absolutely me

In our home, that is! Boy, this has been quite a month for us at home, but it's been such a nice time, too! And for me, personally, this month was absolutely amazing! Goin to the scrapbooking retreat was so rejuvenating... well, in a sense, anyways! At my age, nothing brings back youth (ha!) but it was a very, very nice break. Getting to know so many nice, VERY nice ladies was such a positive respite on the road. In any event, this weekend, we put up our Christmas tree. We usually do it the weekend of Thanksgiving, on Saturday. We start the day with Christmas music, bring out all decorations and I usually cook a "fancy" meal, and we invite Papa & Noni over for dinner and a movie. But this year, Cesar won't be with us for Thanksgiving, so we had to "rush in" our little celebration. As Cesar grows, I guess is less exciting to put up the tree, since there's no more Santa excitment, but I really am trying hard for Coco and Connor, and sometimes I have to...

Well, I'm supposed to get going, because I have soooo many things to do, and an assignment today at 2 in aurora... BUT I had to come back just to BLOG this!!!! I received my monthly kit from CHS , and inside, with everything else, was a "little" present from Carrie... I was on the phone with Brian, and I must say, I gasped so loudly, Brian got scared... it just took my breath away! This is sooo pretty! Do you want to see what did Carrie sooo generously sent to me??? Click here to go see... THANK YOU, Carrie!!! You're the sweetiest!!!!! AND, our DECEMBER kit ROCKS!!!!

We tried to go to get our pumpkins ALL month long, but we just couldn't fit it anywhere, so this past weekend, right before Halloween, we finally made it to it. Of course, it was FREEZING, and coco was sooo bummed that we didn't et to stay very long and do the maize thingy, or pet the farm animals, but it REALLY was cold, and I was afraid that with my cold, I would not be able to function the rest of the week! Cesar, Brian and Coco carved the pumplins, and I think they did an EXCELLENT job! Coco did puncture ALL of hers, it was the pirate one, we were VERY surpeised! Then, I just had the idea of making Coco's custome myself, because I couldn't find any Angel customes out there with a thick fabric, and I knew it would be cold. But I cannot remember how to make the darn patterns! (I learned all about it when I was 16, but I cannot remember it at all!) SO, I just made her lay on the floor and traced it around her body, how about that for practical??? They looked ADORAB...

I I was going to do this last night at midnight, but I have been sooo sick (just my throat, nothing major, but i can't talk, my voice is gone), so it had to wait until this morning... and even then, I just curled up in bed! So, here it is, on Thursday night, the final result of our li'l drawing we had going this morning before starting school... and the winner is LisSa!!! Please send me an email with you address so that I can send these epoxy alphabets your way! :) Just a little something to celebrate our monthly kit club CHS , my 50th blog, online friendship, LIFE! And, now, my dear friends, I'm going back to BED!!! Hopefully tomorrow I'll be able to whisper! (Brian said that I am not able to speak because God Almighty LOVES HIM SO!) Lots O'Hugs!

So, how did I get SOOOO lucky, then??? Yesterday I got my newletter inviting me to go vote for one of the finalists in the mm idol , and I left a little comment, since they are giving away 10 Shimmer Kits and Ready to Glitter Stickers . Today, I get the email letting me know that I am one of the 10 winners!!! I am happy, can you see me smile???? :) So, who will win MY little surprise give away??? We'll know tomorrow at midnight!!! Hugs to all! (thank you Memory Makers )

I LOVED this month's kit! it's all Melissa Frances' pp, stickers & vintage keyhole, bazzill chipboard alphabet (soooo yummi!!!), ink & cardstock... and the price of our kit is REALLY AMAZING!!! Come and visit our club , you'll really LOVE IT!!! We'll be having a LIVE CHAT with MELODY ROSS , founder of CHATTERBOX in November. I love Melody, she's a beautiful person inside and out, her blog is so inspiring and uplifting. Visit the CHS website for all the details of this live chat. These are a few of the LOs that I made with my kit (And I still have some more in the works!) In honor to this awsome kit, and inspired by Carrie's idea to celebrate my 50th post, I will be raffling a little something amongst the ladies that leave a comment. I will print the names and draw them from Coco's sombrero (thanks for that sombrero, Amy!) On Wednesday night, I will hold the drawing, and post a picture of the little present to be mailed... Thank you all, nice la...

Free Hugs Campaign. Inspiring Story! (music by sick puppies) I saw this video at Paper Pals' Blog: http://scrapatpaperpals.blogspot.com/ It may be too simplistic, I know, but sometimes it just amazes me how very little is needed to create good will amongst human beings. When did we lose that magic? When did we lose that innocence? Boy, how I wish we could regain that feeling.

