It's been a while.. Every time I think life is going to slow down and we will maybe enjoy a slow season in life I find a way to fill it up. I'm not comaplaining or anything I think and maybe I've just come to terms that life with three boys is always going to be busy, my life is always going to be loud, and I wouldn't have it any other way. So instead of appologizing for our business and thus my lack of blogging I'm just going to start all over again right here right now, clean slate! Here are some pics of Fall/Halloween. See y'all again tomorrow ; )

Happy St. Patty's Day

last night we had a huge sleepover with my boy's friends, it was so much fun. I woke up a little tired but it was all worth it when those sweet little boy faces woke up to some treats. (I know Leprechaun poop sounds disgusting, but I figured with boys it would go over well and it did). The "poop" consisted of Lucky Charms cereal, gummy bears, green candies I can't remember the name of and a few gold coins and a on the side a bottle of bubbles. I love that my boys are still little and I can have fun with them and just be in their joyous innocent presence sometimes. Last night my sweet wonderful husband grabbed my hand and hugged me tight and told me how lucky he and my boys are that I am his wife and their mother but I had to answer back that I'm the lucky and blessed one. Happy St. Patty's Day!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TY6PVNv_tRk&feature=share

Earlier this week I was invited by health coach Melanie Banayat to join her on a local radio program and promote women's health and wellness. It was a great experience the dj was absolutely phenonmenal and made us feel right and home. I was able to share a little bit about how Zumba has changed my life and what it's done for me physically and emotionally that was really cool. I just feel so blessed to have found something that has set me free from so many strongholds and I love sharing it with others. Highlight the Youtube link and right click and open link to see my little Zumba moment.

Purse and scarf raffle

Today I was blessed to attend a fundraising event for a co worker of mine. She is a fantastic instructor and personal trainer. Unfortunately she is in dire need of a new kidney she has kidney failure and is very sick. Today the gym I work for had a purse and scarf raffle. I had never heard of such a thing before little did I know that I was in for a big treat today. We purchased raffle tickets and put them in the purse we liked and Joan picked a ticket, I won every purse I really wanted. How cool! There was a ton of food, we had over 150 purses donated and tons and tons of beautiful scarves we also landed up with some beautiful handmade jewelry being donated. People can be so generous, with their time, talents and purses I found out today. Joan is such an amazing God loving woman who has a shoulder for anyone, an ear for any problem, and arms for those days when you just need a hug. Today we were able to help her and she was speechless and so very grateful. At the end of the day we raised $3,000 for her. Three people also generously offered to be tested to see if they were a match so they could possibly donate a kidney to Joan. I'm just happy I was able to be apart of such a wonderful and special day and also because I get to add two new purses to my growing collection.

Dr. Seuss Birthday

I am lucky enough that I get to make these cute little treats for kindergarteners and 3rd graders for tomorrow. Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!

Source: fancyfrugallife.blogspot.com via Shiri on Pinterest

our very own picasso

All three of our boys are dramatically different. It's kind of amazing to see, I treat them all relatively the same we all live in the same house, eat all the same food, watch more or less the same thing hear the same music but beautifully we are all very very different. Nicolas is our straight A athlete, Isaac is our comedian and Nathan is our artsy picasso child. His artwork has been chosen each and every time the school does an art show. He has had artwork exhibited in several locations around town and the local college asks for his work. This was his latest creation a wire lizard, the picture does it absolutely no justice it was very creative and really cool. I should have labeled this post brag on Nathan, and I mean that in the most humble way. I love to see how each of my children use their God given talents, we are all so blessed and each of us has one. Sometimes as adults I think we tend to forget or wonder what our talent is or at least I do/did. I love how children are so free and expressive and creative and I get to see each day their talents, their gifts, their growing personality, their new abilities and each day I love a little more that I get to be their mom and that is my gift. Happy Happy Thursday, I hope you all have a wonderful day!

a really bad no good day

Yes yesterday was indeed one of "those" days. It was also a day that hurt my feelings, my pride, my ego, my heart and really my whole being. All except my faith, all day yesterday during my really bad not so good day I just kept reminding myself of all the blessings in my life. I am reminded during this lenten season to lean more on Him, and less on myself. When I struggle and boy do I feel like I'm struggling right now that that moment is a moment He may be providing so that I bring myself a little closer to Him. I went to church this morning and that is exactly what I heard during father's sermon. That when we have our bad days maybe that's Him calling us to Him so that he can protect us and love on us a little bit and also so that we may just let it go so that His will may be done. I am also reminded lately that I need to slow down just a little, not fill my plate so full and make time for down time and fun time. I schedule play time for the boys so why don't I make play time for myself? I make sure the boys are in bed at a certain time each night but I will stay up late doing things, chores, projects and those nights lead to tired days. I'm learning that I need to lean on Him, slow down, not care what others may say about me or think of me, I'm facing that I can't please everyone all the time and that is ok. I believe in my heart that I'm a good mom and wife and I love the Lord with all my heart and that's all that matters. I try everyday to be and do my best and on days like yesterday it's ok if it's just not good enough. So today I will make time so slow down, play, pray, work a little and be intentional and present in MY life. Because as I learned yesterday when I'm in too much of a hurry, to busy doing too much for others and not taking care of myself accidents happen.

