arnold party of 5

10 on Tuesday!!

2012-01-24T09:17:00.001-08:00

1. I've been gone too long from the blog world. Sorry mom.

2. We loved being in Texas for 2 weeks. Loved all the quality family time and the food!!

My sistas!!

Hot tubbin' in Temple!!

Kiddie Parkin' with Nama!!

Jess, Eli and I shopped around in Bourne with my high school friends. Nothing like high school friends:) They know you so well....when you had bushy eyebrows and pimples. They still love me and I still love them:)

Crazy Cousins!!

Temple cousins! We have the best cousins ever!! When we walk in the house the kids all take off and go play. Aunt Jenny and I chat and cook and shop all while the cousins ~~babysit~~ play!!!

8. We also explored at Nama and Poppy's house and Memaw and Pepaw's houses (big acres of land = hours of fun). Nama .T's house too!!

9. How precious are these boots from Grandma Sharon? Can't stand it can you? Me either. And my sister started making these scripture frames. This one for Eli is a page from my mom's childhood bible. The girls and I have one as well and they really are so special to us:)

10. My new favorite app is one from Sue's school list of educational apps. I downloaded the free version and played it once to understand it to explain it to the girls, then I got sucked....right...in. See if you can beat 93 words on PopWords!!! Love it!!!

Christmas photos

2011-12-09T20:20:00.000-08:00

Our friend took some fun photos of our family of 5! It was interesting to see what came of the photos, getting 5 people to look like they were having the time of their lives while staring into a huge black camera was a bit tricky. Malyn is our ham when she wants to be, so if she is not being a ham she has a half smile lean back that she does. Sue is always trying to keep up her smile and fake laugh when necessary. I (mom) had internal conversations going the whole time, 'what's my hair doing?', 'how am I supposed to stand,' 'shoot I should have applied another layer of gloss,' and so on. Boo has a smile that he uses for every family photo and in every shoot he does (so he's easy and always looks spot on). And Eli is our biggest wild card right now. You never know when one 14 month old will do his famous furrowed brow, classic still face, or break out in a happy smile.

Here are some of the photos (credits Jamie Sterba and Erik Svendsen) taken in Palos Verdes, CA

Merry Christmas!! I'm busy having sew much fun with gift making:)))

Thumbs Up Thursday!

2011-11-17T13:17:00.000-08:00

Thumbs up for the Tooth necklaces I made the girls last week. Mattie Sue has yet to loose her first tooth and told me she wants to be prepared at school when one finally comes loose. So the tooth pouch necklace was born! Malyn wanted one with the bird wing as the tooth pocket and Sue just wanted an M and a tooth on it. Turned out cute huh? I love handmade.

Thumbs Up for the Singer Brilliance! The new ~~obsession~~ love in my life! Next up....comfy Christmas pants! Thank you pop for the early birthday gift! I am loving this!

Happy Thursday!

5 Years Old!!

2011-11-16T14:43:00.000-08:00


Happy 5th Birthday Malyn Grace!! We are so blessed with your joy filled spirit!! Stacy- 'Malyn, do you feel older?' Malyn- 'Yep, I woke up taller!!!'

Ocho Anos!

2011-11-15T07:31:00.000-08:00

Happy 8 years! I love us.

Eli 12 months!

2011-11-03T12:11:00.000-07:00

October 20th we celebrated Eli's 12 months of life!!

12 things about this guy...

1. He walks up to 9 steps then drops and crawls.
2. He has 5 teeth and teething.
3. He screams...'mAyen' for Malyn
4. He does not say Mattie Sue yet but Mattie Sue has made it known she wants him to call her 'SueSue'.
5. Two naps a day. 9:30 and 1.
6. Cars and balls and music!
7. Bottle out, sippy cup of milk in.
8. He was sitting in the infant carseat until today.
9. Tips the scales at 24lbs.
10. Loves baby food (still), waffles and oatmeal. And his mama!
11. Nicknames- Eli Johnson, nugget and Tater Tot (because the top of his head looks like the top of a tater tot).

Eli Johnson we are sure glad God gave us you!!! Happy 1st birthday buddy!!!

Halloween 2011

2011-11-02T21:28:00.000-07:00


Halloween 2011. Malyn- a bird turned Jewel from Rio turned toucan turned back to Jewel while Trick or Treating. Sue- angel. This picture especially cracks my up because I said to the girls to go next to the tree for a picture and they both turned around to show their wings. HAHA all the wing build up has led them to this;)

Pumpkin Patch. Someday we will make it to an awesome field of growing pumpkins.

Happy Little Ghost!


The Trick or Treating crew! What's that thing on my head?

Not sure why this picture is not going under the other pumpkin patch picture....Cute of Nama!!

Malyn's TEDDE class had a Halloween parade and party. It was fun for my mom to be there for all these little October extras! This little birdie is full of confidence and independence amongst peers.

Halloween Party!

Who wouldn't give these little kiddos candy? See don't you just LOVE Halloween? Its just so precious. Go Elmo.

We took Malyn to her teachers house to trick or treat. It was so fun for her!!

Malyn digging through her loot. Another successful Halloween!!

Top 10 Pins!

2011-09-28T16:37:00.000-07:00

I can't get stop checking out the new pins on Pinterest. My eyes hurt and I have to step away from the screen. I made a few things (all copies but most have been tweaked (some for the good and some not so much)). Here are my top 10 favorite pins!!!

Fabric flowers stitched onto headbands. Easy.

Spinach Artichoke Pasta. So.Very.Tasty.

Autumn Chopped Salad (pears, cranberries, feta, bacon and chicken). To date this is our favorite salad. What I love even more than this salad are the Italian salad tongs my mom brought me back from her trip!

Made another set of rainbow bird wings for the girls auction at school. Gets easier every time!

After seeing Malyn's bird wings she decided to be an angel for Halloween. She told me she wanted to be an angel because Peepaw calls her 'Angel' and she wants some wings. So, here are her angel wings that turned out WAY cuter than I pictured. I messed up a few times and had to improvise but what came of it was cuter than the look I was going for! The sparkly heart in the middle makes them fabulous!

With Eli napping 3 times a day still the girls ask if they can craft with me....here is their latest contribution to the craft crazy. The others didn't make the top 10. Sorry girls, this is mama's blog;)

My fall wreath! Yes the original is cuter and that's okay.

Bird Pinata for Malyn's 5th birday party! (The beak is too big but the customer loves it so we are going with it!)

This one is funny, I actually took this picture to send to my mom and sister about how 'Pinteresty' I looked for church. Nonetheless it made the top 10 because I like it! Mind the iPhone quality and the girls messy room.

Last but not least is my favorite, I call, Little Girl Pearls, also going into the school fall auction! Again, this one turned out way cuter than I imagined. Love when that happens!

'Happy Pinning!'

Summer Top 10!

2011-09-09T16:17:00.000-07:00

Arnold Summer 2011 Top 10 Favorites!!!

Best Memory for Mattie Sue- 'Going to Texas'! Hanging out with Nama all to herself for an entire weekend, swimming in 3 different pools, playing with cousins, Nama .T, Nama, Poppy, Auntie Jenny and the Tootles. Her favorite of the 3 pools was....Cindy's pool!

Best Memory for Malyn- 'Camping'! Malyn has been wanted to go camping since she saw that Olivia from Nickelodeon went camping. She loved getting her stick on fire with Melody, walking in the woods, water park and sleeping in the tent.

Best Memory for me- Camping and the Lazy River. I parked myself on the lazy river at the water park on the campground. Loved it. Highly recommend it!

How fun, who wants to camp with us next summer?

Funniest Moment Caught on Camera- Solace Opening Party. Erik is telling us how Sawyer was spilling his juice box on his head during one of the games (top right). Funnier in person but these two great photos show this funny moment!!

I really thought this was funny, I'm even doing the lean back and clap laugh.

Best Weekend- Jessica and Ryan flew out for the last weekend of July. It was just another reminder that I love my family. We were Tootlin' around town together hitting all the fun spots with the kiddos! Best nights sleep- Boo was out of town so Jess and I slept in our bed with the sliding door open with the cool summer breeze and the fan on high. It was Best sleep worthy!!!

Best Rescue- Nama to the rescue with the emergency appendix extraction! We had 8 days of unexpected fun together!!

Not so fun for this guy!

Eli's Best Trick- Food!! He is now 10 1/2 months and all 23lbs of him is now loving food. Still no teeth.

Best Item of the Summer- Ergo Baby Carrier. Lifesaver at the beach, grocery store, camping, park play, etc. LOVE IT! This actually might make Product of the Year in my book. Item of the Summer #2 would have been this jacket Boo was wearing but it didn't fit around his gut so he didn't keep it.

This picture is from the actual photo shoot (hence the makeup) for the Ergo, people never really take pictures of me so I have none but I wear Eli all the time.

Biggest Oops- Malyn's independence has a downside too. After our HOA meeting I was waiting for the folks to mention this, no one did and all is well. Aren't the footprints so cute? Hoping the winter rains will wash this manmade rainbow pond away, till then, I like the color choice.

Sweetest Sister Moment- Malyn and I walked Mattie Sue to her class on Thursday morning. When we said good bye she turned to Malyn and put her fist up. Malyn then put her fist up and the two of them did their secret handshake.....I didn't even know they had one!!! It was the sweetest thing ever and I left thinking....I'm so glad I have those two, and I'm so glad I get to drop them both off at school all day!!!!

And the Number 1 Best Sound of the summer..........'Mama' -Eli 10 1/2 months.

Crafty Crafterton!

2011-09-02T22:33:00.000-07:00

So apparently I have the below issue....

Idea goes in my head. Figure out a way to make it work. Turn house upside down to find materials. Go to Michael's. Create. Neglect the world. Create. Done.

It stared with an innocent J. Crew sale email. I saw this cute little flower on a cute little top for way too much money. So, I emailed my friend Becky, who is thinking this idea of mine is 'so last year,' and got this website. I made some flowers (6- 4 sent with Sue for the Texas family and 2 are here waiting for me to wear). All my gear was out- beloved felt, fabric and glue gun. I was feeling a little empty inside, like when you finish a book and have the need for a new one. I had created, then finished, and needed a new book!

A little later I was chatting with my sister about Malyn's request for a Halloween costume (last year I bought the costumes because Eli/ Kidney Infection/ blur). This year I decided that I have to go back to the love of the creative homemade costumes, the way it should be. My heart does sing when I see someone dress up and mean it. Erik Svendsen shout out, (he was Magnum PI last year and just the full stache alone was enough to bust a kidney). SO......I tell my sister that Malyn wants to be Jewel, the bird from Rio the movie. I suddenly lost my enthusiasm for homemade. Jess suggests Pinterest. Since I do not fully understand the whole Pinterest thing she walked me through the search and BAM......

So I dropped everything.....everything.....and got to work. Back to the love of homemade costumes. I ransacked my house for all things cotton. I ripped up dress up clothes, cut up VBS bags and dug through the dirty clothes for stained shirts that I could make usable again. I suddenly was excited about recycling! When I would find something I could use I was like The Riddler on Batman 'HAHAHA' crazy eyes and all!! So, once the craft idea was put into place I got to work. Craft, craft, neglect, play on the iPad, eat this, no we can't go to the park, etc.

Do you know how much I love JoAnne's fabric department? It's almost too much for me I have to just. walk. away. I have passed by the fabric district downtown LA and glanced/browsed the rows and rows of color in awe. (Nic, let's go when the kids are in school). Being in JoAnne's just confirmed my love for printed fabric. I let Malyn pick out one fat quarter. She had an okay pick. She didn't really understand the fullness of the stripes, polka dots and prints that I just had to grab and then tell myself...just walk away. Walk away from the fabric Stacy. So I did and we went home and I got back to work. Once the wings were completed I slapped those puppies on the VBS cape from last summer and she was ready to fly!

The customer was very happy! She flew away and my project came to an end. She asked if I could drop Pixie dust on them to make her really fly. Sadly enough Miss Birdie I have none with me. She then said, 'When Dad gets home I'll be able to fly!'

FAQ's-

Are you ADD? Yes

Did you try the bird wings on and fly around the house? Yes

Do you wish the project still needed you? Yes

Do you secretly wish you could make another pair of wings for yourself? Yes

Do you secretly wish your husband owned JoAnne's Fabric Store? Yes

Do you know anyone else like you? No

Hummmm......

2011-08-28T17:33:00.000-07:00

A friend posted this on my other friends Facebook! Then, I stole it.

Her Blog is here!

Freezer Cooking with Slow Cooker Recipes

Like I mentioned in my post the other week, the last time I did a big cooking day, I had big ah-ha moment.

Although, I had a blast with Lauren, it was logistically very difficult to accomplish, between the juggling of cooking and childcare, the prep work, organization and scheduling, it can be overwhelming.

So this latest big cooking day, I did it by myself and only did slow cooker recipes. Basically, all I was did was chop vegetables and assemble ingredients.

Even with doing it this way, it was still a 3 hour affair, but during this time I was able to finish all the cooking AND the cleaning. Most importantly my feet didn't ache at the end like they normally do. I also didn't have any sort of panic or anxiety leading up to the big cooking day like I normally do. HUGE.

I chopped all the vegetables with Penelope in her Learning Tower before nap (which was really fun, I went through all the colors of the vegetables with her and talked about rainbows and made it a fun learning experience).

