This is the life

happy friday

2012-01-27T07:00:00.000-08:00

it's been a heck of week.

i'm glad it's over. and looking forward to the weekend. although that is jampacked as well. but at least we'll be together.

i'm not sure if i've posted this before, but i absolutely love it.

Source: lessonsindetail.tumblr.com via Gioconda on Pinterest

it really has helped when i am having a difficult time. things have been very busy and stressful lately. i'm just trying to stay on top of it all. you know that feeling? trying to sort it out and get it done.

i'm working on changing the things i can change and accepting the things that i can't change. moving forward and focusing on being happy.

i know that being able to come here and take a breath has really helped. that and i've taken up knitting. taught myself on tuesday and am working on a scarf. i am in love, with the scarf and with knitting.

i'm hoping to have some time next week to post some of the things i've been busy with.

until then i wanted to make sure to wish you a happy friday and a good weekend.

family gatherings

2012-01-24T12:42:00.000-08:00

on saturday my cousin had a birthday party for her daughter and a housewarming for their new home. i love when my family gets together. lots of catching up, laughter, reminiscing and looking at photos of grand babies.

i should say that i have a lot of cousins, second cousins, aunts, uncles and everything in between. each of my parents had 13 brothers and sisters, so it's quite the party when we all gather for a celebration.

i have to admit that one of the things i love the most about getting together is the food. good, family recipes that taste so much better when you are with people you love.

my aunt is a genius in the kitchen. she made her famous potato salad, rice and two outrageous salsas.

for the party, a friend of theirs cooked ribs, brisket, pulled pork, and chicken. these baked beans were so delicious. i had to control myself from getting seconds. they were baked with slices of bacon on top. i'm telling you, finger lickin' good.

i had to skip the cake that my other aunt made for fear of going into a food coma.

the best part is that we are planning a camping trip in the summer with all of the cousins. can you imagine the food we will eat? not that i'm going just because of the food. it's always about family.

i'll share the green salsa recipe soon. it was so tasty.

weekly menu:: week 4

2012-01-23T07:07:00.000-08:00

avocado and tomatillo salsa

this should be a much quieter week than last week. looking forward to getting back to my usual routine.

celebrating chinese new year today. i'll make some chinese food for dinner to ring in the year of the dragon.

i bought a new cookbook last year and found some good recipes to try. it's everyday food light recipes. i love having them all in one book.

making this week:

monday: sweet and fiery pork tenderloin with mango salsa, rice, dumpling soup

tuesday: chicken enchilada soup

wednesday: baked gnocchi, caesar salad

thursday: baked fish with herbed breadcrumbs and broccoli

friday: turkey meatloaf, mashed sweet potatoes, green beans

saturday: pizza - celebrating jordan's birthday with friends

sunday: eat out

baking this week:

i saw this recipe for chocolate chip buttermilk scones last week and want to give it a try. i may have just enough buttermilk leftover to make it. sounds perfect with a cup of coffee, doesn't it?

have a good week!

happy list:: 03

2012-01-20T07:00:00.000-08:00

Source: stumbleupon.com via Gioconda on Pinterest

i really hadn't planned on doing this every week and most likely i won't. but while i am inspired i will keep at it.

the happy list

1. being complimented on my kids

the way they make healthy food choices, how well behaved they are, what good students they are. i consider it a positive job review. we must be doing something right, right?

2. being productive

but more than that, being helpful. getting things done. things that really matter. things that make a difference. i love being able to help in any way i can.

3. being appreciated

along with being helpful is also knowing that what you do is appreciated. acknowledgment makes me happy. it's going around right now and i love it.

4. having a party

is there anything more fun than a party. people joined together in celebration. looking forward to a family birthday this weekend and next, a belated birthday gathering for jordan, and our school gala next month.

5. people reading this blog
and commenting here, on facebook and in real life. this blog keeps me accountable ( like someone questioning me at a party about why i'm eating pizza if i'm supposed to be on a detox). or telling me that i made their day or made them laugh or touched them in some way. or inspiring someone to try something new or write something or buy something ;). i have to be honest, it feels good.

have a wonderful weekend.

project life 2012

2012-01-19T07:00:00.000-08:00

yes, this is a post about scrapbooking. well, sort of.
the new term is memory keeping.
it involves capturing a story by taking a picture (or not) and adding words or ephemera to tell the story.
it's the way i tell my story.

even if you aren't crafty, this project is for you.
pictures, words, little scraps of life.
no adhesive and as much "fanciness" as you want to add.

take a look at mine, it's not very fancy at all.
i am using the clementine edition. i love the colors, patterns and happiness of this kit. i don't need anything more than this kit to work on this project.
i am also using "design a" page protectors. but after seeing other spreads i will order a few other designs when they become available to add to the mix.

here's my cover page.

week 1

includes jordan's birthday, going back to school and tags from our new bath towels.

week 2

includes the detox, our trip to disneyland, and a very nice card that i got in the mail from our pto president. that's something that makes this project so much cooler for me. i would have held onto that card not knowing what to do with it, but not wanting to throw it away. now i have a place to keep it and remember his thoughtfulness.
note: after putting last weeks layout together i found that i have more pictures that i want to include from our disneyland trip. so this weekend i will print those out and add them in another page protector and slip it in between that week. i purchased these page protectors that would be perfect for that.

i plan on printing my pictures from home but will occasionally print a batch at costco if i have time. i really want to make this as easy as possible to keep up with. i did this project last year and fell behind a bit. i think a lot had to do with the fact that i had to pick up the prints at costco, just another step in the process. i am almost finished putting that album together so i know it can be done.

there is a lot of inspiration online. some of it can be overwhelming and some of it is truly inspirational. i've borrowed ideas from different people (check out the weekly wrap up on her layouts) but i plan on keeping this project simple and unique to me.

check out the designers for project life.

some of them use becky's kits and some mix it with stuff they have on hand. you can be as creative as you want. just getting your pictures into the page protectors and writing a little something is enough.

the point is this: tell the story of your life.
tell it through your everyday life.
tell it through those magical moments that are gone in an instant.
tell it through the funny things your kids say.
tell it through the everyday details that one day could be forgotten.
tell it through the food you eat.
tell it through the home you live in.
tell it through the craziness that so many of us live with.
tell it through the things you do.
tell it through the places you go.
tell it through the people you love.
tell it through the things that you value.
tell it through your experiences, and feelings.

telling your story doesn't have to involve lots of craftiness. it can be simple and easy. you will look back on these moments and be so glad that you took the time to document.

happy thursday!

wordless wednesday:: i love this face

2012-01-18T07:00:00.000-08:00

detox diaries

2012-01-17T07:00:00.000-08:00

so last week went something like this:

saturday
me: hey b, we need to try this detox? let's start the new year fresh.
b: sounds great.
me: are you sure you want to do this?
b: absolutely. we are going to feel so good.

sunday
me: last chance to back out. i'm going to the store today so we have everything ready for tomorrow.
b: i am 100% in.
i buy 3 days worth of food. some of the recipes make enough for 2 days so i figure we're set for a while. i have to go to 3 stores to get what i need. i don't think i've ever had this many vegetables in the fridge. i also had to use the garage fridge to keep it all. but we are ready.

monday
the carrot and grapefruit juice was delicious for breakfast.
kale salad for lunch was good too.
i'm not upset about not getting coffee in the morning.
lots of water throughout the day.
we have roasted cauliflower for snack. it was delicious.
we can totally do this.

monday afternoon i have a doctor's appointment to check my thyroid. i ask her about the detox. she says she doesn't think you need to do one if you normally lead a healthy lifestyle. your body naturally getrs rid of toxins. but it sounds like the food is nutritious. as long as we are getting enough calories and not feeling lightheaded or faint. balance is what you need in a diet.

i call bobby and tell him we're off the hook. let's eat.
but we decide that the food is actually pretty good. plus i spent money on food for 3 days, we should at least see this through. we decide that we need to add some protein. we're both pretty hungry.

we have chicken with our broccoli and squash dinner. ahhh.

tuesday
the kale and romaine lettuce smoothie was...interesting. the pineapple and mango make it palatable, but just barely.
still no coffee, but i am enjoying hot water with lemon.
for lunch i have the avocado and tomato salad and that was fabulous.
for dinner i'm not sure i can make and enjoy the garlic-beet soup. but i do it. we are only supposed to have 1 cup of soup. the soup is surprisingly good.
the kids have tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches.
i make bobby and me sandwiches with whole wheat bread.

wednesday
bobby is hooked on the juice/smoothie for breakfast.
i need more substance. plus i'm going to a meeting, then to the gym. i need carbs.
i have a weight watcher bar.
still no coffee. the headache is really strong today.
bobby has the avocado salad for lunch. i have 1/2 a tuna sandwich.
for dinner we have roasted cauliflower and peppers. i make spaghetti and meatballs for the kids.
bobby and i eat a little pasta too.
no wine for us.

thursday
juice for breakfast.
kind of a crazy day for me. more munching during the day.
we really like the dried fruit and nut balls.
for dinner i make halibut with orzo pasta.
now we are eating more like we used to.
at this point we are still not doing coffee or alcohol. but we've brought back everything else.

friday
the kids and i go to disneyland. i know that the detox is over.
at the end of the day i have to have caffeine to make it back home. i grab a diet coke with dinner.

saturday
i weigh in and lost 1/2 a pound. ok.
we finally have some coffee.

the rest of the day is almost like we never did the detox.

sunday
i go to brunch with my parents. menudo, tacos, flan. yum.
we watch the golden globes with some friends.
appetizers, wine, chocolate fondue.
this feels right.

so what did we learn?
that we have a pretty healthy diet to begin with. we eat low-fat, whole grain, no red meat.
we could eat more fruits and vegetables. we actually ate almost everything i bought.
we tried new things; kale, roasted cauliflower, delicata squash (i actually didn't enjoy that), beets.
drinking juice or smoothies for breakfast is easier on your system.
change it up every once in a while. sometimes that's what your body needs.
don't deprive yourself. you end up making up for it and then some.

we're glad we tried it.
we don't need to do it again.
detox done.

2012 weekly menu:: week 3

2012-01-16T09:58:00.001-08:00

now back to our regularly scheduled programming.
last week our food was challenging. in a good and bad way.

this week we are back to our normal eating habits. healthy and filling.
most of these recipes are coming from the weight watchers etools, so i can't link the recipes. you have to subscribe to etools to see them. but if they're good, i'll share them. plus they are pretty self explanatory.

making this week:

monday: salmon with brown rice and spinach

tuesday: veggie burger and corn on the cob

wednesday: turkey stir fry with quinoa

thursday: grilled chicken and baked potato

friday: pizza

saturday: pork with pasta and green beans

sunday: eat out

baking this week:

the banana bread recipe that i made last week was delicious. i ended up using this recipe. i used 1 cup of whole wheat flour and 1 of bread flour. and reduced the sugar to 1/2 cup. but i did make a streusel topping that was so good.

this week i'm making simple chocolate chip cookies.

enjoying another day off with the family today.

happy monday!

happy list:: 02

2012-01-13T06:00:00.000-08:00

the happy list

green mugs from target

love the color. love the size. love the price. ($1.99 each). happy addition to our household. i just wish we were drinking coffee so we could enjoy them.

avocado, bell pepper and tomato salad

i'll have a post on our detox experience next week, but this was our favorite recipe. avocado, cherry tomatoes, yellow bell pepper, lime, garlic, cilantro and olive oil. it was soooo good. you can get the recipe here.

coldplay:: mylo xyloto

jordan bought this album with one of his itunes gift cards. i've been listening to it everyday and love every song. i think we all have the paradise song stuck in our head. looks like we might be taking jordan to his second rock concert very soon.

