a must have...

In searching for some good books on the true meaning of Christmas for the kids, I came across this book. It looks fascinating! Here is the review...

Take a magical journey around the world this Christmas with your children and family.

Forget about the woes of the world with this delightful Christmas story about a young girl overwhelmed with the hustle and bustle during Christmas time.

Collista loses faith in Christmas and writes a plea to Santa Claus for help. Santa replies by sending her a Guardian Angel named Brianna to help her re-discover the true meaning of Christmas.

Collista and Brianna embark on an adventure that takes them around the world for a magical journey that you won't forget.

Collista's Search for the True meaning of Christmas is a welcomed, inspirational family book that will delight children and adults alike and bring a joyful tear of hope to everyone's eye.

With today's mass media covering the tragedies of the world 24/7, more and more children are becoming disillusioned with humanity. Offer them hope and a look into the world of other children to see that we are all the same, especially at Christmas time.

Collista's Search for the True meaning of Christmas will teach you and your children how to say "Merry Christmas" and "Happy New Year" in 112 different languages. Included at the end of the book are 33 Holiday recipes from around the globe that both you and your children can share special family time to make together.

Love, Laughter, and Joy!

Here is what the Holidays look like around our house...

the smooches are plentiful around here...and they are free too!
I can't believe this is my itty bitty Kyle looking like such a big boy...
and a smile that I just can't get enough of!
Mason was very thoughtful with his ornament placement. I suspect he will have OCD like his Mommy.
my little angel so excited to wear that stinkin dress!
clowns!
they are kinda cute aren't they?
ahhhhhhhhhh...................
and this one says it all!

better late than never?

As I was going through my online albums and picking Holiday picks for Christmas cards, I realized I had never done anything with our Halloween pics...including posting them on my blog! So here's a little flashback;)

the importance of separation...

Last week I had a touchbase with the kids teacher, Ms Christine. She is really a sweetheart. She said they were all doing fantastic, making huge progress, and right where they need to be age wise. The one observation that broke my heart was this...

She explained to me that they needed more one on one time with me. This is something that has been nagging me for a while, but this really hit home. She said that the lack of individual time alone with me instead of as a trio was causing insecurities within my children. She explained that there is no time to develop a close individual bond with each of them, and that has caused them to be insecure as individuals. She said that I may feel bonded with them because I am always with them and I give them tons of affection, but it wasn't the same as the bond would be if they had a chance to bond with me alone rather than all together. She explained that instead, they are bonding with eachother and that's where they get their security from. Thus, the reason they hate being separated. She told me that out of all the kids in the classroom, these guys were the furthest behind socially. They get scared when new kids join the classroom, have longer adjustment periods to new kids and teacher's, and are more relucant to try new things than the other kids. My heart droppped. Did I really cause my kids to be insecure? I am with them, loving on them, and teaching them every moment I can get my hands on. It makes sense though, they need me to know them in and out as individuals, not as a pack. They need to have their time, to have their own special moments with me or Chris, no interruptions. So, this is our new commitment. To allow each one of them to flourish and get as much alone time as we can find.

Today is Kyle's day. I can't explain to you the smile he had and the bounce in his walk as we left the school together holding hands. We went to the park, had lots of conversations, read a couple of books that he picked out, we will go to lunch together, take a nap together, and go get "ma brudu & ma chista" from school a little later. I will rotate each week, and my day off that week will be all theirs! For a Mom of triplets, having one tagging along with you is like nothing, it's actually very refreshing to get to focus on just one of them.

more Blessings!

No, Im not pregnant. Not that type of Blessing.

As you know, I have been struggling with my decision to work or to stay home. To be quite honest, working at M.A.C has been wonderful in many ways, and on the other hand it has turned our already chaotic lives into complete mayhem! After being denied for the kids school scholarship(a whole different story) I made up my mind that I would give my notice at work and return to life as we were before I had this bright idea. That was yesterday. Despite my inability to keep up with household duties, despite the fact that I miss my kids and my hubby, I still felt sadness going in yesterday to deliver the news that I would be resigning at the end of December.

