Oh Light

This year at MOPS, our focus is on light, and particularly on how light interacts with darkness.  We can look around our world and see examples of this in the natural world, in society and in the spiritual world.  This Advent season is the perfect time to reflect on what light is and what it means for us personally.  

In the natural world, we understand that it is impossible for any darkness to survive if light is within it.  We have tested this out and know it to be true.  Our children might ask for the hall light to stay on at night so they can have just a crack of light pouring into their rooms. We know that even if the smallest light is illuminated, there is no more darkness… our eyes adjust and we can see.  Light does not fear darkness.  Light wins every time.  Darkness can not survive in the presence of light.

This imagery perfectly describes who Jesus is.  He calls Himself the light of the world.  He does not say He is “like” light, but rather that He IS light.  Jesus is called Light over 10 times in the book of John alone.  In John 8, He says “I am the light of the world; whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life”.  Before time, before the universe was created, before light was ignited, Jesus was there, hovering in the darkness.  Jesus knows darkness but does not fear it.  

Can you imagine a world, where in which Jesus’ light does not dwell?  Before His birth, there was only the hope of light.  Before His birth, there were only glimpses.  And then Jesus.  Jesus came in as a child, God and man entwined, of the earth and of divine.  Jesus flooded the dark world with His light.  He is the light of the world.  Everything changed from that moment on.  

But darkness still exists, in the natural world and in our lives.  Jesus knew darkness and plunged head first into it.  When He took his final breath, on the cross, the Bible tells us that the earth shook and was immersed into total darkness.  Seemingly, the light was put out.  The moment of our greatest hope happened in utter darkness.  But the light, and our hope was not put out, because He rose 3 days later, conquering death and darkness.  You see, He had to fall head first into the darkness in order to overcome it and rise up shining victoriously. Jesus went willingly into the darkness so that you and I could receive His light.

I love this song.  One of my favorite lines is “the soul now felt it’s worth” which you may recognize from the traditional “Oh Holy Night” carol.  Have you thought about what that means?  Because of Jesus, my soul no longer wanders.  My soul knows it is the beloved of the Creator.  My soul is fulfilled, quenched.  I know I am valuable and oh so loved because He came, He lived and He died for me.  Does your soul feel it’s worth?

Another beautiful line, “Light will chase and find us”.  Jesus actively pursues you.  He is chasing you.  He is plunging into the darkness to find you and to give you His light.  

Maybe you are reading this today and you know all this.  Jesus’ light is alive inside you and you know your worth.  In Matthew 5, Jesus now says that “You are the light of the world” and to “let your light shine before others that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven”. So then be the light.  Bring the light to others.  Expel darkness with your very presence.   

Maybe you can’t see any light because you’re in a season of darkness.  Maybe you’re sad, sick, stressed or struggling. Know that just as He was hovering in the darkness in the beginning, He is hovering in your darkness as well.  If Jesus can be found in the darkness, we can have hope and peace and have absolutely nothing to fear.  Remember that only the light of Jesus can cast out your darkness.  Friend, run into the light… run to Jesus.  

Or maybe you don’t know this light, you don’t feel worthy or pursued.  I’m here today to tell you that He loves you and He has moved heaven and earth for you to read this message today.  THIS is Him pursuing you.  Please don’t let this moment pass you by... if you have no one in your life to talk about Jesus with, I would love the opportunity to connect with you personally. Please message me.

This holiday season, let’s keep our eyes on the Light.  Sweet baby Jesus is easy to love and cherish, but let’s not forget Jesus the man, Jesus the light, Jesus who came to reconcile.  Along with all the food, gifts and fun, let’s remember to be the light of Jesus to those around us and to bring Him praise for all He’s done.

The Cuban Mother's Curse

I'm not sure if this is simply the Cuban mother's curse, or if it knows no racial boundaries.
Forgetting your own child's name.

I grew up as an only child until I was 10 when my father remarried and I gained a brother through marriage, and then my mother remarried a year later and I gained 3 more siblings through marriage.  Before this, I was an only child, hence there should be no reason that my mother would forget MY name, however, the curse was ever prevalent.  Countless times I'd be called the name of my mother's sister followed by an apologetic "Nicole".
 
But as I grew and so did our family, the names kept piling on... Occasionally I would respond to any number of names... "Lorraine", "Monique", "Mariah", "Natalie".  Usually I was the only one home, so I figured she was talking to me.  My favorite was always when I'd get the long combo name followed by a swift Cuban curse, "Lorrainemoniquemariahnatalie-AY COÑO SU MADRE- NICOLE!" As if it was MY fault she couldn't remember the name of her own daughter.

But you know how they say the tables will turn?
They have.

I have two sons... and yet, I can't get there names together.  I spend my life yelling
"JO-Marco!"
or
"MA-Jonas!"

It has gotten so bad that my kids actually make fun of me... only 3 and 4 and they have a good laugh at their mother's expense.  Ay, que me espera! I'm afraid to know what awaits me when these boys are teenagers!

So as soon as I let that little "Jo" slip before calling for Marco, he's already laughing and asking me "What do you want JO-Mama?!"  Can you believe the nerve of that kid!?  What a smarty pants!
And of course Jonas joins in the fun... "MA-Jonas?! Noooo... that's not my name!"

If only I could just get it right... I technically should be able to do this seeing as I named them.  But alas, The Cuban Mother's Curse has inevitably taken hold.

Written on Their Little Hearts

You know, sometimes I really don't give my kids enough credit.  I think, oh, they're too little to do this, or that... we'll wait til their older.

Like with praying.  I had been praying for them and over them since they were in my belly, but WITH them?  No, I thought it was better to wait til they were older... until I realized, WHY Wait?!  We began night time prayers and progressed with meal time prayers, and now, 9 times out of 10, they remind ME to pray with them!

But still, I didn't give them credit.  I still wanted to wait til they were older with Bible verse memorization.  I figured that it was going to be too difficult, and honestly, would they REALLY remember these verses word for word for life?  Probably not... I know I don't!  Try as I might, I have a hard time memorizing scripture and especially references... I'm always like "somewhere in the Bible I know it says"... which is about the most unhelpful thing ever.  Thank God for Google... seriously!

So I figured that my limitations would also be theirs, I mean, they're PREschoolers!  But oh, how I was proven wrong.

