i LOVE sandy saltwater in the sun

everyone who reads this post obviously knows of my LOVE for the California Coastline...or any warm coastline for that matter. i dedicate this post to the LOVE that my family and i have for playing in the sand and saltwater. and now i give you my childrens favorite California song by Phantom Planet...enjoy!!

We've been on the run Driving in the sun Looking out for #1 California here we come Right back where we started from

Hustlers grab your guns Your shadow weighs a ton Driving down the 101 California here we come Right back where we started from

California! Here we come!

On the stereo Listen as we go Nothing's gonna stop me now California here we come Right back where we started from


Pedal to the floor Thinkin' of the roar Gotta get us to the show California here we come Right back where we started from

California! Here we come!

i LOVE the idea of this word

i know that "peace" will actually never be the way the world wants it to. that is until Christ comes again. this is why i have adopted "peace" to mean something else. below is a picture of my favorite quote that i have hanging in my home and i truly BELIEVE it and LOVE that it isn't "peace" defined the way the world defines it.

i get many compliments on this...

and this. most people have the word "family" printed up to do this but i decided i would rather have the word "peace" instead.
Kylee had a school program on the Flag and the USA. She now walks around the house singing songs of America and the Flag. Happy Presidents Day.

PEACE OUT!!

in LOVE with LOVE

Happy Valentines Day To All: i will let the pictures speak for themselves. i just have to say that Brenton and Kylee each received a secret Valentine from someone with a ?. brenton shrugged it off, it is driving kylee NUTS not to know.

i HAD to show off the cute hairdo's!!

i LOVE me a little Bradylicious

today we are going to find out what my CUTE nephew, Brady, LOVES. he is my sisters oldest child, and is 4 years old. he is full of memorable quotes, many of which my husband quotes around our house ALL THE TIME. here is a sampling of some Bradyisms... " i don't want tooooo", "1,2, time out (sadly he has sent me many times)", " goo boy, goo boy", "sandwich...take it downstairs". We really LOVE him here at the Ruf house and here is what he told his mom about what he loves...

i love the movie TRANSFORMERS (when his dad had an accident with his car he thought that it was because the transformers got to it), i love eating spaghetti, mac and cheese, and pizza...

i love playing with Brenton and playing with CARS...

he wants warmer weather so he can go outside and ride his new bike...

i love playing the games memory and candy land!!

Brady i have just one question for you...WILL YOU BE MY VALENTINE???

p.s. i will be doing a special v-day post tomorrow even though i normally don't post on saturday...i just can't resist!

my "self taught" LOVE

after having a baby and sitting at home coming up with more to do than clean and cook, i decided to teach myself how to crochet. i like having that feeling of accomplishing something and cooking and cleaning just doesn't do it for me. so i checked out a bunch of books from the library, bought me a crochet hook, and some yarn. i sat down and taught myself how to crochet. then, a few years later, i did the same thing with knitting. i feel like these are becoming two lost arts and hopefully it will lead to my kids wanting to learn. even Brenton has asked if i would teach him (now ask Walter how he felt about this, i don't know what he is worried about. big deal, a boy wants to learn how to knit.) my brother is now learning, along with his girlfriend, how to crochet and i couldn't think he was any cooler, applause applause!! so to all the BOYS out there, go ahead and pick up a crochet/knitting needles, 'cause i think that is AWESOME!

i taught myself how to knit in a round and made these cute arm/hand warmers, now kylee wants a pair.

this is a dress that i am in the process of knitting. i am so good at starting projects...finishing them, not so good. and now the baby has gotten to yarn and i have a big knot to clean up!!this is a blanket that i crocheted, fell in love with those colors.this is a hat that i am knitting and am almost done with.and another blanket that i crocheted.

the other day kylee was in the car and was moving her hands around and says to me "mom can you guess what i am doing?". i replied "no, what are you doing?". she then says, "i am KNITTING mom, just like you do? when are you going to teach me?".

wordless (who doesn't LOVE disneyland?) wednesday

i LOVE kylee

kylee has taken over this post and will now tell you about all the things that a 5 year old girl LOVES...
playing in the pool, taking naps at home, playing on the wii, watching barbie movies...