Then I assembled everything during her nap (thank you Jesus, I can now skip a pump session here and there and can do other things at nap time than sit in front of a computer) and finished cleaning up after nap, again with her in her Learning Tower. This time she played independently with a bowl of soapy water, she made a huge mess, but the rags I used to clean up her mess where the same rags I used to clean up my mess so it wasn't that bad.

I just dumped the veggies into the gallon ziploc bags, then added the meat, then added the spices.

Once I was done and cleaned everything up, I felt like I had invented electricity! I thought I was such a genius for finally (it took me over a year, people) getting once a month cooking down to an efficient and easy art form.

I am telling you it will change your life! Give it a try and tell me how it went!

Here are my recipes. I use a ton of vegetables in each meal, because I don't tend to eat a lot of veggies through out the day, so I try and get them all in at dinner. And Peter is more apt to eat veggies if they taste like barbecue or curry than as a plain side dish.

Healthy Mama Barbecue Chicken
3 medium unpeeled sweet potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 large green pepper, cut into strips
1 large red pepper, cut into strips
1 zucchini, chopped
1 medium onion, sliced
1 tablespoon quick cooking tapioca
2 pounds chicken thighs or drumsticks
1 8-ounce can of tomato sauce
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon yellow mustard (I wasn't sure if this meant actual mustard or the spice so I did a little of both)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt

Dump everything into two gallon freezer bags, shake it up, seal, label and put in the freezer.

Stephanie's Goulash
3 cups chopped onions
2.5 cups coarsely chopped green sweet peppers
4 large beets, peeled and diced
2 cups of carrots
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 pounds beef stew meat, cut into one inch cubes
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
4 teaspoons Hungarian paprika or regular paprika (I used regular)
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 cups hot cooked noodles
1/2 dairy sour cream

Dump everything into two gallon freezer bags, shake it up, seal, label and put in the freezer.

Chicken Curry
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons curry powder
1.5 teaspoons ground cumin
1.5 pounds chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 cups chopped peeled sweet potatoes
2.5 cups baby carrots
2 cup coarsely chopped mango
1 cup chopped onion
1 zucchini chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
chicken bouillon
.5 cup raisins (for garnish)
.5 cup peanuts or cashews (for garnish)

Dump everything into two gallon freezer bags, shake it up, seal, label and put in the freezer.

To cook, take out of freezer and set on counter for about 30 minutes, then dump contents of bag into slow cooker. Cook on high for 4 hours, or low for 8 hours.

Sweet letter...

2011-08-13T18:22:00.000-07:00

We dropped off the Solace kiddos and once again it was hard to say goodbye forever. We came home to this sweet note that Naz left us. Goodbye Solace 2011, you once again taught me so many things and blessed me even though I was set out to bless others. I am still in shock its over! Five newly healthy kids and one interpreter are headed back to Afghanistan to live a long healthy life!

Bags are packed!

2011-08-11T13:39:00.000-07:00

This year we packed up 7 large suitcases with humanitarian needs to send back with the kids to Afghanistan. Nicole and I lined up all 7 bags and walked up and down filling the bags with...you name it! From school supplies to medical supplies we bought WalMart out of a number of things. It was neat to be able to reach your arm to the back on the 'pain reliever' stack and just domino all the boxes into our fat cart! With donated money (THANK YOU SUPPORTERS) we were able to fill all 7 bags! These are for the Solace kids to take back to their villages and communities to hand out. SO wish we could see their faces when they open these bags.

We then attacked the room!


And looky here what I found! I was rolling up her clothes then happened upon this lovely get up that I just HAD to try on! We were dying laughing at me. Just as I was putting it all on we got a call from one of the host moms that needed Naz to do some behavior management. So while we were taking these pics she was barking at the kids trying not to laugh. Sweet little moment I will always remember with Naz.			'

I walked down to show the girls and asked who I looked like.....'Mary! With baby Jesus'


The girls and I also packed up a backpack for Neelab! Gum, pictures, letters, drawings, school supplies and some! I can't believe its all coming to an end. What will the days be like without our Solace kiddos to enjoy, care for and love on?

Solace summer winding down.....

2011-08-05T11:06:00.000-07:00

Auntie Jessica and cousin Ryan flew out for a fun long weekend! She once again was thrown into our Solace summer and all that it entails. We had our Beach Day on Saturday that included burying the kids in the sand, building sand pyramids, and riding the waves! Another successful event!

Solace Beach Day 2011! (Most of the crew)

Jessica was so helpful and once again I was able to lean on her emotionally and physically. We had so much fun and laughed a ton at our kids. She left with a stronger heart for Solace and had some good ideas for next year. Solace San Antonio do I hear you calling?

My two buddies.

A must: Noah's Bagels and a latte!

Nope, not going to participate.

I'll look but I'm not going to smile.

My nephew Ryan, that I don't see enough, is over the sun, sand and taking pictures!

Manhattan Beach Farmers Market Trackless Train.

One bath the entire time they were here. Yup, one.

Slumber party every night!!

Little surfer in the making!

This summer Malyn has a new found love for the waves!

Little Miss ~~Jessica~~ Mattie Sue!

Awe, too fun having you here Jess and Ryan!

I dropped off Naz and Lida to another host family this morning for they Disneyland trip! When Lida got in the car she busted out, 'Stacy, Naz, 18 days home!' (Actually 8 more but from the mouth of an Afghan 11 year old everything sounds precious so I thought I would share!)

Thumbs Up Thursday!

2011-07-28T20:43:00.000-07:00

Thumbs Up for Naz getting her wisdom teeth out!! Chubby cheeks looked at me afterward with the most pitiful look and all I could say is....'we all go through it'.

Thumbs up for making milk bubbles in the Tigerstein at dinner!! (because dad's not around).

Thumbs Up for Auntie Jessica and Ryan coming out to L.A. for the weekend!!! Can. Not. Wait.

Thumbs Up for the girls bringing home a fun craft from VBS so I they would have something fun to do after dinner!!

Not the best picture of me, but the kids are cute!

Gotta celebrate the small stuff!!

Hail to the Chef.

2011-07-22T15:32:00.000-07:00

My fun friend Jen4math came over for a cooking show! She knocked on the door and when I opened it I felt like Mary Poppins had come to the cookie rescue! She makes the best chocolate chip cookies ever. To me. And with my mom being a chocolate cookie lover and Naz eating chocolate cookies for breakfast each morning on her way out the door to appointments....I decided to ask the chocolate chip cookie expert over to join Hail to the Chef!

Here we are in our cute matching aprons and cooking bowls!

Here Jen is explain the importance of the extra flour and the use of the straight end of the knife to flatten the top and to dip in to get out the pockets of air. This trick my smart cookie mom already knew..

Notes from Jen: Follow the Toll House chocolate chip bag and modify. What I do to modify. I leave the butter out in advance to soften. I put in 3 cups of flour instead of the 2 1/4 cup listed.

I am generous with the brown sugar (more of a mound than a cup full) and vanilla (I end up overflowing the vanilla and use 1 1/2 tsp. I follow the directions exactly and do the dry ingredients separate.

This is getting serious.

I use my kitchen aid mixer and that helps to make things go fast. When Jen Poppins was at the door she had her Kitchen Aid mixer in hand. Every girl has one from her wedding registry except me. She left the correct blade at home but we had no time to whine about it so we went with the hand held.

Mattie Sue didn't care that it was a hand held mixer.

Not your mama's cookie dough huh? Smooth like butta!

Such a sweet little mixer Miss Mattie Sue!

Jen Poppins even uses the meat/melon baller so smart!

One happy mama!

Love.

All ovens are not equal. 9 min in my oven at 375. I take them out a little before they look totally done. They sit on a cookie sheet for a minute or so to keep baking a bit out of the oven and then I transfer them to a cooling rack.


Not many things are perfect in life.

Hail to Jen Poppins!

Solace Saturday

2011-07-16T18:12:00.000-07:00


Nama and Malyn at our Saturday Solace Event!! Today our Team Building Event was at Mulligans Family Fun Center! We had SO much fun!! Bumper boats, Go-Karts, Miniature golf, batting cages, lazer tag, arcade and a rock wall, what more could you ask for? (Maybe your Nama to join in the fun with you!)

Mattie Sue gearing up for the big race!

Malyn's got her game face on!

Malyn and I racing with the big dogs!

Nama and Mattie Sue tearing up the road!

Go Grannie Go!!!!


Such a fun Nama! What would we do without you P?

Another fun Solace Saturday!!!! We asking 'Naz' what her favorite part of the fun day was and she said driving the Go-Karts! I would say Nama would agree!!

Slumber Party in the hospital!

2011-07-13T20:48:00.000-07:00

Bit of roller coaster.......

On Monday Boo had a scheduled Colonoscopy. While drinking his last treatment for the cleanse he felt some serious pain in his abdomen. We made our way to the procedure assuming the pain went along with the cleanse. While there they doped him up and he was feeling great! The colonoscopy was 'uneventful' as the doctor stated. He pulled one palyp off and is having it tested. Then while enjoying his new found love for pain/anti anxiety meds we bopped home! That night he complained of intense pain. No sleep due to pain and hunched over in pain all day Tuesday. Not normal for an uneventful colonoscopy. Tuesday the pain got progressively worse and Boo was hunched over hoping it was pass. Sure enough.....it never let up only worsened. Tuesday night was sleepless due to pain and but Wednesday morning I got the look...'call the doctor'. We headed into St. John's Hospital and he was admitted, x-ray'd and CT scanned. Next thing we know Boo is having surgery at 8pm Wednesday night. Moving through the motions and a state of shock and getting my mom here for help, I tossed the girls to Nicole for an inpromptu slumber party. I told them that dad was getting his appendix out! Just like Madeline (book). When I dropped them off I got a touch emotional (you know when you cry once you just have to right that day off as a cry fest) and as they walked to the door at the Svendsens house I heard Sue say, 'Malyn this is going to the best night ever!!'

Childlike faith!

I headed back to the hospital with lots of tears and a Xanax....It's funny, I honestly can say when other people go through this stuff I have full faith that they will be fine....but when its MY husband.....I loose confidence in myself, doctors, and the Lord. (I'll be working on that one).

Now we wait for surgery to end.......

Now ended and just talked to the doc. 'He had a nasty appendix that was inflamed but not totally ruptured! On intense antibiotics and lots of rest!' All surgery went through the belly button and two sides for the scopes which means it was not ruptured enough to jam a whole hand in the belly to dig for all the missing pieces. All great news! Just saw him in recovery and he has color again! I love that man!

Random Ramblings...

2011-07-08T11:32:00.000-07:00

I am determined to show Naz (Not the interpreters actual name but let's call her that on the blog) the American classic movies. We just finished 'The Sound of Music!' 'Little Woman' and 'Titanic' are next up!! While watching the Van Trapp family walk through the mountains (such a big moment in the movie) Sue said, 'Did they bring food for that long walk?' We also watched Slumdog Millionaire and she really like it!! Remember how that kid falls in the poop? Ewwww.

We went to Palm Desert for the Forth of July! It was 116 degrees on one of the days. We had a relaxing time, ate bad food and enjoyed watching the kids swim!

Naz and I laughed in the kitchen last night at how the Solace kids keep telling her that Americans eat dinner during the day! They eat dinner around 9pm back in AFG and the families make them eat while its still light out!!

Playing after dinner Eli and Zia!

Naz loves her some Angry Birds!!! We have enjoyed our nights together. She often get sweet calls from sweet little homesick girls saying....'I miss my mommy!' It's pretty precious and she responds so gently with them, 'I miss my mom too but I don't cry for her, you are okay and we will see each other tomorrow so go to bed early so we can see each sooner!'

Naz, 'I call you Stacy because you are like my sister!' Too sweet.

Rub a dub 3 kids in the tub!

Soupie got her haircut the other day.... My plan was to cut off all the chlorinated hair but when she sat down the lady suggested donating her hair to Locks of Love! Any chance Sue gets to help someone she takes it!!! So, we came home with her ponytail in a bag and this cute little lady!!!

Is it just me or is six suddenly old?

On the comment line she wrote: 'So I can bless another little girl!'

While we are on the subject of hair.....Malyn's is one big knot (ragamuffin mookies)... Reason #332 that I am sad we are done with preschool (no once cares when your 4 year old walks in with a nest in her hair with a mismatched clip trying to hold it back out of your face). When we were at Snip-it's getting Sue's hair cut Malyn happened upon this brush that she wanted to use. She tried it out and has had nicely brushed hair ever since, no pain!! It's called The Knot Genie!! (Note: I am a marketers dream....but this product I have to say I still am happy with!)

No teeth Eli 8 1/2 months and few curls! So in love with my little buddy!

Random Ramblings.......

Solace Week 1

2011-06-30T23:18:00.000-07:00

We are enjoying the interpreter in our home! She is easy peasy! I keep trying to think of the perfect word for her and I keep coming up with pleasant! Not needy in the least and has a genuine smile and sweet soft demeanor. All of which remind me that Amercians are obnoxious (sorry but we are). We have had some great talks about her life/family and her time in America last summer. We are so excited to get to know her better! Something SO FUN about her....she works for Nilabs (our Afghan daughter from last summer) orphanage Afceco! She knows Nilab and brought this to us....

And this picture....Can you stand it? I couldn't.....she is so grown up and just so lovely...

She brought a zip file with lots of pics of Nilab at her school. She takes an English class and Computer class and is a very bright girl (but as her mom I already knew that). Nilab's buddy Lida is here this summer again and I am having her write a letter to Nilab too. So fun.

