Table For Six

Image from Dottie Angel

My Mom and brother are moving in.

Our house is going to be full come the end of this month and I'm looking forward to having more company. I'm currently re-organizing a few of our rooms. My brother will be taking over the loft so I'm moving my office downstairs. Mia will be losing her room for now too, but she's really not missing anything since she still prefers to sleep with me. My goal for today is to move all her belongings into the master bedroom. I'll have to share my space with all of her stuffed animals and My Little Ponies.

With my Mom being available a new possibility has opened up. I can go back to school. I can look for work. It's a little overwhelming since I have neither gone to school or worked outside of my home for nine years. I'm having to ask myself that question, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" I should know the answer to that question by now but I don't.

The Huntington Library

With a bit of time to spare during our Valentine's Day jaunt, we took a spontaneous trip to The Huntington Library. The last time we were there Aidan was only 9 months old. We had just 1 1/2 hours to explore before closing time but there were still so many people in line to get in that Allan made another spontaneous decision. We became members. We have one whole year to come and go as we please. We can bring just Aidan along to peruse the library and art galleries. Allan and I can go by ourselves on a photography adventure. The possibilities... Right now the magnolias, camellias, and plum trees are in full bloom. Next will come the roses. I can't wait for the roses.

Mia enjoyed the Children's Garden for a while but in the end declared, "I don't like this park. There's no swings or slides." It's true, but I'm sure she'll get it later.

2.12.09

I didn't like any of the Valentine card options at Tarjay so I decided Aidan's cards this year will be original! I made this bag topper on PSE and it practically took less than ten minutes to create. The bird and branch brush was free from here. The lighting is terrible inside my house at this time so here's what it really looks like. I guess I just feel good about making something (even if it is just a little something) after such a long creative drought.

And, oh no, I'm not sure I even want to open it knowing that it's the last dose of Domino goodness I will get. I think it needs to be savored when the kids are asleep and there's a nice, hot cup of white chocolate mocha coffee in my hand.

I Brake For Rainbows

I should have a bumper sticker on my car that says that. As I was driving home from bringing Aidan to school, I was noticing the beautiful morning light. The day was absolutely glowing inspite of the gray clouds. Then Mia and I saw the most intense, amazing rainbow, from one end to another, and we drove right underneath it. I had to call Allan and tell him to get the camera because I wanted to capture the moment. Unfortunately by the time I got home to pick him up the clouds began to take over the sky again. I drove around for a bit to get a good vantage point but these pics were the best we could get.

I love rain. I love rainbows. They leave me feeling so grateful that I'm able to witness something so beautiful.

She loves them too.

I'm thinking...

1. about a pretty scent.

2. of feeding my obsession.

3. this will make for sweeter dreams.

4. this is much nicer.

5. old and yet new.

6. like we need juice.





7. about how much I love that paper I used for Mia's layout.

8. that after two layouts I really should go to sleep.

1.26.09

Bowling was a bust yesterday but hanging out with the Reyes' was fun. Polly's. Pinkberry. Just hanging out in our living room while the kids played Wii. Mia loved them and asked where Victoria was after they left.

Magical Thinking. Why didn't I think of this?

It's another chance at celebrating a new year today! Faith and love...those two things will get us through.

Finally Outside

I can't believe how warm it is in the middle of January. I'm hoping this is just temporary. I don't think I can handle coming from such a short winter and jumping straight into summer already. What's worse are the Santa Ana winds constantly blowing through our area. Even though it has been nice and sunny we couldn't go outside. We were stuck inside for four days! But thankfully today we got a reprieve.



Mia reigned over the backyard in her castle. For about ten minutes she stood there and sang a song only she could understand. It was full of emotion though with lots of gestures and pretty poses. I told her today that I might have found a dance class for her to go to and she got so excited.





Aidan was very willing to be my model today and I love these shots! His face is so sweet.



They worked off some more energy jumping off our little wall. A few months ago I had asked Mia to do this and she wouldn't. She was too scared to even stand up. But now she had no hesitation.



My little birdie can fly.

A New Favorite

We went to Jacob Reyes' birthday party yesterday and got to bowl. We decided it was so much fun that we had to go again and so we did. Brunswick Classic Lanes in Norco. It was nice and clean and the games were at a great price since it was Sunday morning.

Aidan and I shared a seven-pound bowling ball. I really need to buff up because my arm was starting to wilt after our second game. Not good.

This was only Aidan's fourth or fifth time bowling so he's still trying to figure out his approach. It looks like he's doing a back kick here! Combination TKD and bowling...now that would be a cool sport.

Yeah, we need to work on our scores. I'm happy if I can just come close to 100. I admit I suck...for now. Allan's so much better because he can get at least three strikes per game.

We didn't eat breakfast so we devoured the nachos.

He looks so much older here. I forgot he's already 8 1/2. Well, he loves bowling now and hopefully we can make it a monthly family outing!

Bookworms

The kids and I went to the library today because Aidan has to do a report about the Oto Indians. Really it means I have homework about the Oto Indians. Not only does he have to write a report, but he also has to construct a model of their type of dwelling. It's not that it's a tough assignment but honestly I think third graders are a bit young to do this sort of comprehensive report. I guess parents are expected to help them.

What will make this tough though is that there's barely any information on the tribe he chose. There were absolutely no books in the library to help us. We're going to have to rely on the internet for the entire project.