"i'm forrest, forrest gump" by alan silvestri

in my cycling class this week the instructor played this song during our cool down. it made me smile the whole time. i went home and played it over and over. in between listening to coldplay. we love this movie. and it brings back memories of working on the paramount lot when this movie was released. makes me want to play it on the piano, if only we had a piano, and i knew how to play it.

goldfish, peanut butter and ritz crackers

made by andrew. he's been snacking on this when he gets home from school. what makes me even more happy is that he makes it for jordan and sofia too. he says he's the chef and this is his creation.

a 4 day weekend

it's professional development day at our school today and martin luther king jr. day on monday. we were hoping to go to the snow this weekend but there isn't any. instead we will go to disneyland, a birthday party, watch the golden globes with friends, go to basketball practice and work on andrew's mission project. it's a good thing we have 4 days to get it all done.

wishing you a delightful weekend.

a glimpse into the future

2012-01-12T07:52:00.000-08:00

what do you see when you look at this picture?

i see my future.
i see his future.
i see letting go of fear.
i see my little boy growing up.

here's the story:
this past weekend my father-in-law took jordan to pick up his car. it's a car that jordan will work on and build up to drive when he gets his license. my father-in-law is a mechanic and did the same thing with bobby when he was a kid. bobby is the proud owner, and builder, of a 68 camaro that he drove in high school and college and in our early years of marriage. (right now it is parked on the side of the house in need of a few repairs.) the point is that this car will be earned through hard work and knowledge. it's great that jordan will know the ins and outs of how this car runs and goes together.

after they bought it they came by our house so we could look at it. and we were impressed. it's a 67 volkswagen beetle. it has a lot of the original parts and is in awesome shape. even the paint job looks good.

jordan looks good too. but it's hard for me to see him driving it. i know he only turned 13 two weeks ago but those 13 years flew by. 3 more years will go by in the blink of an eye and then he will be responsible for the keys to this automobile.

he is so proud of this car. and i know he will take care of it and be a good driver. the kids are always asking me questions about traffic laws and what things mean. double yellow vs. double double yellow, dash vs. solid. sometimes they have me stumped. maybe it would be a good idea to brush up on traffic safety, it wouldn't hurt.

i also got this photo.

and then i saw the three of them going to high school or off on a road trip together. somewhere fun and full of adventure. or going to a party. i'm sure there will be more people in the car as well. the thought of that makes me even more nervous.

i hope he is a safe driver.
i hope he doesn't get distracted.
i hope he doesn't text or talk on the phone.
i hope he never drinks and then gets behind the wheel.
i hope he is considerate of others.
i hope he never has an accident.
i hope he never causes an accident.
i hope he never runs out of gas.

i always tell the kids that driving is something serious. you have to be aware of so many things and be on your toes at all times. last week while driving jordan to a basketball game i was talking to my mom who was sitting in the passenger seat. sofia yelled out from the back seat, "mom stop talking. you need to focus on the road." see, they are learning.

i think about what adventures this car will take him on. how many times will he drive away as i pray that he gets to his destination safely? what dates will he take this on? who will sit in that passenger seat? what college will he drive it to? excuse me while i get a tissue...

i know for now there is still time to prepare myself, to teach him and to get us both ready. that's all i can think about right now.

and this little girl has a while to go so she better not be getting any ideas.

being happy

2012-01-11T07:00:00.000-08:00

Source: parentpalace.com via Gioconda on Pinterest

2012 weekly menu:: week 2

2012-01-09T06:00:00.000-08:00

last week i put the january magazines on my "happy list" and i read the whole living issue this weekend. i suggested to bobby that we do a detox for the next 21 days. actually this morning we agreed to do the detox for 3 days and see how it goes. anyone ever done one? i have to admit that yesterday i was all for it, and today i am really nervous.

the first week is just fruits and vegetables mixed with nuts and seeds. no caffeine, no dairy, no gluten, no alcohol. this is starting to sound like a bad idea. but we both know we need it. getting rid of all of the damage we did over the holidays. we didn't go crazy, but i still feel sluggish, headachy and moody. so it wouldn't hurt to have a "mind-body detox that will leave you feeling your absolute best as you take on the year ahead". that's what the article promises. and that's what i'm hoping for. you can read about the plan here.

the following menu is up for reevaluation as the week goes on. i am hoping to make it through the week without any modifications but we'll see. note: i am writing this post on sunday morning as i sip on a starbucks coffee and just finished a breakfast of french toast and bacon. this really will be a challenge.

making this week:

monday: steamed broccoli and squash with tahini dressing, the kids will have chicken with theirs

tuesday: roasted garlic and beet soup, the kids will also have grilled cheese

wednesday: roasted peppers, cauliflower and almonds, adding fish sticks for the kids

thursday: steamed broccoli and squash with tahini dressing

friday: we'll be out so this will be another challenge

weekend: if we make it this far we will have the beet soup and pepper, cauliflower meals

baking this week:

i have some ripe bananas to make this banana bread. not that i'll be having any. but the kids can for snack, spread with some peanut butter. this is going to be a hard week too.

i'll let you know how we do. wish us luck.

happy list:: 01

2012-01-06T06:00:00.000-08:00

so you know my word is happy, right?

jordan told me on new year's eve that he thought it was cool that most people's first word of the year is happy. you know, "happy new year". you start the year off happy. i loved that. (he also mentioned that most people's last word of the year is 1. "3-2-1". he is observant.)

i am finding different ways of incorporating my word into my daily life. trying to find happiness in the everyday, which somedays can be a bit of a challenge.

one way to do that is to start a happy list. posting weekly the things that are making me happy. and maybe you'll find happiness in them too. (i'll try not to wear that word out before the end of the year.)

the happy list

1. january magazines

i admit to having picked up a few from the newsstand recently. i love that so many of them focus on "the light issue". eating right, detox, getting life in gear, and organizing. all of which i am in need of. lists of house cleaning schedules and clean eating action plans. i'm all about that right now, so bring it on.

2. jennifer aniston

no, not her. i'm talking about her perfume. it's called jennifer aniston, clever huh? i read about it on a blog and it sounded like something i would like. so i went to sephora, spritzed some on and walked around a bit to get used to it. and you know what? i like the way jennifer aniston smells. no, not her. her fragrance. clean, but sweet. light and flowery. i invested in the rollerball but if i like it i'll go back and get a small bottle of jennifer aniston. no, not her, ok you get it.

3. summer weather in january
i'm not sure if you know this about me but i'm not a cold weather person. my family makes fun of me because i get a sweater when the temperature falls below 70. ok. below 75 78. i can't help it. i get chilled to the bone and it's not a pleasant feeling. so this beautiful sunshine and 80 degree weather is making me really happy.

4. canon 60d
the decision was finally made and bobby and i invested in this fine piece of photographic technology. let me put it this way, my beloved rebel shoots at 8 megapixels. the 60d shoots at 18 megapixels. big upgrade. and did i mention the 60d has a fully articulated 3.0" lcd. that's what i'm talking about. i decided to upgrade the body and wait on a lens for a little bit longer. it just made more sense to me. bobby was on board when he found out that it also had 1080p hd video recording. funny story, if you've been reading my blog for a while you know i've been debating the body vs. lens upgrade for a few years. so bobby and i were at best buy checking out the cameras and i made a comment about how hard this decision was. a guy overheard us and chimed in with, what really matters is the glass you shoot with. (that's the term for lenses in photography circles. ) so we engage in a conversation with this guy about lenses and bodies and megapixels and what really matters. in the end i think he was just as confused as we were about what to upgrade first. but he gave me some things to think about. and i realized i knew a lot more than i thought about camera equipment. i also found it awkward talking to a stranger about liking the body i have but wanting to upgrade to a better body. i could feel myself blushing as the words came out of my mouth. anyway, i'm having a lot of fun playing with my camera.

5. project life 2012
i am so excited about getting started on this album for this year. i'm working on my title page today and will put together my first week this weekend. there are so many ideas floating around the internet with inspiration for getting this project going. it's pretty much how i scrapbook nowadays. easy, fast and fun. look for some posts over the year with my progress. to learn more about it check out becky higgins' website.

there you have it. my first happy list of 2012.

wishing you an inspired weekend.

holiday recap:: part deux

2012-01-04T21:41:00.000-08:00

so where did i leave off? oh, that's right. we had just celebrated a wonderful christmas with our families. the second week of vacation we went up to kernville where bobby's dad and stepmom have a place.

we were really hoping for snow and had all of the kids' snow gear and skis at the ready. but it didn't work out. no rain and warmer than usual weather meant there would be no snow this time.

we did find a few patches of leftover snow that sofia made the best of. she was able to make a couple of snowballs to throw at me.

our days of skiing and snowball fights turned into quad riding, reading and game playing. bobby took the kids to a track in town that was perfect for riding the quads. the kids had a blast and got pretty confident on their bikes.

even sofia took a few turns around the area. she looked adorable, and well protected, on her little bike.

back at the house i was completely engrossed in the first book of the hunger game series.

let's call it an obsession, no a need, no i was consumed with anxiety about how the book would end so i read it front to back in two days. i cried and gasped and held my breath. there i said it. i loved it. couldn't wait to get home to start book 2.

we also got to spend time with kendall and grady. the kids really love playing with their cousins.

the best part about this week was getting to enjoy the outdoors. this was bobby's office for the afternoon. i think he is seriously considering moving in.

at night we had dinner and played games.

skip bo

and mexican train. this was fun because no one was clear about the rules. so we looked them up on the internet and then chose the rules that made sense to us. kind of a fun way to play.

normally we head back home and ring in the new year with friends or family. this year we decided to spend new year's eve in kernville and go home in the morning on jordan's birthday.

after an amazing new year's eve dinner we sang happy birthday to jord and ate waffles with ice cream.

photo from midnight

the boys stayed up and watched new year's rocking eve. sofia fell asleep a little before midnight.

sunday we got home around noon and got ready for a family gathering to celebrate jordan's 13th birthday. maybe not the best way to do it, but it was wonderful starting the year surrounded by our family.

monday was our last day of vacation. we let the kids choose what they wanted to do. lots of kinect playing (the disneyland adventure game is really fun), doll playing, rose parade watching, putting christmas away. i knew that getting them back to school would be rough and we wanted to enjoy our last vacation day together.

that's how we made it to 2012. and that pretty much sums up our life. lots of craziness, outdoor adventure, quiet moments, love and happiness shared with friends and family.

this year i am hoping to slow things down a bit. with a large family it seems like there is always something going on. and we love to be a part of it. hopefully we can find the balance of participating and taking some time to ourselves. that will make for a very happy year.

holiday recap:: part 1

2012-01-04T13:48:00.000-08:00

from the moment the kids got out of school we were on the go. it started that weekend with the brockett family early christmas. or what is now being called the brocket family express christmas. any modern family fans reading this?

we went to irvine to visit with everyone, enjoy a turkey dinner and give out presents.

loved seeing kendall. what a sweet little girl. next year i'm sure she will be running around playing with all of the kids.

i made a queso dip: velveeta and rotel melted together in the microwave. it was addictive and good. i also made fresh salsa for those that were counting their calories.

the dessert table was full; pumkin pie, apple pie, banana cake, lemon meringue, cherry pie, ice cream and lots of whipped cream, oh my!

this was one of my favorite memories of the day, watching grady open up his toy story ~~dolls~~ action figures. i remember the boys and sofia loving them too when they were his age.

and what does an almost 13 year old get excited about? new ear phones for his ipod and a best buy gift card.

yeah, more legos... this was exactly what he wanted.

sofia got a set of princesses to add to her collection. and she loves every single one of them. she's giving them a group hug.

the cousins started a poker game that didn't last very long. but i think it's becoming the family tradition at get togethers.

posing in the godlewski's new kitchen. they were great hosts, as always.

the very next day jordan and i headed to burbank to fly to sacramento. jordan's best friend, owen, moved their after kindergarten and he invited jordan to his 13th birthday party. the added bonus was that i got to fly him there (i was too nervous to let him fly alone) and visit with april for a bit.

the kids spent most of their time playing games, watching psych and hanging out in the backyard. i enjoyed catching up with april, going for a run and experiencing their daily lives of tennis and drum lessons. it was strange to be away from bobby and the other kids. but i think it gave me a nice break during this busy time. jordan stayed with them the rest of the week to go san francisco. i flew home the next day. i've never flown by myself so that was a first for me.

wednesday the kids and i were invited to a cookie decorating party with some friends. it was pot luck style. love that. then the kids decorated their gingerbread people and ate all their frosting. hee hee. at the end of the day we all decided that this will become a yearly event. i would love to host it next year. everyone had so much fun.

that night we got a chance to celebrate the 2nd night of hannaukah with our friends.

oh do we love hanukkah...

especially the food. amy and anthony made us chicken, kugel, latkes and green beans. everything was sooo good. i don't think kugel is a traditional hanukkah dish but we were so happy they made it for us.

of course we exchanged gifts. gotta love the bff pajamas.

and these two goofballs. it's fun sharing everyone's holiday traditions. something so special about this time of year.

andrew and sofia missed jordan while he was away but it was a good bonding experience for these two. they tend to have the most conflict. they made puppets out of notebook paper, kitchen twine and cardboard to keep them busy. pretty crafty don't you think?

jordan came home on christmas eve, just in time for my family's celebration. no we didn't have tamales or buñuelos, which are traditional this time of year. instead we had a turkey dinner with all the fixings. for dessert i made these rocky road parfaits that were yummy and didn't make us feel guilty.

the grandparents' gift was a photo calendar and a clip frame. each of my siblings helped put the calendar together with photos of the grandkids and each family. it turned out really cool. i didn't get a photo of the finished product but maybe i'll do that.

i got my sister in the exchange this year. i gave her some giada delaurentis products from target. can you guess what this is?

i shared some of our christmas day photos already. we had a quiet day. my parents came over to see the kids open their santa gifts. then bobby's dad and step mom came over for breakfast. and we ordered chinese food for dinner with his mom and stepdad. the kids had fun playing with their presents and sharing time with their grandparents.

santa went to trader joe's this year for stocking stuffers. the kids each got coal and a variety of holiday specialties. i especially enjoyed the chocolate covered minty marshmallows.

we also have a new family tradition. meet sam the elf.

he came to us from the north pole (of target). he was sent to watch over the kids and report back to santa about their behavior. yes, it totally freaked sofia out but andrew thought it was fun to wake up each morning and find him in a different place. those elves sure are mischievous.

stuck in the apothecary jar

reading a christmas book

having an m&m fight with the andre ethier action figure.

lying in our bed and watching tv.

sitting on top of the christmas presents.

it was a fun new tradition that we'll continue next year. i've pinned quite a few suggestions about where other people have found their elves so i have a lot of ideas for next year.

are you exhausted? i am. and there is more to share.

part 2: kernville, new year's eve and jordan's birthday.

take care.