We are in full swing here. Doctors appointment after doctors appointment and in the midst of it all we try to let the kids have FuN and Team Build with each other and the host families. Our first get together was at the park where we grilled and played some great games (thank you Travis and Jen, the ultimate party people for bringing all your Young Life expertise in game playing!).

This game was a great kick off with high energy (as Travis told me you need to start with to get everyone involved and excited, totally worked!). You stomp the balloon on other persons feet and try to keep your balloon unpopped. This picture seems so tame but in real life it was a mad house.....the little competitive side of everyone came out!

This was The Dragon Game, the dragon is at the font of the line trying to grab the handkerchief of the tail of another dragon. Fausto and I are holding hands with Malyn in the middle of us who is holding on with all her might! Hilarious, she is just being dragged.....and loving it!! Then there's Boo on the left doing a football tackle. And Eli is hanging on in the pouch in front of me. Way to make it work Arnold's!

This was a cotton blowing game....not sure exactly what was going on here b/c I was dealing Eli but it had something to do with blowing it to the other person and off the table something something.....

I think what I loved most about all of these games (there were 6 or so) was the building of bonds between our kids and the Afghan kids. It honestly is just too cool. I can't describe it. And maybe its my love for having fun. Fun is a great bonder. (is that a word?).

I love my summer. It's hard, but I wouldn't give it up.

Two conversations with the interpreter.....

Interpreter- 'Mattie Sue do you have shuGAR?
Mattie Sue- (because my mom is still asleep and not able to answer these questions) 'Um, no we don't have that here.'
Interpreter- 'Really? What do you put in your tea to sweeten it?'
Mattie Sue- 'We just use sugar'.

Interpreter- ' What does Boo Arnold do?'
Me- 'He runs a travel business and is an actor.'
Interpreter- 'In Hollywood?'
Me- 'Um, more night time drama and commercials.'
Interpreter- 'Does he know Tom Cruz?'
Me- 'Um, no.' (insert huge smile b/c this is getting funny but innocent and sweet).

Interpreter- 'Tom married the singer Jennifer Lopez right?'
Me- 'Um, no.' (can't take the innocence, and I secretly wish this was where my celebrity knowledge ended as well.)

Heart for Solace

2011-06-27T19:39:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow our Solace Crew (1 interpreter, 4 girls and 2 boys) will be welcomed into our homes! How blessed I am to be part of something so selfless. We have the interpreter staying with us this summer! I have no anxiety like I did last year because frankly if I need to explain something to her.....I can! I am excited to hear about her life in AFG and how she got a heart for Solace just like we do....

Hail to the Chef.

2011-06-21T09:32:00.000-07:00

Found this on the inside top of the Fischer & Wieser bottle!

This is my first (possibly only) 'Hail to the Chef' post! Why, because I love flavor. The meal is Beef Bourguignon thanks to one Ina Garten! I'm a recipe follower, not a leader.

This is the Best. Dish. Ever. (to me).

I made it all day Saturday for Father's Day. I was so excited to play Pioneer Woman (or Ina) in the kitchen and wear my apron, and smell some yumness and then sit and relish in the flavor this dish provides.....that is being made for Boo, remember, for Fathers Day;) I usually only attempt intense meals with my mom in her rockin kitchen and with her help but ~~I couldn't wait till Christmas~~ for Boo Arnold on Fathers Day I had to go it alone!

Anthropology apron from my sis. Mattie Sue has one that matches but there are no wee ones in the kitchen today. Sure glad I wore my turquoise tank cuz it makes my apron cuter.

Here is how it went down.....
I went to 3 groceries stores. Spent 3 hours shopping. Chatted with the butcher. Talked shop at Trader Joes about Cognac and Brandy. Spent the night before thinking about the word ignite.


I knew this would be 'a thing' to make so I set out all the ingredients and just grabbed and chopped, diced and poured from my pile. *Note: when the recipe says its takes 1 1/2 hours to make it is not assuming you are just a normal person cooking, they think we are like chefs, this dish took me 3 hours. Now we know.

Here is where I had to ignite the dish. It fully freaked me out and a wave hot sweaty panic ran over me when I saw the first huge flame. It calmed in a matter of seconds. Still freaky. *Note: next time I will turn the burner way down before I do this step. Now we know.

Just a bottle of wine to help with the flavor. Just one.

The smells in our home will ner' be forgotten. I kept myself from really eating all day so I could store up for fullness and the flavor this dish provides. *Note: next time I will listen when they say to let it boil for 15 minutes with lid off so the juices burn off and the thick flavor is all that is left (I had to tag that step back on at the end). Now we know.

Only one side dish got to grace the presence of my dish. The Bread. Two ingredients that compliment each other oh so well. Bread and butta. I should have been a food critic. I love food. Good, flavorful food.

I actually took this picture because I wanted (who?) you to see the thick layer of butta to make this side work. An ENTIRE stick of butta for 1/2 the bread loaf. Once its coated heat for 10 minutes at 350 then switch it to broil and 'burn butta burn'. For some reason an intense flavor comes from this process. Try it, be the envy of your next dinner party. You have nothing to loss.

I'm tellin' y'all, this bread is the new black.


Yes, it is actually called The Bread. It's so awesome it gets its own The in front.

And there she is.


And there he is.

And there dessert is.....keepin' it real.

If you are a Beef Bourguignon kind of a gal here is the recipe! I'm about 85% sure you will not burn your kitchen down! *Note: We agree that day 2 and day 3 of the dish are even more flavorful! Now we know! And The Bread go here!

Happy Fathers Day Boo Arnold, I love my life more with you in it!

Father's Day 2011

2011-06-19T09:19:00.000-07:00


Happy 6th Father's Day Boo! We love you! From Malyn

Thumbs Up Thursday!

2011-06-16T14:46:00.000-07:00

Thumbs Up for Whole Foods being only 1.5 miles from my house and carrying this on their marinade isle! I've been waiting only 8 years for her to come. Isn't she just beautiful? I purchased 2 bottles for $4.99 each. Worth every penny. Boosband agrees. What lucky bit of food gets to be blanketed in this greatness tonight?

More Thumbs Up 'Peek' here!

5 on Friday!!!!

2011-06-10T16:31:00.000-07:00

Malyn graduated from Sand Tots today! She felt very special and loved all the attention!! She seemed so grown up! I can't believe her preschool days are over. I am so sad that the party is over. Sand Tots after all is one huge party, where else can you paint yourself and run around in your unders covered with shaving cream?

Love this one.

Love how smiley she is in this pic. So proud! And Eli is supporting his big sister with the Sand Tots onesie!

First day of Sand Tots 2009!

Last day of Sand Tots 2011!


Malyn and her buddy Reese! Malyn is going into the TEDDE program (Pre-kinder due to her fall birthday and the Dec. 2nd cut off) in the fall! We are super duper excited that she and Soupie will be in school together just 3 minutes away! I can't believe the preschool party is over. Do you think I can enroll myself?

Another ten....

2011-06-07T21:16:00.000-07:00

1. Best pizza in town. Valentino's. This was my picture worthy last stop till Eli goes to Sand Tots because there are no more Mom gets pizza all alone Mondays left. After I drop Malyn off at preschool on Mondays (pm class) I make a hard working left hand turn into the Valentino's parking lot. I order my cheese slice and sprite for 2.50 and while Eli is napping happily in his carseat I eat. I savor. I sometimes laugh out loud at myself and picture Kirsty Alley being caught in her car eating loads of food. This is a happy eating place for me. Where is your happy eating place?

2. Mattie Sue- "I am good at a lot of things, painting, coloring, big sistering, and opera singing."

3. See this little man outfit? I bought it for $16. Now that my friends is a steal. I love Splendid. Outlet.

4. Party of 5 had our first hotel outing this past weekend. Boo was shooting a commercial in the desert so we all tagged along. Eli was a bit confused when I put him down (shown here). Other than the coughing fits at the beginning of the night he was a champ.

5. Eli was unimpressed with the pool. I felt like he was saying, 'We drove 2 hours for this? What's all the hype?' Also, I realized that Eli (or Eli Johnson as the family has named him even though his middle name is Christopher) is identical to Mattie Sue at this age. Same face different hair. In this pic I see my 7 month old Soupie!

6. Any chance I can get a picture of a sleeping kiddo I take it!

7. Malyn has 2 days of preschool left. Where did her little preschool life go?

8. It has been 9 weeks since we cut out cable. It's been so nice.

9. Things that make me burp. Green peppers. Bananas.

10. Thanks for the mom!

10 thoughts on this Tuesday

2011-05-31T16:20:00.000-07:00

1. I finally put labels on all my posts. I have been wanting to organize my posts for awhile and just never sat to get it done. Some dated back to 2007. This is what I learned as I went back in time via Arnold Party of 4 blog posting.
     1. I am a 10 on Tuesdayaholic.
     2. Flashback Fridays are so funny and I need to get back on that train.
     3. I'm so glad I have so many pieces of our life documented in the last 4 1/2 years b/c they are mostly a blur.
     4. I never documented my miscarriage and that makes me sad. I had a miscarriage July 27th 2009. Due date was 3/11/10. I remember being very sad, in pain, not telling the girls, and how special it was that my mom jumped on the first flight out to be with me, my sister Jessica sent Snookies, and Cindy a fruit bouquet. And now I think, I would not have my Eli.
     5. I'm glad I blog and I need to not be so hard on myself.
6. Not one of my kids are/is on the same time-line for milestones. Actually they all dropped the pacifier at 6 months, but that's it. Just saying 3 out of 3 are different but in the same household with the same parents.... where you at now Dr. Spock?

2. Crazy hair day at Sand Tots...

3. When you don't bathe the baby.....he be stinky!!!!

4.

5. Have you ever noticed every Target smells the same?- Boo Arnold

6. The girls have been grabbing my phone to take pics (still no games on there) and videos of themselves. This one is especially funny to me. Malyn is referencing a Dora episode that rings in my head all the time.

7. I made Pioneer Woman's Chicken Spaghetti (light version) for dinner. Yizum! Too bad I didn't make the sheet cake too.

8. My sister Jenny is heading to Haiti on Thursday. Her group is walking around the town looking for orphans to place in orphanages. So tough to think about but so great groups like her church are going over there to help!

9. Solace kids come in 3 weeks!!

10. Guess who's seven months already?


This one.

The Fish Who Made a Rainbow by Mattie Sue

2011-05-27T19:50:00.000-07:00

Threeeighteenam

2011-05-21T23:10:00.000-07:00

At 3:18am this one turned 6! Here she is turning six!

Mattie Sue turned the big six today! I remember being sad that she was turning 3 a few years ago because 3 years old is...old (so I thought). Now look at her. I do have to say that the person Miss Sue has become is well worth every second of sadness that I have about her getting older. Her heart bursts with kindness. The other day while she was waiting for me to take her to school she said, 'Oh Eli, I hope you grow up to be strong and healthy and a man who loves God." After I sopped up my heart and patched it back together I said, 'AMEN'. She quickly told me that that was not a prayer. And I said to her, 'I pray that for Eli too and I am 33 years old.' Imagine Sue's heart at 33.


Birthday morning snuggles and presents! I do have to say she enjoyed every bit of the 'It's All About Sue' day.

This year the cake of choice was titled 'I love Rainbows'! You can't see it but she has a rainbow shirt on too. Seems to be a running theme for her! ('The Fish Who Made a Rainbow' book by Mattie Sue to come).

She celebrated on Friday wearing her 'I'm six' crown. Again taking it all in that it was about her! I read to her class and she squirmed and giggled and couldn't quite take it that I was up in front of all of her friends. When I left I had to snap a shot of her in her crown with her classmates. Quite the teachers daughter there listening so intently.


Sue gets the award for 'most times a six year old can say how much she loves her brother in a day' award.

Happy Birthday Mattie Sue, just in your short 6 years I am amazed by your heart for people and love for life. I wish I was six with you.

Featured!

2011-05-06T07:48:00.000-07:00

My mom, sister and I are being featured on a friends blog!! Peek in our world!! Our friend Brooke is doing a special Mother's Day week of great posts. I have already learned and have started to try some of the special little ideas some of the other mothers do. My favorite bit of advice was to let your kids guide themselves into a learning situation (we teachers call that a 'teachable moment'). And so I teach my kids something new everyday and document it!

5/2/2011- taught the girls how to make a homemade magic wand
5/3/2011- taught the girls our phone number
5/4/2011- taught the girls about Sepulveda and how the street runs along the beach and can get us to all the major places we need to go.
5/5/2011- taught the girls how to untie their shoes
5/6/2011- taught the girls who the disciples were
5/7/2011- taught the girls where tar on the beach comes from and how it gets on your feet
5/8/2011- taught the girls how to wash their hair
5/9/2011- taught the girls how to make a book
5/10/2011- taught the girls how to do a 300 piece puzzle
5/11/2011- taught the girls about the infinity sign
5/12/2011- taught the girls how to burp Eli
5/13/2011- took the girls to Feed the Starving Children
5/14/2011- Boo taught the girls how to draw a 2 dimensional glass
5/15/2011- taught the girls how to write their initials

See, I just love it. It makes me feel like a good mom. Go check out my friends blog!!

Ending this post with a kid quote-

Mattie Sue- "Malyn, did you know that God can hear you even when you are this quiet?"
Malyn- "I already knew that I just was keeping it a secret."