One day, coming home from church, Marco (at the time he was 3), began reciting the Bible verse they had learned, and Jonas (at the time he was 2) was following along slowly behind.  I.Was.Amazed.

I began thinking about the whole point of scripture memorization.  Yes, of course, it's so that you can bring it up to help others, to answer questions, to offer encouragement or share the Truth... but that's all outward.  What about the inward reason?  Isn't it important to learn, meditate and memorize these verses to help US daily?  To help us remember that we are children of the one true God.  To help us resist temptation and lies when they come at us.  To have the Truth so so so engraved on our hearts and minds that we don't even have to THINK about it... it's second nature.  To know the Word is Truth as simply and obviously as we know that the sky is blue or that the grass is green.

This is exactly what I want for my children.  And what better time than RIGHT NOW to begin putting those words in their mouths that will be written on their hearts.

So that hopefully, when (not if) struggles come their way, they can lean on the truths that they have been declaring since before they can remember.  So that they can hang on the promises and goodness of God.  So that they know that even if they don't have each other, or me, that they have Him and He is enough.

I bought a white board and hung it in my kitchen.  My plan was to teach and review one Bible verse a month.  I don't drill it or shove.  I teach it by repetition and using hand motions.  We say it sometimes when I'm in the kitchen preparing their food and always at night before bed.  They love it and always ask for more or want to also recite the ones from the past.

Here are some of the scriptures we have already done:
- "I praise you because you made me wonderful" Psalm 139:14
- "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind" Matthew 22:37
- "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" Philippians 4:13
- "The Lord is good to all" Psalm 145:9
- "God saw all that He had made, and it was very good" Genesis 1:31
- "Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His love endures forever" Psalm 136:1 *This month

As you can see, we haven't been doing it that long at all, but it is something I love and cherish and plan to continue.  We started when the boys were 3 and 2, but I wish we hadn't waited so long.

If this is something that's important to you and your family, let me encourage you not to wait!  Start today!  Give your child some credit... even if she/he's too little.  Try it and you might be surprised, as I was.  They are little sponges and are picking up more than we think.  And even if you have a baby, who will obviously not recite after you... pray these verses over her.  Let her hear you speaking the Truth to her.  We are planting a seeds in our children's hearts and I know that this is just one of the ways He has showed me how to water it.

"I will my law on their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people"- Jeremiah 31:33

Not-So-Tough Mama

*I know I've been absent for almost a year... forgive me as I jump right back in without skipping a beat.  I'll give you a small update.  Marco (4) is now in Pre-K, Jonas (3) is my sidekick, and I keep busy as Coordinator of MOPS of Miami and Group Leader of BSF... so now that you're all caught up, onto my "Not-so-tough Mama moment".

Marco has 2 left feet.

Not really, but he might as well.  In the last 3 months, we have had 3 ER visits.  That brings the tally up to 3 Marco- 1 Jonas.  Marco's winning, but I don't think he'll be getting a prize.

Back in June, he smashed his finger in the closet door while suffering from a fit of rage over a time-out.  It was a bit dramatic. He lost a nail and fractured the finger.

Then on Labor Day, he was wrapped in a towel like a burrito and tripped on a step.  Since his arms were under the towel, he fell flat on his face and busted open his chin.  This wasn't his fault.  He got 3 stitches, 2 of which he pulled all by himself.

Last week, while walking... walking, he tripped and bit through his lip.  The bottom teeth broke the inside of his lip and the top teeth broke the outside.  And he chipped a tooth.  All this damage was done while walking.  Not riding a motorcycle off a cliff... walking.  Luckily the inside of his mouth wasn't badly cut and healed quickly on it's own, but the outside was completely jagged and opened.  He needed 6 stitches, 2 of which he pulled all by himself.

Mauricio warned me that when he had the stitches put on, the scene was ugly.  Really dramatic and emotional.  He barely kept it together.  I thought he was being wimpy... I mean, for real... get over it.

I pride myself on being a tough mama.
You're crying?  Dry it up
You're hurt?  It'll be ok
You have to get a shot?  You'll survive

This may seem harsh, but it's probably a result of my many-many-many trips to the doctor and hospital, being probed, prodded, pinched and pricked since I was born due to my lung disease and RA.  I give myself an injection twice a week without flinching.  I understand that some things are medically necessary, and that although it may hurt, it's still necessary.  Get over it.

Today, we had an appointment with the plastic surgeon to remove Marco's stitches.  I walked in there wearing my tough mama pants.  He had to get them off... if it hurt, that was too bad.  As soon as the nurse came in to remove them, he began to panic.  He held onto my neck and wouldn't let her look at him.

We tried to bargain with him but nothing would get him to put his head up for her.  She finally asked me if it was ok for them to hold him down.  Remember, I still had my tough mama pants on, and I looked at her confidently and said, "yeah, of course... go for it... I'm used to this stuff".

Ahhhh my confidence and ego loves to shine out right before a fall.

They took out a blanket and wrapped him in it.  Two nurses held his arms and legs and another held his head while a fourth removed the stitches.

Seeing him like that.  Tied down and helpless.  Crying and screaming "MOMMY".  It tore me up.
Tore.
Me.
Up.

I felt like I was betraying him.  Logically I knew it was necessary, but inside I felt broken hearted.

When it was all over, a nurse handed me a wad of tissue paper and asked me if I was ok.  She said it's a lot harder when you see your child like that...
No kidding!

My tough mama facade was ripped away, and all that was left was compassion, mercy and love.  I hope I can remember that it's more important to portray those qualities.  When all was said and done, I held Marco for a while and whispered in his ear how proud I was of him, how much I love him and what a brave brave boy he was.

New Rule:  Mauricio handles all ER situations from now on.  I can't handle much more of that!

The Less You Write

Some of you may have been wondering where the heck I've been.  Let me assure you, I'm alive and well.

Since moving into our house in September, my blog writing has decreased significantly.  We decided that we wouldn't sign up for internet or cable for the time being in order to save some money and be able to do some much needed fixing to our home.  The only internet access I have at home is through my phone, which all bloggers know it is incredibly frustrating to write and read blogs from a phone.

