Hope June 2, 2011

Today was hopeful. My dear husband had an interview for a job close to home. Awww...it is so very amazing to me that hope always seems to come a knocking when we need it most. The interview went well, so we are now in the holding pattern again, but this time with a bit more hope on our side. We are good, we are making it, we are happy, we are healthy, we are sheltered, clothed, and fed, still smiling, and yet we are still hopeful...

Small, Little, Tiny, Minuscule

It really truly is the small things...
-I have read and knit a bit everyday for more than a week.
-I finished knitting the straps to a purse I have been putting off for 3 months.
-I am 9 /12 done will my spring cleaning. Yahoo!!!
-I slept 6 hours straight last night.
-One of my gals my very well love latch hook rug making as much as I did as a kiddo.
-My son read plug and ???, all on his own today!!! Oh man a few points docked for this momma, I seriously cannot remember the second word. First thing, well second thing, after coffee, I will whip out the paper repeat till I memorize them. But really the important thing is he is a step closer to reading.
-I am so excited to see two of my gals perform this weekend!!! I love seeing my kids on stage.
-I took a nice long bath all by myself tonight in the most quite house I have been in a long time. Pure deliciousness.
-Spent the afternoon at the park where I chatted and the kids played.
I now I shall lay me head to bed and catch you on the flip side. Hope you are all letting the little things pile up into on HUGE Billowing heap of greatness!

May 23, 2011 Reality We are Always Blessed

Sometimes you are in the right place, at the right time, and you get to witness something incredible. It maybe positive or negative, it maybe life changing or not, no matter what you will feel something while in this place. I like to think that we take away lessons from these moments, or that they give us a new perspective. I have a whole lotta these moments this year. A whole lot. Life is good, our lives are good right now.
Blessed to have a roof over our heads, to have family and friends to share the good, the bad, and the mediocre with, health, the power of choice, love, and the list goes on and on and on...
Hope you are all feeling the abundance too.

May 6, 2011 Blessed

So blessed to
-Have choices
-Speak freely
-Have people you love and care about me
-A memory that allows me to reminisce special times like these
-The ability to read
Good Night,
Belinda

May 5, 2011 -Happy-

A handful of things that are making me happy right now:
-Reading "The Happiness Project" By- Gretchen Rubin
-An afternoon spent at the park
-Bought my mom a gift and realized I can make a personalized accessory to gift with it (A bit of a useful thing for her and an extra bit of love from me)
-Knitting a few rows here and there
-Sleeping with our kitties cuddled on each side of me
-A decluttered bedroom
-All of the kids are sleeping and now I can go to sleep.
-My son dancing with me in the kitchen this morning.
Hope you are finding a few things to focus on and smile about too.

April 29, 2011 {Enjoying}

*I enjoyed sewing today. I feel so blessed that we have a room where I can begin a project, close the door and tend needs, open the door and begin right where I left off. This makes the process just lovely.
*I enjoyed prepping a few Ballet Spring Recital tutus for tomorrows fittings.
*I enjoyed a fun night of dancing my butt off in the kitchen to what Pandora calls 90's Pop Music.
*I enjoyed Coral looking at my like I was a foreign alien while dancing and my dear husband trying not to laugh.
*I enjoyed picking up the front and back yards today. We now no longer look like we belong on "Hoarders", as my kind neighbor informed me.
*I enjoyed chatting with my dad while slowly and methodically picking up the yards.
*I enjoyed listening and watching my 3 gals give Lillitha a Birthday Spa Night.
*I enjoyed seeing pictures of my son wrestling and camping out at his sleepover tonight.
*I enjoyed stepping away from the to do list and calling it a night when it felt right.
*I enjoyed getting all of the laundry done.