Doin' somethin' right!!!

2011-04-29T15:51:00.000-07:00

Well this season has brought on an interesting swing of emotions for the Arnolds. We put our house the market thinking we may be being led back to Texas, then took it off the market as we found out our neighbor is suing the HOA. Guess no one wants to purchase a home with a pending law suit (imagine that). So, after I made the call to my Texas folk it all became real that we are here in L.A. for a another chunk of time (let's call it that). So, since we are here for a while we decided to go ahead with Solace, this year taking into our home the interpreter. (Just realized I haven't even told my mom. 'Mom, we are hosting the interpreter this summer for Solace and I might call and complain about how hard it all is but I know you will support and encourage me!') Last year we were blessed to welcome Neelab into our family for 6 weeks. As I even type her name I feel tears welling up and a brick sitting on my chest. I miss her and would love the chance to see her again. It was so sweet to hear her call me mom right when we met. I had an overwhelming sense that I needed to protect her. I have been in touch with the director of her orphanage. I hear all about what they are up to and I have to say she is in one savvy orphanage (AFCECO), which of course is so helpful considering the meltdown I had at the airport when she left thinking.....she needs me, who is going to protect her? I had to completely hand her to God at that moment which was so painful because I wanted to keep her just one more week (or five).

Such a great summer. Most humbling, selfless summer I have ever had. That is why we are going at it again.....that and the girls have been praying that another Afghani girl might come live with us this summer. Now that I think about it....(having a bit of a moment bare with me), my girls are asking for an Afghani girl as their summer vacation???? Can you say 'doin' something right!' Love it!

Anyhow, this is where our friends and family come in, we need prayer and support. If you want to help us with Solace this summer here is the information and thank you for considering supporting us, every little bit helps. Solace is a non-profit organization, and checks can be made to: Solace for the Children (please write Arnold, ID# 56-2078031 in the memo line). You can send checks to this address:

Solace for the Children - LA

PO Box 576

El Segundo, CA 90245

Alternatively, you can donate online with a credit card at:

http://solacela.thedonationhq.com/

This is a great way to donate, and it's done safe and secure through PayPal. If you choose this route, please indicate in the notes (on the PayPal check-out page) that your donation is for the Arnold family.

Even if you don't feel led to give, please pray for our Solace summer. Pray that the girls will feel God's love while they are here, for their medical needs to be taken care of, and that they leave here feeling valued and loved.

I distinctly remember last summer thinking at different times.... I am at a loss. Lord, cover Solace with your Spirit and love, and give us strength.

Please know your prayers are coveted.

Easter!

2011-04-24T16:29:00.000-07:00


Saturday at the El Segundo Easter Egg Hunt! This year I left thinking....although I love my small town, next year (if we are still living here) we are tossing eggs in the park across the street for a real Egg Hunt, remember those?

Our Easter this year was spent telling the girls about the Empty Tomb (not just the bunny) and heading up to The Hollywood Bowl for the Bel Air Pres. Easter Service. It was really neat. Remember in the movie Beaches when Bette Mittler sings, 'Wind Beneath My Wings?' Same venue, only cooler now that thousands of people worshiped in it this morning. I love love love the band at Bel Air so to hear it in surround sound outside booming through the outside arena was pretty cool to say the least. It just blows my mind that people can be so talented with their voice. I would sing-talk all day if I sounded like this one gal with long red hair.

Caroline joined us for the service, she is one of Boo's Young Life leaders from LMU!

Mattie Sue is in love with Eli. Me too.

Happy 'He is Risen' Day everyone!!

Around town...

2011-04-16T13:25:00.000-07:00

Playa Vista. Since our house is on the market (did I mention our house is on the market?) we find ourselves around town while people come over for showings.

Sand Tots. Malyn and Reese up to no good once again.

Bruce's Park. The fam watching the sunset at the infinity park where the grass drops into the ocean. Same spot Boo and I had our rehearsal dinner.

The girls playing chase at the same park.


El Segundo Farmers Market. Malyn rockin' it right in front of the band just like her mama!

Very rarely do I get a still photo of Miss Malyn. Little Pet Shop toy in hand.

Live Oak Tot Lot. The kids at this park are all younger but it works for Sawyer so these two get to be Kings of the Tot Lot!

Richmond Street Elementary School. LOVE when I pick up Sue from school. This is how she welcomes ~~anyone~~ me when I pick her up!

Main Street. I took this picture while walking to the farmers market last Thursday.
This is my view around town.

2011-04-05T20:59:00.000-07:00

'Eli Arnold- middle line backer for the Chicago Bears'

Winner of Best Film 2011 'Useless'!

2011-04-03T12:35:00.000-07:00

What a fun night!! Useless won 3 of their 11 nominations! The producers Dennis and Olivia took home the Best Film Award (back left), Kevin Sizemore (plays Boo's opposite in the film also up for and won Best Actor!), Brandon Adams (writer, director, editor and won Best Cinematographer)! Neat to be a part of something so great!! The film was so great! I was a bit frozen in time watching Boo in the film. I was on the edge of my seat thinking....oh wow, this is intense...... and dang, he's good!

Some of the cast!

Such a fun night for Boo and I! I was the proud wife all night!

Its neat to be a part of something so great!!

Boo and Kevin Sizemore

Our faithful friends The Svendsen's and Ruby Sue (9 days old) came along to
support/love/encourage Boo! What a FUN night!!!

Tonight!!

2011-04-02T10:41:00.000-07:00

Tonight we are headed to the Alex Theater in Glendale for the 168 Project Film Festival! My first ever! Wait...let me think about it....yes confirmed I have never been to a film festival. Always wanted to go to Sundance Film Festival but again have never been. Anywhozits, we are getting 'semi formaled' up and heading over! Boo's short film Useless was nominated 11 times! And most exciting (for his wife anyways) is his Best Actor nomination! Wahoo! He just might get to walk up there and hold something and say.....I would like the thank my lovely wife (oh that's right its not about me, although I have accepted many awards in the mirror as a kid and would jump out of my seat for the chance to accept something....anything!). We shall see.....GO BOO, Best Actor in our book no matter the award show!

The Monday Funnies!

2011-03-28T08:47:00.000-07:00

We played with the Photo Booth application this weekend!

Malyn as Jay Leno

Rabbit from Alice and Wonderland teeth.

AHHHHHHH

It's Pat!

E.T. phone home.

Scary.

Cranium

I see you purple popsicle lips.

Missing Nama!

2011-03-19T11:30:00.000-07:00

Where did Nama go? My mom was here for 8 dayzzzz. We had so much fun as always. Tootin' around town with our latte's. We had a few slumber parties in my room b/c Boo was in FL. She doesn't snore. Which reminds me... that last while in bed I heard a telephone ring. I kept thinking it sounded like an old fashion telephone (maybe an iPhone ring). Humm...where was it coming from? Maybe neighbors? Then I realized.....Boo was snoring and on the exhale part the tele would ring. I was cracking up all alone. After about 5 minutes it was back to the lawn mower snore.

Malyn has a hard time going to bed if she naps. We find her quietly coloring in her coloring book and think its just precious!

Ready for school! Our Tivo died (again) so the girls have been crafting away. Its amazing what goes on in a house with no t.v.! I have loved the silence! This pic shows what the girls made before school. Malyn- bling bling coconut tree and Sue a flower with my scrapbook paper....since I have left the scrapbooking world.

Nama even goes to Bible Study with us! Just wrapped our Esther study from Beth Moore! On to Luci Swindoll next week. It was a great study. I liked the wide range of ages in our group this round and our leader said just what I needed to hear each Wednesday morning. Love how that works out. And sweet Darlene in our group was in her 90's! Same theme seems to be in all our lives no matter the age differences Trusting Him. If I could just get that one down now and nip it in the bud I would be free to so much more.

Mattie Sue asked to take this picture of our babies. After the picture she looked at Malyn and said, 'which baby do you like better Malyn?' WHAT, one is real for crying out loud. Thankfully she said Eli!

Its all about his fingers (when he can get to them). I still miracle blanket this one so when his hands are free they go straight to his mouth! I am SO over his reflux. WHEN does it end? I heard it peaked at 3 months. Lie. Eli's has peaked at 5 months. Yesterday a bowl of spit up soup just poured out of his mouth. At least it didn't pour out of his nose like it used to. I already up'd his meds without the doctors orders and still we are maxed out on spit up.

Sawyer and Eli the leprechaun....the only boys in our El Segundo family of friends.

Sawyer is waiting for Eli to grow up so he has a buddy. Eli's arm is out of the crib waiting for Sophie the giraffe to be handed back. So cute.

This is what we do at night when Nama is here. Looks like popcorn being shoveled into Nama's mouth but really its a mound of cookie dough ;) Not only are we missing Nama, I am missing my Angry Birds game on her iPad that I ~~am obsessed with, can't live without, want more of, THIRST FOR THE BIRD~~ really enjoyed playing on while she was here.

Still loving her dinosaur from Nama at Christmas. I have to say this again....I want my kids to be the ages they are now forever! Yep forever! Sue in kindergarten is still innocent and excited about Leprechaun traps and drawing rainbows, Malyn in preschool with her clothes covered in paint and glitter and her love of dinosaurs, and the little man with his cheeks that I get to munch on all day! Time keeps a tickin'!

Desert!

2011-03-12T23:09:00.000-08:00

Eli and I spent the last 2 weekends in our friends Palm Desert house! We spent the first weekend with Carrie, Nicole and my sistas!! The weather was gorgeous! Lots of laughing and relaxing! Thanks for making the trip girlies!!

The next weekend we met the Arnold family out in the desert. It was so fun to hang out with everyone in such a peaceful relaxing place. The guys all golfed each day and my sister in law Jenny and I cooked up some great food and lounged by the pool most of the day.

Eli and Earl (Peepaw) hangin' around! These two look alike I always say!

I love this pic of Eli. I can pick out things that belong to each family member. Small chin and lips belong to Malyn, eyes are mine and Sue's, and that 5 head noggin all daddy! Too bad he is not smiling because then you could see his that he smiles just like his big sister Sue.

The girls were invited to swim in this infinity pool a few houses down from our friend Carries house. They loved it! What a life I tell ya!

Lots of golf all weekend. The girls have some pink clubs that they knock around from time to time. The way they hit the ball is just like their personalities. Mattie Sue concentrates and keeps her eye on the ball while Malyn just whacks it, of course.

Now its back to reality!

Solace!!

2011-02-24T11:20:00.000-08:00

Please join us! We are trying to get another group of Afgan kiddos here for medical treatment this summer!! Our fundraiser/auction is coming up and we would love for you to join us!!! Our daughter Neelab is pictured here in the invite with the glasses on!! We miss her!! Mattie Sue prays ever night at dinner for a new Solace girl to come live with us this summer!!

Another ten....

2011-02-08T18:25:00.000-08:00

1. Note to self: Do not wear heather gray after you have a kid. One 4 year old might ask when your baby is coming out. (Now we know folks).

2. Conversation driving Malyn and her friend Gavin to school.

Malyn- 'Gavin if you need to jump far I will hold your hand and jump with you!'
Gavin- 'Ohh but Malyn, what if your rip a hole in your dress?'
Malyn- 'My mom can sew it.' (Never sewn a day in my life).
Gavin- 'Oh perfect then, lets go cloud jumping together holding hands!'
(Can you picture it?)

3. Malyn- "I know toys talk and play together when we are not around but do they eat our food? Hum....."

4. Guess who turned the big backwards 4 and 5? Happy Birthday Boo!!

5. I think I need to go on a fast from communication devices. Between my iphone, Facebook, blog, email....my kids don't stand a chance with engaging me. Ouch, that was tough to type.

6. I read on a friends blog that she and her husband were playing Super Mario Bros. 3 on Wii. That gives me fun envy. Anyone arounst here have a Wii?

7. My socialite procrastinating Sue homeworking with her buddy.
8. We have been working on Mattie Sue's Star of the Week assignment. She was SO excited to be 'Star of the Week'! Throughout the weekend she would say...'I just can't believe she called 'my' name to be the Star of the Week!' It was like she was reliving the moment. One of the many bullet points was to make a life sized Sue.
9. And here she is. Sue was happy with it! Although she recently told me that she and Malyn were afraid of her because of her creepy smile.
Here is the door in the classroom. She is a star all week. I am reading in her class on Thursday morning!
10. I feel like this picture sums up my life right now. This was last night on our kitchen table. The homework folder, a basket of markers, a woven bowl (that I love) that is filled with kid odds and ends, the dinosaur dripping in beaded bracelets, some type of craft that went in its own direction, a pacifier and a cross in the background. I better enjoy it....it just keeps creeping by....

10 on.....Wedesday.

2011-01-26T14:35:00.001-08:00

1. The girls have been watching Strawberry Shortcake on the Hub channel. They love it but it has commercials that are more for an adult. I hear things like this from them......"Look mom, its the Wonder File....you easily put important documents in it, and it fits in your closet!" -Malyn

2. Whenever I go to Target I get a handle basket so I won't fill up a cart, and every time I find myself hijacking stranded carts. Today.....I took a lone cart from the bread aisle and was chased down with a lady saying.....'honey that's my cart, and where is that measuring cup I had in here?' EEEEEK......so embarrassing! (Measuring cup ditched on aisle 2).