I was absolutely shocked when my boss made a way for me. She is allowing me to work 7-4 shifts, which will allow me to pick the kids up from school and be home cooking dinner by 5pm! She is also giving me Sundays off as promised in the beginning, and I only have to close one Saturday per month! I am so excited, I think this is going to solve everything! Yayyyyyyyyy!

funny stuff

My Husband Chris is a Contractor.

Isn't it funny that last week when he arrived at the kids school to pick them up the teacher nformed him that Mason has been walking around for the last week with a pencil behind his ear? Apparently he is very cool about it. Sometimes he even has one behind each ear. He takes them out to draw, then puts them back...

Too stinkin cute. It's amazing what kids pick up on.

As Promised...

I had hoped to take a better picture than this one, but just can't find the time. So here goes....

This is my new hair!

should I be worried?

One of my little guys insists upon the pink cup when I pass out sippies, fights for baby dolls, and snuck on a pair of Asjia's pink princess underwear before school the other day. Chris went to pick them up and he still had them on, one leg only and pulled up to his waist, but he refused to take them off. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm?

Is it winter time already?

I guess I have been in denial. I will have to surrender my capris and my flip flops darn it! This morning, after weeks of beautifully vibrant colored leafy trees, I walked out to find bare naked ones. There were crazy winds all day yesterday and last night that stripped them of their beauty. On the way to school there was an eary calm, and out of no where...snowflakes.

We have plans to get our Christmas tree on Thursday, and In the back of my head I am trying to predict what level that disaster will be. I cant wait to share the excitement of the holidays with the kiddies, but will the poor little tree survive the abuse?

I told them I was going to take them to see Santa and all of them said No! Asjia kept repeating, "I'm scared Mommy". I told them Santa likes you, he's nice, he brings you surprises if your a good girl or boy...they went for it;)

So watch out mall Santas, one of you will see us coming very soon!

Why didn't I know about this?

I just discovered the best thing a Mommy of three pre-school age kiddos could discover. The teacher supply store! OMG OMG OMG. Where have I been? I got so excited in there I could barely stand myself. For a second I felt guilty that I had cheated my kids out of these great things for the past couple of years, but then I realized that it is not until now that they have been ready for it. So, if you have never been, RUN don't walk to the nearest one! We have Lakeshore Learning Center here and it's awesome! I decided that if I stay home I will turn the basement in to a full blown "pre-school" and I will have a structured learning schedule for them a few days a week. Fun Fun Fun:)

One of my favorite things is this walking rope. I was so amazed that they were able to train my kids to walk and hold on to this rope at school. I was very paranoid with them going on walks without me at first. The school id downtown and the playground is a public one two blocks away so they walk there. The first few days I stuck around so I could chaperon. The teacher looked at me like an alien when I drilled them about any stray kids who had been hit by cars or lost on the daily journey. They assured me no child had ever gotten off of the rope outside, and I half heartily believed them. So, I tested the idea a few days later. I always have my kids on lock down when we are taking a trip to the mall or the park, so that day I decided to try the rope theory. I cut a long piece of curling ribbon from my gift wrap box and called it "the rope". I could not believe my eyes as my kids walked a total of six blocks to and from our neighborhood park without letting go even once. I was sold! So here it is Ladies and Gents...




Love it, Love it, Love it!
And it could be yours for the low low price of $19.95 Yahooooooo

*oh yes, pics of the hair coming soon!

little snippets of my cuties

One amazing thing that has come as a result of going to school...they are so much more open to other people, places, and things. I was shocked when I got them to feed the goats out of their hands. Just a couple of months ago they were running from puppies!


Kai finally got his wish of "drive tractoh" What a little cutie he is. We actually couldn't get him down once he went up. He held up the line and we had to go dig him out of the driver's seat.


Asjia & Mason trying reeeaaaly hard to pick up that pumpkin.


Watching the pony eat after taking him on a ride. They held on for dear life so my pictures of that were blury. It was adorable though, they were so proud of themselves♥

has it reeeaaaly been that long???

It's amazing how time passes us by. I really need a laptop so I can blog in traffic...lol How are all of my beloved blogging Mamas? I have felt utterly disconnected from blog land for the past few weeks. My computer was very ill & I couldn't even check up on your pages:( I will surely be making the rounds!

