st names)

Cooked Play dough
3 Cups of Flour
½ Cup Salt
2 Tbsp. Cream of Tarter (we buy ours in bulk at Winco)
3 Cups Water
6 Tbsp. Salad Oil
Food Coloring(I like to use Wilton's Icing Color concentrated paste-sold at Michael's or Joannes in cake supplies)

First add dry ingredients to a large stew pot.  Then add wet ingredients.  Stir and heat on medium until mixture becomes stiff and pliable and begins to come away from the sides of the pot. Remove from pot and cool until workable then knead until smooth in texture and color.
Store in a plastic Ziploc. *** It seems like you are stirring forever, then all of a sudden it
comes together into play dough consistency very quickly.  Once you are stirring, be careful not to leave the pot or it will burn!! Enjoy!
Here's some more holiday pictures of my family. 

 Each holiday or season of the year, we keep a basket of books in our kitchen with the theme of the holiday or season that we are in.  We love cuddling on the couch and reading them.  It seems I have passed my book addiction on to not only Avery, but Ben too!  It is a rare moment he is seen hands-free of a book.  I'm a proud momma! 

 While our home smells nice from the live Christmas Tree, I like to burn scented oils from Bath & Body Works 

Sadly this year our annual trip to Snowy Peaks Christmas Tree Farm was cancelled due to the weather, so we were forced to visit a tree lot at a local nursery.  While the experience was not the same... we must say it was much more simple and fast! 

 The trees were all so beautiful and perfectly shaped, so it wasn't hard to pick one out quickly. 

Ben decorating/playing with his box of ornaments.

Our little Avery Mae posing in front of the tree.

Every year we get together with our old playgroup friends and do a book exchange with the kids.  Here are all the kiddos! Ben was not having it! 

Here are all the mommas!   

 And the papas!

Oh and we do a cookie exchange.  Our family made and exchanged Gingerbread Whoopie Pies! 

Then I made boxes for my neighbors with all my exchanged cookies!  It is the way to go! 

Then the kids helped me pass them out.  And shake them up!  Ugh!



"He's Got The Little Kindergarteners In His Hands"

Avery Mae just 3 days old. 

Over five years ago, God gave me one of the most beautiful gifts I could ever ask for, my daughter Avery.  It has been an amazing journey as her mommy and she has brought my heart so much delight and sometimes...stress!  She is my spirited one, my fly-by-the-seat-of-her-pants child, sings-to-her-own-tune and my little girl who knows what she wants and when she wants it.  She is also tender-hearted, kind, compassionate towards others, loving, thoughtful, knows how to enjoy life and so many more wonderful traits and gifts.  Needless to say, she is my little refiner, that God is truly shaping my character daily through.  She makes my soul soar with the joy and love, and at times she brings me to my knees humbly in prayer. 

Bringing Avery home from the hospital, March 05

Before Avery was born, the reality that my children are NOT, just "my children" became very clear, very real as we held Payton tightly and our Heavenly Father called her home.  We learned that any child God was going to give us, was His first and given to us as a gift, to love, raise and disciple through life.  A task I often felt and continue to feel at times, ill-equipped for.  It has been a fine balance of holding on and letting go at just the right moments with Avery.  I have since learned, it's the same with our son Benjamin who is almost 2 years old.  "If only I could hit the pause button", another mom friend of mine has recently said.  But no such remote exists.  Only the "present button".

 sweet Avery recently started kindergarten. The anticipation of the first day was the hardest part, next to watching her walk away with her new classmates, off into the big kindergarten world. Avery was a champ, brave and joyful with anticipation. Her mommy, however, well I was a mess! I worried, feared and fretted far more than I needed to. And when the first day came, it was like having a band-aid ripped off quickly! After she walked away into her class with an ear-to-ear smile and holding a new little girlfriends hand, I let the tears fall. As I glanced around the parking lot, it was clear to see that I was not alone in my emotions. It was easy to spot the kindergartner mommies. With the exception of a few little souls, the first day appeared far more painful to the mommies than the new kindergartners. When I headed home, I went straight into action. Get Ben down quickly for his nap! For this was a new part of our "unknown routine". One hour earlier than normal, he still happily obliged and off to dreamland he went! I walked downstairs with the world lifted off my shoulders. Start of first day for Avery- check! Ben down at his new nap time-check! Momma has about 2.5 hrs to myself- Yahoo! I really didn't know if I should continue my mommy weeping or dance a jig!

