Life is Forever Changing

Grateful for moments when blessings are overabundant to reflect back on in times that are tumultuous.

Life right now is complex. It is fully entangled in some very strong emotions. It is not dull or lacking, it never is. It seems to always be bustling with goodness, even in times like these when it feels very sink or swim. We will not sink, we will swim in this rougher than usual current. It may draw us far from where we are planted as sometimes being uprooted is all mother nature intended, or maybe this time we are rooted enough that we will weather yet another storm. Storms can be scary, they seem to come out of nowhere, unexpected, without warning, these are the worst kind, but this storm has granted us with much warning for years now. It has been a build up and it is not ready to wither away, it is not ready to say good bye, not just yet. We ask ourselves daily if today shall be the day, and thankfully it is not. Without much to do that day is coming nearer and the nearer it scoots, the more ready we become. I would not change our journey or ask any different of where it shall go, I just ask in myself that I stay strong and endure each moment as it is presented.

Love Was In the Air & Hovering Over Daddy

Today was all about Daddy! "Why?", you ask. It is Valentine's Day after all, not Father's Day.

I will share with you why.

Because he is the the man I call my Husband, We built this castle together, where We raise our children together, We live our lives with each other, a bit for each other, and We most importantly LOVE each other.

And our children, well for beginners, he is their Daddy! He is the man they wake up each and every morning asking," It is a work day or does daddy get to stay home day?", he is the man they welcome home each and everyday with open arms and hearts, he is the man in their lives whom they love the most right now.

So, you see there is all of this love in the air, hovering specifically over the man we call husband and dad in our home.

But it is a day to celebrate all of those we love, well, we have decided today is for the one of the men in our house and each day following we will focus on all of the loved ones in our lives we did not celebrate today. You see we all love you so very much we have decided you need a day of your own too.

In preparation for our surprise impromptu Valentine Dinner at the "Sister's and Brother Cafe" we began our day early while still in jammies creating hearts decor galore.

Lilllitha was excitedly awaiting the arrival of her daddy, our guest of honor.

After decorations were hung and jammies changed we created a menu, set the table, and anticipated all the fun to be had.

Our guest of honor was indeed as surprised as they come, hungry as a bear in spring, and happily basking in all of the love and attention coming his way.

We do dinner a lot around the table all 6 of us, but tonight was different, it was extravagant in comparison, exciting, fun, just different, different in the most beautiful of ways.

The beauty erupted from the 5 us working together to celebrate the love of our family of 6.

~Momma had an idea, she shared her idea with her 4 kids
~Whom thought the idea was awesome
~The 5 of us brainstormed
~When we had our plan we each jumped in feet first and attacked
~ We were not without hiccups here and there
~Our love pulled us together and we kept on trekking

We ate and drank merrily while sharing good conversation and most importantly creating memories of one of our best Valentine's days ever!!!
Yes, we really all do agree it was the best yet...

There is not a better way to end a day than circling round the table yet again to indulge in some good yummy sweetness going in the tummy as well as the heart.

Tonight our hearts are indeed full of sweetness, more like overflowing, tummies too.

Happy Love Day to you all,

Belinda

A new "first time" added to the list of my kids "firsts" accomplishments!!!

My kids have begun to ask me the "when" and the "first" questions. You know the questions I am talking about, "How old was I when I walked?", "What was the first thing I ever said?", or "When was the first time I did x, y, or z?".? To be totally honest, I have no idea what the exact dates were or even exactly what the first word they said was.

What I do remember and can almost relive as if it was happening right now are the feelings I felt during these big momentous occasions for parents and children. I clearly remember the looks on each of my children as they accomplished each of their firsts, I can recall the crankies before and during their first teeth breaking through, I remember the build up to my eldest reading for her first time, I remember Nishan going on stage for his very first time. Today we added a new first time memory, Lillitha riding her 2 wheeler bike all on her own for the very first time.

She had asked a few times for us to take off her training wheels, we do, and soon after we are being asked to put them back on, and we do again.

Today she pleaded for us to take them off for a good 10 minutes. We complied, but kept the wrench close by to reattach the training wheels per our usual go around.

But, today was not like any other day! Our little Lillitha hopped on her bike and rode off like she had been doing it her whole life!!! Totally, absolutely, miraculously amazing!!!