If you are feeling inclined please feel free to visit {This Moment}

April 28, 2011 {Nonsense}

~Still giggling at my little gal whom asks every single night as I open Harry Potter to read, "Mom, when you go upstairs will you take me too?" I always answer with, "Of course I will." And than I read a few pages and glance at my sleeping gal.
~Whoops, I just dropped my sons Nerf Gun behind the couch while trying to save computer screen from toddler. Do you think he will notice come morning?
~Is really enjoying feeling totally unsettled, it is forcing me to grow.
~Laughing that I truly believe my brain is less foggy because I have been taking so many deep breaths recently while trying to think before blurting hurtful things at my kids, or yelling at them, or just plain speaking out of my arse, as all of that is just not cool. After a deep breath, two, or sometimes 3 I am able to focus, talk, and teach.
~My toddler zonked out on my lap while cuddling the "boy titty" (kitty). That is just the sweetest.
~Realizing I cannot do it all, because doing it all just sucks the life out of me. I need a village, even if I do not want to admit it.
~Proud of my mom whom went back to work today, is going to take her last class to get her AA degree come Fall, and than move closer to our family (her family) when all is said and done. Umm...can you say awesomeness?
~Is grateful for my husbands hardworking brain and hands.
~It is radical that our family car is no longer breaking down once a week.
~Signing off to go Puffy Paint, taking me back to the 80's with a huge grin on my face. Do you remember those stores you could go to and swirl paint t-shirts that you would than proudly wear with that clip thing on the bottom. Umm....barf o' rama, but oh what sweet memories I have of this.
Tomorrow will be as Radical as today.

April 27, 2011

-I am feeling ridiculously giddy that my bathroom is gleaming white and has been for a few days. Totally worth the all day endeavor to get it from dingy to sparkling. Lovely!
-A series of unfortunate events, has brought us to a place for NO raised voices for more than a handful of days. Yahoo!
-I knit a bit today at home, at the park, and in the car. Grand!
-Hit up the fabric store and left with exactly I went in for, no more, no less. Score!
-I blogged over here tonight. Finally!
Thanks for stopping by. What is bringing you joy right now?

April 26, 2011 Nishan has a burned pocket

Nishan had $17 he would like to save for an iPod.
Today:
Nishan: "We recycled today, we have to go to Target that is what we always do after we recycle."
Me: "Why, you are saving your money for an iPod."t
Nishan: "No, I want to buy Beyblades."
At Target
Me: "They are all out of Beyblades, you can save your money for the iPod now."
Nishan: "Nope, I am getting a Nerf gun."
Me: "Really?, I kinda really really do not like Nerf guns."
Nishan: "Oh mom, it is my money, please?"
Me: "Alrighty pick it out and let's go."
Nishan: "Cool I still have $8 left!"
Me: "Good, you can save that for your iPod."
At Ballet
Nishan: "I am going to buy a granola bar with my money."
Me: "Ok, guess you are over saving your money."
Nishan: "No, I am going to save the rest for the ice cream man."
At Costco
Nishan: "I am going to buy all of us lollipops for dessert."
Me: "You are such a sweet brother."
It cracks me up that money literally burns a hole in my kids pocket.

April 25, 2011 A Not So Stray Doggie

The slowness of today allowed me to be present even when I was not so keen on it. My kids fell in love with a "stray" dog, whom is now at home with his "real" family. I promise you there was much to be crossed off the to do lists, but I hung with the doggie and kids for much of the day. I finally forced myself to do the right thing and find out whom this way to cool of a doggie to be a stray doggie belonged to. So, we did and we got the call that they were on their way to pick up their beloved guy. The kids did the right thing, they rescued him from being in the streets where he too easily may have been hit, they created signs to hang around the neighborhood, and Coral placed calls to the Pound and Humane Society. It was magical to watch them fall in love so quickly and yet let him go so easily too. I did the what felt right and stayed present, falling for the doggie too, falling in love with my kids falling in love, and yet still encouraging his return home to his people. Doing the right thing is not always easy, but always feel so good.

April 23, 2011 {Sinfully Delicious}

~Owning the "perfect" pair of jeans
~Drinking 24 ounces of coke for the first time since December
~Taking a few minutes to play leap frog in the middle of an outdoor mall with Nana and the kids
~Hearing my daughter say, "It is ok mom, I can use them in the next play I am in!" After hearing she was not cast in the last play she auditioned for. My gal she is a strong one!
~Shopping with my mom!!!!
~Taking time to really parent and not just pretend
~Donuts for breakfast at 9:55
~Taking a few days from bedtimes, routines, and schedules
~Pear and Gorgonzola Pizza
~Having two clean cars that I personally cleaned this morning
What is rockin' your world these days?