Anyway, so the trip to the library was exhausting. The little girl exhausts me. Mia was just all over the place and I had to lay down the law several times. I hate laying down the law. Aidan found a book to read that will hopefully be on the A.R. list so he could take a test for it. Mia went away with two and I found a book in the children's section that I had to take home to read called Ghost Wings.





Doesn't she look so sweet? Nah...she's still a Sourpatch Kid! Not listening and leaving my side even after I told her to stay put. Then when we got back home she said to me, "I'm sorry about the library, Mommy." How can I not forgive her when she looks so cute and pretty? I think I love her hair best like this.



This was a frozen dinner that I had for lunch. It's called Methi Malai Chicken from Fresh and Easy and it was really, really good. I didn't eat the beans though because I'm just not partial to beans and I only ate half of the rice. I finished it all off with a tall glass of ice-cold caffeine-free Diet Pepsi and I was a full and happy girl. I can't wait for the Fresh and Easy to be built down the street from us!

11.24.08

I love this Christmas tree. marthastewart.com

I've been very lax with picture-taking lately. So sad. But the holidays are just around the corner so I'm sure I'll end up with more than I know what to do with. I'm hoping to take the Christmas card pic this weekend. The theme is "gray sweaters". Gray=Guray.

I find myself singing High School Musical songs even with Mia gone for the day. It's all good, all right. See you later doesn't mean goodbye. She's not here commanding me, "Sing, Mommy!" She probably misses hearing the songs too and we'll probably listen to them throughout the drive home from Grandma's house. I really miss her when she's not around and I can't sleep very well at night without her. I miss my baby girl.

Being on Facebook has been quite an experience so far and I've only been on it for a few days. I didn't realize that there were so many people using it. There are people there that I knew at grade school. It's another reason why I love the Internet.

My day tomorrow will consist of doing a few store returns and putting the laundry away. I just want to hug and play with Mia and hopefully it will rain since the clouds started coming in this afternoon. Crossing my fingers that the cold weather is finally here to stay.

What Can You Do?

Aidan wants to quietly look at his book but Mia wants to do the same thing right next to him. It's so funny how she does to him what he does to me. And he hates it! Haha.

I just received a call from the school principal and there will be no school tomorrow because of the poor air quality. (Aidan will be so happy.)

Fires. It's hot and windy in the middle of November. We went outside to relieve our boredom even though I knew it wasn't advisable. I kicked the soccer ball around with Aidan, watered the plants, and realized how much I loved the smell of wet earth. It wafted up to me and it was as if it had just rained. We were only outside for about half an hour, however, when the smell of smoke suddenly became overwhelming, like when you're in a casino and you can't escape the stench of cigarettes. I truly wish it would cool down soon. At this rate we'll probably get only two months of actual cold weather. It makes me wish we were living somewhere else, someplace with an actual change of seasons. I want winter. I want to wear sweaters and fuzzy socks. I want to use the down comforter. Please, winter, come! Please! I'm ready!

Today in Pictures

1. The dirty dishes were piling and creeping along the counter. I just couldn't deal with them but thankfully Allan did. What would I do without him?

2. He finished his first nine vocabulary words in record time today. I couldn't believe it. And, yes, no shirt again. That's why I hardly have pictures of him.

3. We had to go to the mall this weekend to get Mia's costume. First she told me she wanted to be Sleeping Beauty but then she changed her mind and wanted to be Tinkerbell. Then she changed her mind again. The girl drives me nuts sometimes! But there it is. Pink. Pink. Pink.

4. My cute little cactus.

5. I haven't scrapped in so long but I got the new Ali Edwards book anyway. There's Mia's light-up shoes to match her Sleeping Beauty dress and a little lamb from Bath and Body Works that I had to have. It was free with a $15 purchase only so I bought lots of hand soap.

6. These flowers are very photogenic. I love their fall color.

7. Lots of deflated balloons for Lola to mess with. Actually, it kinda looks sad. Like they're saying, "The party is definitely over."

8. Catalog shopping! She wants everything! Of course!

9. The Tres Leches cake from Red Ribbon is dangerous. I had two slices today.

Kid Stuff

Time is moving at a steady pace now that we have our routine set. Monday to Friday has become extremely predictable. The alarm clock is set to 6:20 a.m. and I give myself five minutes to slowly rouse myself out of sleep. I always walk slowly to the door because I don't want to wake Mia up before I have a chance to make Aidan's breakfast. My first stop is at Aidan's room and he is usually half-awake already. Then I walk down the stairs and open the sliding door. It maybe my most favorite part of the morning because I truly love feeling that rush of cold air on my face and arms. Aidan makes choosing what kind of breakfast to make very easy...either waffles or cereal with a chocolate milk drink.

We're both getting used to doing homework again.

He got another sticker today at sparring. I think he's doing really well. He's very good with his defensive moves.

Mia doesn't like receiving attention from adults although she loves being around other kids. Today at TKD one of the parents tried to say hi to her by tapping her on the shoulder and she took a swipe at him. But at the Chinese restaurant we were behind a Dad and his little girl and Mia was saying hi to her and jumping with her and holding her hand. I guess it's good at this time that she's wary of adults. It's crazy though how things change. When she was younger she was so outgoing and willing to talk to anyone. Now she's really selective.

She loves Grandma and Grandpa and she always wants to call them several times a day.

She plays with her new Mermaid Barbie when she takes a bath.