Writing Wednesdays.....

Mama Kat's at it again....so head on over to her place for all the fun!

The Prompts:

1.) Who really helped you get over something? Write about that person.(writingfix.com)


2.) Is plastic surgery an option? Without being vulgar, write about the body part still attached to you that you would most like to dis-attach and replace with a better one. (writingfix.com)

Oh yay, the plastic surgery question....how about plastic surgery that you DON'T want but have to have anyway? Yeah....okay let's NOT talk about that one just yet, I'm sure that will be a post after my 3rd opinion with a plastic surgeon on May 11th! But in the mean time....how about the additional stomach I have seemed to acquire after my two little ones were born? But no replacement with a new one please....just get rid of the old one, that would be nice!!

3.) Share an interesting email exchange you've had with someone lately.

This could be dangerous....I think if I were to publish what was actually written I might get in trouble....but it has to do with someone hooking up with someone before too long because as I was told...."A girl has needs ya know?" HAHAHA

4.) Have you thought about shutting down your blog? Why haven't you and what would cause you to make that decision final?

I have not thought about shutting down my blog. I prefer to blog vs facebook or myspace or twitter. So this is a whole lot of fun, and it's a whole lot of heart break as well. But that's what makes it interesting. The only way I would shut it down is if it interferred with my family, people can mess with me all the want....but the minute you put my husband or my sons in the mix I will kill or die to protect them!


5.) Today I will...

Say a prayer for Kayleigh, that her parents may take her home. And for Stellan, that he can remain at home, and I will remember to be greatful for what I have....to remember every day how lucky I am that Christopher's hospital stay in January was short and that he is healthy now. To remember that Thomas is healthy and they are both happy and I am blessed to have all my "boys" (husband included) in my life. I don't remember life before them and I can't imagine life without them. And at the end of the day, no matter what happens....Life is short, so live simply, laugh often and love with all you have!

My Little Miracles

Reflections.....

I know I just posted this pic just last week, but I also entered it into I Heart Faces competition for the week.

It's not the best quality since it came off my cell phone....but there are a lot of fun entries so head over there and check them out!

My Little Miracles

Our Weekend in Pictures....

What a busy weekend.....with these boys...there is never a dull moment!

First it was all about yard work....

And while doing yard work, we found this beautiful lizard.....he was a lot bigger than this picture lets on....Thomas loves to sit and watch them.And Christopher was just looking cool while hanging out!

The two of them....discussing their coolness!

Then it was off to a Guide Dogs of America fundraiser....

This is Tanner, he goes in for formal training in just a few weeks, Good Luck Tanner

The Twins....hanging around!

And Ethan I believe his name was....a unsual Lab....pure bred, his mom is a yellow lab and his dad is a black lab!

And Christopher's happy self saying "Have a good weekend!!"

My Little Miracles

Favorite Things Friday

My first time participating in FTF, so I hope I'll get the hang of it soon!
One of my favorite things.....well TWO of my favorite things.....

MY BOYS!!!!

SAY WHAT?

My Little Bubba Boy!

And second....SPRING! We had some great weather, and now it's cooled down a little, but our sunflowers we planted are growing like weeds...wait....they are weeds...sort of. Anyway, I'll add a pic of those later since I don't have one on my phone.

My Little Miracles

Happy Birthday Marie

A birthday party for Marie, but I think all the kids had more fun! With the weather significantly cooling down from the last 4 days, we had the perfect time for a BBQ.....Good friends, good times....and a bunch of kids! Who would have thought that all these years down the line our children would be playing together!


We had a kid for every rider toy that Thomas has.



Thomas and Ben having a deep discussion about the inner workings of a train vs. an ATV, it was pretty interesting stuff let me tell you!



Christopher had a lot of fun flirting with Marie, and watching the other kids run around....pretty soon he'll be up there with them as well!



And of course No party is complete without BUBBLES!!! It's always a big hit with the kids!

And we made poor Greg sit and the "kids table", it didn't seem to bother him a bit! He must be used to it!

Marie and Me and Laura....we don't look all that different from our pic from 15 years ago!

Do you know how hard it is to get 4 young children to all look at the camera and smile....I think this was the best pic out of about 15 different shots! This is Chloe, Thomas, Serena and Ben, Christopher was already in bed!

My Little Miracles

Writing Wednesdays.....

Here's the deal, head on over to Mama Kat's place so you can get in on the fun too. The prompts are interesting this week and I chose not to write on all of them like I usually try to do....

The Prompts:

1.) Book review!

