guest

I have a very special guest writer today:

 

 Hi. My  name  is Julia. I  am  Kassondra's  daughter. I am writing about a sweet girl named  Julia. Here 's my story. Once upon a time there lived a girl. Who lived with  her very nice family. She lived in  New York. It was her favorite place because she had a lot of friends there. She played with them  every day. She was the nicest girl on earth. She moved to Europe. She learned English, Spanish and French. She had the best time ever. She became a princess. She fell in love with a prince named  Micheal. Micheal went to go pick some flowers for the princess. The Princess finally got married to  the prince. They lived happily ever after.

hoped you enjoied her little story. Sometimes I try to find out what is going on in her big head by reading stories she has written and trying to interpret at her drawings. this story I think reveals her desire to travel and learn different languages and ultimately marry a prince.
p.s. she was playing in my wedding dress for these pictures and honestly I haven't seen her that happy in a long time!!!

cuteness

Before you look at these super cute pictures go back here 

ok now you can enjoy all the cuteness

Here is Carter

 

and even though his Mommy and Daddy were over the moon to meet him I have a feeling his big brother has been waiting all his life to be a big brother.

Ballerina

I was feeling like Julia was getting extra attention with her soccer, basketball and school functions. I always strive to make sure things are fair

I have this huge fear that one child with grow up and say that I favored another child over them.

  I am not really sure where that fear came from.

and I realize this might sound some what crazy

but I started looking up activities for Miss Belle.

 she was all signed up for ballet class and then the photographer in me went a little picture crazy!

She loves it so much and even after only two classes she has already learned so much. 

and seriously have you ever seen a sweeter ballerina?

she makes me smile everyday.

Turn it off

I am sorry for the absence lately. I have just noticed that I was spending a lot more time with my lap top and not enough with my family. I felt like emails and messages, editing and writing, pinterest browsing and facebook stalking were getting my attention over my children and husband.

 So for lent I am putting a stop to it. the a computer will remain OFF until nap time or bed time.

It's temping to turn it on at other times like when I am cooking or while the kids are playing or watching TV but instead I want to be present with my kids. I have been letting Julia cook with me. When Belle ask me to read her a story I am actually going to read every word and not paraphrase it so I can be done faster. ( and don't tell you never did that!) also when I would feed Stella I would have my phone in the other hand and play games to pass the time. I am reminded everyday how fast my kids are growing up. I don't want to pass time. I want to be there. I want them to remember me playing baby dolls with them and teaching them. 

so there, that's where I have been. I can't promise that it wont happen again but I am not giving up on this little blog. because I love the outlet it gives me. I feel like I have made so many friends and found so much support by putting my words (even if they are misspelled) out into the interent world. stay tuned this week. I have TONS to catch you up on!!

and because you all know how much I hate not posting a picture to share with my post

here are some soapy piggies

Thanks for sticking with me. what did you give up for lent? and if your not catholic or don't practice Lent, you should still think about what it is in your life that seems to be taking up your time and keeping you away from what really matters. try limiting that or taking a break all together. wish me luck that I can keep up with my promise because my family is worth it.

busy

This is so true lol

I have be really busy with my girls.

working on the kitchen

and just trying to spend more time living in the moment. 

I will get back to writing daily

just tring to figure out a better schedual for myself and blocking out that time to write along with other things I have on my goal list.

thanks for sticking with me and making sure i am ok. 

promise to catch you all up on what has been going on around here soon.

Valentine

Happy Valentine's day!

am i a hero?

 I had a rough week last week. it just seemed like things were not going the way they should and I didn't see any end in sight. i was rethinking a lot of choices i made in my life and wondering what I could do to help not get in these situations again. It was just stressful. I thought why can't things just be easy?

Saturday morning Julia and I woke up really early

 we drove to a warehouse 

We signed in with my wonderful friend Margie and her family

 We listened to a story about a mother not being able to feed her starving children any food

  this mother mixes dirt, salt, vegetable shorting and disease infected water. they then spread it out and cook the batter. she then feeds her children these "mud pies"
18,000 children die EVERYDAY of hunger. the founder of this organization got up and talked about how hero's are everyday people that give something small but in return it creates a big difference.

  after the presentation we got our hair nets on and gloves went to our stations and helped package little food bags with easily digestible protein, carbohydrates and vitamins needed.