Where can I start?

Yesterday was one of those precious days that I desperately needed. The ones where its rainy and cold and all you want to do is roll from your warm bed to your sofa and snuggle up with your bambinos all day. We watched Cat in the Hat twice, ate homemade chicken noodle soup and played "wing awound the wosy" more times than I could keep track of. I didn't brush my teeth or get out of my pj's until 9pm when it was time to run to Target:) Didn't clean a single thing either, IT WAS FABULOUS!

As Tori told you guys, I am still working. I can't really make a move just yet because the school is still reviewing the scholarship info. Unfortunately, you need at least an associates degree in early childhood education to be an assistant there, so that was not an option afterall. But honestly, both Chris and I have gone back and forth a hundred times over and still can't decide what is best for the whole family. The kids LOVE to "go skoooo" so I feel bad taking them out to be cooped up with me all day again. And Lord knows that we cannot fork out nearly $700 a week to have them there while I lay around the house looking like a hot mess pretty. I know the answer will come in due time.

In the meantime...We had a great Halloween. We visited the pumkin patch and went trick or treating with the 3lb crew. M.A.C has been a lot of fun. Lots of hours, but lots of fun too. My Best Friend April came for a short visit:) and speaking of short.....I cut all my hair off. This is the first time in my life that I have had short hair! It's taking a bit of getting used to but everyone seems to approve. I am super excited that I have three days off Thanksgiving week and actually get to stay home and cook! And, I am super duper excited that my whole fam will be here the week before Christmas to visit. They bring loads of love, laughter, and entertainment with them:)

Hope all of you are in good health and good spirit, I have missed you dearly. Talk to you very soon!

the verdict is in

I can't do it....

My biggest reservation about walking away from this experience is that I will have let so many people down. However, letting my kids down would be something that I could never live with. I didn't get home until 10:45 last night and everyone was fast asleep. The most I could give them were kisses on their precious sleeping faces and whisper in their ear how much I loved them and hope that they heard it. This morning Mason was crying my name from the moment he woke up. He fought me to put on his school clothes and tried to peel them off all morning. Asjia kept saying "don't go Mommy, Mommy don't go". I know school is not the problem, once we pulled up they ran off and left me in the dust. The problem is that they miss me. So that does it, my kids are suffering and that was never my intention of pusuing this opportunity. I am going to Thank God for blessing me with the ability to make this choice and not be forced in to anything, and Thank everyone in my life for their support, and part ways with the jobby job. A part of me mourns "what could be" with M.A.C but the decision is quite easy actually. I think I may stay on as a freelance artist so I can come and go as I please. Maybe a weekend here or there to get out of the house and keep the creative juices flowing. I have to find a way to keep the kids in school at least part-time because they really love it and it's helping them to blossom so beautifully. Thankfully the great people at their school are willing to help me. Either through scholarship or a part time job at the school to cover the cost. They are WONDERFUL. To those of you with a carreer and kids...I so admire your strength. I admire your time management skills and empathize with you on your sacrifice. For those of you who are home in the trenches...you know I love and respect you to the fullest for what you are doing, we all know the trials and tribulations of that job. So there it is good people. Now I can stop worrying you with my broken hearted posts;)

Thank You

Just a quick post to say I LOVE YOU GUYS. Your comments are always so touching. Thank You.

I had a rough morning. When I dropped the kids off the principal asked me how my job was going and if I would be attending the holiday dinner they were throwing this evening. Seconds later, I was in tears. I hate hate hate crying in front of people by the way. Her and the program director asked what was going on and I layed all of my inner battles out on the table. The wonderful benefits of this amazing school vs. the tuition that keeps me away from my family. The struggle over staying home and working. The need for balance. The whole nine yards.

So it was so nice to come home puffy faced to read all of your feedback. I really cherish all of you!

Stop and smell the roses babies

Today on my way home, I passed the hospital where I spent three crucial months on bedrest and brought my three little Angels in to this world. I had this urge to pull in there and run to my room. When I stop and think about it and take myself back in time, I realize all over again how amazing my life is and just how beautiful this journey has been.

