My Chaos -

So...it's been 4 days since I posted my last 5 things to be thankful for. I have some catching up to do! So sad that I can't even mange to do something for 12 consecutive days. So, here are 20 things I am grateful for: Photography - I love taking photos and I have since I was a kid. I've especially been interested in portrait photography lately. Thank goodness for my dad and his encouragement - he gave me my first bad ass camera!! Fall - my favorite time of the year. Texas doesn't really have seasons, but the arrival of Fall means it's not hot as the seventh level of hell... Strawberries - how can anyone not love strawberries? and I love that my baby boy loves strawberries too! My treadmill - I know it gathers dust... but I have the OPTION of walking any time I want!! Mouth wash - Do I really have to explain this one?? That I remember my Great Grandma - She was so pretty and so strong. Headphones - So I can block out all the noise at work. My corner chomper ...

I'm a bit grouchy today. I don't really know what the deal is. I can see myself from a distance being moody, but I can't do much about it. On a good note, thinking about the things that I'm grateful helps. I know that sounds so corny, but it's true. I admit it, when I first sat down to think about five things I am grateful for today, it wasn't coming easy. I was definitely looking at everything from an extremely negative angle. However, after dwelling on it for a bit, I came up with my five AND I'm in a much better mood as a result. Education - I am so grateful for all of the different schools (16 total) that I went to by the time I graduated. It is one of the reasons I can talk to a wall right now... if only a wall could talk back. LOL! And seeing how others percieved their educations was really interesting to me. I loved school! The Dallas Zoo - what's better than spending the day at the zoo with my babies?? DVD's - OK, movie night with my boys i...

Yesterday was a total beat down. It amazes me that I can get so stinkin tired going back to work after only 2 days off. As a result, I didn't even turn my computer on when I got home. So... here is my list of things I am thankful for from yesterday AND today: The Dallas Arboretum - I really do enjoy that place. I don't think we've even seen the whole thing yet, but it has offered me a place to get some really great shots of my kids. Any kind of music - Brandon claims that my iPod is schizophrenic. But you name the genre, I have a sample of it on my iPod. (except for maybe rap, never really got into that) I'm trying to expose the boys to lots of different types of music too. I'm American! I know there are a lot of people out there that wouldn't see this as a positive, and they are entitled to their own opinion. But I am proud of my country and that I can call it my home. For my Latin heritage - I love that I can be American and still be proud of my herit...

I am enjoying my list and today I made my parents give me a list of their own 5 things for today. Here are mine for today: I am employed. Given that Brandon is still looking for a job after being laid off last summer, I am most sincerely grateful that I have a job. And it's a bonus that it's a job I enjoy. I love that I can wear jeans and sneakers. I am so not a dress up person, so wearing jeans is a major plus!! My house - I LOVE my house. It's older, but roomy and beautiful!! Japanese Blossom lotion from Bath and Body Works. The scent is just relaxing to me. My car - so that I can escape anything anytime I want. Thank goodness for that freedom.

I had a really great night last night and super day today. My parents arrived from Baghdad yesterday afternoon safe and sound and we spent all day together. My dad gave me my Christmas present early - yeah! I'm so spoiled! Here is my list of 5 things that I am grateful for today: My new camera!! Sooooo excited!!! Grandma and Grandpa - I really love the time they spend with us and especially with the boys, who are so lucky to have both sets of grandparents and 2 great grandmothers in their lives! My childhood overseas - I was so lucky to be exposed to so many different places and cultures as a kid. I am truly grateful to my parents for this. My faith. I love being Catholic, I love the traditions and I love that my husband encourages my faith. Scrapbooking - after countless attempted hobbies, this is the one that I have stuck with for 11 years. What other hobby could provide a great creative outlet, therapy and produce something that my kids love to look at?? Hoping you are finding m...

