Halloween

You know what's nice?  Being able to go trick-or-treating without coats.  That's what we did this year!

So last November we read a book called Little Bo Peep Can't Get to Sleep.  It was a few days after Halloween and C informed me that she wanted to be Little Bo Peep for Halloween next year.  I thought for sure she would forget about it and want to be something else by the time October came around, but I was wrong. 

J still didn't quite get the whole dressing up thing so I decided to milk the themed costumes one more year before he was an opinion about it.  I made him a sheep costume, but he kept taking off the ears so lots of people thought he was a cloud.

We went around the neighborhood with the cousins.  All the kids were so excited and ready to go get some candy!

Time Out For Women - 2012

I'm entering my second week of taking care of sick kids.  Last week Jonas and I both came down with a stomach bug.  I was a little concerned because I had tickets for Time Out For Women and did not want to miss it!  Luckily we were both recovered by Friday, and Charlotte was showing no symptoms.  Well, she tossed her cookies 15 minutes after getting to school this morning so I turned my car back around to go get her and here we go again!  I am however very grateful that all was well over the weekend and it truly was a "time out" from all the sickies!  :)  The timing couldn't have been any better.  Oh, and I'm not a bad mother neglecting my sick daughter.  She's sleeping quite soundly to her recovery on the couch right now.
So last year at the end of Time Out for Women they showed a schedule for the upcoming year.  One in Houston AND one in Atlanta.  I thought, "Wouldn't it be so nice if I had enough money to fly down to one of those places and go to TOFW with either my mom or my mother and sister-in-law?"  But, alas, I know that would never happen so I gave up the dream...
Little did I know that my world was going to turn upside down in the next year putting me in Houston right during TOFW!  So, this year I went with my mother-in-law and sister-in-law.  And can I just say that I hate writing the "in-law" part because I feel much more connected to them than just through law.

I was also fortunate to catch up with my dear friend, Shalon, from Cleveland.  Before I even moved to Houston she had planned a trip there with her mother.  It was so wonderful to see her again.  She brought a card with her made and signed by my wonderful friends from Ohio that just made my heart want to burst with joy and gratitude.

As I was sitting there with all these wonderful women beside me and thinking about all the wonderful women I know I felt a strength from and unity to all these amazing women who have touched my life.  They have all helped create who I am in different ways and are imprinted somewhere on my heart.  I also thought about my mother and all of her that is in me.  Then I wondered how much of that came from her mother, and her mother's mother.  What things do I do or stand for that come from generations of mothering?  What do I experience that those who passed on before have experienced as well and how much of their angelic legacy gives me strength to do the things I do each day?  I couldn't help but envision how a net is made from the connection of all these women flowing to and from me in different directions.  We are creating a net that "seeks the good" and catches the falling tears and broken hearts in the world.  It is a net of nurturing and mothering that I believe is one of Heavenly Father's greatest protections for mankind!  I am so greatful for this and more determined than ever to be a little better and do a little more for others.

It was an inspiring and fun weekend. The speakers were funny and encouraging.  I saw friends that I hadn't seen in years!  I am so grateful for the opportunity that I had to go and for what I learned this year.  The theme was "Seek the Good," and it was such a blessing to remember all that is good in my life and to make a new committment to seek the good in all that I do!

The Boy's Birthday Bash

Jonas turned 2 last week.  We had a little birthday celebration here at home with the family.  I made him a dirt cake with some construction trucks on it.  He was so excited to play with his trucks that he didn't even finish eating his cake.

I don't know what it is about little boys and things that go, but this birthday celebration had a very specific theme without being planned.  All the gifts he recieved were cars,trains, tractors or trucks or had something of the kind on it...except the shoes that Aunt Lippy gave him.  When he opened that present he just replied, "No" and moved onto something else. 

I just love this little boy.  He is so full of life and energy.  He's beginning to talk like crazy, and it's been fun to hear him articulate the thoughts that are in his head.

First Day of School

Charlotte had her first day of school on Monday.  The preschool we were going to send her to in Ohio was only 3 days a week.  The one I was able to get her in here is every morning and at the elementary school.  It was a little hard for me.  I felt like I was sending her to elementary school an entire year earlier than I had planned.  She absolutly loves it though!  She was so excited the first day.  She picked out her clothes (a pink shirt to match her back pack).

We call her hair style "Micky Mouse Ears."  That morning she insisted I do them to match her Minnie Mouse backpack! I love her!

Second 4th Birthday Celebration

When we got back from Georgia, all our Texas family wanted to celebrate little girl's birthday as well.  C loves the Fancy Nancy books.  Anyone read them?  They're really cute and VERY Charlotte. 

Mimi and Poppie had the brilliant idea to have our own little Fancy Nancy Party.  In the first book Nancy gives her family lessons on "how to be fancy," and they they dress up to go out to dinner at a not so fancy restaurant.  So, we all dressed up fancy and went to celebrate her birthday at Cici's Pizza.  We were the fanciest people there...and I'm sure they thought we were movie stars!

