absolutely me

Every morning, I send a beautiful baby boy to my mother in law to care for, and, what do I get back??? MACHO MAN And to top it off, he goes STRAIGHT for the REMOTES!!! THE NERVE!!!!! Macho Riordan... I think I like it!

I feel more at peace when... I hold Connor in my arms I take Coco to school every day, and we walk the little paved road I make my bed in the morning I have my Hazelnut coffee in my winter mug I hear the "Hey, it's Franklin" song in the TV downstairs I hear Diggy Boy bark around 4 Cesar walks in the door after Diggy Boy barks We hold hands as we pray before having dinner We take turns to tell each other how was our day I hold Connor in my arms and rock him to sleep I hear the weirdest music on the playstation downstairs I have time to scrap a little My husband holds {me} in his arms and plays with my hair as I fall asleep These are the things that make me very happy. And when I am happy, I am at peace. At peace with myself. At peace with my little world. I have to concentrate not to lose them from sight. {thank you, Jacquie}

Nicole is slowly getting used to this kind of activity after school, and I am SOOO loving it! Tuesday after school, she came home and asked me if she could use my "pretty scissors", because she wanted to make some cards for her friends at Ms. Amy's (her daycare provider.) She has decided she rather come home to mommy than go to daycare, but she wanted to make something special for all her friends. So, she went ahead and cut her "cards" and I prepared the table for her to work on, along with some paints. Since i wasn't looking at all times (I was right in the next door room, my office, she was in my bedroom, watching NOGGIN as she worked), it took a lot of bravery on my part to leave her alone with pain in my room (last time that happened, it happened to be black pain, which ended on my carpet AND the TV screen, it was a nightmare to clean! Then again, she was 2 and a half.) In any event, she was so proud of herself when she finished! She wanted me to stop wo...

Yesterday, we celebrated Cesar's 12th B-day. This was just the family celebration, he'll have his "real" party with his friends a little later in the month. We did nothing much, just a day filled with trips to the stores to get his presents... He got a new TV with DVD player, and one of The Simpsons seasons. My sister came over, along with my nephew, and my brother in law and uncle Georgie. We made POZOLE, which is a DELICIOSO Mexican dish (yummy!!!), and we cut Cesar's "cake" (really, it was a cheese cake...) Just a nice, worry-free day to celebrate 12 years of love and of getting to know this awsome human being that is my oldest son. I'm loving this kid so much!!!! I can see a GREAT adult coming our way!!! I'm so excited!!!! Happy Birthday, Cesar!!!!

So, one of the groups I belong to, Scrapbrats , has a new Blog Topic Ring going on for our blogs, and I really LOVED the idea of this weeks theme. Jacquie, our beautiful scrappindiva , asked us to answer the question, "I wish I knew {then} what I know {now}" (paraphrased in my own words.) First thing that came to my mind was my father's mantra. He always told us the following: "Never regret anything you do. Because when you live with integrity in your heart, and trying to follow your principles, you will always have made the decision you thought was best for you. Learn from your mistake, but never, ever regret them" With that, I thought, my case was closed. I pretty much have lived my life as best as I've possible have been able to, trying to be the best person I can, and failing innumerable occasions, many more than I care to count. But everytime I have been accountable for my mistakes, I have owned up to them, and I have been able to stand up again, strong...

I felt sooo agravated this whole week. I kept making so many dumb mistakes that made me so angry at myself! Nicole's first day of school (formally) was Tuesday. We were supposed to take them with tags on their clothes (for the first few weeks only). So, the Round Up day, I scrapbooked a nice tag for one of her friends, Jake, who came to play. Well, I forgot to scrapbook my own daighter's tag!!!! Oh, I was sooo angry that she had to take a plain printed one that daddy had to make in a hurry, because to top it off, I couldn't wake myself up that morning! ARRRGH! So, Wednesday I finally made one (early in the morning, mind you. I don't know why was I so exhausted all week!) In any event, I just felt so dumb and such a neglecting parent. I know, it's just a tag, but it was the fact that I didn't have it ready. Anyways, I'm trying to work out a way to keep Coco with me after school. When I took this new job, helping the agency I interpret for, from home, the whol...

A flea market can be SO much fun! And such a great place to find inspiration, little details to decorate your home, or even yourself :) Carrie, Kathy and I met at Caribou Coffee on Sunday morning. After a decadent White Chocolate Moccha (yes, complete with chocolate covered coffee bean, chocolate shavings AND whipped cream), we went to Kane County Flea Marlet. I've never been to one before, and I was so happy to be there! so many beautiful things to see! But more than anything else, the Flea Market was such a reminder of my abuelita Paula, my paternal grandma. Everywhere I looked, there was some sort of reminder of her. Those old metal milk containers... I remember abuelita in the mornings, going out with her pan in hand, ready for the milkman to pour the milk. Then, she would bring it home and boil it, and she and I would eat the milk custard with cheese in a piece of bread with coffee, as she told me stories of her childhood... I remember abuelita's hands crocheting those be...

Friday was Nicole's Round Up at Lakewood Creek. All of us, parents, went to drop off our children, and listen to the principal and all other staff members instruct us in the fine art of dropping and picking up our children, and when to keep them home, etc. This was the first year that no kid dropped off cried. To make up for it, though, a couple of moms did :) Many of Coco's friends are coming to school with her, and Jake came home with us and played with Coco for a few hours. Now, if you are adamant that kids follow strict rules around a house, my place is definitely the place for your kids - NOT!!! They jumped on the couches, ate ice cream treats, and created a "waterfall" with a giant roll of paper and color pencils. Mom is always just too happy to clean after the kids!!! I know, I'm nuts, but I really enjoy having the kids playing and running around! So, I made it through wound up without crying (just a li'l moist eyes, that's all), let's see how I...