Valentine fun

Here's just a few pics of our Valentines Day

my little Rocky

So today Isaaac and I are just hanging out around the house, he is making Valentines cards and watched a few cartoons this morning. It's been nice to hear the sound of Elmo in the background this morning, and hear the little pitter patter of feet running down the halls, it was nice to sit down with my little boy for breakfast. I've missed mornings like this, I've missed him now that he's in kindergarten. Isaac is home with me today not because he's sick but rather because he had a run in with a barbie car. Yesterday all the boys were playing outside after school. Isaac was in my niece's barbie car, yes the hot pink one! He loves that car I think he has spent more time driving that thing around than my niece ever has. I have four wheeler tonka toys for him but he would rather drive the barbie car up and down the driveway. Well ok back to the incident, the boys were running around riding scooters and just being boys when Isaac went to turn and leaned to far over and fell right out of the car hitting his eye on the mirror on his way down to the concrete. He ran in more scared than anything, then I noticed the blood and the instant swelling of his nose and entire eye. I rushed him to the doctor who luckily with three boys has an office right down the road from us. He assured me that his eye was fine and that he would just be a total chick magnet for the next week or so with his manly looking black eye. Isaac thought that was gross and funny all at the same time. This morning when he woke up his eye was still so swollen he couldn't open it, so I thought it would be best if I kept him home today. He is having a great day, although it was music today at school so he's a little bummed about missing that. How lucky am I that my kiddos love school so much! I'm also feeling extremely lucky or I take that back I feel blessed. I feel blessed that while raising three boys, our accidents and illnesses have been few. I pray every day that He protects my children, I remember a few years ago I hear Joel Osteen talk about a prayer his mom would say every day over her children and since then I've said it each and every day. Raising boys is like living in a tornado most days and I need Him to have watch over them and take care of them because try as I might I can't stop them from being boys. So I must run now, I'm being called to play candy land and build a lego fort, have a wonderful day!

a shot of a great shot

This is what's for Super Bowl

Cheeseburger salad and I really wish I could just make it and eat it right now, I'm starving after an awesome and wonderful Zumba class this morning. I'm anxiously awaiting tomorrow, my boys are big fans of the Patriots and I have to admit that I don't mind watching their QB either. So tomorrow some family and friends will gather around our TV and watch, I've never been much of a football fan until this season, which I'm sure was bound to happen being that I live in a house full of boys, young men and a football loving husband. So here's what we will be eating, thanks so much to The Pioneer Woman for concocting such an amazingly simply yet wonderfully delicious meal that is a true crowd pleaser! (WWW.Thepioneerwoman.com) I know it looks yummy and it so is, the homemade croutons are the hidden jewel that just make this dish delish!
Have a wonderful Saturday, we sure will be are Peter Piper Pizza bound because Isaac's work was selected to hang on their art wall which features kid's art from all the schools in the area. Now as I type this I think it's a very good marketing strategy for them because if my little sweetheart's artwork was not hanging on their brightly colored walls I would not be going there today, hmmmm nice job PPP. Go Patriots!! or whoever just bring on lunch.

6 more weeks of winter...

That's fine by me! Our winter has been so mild this year so another six weeks of this will be just fine. I absolutely love winter, especially here in norther AZ we get enough snow that it's fun and not overwhelming. We have cold days that are followed by mild wonderful sunshine filled days. No complaining here, our summers can get a little warm so I'm in no means anxiously awaiting summer time.

I still have a hard time writing February down, it's hard to believe we are already in the second month of 2012 time just seems to move along a little faster all the time. With the new year here, I've been pretty good at sticking to my resolutions. I'm still eating good and exercising A LOT, my house is getting cleaner and more organized all the time ( Thank God for my Women of Wisdom bible study we are doing one called simply organized, this has been a HUGE life saver for me). My kiddos are healthy and happy and doing great! Basketball season is upon us and that has things a little shaken up and out of routine but in a good fun way. Praise that my dad found a fantastic job here and can now be here for good, I'm reminding myself now how wonderful God is and how perfect His timing is. My mom was diagnosed with advanced macular degeneration a few weeks ago and it's shaken her and she's been having some problems so my dad couldn't have come home at a better time. Manuel and I are in a great place, I think our marriage gets better and better each year. I don't know if it's because we get older and more mature and let the petty stuff go, if we have gotten to know each other better so it's easier and we know what to expect out of one another or if we just love without expectations and have just fallen into sync with each other. I'm just grateful that I married such a great man who accepts me for all that I am, the good the bad and everything in between. Look at me getting all mushy on y'all. Must be because I'm planning Valentines Day already! On other non mushy related news I'm not 10 pounds away from my ultimate goal! woohoo I never thought that I would actually have this goal within reach. I thought that once I put on all the baby weight that that would just be the way I would be. I'm so glad that I've gotten that big ol lie out of my head. I've found myself again and I'm excited about that and maybe that is why my marriage is in a great place too, I'm finding the more real I am and the more I just honor myself quirks and all the easier and better my life is turning out. I'm not that wall flower girl anymore and I really like it. Happy Happy Groundhog day, may your six more weeks of winter be full of blessings, peace and love!