Charlotte and Hailey were the fanciest of all!

 The fancy girls with Mimi.

 We're so fancy...especially Poppie (he remembered to eat with his pinkie up).

They're practically as famous at Brangelina.

I learned from Fancy Nancy that sunglasses are always "fancy."

Now, if anyone knows Charlotte, they are well aware that she wants to be a ballerina when she grows up.  I was thrilled when I captured her facial expression as she opened up her present from Mimi!  She was so very excited!

 

 

Can't have ballet shoes and not show off your "tippy-toes" skills.

Happy Birthday sweet Charlotte!

Georgia Trip - The Wedding

This was the main reason we took this trip out to Georgia.  My brother Dario got married to Kylie while we were there.  I am so happy for these two and happy that I'm no longer the only one of my siblings with the married status.

These two were just so cute and so in love!  I am so glad we were able to make it out to their special day.  They are just perfect for each other.

Not to detract from the focus on them and their wedding, but this next picture really is special to me.  Kylie's mom and mine and Dario's mom have both been fighting some pretty serious health problems during the past few months.  There was a time right after their engagement when we didn't know if either of them would make it to the wedding.  So having both mothers there is a blessing and a miracle.

Now for a bunch of pictures from the day.

My handsome boy.

My youngest brother with his racoon eyes from doing swim team.

The growing family!

Daddy's girl.

Another Daddy's girl.

Love my babies!  Also, thanks Aunt Cassie for making Charlotte's cute dress!

To Jonas he's "Papitoto."

To Charlotte he's "Papitito."

Congrats to Dario and Kylie!  Hope your life is wonderful together!

Georgia Trip - The Bestie

Once upon a time I was 14 years old and the "new girl" in Georgia.  When I was first introduced in my Sunday school class at church a girl named Heidi didn't give me the time of day.  She was busy flirting with a boy.  She talked a lot.  I was pretty quiet unless answering a question.  She wore really cute, bright clothing.  I wore earth tones.  We were in the same Sunday school class all summer, and she never spoke to me.  I wasn't sure what she had against me, but her outgoing self never made an effort to talk to me.  I knew we would never be friends.
We ended up having world geography and chorus together.  We were seated next to each other in world geography and began talking.  Turns out she was quite surprised when she found out I spoke English instead of Spanish.  What?!?!?!  Apparently when we moved into the ward there were a few Spanish speaking families that moved into the ward, and she thought I was a part of them.  She must have been pretty into flirting with that boy instead of listening in class because I'm pretty sure I said the prayer quite a few times...in English.  :)  We still laugh about it today!  It turns out despite our very different personalities, our interests and morals were very similar.  We were best friends all through high school.  I helped organize her locker and and she taught me how to add some color to my wardrobe. She's awesome, and I am so glad that we did become friends. She's one of those friends who when we get back together it's like we were never away from each other.
We went over to their house for dinner while we were there and got a few pictures in before poor Bronson bonked his head. (Please excuse my big hair.  It was humid and rainy, and I was just plain tired of fighting it)
Oh, and just for kicks...here's a picture of us our junior year of high school.

And today...posing in front of the same door which apparently got it's own make-over.  Oh wow, do we have "mom" written all over us now. :)

And what cute kids we have:

These two were cracking up over the books they were reading.

It sure is hard to get four kids to cooperate for a picture.

We just gave up at this point!  Hopefully we'll have better luck next time our paths cross again.

Georgia Trip - The Birthday

We took a long awaited trip to Georgia to see my kid brother, Dario, get married this past week.  We went out a week before the wedding to spend time with my family and help prepare.  Charlotte turned four this past week and Mita wanted to celebrate with her so we made sure we got into town in time to celebrate with my family.
So I saw on pinterest (go figure) this idea to put streamers on the kid's bedroom door that they have to breakthrough on their birthday.  Well, we were sleeping outside in a camper so I put the streamers up in the dining room and made Charlotte run through them.  Maybe not the same effect...

The day before she helped Mita make her birthday cake.  She said she wanted a carrot cake with blue and white striped frosting.  I honestly have no idea where she got that idea, but that's what she got.

We opened some presents...

Not sure why she's making that face, but maybe it has something to do with the fact that she's related to these uncles:

She was happy with her gifts.

I cannot believe that she is already four!  Where did the time go?  She is so fun.  Right now she is going through a skirt phase.  All she wants to wear are skirts.  The other day all her skirts were dirty, and I told her she had to wear shorts.  After a long fight of trying to get them on her she cried in her room repeating, "Girls aren't supposed to wear shorts.  Girls are supposed to wear things the twirl!!!"  It totally melted my heart and I pulled down one of her Sunday dresses to wear.  Love this girl!