2012 weekly menu: week 1

2012-01-03T08:08:00.000-08:00

and so it starts all over.

i knew today would be hard. it always is after having my family home for the holiday break. the five of us hanging out together makes me so happy. this morning i kissed them all goodbye as we got back to "normal" life. and although i know i will enjoy some alone time, i will miss them.

this morning i am heading back to the gym for some yoga. a good way to start off the new year, in meditation and peace. finding balance and focus. looking forward to it.

normal life also means getting back to some cooking. it's been nice being out of the kitchen for a few days. but it's time for some healthy cooking and good food. unfortunately there is nothing exciting about my menu this week.

making this week:
monday: we ate out at our favorite mexican place
tuesday: lemon chicken pita
wednesday: bbq salmon salad
thursday: turkey chili and cornbread
friday: pizza
weekend: not sure what the plan is yet so we'll play it by ear.

baking this week:
the last thing we need around here is more sweets or baked goods. in fact one of my to-do's this week is to get rid of all of that stuff from the pantry and fridge. i think i'll take this week to get an inventory of what i have and make a plan for some baking this year.

i have so many memories to share from our last two weeks. and i am so excited to start fresh again here. doing some planning and thinking and hoping that you will visit again.

make it a good day.

happy birthday

2012-01-01T07:00:00.000-08:00

and if you're reading this on sunday, happy new year.
today is jordan's 13th birthday.

i can't believe he's 13.

a few years ago jordan and i were having a conversation in the car. i seem to have the best conversations with the kids in the car. jordan noticed some graffiti on the wall. he asked me why people write on the wall like that. i think i answered something like, "it's usually teenagers who have nothing better to do with their time." he said, "but isn't that wrong?" and i said, "yes, but sometimes teenagers do things that are wrong." then he got really sad and said, "i worry about being a teenager and doing things that make you mad."

that is one of the many reasons that i love him so much.

i'd like to think he won't be a rebellious teenager. at least not terribly rebellious. i don't think he has it in him.

i think he has a lot of his mother in him.

one who didn't like to disappoint, or hurt, or cause waves.
i do hope he takes chances and discovers and tests and pushes the boundaries.
and i pray for the patience to handle that and let him become the person he is meant to be.
learning from his triumphs and his mistakes. even if they are hard lessons to learn - for both of us.

is it possible to be cautiously rebellious?
that's what i think he'll be.

he already has a lot of the teenager in him.
he is almost as tall as me, wears a bigger shoe than bobby and has been shaving for a few months. so this milestone birthday comes as no surprise to us.

but it's still hard to believe.

and when i look at him, at the young man he has become, i am impressed. his confidence and good nature. his peacefulness and adventurous spirit. i have no doubt that although challenges are ahead for us, we will all come out of this better people.

son, you are my inspiration. i love you beyond the limits of my heart. thank you for shining light into my life, for your compassion and pure heart. i treasure you.

happy birthday!

2011

2011-12-30T07:00:00.000-08:00

the year ...

celebrated 4 weddings

welcomed 2 new babies into our extended family

paid $4.09 a gallon

had 2 monte carlo nights - but never went to vegas

ate gourmet at the food trucks

said goodbye to weekday preschool with heavy hearts

went to palm springs - twice

made tortillas and fresh squeezed orange juice

made friendship bracelets

visited 5 missions

went to summer concerts

upgraded to iphone 4s

got 372 points in scrabble

performed one amazing wedding ceremony

was a guest lecturer for a university

didn’t get injured in softball - did i mention that half of the games were postponed due to bad weather?

wrote something that’s the talk of the town

turned 40 with style

surpassed his goal in baskets

went to yosemite and inspired us to go

went to his first rock concert

made it through 3 rounds of mock trial

took 14 seconds off his butterfly

grew 5 inches and 2 shoe sizes

played a lumberjack, an oompa loompa and a bully

learned a lot about the mayans

took the field for the cardinals

pitched two innings

went away to science camp

had a baseball birthday party

made us laugh with his wit

she

turned 6

lost 6 teeth

got 6 shots

was a flower girl twice

amazed us on stage

started kindergarten

made friends with ease

grew up way too fast

put life in focus

saw my little sister get married

read a book that will stay with me forever the help

ran my first 5k

and my second

wrote 228 blog entries this year

went to chicago for one of the last tapings of the oprah show

took some cool food photos

spent time with a faraway friend

had an amazing girls’ weekend

accomplished many of my goals

what a year.

what an unforgettable year.

looking forward to 2012 and all it has in store for us.

one little word

2011-12-29T07:00:00.000-08:00

focus
what a journey this word and i have had this year.

it is the word that helped me reach so many of my goals.
it is the word that kept me moving, growing and dreaming.
it kept me wondering and reaching.
it surprised me and challenged me.
it made me take a deep breathe.
it made me think and forced me to see things for what they are.
it was fun.
it will stay with me forever.

i especially enjoyed taking the one little word class this year. it was a great way to keep my word present throughout the year. i've been doing this for 4 years now and this is the first year that my word has been consistent, and a lot had to do with this class.

i am signing up again this year but focusing on my new word.

happy
i started thinking about my word a few months ago. listening and being patient. for a while i thought my word was going to be "intention". but then i saw this word and i really thought about the meaning and what i want for my life in the coming year and this was it.

in 2012 i want to be happy.
simple as that.

i am happy now. i am. not all the time, but i have a happy life.
what i want is to be really happy.
to eat things that make me happy.
to experience things that make me happy.
to visit places that make me happy.
to be with people that make me happy.
to feel it in my soul.

i think what sealed the deal for me was reading this quote:

Source: facebook.com via Gioconda on Pinterest

i couldn't stop thinking about it. to be happy not just for me but for others.

and then i found this:

Source: awelltraveledwoman.tumblr.com via Gioconda on Pinterest

my year will be filled with trying to do this.

i have been collecting quotes and synonyms and definitions. if you follow me on pinterest you may have noticed that my quotes board has been filled with beautiful images of happiness.

this word feels right to me. it's a simple word. it's doable. and it can change everything.

i even have a second stage. once i have the happiness thing down my word will transition to delight - something that gives great pleasure or joy. i have a feeling it will be a natural transition.

my sister gave me the happiness project a few years ago and it has been sitting on my bookshelf. this is the year i read it. maybe one chapter a month. read it and put it into practice.

i am so excited to really be happy.
i hope you will consider having a word for your year. it is truly life changing.
and i would love it if you would share your word here. let's take this journey together.

wordless wednesday:: christmas

2011-12-28T07:00:00.000-08:00

weekly menu: week 52

2011-12-27T11:05:00.000-08:00

recipe found here

not that i have a menu to share this week. but i had to keep these posts going throgh the last week of the year. our schedule this week is completely open. with all of us home we are going with the flow, eating lots of leftovers and eating out too.

making this week::

monday: we had turkey noodle soup.

tuesday: cheese enchiladas, rice and salad that i didn't make for christmas.

wednesday: ??

thursday: ??

friday: ??

saturday: i think we are having halibut for new year's eve.

sunday: jordan wants spaghetti and meatballs for his birthday.

baking this week::

i have buttermilk in the fridge that i want to use up. so i'm thinking that calls for scones with dried fruit.

did you have something outstanding to eat for christmas? i will be sharing our story this week, with lots of food pictures of course.

enjoy the last week of 2011!

friday

2011-12-23T07:00:00.000-08:00

hi. i'm not avoiding you. just enjoying some family time and getting ready for the holidays.

i'm sure you're busy too. so i won't keep you.

i'll be back next week.

merry christmas.

weekly menu: week 51

2011-12-19T07:35:00.000-08:00

just checking in to post our very menu. lots going on this week. celebrating and eating will be a huge part of it. looking forward to it.

making this week::

monday: whatever is in the house. it's been a long weekend.

tuesday: eat out. see monday.

wednesday: celebrating hanukkah with friends

thursday: turkey noodle soup. i've got some turkey bones ready to be used.

friday: pizza

saturday: christmas eve with my family. haven't decided on the menu.

sunday: christmas here. haven't decided on the menu.

as you can see i still have a lot to think about this week.

jordan and i are headed out on an adventure today. so i'm out of here. maybe i'll update once the menus have been set.

happy monday!

right now

2011-12-16T17:56:00.000-08:00

it's friday. the kids are on christmas break. i am exhausted.
here's what's happening right now.

time: 5:24
listening: to andrew play video games and sofia watch tv.
wondering: what we will be having for dinner. the kids had pizza at their holiday parties today so that won't work. and to be honest i would love to not have to cook tonight.
loving: that we get to spend the next 2 weeks together, even bobby will have the time off.
planning: a few play dates for the kids next week. i love that they want to see their friends over the break.
opening: our big boxes from amazon. i was able to order a lot of our gifts this year from them.
hoping: to wrap them all tonight and scatter them under the tree.
excited: to have a date with bobby tomorrow. what shall we do?
wanting: to sign up for this workshop again for next year. it was a life changer for me.
feeling: peaceful and thankful for a great year.

this was a good week for us. normally i am stressing and running around. i did some of that. but i also got a lot done. a lot. so i feel good about having the kids home for the next two weeks.

i did the party hop today.

starting in kindergarten with sofia's class party.

then jordan's middle school lunch.

and andrew's class. they had a book exchange party.

looking forward to celebrating christmas with bobby's family on sunday. good food. gifts for the kids. joy for everyone.

hoping your week was productive and that you have excitement awaiting you this weekend.

enjoy!

40th celebration

2011-12-15T07:42:00.000-08:00

bobby turned 40 on december 1st and we wanted to celebrate in a big way.

over the summer we went to a house warming party and the hosts had a monte carlo night. we played roulette and black jack for a few hours and had a great time. bobby decided that's what he wanted for his birthday.

then when school started the pto had their teacher welcome back luncheon and we hired a taco guy to cater the event. i brought home some of the leftovers and bobby said that's who he wanted to cater his birthday.

so the party was planned. add in 55 of our closest family and friends and we had a bash to end all bashes.

the monte carlo people were awesome. we rented a roulette table and a craps table.

i loved playing roulette at the first party but never had a chance to play it here. everyone had fun betting and watching the ball go round and round.

the most popular table was craps. first of all the dealers were great. they helped most of us learn how to play the game. and the game has such excitement around it. all of the people standing around. the pressure on the roller. chips go everywhere.

there was cheering, yelling, laughing, mulligans, betting, throwing and all kinds of shenanigans going on at that table. i got to play for a little bit at the end of the night. i had to join in the party. i think some of us gained enough knowledge to try it the next time we're in vegas.

and then my brother did us a huge favor by handling the black jack table. he had the mat and the cards and stood in as the dealer which helped save us some money. thanks jorge. everyone enjoyed it.

and of course we couldn't pass up the chance to roast bobby on his birthday. thanks to cousin jeff, my brothers, great grandpa, and mike for saying some nice, and comical, things about bobby.

look who came out a big winner. grandma joyce.

at the end of the night guests traded in their chips or "cash" for tickets. then we picked winners who went home with target gift cards and bottles of wine. not a bad party favor.

i put out a deck of cards for people to leave birthday wishes on.

no birthday cake. instead we sang happy birthday and ate chocolate chip cookies, cheesecake, peppermint brownies and pan dulce.

thanks to my parents for opening up their house to this occasion. thanks to my brother for setting up his sounds system. thanks to sandy for documenting the evening.