Seriously, who has time to read?? I've been working on the same book for about a month and I still haven't finished!

2.) When is it okay not to listen to the words? Explain about a song you really love that has lame lyrcis or lyrics you simply don't understand.(writingfix.com)

3.) Why won't you forget? List six true sentences that begin with the words 'I'll never forget...' Then use all six of your sentences in a paragraph, poem, or longer descriptive piece.(writingfix.com)

Life has a way of reminding us daily just what we have and what we can stand to lose. I'll never forget the day my father died, I was 10 and it seemed so unfair, and to this day I remember everything about my time I spent with my dad.

As soon as you start thinking that you have the world by a string, He will remind you, that you are not in control because I'll never forget the day my brother was killed, a piece of me.....gone, I still miss him to this day and feel that my 1st born son will give me all the hell that my brother was meant to! =) And the moment you think that you are the only one in the world that has ever lost anything....another reminder. I'll never forget the day the U.S. stood still, my heart reached out to every single American for the sense of loss we all felt, and made me proud to be an American. My prayers went out to all those lost but not forgotten, and their families, that they may recover and have hope....and faith, and Believe. My thoughts went out to every single man and woman that fights for our country day in and day out without complaint, because we should all remember that freedom does NOT come free, and we should celebrate them! And then life's little miracles that come our way, when we least expect it, when we never expect it, and they complete that circle of life. I'll never forget the day Thomas was born, named after my father and my brother, he was perfection in every way and I couldn't want for anything else. Until....another miracle....I'll never forget the day Christopher was born, and now, my life can't get any better, and despite all the loss....the greatest love is to have the love of a child, And I'll never forget how very lucky I am to have the life I have today, the family I share it with and the friends, New and Old, that I am thankful to have!

4.) Write about an interaction you had with a salesman.

5.) What's for dinner? I'm starving.

Tonight we are having some old friends over for a BBQ, the weather has been so nice and now that it's giving us a little break and cooling down we are going to be having some Tri-Tip steaks, along with some Tequila Lime Chicken, corn on the cob, mashed potatoes and baked beans, and to top it all off, a birthday cake for Marie's 33rd birthday! It probably sounds really boring but it should prove to be a great time!

My Little Miracles

Because the cool never rests

You will have to forgive the quality of the pics they came off my cell phone.....but I had to post them. Thomas and Christopher both got sun glasses for Easter, and Thomas wasn't much interested in his, and when he put them on the other day he didn't want to take them off, and when I showed him how he looked in the mirror he couldn't stop laughing and putting his arm up and pumping it at himself and if to say YOU ROCK!

And because you just can't be too cool in the Bath!

My Little Miracles

Make New Friends....

But Keep the Old....

This is Me, Marie and Laura back in like....ohhhh I don't know....the early 90's. and I lost touch with both of them for about 11 years, and now we are back in touch....and even though Laura couldn't join us today for our playdate, we'll all be hanging out soon!

Marie's daughter Chloe, she is just adorable and so personable!

Christopher chewing....what else is new!

Thomas and Marie's son Ben, taking a break to have a snack together!

Marie and her Husband Greg sharing Cheetos with Thomas and Ben!

Marie....Laura....I'm so glad I am back in touch with you guys, Love you guys! Can't wait to hook up again this week!

My Little Miracles

A Day out with Thomas.....

And Thomas the Train!!!

Tickets for Thomas............................$18

Thomas the Train Memoriablia...............$25

Lunch afterwards................................................$45

The Look on Thomas' face when he saw and Heard Thomas the Train.....................

PRICELESS

Thomas got to go see Thomas the Train. He had so much fun, there is so much to see and do and play with. He wasn't too sure about the train at first, sitting on Mom's lap, but after we got chugging along he LOVED it! We can't wait to go again next year, and maybe Christopher can go then too! Click HERE to see all the pics we took!

My Little Miracles

Another Wednesday Writer's Workshop

Aren't these fun? Mama Kat is at it again, so head on over to her place to catch up on all the fun!

The Prompts:

1.) If I sent you four hundred dollars today what is ONE thing you would spend it on and why. ps I want my change.

Do I HAVE to give change? I'd probably give it to charity! There isn't really anything that I just can't live without today. But who knows, come see me tomorrow that might change!

2.) What are your kids talking about?

Thomas is probably talking about MnM's.....then again his favorite word is MINE, and like the previous video maybe he's talking about MY MnMs!

Christopher isn't the talking kind, he kind of just likes to sit and watch!

3.) Tell us about a local news story that's all the buzz right now in your neck of the woods.

