2012 happy moments

goodbye 2012.

you will not be forgotten.

we will take you with us on our new adventure.

you were a good year.

filled with happy moments.

playing in the snow.

finding happiness wherever we went.

eating well.

charting our own destiny.

expressing ourselves.

taking on new challenges.

going on adventures.

spending time together.

being champions.

reconnecting with the past.

geeking out.

capturing moments.

being reunited.

uniting in love.

not being amused (with allergies).

welcoming a new little cousin.

celebrating an important birthday.

having a blast with friends.

learning to play.

making new goals.

supporting a cause.

making our voices heard.

sharing our story.

laughing til it hurt.

meeting someone i admire.

feeling loved.

 

enjoying this life. 

hello 2013.

we're ready for you.

let’s do this.

around here

we are trying to eat something healthy. it's been out of control lately.

 we are still singing songs from this year's holiday performance.  it was the best!

 i am running, anywhere and everywhere.  1 mile a day.

 we are still enjoying the holiday cheer.

i am getting ready for something new.

 bobby and i are enjoying some wine from our trip to baja california.

 we are feeling a bit spoiled.

 i am trying to document our experience spending the holidays with my family in mexico.

 i am loving my new necklace.

 we are spending time together - all five of us.

it's been the craziest month yet.  traveling, parties, sharing time with family.  we've celebrated 5 christmases, with five different families, we've given and received, we've been showered with love, we've caught colds, we are looking forward to some down time, we are making plans, and more plans, we have caught up with family.  we have so much more to experience over the next week of vacation.  a look back at a wonderful year, beginning a new year, a birthday for a special young man, visitors, playdates, starting something new, fighting for something we love, daring to make a difference.

i'll be around next week sharing some of our stories. enjoy your weekend.

feliz navidad

weekly menu: week 52

enjoying a lot of family time this week.  celebrating christmas, eating, laughing and relaxing.
looking forward to sharing our adventures here.


monday: christmas eve dinner
tuesday: dinner with family
wednesday: eat out
thursday: salmon, salad, roasted potatoes
friday: pizza
saturday: ??
sunday: ??

have a merry week!

weekly menu: week 51

fresh ingredients from a cooking class.

life has to go on.
and we have to move forward focusing on the good in the world not the bad.
that is how i will live.
making this week:

monday: turkey chili, cornbread
tuesday: chicken chilaquiles, salad
wednesday: salmon, brussel sprout gratin
thursday: holiday concert
friday: camacho family christmas
saturday: mitas family christmas
sunday: brockett family christmas

celebrating early. love that we will all be together.

have a happy tuesday!

not just another blog post

this was not just another monday morning.
it was waking up to a new day with everyone in my family.
i had more patience than i have ever known.
making breakfast, ironing clothes, making lunches and not feeling burdened but blessed.
sitting at the table with her, my 7 year old, and wanting so badly to cry.
not getting upset because they weren't moving fast enough, or not brushing their hair.
it was about savoring this moment before they were off to school for the day.

this was not just another sunday night.
it was saying yes to computers and tv.
allowing for one more cookie, even though they had had their fill at our annual family cookie bake.
snuggling with her in our bed for 15 minutes past her bedtime.
it was me hopping into her bed and not rushing off to get something else done.
i stared at her. i caressed her.
it was extra kisses and extra "i love you's".

this was not just another weekend.
bobby and i were on our way to palm springs when we heard the tragic news.
we wanted to go home, but he had a commitment.
we knew they were safe.
i missed them like crazy.
we called them more times than we had planned.
i cried. a lot. all weekend.
it was not the kind of weekend we had hoped for.
it was scary and devastating and unthinkable.
it was happening to someone else but i felt the pain.
every mother felt the pain.

this is not just another blog post.
this is my therapy.
this is how i cope.
this is the acknowledgment to not take one moment for granted.
this is not about gun control or mental illness.
this is about sharing in pain and grief and innocence lost.
this is evidence of the life we live.
this is a wake up call to be grateful everyday.
this is about strength.
this is about doing what i can to make this world a better place.
this is about raising children with love and compassion.
this is about honoring heroes.
this is about honoring those little lives lost.

this is goodness over evil.

chatsworth holiday parade

the other big event last week was our community holiday parade.  our school takes part in it every year with a float.

the theme this year was "under the sea."  kind of an odd theme for a christmas parade, right?  but we made it work.  our head of school came up with the name "from sea to shining c.h.a." after that it all just came together. school of fish, kids decorate, and octopus.

on saturday, the kids decorated paper plates and turned them into artistic, unique, and colorful fish.

the octopus highlighted areas of our school's program like spanish, language arts, technology, art.  we made jellyfish and starfish.  it all came together in a fun way.

we brought out our holiday sign and decorated golf cart and started on the parade route.

here's the back.

the chorus and the glee club sang.  we had a great turn out.  the most ever for. and everyone had such a good time.

thanks to those that helped decorate, to the kids who sang, to the parents who paraded and to bob and d for driving us down the street.  what a great day for our community, and for our family.