Family Photo

Princess Julianne

After looking at prices online for photo sessions, I decided I better give it my best effort first. Here is the result. Luckily, Julianne is the most photogenic of the bunch.

Raising Marthas

So my mother is like Martha Stewart. As long as I can remember, she has been into crafts and sewing. She would make our Halloween costumes, curtains, and she would make and sell crafts back in the day. I'm talking earrings, puff paint sweatshirts (really back in the day ladies), Christmas Santa Claus gourds and you wouldn't believe what else. I've always admired her for it and have been, and actually continue to be, the beneficiary of her talent. Lately she had been sending me these cute little pillowcase dresses for each of the girls. These I think are super cute!She's got a new embroidery machine and she puts the girls names on all their stuff. Who needs Pottery Barn when you've got your mom?

So I've been trying to keep up with her by attempting to sew an actually Halloween costume myself. I actually went and picked out a pattern, interpreted and made a tinkerbell costume! I felt so accomplished and like I've connected with all the women in the past who had sewing skills. I'm developing a real skill. Needless to say I was excited. Pictures will come when I'm finished with it. I guess I just want to be like my dear mother.
This is an attempt to get a picture of the three of them in their dresses. I had to through Miguel in there to keep them contained. Doesn't he look thrilled. This is the best out of like 20. It's my luck.
Oh and here's my attempt at being Martha Stewart. I made pumkin pancakes this morning for my girls and my nieces. They were orange and everything. The girls were excited about them until they started eating them. The enthusiasm died quickly. I guess they would prefer their regular old pancakes for breakfast. I gave myself brownie points for trying.

Ballerinas and Chocolate Pie

Gabriela gave us a good laugh yesterday. Miguel totally set himself up for this one. We were sitting around the table eating chocolate pie and Miguel offered Gabriela a bite. She declined and then he thought he would be clever by saying, "It's only for ballerinas. Are you a ballerina?" She strolled over to the table, took the bite, and then looked him straight in the face and said, "Papi, are you a ballerina too?" We died laughing. Good one Gabriela.

HOUSECLEANING is my stumbling block

Do you ever feel you are running in a rat's exercise wheel? This is how I feel about housecleaning. It never ends. I really believe it is my stumbling block in life. I would be such a better mother and neighbor, be a better wife, more patient, more talented and who knows what else if housecleaning was out of the picture. I have made so many invitations to people about coming over for lunch and play dates and such, but I never end up calling and setting them up, because I'm too embarrassed by the condition of my house. I know women can be judgemental and I'm so afraid someone is going to think I'm a bad mother if my house isn't spic and span. So for those of you who are waiting for me to call, don't hold your breath. Actually if you tell me not to clean up and you are o.k. with a messy kitchen (the thorn in my side), then I'll have you over today. I actually enjoy and encourage people not to clean up before I come. It makes me feel a little more normal when I see a mom answer the door with her hair in a ponytail and in her pajama bottoms. I quietly feel at peace with myself. Thanks Amy for always loving me despite the mess. I'm not saying my house is a pigpen(?) or anything, it's just cluttered with the girls clothes, dress up clothes, and more clothes. There is usually dishes in the sink or on the stove (remember, I don't have a dish washer) and I do my best to keep the floor swept.
You see, I was raised in a home that had to be cleaned before we were allowed to go anywhere or do anything. I even had to put away my mother's clothes in her messy closet. So unfair. So now that same mentality still exists in my little brain. I can't do anything until my house is clean and that includes having anyone over. I punish myself in someways. The worst is that my mother and father in law drop in all the time unexpectedly and she is an obsessive compulsive cleaner. She spends her days cleaning out her cabinets and drawers, wiping baseboards and so on. I just want to die when they come in. They probably pity their poor son.
Whew, I'm glad I got that off my chest. Seriously just tell me it's o.k. and that your house is messy from your munchkins too and we can be best friends.

Just a few thoughts

Well I haven't posted in a while, because not much has been goin on. We enjoyed conference over the weekend and it finally feels like fall outside. My girls are still taking forever to go to sleep at night. Maybe one day they'll just go to sleep. I really felt like I gained a lot from conference and Pres. Monson's talk about enjoying the now was what touched me the most. Of course I can't quote him directly, but the statement about how I shouldn't wish away all of my todays because they will only lead to empty yesterdays meant a lot. I tend to wish for a day when I can enjoy myself and do things that I like to do. I really do need to focus on today and as Oprah loves to say, "be present." Pres. Monson also mentioned all of the toys strewn about the house, he must have peeked through my window, and told us that we should not focus so much on getting the house spotless as we should playing with our children. One day the house will be clean and stay that way, but only because the children have all left. Guilty again. Sometimes I worry and stress about my house, which by the way is never all clean at once, that I put playing with my kids off. Today was a pretty good day and I tried to relax and just be in the moment. I love those munchkins and they are growing up so fast. So here's to all us Moms that are striving to be a little better each day.

Bedtime & Prayers

First off. Why is it that all day long Gabriela and Sophia will fight over just about anything. Sophia is yelling all day over something Gabriela has done or that she wants something Gabriela has. They couldn't share if their life depended on it, but somehow there is magic in the late hours of the night. Whenever we put them to bed, they must spend the next hour or so scheming together in their room. You will hear them laughing and giggling. You go down the first time and Sophia is in the bed with Gabriela. Now during the day, they wouldn't get that close. It's the don't touch me bit. At night they love each other. The second time you go down they are in Gabriela's bed coloring together. Bedtime is so endearing yet so frustrating. I'm glad they get along, but why can't they do it during the day. Maybe the trick is to lock them in a small room together more often.
STOP: as I'm typing this post the girls have just come upstairs. They were tucked in over an hour ago. I was so thrilled because I thought they actually went straight to sleep. I didn't hear a peep from them. When we go downstairs to put them back in bed, we find their room littered with white sheets. They had emptied out an entire box of tissues and an entire new package of baby wipes (the big Costco kind) all over the room. This is exactly what I'm talking about. They only like each other when they are getting in trouble together. Gabriela also tops it off by saying, "Papi, we like to make messes."

The other thing I would like to mention is that it seems whenever I pray for certain things I am tried in those areas. For example, this morning I go to the temple and I'm praying for more patience with my girls and also to have good health and to have the strength and energy to deal with my responsibilities, namely my children. What do I get...children who act worse than normal, me yelling, exhausted all day, seasonal allergies, and so on. You get the idea. Maybe the Lord thinks I need more practice inorder to overcome these weaknesses. I just have to shrug my shoulders and keep plowing.