News? Oh yeah the news....yeah I try not to watch it, it's too depressing. But I do know they are STILL talking about Octomom. And of course Nick Adenhart, which is just a tragedy! In real local news people are upset that Ty and Treavor Gretzky, sons of Wayne Gretzky, have chosen different paths than their father! That happens with a lot of the sports figure's kids who attend Oaks Christian.

4.) Share some blogging advice.

Blogging advice....HA Not from me! I'm an amateur!

5.) Tell us about that time at the playground when that thing happened.(thanks to Heather at Chasing Butterfly's who unknowingly inspired this last prompt)

I can think of this one time, my son was 11 months, and was a new walker. We went to the park, and there was just us and this other child, he was probably about 5 and his mother was right there. Now we were at a spot in the park that is for SMALL kids...toddlers, and they had another area for the bigger kids. There is plenty of room on the playground, and Thomas was hangin on and cautious walking and he was on the left side of this walkway/stairway going up to this itty bitty slide. The other kid could have EASILY gone around Thomas....and he was like right behind Thomas, and of course Thomas only being 11 months, turned around and was just looking at him instead of making his way up to this small little slide! So the other kids mother, let's call that child "Spoiled" shall we?, said "spoiled" why don't you go up? And "spoiled" says because HE'S in the way, and so "spoiled's" mother responds, so go around him, and "spoiled" says NO I want to go up THIS side, and HE is in the way. It all goes to the same place, it's not like you end up in hell if you walk up the right side, although that is where this child came from, I think his mother came from there too! I suppose I could have taken Thomas off the stairs and let Spoiled pass, but seriously, Thomas was there first, he was only 11 months, and that kid was bigger than him and could have easily gone around him. Then I overheard "spoiled's" mother say to her friend or whoever it was she was with that Thomas really shouldn't be on the playground and we should really move him, so "spoiled" can play. But did she ever once think that maybe HER kid shouldn't be on the toddler size slide? Maybe he needed to go play on the bigger equipment that was made more for him??? Needless to say I took Thomas' hand and said as loud as I could Come on Thomas, We'll be the bigger person and move over so this child can go down the slide that isn't really meant for him at all! I couldn't believe it! Who knows....maybe I was in the wrong! But I thought she was rude!

My Little Miracles

When you thought I wasn't looking....

I know everyone has seen this at one time or another, and a friend of mine posted about how we need to watch what we SAY around our children to create a better tomorrow for them and how they relate to each other and such. I thought I would post this as a reminder that we also need to remember that our children watch everything we do.....and if we want to create a loving kind world for them we need to also watch what we DO.

WHEN YOU THOUGHT I WASN'T LOOKING

A message every adult should read because children are watching you and doing as you do, not as you say.

*When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you hang my first painting on the refrigerator, and I immediately wanted to paint another one.

*When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you feed a stray cat, and I learned that it was good to be kind to animals.

*When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you make my favorite cake for me, and I learned that the little things can be the special things in life.
*When you thought I wasn't looking I heard you say a prayer, and I knew that there is a God I could always talk to, and I learned to trust in Him.

*When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you make a meal and take it to a friend who was sick, and I learned that we all have to help take care of each other.
*When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you give of your time and money to help people who had nothing, and I learned that those who have something should give to those who don't. *When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you take care of our house and everyone in it, and I learned we have to take care of what we are given.

*When you thought I wasn't looking I saw how you handled your responsibilities, even when you didn't feel good, and I learned that I would have to be responsible when I grow up.

*When you thought I wasn't looking I saw tears come from your eyes, and I learned that sometimes things hurt, but it's all right to cry.

*When you thought I wasn't looking I saw that you cared, and I wanted to be everything that I could be.

*When you thought I wasn't looking I learned most of life's lessons that I need to know to be a good and productive person when I grow up.

*When you thought I wasn't looking I looked at you and wanted to say, 'Thanks for all the things I saw when you thought I wasn't looking.'

LITTLE EYES SEE A LOT .

Each of us (parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, teacher, friend) influence the life of a child.

Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly.

My Little Miracles

Here comes Peter Cotton Tail...

This is proof positive of 2 things.....1.) that the favorite word in our house these days is MINE, and 2.) that we don't often have MnM's in our house, so when someone gets them for Easter they are a precious commodity!! (Sorry for the quality, we had to export it from a different program and it messed with the quality, but you get the gist)

Other than someone not wanting to share his MnM's we had a great time. We got all kinds of new and fun stuff...a flute type thingie, markers, a big fun pad to draw on, some raisins, animal crackers stuff like that, Christopher got some new teethers and a pinwheel! Thomas got the sunflower seeds and Christopher got the watering can. Aunt Bon and Uncle Ted brought Thomas a HUGE teddy bear and Christopher got a little snuggly bunny! Thomas had a blast running around and playing in Grandma's fountain! I'm sure he'll sleep like a champ tonight! Click here for more EASTER PICS

My Little Miracles

Easter Bunny comes....