It's cold outside and I'm loving it!! Finally a sign that Fall is here - gotta love Texas and its total lack of seasons! I'm toying with the idea of stoking up the fireplace today. Just because I can. Hehe. I have a lot to be thankful for today, so here's my 5 for the day: My parents arrive in less than 3 hours!! YEAH!! I can't wait to see them. Reader comments - I love, love, love seeing comments on my blog. I don't mind feeling like I'm talking to myself, but somehow seeing comments makes me happy, less lonely and it's just as excited as getting a piece of good mail. :) Cinnamon apple scented candles - it's the absolute best way to make it feel like the holidays are here. It smells like Christmas. Indoor plumbing - I'm just saying... life without a shower would suck! Having to go in an outhouse would suck even more. Good health - That the people I love most in the world are healthy, both physically and emotionally. I am truly grateful for that...

As Thanksgiving approaches, I want to take time to focus on what I am so very thankful for. So many times, we go through the motions during the holidays, while being inundated with commercials and ads about all the toys, gadgets and so on that we need to get for our loved ones. While I am NOT a fan of Black Friday (I have only experienced that nightmare once and that was enough), I do love buying stuff for my family members. Of course, along with the purchases, there comes stress. Stress to find the right thing, stress to keep within a budget, stress over who to buy for... This year, the belt is tight, but I want to really take the opportunity to be thankful and to teach my kids to be thankful, to share that amazing feeling and to understand that the best gifts we have can't be bought for 40% off on Black Friday... So, I'm going to share here 5 things I am thankful for (in no particular order) every day until Thanksgiving. While I'm making my own list here, I plan on having...

Today I spent most of the day sorting through toys, hanging wall art, and pulling out brand new, never-been-used Disney Cars bedding. It was exhausting and I am nowhere near done sorting through toys. Seriously, it's almost embarrassing how many toys I've gone through... On the flip side, Joshua has been very generous and not at all upset about the toys we've put aside to donate. We still need to work on it, but after the rocking paint job (come on! What little boys who is way into cars wouldn't like racing stripes painted across his walls?), a photo collage made by one awesome Grammy , a stop light and the new bedding, I have to admit the room looks incredible ! Joshua was so excited about everything that it was super easy to get him to bed tonight and big brother even agreed to lay down and watch a movie with him. BONUS! Now, will they get along or will I have to split them up??? We'll just have to wait and see...

I'm taking my first online class from http://www.shimelle.com/ . Although, I've been blogging since the end of 2006, I think there is definite room for improvement. I'm not the most consistent person in the world (and boy, do I wish that was the case) and I'm not the most articulate either... There are a few things I hope to get out of this class: Some tips and tricks on blog design (I have already benefited in this department) Some friendly reminders pertaining to writing techniques I would love for this to help me develop some habits - like maybe posting more frequently I want to develop my blog into, not only a place to keep family and friends up to date, but a place I can go back to in order to jog my not-so-spectacular-memory. I love to scrapbook, but I find myself forgetting the details so often. It would help to be able to come back here and say "oh ya, that's what I wanted to remember about Christmas morning 3 years ago". Cause let's face it, I...

I have a quote that is one of my all time favorites. It goes like this: "I like to see a man proud of the place in which he lives. I like to see a man live so that the place will be proud of him." - Abraham Lincoln Today is Veteran's Day and like so many people around the country, I want to give thanks to the men and women in uniform. Thanks for their dedication, sacrifice and bravery. I grew up in a military family and have a monumental amount of pride in, not just my country and our military, but pride in my dad. He has always been my hero and will always be a source of comfort and safety. And what an amazing role model he is for my boys. After years in the military he's still off having amazing adventures with mom. Although, he isn't here where I can see him on a daily basis and I miss him (I miss both of them), I am so insanely proud of the man he is. So, Happy Veteran's Day (and I love ya Papa!)

Bryan had a birthday last month. We celebrated with Grandma and Grandpa the weekend before and then just the four of us the actual day of his birthday. He is growing up so fast. It's hard to believe at times and it makes me feel so old! ;) He's still totally into Legos. I can't wait to post some of his projects once he finishes. He's working on a grocery store and some Star Wars stuff and the Eiffel Tower. I'm going to have to add onto my house just to make a place to display all of his work!

