party at my house

A Zumba party that is, I am having a Zumba party all day in my living room today. Not only because I had a bad eating day yesterday (those dang McDonald's fries, that Nathan didn't eat), but because I have exactly one week to have my routine down before I teach my first Zumba class all alone. I'm nervous and excited and can't wait to see how it all turns out. So if you're in the neighborhood stop by, the door is open, don't ring the doorbell because I won't hear it I will be moving my cadera!

sledding on the 8th hole

So with this latest winter storm that has dumped all of this wonderful glorious snow, we wanted to take full advantage of it. The roads were in no condition to drive yesterday morning so I canceled child care at church and we took the morning off, my sweet hubby made us all blueberry pancakes, eggs and for all my little carnivores some Jimmy Dean sausages. I stuck to the pancakes and coffee:) Then we ran to the grocery store to pick up a couple of things so I could make my man his very favorite meal, and then we picked up the sleds and hit the slopes...ahem... I mean golf course. We had so much fun, we stayed there for hours, watching the kids sled, taking our own drastic turns praying all the while we wouldn't break a hip or dislocate something, and sipping on some hot cider and hot chocolate, it was a marvelous day and quite a good workout, so although the rest of my fellow Arizonans are tired of the snow, I enjoy it and would welcome a lot more of it.

A snowy Sunday & Chocolate chip snow cream!

I have a hot date today!

I know I know what a lucky lady I am, I have the hottest of dates today. What can I say, to know what awaits me this beautiful Thursday afternoon! It's cleaning day, so let the hot, soapy, scum scrubbing action commence! On days when I'm not so excited about cleaning or doing laundry, on days where the beautiful weather outside is screaming my name, I just have to remember being a stay at home mommy is my number one job, I just have to remember that little boys need clean underwear or else they go commando and well that just grosses me out, I just have to remember that the toilet doesn't clean itself, although I wish it would, and remember that by me doing my job I am blessing my family. Blessing them with clean whitey tightey undies, pj's that are so comfy and soft and smell of downey, the same ones that will cuddle them as they say their prayers and drift off to sleep, and my time over a hot stove is in preparation of the healthy wonderful food that will nourish their rapidly growing bodies. I love my job, I do, with what other job in the world could I each and every day bless the people I love the most. So with that I'm off to my hot date with Mr. Clean, and yes my husband approves of the time I spend with that super clean, bald hunk of a man! Happy cleaning day, well that is for me I hope you all enjoy whatever this beautiful days has planned for you.

Home Cooked Valentine's Day

This year since Valentine's Day was on a school night, we thought it would be fun to celebrate it at home as a family. The hubby and I usually go somewhere romantic but we thought it would be a lot more fun to turn our own dining room into a fabulous Valentine themed restaurant. So there were balloons, heart shaped lights, a heart tree, and much much more. The kids and I decorated it all afternoon and they helped me make a simple but super yummy dinner (spaghetti & meatballs, with a salad) they also got to use the grown up wine glasses to drink their sparkling cider, it was wonderful we all laughed and talked about the day, the parties they had at school and about the gifts and candy they had each received. Then after putting the kiddos to sleep my hubby and I danced the night away thanks to our cable box that had a certain channel that was playing valentine themed music, it was so simple yet probably one of the best Valentines ever. It was about our family and how much we all love each other. I hope that this occasion leads to more nights just like this one!

Science fair fun & a happy Valentine's Day

So a few days ago I promised some big news regarding Nicolas, well drum roll please....He won first place at his school's science fair. We showed up to school bright and early last Thursday morning, the school was hosting the parents and feeding us pastries so we could mosey around and check out all the kid's projects. These kids are so intelligent and ask the most amazing questions, I really enjoyed walking around looking at each project. When we finally found Nick's I thought he was going to pass out, he looked at me with this huge smile and it took a few seconds for any words to come out, "Mom, Mom, Mom I won I got 1st place, I told you it was good!" It was such a great feeling to watch my son feel so proud of something he had accomplished. He worked very hard on it, and deserved that beautiful blue ribbon. So enough bragging I'm off to celebrate Valentines Day with all my little Valentines, I have a little something up my sleeve for them just a little something special I planned for them so I will show all of you later. In the meantime I'm off with eleven pounds of sliced oranges for Nathan's second grade party, 12 sweetly wrapped preschool gifts for Isaac, and nothing more that a warm hug for Nicolas (his teacher thinks they are too old to celebrate Valentines Day, I say bahh humbug to you, no one is ever to old to celebrate love) Happy Valentines Day!

Finally

So it's been almost an entire week since my last post and I must admit I'm a little saddened by that fact, my goal was to blog daily or every other day. I read this wonderful woman's blog and she said that blogs are like plants and they need to be watered and nurtured on a constant basis, so that's been my goal and I'm slacking already. It's absolutely not because I have nothing to post about, it's the complete opposite I could write an entire novel of our activities each day. Although today happy to say is not going to be one of those busy, busy days Isaac doesn't have preschool today and Nathan is home sick, not too sick but sick enough he felt he needed to be close to mom today. I'm allowing it, first because we have been so busy that I think some rest will do his body and his spirit some good, and second because he is doing amazingly well in school, if I didn't share he received a big award at school last week for being a leader, an excellent student and overall just an awesome kid, and last but not least because I've missed having some quiet cuddle time with him. So today I got up early finished my to do list before 8:30 am and the rest of the day can just fall into place as it happens, we don't have to do anything or go anywhere today, how flippin cool is that?!?! I too needed a day like this.
I have some really exciting news about Nicolas I will share with you all later, I have to get a picture first. So until then Happy Thursday.

La Caipirinha is my new favorite

So I totally did it today!!!! I co -taught my very first zumba class ever. It was way more fun than I ever thought it would be, I messed up but my co teacher is just the best and saved me quite a bit, she is just such an amazing woman and teacher and I am so very grateful to her and how she is helping me. She is wonderful she is letting me just pick her brain over and over and I always leave feeling inspired and overjoyed with all of tips that she so generously gives me. A friend of mine showed up to support me and at first I felt really nervous about her being there, like it was ok for me to do it in front of strangers but to actually really know someone that was there made me nervous, but after a few minutes I was having so much fun that I was just so appreciative that she was there to support me. I will have to call her for lunch or Starbucks soon! Well we are off to a super busy day, two basketball games and a baby shower for my sweet friend who is expecting her first baby, I get to shop for a girly today, Yay! Happy Happy Saturday!

So I'm really going to go for it!

In my last post I talked a lot about wanting to do something very different from the usual, explore my options, step outside my box. Well it must be God moving in my spirit and guiding me because right after I posted last week I've been bombarded with Zumba stuff, I was offered two jobs teaching, every time I turn on the TV I see the Zumba infomercial it's a constant in my life these days. I often pray that God will be with me in very obvious ways and talk very loud to me because I don't think I can always hear Him. Well I couldn't miss Him if I tried. So I'm going for it, I'm co teaching my very first Zumba class this Saturday (with the most awesome woman who has even offered to be my mentor through this whole process!) and I will be getting my Zumba Certification on March 19th. I'm nervous and excited all at the same time. I'm a pretty shy and quiet person so this is a HUGE step for me, I mean shaking it all in front of a group of strangers, I'm hoping this not only helps me step out but also helps me with my confidence. So the whole butterfly thing has started, now let's just hope I totally rock it!