A lot matters on this Monday..

there is a lot that i am thankful for this Monday, both the little things and the BIG...

first with the little - I was so delighted with all of the link-ups to my first blog party. It was so interesting to hear how different women met their husbands. I had both tears and laughter while reading the various stories. I also realized that I could never write a romance novel, because after reading my own engagement story compared to how others wrote theirs, well let's just say I need to step up on the romantic part. I did prepare a candlelight dinner for my husband tonight (and three little girls as well) and bothered to put on a dress instead of my shorts and tshirt that I romped around in all day -- so that's a step towards romance, right?

anyway.....

on to the BIG that matters to me this Monday..

My Sis-in-Law had that beautiful baby girl on Thursday, ten days early.

I've yet to meet the little sweet pea, by oh my, is she gorgeous in her pictures!

Meet Kyra Laikyn...

Jason meets his new niece for the first time...

Don't you just want to keep her for yourself?

Welcome to the world you precious,  perfect little baby girl!

can we sit on the clouds...

my moment of gratefulness this past week...

the conversation in the car on the way home from Lowe's.

Mia- can you talk in heaven?

Me - sure

Maddie - do boys die in girls heaven?

Me - yes

Mia - and boys and girls can hug each other up there?

Me- sure! (said with a melting heart)

Maddie - Are there toys up there?

Me - yes

Mia - Are there TV's?

Maddie - Are there remotes so we can watch shows that we like?

Mia - and can we bring movies like Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs with us?

Me - I'm pretty sure

Maddie - Can you sit on the clouds?

Me - yep! (heart is now a puddle of mush)

Mia - Is there apple juice?

Maddie - And can we see Grandpa Lou (Jason's father)

...and then with much thought about her Grandpa Lou's gravestone, Maddie asks

"does the rock have a cord that leads up to the sky?"

I had to inquire what the rock was but when she said grave, I knew what she was talking about. At this point, i don't think my tears allowed me to even answer and fortunately the topic changed.

oh, can i just keep them 4 years old for 4 more years at least?

on a lighter note...

my sister-in-law had her baby shower this weekend..only a month before we meet our newest family addition - miss kyra! the shower was wonderful...

thought i'd share with you the crafty little gift i put together -- all at a budget's price (jackie, my SIL, is well aware of my bargain hunting)

 Remember these in the dollar bin at Michael's over Christmas?

I purchased the galvanized bucket from Home Depot - it doesn't surprise me that I still managed to find myself in a hardward store even for a baby gift-

but I "girl-ied" up the bucket for the baby.

 I hot glued the pearl letters to create her initials.

...and filled her up with all sorts of baby goodies!

books. clothes. bath towel. puzzle. frame. photo album. to name a few.

Why the spatulas you are wondering?

This was the BEST purchase I made as a mother of twins when my daughters began eating baby food. These little spatulas got every last drop of baby food out of the jar - believe me, with two mouths to feed, every little drop counted!

and i think the mama-to-be loved it..

Sharing with

...and be sure to SHARE with me - details here

Matter the Most Monday 2010...

a bit eager i guess...i am posting a day early...

I am going to stay loyal this year to my Monday's post of little things that matter to me - things that might have happened the week before that I am grateful for or just little things that I need to open my eyes a bitter wider and recognize.  As I read a lot of the opening new year blog posts, many people have chosen one word to apply to their year.. 

FOCUS
LISTEN
GRATEFUL

to name a few.

I am not sure I can choose JUST one word - I am not organized enough to get to just one word. So going back to my new year's post of being a SUPER MOM and not SUPERMOM, my one word will be

LET GO- SLOW DOWN- CALM

does that work?

So with that in mind, here are  my little things of the week that mattered the most...

1. I've now played Candy Land with the girls 4 times in two days - just as the Hasbro wording says on the side of the box "when its time for us, nothing else matters." I think Hasbro stole those words right out of my girls' mouths.