Seriously, I was that amazed, and I am pretty much always that amazed when my kids succeed at things they have worked really hard for. And the big ol' cheesy momma tears always follow the "Holy Shit" that is my kid out there doing that moment.

Check out how excited and proud my little bean is!!! Her momma, daddy, sisters and brother are just as excited for her. Today, is one of those days were the "date" will fall away from our memories, but the memories will be full of all those wonderful emotions we felt today, the very first time our Lilli girl rode her 2 wheeler!

This Moment

{This Moment}

A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.
If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

Inspired by~ Amanda Soule

Wishing you a lovely weekend!!!

2 Daughters, 2 Dads, & a Dance

Lillitha said, "Tonight is going to be the best night ever!", at least once every half hour until Nishan, Zari, and I saw the girls and their dad's off to the Faughter Daughter dance.

From the ear to ear smile on Coral, I believe her night began just perfectly.

Coral asked her dad to the father daughter Valentine dance this year.

She had so much fun last year that she wanted Lillitha to go too and she felt it would be fantabulous for each of them to have their very own dates.

We spent a good hour getting these girls prim and proper being it Coral's second date and Lillitha's very first it needed to be done big, so we went big.

We started with coordinating dresses and than each gal added a bit of their very own flavor to the palette.

Coral went for a bit of what I deem the sassy 80s/2011 look. I am totally impressed with Cor's ability to mix different styles together.

Lillitha's crown, purse, and shoes say it all.

Pretty pretty princess doin' it up for her first night out on the town.

Helping my girls glamorize themselves ranged between totally stressful to absolutely dream like. Seeing them off made all of the sweat 100% worth it.

We bid them farewell and momma had tears in her eyes for they one magnificent sight to see.

Coral called the next morning and could not stop talking about all the fun she had.

Lillitha woke up and declared it was definitely, "The best night ever!".

And this momma is hoping for many more extravaganzas to come.

Taking Care of Momma Monday #2

Inspired by Twig and Toadstool I decided to take Mondays to share something or two that I did just for me. I find that the smallest of things generally makes or breaks our days around here. There once was a time when I lit candles daily, fresh flowers were a norm, and everything had its very own place. The thought of this makes me laugh with pleasure that things have changed so very much and squirm with delight that I am no longer so freaking anal retentive! Goodness me I am glad that I did a bit of lightning up. A bit sad that the scent of candles and flowers are no longer a daily presence in our abode.

Today, I bring you not just one, but two bouquets of fresh flowers adorning and scenting our home sweet home.

On my to do list sat written and lonesome after a few days of everything else being checked off, "Pick up Fresh Flowers for Me!". It sat and sat, and today being Taking Care of Momma Mondays, I strayed off our regular path home and pulled off the highway to buy flowers from the nice guy on the corner trying to make a living. I was so sad to realize I had only large bills with me and he had no change.

Being the day to take care of myself I went all out and asked him to hold the bouquets while I ran to Django's where I bought a cup of joe to make change to finally cross of buying the fresh flowers on the never ending to do list.

This cup of joe followed me to the beach this late afternoon where I kindly encouraged the kids to run free while I allowed my thoughts to follow suit.

Pure bliss

A perfectly wonderful way to end a day that ran a bit like a zig zag line, a sharp turn toward bliss immediately turned sharp turn chaos. Feeling so very blessed, bliss was our last stop on the line.

Adventures on Friday by Foot

Since committing to walking a few times a week all of our Fridays have been car free except one when time constraints were too hindering to be on foot. We are finding we much prefer walking in so many more ways than we could of ever imagined.

We begin with about a half hour walk to piano lessons for Coral and Nishan. My littlest generally falls asleep on the way or wears herself her out enough to be settled during our hour long wait for lessons.

While Nishan learns a tune or two, Coral settles into her current book, and Lillitha eats away her weariness from our travels on foot.

Nishan joins myself and the littlest gals in the waiting room while Coral gets a few tips on the Harry Potter theme song and Castle on a Cloud from Les Mis.

I enjoy this time with my children relaxing and waiting in the confines of a small enough place that we can hear their fingers creating music.

And sometimes you may even hear a tune that draws you to get up off your booty and dance.

It is a time to enhance our understanding of counting by 2s, 5s, and 10s using the kids treasures found after many many of these traveling walks.