I am asked all the time about the kids during those first few months. How did you do it? Were they premature? Did you have help?? And for a quick second I think about it and answer the question. Today as I sat gazing at the hospital, I really had the chance to remember that time. I could see all three of their precious little faces the day they were born. I remembered the feeling of awe I had. The fear I had of mishandling them, the panic I felt as baby's A, b, and C were wheeled in to my recovery room. The countless amounts of prayers that got us through. The sound of the cries, the sweet smell, everything. Aren't we so Blessed to be Mothers? It hit me again today as it often does, that I am divinely favored. God Loves me and has Blessed me abundantly...he helped me get one thing completely right in this lifetime. Nothing else matters♥

Thoughts of a former SAHM

Let me first start by saying...it felt really good to sign in to Blogger:)

Well, I really take my hat off to all of the working Mommie's of the world. And, I take my whole outfit off to all the SAHM's out there. I feel like I am stuck in purgatory. I have so many mixed feelings and emotions, and what I have decided is that either road is a sacrifice. In fact, sacrifice becomes our middle names the moment we give birth.

So here's a little peek in to my personal thoughts of the week...

I'm feeling more comfy with my decision. The kids have come so far in just a few short weeks. It's a really good thing for all of us. I am amazed at Chris, he has shocked me with his ability to be Super Daddy! And, he has admitted that my job(sahm) was way harder than his. I love this job. It's refreshing to feel a sense of accomplishment when you are busting your butt. And, it's an even better feeling to get a nice big paycheck at the end of the week. This is a lot different than the thankless job of being a SAHM. It's great to get loads of free makeup and ridiculous discounts on Marc Jacobs bags and Betsey Johnson jewelry. What a life! I have actually enjoyed several cups of piping hot coffee without the worry of spilling it on a little monkey trying to get a sip. I am surprised that this is me in the mirror. My face looks great, my clothes are sharp, and I am actually feeling rather cute. Can someone please pinch me, are these eye shadows really five bucks after my discount? There is so much room for growth, and what a fabulous place to grow with.

~and then on the other hand(still thinking)...


Does all that shit even matter? Is my day off over already? That didn't really feel like enough "mommy and me" time. Who will have separation anxiety this morning? Are they being treated well while my watchful eyes are trusting someone else with them? How in the world will I ever be able to get this house cleaned up, or ever cook a nice dinner for my family again? I haven't seen a grocery store in weeks. Forget the grocery store, I haven't seen my Husband or my Kids in weeks. Sex? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. This is a for sure way to guarantee that we are done having kids! How many hours a day am I actually spending with my family? On some days, it's how many minutes. What happens on Christmas Eve when I am at work all dolled up and wishing for nothing more than to be home in my pj's with my kids? What about when summer roles back around and my weekends with them are non existent? And how about my poor sweet Christian? My stepdaughter who is already robbed of so much family time, now her small dose of normalcy has been cut in to as well. I miss blogging, I miss play dates, I miss the friggin Disney channel in the backround. What the hell am I doing?

decisions ~ decisions ~ decisions

I think it's inevitable. If you stay home you are always wondering what's going on in the real world. You sometimes miss the Woman you once were and sometimes wonder where she went. You sometimes feel guilty or perhaps less worthy for not making a monetary contribution to your household. You go stir crazy with the same mundane tasks every day, and loose motivation when it comes to keeping up with the heaps of laundry and dishes. You wish your Husband could have a raw, uncut taste of what you do day in and day out. And if you are a working Mom, you wonder if you are making the right decision. You question whether or not you are making a selfish decision. You are doing a constant balancing act that is nearly impossible. You sacrifice a lot of time away from your home. Yadda Yadda Yadda.