Avery in her first day of school outfit and backpack

Annual first day of school pic...we took her preschool pics in front of this tree too.

Standing in line to go into kindergarten class for the first time

Waving Goodbye....

Though I am personally still struggling and adjusting to public school protocol, Avery is doing great.  It has been twelve days since that first day of kindergarten and life is settling in.  We have our new routine down and Avery is blossoming!  She loves kindergarten and is eager to go everyday.  The afternoon schedule is working out perfectly for our family and Ben is napping beautifully.  And I have a little more time to "get things done".  It feels great to be where we are now.  But twelve plus days ago, it was a tender place to be.  Letting a little more of Avery go was difficult.  And so.... this is just really the beginning.  That must be why God gives them to us when they are little, so we can ease into the transition.  There is so much I could write about, my head is flooded with thoughts to share.  But one of the things I really wanted to share is how proud I am of my sweet daughter.  My heart aches with love for her and I am amazed that five years has passed so quickly.  Sad, yet excited with anticipation for the adventures and tender moments ahead of raising my sweet gifts from God.  Focusing on enjoying them while they are here in my arms, in my home, under my care.  But I know, as many others have learned too.  They are loaned to me, to raise, to teach, to love, and to enjoy life with.  As I basically grieved the end of summer and the anticipation of Avery reaching this new milestone, I sat down the day before her first day of kindergarten to spend some time talking with God.  And this is the devotional that was prepared for that day.  It was as if it was written to me.  I love it when God works that way.  This is what it said. 

August 23

Entrust your loved ones to Me; release them into My protective care.  They are much safer with Me than in your clinging hands.  If you let a loved one become an idol in your heart, you endanger that one--as well as yourself.  Remember the extreme measures I used with Abraham and Isaac.  I took Isaac to the very point of death to free Abraham from son-worship.  Both Abraham and Isaac suffered terribly because of the father's undisciplined emotions.  I detest idolatry, even in the form of parental love.

When  you release loved ones to Me, you are free to cling to My hand.  As you entrust others into My care I am free to shower blessings on them.  My Presence will go with them wherever they go, and I will give them rest.  This same Presence stays with you, as you relax and place your trust in Me.  Watch to see what I will do.

~Genesis 22:9-12; Ephesians 3:20; Exodus 33:14

Jesus Calling by Sarah Young

While I don't know that I need to compare myself to Abraham, I could see the message here that spoke to my heart.  Trust.  Trust Avery into His hands.  Not always an easy thing to do in this world that can be unpredictable, scary and just plain dangerous.  It is also a place of beauty, joy and love.  And it was created for us to enjoy, to experience and to grow in.  I may not always be able to keep my little ones under my wings forever, but I trust and know like sung in the children's song, "He's got the whole world in His hands," that even my little kindergartner is always... in His hands.    

"One Man's Trash Is Another Child's Treasure"

Once in a blue moon, one of my families favorite drinks to treat ourselves to is a Henry Weinhard Root Beer.  It's rich, creamy, smooth on the taste buds and served in an old fashioned brown glass bottle.  Something about drinking out of that cold brown bottle adds to the nostalgia of the experience.  However, once the soda is down-the-hatch, the bottle somehow loses it's flair and is quickly tossed in the the recycling bin with all of the other empty containers to be recycled.  All the work and mileage that bottle went through to satisfy my craving for such a short time...but so appreciated!  Now days everyone is "going green" and people are striving to take better care of our gift from God, "Earth." 

