Saturday, October 27, 2012

Day 41: The cRaZy things a mommy will do :)

As if I haven't made it clear by now that my girls are big Taylor Swift fans........I had to go and join this cRaZy promotion for her upcoming Red tour!!!  Well.....it's the kind of thing a mother will do for her kids, right?  ;)) 

So here's the link.....and IF you happen to be a fan.....you can join too but using this link will give us extra points so I'd appreciate it if you'd join through our link.  :)

http://taylorswiftred.com/r/51e9a1df6077e9670d63


I am very excited by the news my daughter just shared with me.....she said Taylor Swift insisted that her concert tickets would not be over $50!!!  YAY!!!  That is great news!!!  Considering what the last concert tour cost for the 3 of us to go! 

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Day 40: Proud

I post a lot about our girlie girls.......but this one is about how proud I am of our son!   He's made us so proud and we couldn't ask for a better boy!  He's always been very mature for his age.....always made good decisions and choices and always worked hard for his goals on his own, without any pushing from us.  He continues to amaze us with his work ethic and drive.  Today he had a community service project to clean up some roadways and he'd already written a 12 page essay yesterday for one of his classes........and these are the kinds of things he just "does".  He tells us about them as they are happening or he'll mention what is coming up.......but it's without question of ever "should I do this???/ or do I have to??"  and rather it's always just very matter of fact.....that this is what I need to do, so I'm going to do it.  WOW!  To have that self direction and discipline at his age is quite impressive.  He's such a good kid!  Not to mention, he spent the early hours of his Sat. morning practicing for an upcoming ACT test because he really wants to improve his score!  We can only imagine what God has in store for him and his life with the gifts and talents he's been blessed with and the automaticity of his responsiveness to doing whatever it is he needs to do.  He's very responsible and I can't think of another teenager like him!  We are so blessed to be his parents!
I've told all our children.......since they were babies (and often as I would lay them down to bed with kisses, hugs, snuggling and prayers)......."God made you.......and you are so full of goodness!  We can't wait to see what you become!"  Pure goodness!!  Mmmmm-mmmmm!

Day 39: RED!

I will have to post this one in the apt color of RED!  For weeks my Taylor Swiftie fanatic daughters have been on top of all of Taylor's new singles that she has been apparently releasing each week until her new albulm comes out (which is tomorrow) so today, my daughter decides to pain her nails .....what else?  RED!  She's never in her life ever painted her nails red......but Taylor Swift had tweeted about it and so of course.......being the Swiftie fan that she is......she followed suit!  I must admit, I am so grateful that IF my teenager is going to obsess over an artist......that at least she picked a good one to favor!  Who knows......I may just join her and paint my nails red too!!  :)

Day 38: The Best Day......with you.....again!

Yesterday I posted about having " ♪ ...The Best Day.....with You.......Today " and today was another one of those days!  We are having such a gorgeous fall this year.......and my youngest daughter has been asking if we could carve pumpkins.......for weeks!  I wasn't really too determmined to make it happen until it occurred to me that she has never experienced this before (can we say 3rd child syndrome? :)!!))  So the other day we bought the biggest and most perfect pumpkin we could find (making Linus proud!)
  Well on the way home, I stopped to buy gas for the mower in one of those little red gas tank containers that I had put in the back of the SUV.  Upon releasing the hatch to get the gas tank out, we both hear a  PLUNK! and no sooner than I could jump out of the vehicle and make my way to the rear that sound was followed by the rolling of our perfect pumpkin right down and across the parking lot of the gas station!  So in my high heels.....here I go-- running across the gas station parking lot in a mad dash to snag our comical- rolling pumpkin as onlookers are laughing and I do manage to grab the pumpkin without being ran over by any entering cars!  SAVE!!!! 
So today it's another beautiful, sunny and glorious fall day and we decide to take on the challenge to carve this Great Pumpkin!  My daughter is so excited she can hardly stand it.  We get everything ready and she draws out her plan using a marker.  I remember the joys of doing this each year in my childhood and I'm feeling a little guilty for not doing this with her before now ;(  (like I said, it's a 3rd child thing......any mommies of 2 or more out there.....hopefully can relate!!)  She especially liked removing  the pulp---gooy-fun!  And so here's the finished product!  Not too shabby if I do say so myself!  And another verse to our Taylor Swift song......."I had the Best Day.....with You.......Today "
 





Saturday, October 20, 2012

Day 37: The Best Day with You!