the night was a huge success. bobby was a happy guy and everyone had a great time. something tells me that 41 will be a good year to do this again.

wordless wednesday:: holiday concert

2011-12-14T07:49:00.000-08:00

weekly menu:: week 50

2011-12-12T12:34:00.000-08:00

trying to eat healthy during this time

what?! week 50?! how can that be?
the year will be over before we know it.

and as christmas approaches we are keeping super busy around here.
not just with christmas gatherings and to do's but with lots of birthdays and celebrations.

so this week i promised myself that i would keep things simple in terms of dinner. i want some time to relax and enjoy.

making this week::
monday: chicken and vegetable soup - perfect for this cold and rainy day
tuesday: turkey burgers and fries - never made that last week
wednesday: bbq salmon, mashed potatoes and green beans
thursday: mole and tamales - celebrating my parents' birthdays
friday: pizza
saturday: eat out
sunday: family christmas celebration

baking this week::
i missed the annual cookie bake this year. but the kids went and brought back some goodies to share with me. i'm trying not to overdue it with the sweets but they are tasty. i would love to try to make some cookies too. i especially love this recipe for raspberry linzer windowpane cookies. hopefully i can find the time to make them this week.

i hope you are all staying dry.
i'm off to the grocery store. wish me luck.

wordless wednesday:: birthday cookies

2011-12-07T07:00:00.000-08:00

weekly menu:: week 49

2011-12-06T07:59:00.001-08:00

today is all about playing catch up. and i'll start right here with the menu.

making this week::
monday: turkey meatball and spaghetti soup and garlic bread. yummy and perfect for this chilly weather.
tuesday: tacos and rice (leftover from the party on saturday)
wednesday: cheese entomatadas, salad
thursday: kids' holiday concert - eat out
friday: turkey burgers, sweet potato fries
saturday: birthday party
sunday: ??

baking this week::
no real baking this week but we will be making tamales this weekend with my family.

sorry for the short post. playing catch up and have to stay on track.
next task, yoga.
have a good day.

what a weekend!

2011-12-05T10:51:00.001-08:00

still recovering.
still cleaning.
still resting.
trying to think straight.
trying to get back on track.
feeling overwhelmed.
feeling focused.
feeling like i can do this.
and then feeling like i can't.

still no pictures to show.
no menu yet.
still planning.
but it's coming.

another crazy week ahead.
they're not going to get any easier.
very long to do list.
but we'll make it.
we always do.

check back later for....more.

happy monday!

five on friday:: looking forward to the weekend

2011-12-02T07:00:00.000-08:00

my computer may crash if i add even one more photo to my library. i will spend some time today backing up my photos and transferring them off of my computer to a hard drive. so for now no pictures.

besides that, here's what i'll be doing this first weekend of december.

1. playing with our new iphones.
finally they are here. i cracked the screen on my phone about a month ago and have been making do. but when bobby's phone crashed it was time to replace both of them. he got black and i got white.

2. casino night and taco guy
celebrating bobby's 40th - vegas style with a little mexican food thrown in. it's gonna be good!

3. getting my haircut.
i am in such need. wondering if i will go short or keep it this length... stay tuned.

4. decorating the tree
it's been up all week but without any ornaments. i think we'll do that tonight while we enjoy some pizza and a bloody mary.

5. working on my december daily
loving what i am seeing already. and i love this post from ali. exactly why and how i am tackling this project.

have a great weekend.

birthdays and december daily

2011-12-01T07:00:00.000-08:00

i know that i should take this time to say something amazing about my wonderful husband who is turning 40 today.
i know i should have prepared an emotional post where i declare all of the qualities that i love and cherish about this man.
i know i should have uploaded pictures of him growing up and that show him at his best, or worst.
i know that he deserves words of praise and honor.

and i may have something like that.
but i may be waiting until later to share.

for today i simply want to say...
i love you with my whole being.
i wish you happiness and fulfillment.
i am so very thankful for everything you do.
have the happiest birthday ever.

can't wait to party!!

on another note:
today is the first day of december and the first day of my december daily. i put together this album to record those magical moments that we will experience throughout the month and that i don't want to forget. i'm great about keeping up but terrible about posting. i'm thinking once a week would work. you can also follow along with others here or by clicking the december daily icon on the side bar to the right. this is supposed to be a fun project. i'm not going to stress about it. i'm keeping it very simple and going to take this time to play along and have fun.

happy december!!

wordless wednesday:: persimmons

2011-11-30T07:00:00.000-08:00

what to do with all these persimmons?

turkey trotting

2011-11-29T07:00:00.000-08:00

so i kind of messed up yesterday. for some reason i had it in my mind that bobby's birthday was on wednesday, when in reality it's on thursday. we've both been saying that it's wednesday, not sure who confused who. kind of a relief since it gives me one more day to get some things done. i made the adjustment on the menu in case you look back at it.

at the start/finish line

so on with the 5k.
i decided about 2 months ago that i ~~wanted~~ needed to do another 5k before the end of the year. i had such a cool experience the first time around and i needed a goal and a plan. someone suggested doing a turkey trot on thanksgiving. what a great idea. run in the morning, eat all you want in the afternoon. that sounded like the perfect plan.

i couldn't help but compare the two runs. one in march and one in november. you can read about my march race here.

what was the same:
i was excited and nervous. much more the first time than this time, but those emotions were present in my head.
i didn't think i could run the whole thing, but i did.
i started out at the back of the pack but moved myself somewhere in the middle.
i wore the same shoes, pants, shirt, jacket and hat. all for good luck.
i had my run playlist blaring in my ears. i added some foofighters and adele to change it up. i can't run without it.
i was determined to do my best. whether i ran the whole thing or walked some of it, i was going to finish.
i had moments during the run where i really wanted to walk. "just keep moving your legs", "you can do this", "don't give up". that's what i kept telling myself. and it worked.
i didn't get too sore or tired.
i felt amazing afterward.
i was so proud of myself.

do you see me?

what was different:
this was a much smaller race. less people, less hoopla, no medals (boohoo). in our old neighborhood of burbank. it was on a much smaller scale. a very flat run which made it easier.
i ran alone. i ran with a training group the first time around which was so helpful and motivating. but running and training by myself this time convinced me that i really can do this. i'm all the motivation i need.
i didn't have a cheering squad. in march the kids were there to see me as well as my parents and sister. this time though it was more low key. we were on our way out of town. the kids stayed with my in-laws. it made it all seem like not as big of a deal. been there, done that. bobby was a great cheerleader.
i registered the morning for the race. i think i had more doubt than i cared to admit to myself. up until that morning i really wasn't sure i could do it. in fact on monday i thought i was out because the online registration was closed. but one phone call to the y and they told me i could register that morning. nothing could stop me then.
i felt great leading up to the race. nothing hurt. nothing was wrapped, i didn't take any pain medication beforehand. that made a huge difference in finishing strong. i did get a side stitch at one point but i was able to shake it off.
i felt stronger. the first time around i ran up to 5 miles at a time to prepare for the race. running 3.2 miles seemed easy after all of the running i had done. but this time i did more than run to prepare for the race. i did yoga and stretching, cycling and zumba, treadmill and cross trainer, abs and pilates. i know that helped to prepare me physically and mentally.
i finished faster. all of that training and experience really helped. official time 33.42 compared to 35.21. the difference in the trail contributed to the better time but i ran a faster per mile pace overall, and that was my goal. let's see how i do in march when i run the great race again.

i am definitely hooked. i can't wait to do it again. i've set some big goals for next year. anyone want to join me?

weekly menu:: week 48

2011-11-28T08:20:00.001-08:00

happy monday. it was hard getting up this morning after 5 days off. and it didn't help that andrew is not feeling 100%. he has a stomach bug that he's trying to get over.

so i'm adjusting my schedule today to take care of him and still get what i need done.

i'll share our adventures from thanksgiving and my 5k later. instead let's get down to the business of menu planning.

making this week::
monday: baked potato soup
tuesday: chicken piccata and winter fruit salad
wednesday:fish tacos and rice
thursday:bobby's birthday - chinese take out
friday: pizza
saturday: bobby's 40th birthday party
sunday: leftovers

baking this week::
i'll make something for bobby's birthday. not sure what yet and don't want to spoil the surprise. but it will involve chocolate for sure.

sorry for the short post. lots on my mind this week.

hope everyone is well.

thankful for today

2011-11-24T07:00:00.000-08:00

Source: sarahrhoads.com via Gioconda on Pinterest

i so wish i had taken this photo.
i wish i could find this window so that i could take a photo like this.

i am thankful for today.
for everything that we have.
for everything that we are able to do.
for my beautiful children who i feel privileged to share this time with.
for my husband who makes life fun and so worth it.
for my family, parents, brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews for being awesome.
for my in-laws, and their families, for always making me feel like a part of the family.
for friends who listen, care, text, email, fb me, have us over for dinner, invite us to parties, chat at carpool, make me laugh, share their kids, and motivate me.
for technology that lets me communicate and express myself. for being my time waster and escape. for helping me discover and feel inspired.
for good food and pretty pictures.
for music and silence.
for our home and the stories it holds.
for laughter and tears.
for heartache and joy.
for those little moments that remind me how precious life is.
for the gift of time.
for the kids' school.
for my husband's job.
for the energy and motivation i have to be healthy and strong.
for every single person that reads these words.
today i am thankful.

wordless wednesday:: grandparent's day

2011-11-23T08:30:00.001-08:00

i didn't get a photo of jordan with bob and d this year. this one is from last year.

our thanksgiving tradition

2011-11-22T10:17:00.000-08:00

our thanksgiving is usually spent going to someone else's house and eating an amazing meal. we love sharing this time with family and trying everyone's traditional dishes. i also love that we don't have to deal with the mess and stress before and after dinner.

but part of me still wants to cook the traditional meal. i've only baked two turkeys in my life. i also find interesting recipes that i would like to try; stuffing, rolls, or dessert.

a few years ago i decided that we should do our own thanksgiving here at our house. just the five of us. something simple and easy but with the basic components. i've tried different things from open faced turkey sandwiches, to cubed turkey and gravy on a mound of mashed potatoes like i used to eat in elementary school.

last year i tried the jenni-o turkey breast that comes ready to bake with a thermometer and everything. it was a hit. after thanksgiving they were on sale so i bought a few more to have at christmas.

this year i saw a cooking show that features a turkey roulade. basically a turkey breast pounded thin with stuffing rolled into the center. oh and then wrapped in bacon. it was amazing. i made corn bread stuffing, mashed potatoes and green beans and used canned cranberries and gravy. no dessert, and that was fine with us.

usually i try to make this dinner two weeks before thanksgiving. it helps to satisfy the craving for those foods that we normally only eat once or twice a year. by the time thanksgiving comes around we feel like we've had it so we don't need to go overboard. it doesn't always work but it's a good thought, right?

eventually we will host thanksgiving at our house. i can't wait. and then i will long for the days when it was just the five of us. for now we are making it work and enjoying every bite.

weekly menu: week 47

2011-11-21T07:00:00.000-08:00

i love this week.

it's thanksgiving.
time for good food and great company.

it's also grandparent's day at school.
it's fun watching the kids take their grandparents around campus.

it's also a short school week.
nice to have the kids home with us.
even if it means rearranging my schedule.

i still need to cook dinner. here's what we're having.

making this week::
monday: grilled black bean burritos
tuesday: chicken tortilla soup
wednesday: spaghetti with turkey sausage
thursday: i'm bringing these sweet potatoes to thanksgiving dinner
friday: hoping for leftovers
saturday: eat out
sunday: pizza

baking this week::
pumpkin roll - i know, you doubt me, bobby doubts me. will i actually bake this week? yes i will. because i saw this recipe and i want to make it. and i'll have time. and i have all of the ingredients. and it's thanksgiving. all good reasons to make something.

have a good week.

our weekend in numbers

2011-11-18T07:49:00.001-08:00

Source: thisisnthappiness.com via Mindy on Pinterest

the number of parent/teacher conferences we have today. one right after the other. i love sitting with the teachers and hearing about how the kids are progressing. i'm especially looking forward to sofia's kindergarten conference.

the number of us that will be volunteering at cha's preview day on saturday. jordan is giving tours. bobby will be speaking at the presentation. i will be helping with the food. the other two will be running around and playing. check out our website if you're interested in coming by.

3
the numbers of hours i will be doing zumba tomorrow night. it's a marathon zumba class at the park with the teacher from the y. i'm looking at it like a party, except that the steps will be choreographed, and i'll be sweating like crazy. but there will be great music for sure!

2
the number of high schools we will be visiting on sunday. i can't believe it's time to look at high schools. actually, we are a year ahead of schedule but it's an overwhelming process for us me. so getting started early is helpful.

