Santa came to KOA!!

WHAAAT? Santa chopped his beard, got a haircut and wears hideous yellow T-shirts?!?! Nope, it's my uncle Darol, and I've told him many times that he should get a job as Santa at the mall; Uhh, he would get the job for sure!! And yes, it's true, people actually stay at your local KOA for Christmas, heck I did!!! Oh, but that's because my parents actually own one. And I didn't have the wonderful pleasure of staying in an RV, a cabin or a tent . . . I stayed in my parents' house on the property. Let's back up to the pre KOA experience; before I left to go visit my parents, I got horribly sick!! I had awful body aches, headache, congestion in my head and chest and pretty much just felt like trash!! So I took some good ole' Robistussin to soothe the aches, but no, instead I get HIVES!!

I went to find a pic of hives on google, and who knew?! There is actually a group called THE HIVES!!! Ummm, there are no words to convey about this one . . . uhh, I'm sure someone somewhere in the world likes them . . .


And no, I didn't get these hives - I got the itchy, red kind all over my body and my face!! As if being sick wasn't enough!!

So I was up all night coughing and itching until I couldn't take it anymore, yes, I Nikki Caldon broke down and went to see the doctor!! I know, I know, for as much as I hate to see the Kaiser doctor's who pretty much just don't give a flyin' flapjack about your condition, I gave in. My doctor took one look at me and said, Oh, dear - I think your pretty sick!! (Ya think?!?!!?! No Sh*t Sherlock!) And I pay this guy?!?! Anywho he gave me some pretty strong antibiotics (which I only take if absolutely necessary) and he told me to stay away from the Robitussin. (double no-brainer doc) He did give me Vicodin for all of the horrible pain that I was in. I was very appreciative of the Vicodin however; it did curb the pain and made me feel REEAAALL goood!!!! Happy times!!! So I was drugged up for christmas and feelin' real special. So we arrived at my mom and dad's house at around 7pm on Saturday night. We had a pretty easy going evening just talking and watching our new dog, Colby, chase after my mom's little dog, booger, oops, I mean buster!! (He looks like a booger though) Actually he looks like a hotdog- he's a dachsund. I'm thinking that my dog is either gay or obsessed with other doggie's weiners, because my dog was literally trying to go after my mom's dog's winkie the whole time!!! And when my uncle's dog came over to play, my dog did the same thing to him!!! Great, I have a horny dog!! Fun stuff. Well, if that's the only problem he has than good deal. My dog is awesome; he obeys commands, he's housebroken and he is just plain cool. So anyway, we got up at a decent hour on christmas day and the kids went nuts over all of the super cool presents that my parents lavished upon them. I wish I had pictures, but I forgot my camera and I'm waiting for my mom to email hers. I'll post them when I get the chance. Needless to say, christmas was awesome!! That evening, I brought out some super cool foot scrub that I concocted and gave everyone a foot bath, salt scrub and massage. It was much appreciated by all - they were all happy smiles and in a good mood after I got done with them; I on the other hand, got a foot bath full of grimy toe-jam water to clean up!! Oh well, the things I do for people . . .

Karate kicks, bruises and "Bad Sifu"

So I started taking karate a little over a month ago, and it has been a wonderful "outlet" for me, being a busy full - time mother of three wonderful, yet busy children! I love learning all of the new moves and the way I feel all bruised and sore after every practice!! ( haha) I am currently trying to "achieve" my first stripe on my white belt; yes, yes, I know, I'm pretty special -
eh- hem . . . Anyways, I was able to make it to my first Saturday class, (a miracle in and of itself) and I had the best time!! The weather was perfect for the occasion; rainy and cold. (My idea of a wonderful day spent inside!!) I learned a Karate technique called "Sparring". It is a form of training common to martial arts, and although it's precise form varies, it is relatively free-form fighting. It has enough rules, customs or agreements to make injury unlikely. Okay, so enough of the technical jibber jabber about it . . . it's basically, just pretty much - alot of fun!! I got to put on all sorts of "cool" gear consisting of a big, bulky (sexy, I might add; J/K!! ) chest protector, sparring gloves and shoes. I looked like serious business folks. Think Bruce Lee meets Rocky. . . I felt pretty clumsy, but it worked out okay. So I got to practice kicking and throwing punches with my super awesome instructor, uh, I mean, Sifu, AKA - "Bad Sifu" . . . (I will protect the identity of his real name for his privacy) Oh and no, "Bad Sifu" not a cheesy pun on bad seafood; I got the whole "411" on the name - it's a whole Yin - Yang thing, don't ask . . . After we practiced kicks and punches, we brought the mats out to practice Sparring. We learned a move called "Arm Bars"? (I think that is what it is called) I had a very interesting and fun time learning these . . . I don't think I got enough practice time though; I had to leave early, so I probably need to be taught all over again and just practice them over and over again until I get it just right. The only drawback to all of this great fun is that I aquired quite a lovely looking bruise on my shin from kicking "bad Sifu" in the forearm - ouch!! I should be looking wonderfully "marked up" in just a few weeks time- afterall, who needs tattoos when they can have a nice collection of never-ending bruises all over their body?!?! (they make for great little "conversations pieces") Good times, good times . . . Well, as a friend of mine recently commented, not every day can be filled with
"rainbows and roses" . . .