3. Sue is learning to read. I love to listen to her. It is very sweet and she is much better than I was in kindergarten where I struggled so much. I was forever in the low reading groups, poor me, I know. I was even old for my class. Boo was talking the other day and instead of saying a word he spelled it so the girls could not understand.....sure enough Sue yells out 'JAIL?' Shoot.... Guess we are out of the spelling it out so they don't understand stage.

4. I got a letter from Sue's teacher asking for parents to come in and talk about their job or do an activity etc. How funny if Boo got up and did a monologue in front of the Kinders? Can you picture it? I decided to take this task on and I'm reading a book and doing an activity! I wonder what she will think when she sees me in a different light.

5. I am starting to have guilt for giving my 4th graders too much homework.

6. Today I heard the breast pump say....'block-head, block-head' and Mattie Sue thinks it says....'quatro-quatro-quatro'!

7. Its those last 10 lbs I tell ya.....grrrrr.

8. We are in full bumbo stage~

9. Get a pic of my good side mom....
10. I'll leave you with this hysterical picture of Malyn and her buddy Reese from preschool. They met in the 3 year old class last year. They have the exact same personality! Being with these two at the same time is A. Very tiring and B. Very funny!! I a little bit laugh and cry while 'facilitating' their play during preschool. It was pajama day and I told the girls I was taking a picture of them...this is what they did when I said...SMILE!

10 on Tuesday....

2011-01-19T17:11:00.001-08:00

even though its Wednesday.....

1. I love when the girls play together. Their favorite place to play is on the stairs. Today I heard them giggling so I got closer to the staircase and heard them singing for their dolls....'whoop there it is.....whoop there it is!'

2. Books I am reading....loving.....and can't wait to dive into and reread are.......'Finding Calcutta', 'The Boy Who Came Back From Heaven', and the latest from my mom, 'Bringing Up Boys!'

3. I think Sue needs glasses.

4. I love Eli.

5. If anyone wants to know how to get their baby to sleep, I have a secret. Click here and ask for Jessica.

6. I got an iPhone for Christmas. I have not put 1 single kids game on it and the girls have never asked once to play on my phone. Wonder how long that will last.

7. Malyn is warming up to who she calls 'that baby'. She has called him by name twice now and does not seem to push him off me anymore. I think it all changed when he smiled at her in Texas:) Today she said to him.....'ohhh baby I love you'. Making progress here people!!!

8. Over Glee, on to Parenthood. Guess that shows where I am in life.

9. I am in love with Mattie Sue's kinder teacher. I think I am a teacher snob.....and I am blown away by her. When I was at the holiday musical I heard parents saying.....'ohh this is Mrs. O'Briens class going first....of course (sarcastic).' And I thought to myself....yes, it is special to be in her class.

10. I'm going to miss my time with Malyn when she goes to the elementary school next year. Pleeeeease don't grow up Arnold kids. Mom needs you to stay just as you are.

We love Christmas!

2010-12-25T21:09:00.000-08:00

Snuggles from Nama!

Milk and cookies for Santa!

Enjoying our cousins!

Merry Christmas Y'all!!

November!

2010-11-26T13:11:00.001-08:00

October and November have flown by! My mom left:( 32 days we had with her. I'll have to have another baby to get her here that long again. We had so much fun together.
We celebrated Malyn's 4th birthday on Nov 16th. This is in her preschool class at Sand Tots. She asked for long neck dinosaur cookies, they look like chubby ducks but she liked them and that's all that matters!

She asked to go to the beach on our way home from school. You got it birthday girl! Long neck in hand!

Mattie Sue is our built in babysitter. She loves her little brother!!!!

Sometimes we make it out of the house.

Mattie Sue has learned all about Pilgrims and Indians in school. Thought this picture was so precious.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Eli!

2010-10-21T16:12:00.000-07:00

Meet our number 3! Elijah Christopher Arnold! 6lbs 9oz and 20 inches! We are smitten! I thought I was a one man gal till this one came along and stole my heart.... just like his daddy!

10 on Tuesday

2010-10-11T20:23:00.000-07:00

1. I am addicted to Coffee Beans crushed ice. I have always loved it but since being prego I crave it. I read somewhere that it has to do with a deficiency. The girls now love it and every barista in a 5 mile radius now knows me as the, 'Can you just refill this large ice?' Pregnant lady. Some don't even smile anymore.....they are thinking, see you tomorrow at the same time. (Insert song) 'Ice Ice Baby....'. I guess that's better than the butter and mayo that I was addicted to in the first trimester. (sick)

2. The number of sisters that have a birthday this week! Happy Birthday Jessica (Oct. 13th) and Jenny (Oct. 14th).

3. Our number 3 has decided to park himself sideways. (Really kid...... after 36 weeks of head down?) Scheduled a turn for the 20th. Its about a 45 degree turn. Sometimes I just want to bump him over. I have tried handstands at the bottom of the pool, flashlights, and barking orders at him. (Insert song) Turn baby Turn......disco inturno..... Or we have a Csection.

4. The number of days till Nama comes to rescue us!

5. The number of family members starting Oct. 20th!

6. Number of stitches Sue got from making a sharp uturn on her new scooter. We can now be known as the family that has all had their chins stitched! Mattie Sue's wins for deepest cut.

7. The latest love for the girls is on hub t.v. Strawberry Shortcake! It really is so cute. Mattie Sue said to me today, "Mom, even though Strawberry Shortcake and her friends are little, they are capable of BIG things! Just like me and Malyn!" Makes me feel better about the t.v. watching when they come out with things like this.

8. The number of months left of preschool. I love preschool. Love it. Love it. I will miss the excitement of it from Malyn and the glitter in my washing machine.

9. I need to get Malyn to the pumpkin patch. Every night for going on two years now she says....'Thank you God for the pumpkin patch and the fireworks!' Get on it Arnold, its less than 2 miles from your house.

10. Our favorite Halloween books: The Spider and the Fly, Goodnight Goon, and There was an Old Lady who Wasn't Afraid of Anything.

Swimmer!

2010-09-26T19:46:00.000-07:00

Today it was in the 80's so we headed to the Engle's pool after church. While we were there Boo decided to record Malyn swimming. Our flip was not charged so he put my 30th birthday present (a Leica camera) in a ziploc bag and hit record. Thankfully we got a great video for Nama with out a drop if water in the bag. I was dying and just knew that the birth of my son would go undocumented because the camera ended up at the bottom of the pool. Boo put this together on his computer. Nice work love!

This is for you Nama!!

10 on Tuesday

2010-09-14T13:57:00.000-07:00

1. I'm not sleeping and I'm exhausted.
2. Yesterday our friend Carrie gave us 4 cupcakes. I thought about eating all 4 without telling the girls about them. Then I thought it would be considered 'lying by omission' and I would have to deal with the cupcakes on my hips after our son was born so.... I showed the girls. Still got away with eating 2 which was exciting.
3. I love Mattie Sue's teacher! She is more organized than I was as a teacher and that is impressive. Malyn's preschool teacher is hyper organized too. Hyper and organized. Just what Malyn needs. At this moment I am not hyper or organized. Needless to say, we are not meshing Malyn and I. Here she is on the first day of her preschool Dolphins class.

4. Mattie Sue loves her school too! Thank goodness! Here was her homework today. I just love what she came up with and how she sounded out the spellings. And of course when I asked her to think of her favorite anything she said....person....NAMA!

5. My sister Jenny is coming out October 1st! Let the bike riding, bad eating and making fun of our youth begin!
6. Malyn thinks that everyone is a cousin. Cousin Kristen was in town last weekend and Malyn kept calling her, 'Cousint Kristen!' Last night Boo had Cousin Erik and Cousin Derrin over to watch some football games. When she went to bed she prayed for all her cousints downstairs.
7. I need to figure out an organized setting for backpacks and paperwork. But, I'm too tired to think past throwing it all on the toybox and I'll dig through it all when I have energy.
8. I miss sleeping in. Is it bad that I don't want to join the PTA?
9. How cute are these kids? Is summer really over. Darn it.

10. I got our first school fundraiser from Mattie Sue the other day. She came running up to me with such excitement saying....'You HAVE to see this mom!!!! And if I sell 10 things I get a MONKEY that I get to hang ON my backpack!' I was halfsies on this one in my mind......first thought was.....oh great, yippy skippy, we get to sell stuff that no one wants and then distribute it right when I'm having a baby. Second thought.....Ohhh Sue, don't you worry love, Mom will make SURE you get that monkey on your backpack!! haha. Ohh little p, thank you for always helping me get the monkey that hung on my backpack. I didn't get it then, but once again, I get you!

Day one, 13 years to go!

2010-09-08T13:18:00.000-07:00

First day of kindergarten! Mattie Sue has been very unsure about going to kindergarten. She thinks it will be too hard and nothing like Sand Tots. She kept saying...'I just want to draw and paint all day.' Good thing the summer break bought her some time before jumping in to school. She has become used to the idea that she IS in fact going to start kindergarten. She was so excited this morning to put on all her new gear and head out!!

Good thing dad gets to help calm her down and enjoy her first day with us!
Yeah, we found a friend to help ease the tension! Lauren is our neighbor.

Family photo in front of the kinder doors. Sue looks so tiny next to her big 'ol parents and baby brother!
Entrance into Mrs. O'Brien's class.
Her warm and welcoming teacher guided the kids through morning rug time. She was not excited about leaving me at the table and gave me 'the look' when Mrs. O'Brien asked her to move to a far away spot. She of course listened and went anyway.
After the book and rug time Mattie Sue raised her hand, (I glanced at Boo with the look of 'oh gosh, what is she about to ask?') and she said, 'I have not finished my craft yet.' The little crafter that she is wanted to get her craft time in since that is all she is excited about in kinder after all.
When class ended she skipped to the car! Good sign! Tomorrow we leave her at the gate at 8:20am and pick her up from the gate at 12:45. I hear its called 'The Crying Gate.' Great, just what this emotional pregnant mom needs.....a crying gate.
Skip to the Lou Mattie Sue!!!

Keeping us laughing!

2010-08-30T19:26:00.000-07:00

(While looking at pictures of a baby boy in a baby book)
Malyn- "OH mom that is a BOY!"
Mom- "How do you know Malyn?" (Thinking this would be the perfect time to introduce the new anatomy to the girls.)
Malyn- "Because he has no hair silly!"

(same conversation)
Malyn- "Why are all these babies naked in the belly? They need to put some clothes on."

Malyn- "When are you going to burp out that baby boy mom? I want to see him!"

Malyn- "Mom, I decided I am going to be a good girl when I grow up!'
Mom- "Why not now Malyn?"
Malyn- "No, that's too boring!"

Mattie Sue- "Mom, I am trying to see how I can help you right now!"

The difference between these two is so fun and so hard.

Baby boy names if it were up to Mattie Sue and Malyn:
King, Nemo, Aiden, Little Foot, Petrie, Wubbzy, Ilas, Oscar

San Diego!

2010-08-17T19:59:00.000-07:00

Last weekend Grandma and Grandpa flew out for a great weekend in San Diego! We picked them up from the airport and headed straight to the zoo! What a zoo that zoo. Lots of walking. Lots of great animals to see. We loved the Meerkats, the sea otters, polar bears, hippos and the jaguar that grabbed a fish out of the water and ate it right in front of us.

The next day we headed to Sea World. It was a PERFECT day!!! We had such a great time. The weather was perfect, the shows were fun and the girls loved every minute of it.
Mattie Sue was crying about the dressed up animals that scared her.
This one loved them!
Feeding the dolphins was my favorite!
The Shamu show was Mattie Sue's favorite!
So was this Shamu bowl!
Boo even got to rest!
YUM!!!!
Family photo.

Grandma, Grandpa and the sneaky Sue!
What a fun weekend! Thank you Grandpa and Grandma for such a great weekend!! Great food, great family, and great weather!!

2 weeks!

2010-08-17T19:12:00.001-07:00

Our Solace girls have been gone for 2 weeks. Our last shot with them here at the airport just before sending them on their 24+ hour flight back home. It was the saddest goodbye I have ever seen or been a part of. I usually shed a tear or two when my mom or sister leave me at LAX but this was buckets of teardrops. I'm not sure what was going through each persons head but mine was filled with......what does their future hold? I stepped back and looked at the group as a whole and thought about what their lives would look like in a few years. Then I really lost it. 1. Would they ever again feel as safe and free as they did here? Lida who was running on the green grass around the golf course laughing and chasing her friends in the desert was now going back to hearing bomb explosions twice a week in her town. How can this really be, do we really get it? Can we even wrap our heads around it? 2. Are they going to feel oppressed as woman? and when, soon? And what else could I have done to help them? I wanted to engrave in their minds that they are worthy of Gods love and to never feel less than. How can I right then and there save them from it? And there was nothing I could do. They had to go back, so after one last hug and and an I love you Neelab, they walked in a group of sobbing 8 to 10 year olds toward the security line. Neelab was standing at the rope and I just had to walk back to her and hug her one more time......she said through her tears, 'I love you mom, thank you.'

I called my mom from the car crying and between our shared tears she made me feel better just by listening to me whine and cry about her leaving. I was quickly reminded that just them being here and loving them was all I could do. And that had to be enough.

Life has since calmed down and our girls laugh and talk about Neelab and how much they miss her and how they want to host another girl next year just like Neelab, 'Or like Lida,' Mattie Sue said. Something to be praying about!
"God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."

Last day!