I was doing great until I got the news that I was going to have to work Sundays after all. That was a major incentive for taking this job. One guaranteed family day a week. Not to mention that I am short staffed and will most likely be working 6 day weeks and 12 hour shifts as the holidays get closer. I have a lot of thinking to do. Ultimately, I will do what's best for my family, no question. I am praying that there is an answer that will satisfy all of our needs. I will keep you posted!

hindsight is funny/funny

I had completely forgotten that I had these pictures from last week of the kids terrorizing me at Cheesecake Factory. We went out with my in-laws(about15 of us). The kids have NEVER acted out like they did that night, they pulled out all the stops! Asjia even said "oh shit" when she dropped her spoon on the floor. I had never heard nor expected to hear that word out of her sweet mouth. It would just figure that the table across from us was adoring them at just that moment. Having kids can be much like holding up a mirror to yourself at times. I have been working on my mouth, but obviously I need to clean it up real quick! I finally had enough embarrassment about an hour in to the evening, so I scooped up the boys and booked it out of there. We had a delightful time in the suburban and I finished my dinner at home in peace.

Here is me peeling the boys off the booth...so much for my idea of letting them try to do without highchairs!

silly little monkeys! Ok, this really is not funny, although his smile is adorable....
so we partied in the truck;)

This little man was the ring leader... Oh do I have stories for later on in life!

boy have I missed you guys!

Does anyone still check on me or have you guys given up on me completely?

Well, I swore I would be in bed by now but I can't put off posting for one more day. Oh my gosh, where do I start? I have sooooooooooooooooooo much to say. I have thought about all of you during the past two weeks. Wondered what funny things Loren was saying, how the Quilao cuties were doing, wondered how Angie's circus and Tammy's hellions were. Wondered how the Steece quads were growing and enjoying their new home and what insightful and touching things Lots of Scotts was posting just to name a few. So much has fallen by the waist side in the past two weeks, it's crazy. I never did come back to post on my first day at M.A.C and I know you guys were dying to hear the details, so here goes...

The past week has really changed my life. It has thoroughly changed my perspective. And, it has given me so many things to consider and digest. M.A.C is quite an amazing company with perks that would make you all really jealous. But truth be told, there was not any amount of free lipstick or eyeshadow that could have stopped the tears, mended the heartbreak, or relieved the sadness I felt from missing my kids last week. The first few days I cried every time I thought about them. Dropping them off at school was torturous. They screamed and held on to me for dear life. I felt like I was abandoning them. I would leave the school in tears and then want to kick myself for ruining my makeup on the way to work...lol serious basket case. I started last Wednesday, by Friday I told Chris I couldn't do it. I had decided that it was all a selfish fantasy and I needed to get my butt back home with my kids where I belonged. He was really disappointed that I was giving up so quickly, and quite frankly is probably the only reason I got a grip on my emotions and decided to give it some time. The weekend was better, I spent all day Sunday with them and was amazed at the new things they had learned in just 3 days at preschool.

This week things have settled down a bit. The kids are really warming up at school and enjoying it. They have learned their whole names, days of the week, months of the year, numbers 1-20, etc. etc. They love their teacher. Mason is still having some separation anxiety in the morning, but they say he calms down within about 20 minutes or so after I leave. Potty training? We are making progress, but still not consistent. I doubt the 2 week promise will stand, but we are on the right track:) Work is really fun and I'm glad I didn't turn around and run last weekend. I really considered it. The artists at my counter are awesome and I think it will be a really amazing experience. I need to find a way to balance it all out and find a new routine for keeping our household under control. Currently, I have no clean silverware or panties...lol

I promise to keep you posted, my brain needed time to process this past week. I hope you all are well, I am off to read your blogs!

Finally feeling at peace...

The past couple of weeks have taken a surprising toll on my mind. As much as I had going on in my brain, I could not force it out of my mouth. I have been battling feelings of nervousness, excitement, guilt, worry, and on and on. I started second guessing my decision about returning to work and it was really stressing me out. I think the whole anticipation of the kids starting school was weighing heavily on my mind. I was dreading the tears and the anguish that I saw a couple weeks back during our trial run. I think I have finally gotten over it and realized that this is something we all need.