My first month there I really tried to keep up.  I would write all the time on Word or TextEdit and then transfer my posts over to blogger when I'd get access at either my in-laws or work or even the park!  I would have 3 or 4 posts ready and scheduled a week in advance.  But even with doing that, my enthusiasm for blog writing started to fade.

As I was thinking about why, I finally realized... it's because I have been completely disconnected with my blogging community!  Sure, I could write posts and have them ready, but I couldn't keep up with the blogs I loved reading.  I couldn't interact with the ladies that have brought me encouragement and online friendship as easily.  I was isolated.

So I started writing less.  And the thing about that is, the less you write, the less you have to write about.  Writing is like a flurry.  The more you do it, the more easily it becomes and the more ideas you have and the quicker you get it out.  It's like it just spills out of you.  But likewise, the less you write, the harder it becomes, the slower it is to come out.  It feels like molasses.

I have been warned by some people that if I don't keep up with it, I will lose the followers I have acquired so far... and this is true.  In the last month I have lost 2 followers... I'm not in the 100's anymore.  But that's ok.

On the other hand, I have had a few blog ladies contact me through twitter, facebook or email and ask me where I've been or how I've been doing.  That has been amazing!  And I want to say Thank You to those people... your kindness and friendship means a lot!

I miss writing, but I now realize that I got caught up in the blog competition.  In my hiatus, I've been able to reevaluate why I even do this in the first place.  It's my outlet and my way of documenting my family's stories.  While doing giveaways and link ups are fun, that isn't necessarily the purpose of my blog.

And I'm done spending hours a week reading other people's blogs and writing thoughtful comments when they are never returned.  Basically, I'm purging.  The truth is, I shouldn't care about my follower number.  I'm not trying to make a living doing this.  I don't care to be the #1 mommy blogger.  I can't have a $1,000 giveaway.  I can't make my house Pinterest worthy.  I can't measure up to the competition... so I'm backing out.

If you still want to follow me along my journey, please stay a while.  I hope to keep it real, keep it true to myself and keep it humble.  I would love to share my story with you and I hope we are able to learn from each other.  Because, really... that's what it's about.

A (very) Short Story

This is a short story I wrote about a year and a half ago, that I completely forgot about, but stumbled upon today and found it to be quite comical and charming... so I decided to share it.  Hope you enjoy!

*****
Two bananas hang side by side in their hammock in my kitchen.  We think nothing of it.  Day by day, we pass these bananas and go about our normal lives, not ever thinking that perhaps they are living a life as well...

The first banana, Mr. Plantain, leans in close to his wife just to smell her.  He says, "It's a beautiful day today, isn't it mi amor?" to which she sourly replies, "It would be if we weren't in this stinky kitchen".  Mrs. Plantain longs for the days when she was swinging from her banana tree in the jungles of the Dominican Republic.

"Remember the days when we were young and free?", Mrs. Plantain asks her husband.  "I could hear the children playing below and smell the cafe brewing below as we swayed to the rhythmic music of bongos and guitaras.  Oh, those were the days when I was most happy".  Mr. Plantain leaned in even closer to his wife, whom he loved so dearly and whispered, "Mi vida, try to find some joy in our new life.  It wont be long now".

They cuddled up to one another and tried their best to be optimistic.  They knew the end was near.  It could be as close as lunch time.  They watched in fear as I sat my toddler in his high chair and asked, "Do you want a banana?  Ba-na-na?"

Mrs. Plantain turned her ugliest shade of brown, while Mr. Plantain held on tightly.  I plucked the least brown banana from it's holder and said, "I'll mash the for breakfast tomorrow morning".

Mr. Plantain cried out to his wife, "I'll see you on the other side, querida!  Remember our days in La Dominicana and remember I love you!"

He was heroic to the very end.

PINspired: Mostly Recipes

I decided to discontinue to link-up for my PINspired series, because the past few months I've only had Callie sign up.  (Thanks Callie for supporting me!)  

But I don't want to discontinue the series because I like it... Sooooo, here are the Pinterest Pins that I've tackled throughout the month of October.  Enjoy!

Parmesan Garlic Potatoes

Source: favfamilyrecipes.com via Nicole on Pinterest

These are sooooo good... and with sour cream, omg.  Definitely a keeper.

CrockPot Chicken and Stuffing

Source: weightwatchers.recipes1.net via Nicole on Pinterest

Tried this the other night and it was just bleh.  I really don't understand why it had to cook all day when I could make the same meal in 20 minutes.  It just wasn't good enough.  And really, I've realized that I don't like cream of chicken soup recipes... so I should stop trying to make them.  

Parmesan Crusted Asparagus

Source: luxefinds.com via Nicole on Pinterest

Yes!  Finally asparagus I can get down without forcing myself.  These were good good good.  Even Marco liked them!  He kept saying they were crackers... and we were like, yeeeeeeah, have more crackers! haha.  

Balsamic Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Source: rufusguide.wordpress.com via Nicole on Pinterest

Yuuummmoooo... these were delish!  I added carrots to it also because it blended well and it was so tasty that everyone had seconds!

Spaghetti Squash

Source: marthastewart.com via Nicole on Pinterest

Can you believe that I had NEVER had Spaghetti Squash before?  Crazy, right?!  So I made it the other day in place of pasta... but I baked it for too long, so it didn't come out looking like spaghetti.  It looked more like risotto... or mush.  The taste was fine, but the consistency was wrong.  Now I know to bake it for only 45 minutes.  We'll be trying this again soon.  Gotta keep finding ways to sneak in those veggies.  

Sausage and Egg Casserole

Source: culinary.net via Nicole on Pinterest

I made this for my MOPS meeting last week and let me just tell you that it was easy-peasy and absolutely amazing.  Everyone ate it all up and there were no leftovers.  My only change was that I used 8 eggs instead of 6 to make it a little more fluffy.  This is a no brainer for holidays.

BEST App Ever

Source: momfilter.com via Nicole on Pinterest

Every mom should download this app now... right now... do it.  It's called Red Stamp and it's free and it will simplify your life when it comes to sending cards... thank you's, invites, etc.  There is something for every occasion.  And they are wicked cute.  I have been able to snap a photo of my kids wearing or playing with their latest gift and directly email or text it to the gift giver with a "thank you card".  It's great.  Get it. 

WBD: A Post by my HUSBAND!