4.76
the number of points i expect to beat my husband by in fantasy football on sunday. it would have been more if some of my players were playing. but i still think i can score the win.

have a great weekend!

exciting news

2011-11-16T07:00:00.000-08:00

cha advanced to the next round of the mock trial competition after two wins; defense and prosecution.

iphone photo taken with instagram app

our school's prosecution team will compete tonight against another school. if they win they will advance to the next level.

jordan reading his opening statement

we are so excited (and yes, a little nervous) for everyone. these kids, as well as their coaches and teacher, are truly amazing and have worked so hard for this. it's great to see them doing well.

wish them luck.

here's a link if you want to learn more about how the competition works.

weekly menu: week 46

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

is it really only tuesday?

i packed so many things into yesterday that i feel like it's already friday.
and our weekend was full as well.

here's our picture on 11-11-11 at 11:11am, in the parking lot of the orthodontist's office

sunday we had the championships of the catholic league swim meets. jordan came home with a first place trophy for individual medley for his skill level. it's the first time he's competed in this event and he blew everyone away!

last night jordan and his prosecution team went up against another school at the mock trial event and came away with a guilty verdict on both counts. the kids did an amazing job and we are so proud of them. we will know tomorrow if the team advances to the next round. i'm not sure my nerves could take another go around but i hope they make it.

getting to my menu for this week was on the back burner. but i do have one.

making this week:
monday: eat out
tuesday: spanish style cod in tomato broth
wednesday: BLT sandwiches and fries, mom's eating out tonight
thursday: pre-thanksgiving dinner (more on this later this week)
friday: pizza
saturday: leftovers
sunday: sundays are always a mystery. we'll play it by ear.

and that elusive pumpkin bread didn't happen yet again. i'm not sure it will this week either. but it will at some point because it just looks too good not to make. did i inspire anyone to try it? would love to know if it's worth the effort.

have a great week.

happy 11-11-11

2011-11-11T09:15:00.001-08:00

i was working on a post about swimming but i haven't finished it. it will have to wait until next week.

happy veteran's day!
thank you to all of the service men and women and their families who sacrifice so much for this country. we honor you today.

happy 11-11-11.
what a fun day! are you planning anything to celebrate? how about taking a picture at 11:11. that would be cool. i think we'll be in the car at that time but i'll see if i can make it happen.

happy day off of school.
the kids were so excited about a no school day. that is until i ruined it by booking haircuts and orthodontist appointments. i guess i didn't think about that when i made them.

happy wedding to tara and mondo.
11-11-11 is the perfect day to have a wedding. so we are celebrating with them tonight. looking forward to seeing these two proclaim their love and then we are dancing the night away.

happy weekend!
we have jordan's final swim meet on sunday. he'll be swimming all four strokes and will compete for the first time in individual medley. i know he's gonna rock it!

have a lovely weekend!

winds of change

2011-11-10T11:01:00.001-08:00

can you feel it?
something feels different. not sure exactly what, but i feel it.
maybe it's the raging sound of wind and leaves outside my window.
maybe it's the fact that i can't decide in the morning if the kids should still be wearing shorts to school.
maybe it's that i want to have a hot coffee all day long.

but something feels different.

this little girl is growing up.

she is missing three teeth and i love looking at her smile.

she fell off the monkey bars yesterday and bumped her forehead. the nurse called to tell me that sofia was brave and didn't even cry.

she is doing her homework every night without complaining and is so excited to get to school every morning to see her friends and teachers.
she is cuddly and loving.

last night when i put her to bed and hugged and kissed her for the 100th time i looked at her and thought i hope the day never comes when she doesn't want me to do that anymore.
she is drawing so much.

tons of pictures of people and fairies are showing up throughout the house. she even hung a bunch of them up in her room.

she is constantly talking about her friends, boys and girls.

she is awesome.

she is growing up for sure.

and i love that.

wordless wednesday:: opening ceremonies

2011-11-09T07:00:00.000-08:00

currents:: november

2011-11-08T10:48:00.000-08:00

considering cutting my hair a few inches. i love the medium, all one length style but don't want to regret losing the long layers i have.

resisting busting into the halloween candy that is in the fridge in the garage.

working out 4-5 times a week. last week i went to the gym m-f and then ran 3.2 miles on saturday with a friend.

getting ready for the 5k.

listening to words to see what jumps out at me for next year's one little word. i have two of them in mind right now.

deciding on what products i want to use for project life 2012.

thinking about going on a photography scavenger hunt this week.

dealing with a broken iphone. dropped it glass down on the driveway.

wishing i could walk into the apple store and bring home an iphone 4s.

excited about dancing the night away on friday at our cousin's wedding.

laughing at the thought of sofia with no front teeth. she lost another one.

remembering the quote from our yoga instructor this morning: if you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change. we had an intense class today so those were the right words to leave us with.

looking into taking a web design class.

sad that my fantasy football team lost over the weekend. i think i'm getting a little ocd about the whole thing.

referring to that quote again.

craving a big bowl of red grapes.

planning the food portion of grandparents day at our school. i love baked goods!

enjoying the day! have a good one.

weekly menu:: week 45

2011-11-07T07:00:00.000-08:00

butternut squash soup

another fun week is ahead for us.
opening ceremonies for the olympics at our school, defense team of mock trial competes, a wedding, the finals of the swim meets.
it means dinners around here will be easy.

making this week:
monday: mac and cheese, salad
tuesday: chicken and corn chowder
wednesday: potato gnocchis with tomato sauce, salad
thursday: salmon, hummus and goat cheese salad
friday: wedding
saturday: date night - sushi
sunday: ??

baking this week:
i didn't have a chance to make the pumpkin pull apart bread from last week, so i'm making it this week instead.

from last week:
the butternut squash soup was amazing. we loved it and had it for lunch the over the weekend.
the applesauce was also very good and so easy to make in the crock pot.
friday night i was not into making pizza so we had egg burritos for dinner.
saturday the camp out was cancelled because of the rain. we ended up going to a friends' house and having pizza.
sunday night we decided on take out from the mexican place in our neighborhood.

that's how it usually goes for us over the weekend. i try to be flexible about what i make in case things change, and they usually do.

five on friday:: gratitude projects

2011-11-04T07:00:00.000-07:00

i wanted to share with you a few things you can do to express your gratitude. some of these i have done. some i will be doing this year. and some are just plain cute.

1. a gratitude journal

probably the easiest and simplest way to keep a record of all that you are thankful for. you need a little notebook and a pen. try and write something everyday, or every chance you get. you'll be surprised how quickly it fills up. i used a moleskine kraft journal. i glued pieces of scrapbook paper on top and added the word "gratitudes" on the side. i use mine to keep gratitude quotes as well.

2. be thankful box

i made this one year that i was feeling very crafty. i bought the box from michael's. then i painted, stamped and covered it with scrapbooking paper. you could just as easily use a simple pre-decorated box or even a jar.

i also made this tag book and put a picture of each of us. on the back i wrote what each person was thankful for that year. my goal was to do this every year and thus fill the box, but i moved on to other projects so this is the only book in the box right now. i'll have to think of other things to fill it with.

3. a gratitude album

i loved this idea from cathy zielske. last year i printed these simple thank you cards and placed them at each person's place setting. then everyone wrote what they were thankful for on it. i also took a picture of each person at dinner. i printed the photos and place it on the empty space to the left and slipped them into a 4x6 photo album. so simple.

4. gratitude poster

photo from becky higgins

this idea came from becky higgins. i loved it when i saw it so i am doing it this year. a large white posterboard, letter stickers and a pen. we will have it somewhere in the house where anyone can write a thank you when they feel inspired. i hope to find a place to hang it all year long. that way we can always be reminded of the things we are thankful for. you can read more about it here and here. and i will post mine as soon as i have it together.

5. thankful tree

Source: simplyvintagegirl.com via Gioconda on Pinterest

i love this. and what a cute home decor item. imagine having this at the dinner table on thanksgiving. your guests can each write something on a leaf. don't tell but i'm thinking of giving this as a gift to our thanksgiving dinner hosts this year. i think they'll love it, don't you?

i hope i gave you some inspiration in case you were interested in doing a gratitude project.

have a great weekend.

on gratitude

2011-11-03T10:58:00.000-07:00

Source: whatinspires.me via Gioconda on Pinterest

thank you.
gracias.
merci.
grazie.
a hug.
a written note.
an email.

i love all the ways of saying thank you.
i encourage my kids to say thank you.
i think it's so important to not just say the words but to have those words say something to the person they are intended for.

thank you for taking the time to think of me.
thank you for your thoughtfulness.
thank you for your help.

with that said, i am terrible at sending out thank you notes.
it's the procrastinator in me.
but i did start a project of collecting all of the thank you notes that we've received this year.
from friends, teachers, brides and mom's to be.

next year i will make it a point to be diligent about sending out thank you cards.
consider that my first goal for 2012.

november is the perfect month to be thinking about gratitude.
finding a moment everyday to give thanks and appreciate something small, or big.
maybe it's saying thank you to your kids for working hard at school.
or telling your husband you appreciate that he comes home from work and still has energy to spend with his kids.
what about just giving a moment to appreciate your home, the things you are able to own, your car that takes you from here to there.
we always say grace before we eat, but now i try to give thanks after i've eaten a good meal.

it doesn't take much to give thanks.
but it certainly gives back a lot.

thankful thought: today i am thankful for an unexpected day off. andrew's fieldtrip was cancelled due to a forecast of rain. that means that i was able to go to zumba, pick up pictures at costco, and work on a few things at home that i would have put off. i am looking forward to going on the fieldtrip in january.

if you can find the time to be grateful, i think you can appreciate life even more.

wordless wednesday:: wicked fun

2011-11-02T07:42:00.000-07:00

at the school halloween parade

at trunk or treat

on halloween night

{re}focus:: november

2011-11-01T07:00:00.000-07:00

Source: tumblr.com via Gioconda on Pinterest

i seriously can't believe it. only two months left in 2011. once halloween is over everything seems to go by in a blur. crazy that it's already november, huh?

but in a way it's kind of exciting. goodness is coming. time with family and friends. days full of celebration and memories. it truly is the most wonderful time of the year.

i know this time can get hectic so i want to set some reasonable expectations. my goals for this month consists of two things:

be grateful:: take time this month to truly be grateful. for the big and the small. for the big moments and the little moments. for those things i take for granted but i am truly so thankful for. i'll be sharing some of those moments on the blog this month. really looking forward to it.

finish what i started:: i set a lot of goals for myself over this year. a lot of them are done, but i'm still working on others. i want to go over my list and see what i can realistically achieve this month. i'm not putting pressure on myself in any way. i'll only finish those things that i really care about.

that's it.

(my secret goal is to get my christmas shopping done by december 1st. i'd love to spend all of december working on my december daily and enjoying the season.)

if you are setting goals let me know. or if you want to share something you are thankful for today, please do.

today i am thankful for energy and motivation. it's keeping me going and i love it.

happy november!!

weekly menu:: week 44

2011-10-31T07:00:00.000-07:00

this week it's all about fall flavors.

making this week:
monday: chicken, spaghetti and hot dogs for the kids
tuesday: pork chops, homemade applesauce, autumn salad
wednesday: biscuit topped chicken pot pie
thursday: butternut squash soup, grilled cheese sandwiches
friday: pizza? feeling like i need a break from pizza so this is subject to change.
saturday: the boys are on a campout, girls are eating out
sunday: leftovers

baking this week:
at first i thought it would be crazy to bake something on the week of halloween. but to be honest i'm not a big candy eater. i can have a few pieces and be good. so i know i won't be eating them all week. i'm really craving more pumpkin bread so i thought i would give this pumpkin pull apart bread a try. i will make these modifications to it.

have a wonderful halloween.

five on friday:: trick or treats

2011-10-28T15:24:00.000-07:00

today is the school's halloween carnival. it's the first year i am not on the planning committee.
tomorrow we have a halloween birthday party.
and monday we'll be out with the ghouls and goblins scoring some babe ruths and snicker bars.

needless to say, halloween is here.
i've made a few things over the years that would be perfect to serve on halloween or take to a halloween pot luck.

1. mummy cupcakes

love this idea. it's so easy if you use a boxed cake mix and store bought icing, like i did. i made mini cupcakes for the middle school dance last week and they turned out so cute. i drizzled the icing in a zig zag pattern and used mini m&m's for the eyes. i ended up with over 100 cupcakes using 2 cake mixes.

2. apple coffee cake

i know this isn't halloween-ish but it's so good i had to share. the apple filling was just perfect. a great, not too sweet treat to have with some coffee. the recipe is quite a process, not an easy one. but in the end it was worth it.