2010-08-02T12:29:00.000-07:00

This morning Neelab and I ran over to Costco to buy her a jacket (thank you to my friend Lacey for the support!). In the car I explained to her that tomorrow morning she was going home to Afghanistan. Her face dropped and she began to tear up and said, 'Tomorrow? No. In 20 days I go to Afghanistan.' I explained that she needs to go home and see all her friends in the orphanage, and go to school. She didn't buy it. I was at a loss for words so I just told her how we were sad for her to leave too and that she needed to go home and study in school and try to come back when she is older. She looked up and said, 'I come back?' I just about lost my marbles as I am looking at her with tears streaming down her face thinking about how she probably loved having a mother with her at all times.....then I lost it as a mom. I turned the music 'Glee Soundtrack' on and we jammed and sang our way to Costco. Once there she lit up when she saw the jackets and was sooo excited to take it home with her. We picked up some boots that Carrie gave her to go home with for the winter (thanks Carrie) then headed home. Our packing has begun and I just keep thinking what must it be like for her to leave? She has built some great friendships here with her other Solace girlfriends and with our family. Mattie Sue has cried twice now at the thought of her leaving so I keep thinking Tuesday morning at LAX is going to be a sob fest. Pray I hold it together. It helps for me to look back at this letter that Erik sent out to all the host families from Patsy (Head of Solace).

Please remember the primary purpose of these girls being here is for their health needs. While it is so temping to want more for them, or to somehow give them a step-up that is not our right with these girls. Their families have graciously loaned them to us under strict circumstances, and there are very good reasons for the rules we have to operate within. For the safety of the Afghan girls, and for the safety of your families you cannot maintain a relationship with them in the future. Solace for the Children errs on the side of safety and anonymity for all.

I keep reminding myself that she is here for her health....not for me to stow away and mother forever. It also helps to think that families in North Carolina have been doing this for 20 years so somehow someway they get through this just fine and gear up for the help and health of the next kid.

This is the letter we wrote to Neelab. Our interpreter read it to her (along with the other girls and their families) last Thursday night.

Dearest Neelab,

What a special gift you have been to our family. From the day we first viewed your picture in an email we were so excited to meet you. Now, after six weeks, our excitement has grown into sincere love.

We have had such a wonderful time with you swimming, watching movies, eating ice-cream, going to the park, swinging, playing chase, playing dolls, painting, dancing, laughing and more. This summer with you will forever be a highlight for the Arnold family. We will always remember it and talk about how much we enjoyed you and all that we did accomplished together – you learned how to swim! Not, to mention your English.

Mom is going to miss sharing crushed ice with you, singing in the car, calling you Neelbica, listening to Mattie-Sue trying to talk to with you a Dari accent. She will always remember the look on your face the first time you put on your glasses and you could finally see clearly! Most of all, she’s going to miss your warm smile and hearing you say, “Goodnight Mom, I love you” while saying I love you in sign language.

Dad is going to miss you laughing at him hysterically. You seemed to be the only one in the house who recognizes his marvelous singing voice, sharp wit, comedic timing. The thing he will miss most about you is the Dari lessons he received from you. Who know that he would eventually enunciate Dari vocabulary even better than you!

Mattie-Sue and Malyn are going to miss tickling you most. Along with tickling, having pop cycles, sharing snacks, watching movies, and swimming in the Engles’ pool top the list.

Neelab, do know that we love you and will miss you deeply. We know you have a very bright future ahead of you. Study hard in school! You are so very talented and we expect to visit you and Fatima at the Afghani Embassy in Washington DC in 2025. We’ll watch the Dewali movie at the reunion.

We love you Neelabica!

Mom, dad, Mattie Sue, Malyn and baby

The Beach Reporter (LA Southbay Newspaper)

2010-07-29T08:48:00.000-07:00

Manhattan Beach News

Afghan girls find solace, family among strangers

by Carley Dryden
(Updated: Wednesday, July 28, 2010 5:08 PM PDT)

A 9-year-old girl from a poor province in Afghanistan settles into an elegant leather armchair in an El Segundo townhouse, smiling demurely at the couple, who weeks before were strangers and are now family.

Underneath the turquoise sundress and bright red fingernail polish, the warm smile and the wistful eyes is a survivor. A girl who has witnessed firsthand events most choose not to read about in papers. A girl whose bandaged right leg tells a story that some can’t even imagine.

Lida faces weekly, even daily, bombings, and watches military tanks cross her local streets and patrol her neighborhood.

In a town where troops and foreigners are scared to walk outside, Lida sits outside, singing native songs and playing dolls with her friends, as her country crumbles around her.

Parasto, Basela, Lida, Neelab, Shogufa and Sana, all from poor areas of Afghanistan, have spent the past five weeks in the South Bay, receiving free medical treatment, and bonding with their host families and each other.

But in the past few weeks, Lida has taken her first steps into the ocean, dove to the bottom of a crystal-clear pool and donned her first sundress. She took her first trip to the dentist and eye doctor, and a surgeon gave her back stolen time.

In the same country that has spent millions of dollars on attacks that have killed her own people, Lida has been healed.

Wide-eyed and unsure

Nicole Svendsen was getting a pedicure last December when she read an article in People magazine about Solace for the Children, an organization that has brought dozens of children from Afghanistan over to the U.S. for free medical care since 2007.

“I liked that it was Afghanistan. The fact that it’s a country we’re at war with and we’re able to … hopefully we’re changing some of the views of Americans,” she said.

When she got home, she called Solace.

The organization, founded in 1997, has a simple mission: “building peace on a foundation of health.” The program matches children in need with American host families for six weeks during the summer. Within the first few days of their arrival, the children receive a physical evaluation and dental screening, and follow-up appointments with specialists are scheduled. The treatments — which range from glasses and fillings to cleft palate and bone repairs — must be completed within six weeks.

After the three-hour phone conversation with Solace, Svendsen and her husband, Erik, were on their way to founding the L.A. chapter of the organization and bringing six little girls over to the South Bay. By mid-March, through the help of friends, family and local businesses, they raised enough money — $3,000 per girl — to host the girls, ages 6 to 10.

Though a majority of the host families, like the Svendsens, have young children of their own, not all do. Two sisters from Manhattan Beach who have never had children decided to host a little girl who needed her cleft palate repaired.

The Svendsens took Lida.

“When we met her at the airport she was wide-eyed and pretty unsure. It’s so hard because you want to be able to comfort them and tell them it’s going to be OK. But we were just driving in silence,” Erik said.

The girls speak Dari, and no English. Fatima, 18, a translator, came over with the girls to act as an interpreter and friend, consoling them when their American families might not be able to.

The girls are sent with little — a short, often improperly diagnosed medical history and few clothes.

Erik and Nicole had to piece together the details of Lida’s life in Afghanistan through Fatima.

One of nine children, Lida comes from a very poor town in a city that the family declined to name to protect her safety. Her father pulls a large wagon on his shoulders to transport things for people. It’s hard labor. The loads are often very heavy; people use him to move because it’s cheap. He gets paid just 20 cents a trip. Lida’s mother, like most women in Afghanistan, has no formal education and stays at home with the children. In most provinces, it is too great a risk for women to work outside, Fatima said.

In Lida’s town, there are bombs and attacks at least once a week, sometimes every day, sometimes two or three times a day, Fatima said.

Lida was running from a bomb explosion in her hometown two years ago when she fell and broke her femur. Though she spent 20 days in a hospital in Afghanistan to fix the broken bone, it later became infected. Over nine days in the U.S., Lida had three surgeries. The surgeon had to keep shaving off parts of her bone to rid her completely of the severe infection. Doctors told the Svendsens she would have died in the next five years if she hadn’t had the surgery.

Lida’s father sent the Svendsens a letter from Afghanistan soon after. It read simply, “Thank you.”

‘This is our kid’

Boo and Stacy Arnold were celebrating Christmas in Texas when they got the call from the Svendsens.

They agreed to host a girl right away. Within months, the El Segundo couple was at the airport to meet Neelab.

“When we got her from the airport, that’s it. This is our kid. Right away it just felt like she was handed to me. This is your child and she can’t make it without you. It was pretty powerful,” Stacy said. “It’s been neat to see how the love for her has just come naturally. Right away we were like, ‘We love you, Neelab.’”

One night as she and Boo led Neelab upstairs to her bed, Boo quickly grabbed his iPhone and searched for the “Speak in Dari” application, attempting to say, “Good night.”

“She half laughed and half fell back asleep … After I got the room tidy for bed, I heard a precious little voice pop out of the covers, ‘Goodbye, Mom.’ My smile bounced from wall to wall,” Stacy said.

The Arnolds’ two daughters, Mattie Sue, 5, and Malyn, 3, instantly took Neelab in as their sister.

“Our girls immediately embraced Neelab in a way we couldn’t. There are less barriers there, they are less inhibited. They kinda jumped right in,” Boo said.

Now, the three girls sleep close together in their room, like one big bed.

Neelab, 10, lives in an orphanage in Afghanistan. Her parents put her and her sister there. The orphanage provides more opportunity and it keeps her safe, Fatima said.

Neelab, like many of the girls, needed glasses and a lot of dental work. Most had never been to a dentist before.

Just being children

Though the crux of the program is the free medical treatment, the program also allows the girls six weeks away from their war-torn homelands. Six weeks to just be children.

Stacy thought they would have to expend quite a bit of money and plan big outings to keep the girls happy, but it’s the little things, like a quick trip to the pool, that mean the most.

“It’s neat that they just fold into your life. They go with you on errands, to the grocery store,” Nicole said about daily life with Lida.

Stacy has acted as the activities director, planning trips for the girls to the Long Beach Aquarium, Lucky Strike bowling alley, Build-a-Bear Workshop, even Disneyland, all of which have opened their doors to the girls for free.

“We’ve done things with them that they will probably never do again,” Stacy said.

They have sailed a boat in the Pacific, watched “Toy Story 3” at the movie theater, visited the circus and made S’mores on the beach.

“The first time they saw the beach, they all just ran in in their clothes,” Nicole said, smiling.

Lida was the most traditional of the girls and the slowest to warm up to the culture, Nicole said.

“The first time at the pool, Lida wouldn’t go in. The next time, she went in only fully clothed. Now, she has goggles on and is diving down to the bottom for pennies,” she said. Now, when Lida wakes up, she makes a hand motion for swimming.

When asked about her visit, Lida responds through Fatima, “We have a family. We’re getting a lot of attention and we’re getting medical treatment … I love my family.”

“I like everything. My family, the city and all the things that we are doing,” Neelab said.

Lessons learned

The Svendsens expected to hear a lot of noes from the community when they reached out for the girls’ visit, especially from local doctors.

“I’m so impressed with the community, how everybody has stepped up. No one said no,” Boo said.

Local doctors and dentists, including Christine Curtis, Janelle Holden, Joel Gould, William Mealer and Steven Davis from Manhattan Beach, as well as surgeons from California Hospital Medical Center and Shriners Hospital for Children agreed to provide thousands of dollars worth of medical treatment at no cost.

“It’s pretty amazing that two countries that are at war with each other can put that aside and take care of the kids,” said Holden, who gave 10-year-old Parasto a brand new smile.

Curtis has served as the girls’ main pediatrician for the summer and performed their initial evaluation. She said their ailments range from a severe need for glasses to adenoid removal and the cleft palate repair, which she called “an amazing miracle.”

When the girls first walked into her office, Curtis said she was surprised at how outgoing and talkative they were.

“These are survivors, little survivors,” she said.

At Lida’s first dental appointment, she had two teeth pulled.

“I had a tooth pulled and I was on medicine for a week. She had two teeth pulled, took one pill and was OK. She is tougher than me,” Erik said.

Lida told Nicole, “You have to be tough when you come from a country like Afghanistan.”

Boo said the six-week experience has been a valuable lesson for his family.

“As Americans, we expect everything right now,” he said.

“They’re never thinking, ‘What about me? It’s my turn,’” Stacy added.

On a recent Saturday, the Arnolds took Neelab to a birthday party. When the pinata flew open and the other children swarmed onto the candy, Neelab stood back, holding her bag.

“I’m like, ‘Get in there. Get in there,’” Stacy said, laughing.

Erik was floored that the girls are so well-behaved and polite, especially for their age. They clean up their plates and even clean up after the host couples’ children.

“It’s been eye-opening and almost embarrassing. But we’re changing.” Stacy said.

“Actually,” Boo said. “We’re sending our kids back with them.”

'me happy'

2010-07-25T13:59:00.000-07:00

Mattie Sue, Lida and Neelab
(Mattie Sue loves Lida Bida. She asks if Lida can come over to play and she wants to wear the dress that Lida has the same as hers when Lida wears hers. It's pretty precious and they both share such a sweet heart.)

Lida and Neelab have buddied up this summer and it has been fun to watch. They had never met before and will most likely never see each other again after August 3rd. They have helped each other come out of their shell while being here. They chit chat like preteens and I hear this often....'Mom, me Lida home me happy.' Meaning: I want to go play at Lida's house.

We had Lida over yesterday after Lucky Strike and Johnny Rockets event #5 for Solace. After dinner I heard a, 'Mom, Lida sleep here me happy?' I looked over at Lida who had a HUGE smile on her face! I told Lida if she would ask her mom (Nicole) in English then I would make the call. Small facial expression of defeat till we worked on how to say it in English. Here was the precious conversation.