These are some of the pictures of our trip, and down below, Coco's silly hat day. Although I may be cursed with blinding pesimism, I must also be blessed with very bad memory, because as much as I said I was unhappy with my kids, I just remember such a great time with this trip... AWSOME!!!

This morning, I was feeding Connor and Coco was eating her breakfast. Brian was getting ready, Digger was quietly laying in the family room, Cesar left around 7:15 am. It's 7:45 when the door bell rings. Of course, we all jump. Who could it be at this hour? I open the door, and two girls that I can very vaguely place are standing at my porch. One must be about Cesar's age, the other one must be about 14 or so. "We are friends of Cesar. We missed the bus. Can you take us to school?" WHAT? Who are these kids? What happened to "Good morning, Mrs. Riordan. Sorry to bother you so early in the morning"????? I have to finish feeding Connor, make Coco's hair and get to school by 8:30, and their school ( Cesar's school ) is at least 20 minutes away. I feel bad, but I say, "I really can't today. Wait - Brian, can you take these kids to school?" "Sorry, hun, I'm going to Indiana today, and I still have to drive north to Noni's to drop...

We decided to go to Springfield for a nice little getaway with the kids last weekend. Brian took the day off on Monday, the kids had the day off at school, so we went to Springfield. On our way, we stopped at Starved Rock, another place I want to go back to one day. Beautiful, beautiful fall colors. We have to go back there to take a hike! I always have been fascinated by Abraham Lincoln. In my opinion, the best president our country has had. Just an awsome person to emulate. And I totally enjoyed our trip in that sense. As soon as I started walking through those streets, I kept thinking: this is where greatness walked. I trully felt very emotional about it. The museums we were able to see, Lincoln's New Salem... all very fascinating. Now, when it comes to the rest of it... Boy, that was frustrating! Now, somebody should have let us know that Springfield is a total ghost town on the weekends!!! Downtown is practically DEAD ZONE during the weekend! We wanted to have a decent meal, b...

Most Embarrasing Moment This week's topic in our Blog Ring, is our most embarrasing moment. I had been thinking all week long, trying to decide which of my MANY, MANY embarrasing moments has been the very worst of all, and I just couldn't quite put my finger to it. But today, as I read this article and watched this video, I understood that this was my most embarrasing moment ever. I realized how easily I give in to my own condescending ways and all the excuses I make for myself not to do things. I realized that I don't praise the Lord enough and I don't commit to being a true Catholic, 100% of my time. I realized I have so much growing to do, so much learning, so much LIVING pending. So much more to do as a parent, as a wife, as a daughter, as a friend... I truly feel embarrased... and I truly feel blessed. Now this is the kind of embarrasing that I need of EVERYDAY, to remind me all the many, many blessings and talents I have, and to use them wisely. Here you can read ...

My dear friend Tracie called me on Saturday. "What are you doing?" Of course, I am doing NOTHING interesting. Just laundry. so, here comes Tracie... "We're coming to get you, we wanted to go to the demonstration at your lss". We means Tracie and Tiffany, another friend from an online yahoo group that lives locally. Wowsers! that is just such a nice thing to do. It's been quite a while since I went out with the girls, just to "cruise', so to speak. No particular hurry, just going out and enjoying the afternoon. We had lunch at Cano's Mexican Restaurant (yummi stuff!). I had ceviche, which left me stinking like fish AND onions for the rest of the week!!! *sigh* Then, we went to The Peddler's Den, and low and behold, the lady giving the demonstration is the same lady who helped me SOOO much at my last class at CHA!! I was a total reck, couldn't keep up with the class (Tracie and I call it my natural blondiness - no offense, just a silly jok...

If someone would have told me at 21 that at age 37, I would wake up looking forward to taking my daughter to school, I would have laughed so hard. I would have told them they had NO CLUE who I was, and the nice corner office I would have... YET, it is true! This is my favorite thing to do. I feel SO proud every morning when I walk up that path, and find other moms with their kids. We all say hi, we all look after each other's kids, and we all stand there for a few minutes talking about our days. But that is really on my way back. On my way to school, Coco and I play hopscotch, and she always wins. And then, we "tap dance" a silly dance inside some other squares painted on the ground. Then, I have to {reluctantly} let her go, and come back home to start my morning... but I feel so proud! I can't describe how ood this silly little ritual of ours makes me feel! I sure am trying to enjoy it while it lasts, fall is here and colder weather may prevent us from doing this pre...

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...