Today I'm linking up with Allie from Table For More, (I love her) and Kay from Life After for their weekly link-up called :

This should be fun!  

This week, we were asked to get our HUSBAND's to answer the questions... basically blog for us.  Ummm, Mauricio does NOT blog.  It was pain staking and I may or may not have had to bribe him with "favors" in order to go through with it.  (TMI? Maybe...)

It took him THREE tries, but eventually he hunkered down and did it. 

I sent him the questions to read over and his first response was:

The answer to all of these questions is... boobs

Reeeeeal mature...

So I told him to try again...

His second response was:

I feel like this is a plot for wives to force open conversations about these topics with their husbands.

Can you say STALLING?!  

But finally, third time was the charm.  

Here are Mauricio's answer's for Wedded Bliss Wednesday!  Enjoy!

What was the first thing you noticed about your wife?

-The way she commanded the room and unwillingly had everyone's attention.  Kind of intimidating at first, but it was nothing a little game of "hard to get"  (on my part) couldn't solve.

When you first started dating your wife, what kept you calling/asking her out?

- Well when I first started to date her, she didn't quite know about it because I hadn't actually told her yet so a majority of my efforts were on getting her up to speed with all the date she had missed and actually getting her to agree to join me for one.  Once that was out of the way, I had a moral obligation on behalf of all daters to call her back and try to correct all the mistakes I made from the previous date.  It was a tough mountain to climb, but here we are I guess! 

What is your wife's best quality? 

She's the bravest person I know.  Some would say she's got some crazy chutzpah, or cara-de-pau, or nerves of steel. Things (mostly but not limited to, occurring in some sort of medical environment) that scare the daylight out of me are a walk in the park for her.  But it could also be considered a double-edged swor...uhh, I mean, that's all for this question!

What's your favorite thing to do with your wife? (ahem, keep it clean).

Going on long road trips by ourselves, (or more recently with quiet/sleeping kids).  There's something about being locked in a car with nowhere to hide out or seclude to that inspires bolder/healthier conversations.  Even when we're done talking, just sharing the same exact agenda for a couple of hours is a good thing to do (in moderation of course). 

And folding laundry... that's the cleanest thing I could think of involving me... and her... and random clothes on/around the bed.

What are you most excited for the future with your wife?

Sharing every given experience with her and accomplishing marital, family and financial goals. 

How do you make your wife feel loved?

By letting her choose whatever vacuum cleaner she'd like for her birthday.

Totally kidding!!

By doing the little things; the expected and most importantly the unexpected.  Getting her flowers on a Tuesday, filling up her water cup at night, taking over with the kids when she's had a long day, telling her she's beautiful, listening to her, remembering anniversaries, planning birthday part... errr, umm, just overall being a perfect husband by doing all of these things all the time ;)

He blew me away...

As he usually does.

The Value of a SAHM

According to a recent study, Stay-at-home Moms annual salary should be around $112,962.  

Wowza!

In case you don't want to squint at the picture below, it says:

"The yearly salary a 2012 stay-at-home mom would earn (that is, if she were paid), as determined by the career-advice website Salary.com.  The income ws calculated by combining the average wages, plus overtime, for the jobs a mom typically performs, including laundress, janitor, driver, cook, facilities manager, psychologist and CEO (of the household).  The results also showed that the average stay-at-home mom works a grueling 94.7-hour week and would make an average of $22.94 an hour."

Well, at least SOMEONE sees it! haha.

I love reading things like this because it puts a hard factual value on what I do on a daily basis.  Yes, I do the laundry, groceries, cook and pick up the house.  I am a referee and a nanny.  I am a teacher and a psychologist.  I am a driver and a play mate.  My day starts at 7:45am and doesn't end till 10pm.  I work weekends and holidays and never get vacation or sick days.  That's the life of a SAHM.

Many husbands… not mine… but many, discredit SAHM's and say things like:

"My job is to bring home the money and yours is to take care of the kids".

"Well, all you do is play all day".

"I'm sure you've had a hard day of watching tv and playing at the park today…"

These husbands think that since they go to an actual job and bring home an actual paycheck that not only what they do is more important, but also that it is a free pass to not have to take care of their children.  When I hear stories like this, my heart breaks for the mothers who are undervalued and under-appreciated. 

Aside from the estimated value we should be earning for everything we do, we are also saving a lot of money by staying home.  In a few weeks, my friend will be going back to work full time after having her baby.  She has hired a nanny to come to her home and care for her child instead of daycare.  This nanny will charge $1,000 a month for one baby.  When I have looked into daycare for my two kids, the cheapest I have found has been around $1,750 for both!  If I were to work, I'd only be making a little more than the cost of said daycare… and we'd have less time together and more stress!  No thanks.  By not working, we save money on food as we eat all of our meals at home.  We save money on gas, as the farthest we drive is to the local park.  

Yes, living off of one paycheck is an EXTREME sacrifice.  We can't afford to furnish our house with Pottery Barn things.  We can't afford to take family vacations every year.  We can't afford to buy new cars.  But we do what we can to cut corners and save money wherever possible. 

And it is HARD work… as the report above said, "grueling".  It's physically exhausting, emotional draining and mentally starving.  At the end of most days, you feel like you've run a marathon, cried a bucket and had no intelligent conversation.  On Saturday's all I want to do is sleep till 11, but for some reason, my kids haven't gotten the memo that weekends are for sleeping in!  Kids still need to be fed and be dressed and have diapers changed and go release their energy.

SAHM's, take heart!  What you are doing is valuable… even though we don't receive a paycheck that we can deposit in the bank.  Never ever feel like you are not contributing to your household because your job doesn't pay cold hard cash.  What you do every single day makes a greater contribution to your household than money ever could!  You are shaping a life!  You are forming tight bonds with your children that will last throughout their lives.  You are enriching the lives of your children by putting their needs above your own.  You are teaching them the true meaning of love through your sacrifice!  And that?  You can't put a price tag on that!  

And besides, our paychecks are so much better than cash.  We get paid in snuggles and kisses and cuddles and in kind words like, "i love you mommy" or "thank you".  We get paid in snot noses and tears and heads on shoulders and sobs and even tantrums.  But I don't want anyone else to receive MY hard earned paycheck!  I want every last penny! (Ok, I could do without the tantrums). 