3. mini pumpkin tiramisus

wow. these were so good. cream cheese and pumpkin filling, layered with whipped cream and lady fingers. and then topped with chocolate shavings. just a note, i made these for our kindergarten social. i made them ahead of time and then put them on the serving platter and then drove to the house where we were having the social. i held them on my lap the entire ride over and freaked out as they slid and tipped over. bobby had to drive 15 miles an hour the whole way there. BIG mistake. i obviously didn't think this through and will do it differently next time for sure. but these were definitely worth making again. find the recipe here.

4. chili and chips

i thought i had this recipe posted somewhere on my blog. maybe i do and i just can't find it right now. super easy turkey chili. cook up the ground turkey with a little garlic salt and then put in your crock pot. add a can of kidney beans, a can of chopped tomatoes, 2 cans of chili beans and let it go. no need to add seasoning, the chili beans do all the work. i top it with shredded cheese, sour cream and green onions. and look what i found at the store this week.

i'm such a sucker for marketing.

5. hot dog mummies

i made these last year for the kids but never got a good picture of them. hot dogs wrapped in breadstick dough. use ketchup or mustard for eyes. recipe can be found here.

have fun celebrating or relaxing this weekend.

blog your heart

2011-10-27T11:28:00.000-07:00

i have to be honest...
i've been struggling with what to post for the last few weeks.
i mean really struggling.
i think you can tell.
i put it off. i write at the last minute. i don't have a plan.

today i knew i wanted to write about honesty.
being honest.
with myself.
with life.

then i read this post by stephanie howell.
and there was my answer.

blog from the heart.

so here goes:

1. i've been so preoccupied lately. stressed, overwhelmed, a little loopy. it's a busy time. the kids had an incredible amount of homework and projects and tests last week. we had parties and socials and meetings. it got to be a little too much to stay on top of it all. i'm glad that week is over. this week it's been all about halloween. school carnival, kids' costumes and parties. the truth is the work never ends. i need to learn to deal with it better. yoga and running are helping. at least to get rid of some of the stress and feel at the end of the day that i did something positive for me.

2. my to-do list isn't getting any shorter. i have projects and housework that i have been trying to get to. it seems overwhelming to start. but the truth is that if i could get through it, it would make life so much easier. getting rid of the clutter and excess helps us see clearly what we have and what we really need. i'm focusing on doing it a little at a time. 15 minutes sound so much easier to handle than 3 hours. it will get done in time.

3. halloween costumes...always a last minute task for us. i'm not sure how into the holiday the kids are to begin with. sofia didn't want to wear her pajamas to school yesterday on "pajama day". i can't expect her to wear her costume to school on friday. but we finally have them all. and i know they will all look great.

4. work is on my mind. work is always on my mind. i think the topic alone warrants a blog post in itself. i've been an at home mom for 12 years. i've thought about going back to work for 12 years. i've done a little here and there. but the reality is, the time has come to commit to something. i have lots of questions, self doubt and excuses. looking for the answers and advice as i go.

5. live in the moment. last week when i was in the throws of cupcake making and event planning and dealing with issues at school i had a breakdown. i cried. i lost it. i thought about everything that was going wrong, that i hadn't done, that i knew i had no control over. and in that moment i asked myself, what do i need to accomplish right now? forget about everything else. what is the priority? that was frosting the cupcakes. that's what i did. i focused all of my energy on doing it and doing it well. and somehow that made everything better.

6. i've had conversations with friends who read my blog and i'm afraid i'm leaving an impression that i have it all together. could not be farther from the truth. maybe i just choose to focus on the positive and fun on this blog (except for maybe this post). the yoga teacher told us in class that you can train your mind to think about the details of one thing so that it doesn't wander off and think about those things you'd rather not think about. life for me is not hard. life is challenging. and it comes in waves. the great thing is that i can recognize the bad and the good. i am thankful for all of it. i am more grateful than i have ever been in my life. thankful for my family, my home, the things that we are able to do, the body that keeps me moving everyday, whether i am nice to it or not. that's what i write about.

and i am so very thankful that you took the time to read this.

have a great one.

wordless wednesday:: friends and bullies

2011-10-26T07:00:00.000-07:00

her friendship award

the 3 musketeers posing with the bully-o-meter from their play, "bullies anonymous"

weekly menu:: week 43

2011-10-24T07:28:00.000-07:00

i made it through a very busy week.
i am heading into a very busy week.
i may not have it all in order.
but i know what we'll be having for dinner.

making this week::

monday: potato crusted red snapper, steamed vegetables
tuesday: chicken tostadas
wednesday: black bean and grilled vegetable burritos
thursday: grilled balsamic bruschetta chicken sandwich, salad
friday: pizza
saturday: birthday parties
sunday: no plans

i'll share my baking tomorrow. there was a lot last week. and it was all good.

happy monday!

wordless wednesday:: the process

2011-10-19T07:00:00.000-07:00

currently

2011-10-18T11:06:00.000-07:00

wondering what to say.
thinking that there is nothing exciting to talk about.
knowing that i have to keep practicing and writing.
upset that i forgot that today was mix and match day at school. the kids looked very matched when they left in the morning.
preparing myself to tackle the mess in the sink. how does it get like that in one day?
vowing to get things ready for school tomorrow...today.
making the apple coffee cake.
listening to adele's someone like you over and over.
enjoying the quietness of this day.
happy that i took yoga with my sister this morning.
committing to doing another 5k on thanksgiving morning. it's time.
hoping this persistent cough goes away soon.
thinking and thinking and thinking.

wishing everyone a good day.

weekly menu:: week 42

2011-10-17T11:07:00.000-07:00

last week i felt like i was constantly cooking. not that it was hard. it was worth it.

the kalua pork cooked in the crock pot for 16 hours! i thought it was ok but the pineapple fried rice was yummy. it's all a matter of testing it and finding what's right.

the pizza dough i made last week was amazing. maybe a bit too good. i actually ate this piece right out of the oven, folded in half and in about 3 bites. the sauce was not what i expected. i am a fan of plain tomato sauce out of the can with italian seasoning.

i also made a goat cheese, red onion and avocado pizza that was brilliant.

this week i needed some help and i got it from some of your suggestions. please keep them coming. i wanted to wait on making soup but i guess technically it's cooler weather when you go from 102 degrees to 90 degrees, right?

making this week::

monday:  turkey albondigas soup
tuesday:  chicken caprese sandwich, mixed green salad
wednesday:  pasta with three cheese sauce and broccoli
thursday: chicken and artichoke stir fry, rice
friday: pizza
saturday: our kindergarten class is having a parent social
sunday: leftovers or eat out

i didn't end up making the pumpkin bread until yesterday. i put it in the oven and then watched some football. i loved how great the house smelled while it was baking. it was good but a little too spicy for me. i am not a huge nutmeg fan, so i may eliminate it next time and add more cinnamon. i also left it in the oven about 5 minutes too long. did i mention i was watching the patriots and cowboys game? anyway, it was still moist and pumpkiny. i tweeted about it yesterday and gina from skinnytaste said she may have made a mistake on the amount of baking soda. if there is a correction she will repost the recipe. so check back on her site later if you want to give it a try.

baking this week::
this week i have a pto meeting, the first middle school dance of the year, and the parent social on saturday. so i will be very busy baking, decorating and socializing. this is what i have planned.

pto meeting: i'm making apple cinnamon coffee cake. so that's that.
middle school dance: i decided to go with the mummy cupcakes. halloween theme and yummy.
kindergarten social: i'm going to try these mini pumpkin tiramisus. it looks easy and will be pretty on a big platter.

any big plans for you this week?

today

2011-10-13T10:31:00.000-07:00

i read this and loved it.

i have this in the crock pot and it smells divine. will make pineapple fried rice to go with it.

thanks to your suggestions, i have next week's dinner menu all set. please keep them coming.

it will be 102 in the valley. so much for the cooler weather.

i am uploading 100 photos to costco so i can get caught up with project life.

i am thinking about my journal for december. i'm starting to see them pop up here and there. will most likely wait to see what studio calico has and go from there. christmas will be here before we know it.

i skipped zumba this morning because jordan had an orthodontist appointment. but i will be there next week without fail.

i am so excited for jordan who is going to his first rock concert tonight. i hope he will be awake at school tomorrow.

Source: bhg.com via Gioconda on Pinterest

i am thinking about making these for the middle school dance next week. i was thinking cute, not gory.

i am hoping to upgrade to the new iphone soon. who doesn't need siri in their life? i wonder of she does laundry.

i am having a wonderful thursday. hope you are too.

wordless wednesday:: pumpkin patch

2011-10-12T07:00:00.000-07:00

finding focus

2011-10-11T10:58:00.000-07:00

one of the things that has helped me over the last month to focus is the practice of yoga. now don't get nervous that i am about to get all new agey on you. it's not like that. ok, maybe a little.

i've taken yoga many times over the years. some more intense than others. i am currently taking a class that i love. it's not difficult. i can handle the poses pretty easily. i consider it my "break" from the tougher work outs throughout the week.

i love that i am comfortable with it. it makes me feel stronger, to be able to hold the poses or do the stretches. i can even go into a pose without looking at the teacher for reference.

but here's the difference: she refers to the yoga class as a practice. hmm, never considered it like that.

practice:: Perform (an activity) or exercise (a skill) repeatedly or regularly in order to improve or maintain one's proficiency.

that's what i'm doing. i'm not taking yoga or going to yoga or doing yoga. i am practicing yoga.

one of the things i admire about just about every yoga instructor i've ever had is their calmness and visible peace. well that and their body's are a work of art. i don't think that any workout gives you the body that yoga does.

every move that we do is with intention. don't just put your foot there, place your foot with intention. don't just twist your body, feel the movement vertebrae by vertebrae. everything has a purpose. you focus on the movement of your body, for stability, for strength, to the point of feeling comfort not pain.

a huge focus is on breathing. in...and out. i realized that i take very shallow breathes. once i started concentrating on filling my lungs completely and then letting the breathe out completely it automatically gave me a sense of release and calm. and it's something i have to practice throughout the day.

yoga is also about taking your time. listening to your body and easing into the moves. not like yesterday when i was talking myself out of slowing down on the treadmill, telling myself to ignore the heaviness that i felt, to let go of the weariness and uncomfortableness, to push through. finishing a run gives me a different sense of strength and accomplishment. finding the balance is what i'm striving for.

the instructor will tell us to release the tension, even in your toes. didn't know i had tension there but i do. we will fix our gaze on one point to help focus and find balance. isn't that the truth in life? she tells us to sit tall and relaxed but engage our core for strength. always be mindful, always be intentional.

one of my favorite parts of yoga is the relaxation exercise at the end. i quiet my mind that is usually running a mile a minute; the thought of laundry, the to-do list that i have when i get home, the tough life decisions. i let it go, for 10 minutes. i work on blocking out the noise and distraction around me. i find that peace that i know is there. and that i hope will last till my next class.

yoga helps me breath when the kids are getting the best of me, listen when i think i don't know the answer, focus on what is important right now and find balance when i'm feeling unsteady. sometimes it works and sometimes it's just not worth it. but i'll keep trying. that is why it's called a practice.

namaste.

weekly menu:: week 41

2011-10-10T12:03:00.000-07:00

chicken and soba noodle soup from last week

ugh...feeling so blah about dinners lately. i feel like i've done that, over that, hate that. i'm not sure what's going on but i want my inspiration back.

i found a few recipes online this week, but for the most part it's the same old, same old.

making this week:
monday:  chicken pita wrap with tzaziki sauce
tuesday:  bean and cheese burritos, salad
wednesday:  bbq salmon, mashed potatoes, broccoli
thursday:  crock pot kalua pork, pineapple fried rice
friday: pizza, i'm gonna try this dough
saturday:  eat out
sunday: leftovers

the cupcakes i made for sofia's birthday on friday were actually pretty good. i cheated and used store bought frosting and added strawberry preserves to it. that was good too. sofia was impressed that i made them from scratch. she's cool that way.

baking this week:
this week i was inspired by the pumpkin patch we went to yesterday. i'll be making this lowfat pumpkin bread. i hope it's good.

help me out:
how about if you share something amazing you've eaten lately, at home or dining out. something that made you go mmmmm and lick your plate. maybe i can try and duplicate it. i'm up for anything at this point.

celebrating sofia

2011-10-07T06:51:00.000-07:00

dear sofia,

i can't believe it's been six years since i carried you.

the moment you were born was something i will never forget. getting to bring you into the world with my own two hands, it was amazing. - someday i'll show you the video.

watching your brothers hold you and love you was everything i wished for.