When we are all antsy and the littlest wakes we find ourselves outside playing with small toys that have tagged along in a pocket.

And sooner or later we find ourselves firing away at each other all in good fun using pillars as hiding places and the parking lot as our ambush headquarters.

Before we know it Coral has strayed out and we make our way to our next destination where there is always more fun to be had.

What we are all enjoying most about walking is our time seems to be spent much more focused on each other rather than a momma focused on a whole bunch of to dos. I have found that we chat, play and laugh more, time seems to stand still for that little bit of time when all that matters is us taking time to make that hour of waiting, "fun". I cannot share with you why this seems to happen more fluidly when we trek by foot to classes rather than driving but this is what we are currently experiencing. I cannot wait to begin riding bikes to our activities on the East end of town to see if that hour of waiting at ballet gets any easier...

This Moment- A Friday Ritual

{This Moment}
A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.
If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.
Inspired By- Amanda Soule

Wednesdays, Papa, Nana, and Us

Wednesday mornings we load in the car and take the hour and half drive down to my parent's house. This weeks drive was especially beautiful because we drove the Malibu 27 mile scenic route. I have driven this same drive more times than I can count on my fingers and toes and each time is it as breathtaking as the time before.

Recently added to my bucket list is the Zuma Beach Sand Hill! There is way too much fun to be had there, I just know it.

Our arrival is always full of hugs, kisses, and food. My parents love to feed the people they love. We gather around the table a minimum of 2 times in the whole 6 hours we are there. It is what we have always done and will always do.

When we are not sharing a meal with laughter and chatter, you can find us somewhere in the kitchen cleaning or prepping, sprawled on the floor with kids, or my personal favorite place on the porch (aka The Looney Bin) visiting with my dad.

Wednesdays are special in this way, much of the time I get to lounge in my fave place with coffee, yarn, and needles. My mom takes the grand kids out for a Nana special and Papa and I chill on his porch. It has grown to be something that I look forward to, yearn for, the quiet stillness of just him and I. We chat, we laugh, we commiserate, we hug, it has become another thing we "do".

My dad he loves to be up at the sunrise and for as long as I can remember does his best to see the sunset. Our walks these days do not take us to the promenade for an up close and more personal view, but they take us right down the alley a few houses or so.

We shared the beauty in silence for sometime, the silence was as magical as the sunset itself.

Without surprise we always join around the table for dinner before parting ways. Saying good bye is never hard as we are already looking forward to our next visit at "The Looney Bin"!

I leave you today with a few of my father's funnies:

-"Cannot believe anyone would eat a foot long hamburger, it looks like a blob if shit on a bun!" (Must say it looked rather unappetizing all blown up on the front page of the paper.)
-"You have finally learned to make a good ol' cup of joe!" (Hmm...it was just coffee, hot chocolate mix, and white chocolate macadamia nut creamer per his request.)

-"You are just like my wife!" (Well she is my mom.)

-"Police should throw down spikes in the alley so people will no longer drive so fast." (Yeah, maybe bu than you would have a ton of cars backed up in your alley with a whole lot of pissed off people.)

The Music Party

This year our family took the leap into the world of musical instruments.

Love Hans Ottsen, whom Coral and Nishan are learning by. He and his girlfriend decided they wanted the "recital" to provide the students with the experience of performing in front of an audience. It was to be about having fun, eating yummy food, drinking yummy drinks, and above all HAVING FUN!!! They actually stated on the invitation that "perfection was not a requirement. Having fun is."

This is where the term "recital" was nixed, as they felt it "conjured negative images of people in uncomfortable clothing, sitting in uncomfortable chairs, while experiencing uncomfortable feelings of nervousness and anxiety."

They wanted to avoid this as much as the black plague!

So the term "music party" was born.

They asked that the kids wear comfortable clothes, meaning no need to dress up, unless of course that makes one more comfortable. You can see that my son in grass stained jeans took this to heart and his teacher, Ahem, sneakers to boot! Just another reason to love him!

Ok, so Nishan was not able to abandon all feelings of nervousness and anxiety. Hans and him had a good ol' little pep talk.

And than a few seconds later my boy rocked the house with "Happy Birthday"!!!

And in celebration of a rather awesome and truly fun music party we ate and drank till our bellies were so full we probably could of rolled home.