Today was our official 1st day of school at the new place and I couldn't love it more. I was surprised that the kids were calm walking in this morning. As we entered the classroom, I felt much like a big tree trunk with three koala bears attached to my limbs. They wouldn't budge. I sat, they piled on top of me. Their teacher is wonderful. I stayed for a couple of hours and was really impressed. When the kids went out to play they seemed most comfortable, so I decided to make my escape. I gave the boys a kiss and told them I would be back in a little while. Asjia overheard me and ran to me screaming. I kissed her all up and gave her a big squeeze, then started making my way toward the gate. I could hear her fussing as I walked down the block, my poor little Angel. I checked back at nap and they were asleep, good sign. When I returned they were happy to see me but it took a minute. Overall, they did great and I feel so much better about leaving them.

The school is awesome. It is a "pre-school academy". They wear uniforms and pull-ups, how funny is that? They have to be in by 9am or have a Dr.'s note. The teacher also promised to help me have them potty trained within two weeks! Mason went pee pee for the very first time in the potty today! Guess seeing all the kids brought out the competitive spirit. Then when we got home Kai took a giant man poop in the toilet. We all clapped and cheered and took turns wow'ing over it before he made his first big boy flush. We had dinner, took a bath, jumped on the bed, read a story and lights out at 7:15. I am amazed. Can this really be happening? Structure in my home? Tomorrow is my first day of work, we will see how the day goes with that layered in. Wish me luck!

Cat has my tongue?

I'm not sure if I have nothing to write about or if my brain just can't seem to pick one of the million things going on up there... I'm still keeping up with your blogs though:)Be back soon!

Tag I'm it! And read on, you could be next!

How fun is this? One of my favorite Bloggers, Angie, in honor of her 150th post started this game of tag. I got tagged and have come up with 8 random facts about me. You could be next, look for your name at the end of the post!

One.
In 1st grade we were asked to draw a picture of our best memory with our family. Living in Southern California, going to Las Vegas was a quick & fun trip. Back in the early 80's however, it was not so much the family friendly hot spot it has become today. Circus Circus was the place to be. Anyhoo, my teacher was a little concerned when I finished my drawing and it was of a slot machine with 777 across it. My poor Mom was mortified, but we still die laughing about it to this day.

Two.
Since the first fact was sort of revealing about the goings on in my mind(slightly different than most) this next one shouldn't scare you. One of my most favorite past times as an adult is driving through downtown DC after dinner or a night out and looking at all of the hookers. Can you believe that I'm admitting this to you? I can't get over it, the whole dynamic continues to intrigue me over and over again. Now that I think about it, I wonder if this has any tie to what I saw as a child cruising the streets of Las Vegas? I should mention thatI get super excited when the pimps are out supervising.

Three.
My nick name growing up was Missy Pissy. I was given the name because I would laugh until I was on the floor wetting myself. My little sister still does this at 21, glad I grew out of it. Just don't hold me down and tickle me.

Four.
I still have a Great Grandpa. He is in his 90's, still volunteers, vacations abroad, and golfs a few times a week. He's basically amazing. He's absolutely adorable, his skin is beautiful and he is probably healthier than most of his offspring. He is the Great Great Grandfather of my children!

Five.
I lived in Arizona for 14 years and never saw the Grand Canyon. I went to High School & College there and lived in Flagstaff, Tucson, and Phoenix without ever seeing it.

Six.
Earlier this year I read the book "What would Jesus eat", and was forever changed. I now try and stick with organic and naturally raised foods for myself and my family. I can't eat pork or shrimp without gagging. Sometimes the Outback ribs still make me try to forget what I know.

Seven.
I once went out on two dates in one night. Just a year or so before I met my Husband actually. I came home from the first, changed my outfit, and went out to a second dinner. Needless to say I ate very lightly during round two. Carma got me back not long after.

Eight.
When my Husband and I were living across the country from one another, early in our relationship, we proved that great minds think alike. During a middle of the night grocery trip with my roommate I wandered off down the isles of the grocery store. Since our anniversary was coming up I started browsing the card section. I found a really beautifully written card that expressed my feelings perfectly. The only thing was that it wasn't very pretty so I decided to change the envelope in an effort to make it look nicer. Chris called me a few days after I sent it out and told me something weird had happened to him but that I would soon see for myself, he could not reveal what exactly it was. The next day I went to my mailbox to find that he had picked out the very same card AND changed the envelope to the very same color as I had! What are the chances? I was in Arizona, he was in Washington, DC. Crazy!