 These packages will be sent to 12 different countries including America, Haiti, Kenya, Ukraine and more. And even with such a serious subject matter we had a lot of fun. it was a party atmosphere with music and dancing and laughing. me and Julia haven't had that much fun in a long time!

 We gave an hour of our weekend and becasue of it we helped feed 85,536 children! Julia asked me "Does this mean I'm a hero?"
"you did something so small but becsue of it all those children will get to eat. I think that makes you a hero. and no matter what I am so proud of you!"
"can we come back next week and bring more people with us so we can make MORE packages!?!"

Then I felt so stupid for my attitude last week. I was so down on myself and stressed out about things that really don't matter. I don't have a hard life at all compared to most. I asked God to forgive me for my anger and ungratefulness. I am blessed. My daughters are healthy and taken care of. We have a fridge full of food and clean water. My life is good

if you would liike to learn more about kids against hunger visit here

we plan on going back soon maybe you could be apart of your group just email me and I will make sure you are signed up!!!!

my kitchen nightmare

you have herd me MANY times complaining about my kitchen

you even seen me have a crazy moment and paint my floors

you have sensed my frustration of cabinet doors falling off, countertops not being properly installed causing them to shift around everytime they are touched.

I have been mortified at the thought of hosting any sort of party becasue this kitchen is just things of nightmares!

here is the tour

 view from the hallway

 from the back door

 little eating area (i tried to make it cute)

 this is the view from the table.

so scary right!!! 

and to think i have been cooking meals for my loved ones in here for a little over a year and a half.

but thats all about to change!!!!!!!!

we are going to start the renovations 

i am so excited!

it's going to finally be beautiful!!! 

his little girl

lj

as you all know Miss Belle is a Daddy's girl.

we got another snow storm and Brian wanted to take the girls outside and play for a bit.

Julia took off 

leaving Brian and Belle

 

 

I herd this song not too long ago and tear up every time i listen to it. it reminds me of these two.

feb mini session!

;kj

excited to announce a new mini session 

I am hosting!!!

library

In certain areas of motherhood I feel like I am really strict.

  limited TV times, NO juice except during meals, bed time is 8:30 sharp! and unless you are puking, running a high temp or literally about to die you will be going to school.

well Friday all my girls had doctor check ups and it had snowed overnight so the school was on a two hour delay. I felt like I could be a little flexible one this one day. I let Julia play hooky and we all took a trip to the library.

I plan on making these kind of videos all the time they are so fun and really pushing me in the creative department.

Bangs

 I spent A LOT of my weekends at my aunt Angel's beauty salon when I was a teenager. 

I would babysit for her and she would pay me in hair cuts, dyes, styles, tanning, nails, waxing whatever I wanted.

 I thought it was a cool trade off.

 to be young and without bills o the good old days :)

anyway I have not really been to scared of change when it came to my hair.

I have been blonde, red, black, purple

long, short, perm

 I feel like it's more of a boredom thing than a fashion statement thing.

 and that boredom has been striking me again!

I am trying to grow my hair out to donate it to locks of love. just something on my bucket list that hasn't been checked off and I am determined to do it this time!

but that means no dyeing or cutting short

boring!!!!

then I saw a new style I have never tried........

I did them myself and its not really perfect. and if you have been reading my blog for a while you know when I decide to do something myself it usually doesn't go 100%  great.

 but it's just hair.

I pin them back about 90% of the time.

I think I just am not totally used to it yet

my husband likes them

which is funny to me for reasons I will keep private so not to embarrass him lol

I think I am now at the point where I can donate my hair BUT I have already picked out the style that I want my hair to be after the donation and it calls for longer bangs so I am have to wait a little longer......

but trust me once I finally do it 

It will be a HUGE change!  I am excited!

Twinkie

let me introduce you to the newest addition to our family, 

No! not a new baby, yet anyways :)

it's our new pet hamster named Twinkie

 We got her as a Christmas present from Santa

the pet store elves told us Twinkie was a teddy bear hamster.

meaning it looked like a teddy bear

to me it looks like a rat!

i just can't bring myself to hold her or pet her.

she kind of freaks me out!

so much so that when Julia accidentally let her loose and she trapped herself in our couch I had a panic attack!
I made Brian get up (it was 7 am on a Sunday) and carefully take apart the lining in the bottom of the couch and free Twinkie the lock her back up into the cage.

Now Julia is only allowed to hold Twinkie when her daddy is around to supervise. just until I somehow can get over this fear and think of her as a "teddy bear"