But you know what's really funny.  If someone decided to start giving SAHM's a real paycheck of $112,962 a year, I'm pretty sure husbands would never say another negative comment again.  Who can we call to make that happen?!

Dirty Jobs

The curse of buying an old house is that there are always repairs to be done that cost a lot of money and are no fun at all.

We knew this going into it.  It's not a surprise to us.

Our house was built in 1956 and thankfully the construction, materials and overall quality of the house is top notch.  But maintenance is required and can become pricey.  Since buying the house, we've had to replace the roof, which had not been redone since it was built over 50 years ago!  This depleted our savings ($13,000), but it was worth it since we probably wont have to think about it again for another 50 years! 

This was a dirty job.

After pealing back our old roof and hauling away all the dirt, they had to lay down tar.  And tar stinks... like really, really stinks.  The entire interior of the home stunk like tar for over 2 days.  After they laid down the roofing strips, they sprinkled small pebbles all over. And when it rained, all those pebbles came down to our driveway, creating a sand-like mess all over the place! 

That dirty job is complete!

Before we moved in, we had to get the pool cleaned. It was absolutely disgusting.  It looked more like a swamp than a pool.  It was green, thick and mucky... and I'm pretty sure it had become a haven for mosquito mating.  Gross, gross, gross.  

I contacted a pool guy about cleaning it and he quoted me at $600 to start and if it was really, really bad, the price would be higher.

Well, my husband, Mr. FixIt, did NOT intend on spending that much money on a job he could easily do himself.  So he and his dad rented a pump and drained the pool of all the swampy water.  Then they pressure cleaned the sides and literally had to scoop out the remaining gunk.  It. Was. Gross. 

This was a dirty job. I did have pictures of this dirty job but I think it may have been so gross that I deleted them!

But thankfully, that dirty job is complete and our pool is a gorgeous shade of crystal blue now and we saved over $600!

Once we drained the pool, we realized that we do not have city sewer... we have the dreaded septic tank!  This too can be expected when buying an older home... but ewwwww, seriously?!

The frightening part was that we had no idea the condition of our tank.  The close of the house came with no paperwork for it, so we had no clue.  We called a company to get it pumped because we figured we may as well take care of it BEFORE a problem arrose.  And, once it was empty, we could actually KNOW the state of the tank.  

This was a dirty job.

The septic company quoted us at $250 for the pumping, but when he found, dug up and opened the tank, the condition of it was so bad, that he had to raise the price nearly double!  I was standing there when he opened it up and the smell... it just smacked me square in the face. The tank was full... to the top.  The man told us that we were lucky if we had a few more months before it started backing up... into our house.  Boy, what a mess that would have been!  He told us that the tank was supposed to consist of 90% water and 10% waste... but ours was about 90% waste with 10% water... it was a thick disgusting mess.  He said septic tanks are supposed to be pumped every 2-3 years, but it looked like our tank had not been cleaned in over 15 years!  

That's 15 years worth of crap!  Ahhh, sooooo gross!!!

So nearly $500 later, this dirty job is complete!  And thankfully, we don't have to think about our tank for 3 more years.

There are more dirty jobs around our house to be done.  Mauricio has been trimming and pulling trees for weeks now and there's still so much to do.  The screen above our pool is falling apart and needs to be reattached but there are tons of spider webs up there.  And we also need to fumigate since we have lots of little sugar ants and worms coming into our house on a daily basis!

Unfortunately all of these dirty jobs cost a pretty penny, which is taking all of our "fun house money" away.  I want our "fun house money" for buying furniture, picking exterior paint colors, and basically beautifying.

But I know I have to be patient and get the dirty work done first.

Ahh, the joys of homeownership!

Homeschooling Update

We moved into our new house about a month ago now and homeschooling has been put on the back burner.  And by back burner, I mean perhaps the grill outside.  

I have totally dropped the ball.  

How do I feel about it?  A little bit like a failure and a little bit like, eh, whatever. 

I try to guilt myself:  "What's wrong with you?  Why can't you just get your act together to do a few activities with the boys a week?  Why are you so selfish?  It's not hard after all!"

And then I try to justify it to myself: "Well, they are only 2 and 3... it's not like the HAVE to go to school, and besides, they're pretty smart already.  We don't have internet at the new house, so it's too hard for me to plan.  Well, at least we still read to them.  Well at least we watch educational television like PBS.  Well, at least..."

So as you can tell, I'm conflicted.

I was so gung ho about it in the summer but that was mostly because I had no activities in the summer.  I was beyond bored in the summer.  But now that all my activities started back up, I'm busier and I'm less motivated- (another excuse).  The only REAL days I can commit to homeschooling is Monday and Tuesday, but even then I cop out and don't do it. 

I'm being a bit hard on myself here though... I have done SOME activities with the boys... but not nearly as many as I would have liked by this point.  

Remember my original goal was to do 1 week's worth of curriculum (one letter) over the course of two weeks?  Well... by THAT plan we should already be on the letter E... but we're still on the letter C.  

Some activities we have done:

Played Dominoes: Marco loved doing this!

Finger Painted:  Jonas made a big mess but was so happy.  Marco didn't want to get dirty so he didn't do much.

We've done a few other things as well.  And we're still getting the suggested library books and reading them consistently.  

I still love the curriculum we got... it's so creative and fun.  I just need to get back into it and become motivated.

But I have decided that I'll be putting Marco in school for K4 next year.  Apparently I can't count on myself to be as consistent as needed.  Hats off to all you homeschooling mommies... you're pretty amazing!

Like Playing 20(,000) Questions

I know it's just the age.  

And I know it's not going to get better anytime soon.

But lately, every time Marco opens his mouth, it's to ask me a question.

Sometimes I feel like we're playing 20 (thousand) questions!

This is his "Huh?" face.

His questions go round and round and round and I find myself repeating myself and becoming frustrated at the never ending stream.

I'll give you an example.  Warning: by the end of this example you may, or may not feel incredibly stressed.

This is an excerpt taken from an actual conversation that occurred after Mauricio's car got picked up by a tow truck.

Marco: Mom, is that Mater? (as in Mater the tow truck from Cars)

Me:  Yes, it's a tow truck just like Mater.

Marco: But why is it red?  Mater's not red, he's brown!

Me:  Because maybe I think that's Mater's cousin. 

