i was in the middle of...

composing my post about isabella's 5th birthday, BUT i'm having issues uploading photos...ARGH!  so, instead i'm going to share something i've been wanting to share w/ you lovelies...

and i'm just warning you, you will see something you like...love...gotta have.  so be careful ;)

two of my fave websites...

this is an awesome resource for all things crafty and lovely :)  you can sign-up to recv daily deals via email or you can find the daily deal on my blog (to the right).

this is also another daily deal type site w/ everything from jewelry to party supplies to photo-ops!

enjoy ladies...and don't say i didn't warn you!

multi-tasking is great...

except when it's not.  last week i treated isabella and her friend to sonic after school goodness.  i ordered via drive-thru and kept in the front console until we arrived home so there wouldn't be any chance for mess :)  i drove up to my mailbox and fetched the mail, parked the car in the driveway, and we all unloaded.  i was trying to make it all in one trip...purse, mail and one CHERRY slush and one OREO blast all being handled by me.  i unlock the door somehow, open the door and the creamy cookie yumminess falls.  i (obviously forgetting the RED CHERRY drink still sitting atop my mail in my hand) threw the mail down while RED falls next to black and white goop on our fairly new rug.  SWEET! :D

yeah, so my multi-tasking skills were not up to par then, but i made something pretty yummy in the ol' crockpot the other day, and that is muti-tasking at its finest!

flank steak

i found this recipe on pinterest :)

i used about 3/4 of green chiles and the spiciness was just right for our familia :)  girls loved it over yellow saffron rice...

this stuff is a staple in my pantry.  fyi, they have a good red beans and rice bag AND spanish rice :)

try it out and enjoy...and try not to do TOO much ;)

and btw, the sweet mess cleaned up nicely w/o any trace of my awesome brain working on the lowest gear!

i don't have...

happy updates of a two year old :(  yesterday was awful.  more crying for the both of us.  sophia reluctantly walked into her classroom crying but this time w/ blankie and "blabla" (her lovey) in her arms telling her teacher, "i want to hold you."  she wouldn't even look back at me which is probably best.  i left w/ soooo much guilt.  really, i just came home sat down on the couch and watched "the view".

whoopi's shoes were a nice distraction, lol

phone calls from my hubby and girlfriend to check on me were sweet...poor things just had to hear me sobbing on the phone!  after an hour t.v. and boo-hooing, i cleaned up and made good use of my time.  sophia of course was found playing and enjoying her time when i picked her up...until she saw me in which she started crying and running to me...nice to be missed, right?  i dread tomorrow morning, but i just know it will get better!

by the end of the day (8:00 p.m., lol) i was exhausted and decided to lie down on my bed...fell asleep.  i then wake up to my amazing husband washing dishes and cleaning the kitchen (after taking mucho and the girls for a walk, bathing them, and helping get them to bed...and exercising).  i tell him to stop...shower and relax!  he tells me, "don't worry about it, go relax or go to sleep."  knowing this man won't stop cleaning i smile and go to bed...9ish and loving it!  these last couple of weeks have been draaaaaining.  yes, it's the new schedule of waking up early and having a longer day, but i'm sooo emotional lately.  these changes and my little miss cryyyying...ugh!  listen, when i'm driving and i hear "lean on me" on the radio and i'm loving it, cracking up b/c it's so old school but yet, somehow trying to hold back tears!!??!!  this mama needs a break!

yesterday was...

"post 5th birthday party planning/throwing" hangover, lol!  and today was "i can't seem to catch up" day!  it's 9:20 p.m. and i want to be in bed...sleeping!  BUT i've been wanting to sit down in front of my computer and blog every day, too, and it just keeps getting pushed down the ever growing list of to-do's.

let's see...last week i wanted to tell you about how fun it was surprising my now 5 year old on her birthday (will post later), how not-fun it was to start my week w/ a dead battery and therefor resulting in my now kindergartener's first tardy (on the second week of school!!)  i then thought you all would think it amusing that after all the anxiety of taking sophia to children's day...i couldn't leave her at first b/c they didn't have her shot records which i had forgotten!  score 1 for mom-of-the-year.  i raced to the doc's office and recvd a letter stating she had been seen w/ in the last year and was up-to-date so i could take her back...and i did...