Ok, there you have it! Now, TAG YOUR IT, and I have quite a few...Angie B, Sweetened Taters, Undomestic Goddess, Erickson 5, Four Silly Sisters, 3 Peas in a Pod, and Four Times the Fun

Food for thought...

It was really emotional for me to watch the Hurricane Katrina coverage that has been on marking the 2nd Anniversary. As I watched the footage and listened to story after story It really hit home that this sort of catastrophe could happen to any of us at any given moment. We have are guard down, or at least I believe mine is down. These people had no idea that their entire lives would be turned upside down, and for most of them life would never be the same again. A disaster could affect any of us. I think we are just so used to hearing about trauma on the news and never really stop to imagine it at our own doorstep. Which leads my busy brain to stir up all kinds of questions for myself...

What would I do? Say my home was destroyed and the insurance company was exhausted and looking for every way out of covering the damage. Say my family was living in a shelter, at the mercy of perfect strangers to help us rebuild our lives. I feel like I have things under control in my life, but what happens when things spin out of my control?

This evening I was chatting with my Dad and he asked me about an emergency plan. Hmmmmm? Well, I would load everyone up and drive to safety right? What happens if we are all trapped in the house for an extended period of time with no power? What if, God forbid, there is a terrorist attack on our own soil and driving to safety is not an option?

• How do I plan survive and keep my family safe?
• Do I know where to find a flashlight?
• Candles, lighter, matches?
• Would I be able to track down all of the items for the kids in the pitch dark?
-diapers, wipes, medicine, sippy cups, blankets, etc.
• Would I have clean water for them to drink in case of a shortage?
• Food, milk, etc?
• Important documents in one safe place, cash, important phone numbers?
• How about some way to entertain the kids and keep them calm?
The answer to some of these questions is No, scary as it is. We rarely stop to think of these things, so call me paranoid, but I am bumping it to the top of my list of priorities. Things have changed a whole lot from the days of me worrying about just me, I need a plan! Do you guys think about these things? Do you have a plan of action? Why in the world I am spinning my wheels about this I have no idea, maybe I need a good book;)

Happy News! Happy News!

Just got a surprise & I am so excited! One of my Best Friends is coming in for my Birthday! Can't wait to see her and ring in my big 30....yep gettin up there. Then my other Best Friend is coming in for business on Oct 29th for 2 whole weeks, Yay!!! I am feeling very spoiled right now, I miss my girls♥

more on our 1st day of school...

Yesterday when I got back to the kids school, I found them all parked in little tykes cars on the playground just staring at the parking lot. Tears. For me that is, they had finally calmed down. Asjia spotted me first and smiled, then a look of disbelief, then she put her head down and ignored me. The boys both smiled and started showing me the cars. I walked over to Asjia and knelt down, she looked at me and with some hesitation muttered, "I like you neck-a-lace". How sweet is she? She gives her Mama a compliment after I abandoned her. She stood up and let me smother her with hugs and kisses. The smell of your kids is so sweet when you have missed it if only for a few short hours. I am lucky that they are still young enough to be ok with a little PDA, I would have really felt awful if I wasn't able to hug and kiss all over them. After so much resistance, the boys actually didn't want to leave. It wasn't until I started to leave without them that they ran after me. We climbed in to the truck and I asked if they had fun at school, "yeah, fun at school", was the response. Do you want to come back to school tomorrow? "No, go home see Daya" ok got it, it was fun but not fun enough to go back...lol Well, they actually will not be going back to that particular school. I was not at all impressed with the staff and their teacher in particular. I didn't like her tone with the children and her ghetto slang was unacceptable in my book. I don't speak to my children that way and neither will anyone else. The last thing I would want is for them to learn that it is appropriate to communicate in such a way. So, they will be home with me for the next two weeks until I start work and the original school that I had them enrolled in is finished being built. It is due to open on Sept 17th and I will start work on the 18th, perfect timing! The school is a beautiful new facility, I have met much of the staff and they are all very professional, and my kids will get to start new with all of the other kids. So that was our test run with pre-school, I am going to be grooming them for the next two weeks for round two...