(Oh, uh, what is that?!?! Rainbows and Roses?! No way . . .)

Well I my response to that, my dear friend is that I try to make every day full of "rainbows and roses", even when the sky is gloomy and the people around you are poking you with their "cold pricklies" and creating a horrible stench with their personalities!! (Okay, so I went alittle "over the top" with that one, but then again, I'm alittle "over the top" anyways!!) Well, I am definitely looking forward to this Tuesday where I can "add to my fine collection" of bruises!! (It's not really that bad; I'm just a big baby!!) Well, *Set* * Salute* and *Bows* to all of you, and have a great week if I don't see you!! (you know who you are)

**Note to self: Okay, it appears to everyone that I am a complete dork for blogging about my karate experiences, but on the other hand, who the heck cares?!?!?!

P.S.S. - I still argue that a "silent KI" shouldn't be called that, because it's not really silent, I think they should rename it a "quiet KI", but that's just me . . .

Places of Acknowledgement and Healing

So the wheels have been turning in my head, (it's an amazing thing when this happens, hee hee!) and in the process I wrote a couple of songs. I'll share them with you, but I don't think that you can feel the full impact of them without hearing them. I dunno, maybe sometime soon I'll make the time to go record them in my friend's studio. (Not that I think that they are going to be #1 hits any time soon!!)

I wrote the first one out of my past life experiences. The song reveals how God took my heart - something that had been so damaged and broken, mostly from my own poor choices in life, and the beautiful way He carefully "knit" together something that I thought was completely beyond repair.

The second song that I wrote is taken from the book of Job in the bible. It is his cry for help to the Lord in his time of great despair and distress. Now I don't think that I have "arrived" with this healing process; rather, I have come to a place of peace in my own heart, and a knowledge that the God of this universe wants to know who I am. God wants me to be able to understand the story of my life, to know where I have come from, and to know where I am going . . .

~ Needle and Thread ~

(Verse 1)
Flesh wounds, open bleeding
The cuts are deep, seething
Self-inflicted from my past hurts and pride
Collapsing I fall from the fast and the furious ride

Bitter Tears flow down, from all that I 've thought and believed
Paying the ransom for all, I've sought and I've seeked
Capture me

(Chorus)
Like a needle and thread
You did what you said
You took my heart and you lead
The path of forgiveness
Sewing mercies of healing and love
Reviving breath of God come in restore
Restore again

(verse 2)
Truth and mercy remain
To remind of this gain
No longer a slave to my hurt and pain
Father you've come to remove this sadness and shame

Healing words flood in
To knit and to mend
This appendaged and broken
With your grace I'm found
Now mercy abounds
Love abounds

(Bridge)

Come and enter

this wound with Your life

won’t You heal me

from pain and from strife

open up, open up and enter in

open up, open up and heal within

~Righteous One~

(Verse 1)
My face is red with weeping
Deep shadows they ring my eyes
Yet my hands have been free from violence
And my prayers are pure and true

(Chorus)
Answer me when I call to you
Oh God my Righteous One
And Give me relief from my distress
Be to me and hear my prayer

O God, my Righteous One
O God, my Righteous One

(verse 2)
Hear my prayer O God
Listen to the words of my mouth
Surely God is my help
And the Lord is the One
Who sustains me and hears my voice

A great quote . . . unfortunately not mine!!