I haven't been posting as much as I've wanted to. Between Facebook and here...hmmm I mean really whose all that interested?? But I do enjoy updating our blog. Life has just been busy. Pretty much since the beginning of summer. Busy and emotional - that's what I'm going with. Bryan's back in Cub Scouts after a month forced break by his mean ole mom! We're going camping here soon. Can't wait! I tend to enjoy the fall campouts though - less heat. I plan on taking some Fall/Birthday photos of the boys this weekend if the weather cooperates. It's been raining for a week. Other than that, we've had a lot of house projects going on. Painting, purging and organizing. One of these days when I'm old and grey the house will be just the way I want it. Either that or I just won't care. LOL!

My heart was just breaking for him tonight. He crashed into something while running around and this is what he did. We ended up at the Dr's office for an hour and a half. Holding my child down while the Doc sticks a needle in his face makes for a really lousy Friday night. He screamed like someone was torturing him and interestingly enough, it was over being held down, not the needle...

Just felt like posting a pic from our trip to D.C. in July. It was really nice to be out and about doing the tourist thing with just my hunny. :)

I get restless or I start to feel closed in and there are times when no matter how many projects we are currently working on, I need to do something like re-arrange furniture or clean out a closet. Sometimes it even becomes too much of whatever sounded like a good idea and never gets completed. This is one of those times. I was restless and caged and feeling a little moody and sorry for myself one day this week... I got the brilliant plan that re-arranging the scrap room would make me feel better. The original configuration was just something that was built up on and never fully planned out. This time I measured and drew and planned and this grumbled about maybe needing to just pack it all up and say to hell with it all. (OK, 2 minutes after that I was thinking that was a nutty idea - as if I could give up scrapbooking). There are only so many ways to change this room around and it turned out just being a basic mirror image of the original way with a couple of changes and some purpgin...

It was great that they both happened to choose and wear these 2 shirts to school on Tuesday! It was perfect - a definite echo of what is said in our house all the time...

On the walk up to school... Waiting to go to class - my big 5th grader! And my not so little boy... Putting his stuff away... He told us that his new teacher is sooooo sweet! Gotta love new backpacks... They are so stinkin cute with their haircuts and matching shirts!!

I am NOT a beer drinker at all, but I thought I'd try it. I had it on good word from mom that Belgian beer was good and since she liked it even though she had never been a big beer drinker either.... I didn't like it... and neither did Bryan! LOL!

I've decided that Brugge was my favorite part of the trip. It was so pretty and just relaxed. I didn't feel like I needed to rush to do anything. Our carriage driver/tour giude was awesome and reminded me of Tevye from Fiddler on the Roof. He let Bryan not only get behind the reins, but let him sit on his horse as well. Bryan was in heaven. He loved it! Yes, we had a meltdown while on vacation, but in his defense, he had been on the go constantly for a week and I think it was just catching up to him. It was a quick meldown and before I knew it, he was back to his usual curious self.

This was our last excursion while in Paris. It was my dad's idea to go see Sacred Heart - I'm glad he did too. I went to 2 different Sacred Heart Catholic schools growing up, so it was neat to go see this one. It is a gorgeous church on the outside. I didn't go inside with everyone, but dad said it was beautiful on the inside as well.

Eiffel Tower. This is what Bryan wanted to see most of all. Finally we made it. It was windy and cool that day. The Eiffel Tower sure is TALL! We went all the way up. I didn't really like spotting the green nets for what??? For some one who accidentally falls OFF??!! It was very cool and Bryan, bless him, loves to conquere fear. He is afraid of heights, but he was going up there and nothing could stop him. He spent the frist few minutes hugging the walls, but eventually went to the telescope thingy. It was funny once we got back down, we were sitting there waiting for mom to come back out of the gift shop and watching the quite annoying and persistent guys hawking their little trinkets. It was amazing...like something out of Wild Kingdom... all of the street vendor dudes looked up all at the same time (there must have been a dozen of them standing in front of us), it was like the smelled something...suddenly ALL of them took off running full speed! A couple of seconds ...