(Ring ring)
Nicole: 'Hello'
Lida: 'Hi mom!'
Nicole: 'Hi Lida Bida!'
Lida: 'um, um, um, sleep Neelab house me?'
Nicole: 'Sure'
Lida: 'Thank you mom!'
Lida: "I love you mom!'
(so precious and with such excitement!)

It is always so sweet to hear them try to speak English. Neelab actually does really well and helps the other girls communicate when we are without the interpreter. I am always so impressed with her English and what she understands. Mattie Sue has the talk down too. I hear her all day saying things (in a Dari accent of course)......'um Neelab, you play puzzle me?'
Lida and Neelab

This little one endured 3 surgeries and 9 days in Shriners Hospital for her infected bone after a rocket attacked her home 2 years ago. Successful surgery and she is back to smiling and enjoying her friends again! She is going home good as new! Can you imagine how her parents are going to feel when they see her with this smile?

Parasto, Basela, Lida, Neelab, Shogufa, and Sana after a day of Lucky Strike Bowling!

And Boo teaching Mattie Sue how to bowl. Fun day! Thank you Lucky Strike and Johnny Rockets!

Neelabica!

2010-07-14T19:43:00.001-07:00

My sister Jessica was out last weekend to help. And help she did. I wore her OUT! She did our laundry, dishes, babysat, painted Solace signs, made dinner, gave baths, and emotionally kept me afloat. All of which I knew I needed. When she left I said.....'wait, don't you see you can't leave?' Her response.....'I'm trying to figure out a way to send mom out!' It actually was just a nutso weekend and has since calmed down. A bit. Sort of.

Jess had such a cute relationship with Neelab. She arrived early Thursday morning and stayed till Sunday night! The weekend was jam packed. The morning after Jessica left Neelab walked down stairs and said...'call me Neelabica!' Thank you sis.

Our Saturday was so much fun! Lifesail and the Marina Del Ray Hospital donated a great day of sailing for the girls! It was such a prefect trip. We headed north up the coast line, saw some seals and each pier and watched the girls experience sailing for the first time. The girls loved it. We had some sick tummy's throughout the trip, nothing a little Coke couldn't settle. It was so neat to see all the volunteers enjoying our girls. Right away the girls leaned toward the sweet hospital physical therapists for some comfort and attention. This melted the ladies hearts and they were sold. By the end of the trip they were asking when we could all get together again. Without one verbal conversation between the ladies and the girls they were smitten. I have really enjoyed seeing all the people volunteer their time for our girls. I tell ya, once you meet them you too will be sold! As busy as we are I keep thinking what will life be like in 3 weeks when they leave?

More boat pics from our friend Nathan.

Here is the write up in The Argonaut! (Marina Del Ray newspaper)

Hospital representatives accompany Afghan children on boat outing

Marina Del Rey Hospital recently joined two nonprofit organizations that are providing medical services to children from Afghanistan and an opportunity to frolic on a boat.

Representatives from the hospital accompanied five young Afghan girls who belong to “Solace For The Children” at Burton Chace Park in Marina del Rey July 10.

Solace For The Children provides medical and dental care to children who are in need of such services.

The girls spent the day on a boat courtesy of Life Sail, a non-profit that promotes a character-building experience through sailing and seamanship.

The Afghan guests will be in Los Angeles for six weeks, where they will stay with host families from the Solace For The Children charity.

“We are overjoyed that we are able to welcome these girls into our homes and support them while they receive free medical care,” say Erik and Nicole Svendsen, the founders and one of the host families for the organization’s Los Angeles chapter.

Few thoughts....

2010-07-07T15:08:00.000-07:00

I am shocked daily that we Solace peeps plan something and God laughs and rearranges it the second it has been confirmed. I am learning a lot about surrendering to Him and to doctors and to just plain life. New meaning of the word 'vessel'.

Another lesson I am learning from Solace is 'Gratefulness, and the lack thereof'. Mattie Sue asked me for some water the other day and I handed her a cup of water then went back to the hustle and bustle of a million other things. Next thing I heard was a whiny cranky demand for a 'different cup!' It caught me off guard because I am used to asking Neelab if she wants things and her first couple responses are 'no' then a slight smile and a 'thank you' as she gladly and appreciatively takes whatever I have offered to her and finishes it. Never asking for a thing. Much less being a crank pants when given what she asked for. The wide gap of contentment in the Solace girls' lives is just so embarrassing when compared to ours. I am praying that my girls are learning a heart of contentment and gratefulness in this experience. As of right now it is night and day, black and white, grateful and ungrateful, content and discontent.

I just want to take my girls by the head and say.......'do you realize that Lida's leg is oozing pus because she fell in a ditch while escaping a rocket attack 2 years ago and she is not complaining about that right now much less about a flippin' sippy cup color?!' DO YOU DO YOU? And no, they still don't get it. Maybe I'll send them back with the Solace girls. I want to hit control+erase+rewind+simplify on their brains. Or if I could somehow delete the, 'I want to give my kids everything so they are content and 'feel good' about themselves chip in my brain it will help. Toughen up kids the world does not revolve around you. Oh crap, this really is my fault. I'll be working on this. Positive thought, they are both falling in love with the Solace girls. So teaching them to love others is coming easily!!!!

We are mourning the loss of a relative in our Solace family on Thursday and then the loss of a precious little soul Lexi on Friday. Taken too soon, we know they are refreshed and renewed in new bodies and dancing with The One and Only.

On a lighter note-
1. My sister Jessica is coming to save the day! We need your help sis!
2. This past weekend we went to our friend Carries desert house. We all played in the pool nonstop!! End result.....3 swimming Solace girls! Too bad the only swimming they will ever do will be here. I was so proud of them and again their love to just enjoy what is in front of them. I have never once heard one complaint from any of them. (other than feeling ill).
3. On the baby boy due in October news...I am 6 months pregnant with a swelling belly and one little belly button beginning to pop out. Suddenly the 6th month brought on a tougher time getting up, down and bending. I feel like he is saying....'don't forget about me mom, but while you are busy out there I'll just keep growing like you told me to as long as you keep those TUMS coming!'

Beach!

2010-06-29T19:56:00.000-07:00

Neelab's first trip to the beach was Sunday night! She got soaked in all her clothes and loved the feeling of the sand on her feet! We enjoyed S'mores made with Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and a bonfire with our Solace crew. Another great time with our sweet girls!!

Beach photos by Tim

2010-06-26T20:31:00.000-07:00

If it doesn't open copy and paste this link!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCy0UyRJ0o4&feature=related

He has us where He wants us!

2010-06-24T19:34:00.000-07:00

I have learned a new form of the word exhaustion since Tuesday. It now takes on a whole new meaning. I realized it when I walked out to my car this morning and noticed my car was happily parked and ready for me on the side of the street with the 'No Parking Thursdays Street Sweep' sign. I hesitantly walked toward the car with all three girls and pool garb in hand. I crept to the dash and was shocked!!! No ticket!! I called Boo right away and said....'do you want to hear about God's grace this morning?' So I told him where I was parked and that we did not get a ticket! He said, 'Oh did you forget that it was Thursday?' Thursday, what's Thursday? I have no idea what is going on in the world around me. Is it even going on? Are there any current events that I need to know?....don't tell me. My focus is in arms reach (in a circle) and no farther. I'm like a tunnel vision ADD kid....oh wait, I am ADD. As far as I know the world has completely stopped. I laughed with one of the other moms today when saw her brother calling......I laughed and said.....'she'll call you back August 3rd (the day the girls leave)!' Its what we call being 'on'. Like when you are at a baby shower chatting with people and are basically 'on' the entire time smiling and happy and sucking your tummy in. Then you go home and take a huge nap, except in my little world at arms reach...there is no nap! I'm thinking.....honestly, the fact that we are all fed and alive at this point is enough for me! Forget all the extras (fluff I call them).....like shaving your legs, remembering to put sunscreen on your burned kids, not parking on the street sweep side, etc. Those are all just perks at this point.

We took Lida and Neelab to our friends pool this morning. It was such a trip!!!!! Neither of the girls had ever been in a pool before. Neelab had picked out a swimsuit at Target consisting of board shorts and a rash guard top. We fitted her with a Nama purchased life jacket. She stepped in with absolutely NO reservations. She wobbled and bobbled and went right under not knowing all she had to do was stand up. Nicole grabbed her and helped her to her legs and she stood up and laughed at herself. She took off from there. We put one of our little kid tubs around her waist just as extra help to keep her head above the water and that did the trick. In no time she was jumping off the side into the deep end. I just can't imagine the feeling of being in a pool for the first time. I was too young to remember and by 5 was swimming across the deep end on the Quackers Swim Team. My girlfriends are laughing AT me at right now!!! Running joke. Anyhow, what a wonderful new experience for she and Lida to have today. Other than the chaos and fear of kids going under at every turn I knew I was amongst something so special for these girls. Nic and I kept uping the time to let them enjoy themselves. What more in life than these moments? First time in a pool Neelab age 10.

We also went to our first dentist appointment today after the pool. We have a running joke with Neelab about the dentist. We asked her how to say 'dentist' and she said, 'doctor dental'. But you have to say it really fast.....doctor dental.....no, faster, and make the emphasis on the last 'tal. Every time the girls and I tried to say it she would laugh at us and say it much faster and with a stronger 'tal! So, when I told her we were now really headed to the doctor dental she laughed at me and shrugged her shoulders like....you keep saying that crazy lady but you still haven't taken me. It may have been time for the 'Never cry wolf' story but who has the energy for that? We grabbed Fatima (interpreter) and Lida, Nicole and Siena and headed for the doctor denTAL. She was reunited with her orphanage buddy Shogofa at the dentist (Dr. Gould) too. The 3 girls chatted it up while we moms discussed our exhaustion levels. Precious Lida went in first and the dentist did a number on her :( Neelab and Shogofa walked to their chairs and I about lost it when I saw them sitting in the dentist chair. They were both a little shaky and silent. Their huge brown eyes peered up at me not knowing what was about to happen. Remembering back to my root canal days in that exact chair I thought toughen up Arnold......then I saw Dr Gould and was overwhelmed with emotion. I told him how thankful we were for what he was doing and how much it meant to Nicole and I that he was doing this. His response was, 'I have had a lot of wonderful things come easy to me in my life.....it's time I finally do something for someone else.' So staring up at big buff Gould and then down at the sweet seated scared girls I just thought, God's grace is being shown so differently here, Gould- dealt an easy hand in life, Neelab- chosen to come to America for medical treatment, and me- getting to see it all unfold right in front of my eyes. I am overwhelmed with actually being in the midst of God's active life.

Four cavities and a fresh polish for the teeth! Not bad! He said her teeth were in pretty good condition because of the lack of granulated sugar over there.

People keep asking....'How's it going?' And I have one answer for them, 'Surviving!' Somehow God is keeping me afloat. And He has our family exactly where He wants us!

Mattie Sue- "Is Neelab still going to be our sister when she goes back to Afgani?'

Sweet Neelab!

2010-06-23T08:50:00.000-07:00

We picked up Neelab from the airport yesterday with her 5 other little Afgani friends! It was so emotional to me for some reason. I was fine until I saw her and actually hugged and kissed her check. The tears welled up and I was so annoyed because I wanted to smile and look into her eyes to comfort her. I said 'Hi, I'm your mom (almost loosing it right here)!' She hugged and smiled back as Malyn and Mattie Sue handed her their homemade poster. She then said, 'THANK YOU!' I just about fell over in shock! How precious that she has learned some English. They must have taught them some in a class at her orphanage. It all came falling on me like a ton of bricks (emotionally) that all the preparation, time, prayers, planning that we had immersed ourselves in since December had suddenly come to fruition. I was surprised that God again had handed me a love for someone I did not know (just like my girls at the hospital). I think it was the fact that I was all she had for the next 6 weeks. I was a mother to her that she does not have at home. The whole group walked over to a nook in the airport to gather ourselves (thank goodness because I too needed to regroup myself) and tell the girls that they were headed 'home' with their 'moms' and 'dads'. We walked to the car buckled her into the seat and drove her in silence. The girls giggled and tried to ask her questions like....'Neelab, do you like Old McDonald's?' and 'Do you have a mom and dad Neelab?' To all of this she was silent and staring out the window. Probably thinking we were crazy. Once we got home I washed her hair (for lice) and as I was brushing her hair she said, 'What is your name?' Again, I about fell over! Boo laughed later and said she was talking in tongues! I loved that she was trying to speak English. As much as I was trying to communicate and worried about the language barrier she too was working at our language and probably worrying about the same thing, just miles away.

Our afternoon was typical, she loved The Little Mermaid and the girls Vtech game. The interpreter came by late in the afternoon to walk around the house and get some understanding of the flow of our home. While we were upstairs I told Fatima (the interpreter) that we were taking her to Target to get some stuff and asked what she needed. Her response still surprises me. Nothing! I looked at this 10 year old girl who showed up at my house with only the clothes on her back. And when asked what she needed....nothing. And what would she really need? She had a full belly, she was dressed, and she had a bed to sleep in.

After dinner and more itouch game playing Neelab feel asleep at 7pm (12 hour time difference) in a chair all curled up. I softly woke her up and led her upstairs. Boo (who has been so darling with her) quickly grabbed his iphone and dialed up the 'speak in Dari' app and attempted to say, 'Good Night' in Dari. She half laughed and half feel back asleep while standing. I guided her to her bed and she sank into her comfy bed. After I moved a few little things and got the room tidy for bed I heard a precious little voice pop out of the covers...'Good Bye Mom!' My smile bounced from wall to wall. 'Good night Neelab!' We both giggled.