Marco:  What's he doing with Daddy's car?

Me:  Daddy's car broke down and so he's taking it to the shop.

Marco:  Where's the shop?

Me:  I don't know… we have to follow the truck because he knows where to go.

Marco:  But is it far?

Me:  I don't know… we'll find out soon.

Marco:  And what are they gonna do in the shop?

Me:  Fix Daddy's car.

Marco:  How?

Me:  I don't know… first they have to see what's wrong with it.

Marco:  What's wrong with it?

Me:  I don't know.

Marco:  Where's Daddy?

Me:  He's in the tow truck with the driver.

Marco:  But why?

Me:  Because Daddy has to stay with his car.

Marco:  But why?

Me:  Because that's Daddy's car.

Marco:  But where are they going?

Me:  To the shop to get the car fixed.

Marco:  Is it far?

And round and round and round and round it goes…

Ok, take a minute and relax… your shoulders are probably tense after that… mine are!

Here's the thing.  After about 5 questions, I'm ready to scream my head off "NO MORE QUESTIONS!" but I'm trying really, really hard not to do that.

I'm finding that this is a challenging issue because while on the one hand, he's annoying the heck out of me, on the other hand, I don't want to squash his inquisitiveness or make him feel like he can't ask questions.

I remember being four years old and also being rather inquisitive.  My mother always reminds me of such times… It was my "But Why Mommy" phase.  And she too would eventually become exasperated and yell, "BECAUSE I SAID SO, THAT'S WHY!".  While I'm pretty sure she didn't scar me for life, this is not the approach I want to take with my children. (Sorry mom!)

First of all, girls are different than boys.  I know there is nothing she could have or can ever say to make me shut up.  I have always and will always talk to my mom.  But like I said, girls are different than boys.  There will come a time, when my boys are teens, and they just stop talking.  It's typical teenage boy talk.  "How was your day?" "Fine" "How was school?" "Boring" "Did you learn anything?" "No".  But I think that that might make me more exasperated than playing 20 (thousand) questions!  At that point, I may scream "GIVE ME MORE QUESTIONS!" 

One of the best pieces of parenting advice I've ever heard was that if you want your children to talk to you about the BIG stuff later on, then you've got to talk to them about the LITTLE stuff now.  Because even though it may seem like LITTLE stuff to you, it's probably BIG stuff to them.  And you've gotta always keep them talking… never to close the lines of communication. If the lines of communication get closed right now, it's 100% my fault and 100% due to my selfishness.  

I don't want to be the mom that yells "NO MORE QUESTIONS!".  I want to be the mom that continues through 3 or 7 or 38 rounds of 20 questions.  I want to be the mom who practices her patience and shows grace and love to her children.  I want to be the mom who says "well, let's find out" and opens up her laptop.  I want to scour the web searching for answers with my kids and seeing them connect the dots and find new things to ponder over.  I want to be the mom that encourages their inquisitiveness and develops their desire for learning more and knowing more.  

But how can I become that mom if I'm not willing to answer a hundred questions about where the tow truck is going?  If I'm not willing to answer those questions, why would he trust me to answer any other ones he has?

So, I'm challenging myself to become the mom I want to be.  I'm going to continue to take deep breaths and brace myself for the longest game of 20 questions I've ever played… even if it lasts years!  

And hopefully it will.

Unleash! by Perry Noble

Perry Noble, senior pastor of NewSpring Church in South Carolina, challenges readers to Unleash! the life that God has in store for them and to put their past to rest. 

Within his book, he explains how God's desire is to have us live our best life now by walking in His path and by letting go of a past that enslaves us.  He compares all of our challenges with the story of David from the Bible.  Now, most of us would dare say we have absolutely nothing in common with the same David that found favor with God.  The same David that was anointed as a child, brought down a giant and became one of the most revered kings in history.  But Perry specifically outlines how his struggles and ours are not so different. 

Just as God chose David to be anointed, God chooses us to be His children.  Just as David had to fight Goliath, the giant, so we have to fight metaphorical "giants" in our lives.  God is not looking for someone who is perfect… David was far from perfect.  David was a poor shepherd boy who no one ever suspected would become king.  And then once king, he became an adulterer and a murderer.  And yet… God found favor with him.  

In his book, Perry offers hilarious and gritty stories about his life and how he's learned these lessons.  He speaks about how coming to know the Lord and Jesus has changed him and in doing so he offers hope to everyone who reads his book.  Perry does not beat around the bush… he is dead set on Biblical teachings and does not care if he makes people uncomfortable about it.  He wants everyone to know that the ONLY truth is Jesus.  But he also wants everyone to know that God is not sitting on His throne in Heaven waiting to smite all of the sinners… He wants people to know that God is loving, compassionate and fatherly.  "God is not after or begrudging submission.  He is after our joy" (pg.9)  

I highly recommend this book for anyone who just can't seem to let go of their past.  To anyone who thinks that God can't possibly forgive them for what they've done.  To anyone who thinks that their problems are too big.  To anyone who feels hopeless.  Within these pages you'll learn about a Savior who's love knows no limits and who can't wait to call you His own.  

I had the privilege of being a member of NewSpring church for the 3 years that I lived in South Carolina and I have never seen a pastor more captivatingly true, real and passionate about his call to ministry and Jesus.  He is doing some truly incredible things across the state of South Carolina and reaching throughout the world to impact churches and people in need.  You can listen to his sermons by downloading the FREE NewSpring App or by visiting www.NewSpring.cc

And don't forget to pick up a copy of his book.  You'll be so glad you did!

Pink Olive Wreath Giveaway!

It's that time again!
Time to introduce you to another fabulous little Etsy shop, show off the goods and give one away!  Yay!

If you've been on Pinterest lately, you've been noticing a common theme... wreaths.  It's all the rave for Fall!  Everyone just has to have a wreath hanging on their door during this season.

But why not get one that can hang year round?  And a personalized one to boot?!

Helloooooooo Pink Olive!

The Pink Olive carries all types of wreaths, from rustic to chic, from modern to traditional.  Some of my personal faves are:

Isn't this perfect for Spring time?

A Fall time classic

Modern and sweet!