According to the Clean Air Council, "in the U.S., 4.39 pounds of trash per day and up to 56 tons of trash per year are created by the average person"!  I once heard this amazing story about a man who made it his life work to throw away as little trash as he possibly could.  I cannot remember what his actual consumption level was, but what stood out to me was that he reused "ALL" of his foil, plastic wrap, bags, etc.... never to throw away or buy new again.  So often when I reach in my drawer to grab my foil I think of that man.  Somehow he made an impression on me.  Crazy as it is...you can't help but find a person and cause like that, honorable.  Praiseworthy!  Every person "can" make a difference.  Just not sure I can in that exact way...as I literally went through 6 wipes and about 10 napkins while eating out at dinner with my "Pigpen" children...not counting the foil, plastic and cardboard we were eating out of at Chipotle. 

While visiting my families property in Ft. Bragg this past 4th of July, we made a stop at one of the tourists attractions, Glass Beach.  Beachcombers for miles walk the shore exploring the tide pools and rummaging through the sand in search for the perfect souvenir piece(s) of sea glass to take home to cherish.  My kids loved it!  Avery carefully examined each stone piece by piece, that she stowed away...in my sweater pocket.  And Ben was tickled just running his chubby little fingers and toes through the smooth stones and sand.  Occasionally, grabbing handfuls and chucking them at us while giggling with a sly grin.  Aren and I were content sitting our hineys in it and treasuring the moments and memories with the kids.  Though I must say I hijacked a few stones for myself... found several that look like tear drops.  So I had to take them.

To think that this beautiful beach was once home to a dump was a surprise to all who learned of the history of Glass Beach.  Yes, it's true.  "In the early 20th century, Fort Bragg residents threw their household garbage over the cliffs above what is now "Glass Beach." They discarded glass, appliances, and even cars. The land was owned at that time by the Union Lumber Company, and locals referred to it as "The Dumps." Sometimes fires were lit to reduce the size of the trash pile.  In 1967, the North Coast Water Quality Board and city leaders closed the area. Various cleanup programs were undertaken through the years to correct the damage.  Over the next several decades the pounding waves cleansed the beach, wearing down the discarded glass into the small, smooth, colored trinkets that cover the beach today." (Source: Wikipedia.org)

To think that some root beer lovin' litterbug tossed her brown glass root beer bottle over the cliffs and decades later another root beer lovin' conservationist (sorry couldn't pass it up) was snatching it up off the beach and stuffing it in her pocket to take home and treasure, is redeeming!  I guess that's one long and drawn out way to recycle or re-use!  We loved it!  Who doesn't love a beautiful beach to explore.  My little 5 year old sure does!  She'd take the whole beach home with her if she could!  A trait I am happy to have passed on, the little nature lover that she is!  When we spend time in the great outdoors with Avery, we always have to make up an arbitrary limit on rock, shell, pine-cone, leaf smuggling with her.  Otherwise, my home would be the Great Indoors.  While we truly are trying to teach our children how to care for and respect this planet we live on by "taking only photographs and leaving only memories", we couldn't help but bring a little of it home with us to cherish.  As my sweet little girls eyes sparkled at each new discovered glass jewel she handed me, it brought a whole new meaning to "one man's trash is another child's treasure". 

The purpose of our trip was to spend time with family for the 4th of July at my families property.  The property has been in my family far before I was born...it is a cherished place for the Risse Family, friends and guests.  http://www.kibesillah.com/

My favorite flower.... Nasturtium... planted around the Farmhouse....reminds me of my late Grandma Risse

Happy 4th of July America....love Ben

The Farmhouse in Kibesillah (Ft. Bragg, CA)

So precious...Avery and Great Grandpa Risse

Our visit to the Salmon Festival...to eat some YUMMY freshly grilled salmon!

Ladybug Kisses & Pink Balloon Wishes....

Ladybug, Ladybug...
you flew away Home.
I held you for a moment,
you were only on loan.

Though a world apart,
I wait to unite...
I hold onto your memory
with all of my might.

God's Promises hold true,
His redemption is clear.
Though our time to be together...
seems farther than near.

So I rest in His Word,
His Peace and His Love...
While missing you each day,
He guides me gently from above.

