Whatever Wednesday

Enjoy my random moments....
1. It made my day to talk with my friend D today.. thanks for thinking of me.

2. While I was on the phone this is what happened... two girls with no shirts....

3. This is what a christmas tree looks like when mom has no input, but just sits back and watched daddy and the kids put all thier heart and soul into decorating. Equals = perfect tree for me!!

4. Excited to head into Long Beach tonight for a street fair at Pine and PCH!!

5. So proud of my husband... he is working so hard and still finding time to make our kids smile!!

6. Christmas music makes me smile.

7. Christmas for us this year will be big, not big in the presents area, but big in memories and moments we share with family and friends.

8. 2010 is going to be FANTASTIC for me and my family!!! We will shine as bright as DIAMONDS!!!

9. My daughter needs to see an eye dr and when I called to make the appointment, they are three months out for an opening. Yikes I had no idea.

10. I love picking up the phone and calling a friend to say Hello or catch up. I appreciate all our new social networking sites, but I am still a fan of the old fashion phone. :)

11. Remember to stop and smell the flowers... tell that special person everyday what they mean to you... and smile!!

12. I am making tamales on Saturday with my mom, sister, great friends and can't wait!!!

13. 1 homemade christmas present down only 8 more to go... yikes I need two more hands..

Friday Fun

I am thankful this morning for my daughter who loves to sing, dance and play with her puppy!! Altough it is gloomy outside we are going to have a fantastic day filled with fun, laughter and moments I never want to forget!!

Abby loves to play with Harley

Harley loves to play with everything except the puppy toys he has.  :)

Winter Wonderland

Last week we took the kids to Atlantis Park in Garden Grove and they created a winter wonderland. They had crafts, sleding, train rides and lots for the kids to do. This was our first time and we really enjoyed ourselves. The kids absolutely loved sleding, making crafts and just playing in the snow. Remembering these moments are what inspire me!!

Isabella loved the snow

Mason and Aaron

Successful snowmen craft!!

Whatever Wednesday

So I thought this is perfect for me today!!

1. My daughter had soccer practice tonight at 6:00pm and when we got there.. no soccer girls...hmmm....call the coach...practice was cancelled. Isabella was so bummed, she really wanted to practice.

2. It's official we have booked tamale making at my mom's for Saturday, December 19th. I am so excited. Come join us for some amazing girl bonding, coffee and or tea and pon duece a (mexican sweet bread)!!

3. Every weekend from now to Christmas is booked...yikes I can already tell this month is going to fly by.

4. Darin had 5 pairs of jeans delivered today from old navy.. now what do I get him for Christmas. The man is famous for buying what he wants, when he wants and it always seems to be before his birthday or Christmas.

5. My new puppy eats everything in sight and if any of you know me well, you know I am not the best at keeping things picked up off the floor. He is eating files out of Darin's briefcase. I really hope Harley does not want to grow up to be like Marley.

6. I am scared I will keep going through the normal motions this holiday season and forget to make a difference in someone else's life.

7. I LOVE helping others.... but how can I help others that won't accept the offer. Why are people so hesitant to accept help?

8. I wish I took more pictures to post with these blogs.

9. For the first time in my life I am going to make my kids, niece and nephew their Christmas gifts. I hope they like them half as much as they like the things they have gotten in the past.

10. Vacation.... I want to go!!!

11. I miss my two of my oldest closest friends.

12. Goodnight....Sweetdreams...Hug someone you love tonight!!

Ten Things

Top ten things this month that I am so thankful for...





1. My Mom.. my kids light up when she is around them. The bond they have with her is so wonderful. Thank you mom for giving them unconditional love.



2. Abby has officially given up the pacifier... now I just have to work on potty training.



3. My husband... he works so hard so that I may stay home with our children and be the guiding light they so crave.


4. Abby and Aaron... they truly enjoy each other and love to make each other laugh

5. Abby and Madison are the two girls in my life who keep me on my toes, but life is complete for me when they are around. Thank you Amy for allowing me to be a big part of Madison's life. She is such an amazing girl....just like her mom!

6. Darin helped prepare thanksgiving dinner, so that I could play with the kids, thank you. What an amazing man!! Love you!!

7. Spending amazing quality time with family and friends... Although it may not be as often as we would like, each time we are together it really makes me smile. :)

8. My MIL has allowed me to borrow her sewing machine and I have found a new love and sense of self preservation when I sew.

9. Soccer for the kids this year was amazing for them and me. I really enjoy being outside with them and watching them go for it!!!

10. Bringing home Harley... although this doubles my work load at home, the joy he is giving my children is such an amazing sight. I am happy to work a little harder so they may have a few more special moments just being at home and being a kid.

October - Where did you go?

October brought so many great moments for me that I never want to forget. Here are a quick few moments...

Denyce and Mike's Wedding Celebration in Napa
Napa - our adult weekend away

Aaron loves to ride his bike

Cheetah #1, Batman and Cheetah #2

Carving pumpkins

Isabella was quite the artist

Disneyland for Isabella's 8th birthday

D-land - keeping Mason and Aaron busy

Soccer Stud

Isabella's birthday - she got a white board and was so excited

Birthday girl

Leave a post

So many of my friends have mentioned they are winning things, just by leaving a comment. Well another wonderful friend with an incredible sense for interior design is doing the same. Here is here blog.. check it out. Good Luck!!

http://www.mysparrowblog.com/2009/10/giveaway-from-my-sparrow-setting-table.html

Busy October

October has been a busy month so far. Weekends are filled with soccer, weekdays we have practice, Isabella turned 8, Disneyland, baby showers, weddings and we still have two weekends left. I love watching my kids grow and everyday is a new adventure. The best part about the adventure is that I am involved in some way every day!! Enjoy a few pictures over the past few weeks!!