But my PERSONAL favorite... because it happens to be MINE and currently hangs on my front door is:

I got it in the mail just a few days ago and squealed with excitement upon opening it!  I LOVE IT!  Rachel (owner of The Pink Olive) worked with me on all the details and designed exactly what I wanted.  I love green and she just added the right amount of it!  This is definitely something I would be happy to display year round.  But in all honesty, it's so nice that it makes my door look dingy... so now I just have to convince Mauricio to buy us a new door to go with our beautiful new wreath! haha! 

So now, it's time for ONE of my lucky readers to win a wreath of your very own! 

And if you're not the lucky winner, don't worry, Rachel has graciously offered FREE shipping on all orders using the code "Tablefor4".  So head on over to The Pink Olive, support a small business and add some seriously awesome swag to your door! 

5 Ways to Enter!  Ready, Set, GOOOO!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Jonas' Birthday Dinner

On Friday, Jonas turned TWO!

He didn't know it was his birthday, or even what a birthday was, really, but when he woke up, I could here Marco talking to him over the monitor saying, "Joooonaaaas, it's your BIRTHDAY!" and Jonas giggling.  Then when I walked in and said, "Good morning birthday boy!" he was ALL smiles!

Throughout the day, we didn't say much to him about his birthday... we just went along our usual business... library to exchange books, music class, lunch at home and nap.

But when he woke up, he knew things were different.  My mom was there, and more people started coming over!  I stuck with my plan and only had a family birthday dinner for him... which by the way cost me $100... in case you were wondering.  We had the kids' grandparents, aunts and uncles and cousins over... about 14 adults, 3 kids and 1 baby.  It was perfect!

I made crockpot chicken tacos (recipe found here) with all the fixin's... and then we had cake, ice cream and flan for dessert! YUMMO!

Jonas was so happy to have the attention of all his family!  His favorite gift was from my dad and step-mom... the movie, Toy Story 3.  He held onto it for dear life throughout the party.  And he kept running back and forth with his arms outstretched, yelling, "AND BEYOOOOOND!"  He was thrilled!

This boy... he's hilarious!

We were so happy to have had his birthday celebration be the first of many many celebrations in our new home!

Jonas Turns TWO!

Today my little baby boy turns TWO!

That blows my mind.

My little premie.  My 3 pounder.  My clingy one.  My sentimental one.  My sneaky one.  Today, he turns two!

You can read Jonas' birth story here.
And you can see his 1 year post here.

If you've been following along here, you know that the first year of Jonas' life was not easy at all.  On top of being 2 months early, being in the NICU for a month, needing a heart monitor for another month, and having colic for 3 horrible months, being #2 is a challenge all on it's own.  Jonas had to live his first year of life in fear of having fingers poked in the eye, fingers stepped on and bodies squished by his big bro Marco.

His second year of life was sooooo much easier.  He was happy.  He thrived.  He learned.  He got in trouble.  He could finally keep up!

Jonas can say sooooo many things now and he's putting sentences together.  When you ask him how old he is, he shouts, "DOOO" and puts up his thumb and index finger.  He loves running and screaming and throwing all of his bedding out of his crib in the mornings.  He gives us a hard time with eating "real food" but would take milk and cookies any day.  He is not afraid to get dirty and we definitely think he's gonna be our "gross kid"... everyone's got one.  He's fun loving and sweet, he gives hugs and loves snuggling close on the couch.  His favorite thing to play with is my iPhone... hence why it's all cracked, and he'd rather run around with a remote than play with any of his toys.  

This boy.  Our Jonas.  We couldn't imagine life without him.  He fills our life with joy. And we are so blessed to have had him around for "DOOO" years already! 

Happy birthday baby boy!

PINspired September Link-Up

It's that time again!  Time to show off all of your amazing Pinterest inspirations for the month of September.
I must say, I've been so busy with the move and getting adjusted that I have slacked a little on my PINspirations.  But hopefully you'll enjoy the few things I did anyway.

Here we go!

Knife Rack for Cars

Source: ohdeedoh.com via Nicole on Pinterest

I loved this idea!  Especially since I happen to have an extra knife rack from IKEA that I ended up not using.  But apparently, we're cheap and only buy PLASTIC cars for the boys, so it did't work out.  I had never thought about it before now.  But we decided to use the rack for our keys by the door instead.  I'll pin it later because it looks pretty rad.

Fun Ways to Use Straws

Source: embraceyourchaos.com via Nicole on Pinterest

I did one of these activities with Marco this week as a side homeschooling thing.  He LOVED it.  I took 3 straws and let him cut it at different sizes.  This proved to be challenging for his little hands.  Then I had some pipe-cleaner (you know those fuzzy, colorful, bendable things) and we threaded the straw pieces onto it and make bracelets.  He really enjoyed it and it was just challenging enough.  Not so much that he got frustrated, but it kept him engaged the whole time.  That was awesome!

Personalized Coffee Mugs

Source: abeautifulmess.typepad.com via Nicole on Pinterest

We did this at MOPS instead of having name tags, everyone just personalized a cup.  It worked quite well.  But, when you wash it, you have to just wash the inside of the cup and try your best not to wet the design.  Some of the ink did start to come off.  But hey, how much can you expect from something that costs a dollar to make?!

Semi-Sliced Potatoes

Source: seasaltwithfood.com via Nicole on Pinterest

These were delish!  They were a little involved to make, but worth it.  The slicing takes a little while and then you have to add a small piece of garlic between each slice.  If you don't do this, then the potato wont fan out like it does in the picture and it wont get all crunchy.  They were so good and fun to eat because you peel them and eat them like chips.  Yummo!

Household Tips

Source: soapdelinews.com via Nicole on Pinterest

From all these tips, I only did #2 when organizing my linen closet.  You put all the sheets of a set inside the pillowcase.  It's like DUH, why didn't I think of that on my own?!  But seriously... ingenious.  So organized, stacked and clean.  No more sheets tipping over!

Clean Your Dishwasher

Source: onegoodthingbyjillee.com via Nicole on Pinterest

So I did this the GE way.  What is GE?  Good Enough.  I did not get down on the floor, stick my whole body in this machine and stuff my hand in gross places to pull out who knows what.  When it comes to this, my ignorance is my bliss... I'd rather not know.  So, my half-ass way of doing this, was to run it with a cup of vinegar and then run it again with baking soda sprinkled all over.  It looks good to me.  Smells like nothing.  GE.