As many of you know, I love a good quote when I hear or read of it. This one is out of a book that I just finished called Captivating. Naturally it is written by none other than John Eldredge - my favorite author of all time.

Now we should live when the pulse of life is strong. Life is a tenuous thing . . . fragile, fleeting. Don't wait for tomorrow.

Be here now! Be here now! Be Here now!

Be here now . . .

- Anonymous

Christmas time, Karate and other stuff . . .

So it is nearing that wonderful time again, Christmas time. I am really never prepared for it; it kinda sneaks up on me . . . and yes I am one of those people who usually has great intentions to get Christmas cards out on time but if you ever get one from me, it's usually there somewhere around New Years Day!!! Yes, I Nikki Caldon, am a procrastinator!! Not because I want to be, but it just sorta happens! Anyway, it's that and the fact that I have a hard time getting Chris to make the time to take a nice family pic to send along with my Christmas cards. Moving on, we are spending Christmas Day in Eygpt!!

Well, okay, it's not really Eygpt but I think that it looks like Eygpt!! Yes, as many of you know my parents moved to Visalia, California earlier this year to semi - retire and run a business, a KOA campground - fun stuff. Anyways, we are going to visit Chris' grandparents in San Jose on Christmas Eve, and then drive on over to Eyg . . . ehherrr, ehem, I mean Visalia! It's pretty "unchristmas-like" at my house this year; we didn't even get a tree due to the fact that we are moving next month. So instead of the wonderful smell of pine, the fun ornaments collected thru the years, the great little white lights, the super cool "christmas train" that we received last year from Chris' grandparents, I get to stare at the endless boxes that I've packed . . . that really bites!!

So as many of you know I've started doing Karate. It is soo much fun and I am discovering new muscles that I forgot I had!! Oooh, the pain . . . I look like a big goof in my white karate Gi and an even bigger goof trying to practice all of the moves - but before you know it I'll be kicking some serious "Karate ass", so watch out world, (writer pauses, thinks about it for a split second, and then let's out a big fat belly laugh, Hahahahahaaaaa!!! shakes her head and says, WHATEEEVER!!) Anywhoo, it's pretty fun and it's a great workout too!!

So the "other stuff" . . . hmmm, well, I guess there's not much "other stuff" to tell, Oh! I did make Christmas cookies yesterday with the kids; while they had tons of fun making and decorating them, I think they tasted like garbage!!! Are they always like that?!?! I forget, it's been awhile since I've made them. Well, to all of you have a verry merry Christmas, a safe and sober New Years, (but if you must drink, drink well, and DON'T drive!!) and I'm sure we'll visit most of you during the Holiday season!! Take care for now, Feliz' Navidad, and Merry Christmas!!

Finally!!!

Well folks, it's official . . . I am going to have a new sister-n-law!!! Yep, yep, my brother finally did the deed, he proposed to Jenna - FINALLY!!!! After about 3 1/2 years of ups. downs and all arounds in their relationship, they have decided that they can't live without eachother. So next summer sometime in August, Brett and Jenna will "tie the knot".

My kids will be in the wedding of course, Christopher and Joshua will be ring bearers and Alexandria will be the pretty little flower girl. I am in the wedding too as a bridesmaid. Fun stuff . . . So we went out to dinner to a new restaurant in Santa Rosa last night called Flavour or something like that - it was awesome food!!! Brett and Jenna met us there for dinner, it was a good time. They just made googley eye contact and gave mushy gushy kisses all night - I think I threw up in my mouth alittle bit at one point; or maybe it was just the richness of the port wine I had along with chocolate torte for dessert. I dunno . . .

So our moving date is getting closer . . . FINALLY!! I am so "unthrilled" with Christmas this year that I'm not even getting a tree. I feel like it's too much work to drag all of the Christmas decorations out when most of my house is already packed up. Yes, yes I got an early start on packing, but as you should all know, I have this packing thing down to a science being that this will be the SEVENTH, count, SEVENTH time we've moved in six-in-a half years!!!!!!Good Lord!!! HAVE MERCY!!! If I move just one more time . . . . AAGGGHHHHHH!!!!! Well, that's all I have to say about that . . . venting done, enough said.