In His arms you rest whole,
your life is complete.
A truth I hold dearly,
so tender... so sweet. 
~Written by Heather Bazzocco, mommy... for Payton on her 7th birthday 5~28~10

Happy 7th birthday, my sweet daughter... my little lovebug!  I love you... and will always miss you, till our Heavenly Father gently lays you back into my arms.  I am so proud to be your mommy.  Thank you my brave little soul.  You have made my life complete.
Love mommy

There's a jokester in every bunch!

Sweet Avery decorating her sisters grave with all the heartfelt mementos she made for her.  Though Avery never got to meet her big sister... she knows her... loves her... and misses her presence in her life.  I am touched deeply by Avery's heart.  She is amazingly giving, empathetic, and tender hearted.  I am so proud of her. 

When talking with Avery the night before Payton's birthday... Avery said she, "wished we could go out to Payton's grave and release ladybugs and pink balloons" something we have done on past birthdays.  They clearly have made such an impression on her little heart, that she wanted to do them again.  It made the day special... and the children loved it.  Avery Mae (5), Benjamin (19mo), Brody (27mo) and the twins, Braxton and Barrett (8mo) all were a part of celebrating Payton's 7th birthday. 

 As our time celebrating at Payton's grave came to an end. I glanced up from under her Willow where I was standing and there attached to a branch directly over her grave, was a cocoon. I am not sure if it is a butterfly or a moth cocoon. I tried to search on-line, but was not able to determine what lies inside to 100%. Truthfully that is not what really matters. What matters is what it reminded me of. How we change... how Payton changed. Many have heard of the analogy used of the life of a caterpillar to the life of a human. We exist in this world as living human beings, caterpillars if you will. Then we die (cocoon). Then if we are believers and followers in Christ... we emerge in new, glorious bodies in heaven (butterflies). Well some of us... are just moths. No, just kidding. The whole process, whether a butterfly or a moth... is a miracle. It is amazing! Go out into nature and everywhere you look God has wonderfully orchestrated His story into each living thing. The symbolism of birth, life, and death is everywhere. You cannot escape, you should not disbelieve it, you cannot discount it. And God is so amazing that He gives us the life of a butterfly to learn from. All throughout the Bible, Christ would talk in parables, stories. He would use a story to symbolize a deeper meaning, a greater point. A moral to the story, to teach others...and us today.  In the creation of the butterfly, He has given us yet another perfect parable... another symbol... of the cycle of life. Believe in the powers of God to create magnificent new life, to believe the miracle that God transforms caterpillars into butterflies, to believe the miracle that God transforms earthy bodies into heavenly bodies. Like He has done for Payton.

As Christ talked in analogy in Psalm 22:6, Jesus talked about His death and resurrection.  Saying, "I am a worm, and no man..."  because He would rise again in a glorified body just like the caterpillar who emerges from his "tomb-like chrysalis/cocoon" in the form of a butterfly.  Is it any surprise that God would leave us tangible evidence that such a transformation CAN and DOES happen. 

Richard Buckminster Fuller wrote, "There is nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it's going to be a butterfly". This quote is so true.  If you were to look at a caterpillar would you ever believe it could and does change into a beautiful, delicate butterfly?  But it does!  Thank you God for this miracle, this tangible piece of evidence that one form can and does change miraculously into another form.

Such a reminder of how we are changed, and transformed in death is talked about in 1 Corinthians 15: 12-58.  (NIV)   "35 How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?" 36How foolish! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. 37When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. 38But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body. 39All flesh is not the same: Men have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another. 40There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another. 41The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor.

42 So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; 43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.  If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body."

There is so little I feel I need to say after these verses.  They speak for themselves.  So today as I saw the cocoon... I saw it as one of God's redemptive reminders to me... to my family.  A reminder that Payton lives on... that she is in her new body.  Just like that butterfly or moth will soon be too.  In fact we all, through our faith in Christ, can be transformed when it is our time to form our own cocoons.   

"What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the Master calls a butterfly." ~Richard Bach