2. We've had quality neighborhood time this past week -princess new years eve party, hanging out with neighbors to ring in the new year (well, we toasted at 9pm, 12 am New York time when the ball dropped that still counts, right?) and "scootering" with all the kids and their scooters and bikes in the cul-de-sac

3. Although a bit chaotic because of the computer freezing on us, we used the web cam with my parents and Grandma on new Year's Day - something we fail to do often enough -Learning SKYPE is a goal of mine this week! How great is was to see their faces, even if they were frozen in time for a bit.

 4. a fresh start, a new year, a new white calendar to follow...welcome 2010. a chance to soak in these little moments for another year!

now off to that skype website so I don't make a liar out of myself...

and thanks Graphics Fairy for my fun picture for my Monday logo.

 

matter the most monday...GOOD HEALTH

it was not a pretty weekend in this household. between thursday afternoon and saturday evening, all of the girls in this house, including me, came down with the stomach flu - the husband for some reason, got off the hook. however, he really didn't,  because he had to take care of all of us, so he wins the "best husband" award for his help and patience this weekend. i've mentioned my friend/next door neighbor kim who is always willing to help out in any way she can - well , she and her daughter were in bed with the same thing! so it was my husband all on his own! i really don't know which is worse, being sick yourself or watching your three little ones get sick and feel so helpless in helping them to get better. even the baby was sick! it's heartbreaking to watch their little eyes and see them all curled up moaning in pain. i am glad to have the weekend behind me and hopefully we have this type of flu behind us for the season and can move on to good health!

i do have to admit, however, there was a little part of us all being sick together that was actually nice. sure, we get it over with in one weekend, but it allowed us all to SIT STILL. i didn't jump up to clean or do laundry; jason didn't run weekend errands or tackle the bills; the girls didn't run off to the neighbors to play; the dog didn't beg endlessly for us to walk her or play ball with her and izzy was more then content to spend the days napping in our arms. we watched elf, cat in the hat, shrek 3, and snuck in christmas vacation after the girls dozed off. i  can't tell you how many times i've seen shrek 3 - but out of the corner of my eye, in bits and pieces as they watched  the movie and i cleaned. i actually sat still and watched all of these movies, with them, next to them, cuddled up in the same blanket with them. it really gave me a new appreciation to doing these things WITH the girls, not just for them or next to them, but actually WITH them.

so after our sickly but family-bonding weekend, here are a few of my

"little things that matter the most"

 that i am oh so appreciative of on this monday...

and of course, as i mentioned before, i am so appreciative of
my caring and tolerant husband
 for taking care of all of his girls!

 we are so loved!

now everyone, GO WASH YOUR HANDS and

grab some "hanitizer" as my daughter calls it!

matter the most monday...

what matters the most to me this monday?

a well spent weekend...

a first time trip to the LA Getty Museum

 a much needed night out with some girlfriends

a Sunday morning hike with my husband and woah! am i NOT a hiker -- look at that gorgeous scenery behind me - how can i complain right?  but i was like an annoying child :

" is this over yet?

 are we there yet?

  are we done yet?

am i dead yet? "

wow is it a lot of work - give me a marathon over hiking any day please!

so the smile below is a bit fake. i  was dying!

that's at the top  -- see the water?

we went all the way down to the beach and then right back up.

n e v e r  a g a i n.

wimp.

me.

i've got family Christmas photos checked off the list thanks to my fab photographer friend Becca,

and three very cooperative little girls!

those fancy dresses bring out the best (behavior) in the twins!

izzy's first introduction to the beach - crawling in the sand and eating quite a few handfuls as well!

she couldn't quite catch the seagulls but sure gave it a good effort

the girls being able to be beach bums on a beautiful november beach day...

and a peaceful way to end my busy well spent weekend --

a sunset nap on the beach with my baby

snuggled in my arms...sigh.

what a blessing.

remember to make the little things matter the most!