Well, now that I wrote it all out, it's actually a lot more than I had anticipated!  Yay me!  And now... it's YOUR turn.  Show me what has PINspired you this month.  What worked?  What was fabulous?  What was a huge waste of time?!  I want to know!!!

Link up and Grab a Button!

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A Perfectly Ruined Engagement

It was two and a half years into our relationship.

We had survived the "Worst First Date" ever.

We had survived his High School graduation.

We had survived my college graduation.

We had survived moving to another city together.

We were ready.  Ok, I was ready.  He was stalling.

The last 3 months had been a whirlwind of emotions, anger and frustration.  I wanted to get engaged and get married already!  I was ready for our lives to officially begin.  And I wasn't shy about telling him these things... on a daily basis.

Annoying much?
Very much.

And then when it finally came, I ruined it.

Let me back up and tell you the whole story.

It was September 27, 2006.  My best friend Jennifer had just started dating this guy, Tommy (who she would end up marrying and having their first baby girl just LAST week!).  She really wanted me to meet him because he was "the one".  So Mauricio and I met up with Jen and Tommy at a comedy club that was hilariously NOT funny.  We decided to leave after Jennifer almost got kicked out for heckling the comedian.  (It wasn't her first time doing that either).  And we chose a restaurant to meet at.

I was driving the car, and on the way to the restaurant, Mauricio asked me to pull over at a nearby park with a beautiful lake to take a walk with him.  I looked at him strangely.  Didn't he know we were supposed to join someone for dinner in like 10 minutes?  I told him no and kept driving.  I wanted to find out more about Tommy and I thought Mauricio was being rude.

So we have dinner, we both approved of Tommy and then it was time to go home.  I was driving on the way to his house,  and he again asked me to stop at another nearby lake to have a walk with him.  Again, I looked at him strangely, wondering what the heck was up with this guy.  Uhhh, it was like 11 at night. There were homeless people at the park... and wild animals... and bugs.  No!  So I kept driving and dropped him off at his apartment so he could get his car and come back to mine.

When I get back to my place, I close and lock the door and go to the bathroom to pee.  As I'm in the bathroom, I hear a knock on the door.

Why is Mauricio knocking on the door when he has a key?

I say, "Mau, I'm in the bathroom... come in".

Again, a knock.

"Mau! Just use your key and come in!"

Knock... knock...

So I get up, with my pants still unbuttoned and look through the peep hole just to be sure it's him... but I don't see anyone.

"Mau, are you there?"

Then I see him crouched on the floor... hiding from me.

"Mau, I can SEE YOU!  What are you doing?!  What's wrong with you?!"

Then softly and defeatedly, I hear him say, "Can you just open the door please?"

And I do.

And there he was, at my door step, on one knee with a beautiful ring.

I was shocked.  Shocked.

He asked me to marry him, I said of course, and the rest is history.

Later he told me that he had been trying to propose the entire evening but that I kept on blocking each of his advances.  That's why he wanted to take me to the park!

And THAT's how I ruined my own engagement!  But it turned out pretty perfect anyway.  I love that he proposed at my door.  I love that he didn't do a grand gesture... that wouldn't have been us.  We're comfortable.  We're best friends.  We don't need a romantic-comedy-esc scene... we just need each other... with no frills.

At our engagement dinner celebration with the fam!

Moved!

We finally, finally, FINALLY moved into our new house!

WOOOOOOOHOOOOOOO!

Ah, it's like a sigh of relief...
A breath of fresh air...
A cherry on top of a huge chocolate cupcake.

That's where I've been, in case you've been wondering...
In my NEW house.

It's not that I haven't had time to blog... it's that we don't have the internet set up yet.  In fact, I blog this from a bookstore on Saturday during my work lunch break.

So, we decided to move in last Saturday... at 10 o'clock at night.  Who does that?!  Who gets home from dinner, sees their kids in their pj's ready for bed and thinks... "hey, you wanna just move now?".
We do!

And that's just what happend.

Most of our stuff was already moved in though.  All of our furniture was there already and all we really had to do was move our clothes, put sheets on the beds and move our bodies.  It was awesome!

Marco was so excited that we were moving!  In the car ride there, he was kicking my seat, asking me 1200 questions and giggling from excitement.  When we opened the door to the house, he did a victory lap around each room, squealing with joy!  We weren't able to actually get them in bed til after midnight that night... and once in bed, that was a different story.  Marco continued to be overlfowing with excitement.  He was kicking at his sheets and laughing and squeaking while yelling, "we're sleeping in our NEW house!"  Jonas, on the other hand, wasn't so sure.  He was very apprehensive.  New house... new crib (actually it's his OLD crib, but he doesn't remember it)... new room... "where am I?"  He was a little unhappy about it.  But thankfully since they share a room, he was ok.

The adjustment period was really quick.  Both boys are completely adjusted to living in our new house after just a week!  They are perfectly content to take their naps and go to sleep without any drama.  They love all the space and the freedom to roam.

We decided to go "gate free" in our house for the FIRST TIME EVER.  In Greenville we had gates up blocking the kitchen and the stairs.  I just don't like kids in the kitchen... it's not safe.  And then in my in-laws' house, we also had gates blocking the kitchen and a gate in the hallway.  But it's time now to have "free range children".  It's been an adjustment... for me!  They run up to me while I'm cooking and open and close the fridge and touch all the buttons on the dishwasher.  Jonas likes to press the water button on the fridge, and take a shower.... why God?  I know that the novelty of it all will wear off, but for now, it's making me crazy.

So we're doing good.  We are so happy to be back into our groove.

I will admit though, that I miss my early break... when my in-laws would come home around 5 and I could have a little while to myself.  Mauricio usually doesn't get home til around 6:30... and by 5, I'm getting anxious.  I also miss only cooking 2 days a week instead of 4.  I'm having trouble coming up with dinner ideas.  Extra hands is a huge help!

I will be posting pictures of the transformation our home has made, but you're gonna have to wait just a little longer.  Maybe next week I'll have the big reveal.  Things are not how we want them to be... yet.  There's still a lot to buy, but we need money with which to do that.  So, it'll be a slow transformation... over years and years.  But that's normal, I guess.  Frustrating, but normal.

So, in case you've been wondering where I've been... now you know!