Well the Easter bunny stopped by our house already....the boys....in bed, unaware of it all, until morning.

Christopher's Easter Basket

Thomas' Easter basket
I know a lot of you may be looking at their Easter baskets and saying WOW their Easter bunny sucks! Yeah the Easter bunny didn't put a ton of candy in the baskets, for one Christopher can't eat it anyway, Thomas can though, and he'll get his Brother's MnM but that is all the candy they got from the Easter Bunny. They got toothpaste, and a toothbrush for Christopher's in coming teeth....he has two now ya know! Christopher got a much needed outfit, and Thomas some jammies and some crocs....he LOVES them! They may get a little more next year but candy just isn't the message we want to give to our children when they think about Easter. I know, just another way I am a horrible parent! One of these days I will post about all the ways I am a horrible parent. But for now...."Hoppy" Easter Everyone!! We'll be posting pics of Easter tomorrow, so stay tuned!

My Little Miracles

Wednesday Writer's Workshop

More writing fun gang....head on over to Mama Kat's page to check out all the fun!

The Prompts:

1.) Describe a moment when you realized you and your spouse were SO different.
Luckily we aren't all that different!

2.) What is your role in the household?
I am the Mom in my household. =) You mean like what do I do? I do anything child related...bathing, dressing, feeding....except My husband can and does do everything that I do, AND he does dirty diaper duty on the older son!! BONUS!! I think he chose him because he'll be out of diapers soon! I will still have at least another 18 months with diaper duty with the second one! I do laundry, dishes, bathroom cleaning, dusting, shopping, AND I work outside the home! My husband does almost all the cooking, and vacuuming....Tell me I'm not just the luckiest woman in the world!

3.) Write about how you felt when you discovered you were lied to.(creativewritingprompts.com)
Oh seriously do we have to go there? And to think I just got over that!

4.) Describe a hard time you gave a teacher...what would you say to them today?
Oh let's see, we always have something to transport us to another time and another place. Let's see....I was the queen of giving my high school teachers a hard time, and I am lucky they put up with me for 4 years. The one time that comes to mind was the last day of my high school career. My last final, they scheduled 2 hours for a final that took me 25 minutes to take. So since I didn't have a final class, there was no need for me to wait 2 hours just to leave. So I was told if I brought a note from home saying that I was able to leave as soon as I was done I could go home....so I did that. This particular teacher...she literally looked like Shirley from Laverne and Shirley....I mean down to the hair cut and everything!!! She LIVED to give me a hard time and I did the same for her. In her class room, when taking a test she didn't allow anyone to walk around, if you had a question you raised your hand until she came to your seat. I did that, turned in my test, put my pencil away and told her I had a note to leave, she told me to just wait a minute. And in the minute (more like 10 minutes) about 7 other people up and left. So when I got out of my seat to leave she told me to please sit...And I chose not to, what was she going to do? Make me? So I said no please, I have a note, I'm going home, Thanks for a FANTASTIC year as sarcastic as I could be. I proceeded to walk right out the door, with her following me the whole way saying Please sit down, you have not been excused, and I just said the same thing, No please, I have a note, I am going home!...down to the main office, presented my note and went home, would I say anything different or do anything different today....NOPE! If I could say anything to her today it would be what a worthless teacher she was and how I learned absolutely nothing in her class. The woman let me literally pass out in her class room after giving blood after I had asked to go to the nurse, I was feeling faint. I should have had my mom sue her! =)

5.) What is an unpleasant experience you had eating? Write a poem, paragraph, or something else about the experience.(writingfix.com)
An unpleasant experience eating?? NEVER! I love to eat....just has to be what I want with none of the extras that I don't like....Onions, since I am allergic to them, and Tomatoes because as no one else could put it better than George Carlin, "tomatoes look like little bicycle tires, I don't eat bicycle tires, why should I eat a little pink one?"

My Little Miracles

A Playdate at the LA Zoo

Today we went to the LA Zoo...a ton of fun....so much to see, we didn't get to see it all, we'll have to go back. The kids had a lot of fun. Our playdate participants consisted of ...Brooke and Macayla, Theresa, Rashad and Jayden, Maile, Niels and Nalani, and of course us and the boys!