It is now 9:20am and she is still asleep. I checked in on her this morning and she was in the exact same position I left her in. Malyn came down and told me told me she tried singing, 'You are my Sunshine' to her but she didn't wake up! I am so happy to know she feels comfortable and know this is the beginning of God's will in our family of 4 1/2 plus one sweet Neelab's life.

Thank you to everyone who has helped our Solace girls get here! We share this blessing with you!

Family!

2010-06-12T16:50:00.000-07:00

The girls love to dance with dad. At this moment dad was buying shoes so the girls took it upon themselves to dance together. They were having so much fun and it was too cute not to capture!

Check out Malyn's gun(s).
The whole family went to the detailed ultrasound on Tuesday. It was such a neat experience to have the girls there with us. They were glued to the screen. When the news broke that 'it's a boy' the whole family cheered with pure joy!! It was such a fun and special family moment to be able to all share together. It has been sooo fun to have the girls be such a part of this pregnancy. Lots of moments I will treasure. One of my favorites was watching Malyn attempt to literally try to wipe the smile off her face and say, 'I'm just too happy to wipe it off!' Overjoyed Party of 4 1/2 !!

Coming June 22nd!

2010-06-06T14:29:00.001-07:00

This morning Mattie Sue made the welcome poster for our Solace girl Neelab! She will be here June 22nd and we are so excited!! The girls have been praying for her and that she will leave here healthy and feel loved by our family. Thank you to everyone who helped get her (and the 5 other girls) here!

First set of stitches!

2010-05-23T20:41:00.000-07:00

On Saturday Malyn walked along the caterpillar set of monkey bars at the park and fell right on her chin! After debating if Erik should glue or tape her chin shut we decided to go with the urgent care. 2 little stitches.......
Here is Malyn being soo good in the room waiting for her stitches. She had no idea what was about to happen....

We walked into a (what I thought would have been scary) little room with a dropped table. She hopped right on and we rolled her up like a little papoose. She laughed the entire time and kept saying.....'look at me, I am a wiggle worm!' Again, no clue what was about to happen:(
Laughing with the doctors!

After the anesthetic the fun was over. She screamed during the process and kept saying, 'take the stitches off!' Bless her heart they hadn't even started to stitch yet. SO with me laying on her to hold her down she endured 2 little stitches. After the last stitch and clean they put a bandaid on her and she popped up out of the papoose. The doctor asked if she wanted one lollipop or two. 'Hummm......(while finishing her last tear) TWO!' And that was the end of any recollection of stitches or falling or any pain. Done, just like that. The sweat around her face was from her trying to wiggle out of the straight jacket.
Band-aid on the chin and ready for her milkshake and Princess and the Frog band-aids!!! Great recovery! Way to go tough Mooks!! First set of stitches down....thank goodness my mom was out in the waiting room to sooth me after the emotional draining I endured!!

5 already?

2010-05-20T20:20:00.000-07:00

I am so blown away that my soupie sales is FIVE years old! Where did the time go? What an amazing little life this precious girl has been blessed with....

'Nama going to my birthday!'
'That I'm 5 and going to kindergarten!'
'Thankful Malyn is my sister and I love her and her heart!'
'I'm glad that the baby is going to be a little brother or sister!'
'I'm glad that Neelab is coming!'

I am constantly amazed at how God has shaped her little heart. She is so kind and loving to her friends at school and to her sister. We have been so blessed with her sweet personality. Happy Birthday Love Bug.

3 months!

2010-04-14T07:48:00.000-07:00

It has been so much fun chatting about the new baby with the girls!! Mattie Sue keeps snuggling up to my belly saying...'I'm just so excited we're having a baby!' When Malyn figured out that the ultrasound pictures were of her new little brother or sister she took all 3 picture with her to bed that night and to school in her backpack the next day. We are very excited.....Oct 27th is the EDA!

Malyn!

2010-04-10T10:40:00.000-07:00

We have been really working with Malyn the past...oh, 3 years, on her impulses. We go through seasons of time outs, spankings, crying arguments to lots of laughter and lots of joy! She cracks us up in so many ways. We have been trying to get the girls to figure out their own arguments without needing to jump in all the time to 'fix it'. They are getting better but still need parental intervention. One way this is working is immediate time outs. I sent Malyn to time out the other day and when I went to check on her she was having a full blown party on the time out 'couch'. Yes, the time out spot in the Arnold home was indeed a comfy couch in the kitchen. In one of my bouts with Malyn I decided to change the time out couch to the time out 'hard wood floor'. She hates the new change. Which works for us! I snapped a picture of her while in the new time out spot. She passed out during her 3 minutes of time out. I threw her blanket on her and left her for 2o minutes. I couldn't give in and put her on the couch. Ouch when she woke up.
I had to add her being so joyful as well, this video was during her 'share' in school. The first part was cut. She said....'it has eyes, lives in the ocean and has a shell.'

Rock band

2010-03-30T12:06:00.000-07:00

Last week!

2010-02-10T15:55:00.000-08:00

Boo and Mattie Sue went whale watching last week! Mattie Sue loved being with her dad all day. She told the teacher all week what she was wearing, what she was packing in her lunch, and that her daddy was taking her. Pretty precious if you has me!!

This is Malyn the 'asthronot'!
Mattie Sue helped me make the Solace donation tags!
Here is our set up! Come see us!
I was in Malyn's room today, this is what I was watching....the story tells itself.
Then she was back to ruling the roost! I love being a part of her school day!

'Painty'

2010-01-27T18:30:00.000-08:00

Sometimes you just have to let her be a 3 year old!

Her last line was, 'I want to be myself again.'
Who can guess the color of the tub water?

Solace

2010-01-21T14:06:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends and Family,

This summer our family will be matched with a young girl, between ages 7 and 11, from Afghanistan through Solace for the Children (http://www.solaceforthechildren.org/). Solace for the Children is an organization taking very practical steps to help Muslim children in Afghanistan who have been affected by the war and poverty. They do this by matching children of need from Afghanistan with American families for six weeks while they receive medical, dental, and vision care-many for the first time ever. This summer we will have the privilege of hosting a little girl for six weeks in our home in El Segundo, California.

MEDICAL NEEDS

The children who are matched with American families are in need of serious medical attention. Some have cleft palates; many suffer from Thalassemia, a genetic blood disorder common among Afghani children (which can lead to an early death); heart problems that require surgery, broken limbs that have healed incorrectly and need repair or amputation, as well as many other serious medical problems.

DENTAL NEEDS

All the children will require dental work. It's likely they have never had any dental care at all.

VISION CARE

Vision care may be basic, or as serious as vision loss or serious eye injury.

COST OF CARE

All Medical, Dental, and Vision care is donated. To date we have two Dentists and one Doctor in Los Angeles who have committed to giving free care to the children. This is a simple way they can help those in need with out having to leave their office or the country to do so.

ROOM & BOARD COSTS

Room and board costs are carried by each host family. Currently we have four families in our area who will host a total of five children. Each family provides housing and is responsible for food, clothing, and any activities. The children will be able to see each other weekly as host families coordinate meetings at local parks, hold events, and visit other family's homes in an effort to provide familiarity and routine for the children.

TRAVEL & VISA

This is where your help is needed. It cost $3000 per child to bring them to the United States. This amount includes all paper work and travel to and from Afghanistan. We need to raise a total of $15000 for the 5 children that have been matched with our local community.

YOUR HELP

Here is how you can help. I am asking 60 people for $50 (about the cost of a dinner out) for a total of $3000 which will sponsor one of the 5 children. Your gift is tax deductible and you will receive a receipt for your donation. We are asking people to mail their donations to:

Solace for the Children

PO. Box 576

El Segundo, CA 90245

In your memo line please write "Los Angeles ID#56-207803”. Once we receive your donation your tax-deductible receipt will be mailed to you.

Thank you for considering partnering with our family. With a growing family and a tight budget, this is a wonderful opportunity for us to help someone without the cost of travel or time away from one another. Should you choose to give, please know you will not only be helping a little girl from difficult circumstances, but will also be blessing our family, which in turn will likely receive far beyond what we share with this child.

For added information on Solace please visit the Solace for Children website at http://www.solaceforthechildren.org/. You can also view a video on Solace for the Children at: http://homepage.mac.com/ote_productions/Solace-Mov.html.

If you have any questions feel free to leave a comment.

Hope all is well,

Boo and Stacy Arnold (Mattie-Sue & Malyn too!)

Rainy Sunday

2010-01-17T19:44:00.001-08:00

The girls wanted to have a puppet show for Boo when he got home. They decided on The 3 Little Pigs. They had so much fun making their own pig and their own house. Sue made the brick house and Malyn made the straw house.

They each got to play the wolf many times. I never got to play the wolf.

They loved blowing the houses over.

Perfect rainy day activity, that dad loved coming home to!

Texas!

2010-01-09T18:57:00.001-08:00

When I got to Texas all I wanted to do was WEAR Samuel! So, I did! After about 25 minutes Jess would say....he just needs to stretch out now. Okay:( I loved every minute of it!

Poppy passing out some love to the kiddos on the back porch!
Nama giggling with the girls in the best seat in the house!

Here is Malyn at the Rainforest Cafe! She is not into loud sounds (the rain storm in the rest.). I love this picture!

I met up with my high school girlfriends one afternoon. It was SO neat to see us all with our kids. Lots of little mini me's running around!! I would like to take this moment to thank Amy for helping handle my 2 children that were melting down while taking the picture. Nothing like high school friends to take care of your dirty work!! I just realized I have a pic of Anna Faith!! Courtney's big blue eyed little girl that I met for the first time too!!!
This is Little Miss Ellie, Allison's #2! I wanted to take her home with me! Al said no.
Ryan and the girls really got to enjoy each other this trip. Ryan introduced the girls to Cars! They adore Ryan and greeted him with so much love every time he walked in the door. Such a darling personality we got to enjoy in person (not just Skype) while we were there!! This is story time just before the attempt to get all the kids to sleep so Jess and I could play Bananagrams. It lasted about 30 minutes. Then they went home :(
Visiting and helping Auntie Jenny at the Loft!! Just so amazed at her talent and gift with The Loft!!!
Jess and I saw Avatar with my dad. We got coke icee's and popcorn! It was really a good movie that was 2 1/2 hours long. I was entertained the entire time!!!! If you have not see it GO (get a sitter) and see it in 3D!!!!

ONLY IN TEXAS

This is the portion of the post that I will call 'Only in Texas'! And you will see why!!!

The Arnold Party of 15 (#16 is Nathan who is in training for the Navy Seals).

The girls found a Snoopy Snow Cone Maker amongst some old toys upstairs. Of course when they asked Memaw and Pepaw if they could make some they said YES! More power to the grandparents!! Best part of this little activity was that there was no syrup to go with it so we poured in some Big Red! YUM!
Here is Christopher, just chillin' on the back of the truck on FM 1123. Again, only in Texas!
Here I am attempting to rope a stationary calf. It only took 4 times!! By the time I finally roped it everyone had moved on to other things. That's okay...God knows I roped it!!
This here is a horse training thingy. Micah, Madelyn, Robert and Jaco stepped into some ropes for a big swing. Christopher and Bobby swung them around and around......it may not look like much in this picture but it was hilarious! And they were going sooo fast!
Mooks got to ride a horse while Christopher sent Sue on a scavenger hunt....ranch style!
Uncle Bobby and Mattie Sue had a sweet moment together in the boat.....without a life jacket.

We had such a great time in Texas. We of course ate too much, enjoyed family, and laughed with long time friends! And went to bed at 10:30 on New Years Eve!

arnold party of 5

10 on Tuesday!!

Christmas photos

Thumbs Up Thursday!

5 Years Old!!

Ocho Anos!

Eli 12 months!

Halloween 2011

Top 10 Pins!

Summer Top 10!

Crafty Crafterton!

Hummmm......

A friend posted this on my other friends Facebook! Then, I stole it.

Her Blog is here!

Freezer Cooking with Slow Cooker Recipes

Sweet letter...

Bags are packed!

Solace summer winding down.....

Thumbs Up Thursday!

Hail to the Chef.

Solace Saturday

Slumber Party in the hospital!

Random Ramblings...

*Solace Week 1*

Heart for Solace

Hail to the Chef.

Father's Day 2011

Thumbs Up Thursday!

5 on Friday!!!!

Another ten....

10 thoughts on this Tuesday

The Fish Who Made a Rainbow by Mattie Sue

Threeeighteenam

Featured!

Doin' somethin' right!!!

Easter!

Around town...

Winner of Best Film 2011 'Useless'!

Tonight!!

The Monday Funnies!

Missing Nama!

Desert!

Solace!!

Another ten....

10 on.....Wedesday.

10 on Tuesday....

We love Christmas!

November!

Eli!

10 on Tuesday

Swimmer!

10 on Tuesday

Day one, 13 years to go!

Keeping us laughing!

San Diego!

2 weeks!

Last day!

The Beach Reporter (LA Southbay Newspaper)

'me happy'

Neelabica!

Few thoughts....

Beach!

He has us where He wants us!

Sweet Neelab!

Family!

Coming June 22nd!

First set of stitches!

5 already?

3 months!

Malyn!

Rock band

Last week!

'Painty'

Solace

Rainy Sunday

Texas!

Solace Week 1