Aaron loves to run at soccer.

Isabella plays forward and loves to score.

Isabella loved her white board for her birthday

Isabella loved Hannah Montana movie... thanks Montoya's

Birthday girl!!

Disneyland with the Montoya's!!

Isabella makes the best brownies

She will set up the entire kitchen table with school supplies student name tags. Jailey is one of her friends from K and 1st grade.

Her classroom

Ready for school. What a big girl!!

Reminders

Just a quick friendly reminder that our kids are so aware of everything we say. Last week Abby came out of her room looking like the photos below and with my keys in hand, told me

"Mommy, Abby go to work to make money"

I asked her why she wanted to go to work?

Abby need to make money, bye... love you... and then I got three big kisses!!

It was super cute at the time and reminded me to be a little more conscience of what we emphasize to our kids as being important.

On a side note, for those of you who know one of my best-est friends... just had a child on Tuesday, he was 33 weeks and is in ICU in La Jolla. Mom is home and doing o.k., but any additional prayers is greatly appreciated. She has an amazing family right next door and is such a strong women I know all we be fine, but these next few weeks will be tough. I love them so much and do not always know how to help, but have faith god will help them and me in finding ways to help her.

September = School

As every mother knows, when school starts it is sweet sorrow... sweet to see the kids head back to school and provide a little relief for me, but sad that this means they are growing up. Isabella started 3rd grade, Aaron is in Kindergarten and Abby is still home with me...ALL DAY. :)

This school year brought new feelings for me because it would be the first day of public school. My kids have always been in private school, but with me now being home, it was just not financially feasible to continue to pay $800 a month for school. All in all I am very pleased with the kids new school, I have met the principal and she is very dedicated to the kids and their education and they have very good API test scores.

Flashback Friday - Me

I sit here and ponder what to flashback on today.. my kids... my marriage... me??? All hold a very special and important place in my heart. Today I choose me... I was the girl next door most of my life. Always did what was expected of me, never wanted to let others down and consistently followed the rules. With those actions came typical results. Average student in high school.. average athlete in softball and soccer... average student in college... average working career... average home... I am not complaining about average, nor asking for sympathy. Average has given me many amazing gifts, but now I want more then average. I am blessed to have people tell me when they see me after 10 or 15 years that I look exactly the same. I appreciate that I may still look 20, but again I would like to look like a grown up every now and then. You tell me, minus some added wrinkles... do I still look the same???

The top photo of me was in 1991 and I had just finished climbing half dome in Yosemite. The bottom photo was in April 1993 when I went to visit my Aunt and Uncle in Texas. I really enjoyed that trip!!

This is Chelsea and I in her Colorado home in 1994. I think she looks a lot like Isabella.

Kim and I with Max and Isabella in 2002

For the next 90 days I am setting new goals for myself... above average goals for me. I will let you know how it goes... I am expecting hard times, even harder times and some of the hardest moments of my life. Sounds kinda funny, I know, but hey I am ready to try something new!!!

Flashback Friday

We had the Montoya cousins over yesterday for a fun filled day of Wii for the boys , dress up for the girls and swimming for everyone!! All the cousins had a blast together and play so great together.

The first photo is from the scrapbook I attempted to make with Isabella. Max and her have a lot of baby photos together so in honor of flashback friday... here they are. Sophia and Aaron unfortunately do not have as many photos together as babies, so when you read this someday kids, we sorry.

Isabella and Max Princesses
Big Boys!!

Trying to get five smiling faces...not so simple. :)

Best bunch of kids I know!! Love you!!

Abby

I have just come to realize, it may not be normal that my third child talks in the third person all the time... Her vocabulary consists of

Abby do it
Abby drink milk
Abby want ba (pacifier), (yes I know at 2 1/2 it should be gone, but its not)
Abby brush teeth
Abby take shower
Abby get dressed

I am sure you get the picture...

With that said, I have also realized that now that I am home with her, I will be potty training, I will be taking her ba away and hearing her scream bloody murder for the first few days, I will be teaching her how to say "I" versus "Abby". These were all moments with my first two children my lovely second mommies (in-home day care providers) did for me. Although I am so grateful to be home now, boy o' boy it is different. So if their are any other moms out there that were previously in corporate America and then came home, I would love to pick your brain on how you have retrained yourself to feel fulfilled. Don't get me wrong, I know I am doing a good job and I am so grateful to have this time at home. But what is a good day for a stay at home mom... all the kids are smiling, get feed, get off to school, don't get hurt, learn something new from me? I would love to hear what makes it a good day for you.

Happy Monday to all those working and staying home... may you have a week filled with accomplishments, laughter, joy and smiles.

Flashback Friday

Happy Anniversary!!

I married the best man in the world for me!!

August 16, 2002 - Rehearsal Dinner

August 17, 2002 - Happiest Day

Thankful~

As many of you know I was laid off in May and have been home all summer with the kids. Times have been great, not so great and everything in between. All in all, I am happier then I ever could have imagined. Thank you lord for showing me a path I would not have taken on my own. I will continue to count my blessings everyday.