April 21, 2011

*A few things that make me smile even when I all I want to do is go to sleep*
*Desert nights
*Hanging with my mom
*Night swimming
*Snoring children
*Girls in tutus
*Curly hair
*Cable television
*Opinionated children
*Magnificent views
*Honest people
Goodnight, sweet dreams, & many blessings

April 20, 2011 {Palm Springs}

Blessed to be here in Palm Springs reminiscing many trips previously with my dad and mom. This time we are sans dad, but that is ok because we have our memories. And, the sweetest part is I am sharing them with 4 ears whom shared many of these memories with me and 6 ears hearing these stories for the first time. I love, love the look on my kids faces when they learn something new about myself, my hubby, or their grandparents. They are intrigued, they yearn to know, yet they have the hardest time imagining any of us being that young! To freaking cute, one of these days I will indeed get it on camera. For now, I am off to bed looking, forward to a few more days of remembering and sharing. xoxoxo

April 16, 2011

{Here We Are in a Happy Place Again}

*3 bike rides and a few walks

*My boy kicked some major bootie on said bike rides and it made him proud

*Grabbed a quick Coffee with a dear friend

*My sweet sweet Coral had an audition that threw her a much needed boost in confidence

*My kids bathroom is sparkling as of last night

*The pile of diapers on our extra bed have been folded, boxed, and hidden away

*Floors swept every night this week

*My husband and I have enjoyed a few uninterrupted chats this week

*I picked up my needles and knit a handful of rows

*Although we have grabbed a few cups of joe out we have eaten all our meals at home

*Signing out with a big smile*Belinda*

April 14, 2011

Feeling really good about our day. I woke this morning with a laundry list of errands, yet hoping to throw a bit of fun in the mix. Early in the day, I focused on staying relaxed, tending to my kids needs, while also getting through the list. It worked, it does not always flow so perfectly, but today it did. Not only did we make it through the laundry list, but we made it to a bit of fun too. Now, that folks is something to celebrate! List: Drop Cor's bike off, return library books, pick up Zari's medical records, swing by bank, pick up DMV transfer papers, return rotten cucumbers, eat lunch, buy something a little fancier than anything Jason, Nishan, or I currently own in our wardrobes, hit up Foster Park for a bit of fun in the sun, drop Cor off at play practice, pick up Cor's bike, and it ALL got checked off the list. Today was awesome...some days are, some are not, but we must focus on the goodness...Today was full o' it!

April 12, 2011

~Enjoying signs that Spring has sprung. ~Happy with my decision to play hooky from Spring Cleaning today. ~Is thinking it is pretty darn rad to be a Ballerina's Momma ~Loving the beauty in my eldest growing into a young woman. ~Empathizing with my sons frustrations in having three sisters. ~Finding the humor in my two year old's "terrible twos". ~Falling in love with my husband all over again, as I witness him work his heine off for our family. ~Learning to embrace the changes and balancing act each new season brings. ~Feeling the infamous pull between simplicity and abundance. ~Staying present-we cannot change the past-we do not know the future-right now we BLESSED.

April 12, 2011

Spent the day organizing and cleaning a couple more rooms in the house. It feel so very refreshing to walk into a newly organized and simlified house. I am really enjoying the prospect of keeping things simplified.

Apirl 9, 2011

In wake of the recent catastrophic tsunami to hit off of the coast of Japan our community raised $258 to send overseas to our brothers and sister whom are suffering due to this natural disaster. Our family felt helpless being millions of miles away, so we asked that friends contribute to our yard sale and 100% of proceeds would be sent off to Japan. Our long times friends,their kids and our children came together to help as well, our eldest baked muffins and cookies, our middles sold Action Figures made of recycled treasures, our littlest middles made O.J., and our youngest smiled at customers. It was a hit and we are looking forward to another sale day tomorrow. We are hoping to make $300, today we made $258! Yahoo!!!

April 8, 2011

Grateful-
1-Emotions
2-My ability to read
3-My children's excitement & Generosity
4-The new things I learn everyday spurring my interests & growth in areas I had never imagined
5-Memory

The First of Many Posts in 2011

~Health ~A very clean and organized dining room ~All our laundry is clean and folded ~2 working cars ~A new series of Lego classes beginning tomorrow for my little guy