the bond you have is unbreakable. they will always be your friend and protectors - remember that.

seeing the relationship you have with your dad is precious. he always wants the best for you. -remember that too.

you are sunshine and smiles.

and big brown eyes.

you bring a curiosity to the world that makes everything new.

you are absolutely beautiful. but don't let that get in the way of the fact that you are caring and smart - i hope you find that matters more in this life.

you are adventurous, but cautious. you remind me to take risks, even if i don't know the outcome.

you make friends with such ease. boys and girls. young and old. and then you nurture and care for that friendship. they will never forget that about you.

you are independent and strong. but you know when to look for help. and you remind me how much i am still needed in your life.

you are gracious and thoughtful. not just by saying please and thank you, but by showing people that you are thankful for them.

you make me laugh, and you enjoy that.

your strong will has proved to be quite a challenge. thank you for reminding us that even though we had two kids already we had much to learn about being parents.

you test us. you push us. and we push back. we know that's what you want. we hope we are doing it right.

you remind us to enjoy the simple things in life and be in awe of the little things that i may have passed by.

you discover and admire all that is good in the world. never taking anything for granted.

you have such confidence in yourself. i see you approach a new situation with trepidation but so sure of yourself that you do it anyway. - please stay that way.

your memory blows me away. the way you remember numbers and parent's name - thank you for that by the way. it has really come in handy.

you remember those moments in your life that meant something to you. even though i may not have thought so.

you are wildly creative. and you know how to express yourself. in fashion, in music, and in art. i hope i gave you some of that creativity and i hope you take it and run with it.

you have taught me so much.

thank you for telling me that "you are the best mom ever." i really believe it. and "you look beautiful, even when you wake up in the morning."

thank you for still wanting to spend time with me, coloring, playing old maid, or reading a book. i'm not sure how much longer that will last, so i will cherish it.

please be nice. to everyone. but don't let anyone take advantage of you. believe that you are worth more than that.

remember this brave little girl who could do anything she wanted to do. - she can and she will.

you are loved by many.

but no one more than me.

happy birthday to my lovey.

love, mom

{re}focus:: october

2011-10-06T07:00:00.000-07:00

i realized a few days ago that we are 3/4 of the way through the year. it does seem like time is set on warp speed lately. doesn't it? that leaves us with 3 months...3 of the busiest months of the year. but also 3 of the most exciting months of the year. that is, if you love food, and family, and togetherness like i do.

it's also the last few months to make good use of my word: focus.

i have worked hard to incorporate the word into my everyday life. keeping it present in my mind. this is the first year that i've made it more visible and really put it to work. i'm already thinking of my word for 2012. there is one that's been popping up. i'll see if it sticks.

i plan to focus for the next 3 months on the things that matter to me.

::bake something::
i had fun with that in september and i plan to continue it this month. i have a few recipes selected for this month that include pumpkin muffins, coffee cake and a few halloween treats. this is going to be a tasty month.

::stay active::
with the additional calories i have to burn equal or more calories. i feel like i have a good routine going at the gym. not feeling bored yet and definitely feeling challenged (aka sore). i just want to keep the momentum going. it's been a constant struggle. yesterday, after spending 2 hours at meetings at school, i wanted so badly to drive right past the ymca and go home to a hot bowl of soup. but i didn't do it. i worked out for an hour and felt great. and then went home to that bowl of soup. the workout made it so worth it.

::play with my camera::
i haven't picked it up much lately, except to take the occasional food photo. i want to take it out more this month. experiment a bit. see the world through the lens again.

::be inspired::
last month i focused on taking a breath. this month i want to feel inspired. i want to be a bit curious. i want to discover something beautiful.

lately i've been worried about making a decision with what i want to do with my life. i've been trying to figure it out. i've worked at letting my passion come through. yesterday i read these words and i knew that the answer will come to me.

"The only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it."

and this

"have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary."
-Steve Jobs

wordless wednesday:: rain or shine (but no lightning)

2011-10-05T06:45:00.000-07:00

on being flexible

2011-10-04T09:43:00.000-07:00

my tuesday schedule:

drop the kids off at school.
flexibility: tuesdays are actually bobby's day to drop them off. but he had a meeting to get to early so i took them.

i take a yoga class on tuesday mornings at the y with a great teacher. stretching, concentration and balance = a peaceful tuesday morning.
flexibility: sofia woke up with a cough and a ~~bit~~ lot of crankiness. we made it to school but then made the decision to bring her back home. that means that "peaceful tuesday" will have to become "patience tuesday."

tuesdays are my house cleaning days. i try to get as much done as possible, dusting, moping, cleaning bathrooms.
flexibility - i still plan on cleaning today but will have to work around sofia on the couch. i'll try not to get in the way of the tv.

finish grocery shopping.
flexibility - i'm still trying to get used to this new schedule. i do my shopping on mondays, for the most part. but with the gym, showering and fitting in some breakfast, i don't get started until later in the day. so i ran out of time yesterday. i just need a few more things so it will be a quick trip. but now i have a sick 5 year old with me which could present an interesting challenge.

meet with the kindergarten teacher about room parent stuff.
flexibility - having a sick one home throws everything off. i am supposed to meet with her teacher to go over the events for the school year. so my mom comes to the rescue. luckily she is only working part of the day today so she can stay with sofia while i head to school.

the plan was to come home and nurse sofia back to health.
flexibility: she is now drumming to the songs from her favorite show while asking for hot chocolate to drink. is it too late to take her back to school?

this is my life.

weekly menu:: week 40

2011-10-03T11:35:00.000-07:00

autumn chopped turkey salad from last week

hello october.
i'm happy to see you.
what do you have in store for me?
no stressing or too much hard work.
that can wait for november and december.
let me relax and enjoy this time.

making this week:
monday: salmon with red pepper pesto, spinach salad
tuesday: chicken and soba noodle soup, vegetable egg rolls
wednesday: bbq turkey burgers, sweet potato fries
thursday: chicken taquitos, rice
friday: sofia's requested pizza for her birthday
saturday: break fast with our friends from school. not breakfast. we will be breaking the fast with our friends who celebrate yom kippur.
sunday: eat out

baking this week:
sofia also requested strawberry cupcakes for her birthday. i'm making them from scratch. i'll use either this recipe or this one. they both look good. maybe i'll have a box mix for back up, just in case.

have a great week.

five on friday

2011-09-30T07:42:00.000-07:00

as we celebrate the last day of september i am feeling super excited about october. october really says fall to me. and although we don't see a huge change in the weather in so cal, it does cool down just enough to give you that cozy feeling.

what i'm looking forward to:

1. sofia's birthday

my girlie will turn 6 on the 7th. i can't believe it. she acts like she's 16 already. i'll be reading to her kindergarten class in the morning. i know she's looking forward to that. and then family and a few friends over for pizza and cupcakes. i'm thinking pink would be good.

2. soup

i'm excited about making some soup and enjoying that once a week. it seems too hot in the summer to eat soup. but a bowl of delicious chili, chowder or tortilla soup sounds perfect.

3. starbucks pumpkin latte

image from starbucks.com

yummy! but i am also secretly hoping to have a cup of salted caramel mocha.

4. changing colors

in the leaves, the fashion and the decor. orange, brown, rust, gold. i love them all. looking forward to a manicure with a dark brown polish. lovely.

5. halloween

we'll be trick or treating for sure. plus our school has a great halloween carnival with rides and booths. it's always a fun time. i think the kids have settled on costumes so now i have to get to work putting them together.

have a great weekend. enjoy the end of september and welcome in october.

never say never

2011-09-29T10:54:00.000-07:00

a month ago i said i would never spend 2 hours at the gym.
every monday i'm doing that.

a month ago i said i could never make it through a cycling class.
yesterday i made it through my first one.

a month ago i thought i would hate to be in a packed room of women sweating and looking uncoordinated.
every thursday you can find me dancing zumba like a fool.

a month ago i was making every excuse not to get to the gym.
now, i plan my day around it.

it's part of my life now. the crazy thing is that i really enjoy it. i've been a gym member on and off my entire life. the best was when i worked on the paramount lot and i was able to get a free membership. i would make it to the gym everyday, no matter what. and sometimes i would work out next to denzel washington. no wonder i was there everyday, right?

then there was the gym in my office building that i would go to everyday at 6am, shower and head to work. i had a trainer and would work out with my co-workers. that kept me motivated and it was a great way to start the day.

over the years i've done kick boxing, step classes, stair climbers, cross trainers, yoga and even the occasional swimming. in january i started running and ran a 5K in march. after the race i took a break to "let me ankle heal" and until now, haven't run much since. the thought of a half-marathon is still in the back of my mind. the far back of my mind.

i know it's a committment.
i know it's important for my health and well being.
i know it's important for me.

the great thing is that the ymca where i go now is on my way home from the kids' school. i can drop them off, go to the gym and then home to shower and get on with my day.

i love how i feel, during and after. i love how strong i feel. i love how committed i am.
my focus is on staying on this routine for as long as i can. hopefully working it out so that even if the kids have a day off i can still work out in some way. it's possible. i know that now.

here's to staying motivated and getting strong.

wordless wednesday:: brought to you by andrew

2011-09-28T07:17:00.000-07:00

weekly menu:: week 39

2011-09-26T11:28:00.000-07:00

humming right along as we start the 4th week of school. everyone seems like they've adjusted to the new schedule, even me.

over the weekend we had dinner with some friends and then went to our school for family movie night. this is one of my favorite events of the year. families come, set up blankets and chairs and watch a movie on the grass. saturday night the feature was "tangled". it's a great way to enjoy a movie under the stars.

sunday jordan had another swim meet. he's been improving so much this season thanks to consistent coaching and more interest on his part. he swam all four strokes and the freestyle leg of the team medley relay. he ended up with 3 medals and took 14 seconds off his butterfly stroke! he's looking better and better every week.

nothing too exciting this week other than the staff luncheon that we are hosting on friday for the teachers and staff at our school. we have a little surprise in store and i can't wait to see how it works out.

ready for the menu?

macaroni and cheese from last week

making this week:
monday: autumn chopped salad with chicken
tuesday: grilled shrimp with lemon basil pasta (hoping to lighten up this recipe)
wednesday: enchilada casserole, salad
thursday: apricot glazed salmon, roasted potatoes, green beans
friday: chicken mole and rice - going to my brother's house to celebrate his birthday
saturday: hoping my sister-in-law will share some mole to make enmoladas (enchiladas with mole sauce)
sunday: eat out

baking this week:
i wanted to make banana bread this week, but the kids ate all the bananas. the good thing is that i have a huge zucchini in the fridge so chocolate chip zucchini bread it is.

hope your week is delicious!

five on friday:: fall favorites

2011-09-23T06:38:00.000-07:00

today is the first day of fall or autumn. or in california just a milder summer. it is my favorite season. i love the crisp air. the light wind. the changing colors. i'm a fan of fall.

and i've been thinking about fall for a while. even when the weather was 105 degrees, i was thinking about sweaters and boots and pumpkin lattes. so here we are. maybe not ready to use any of these but definitely ready to start building up the fall wardrobe.

on my list:

1. skinny jeans.

from old navy

am i late to the party? yeah. but that's ok. do i need another pair of jeans? heck no. but i could use an update. dark, slim, perfect for boots. i'm getting a pair.

2. cream sweater

from jcrew

this is the one must have item for me. i love a good sweater. i'm cold all the time. and i've worn out the ones that i have so it's time for a new one. and this color, it will go with everything. so expect to see me in something like this all the time.

3. boots

from nordstroms

brown. flat. calf length. with a pair of jeans. with a skirt. with a dress. that is all.

4. autumn song necklace

from lisa leonard

i've been drooling over lisa leonard's designs for a long time. but i've never ordered one. this one took me over the edge. the leaf. the little stones. you can see a better picture here. LOVE it. and i love this one too.