I've posted many times on the wonderful joy my children bring into our lives and this post is about just that.  We are fortunate to get to spend so much time together and all of those years when they were little were filled with so much joy and togetherness.  I recall such pleasure in the simple things such as trips to the grocery store or driving to church.  Packing snacks and little hand sized books to occupy them while mass was going but also cuddling because they always seemed to get snuggly at church.  I have one particularly fond memory of my oldest daughter at church.  She was around 3 and had a little more energy so sitting still for an hour could sometimes be interesting and on this one occassion, she was busy asking me a lot of questions about the hymm book and about "that stuff" they pass out during communion ....."what's dat taste wike?" ;)  well she looked over at me and I was intently reading along in the hymm book and she said "mommy, what does that book say" and I said "it says Cali will be good in church" animatingly pointing to each word as I emphasized my point half heartedly........to which she began to touch the words and repeat to herself (Cali will be good in church.....) and then she realized what she was saying.  She made a disapproing face and replied, "I don't wike dis pwace!" !!!!!  I about rolled out of my chair laughing..........and she was as serious as could be!  Oh the laughter that could be heard from parishoners sitting nearby!  It was truly a Cali moment never to be forgotten!  So honest--and so adorable. 

I realize now just how many of those days we always had.  I wish I could have written them ALL down......I know I have been journaling and keeping their baby books but I've bound to have missed some along the way.   Something so simple would turn into something so funny just because of the innocent and adorable nature of children.   Oh I can't begin to tell you how much fun we have had with our children!   And Taylor Switf's song sums it up quite nicely.  It's called "I had the best day with you......today" and it completely describes my memories with my children.  They made every day new and interesting and enjoyable.  So I'll attach the song if you'd like to listen......and a picture of the title. The Best Day by Taylor Swift
 
 
And now that she is a teenager........we still have the best days! Just last night she had her first ever "going out with friends to a movie and dinner".  You know......where you drop your child off and they run in to the movie theatre and all of their friends are waiting.  Well we of course went over all the reminders of how to handle various scenerios on safety and other issues that may arise (boys were joining them!)  and when I came to pick her up......she was giddy with excitement of the young fun and taste of growing up she had just digested.  We shared a special ride home listening to Taylor Swift (who else? :) and she laid her head on the console between our seats as I ran my hands through her hair and talked to her about how proud her daddy and I are of her.  How much we trust her and feel so good about how she's maturing and making good decisions.  Then I pictured her at age 3 again......and felt that glimmer of how quickly it all goes by.  I'm so thankful we've shared so many "best days" that fill my heart with joy! Watching your children grow up is the "best day" you live every day for those few childhood years that you are blessed enough to have.  May every parent take the time to realize it and seize it! It warms the soul!

Saturday, October 13, 2012

Day 36: Gorgeous fall

We are having an absolutely sun-filled and gorgeous fall!  I love this season but it has been especially perect weather this year.  I am so thankul for all the  blessings and what we've been able to get out and do with such pleasurable weather so today--my post is simply on the weather, God's splendor and the gorgeous colors of fall :)

Ok--well I can include some children specialness too!!  We were together for our fall break and enjoyed, among other things......getting some tasks accomplished of our to-do list.....whilst enjoying the gorgeous backdrop of God's perect timing and colorul splendor!!!  And a little Pandora music never hurts :)))  Actually, I have come to realize that Pandora music could get me through ANY task!!!  In addition, home cooking, togetherness, and fall fun!!!  Oh how I cherish these times with our children!!  Thank you God!!!

Sunday, October 7, 2012

Day 35: Babies-mine or others

Today my niece visited with her children and it isn't often that we get to see her or her kids because they live in another state, so it was a real treat!  Her children are 4 and 1 and they are so much fun!  Her oldest reminded me of our son at that age.  Very silly and into cars and tractor rides and all things boy.  Her daughter is beginning to pull up on things and crawling around everywhere. 
She reminded me so much of my niece (her mother) as a baby. 
It was great to get to visit with them and I know times flies so quickly.....but for just a few minutes today, I got to pretend that my own children were babers again.  :)  And oh how I love babies, mine or others!

Saturday, October 6, 2012

Day 34: Talent Show

I am so proud of Bella Bella!!!  She organized a performance with her friends and then they performed at the talent show--and won!!  She was so excited and it was so much fun to watch!  After hearing rehearsals for the past few weeks, seeing it finally come together was delightful!