Spring…for a day anyway!

This past weekend was BEAUTIFUL! The weather was so nice…we were able to wear shorts and flip flops and I LOVED IT!  It isn’t lasting long though because our low tomorrow morning is supposed to be 20 degrees!  I tried taking some pictures of Madeline and learned a little lesson about photographing children along the way…

Rule 1: Don’t try and take pictures of them while they are discovering leaves for the first time.

I’m sure I’ll learn many more lessons over the next few years :)

Madeline couldn’t keep her oral fixation on leaves and her fascination with grass from showing in these pictures!

We went to Sea World with some friends too this weekend! Jack and his friend Kyle had a blast tagging along with each other!

Little Loves

Jack and Madeline…are my little loves.  They are such a handful at times, but still so much fun!  Jack has been HILARIOUS lately!  Here’s our latest funny conversation:

J: Momma, can we go to McDonald’s and play on playground…make Jack happy.

Me: Maybe we can go get a cheeseburger or chicken and ketchup…which would you like?

J: I want tacos Momma.

Me: McDonalds doesn’t have tacos honey.

J: Maybe we can go home and make tacos…is that a good idea Momma?

Me: (laughing) That’s a great idea!

I’m currently looking for a preschool for Jack next Fall…it’s a tiring process! I’m so picky being a past teacher, so that makes it soooo much harder! We have a few front runners, but we’ll see if I’ll really be able to let my munchkin go!  It would only be part time Tues./Thurs. 9-2…that’s not so bad…right?

Madeline is still allergic to something…we see the allergist next week.  We are thinking it’s milk. We’ll see! 

Here is the story of Jack and Madeline…it’s a love/hate relationship.  Madeline is a drama queen.  Seriously…she makes a bigger deal out of most things, but to her defense she never knows what Jack is going to do.  Here are two photo shoots…and they both turned out the same way…Madeline screaming and Jack fiddling with her, so here you go!

He’s trying to be nice right here, but she wants nothing of it! I guess the damage had already been done!

Again..same scenario…Jack trying to make up for whatever he may have done…he has no idea sometimes b/c sometimes he hasn’t done ANYTHING…and she just screams because she is sure he’s about to!

Jack tries his best to tolerate Madeline’s new mobility!  She is crawling everywhere and pulling up on everything which means she is in to HIS stuff!

I want you to take a close look at Madeline’s face in this picture…the face of determination!  She’s always making this face…it’s making me nervous!!!!  She’s so sweet natured…yet so determined to get what she wants!

And here is sweet Jack…he’s completely innocent…can’t you tell?

Decorative candles...

Decorative candles...need to be used. I was looking at two fabulous candle holders in my bedroom...and I stopped for a minute...and thought why on earth haven't those candles been lit since I bought them two years ago?

I was keeping them...they were decorative...not meant to be used I guess.

Why? What was I saving them for? I think the real question is...WHO was I saving them for? Was I waiting for someone to tour my home...specifically walk into my bedroom and notice these beautiful candles that were perfectly new...never having been lit. Would they think to themselves...she has a nice home...pretty nice NEW things...would that make them think more of me? did I really care?

I'm not sure if that's what I've been picturing in my mind all these years...if that was the reason I hadn't used them or not. Maybe I'm afraid to admit to myself that I was saving them to look pretty..for whom? Maybe I was...not realizing it.

You can't take your things with you to heaven. All the beautiful special people in my life wouldn't care if those candles were melted down the sides...they've all been in my room before anyways by now. They probably haven't even noticed those candles all perfect and nice and new. If they had...maybe they wondered why I hadn't used them.

I love candles. When I was in college I never had candles for decoration. I had them all around my room...contantly replacing them after they'd burned till they could burn no more. Brad and I spent many nights laying in my room, listening to DMB programmed on my CD player to play all our favorites over and over again, enjoying the scent of patchouli and the glow on our faces from CANDLELIGHT. Studying of course...

I never saved candles back then...they weren't decorative things. What had changed since then?

I lit those candles tonight...instead of a programmed CD it was pandora...how the times have changed!

I'm not waiting anymore...I'm not taking those candles to heaven. Was I saving them for my kids one day?

Life is RIGHT NOW. Go light your candles.

Family Pics

I was thrilled when a dear friend of our family offered to take some family pictures of us! Her name is Allison Carlino, and she has her own photography business out of the Houston area, Carlino’s Photography.  While we were in Houston for Brad’s rotation we were able to pull off a photo session with her! The pictures came out beautiful despite the circumstances…both kids had just started antibiotics for colds and ear infections AND it was 40 degrees outside! Thank you so much Allison for taking your personal time to do this for us! It was definitely a treat and we LOVE the pictures!

A night to remember…

It was indeed…a night to remember!

Brad and I, along with lots of family, went out for New Year’s Eve!  We had sooo much fun! Apparently I danced the night away…right into the New Year! 

A New Year where less is more folks!

I’m already loving my New Year’s resolution…I have a pile high of clothes in my closet that will be finding their way out of my house by the end of this week hopefully.  I’ve paused shopping for awhile until I have organized what I already have and LOVE of course.  If you remember, if I don’t LOVE it…it’s leaving my life.  It actually feels good to not be spending money…its sort of a relief in a way…I get the urge to go shopping and then I say to myself…no you already have tons of stuff that you need to get through before you buy more, then I head home and go through stuff and organize and donate and yes, throw some things away.

You know that feeling when you throw stuff away? It’s like a natural high. You get the same feeling when you donate too…and plan for garage sales!

Here are some pictures of the beginning of my new year.

I had already found my special place in this picture! Isn’t this hilarious? I was a little hesitant to put it up…but it just makes me laugh! Hopefully it makes you laugh too!

What am I searching for?

I’ve got all I’ll ever need right below….

I’m a little “drugged” in these pictures, but

they are still some of my favorites!

To you Mom!

Back in November…My beautiful, giving, smart & loving

mother had a birthday!  November to now was a whirlwind, and I haven’t had the chance to blog about it until today…

My mom is the rock of our family.  It amazes me how strong she is FOR US.  I know her birthday must have been tough for her, but you would have never been able to tell.  We tried our best to make it a great one just as she deserves.  We went to Mazen’s, had a delicious birthday cake, ate great food, and all of us were there except my Dad.  I know she missed him…we all did. I know it wasn’t easy.

Mom,

I hope you know how much I love you…how much I RESPECT you…how much my children ADORE you…how much HAPPINESS you have given us, but most importantly how much you’ve taught us.  You’ve taught us to LOVE, to hold our heads up high, the importance of sticking together not just in times of need, to make the best of the hardest situations, and what it means to simply(not always easily) be a good person.

Thank you.

We love you…we are here for you…and we know what you are going through and have gone through isn’t easy.  We realize we couldn’t possibly understand what you feel. We know your pain must be deeper than you show…we know some days you probably want to cry, scream & quit…we want you to know that we are here for you always.

Because we love you.