teasing my brother, playing with my old friend grandpa, eating mac and cheese...

shopping with mom, going to the zoo, AND MAKING FUNNY FACES!!

my "home baked" LOVE

i really LOVE my kitchenaid. it has helped me in so many ways. i truly do not know what i would do without it, 'cause i sure as heck refuse to use the wooden spoon, bowl, and elbow grease...blech too hard. i enjoy BAKING much more than i enjoy COOKING(as seen earlier here). my sister, Molly, now assigns me to bake all things needed for Metcalf get togethers. and i can always count on her to LOVE whatever treat i have baked at the moment. Here is a sampling...

sometime in the future i want my kitchen to be red, white, and blue thus, the red kitchenaid.in the middle of making my coconut cupcakes...

and now finshed and ready for delivery, don't YOU wish YOU got some!!

mixing my lovely honey wheat bread dough.

and look how lovely it turned out. my kids choose mom's homemade bread over store bought ever time!!!

now, what to BAKE next...

my "learned" LOVE

my next LOVE is sewing. this LOVE did not come easy to me. i of course took the mandatory home ec classes in school and not once did i feel a connection to the sewing machine. this could be the feminist in me that saw the sewing machine as a drudgery for women but, i think i just didn't really care to learn about it. it wasn't until later on in life (and by this i mean after having my children) that i "learned" to LOVE my sewing machine and all i can do with it. i can fix my childrens ripped seams, make "crafty whatnots" (or whatever it is that MARTHA is making), sew cute kids clothes, and make a quilt. this is why i LOVETH my sewing machine...

this is normally where my sewing machine resides...on the kitchen table. we normally eat at the counter.a skirt i put together and have made three others along with it.

a birthday present i made for my mom. i still need to put the binding on. i am not good at doing this and would happily pay someone to finish this part for me.

and on a side note i just have to show off kylee's hairdo today. i learned how to do it here. so many fun ideas. i think i will do the double heart on VDAY.

ps we are off to see Pink Panther 2 tonight with the kids, and i get a GNO saturday night to go see he's just not that into you. YEAH for me!!!

" i LOVE swords"...still??

today i am going to let Brenton tell you about all the things that HE LOVES.

REAL swords, REAL guns, spaghetti, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles...Superman, Batman, Spiderman, coloring and drawing swords and guns and superheroes...

going to grandma and grandpa's house, playing with cousins, and sleeping on the floor of my bedroom in my sleeping bag.

wordless (i LOVE movies) wednesday

my LOVE, my ipod

i LOVE my ipod. i LOVE all my music. i NEVER listen to the radio, ever. i LOVE that i can put m0vies on it for those moments when you are REALLY bored or your kids need some entertainment. i LOVE that i can put a million songs all in one tiny littly place and take it with me wherever i go. i have decided to list my 10 MOST PLAYED songs (according to my beloved ipod).
1. my love 2. cobrastyle 3. last dollar 4. province 5. fidelity 6. grace 7. london bridge 8. let the drummer kick 9. get me bodied (remix) 10. catch my disease. there you have it, my top ten. although numbers 1, 2, 3, 7, and 10 have alot to do with my kids requests.



what would i do without you???

kylee has already told me that when she gets older the ipod is HERS!!

my month of LOVE

no my dearest husband it DOES NOT mean THAT!! so sorry to let you down...i will be discussing this month all of the things that I LOVE. this will not be just limited to me. i am thinking that i will be interviewing those whom I LOVE to find out what THEY LOVE. i am going to try and stay positive this month (because believe me there are some negatives i could most certainly write about...like kylee being home with a major croup/cold). but see, i am not going there. oooo i am so evolving right now from pessimistic Marci (until next month that is). so to all those who read my LOVELY blog...enjoy!!

i am starting with the basics today. i LOVE LOVE LOVE my kids. Brenton is my oldest, cuddlebug, karate chopping, sword fighting, hero lovin 7 year old. Kylee is my sassypants, metcalf girl attitude, baby lovin, makeup and nail polish wearin, dancing queen 5 year old. Tessa...well so far i can tell she has got throwing a fit, smiling, laughing, running away from you, on the move all the time 1 year old attitude down. (this picture is from last valentines day)