she loves the accessories school brings

how cute is that?

the teacher was giggling at me for taking this pic!

she absolutely LOVED IT!  and then there came the second day...we arrive early.  everything is cool.  her pal abigail shows up.  they're playing.  her teacher then tells me that piece of paper i gave them won't work today.  they need her shot records.  i say, "oh sure!  i'll pick them up today!"  as i totally meant to do in lieu of having a dead battery situation!  she says, "no, i mean you can't leave her here."  meanwhile, sophia has decided this whole children's day thing isn't such a great idea and is clinging to my leg...crying.  awesome.  so, i pick up my curly-haired crying little miss and race to the doc's office and grab those shot records.  i return w/ records in-hand.  sophia is crying.  she does NOT want to stay and does NOT want me to leave.  i hand her off and walk right outside the door where she can't see me just waiting for her to stop crying.  i start crying and a lady asks me if everything is okay (this doesn't help matters) and so i then go to the uncontrollable ugly cry.  i had to leave.  i left w/ such feeling of guilt.  i keep thinking she doesn't need to go to children's day.  i don't need her to go to children's day.  she doesn't NEED to go, and i don't NEED her to go, but it's GOOD for both of us.  she ended up having a good day and was playing when i arrived.

we will see what tomorrow will bring.  i'm not having warm fuzzies as we drove by there since then and she saw the building and immediately got upset :(

pray people!

i'll be back to share 5th birthday goodness :)  and hopefully happy updates of a 2 year old!

just a glimpse...

of how much sophia might like going to "mother's day out" or "children's day" as it is called at the church she will be attending...

the girl went many times to this toddler time at the library last school year and sat in my lap the entire time...every time.  today was the first time to go back, and she couldn't wait to sing and dance!  she played w/ her friends and other children she didn't know.  it was such a delight to see!!!

after toddler time she was excited to color.  this girl LOVES to color...on paper, herself, furniture :/  i had a proud mama moment when she pointed to the number on the page and said, "two!" and pointed to her blue colored cats and said, "blue!"

later she told her grandma all about her new purple shoes...i didn't even know she knew the color purple!

she calls grandma, "mom".  which i find cute and is alright w/ me since she calls me "mama" ;)

it's so nice to realize your little ones do listen to you and learn, too!  it makes me excited to see how much her brain is going to grow this year!  and i'm having better feelings about leaving her on the first day.  she is going to see her friend "agigail" (abigail) and sing and dance until i come back for her :)

i now must prepare for the many SURPRISES i have in-store for our girl isabella whose 5th BIRTHDAY is tomorrooooooooowww!

day two of kindergarten...

and the energy level is a little less this evening (for everyone) ;)  isabella had another fun day at school...her favorite part is RECESS!  lol!

my favorite parts...

*being able just to drive up to the school and someone opens the door for her while she jumps out

*reading books one-on-one w/ sophia

*making myself wake up so much earlier and actually doing it!

*the open communication w/ her teacher via email and flash updates

*isabella's eagerness to go :)

*knowing she is getting an education that i couldn't give her at home!

i know sophia and even our dog mucho misses our big girl.  i actually caught sophia pretending to talk w/ her today.  and mucho, well, this says it all...

next week it's sophia's turn!  she'll be attending "mother's day out" twice a week for the first time.  just what will i do w/ the time?  ooohhhh, i find it pretty funny when people ask me this.  i'll be doing pretty much the same thing but w/o a little one following my every move!  actually, i am very much looking forward to playing tennis again once a week!  i'll keep you posted on what my knees (arms, neck...whole body) have to say about that!  lol

a back-to-school...