5. tony bennett duets II

from target

picking this one up today. i'm sure i'll be playing it over and over. i might even sing to it. this music makes me think of sitting by the fire, drinking a glass of wine and just relaxing. or playing it at thanksgiving while the turkey is roasting, drinking a glass of wine and not relaxing. either way this will be the soundtrack of my fall.

care to add to my list? i'd love some suggestions.

i'm off to get a pumpkin latte, an iced one. have a warm autumn weekend.

recipe:: easy cinnamon rolls

2011-09-22T10:43:00.000-07:00

my mother in law gave me this recipe a few years ago. these rolls are so yummy, sweet and addicting.

i've made these for pto meetings and bake sales at school. they are foolproof and so easy to make.

it starts with a package of bridgeford ready dough that you get in the freezer section of the grocery store. in fact the recipe is right on the package, with one small modification. it contains 3 1lb loaves. i usually make all 3 loaves and end up with about 54 rolls. sounds like a lot but they go fast.

here's the recipe:
1 1lb. bridgeford ready dough loaf, thawed
3 tbsp. melted butter
1/4 c. granulated sugar
1/4 c. brown sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon

roll out the dough into a rectangle about 10x12. i just roll it out to the thickness i like, trying to maintain the shape. brush the dough with 2 tbsp. of butter.

in a small bowl mix the sugars and the cinnamon. sprinkle evenly on the dough.

starting at the longer side of the dough, roll it tightly.

cut the dough in half. then cut each half into nine even slices. place on a greased cookie sheet, cake pan or muffin tins cut side down. brush with remaining butter and let it sit until it's doubled in size.

i make these the night before and then put them in the fridge overnight.

bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

remove from the pan immediately so that they don't stick. the butter and sugar will create a yummy, gooey syrup.

enjoy! no frosting necessary but by all means add that if you want.

wordless wednesday:: brought to you by bobby

2011-09-21T07:00:00.000-07:00

taken with hipstamatic for iphone.

for love and community

2011-09-20T08:45:00.000-07:00

friday our school honored the first responders, fire fighters, police officers and paramedics of our community. our school was in the center of the chatsworth metrolink accident a few years ago. the sports field was used as the triage area, and some of our teachers and parents were the first to get to the victims when it happened. a few weeks later there were fires that got a little too close to the school and the fire fighters were there once again to help us through.

every year since 2008 we have held a rememberance ceremony to honor the heroes of our community. they do so much for us and this is one way of saying thank you. the kids sang songs and gave them cards that each student had made. it was touching when they sang a hero thank you and waved their flags.

saturday we were back at school for a community project as part of save chatsworth. our art teacher designed the mural to be displayed in various areas throughout the community. the middle school students will do the actual painting but we went on saturday for a priming party.

you can read an article here and see pictures of jordan and sofia.

finally on sunday we headed out to laguna beach for a wedding. it was an absolutely beautiful day. and we were so happy to see aunts, cousins, and babies gathered together for another family wedding. this one marked wedding number 3 for us this year with one more in november and 2 more next year.

the wedding ceremony took place on the beach of the laguna hotel. it was so cool to listen to the waves as the vows were read and to have our toes in the sand.

then we walked over to the reception in the hotel. we had appetizers, filled our bags with candy and checked on the football scores.

by the end of the reception the kids had pulled up their pants and dresses and were playing in the water. it was such a beautiful sunday afternoon.

weekly menu:: week 38

2011-09-19T11:31:00.000-07:00

no time for chit chat today. running late and still have lots to do.

so i'll get right to it.

making this week
monday: hummus and goat cheese salad with salmon (bobby will be happy.)
tuesday: middle school back to school night. we'll eat out.
wednesday: homemade macaroni and cheese, salad
thursday: lower school back to school night - leftovers or scrambled eggs
friday: homemade pizza
saturday: pork chops, mashed potatoes and steamed veggies
sunday: dinner with my family

baking this week

first let me tell you that last week's apple cake was not a success. very dense and dry. although bobby says it's good with some oregon apple butter. i used a different measuring cup than my normal and i think i added too much flour. it was ok, but probably not something i will make again. live and learn.

this week i'll be making cinnamon rolls for the pto meeting on wednesday. i don't think i've shared the recipe on here but it's so easy, yummy and totally not good for you. i'll share it as a separate post.

i have lots to share about our weekend activities but it will have to wait.

have a sunny monday.

five on friday:: for the home

2011-09-16T07:00:00.000-07:00

one of the things i've been thinking about doing with "all that time" is decorating a bit around the house. i've always had a fear of decorating. not sure what goes with what. color combinations. and what style i really want.

i've been keeping a board on pinterest called "for the home." i like to pin designs that make me happy. some of them are for my dream home but there is no reason i can't incorporate that into our current home.

here are five things i have in mind.

Source: theletteredcottage.net via Gioconda on Pinterest

1. a mantle
the thing is we don't have a fireplace. but this would look great over our tv in the living room. it is a great space to decorate for the season but i love this look for year round. i see us making this happen, and soon.

Source: homegoods.com via Gioconda on Pinterest

2. for the kids' bathroom
we remodeled the bathrooms when sofia was born and they are in need of a little uplift. this would be so cute along one of the walls with a towel hook for each one.

Source: cocopearl.blogspot.com via elise on Pinterest

3. photo gallery
i love this idea but maybe on a smaller scale. we don't have a wall this big to do something like that. but i'm thinking in one of our hallways with 4x6 photos and 8x10 frames could work.

Source: decorpad.com via Rachael on Pinterest

4. backsplash
we have a buffet in our kitchen that is a workspace. i want to add an interesting backsplash to give it a little something special. i'm a huge fan of subway tile and this is just perfect for that area. let's forget the fact that it doesn't go with the other tile already in the kitchen.

Source: hgtv.com via Jordan on Pinterest

5. our bedroom
we recently moved into the smallest room in the house. and that's all we've done. i'm thinking of going with a white bedspread and adding color with pillows, throws and decor. it seems to be the most versatile way to go. and i love the clean look.

we won't be starting any of these projects this weekend. we have a school project to do and a wedding to go to. so i'll keep looking for inspiration until the time is right.

you can check out all of my pinterest boards here.

happy weekend.

all that time

2011-09-15T08:02:00.000-07:00

the question i find myself answering a lot these days is "what are you doing with all that time?" the kids are in school from 8-3 everyday. there is potential for a lot to be accomplished.

this isn't the first time that i've had all three in school but the time was a lot shorter and it was broken up by drop-offs and pick-ups. sprinkle in the field trips, pto meetings, snack mom duties and other responsibilities for 2 schools and that doesn't leave much time for anything else.

it's great to have them all in one school. one route. one set of responsibilities, although divided equally between each child. it definitely gives me time to do...something.

on monday i went to 4 grocery stores. and took my time at each. getting exactly what i needed. even comparing prices. then home to shower and have lunch. did i mention the 90 minutes i put in at the gym that morning?

friday i went to the movies to see the help. bobby didn't want to see it. so i knew i'd have to catch it on my own. i loved it by the way. i am a huge fan of the book and the movie stayed true. i did feel a little guilty though. it seemed like an indulgence to go to a movie when the rest of my family is working and learning. but i didn't say i'd never do it again. sarah jessica parker movie next week anyone?

yesterday it was a halloween carnival meeting and then a dentist appointment. then laundry and working on pto stuff.

it really feels like time just goes by. whether you have more of it or not. stuff still needs to get done. it feels like i have more time, but it also feels like i have more things to fill it with.

the biggest change is that i don't feel so rushed. i'm not running to the store dropping things off at home, unpacking the cold stuff and putting it away, before making it to pick up on time.

i can breathe a little. i can take my time a little. i can slow down.

cause after i pick up the kids it's chaos. swim practice, homework, papers, dinner, getting ready for the next day.

at night i tend to focus on all the things i haven't done yet. cleaning out sofia's toys, packing up the kids' old clothes and taking them to goodwill, working on a fun scrapbook project.

is there ever enough time?

i know it's not realistic to think that in 1 week i'd be able to get the whole house organized and spotless, get a head start on dinner everyday, have an hour for some creative time everyday, and make it to the gym.

i'm trying to balance the things i have to do, the things i want to do and the things others need me to do. but aren't we all.

maybe having some breathing room in my life is what i need right now. breathing will lead to balance. balance will lead to clarity and then i will have it all figured out.

just in time for the thanksgiving break.

wordless wednesday:: photobooth love

2011-09-14T06:57:00.000-07:00

*photos taken at a photobooth to celebrate the zip code "91311" on 9-13-11.

weekly menu:: week 37

2011-09-12T06:45:00.000-07:00

this weekend
sofia lost a tooth
jordan brought home a first place medal in freestyle
we watched shows on september 11 and relived that time in history
we watched football and realized that the risk didn't pay off
had fun at a friend's birthday party
rested from the first days of school

heading into our first full week of school. lots to do on my calendar but looking forward to this new routine.

here's what's for dinner:
monday: healthy baked chicken nuggets, tater tots, salad
tuesday: grilled halibut, rice pilaf, steamed vegetables
wednesday: cheese ravioli lasagna, salad, garlic bread
thursday: chicken machaca burritos
friday: pizza
saturday: leftovers or eat out
sunday: going to a wedding on the beach

i'm feeling a little uninspired lately in the kitchen. but hopefully this is the week i get back on track.

baking this week
hoping to make this apple cake. if it goes well i will be making it again for our remembrance assembly on friday to give to the firefighters and police officers in our area.

i will never forget...

2011-09-09T07:00:00.000-07:00

...where i was on september 11, 2001. it was 2 days after a road trip. the phone rang in the early morning. jordan was 2 and sleeping in his room. i got to the phone just as the answering machine picked up. it recorded the first few minutes of my conversation with bobby (it stayed on our machine for a few years). he was at the gym and saw the news on tv. he called to tell me about the airplanes crashing into the world trade center. i was in disbelief. i was saddened. i was scared.

that's what i remember most about that time. feeling scared. feeling like we weren't safe.

i watched hours and hours of news coverage over the next few days. i laid in bed with bobby and cried. it was devastating and depressing. i hurt so much for the families, for the kids, for our nation. a few days later i found out i was pregnant with andrew...

at my first dr.'s appointment, she asked how i was doing with the news. i told her that the joy of being pregnant was what was getting me through. it was hopeful and filled with love and made me happy. i never felt saddened that i was bringing a baby into the world amidst this dark time. i believed that my children would make a difference in this world. i had to believe that, and i believe it even more now. we are bringing up children that care about the world. that have compassion for people. that do what they can to help. big or small.

that got me through. that made me realize the good in the world.

i actually liked the mood over the next few days here. people were friendly and helpful. there was support for one another. we all shared something in common. that moment. yes, we were all scared. we were all victims of the same tragedy. and now there was a bond. a camaraderie of some sort. i felt united.

i will never forget that day. i will never forget the lives lost. we will continue to pray for the families, the soldiers and our country. on sunday i will kiss and hug my children and be thankful for what we have.

wishing everyone a peaceful weekend.

hi. my name is sofia and i like nothing.

2011-09-08T08:51:00.000-07:00

she
introduced herself to her classmates like that yesterday. i'm not sure if she was nervous or trying to be funny. her favorite part about her first day of school was "going to the bathroom." she said everyone was nice to her. she made a friend and for homework she drew a picture of her family. today, she wants me to pick her up at carpool and not walk up.

she is familiar with the school, the teachers and some of the kids, so the transition was easy. it is still hard for me to believe that my little girl is going to school already. but her confidence and excitement made me feel so comfortable.

he
is missing his best friend but had a great day. he only has 2 more years of middle school. we'll be touring some high schools this year to get an idea of what's out there. he will be taking mock trail again this quarter. excited to see how that goes. i think in some ways he's still holding on to his childhood. i'm not sure that he's ready to let himself grow up. but when i saw him with his friends yesterday i knew that this will be that year. i hope we are both ready to move into teenage-hood.

he
was so happy to be reunited with his friends. the 3 amigos are back together. he couldn't find his lunch, so he bought one from the cafeteria, and then afterwards found his lunch in his backpack. pretty typical of him. he's really excited about his cha bucks, a rewards system for his class. today he had to bring in pictures of things he likes to do; baseball, rafting and skiing. he has a book report due in 3 weeks. getting right back into the swing of things.

me
the day went super fast. bobby was home so we did drop off and pick up together. i was excited to go to sprouts which opened in our neighborhood yesterday and then left because there were too many people and the lines were too long. bobby and i had lunch, and then it was time to pick them up. today should be more of a regular day for me. cleaning, more school clothes shopping and getting organized. and i'll try to find a new rhythm.

everyone had a great day. everyone was excited to go back today. that makes me happy. we'll see if the excitement continues next week.

happy thursday everyone.

wordless wednesday:: first day

2011-09-07T09:37:00.000-07:00

the day before

2011-09-06T07:49:00.000-07:00

we're home from san diego.
we're rested from our massages.
we're so thankful for your comments of love.

we have kindergarten orientation this morning.
we have back to school picnic tonight.
and in between we will be grocery shopping, packing backpacks, loading books and trying to enjoy the last day of summer.

tomorrow it's back to the routine.
no more tv or video games.
no more sleeping in and staying up late.
it's homework and pto meetings and sports and birthday parties.
but we're all ready for it.

i asked sofia is she was excited about starting school tomorrow.
she said "i'm a little excited and a little nervous."
that would describe my feelings too.