happy monday

matter the most monday

after a ca-razy weekend, albeit extremely fun and exciting with the girls being so "in to" the halloween festivities this year,  i am going to remember that this mess of a house will get cleaned up with time, that my house won't always look like a tornado struck as it does right now - and i will reread and reread and reread my little trinket plate that i picked up at a palm springs thrift store -- how cute and tacky is that?
   so the little thing that i am so appreciative of, that isn't so little, is that we have this roof over our head; we are all healthy and stuffed with snickers and three musketeers and enough lollipops to keep us covered until next halloween. cleaning with chocolate in hand will make a fantabulous combo this week!

happy monday all!



and i think this is the first time in 21 years that i have worn a costume for halloween - i admit, it took a few cocktails before putting on the outfit, but we really had a fun time with ALL of us dressed up for trick or treating

(linking to spearmint baby to show our little trick-or-treaters to the world)

matter the most monday

the little things that matter to me today...
1. sleeping in after a late night of U2 and lots of traffic
2. family who are willing to babysit, or rather, spend time with the little people in their family
3. a husband who loves me
4. disney dvds and an afternoon nap
5. this happy place in my life

what little things matter the most to you today? please share!

and because i just can't get enough bargains...i am participating in junkin monday today...

i discovered junkin' monday over at Cottage Charm and Family Inspiration while reading Coastal Charm so if you are feeling the need for a "beachy" feel, check out both of these great blogs.

since i am going with the little things on mondays,  trying to keep sight of the little things in life that count, here are a few of my little treasures i've discovered at recent garage sales that i will post for the junkin' monday post...

i love this mini clock - - purchased a box of vintage barbie/doll house furniture for $10 and this clock stays near me - the twins got the rest to play with and oh how i love when they choose the older doll furniture over the new piece - maybe the love for the old and treasured is a genetic trait i've passed down...

\

thrift store bottle - $3

a pair of baby shoes found at a garage sale for $1.00 and a birds nest that was in a fake potted plant - out went the plant and pot and i saved the bird nest. i love this unexpected combination and keep it on my mantel.

have a great monday all!

matter the most monday & a brag...

i enjoyed participating in the graphics fairy brag monday last week - especially hearing from new bloggers that i had yet to "meet" and seeing their creative work as well...so here i am again.

this is really a garage sale creation - everything on this hat was purchased from a garage sale, except for the dollar store ring which i blogged about last week. i painted an old paper lions king birthday hat  - i used black paint, the graphic's fairy halloween lady, the spider rings i glittered, fake brown stuff -- (not sure what that is really called,) and orange yarn along the bottom; fabric and two buttons on the top of the hat. i am celebrating my two younger nieces' birthdays with them on wednesday before we head back to california this week, so we are going with a halloween theme and this will be one of the hats for the birthday girl. one more hat to make yet! and i think i just may have to make a third to keep as a decoration for myself.

matter the most monday #5

maddie and my dad, "papa bob" planted sunflower seeds back in march when my parents visited for the girls' 4th birthday. maddie was diligent about watering her planted seeds and spent most summer mornings running out onto the back patio in her jammies checking to see if her sunflower had appeared. thank goodness that little seed decided to sprout!

so thank you little sunflower for showing my daughter how compassion and care can create a beautiful thing! her love for nature has been strengthened with your sweet vibrant yellow appearance!

matter the most monday #3

(mia and me)

i have been passionate about photography since i can remember but it was the arrival of my first niece, baylee, that i decided to really take notice of photojournalism and documenting life through pictures. there truly isn't a day in this house that a picture isn't snapped - if it isn't my camera, it's my husband's, and now mia has become the newest photographer. as much as i gasp for air when she grabs my not-so-cheap camera, i try to relax, letting her explore, while I walk silently behind her, holding my breath, not wanting to distract her focus but having my hands ready to catch that family member in my hands if it gets dropped - yes, the family member, the camera; mia would be fine if she stumbled, she's a tough girl!

i love to see the mia's world as she sees it from behind the lens...