back-to-blogging post.  hello friends!  today was the day.  our oldest daughter started kindergarten!!!  it's a day that much excitement, anxiety, curiosity and bittersweetness has consumed my mind.  thankfully isabella has been blessed w/ an awesome teacher who has put me at ease.  well, somewhat...i seemed to have a slight panic attack after coming home from "meet the teacher" night, lol.  but really, isabella has been so excited as we've been counting down, picking out her "first day" outfit and making her lunch requests :)

lol, yes, she actually wants to be a fairy!

we've been preparing for these early mornings for a week now...i'm exhausted and feel my immune system hurting!  mama needs a vitamin!  i fully expected for isabella to be a tired mess when picking her up, but as always she surprised me.  she was excited after her day, eager to play at home and pretty giddy when going to bed tonight (or maybe it was a delirious state, lol).  we shall see how the week goes!

taking her to school and leaving her there for about 7 hours, reminded me that it has begun.  God's plan for giving us these precious beings to love, cherish and raise to go out in the world...

LOVE + FAITH + PRAYER = THE BEST WE CAN DO!

*GO PARENTS!  GO TEACHERS!*

**SpIrIt SpRiNkLeS**

yes, i just did that...we all need encouragement through these big changes!  which reminds me...THANK YOU TO ALL MY LOVELY FRIENDS AND FAMILY THAT CALLED AND MESSAGED TO SEE HOW ISABELLA AND MAMA WERE DOING :)

i continue to feel...

beyond blessed...which in turn makes me feel guilty at times or anxious that something is bound to go wrong.  what i need to feel is simply LOVED, GRATEFUL and JOYFUL...just be and enjoy :)


Ephesians 3:14-20

14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family[a] in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge —that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,


i hardly ever listen to the radio anymore.  i have stored music in my car, and i use pandora radio frequently.  the other day i happened to be listening to the radio and heard a commercial that struck me as awesome.  i just knew it was going to be a church advertisement, but of all things, it was an energy company, lol.  anyway, i don't remember the words exactly, but basically it went something like this...

the world is a dark and troubled place
but there's joy in a baby's laugh, a cup of coffee, your first kiss...
the world is a dark and troubled place
but what a great feeling when you get that first stretch in the morning, an unexpected summer breeze, and chills when you hear a song

...the sun, birds, butterflies, clouds, rolling hills
...family, friends, helpful strangers
...opportunities to use your God-given talents
...love.

in the end, it's all lovely, isn't it?

my girls finding joy in a dark and dirty place ;)

making a to-do list...

for my hubby was on my to-do list :)  and i made one!  i was waiting to post this after he hung it up for me, but who knows when that will be...

i bought a frame from hobby lobby (50% off!)

i bought chalkboard paint and a sponge roller

i followed the directions from the can.  i painted two coats (opposite direction the second round) and let it dry over night.  i then flipped the glass over...

i made a stencil w/ my silhouette cameo, aka sally ;)

i used a rough, dry brush (to give it that rustic look) and brushed on white acrylic paint.

and then primed it by rubbing chalk all over...

works like a charm...well, sorta :/

in hopes...

that you're still around, i thought i'd say, hi!  april showers brought on may craziness :)  if you've been wondering...

-i'm still here
-i haven't read much of hunger games
-i've been happily busy w/ dandies
-we're counting down the days til summer (there are 2)
-i've started mapping out a SURPRISE disney trip
-we're counting down the days until our new puppy mucho comes home!

and while there's much anticipation for summer fun and new puppy love, i've been wanting to push the pause button...or at least the sllloooow arrow button.  this summer my youngest will no longer be a baby, and we will be celebrating her 2nd birthday in a couple of weeks!  my oldest will be turning 5 and starting KINDERGARTEN in august!  the physical (i can't keep up w/ having long enough dresses for isabella) and mental (sophia is already asking 'why?') growth of both my girls brings many smiles and even tears when i find myself dancing in the kitchen w/ them or holding them while falling asleep.

isabella's first dance recital...

and her first visit to the nail shop :)

pre-k graduation!

sophia mastering the corn-on-the-cob like a big girl...

and sitting pretty w/ one of her many babies.

i'm savoring these young but hard years, and i'm looking forward to the growing and hard years ;)