A lot of fun pics...we got to see the Monkeys and the bears and lions and tigers and giraffes....a lot of birds....thanks Theresa! haha We didn't get to see any of the Australian animals or the water animals or the elephants....but we'll see those next time we go!!

To see all the pics click HERE

My Little Miracles

The Easter Bunny came early....sort of

Grandma, Aunt Tami, Uncle Dean and Ashley came for a visit! We had such a good time! We BBQ'd some tri tip and chicken and had all kinds of good stuff to go with it. Grandma brought the boys adorable Easter stuffed animals....and Aunt Tami and Uncle Dean brought all kinds of stuff. They both got a new outfit, and bunny ears, and little Easter Bags. And Uncle Dean picked out a special gift for Thomas.....RACE CAR EGGS! They were sure neat! He even hid them for Thomas to go find! Thomas didn't want to put them in his bag....he thought we might take them away if he did so he tried to carry all of them himself....eventually he found that it was easier to put them in the bag! Then after he found all of them he thought he was just going to play with them....until Uncle Dean revealed that there was candy in them!! WOW was that cool! He had his first jelly bean...loved it of course. He let Uncle Dean have the lemon head and we tried to give him a sour lemon drop....he spit that out immediately with a face...then Mommy tried it...figured it couldn't be THAT bad....ICK! It was horrible...so daddy ate it! We had so much fun! So Thanks Grandma, Aunt Tami and Uncle Dean....everything was GREAT!!

Click HERE to see all our pics from our fun and exciting day! Now it's time for a good nights sleep because tomorrow we go to the ZOO!!!!! Stay tuned for those pics!

My Little Miracles

Wednesday Writers Workshop

Okay the fun starts once again....Mama Kat's writers workshop....

The Prompts:

1.) Why did you do it?
Who me? I didn't do it!! Okay I did do it, but I didn't tell Mom about it until she saw it....it was for my 24th bday, I had always wanted to do it, but I had a good friend tell me, only put something on that isn't going to change...i.e. the constellation of your stars, your love for butterflies....things like that, so I refrained from the tatoo revolution when I was 18,19, and 20. So when I did finally do it....it was something that was never going to change, and it was something that I love! My brother was killed in a car accident when he was a mere 25 years old which meant I was only 23, and so for my 24th bday I went and had it done....a crescent moon, a half butterfly with his initials TJB, a Soul set free to fly! In Loving Memory. It was something that I Loved, not only butteflies, but my brother....and it was something that was never going to change! So I did do it, but it was and is still something very special and meaningful to me!

2.) What is a common misconception about you?
That I'm famous? haha

3.) Describe a moment when you felt afraid.
The most recent time that I can remember when I was afraid was in January, waking up in the middle of the night when my 4 1/2 month old woke up and was having a hard time breathing. Time seemed to have stood still for that instant that my brain was waking up and telling me I needed to get dressed and get my child to the ER. I handed him to my husband, threw on some clothes and my slippers and all the while listening to him wheeze and struggle to breathe. My heart told me if anything ever happend to him my world would just end. I put him in the car seat and I was off, praying the whole way to the ER, which is only about 6 miles from the house, that he would be okay, and that he would make it to the ER. As long as I heard him breathe I would be okay, even if he was struggling, and the next moment he was barfing and then quiet....those dang rear facing seats and the middle of the night when you need to see your child do not go together. Needless to say he is okay now, and thriving at 7 months, but one of the most recent times when I was not only afraid but terrified!

4.) In what ways are you turning into your mother?
Ahhh what a perfect question, when I read this I immediately was transported back to when I was 8 or so and telling my mom "I'm never going to be like you, I will never treat my kids the way you do....NEVER!" as I proceeded to stomp off to my room being ticked that she wouldn't let me do whatever it was I wanted to do. And with each passing day I find myself doing so many things the way my mom did. Is that bad? Maybe....some may think so, but on the other hand, I'm not so sure..... everyone seen that email the circulated that says what a horrible parent I had....that they made me eat veggies and come home when the street lights come on and made me take a bath and all that....in that sense, I hope I am EXACTLY like my mom. One thing that was pointed out to me was my mom never said to me "I hope you have a child just like yourself when you have your babies", and I laugh....because I don't have a girl, I have two wonderful BOYS! And I won't have to deal with the mouth, or the attitude that I gave to my mom!


So in what way am I turning into my mother? In the most important way....she loved her kids!

5.) Are you always right?
I think I am....but it's not always the case! Wait did I just say that outloud?

My Little Miracles