Full heart. Happy heart.

My life is full. Every day. Every minute.

 As usual, time flew by. Our lives have changed that quick.

 All in the blink of an eye.

Gramma moved in.

End of school year projects.

New car.

Our 8th grader graduated.

Dr appts. X-rays.

Soccer tryouts.

Our 15th wedding anniversary.

Pack up 2 bdrm apt for Gramma.

Entire family sick w/cold.

New garage door installed.

Yard sale: all must go!

Horse riding lessons.

Pool parties.

Happy mail.

Therapy people visit for Gramma.

{All this in a matter of 1.5 months}

The list everyday is endless. I just try to keep up. So many little things to fill in all the gaps as well. I created many collages w/app on iPhone but by the time I make to my Mac, I'm exhausted & it's usually past midnight. I will share photos here & there to catch you all up. (unless you follow me on Instagram, you've seen it all!)  

I will share this picture of my girls: sick, nose strip & all but they're happy. 

xo

Gingerbread Houses & PJs

I was excited about volunteering in Antonia's class this am! They had it all planned out, steps & all on how the houses were going to be made...

Step 1:

Step 1 really started w/me at home getting her base prepared. I did like this way better though! Easy & quick! I just had to buy the OJ the day before cut, wash, dry & hot glue!

Step 2:

Placement is key...

Step 3:

Pick the perfect accents for your house... and some extra to snack on!

Step 4:

Sit back & enjoy your creation! And try not to eat until you get home!

Antonia & her awesome teacher, as Antonia calls her! Most recently, bcuz of Xmas pj days & moving her project date to Monday! =)

xo

Can You Keep Up?

OMG. How do these successful online shop owners, these women that I see on Twitter & their blog, doing it all & creating new designs... keep up w/it all? Is their desk runneth over? MINE is. Are they on the board for a Soccer Academy? I am. Do they volunteer in their kids' classes? I do. Do they have their items in a local boutique? I do. {whoohoo! details on that soon!} Are they always there for the bffs? I am. Don't forget about HW & projects & reading minutes. I do that too. Do they do the laundry, towels & soccer laundry every other day? I do. Do they run their mom around bcuz she doesn't drive? I do as often as I can. Are they working on a local conference {Creative Estates} w/a good friend? I am. Do they watch their friends kids for the day? I do. Do they clean their house ALL the time? I don't. Wash the car weekly? I don't. Cook dinner every nite? I don't. Take the puppies to the dog park? I do. Ride bikes w/their kids? I do...

Do you get where I'm coming from? I really don't get HOW they do it? I wish I could just sew, sew & sew some more. Life is hectic & busy every day. It drives me nuts! I know what I have to do, but there's too much & not enough hours in a day. I know I'm not alone on this one. I have photos to edit to upload them to blog posts (yep, that would be plural!) & write the posts. I LOVE blogging too! I love to scrapbook too! I have so many projects waiting in the wings, it makes my head spin!

I've written the to-do lists, but I have like 5 going at the same time! Which to tackle first? I have been doing the most pressing first, then by the time 10pm rolls around... I'm exhausted!

Any advice would be greatly appreciated too. Please be nice. I wished I had an asst & the other day I saw this woman's SUV w/the license plate 'ASKHER'. It's fate! I went to her website on her window but I don't want to pay a bunch of $$ for what I can do myself. It'll just take me longer but the $$ will be saved in the end. She did it ALL too! EVERYthing. From house sitting, organizing offices, running errands, the list was endless! I so wish I could afford her. But I would be afraid to let someone in & see all your personal info & all that. Ho hum. What's a girl to do??

Have a good nite & I will be posting all my pix w/stories soon.
xo

The Word of the Day is?

Just a quick re-cap of today: Super busy as usual, but Carlos went in one direction on his Harley & I, in the other. First I dropped off the girls at school, loaded up w/fave drink from QT {white peach sugar-free tea} then off to get a fill & pedicure at The Nail Forum. This was, BTW... way--- overdue! Let's see, stopped by Desert Saddlery to see if I can 'borrow' *key word* a saddle! Ha! Of all things! Anything for my girls huh?! Guess what?  S-C-O-R-E !! Yes, I did. The owner will let me borrow one, as long as I bring it back! YES! My mama will be proud! After that, had to hurry home to put soccer clothes in wash, cut out title for Graciella's poster board w/Cricut (yes, ya gotta love that thing!) gathered up supplies for her & I was off, once again!

**Did I mention that I got spray ahesive on my EYEBALLS?! Yes, you can laugh. My Twitter friends did already. Haha. I was only trying to make the Cricut pads sticky. Oops.

Well, I hurried (didn't I say that already?) to Bill's a few houses down, he came to the rescue w/printing a few pgs *for Graciella's poster brd* in COLOR! Yes, many thanks to Bill. =) And again, was off to hurry to Walmart to buy a few things for... you guessed it! Graciella & her poster board. Was in & out in a flash (that NEVER happens!) & drove to her school. Get this! I'm parking & G texted me "are you still coming?" Hello----?! I'm here!.... I'm telling you NON-STOP! Go in, make delivery & chat w/teacher for a few. By now it's almost 3 & I leave home at 330 to p/u Lele from school, next bldg over. Nice. Once again, I ______ home. ha! Switched out laundry & Carlos made it home. We barely spoke all day, so we drove together to p/u girls. Only when he's telling his story, I'm catching up on Tweets, FB & emails. Oops. He caught on when he asked a question that I couldn't answer! Sorry. ;]

We did p/u girls only to - can ya guess? Yep. We made it home, had to do 'that H word' - to get the 3 girls dressed in soccer uniforms & over to Bowdacious Creations (a Custom Embroidery shop) for photos & her Ribbon Cutting Ceremony. (which we had to leave before it took place!) The final shots will be great & different from anything we've seen out there for sports! Will share when we get the pix in about 4 wks! Not nice. Whattaya gonna do? The girls had fun, snapped a few pix, grabbed food & ran home. Me & Lele stayed home, p/u Katie & off they went to practice. I think it's all winding down now...

It's getting late & I need to sleep. Figures, my pump just ran out of insulin.
Gnite all. xo

Whew! Well, that is basically the re-cap of our every day! I don't know HOW to slow things down. Carlos & I have stuff in the works and thinking it about it? ... will take more of our time. Hmm. I'm hoping ALL goes well. My-self included.

TGIF

Half the time, I don't even know which day of the week it is! Between Carlos working all the time, even on days off & the girls w/soccer 4 times a week! Ahh!! But it's all good. This ALL just means we have the gift of our family, we're able to run here & there & have the $ to fill the gas tank to do so! ;p

Today was CRAZY running around...

Drive girls to school.
Drive Lele to preK.
Drive to car wash & wait 1.5 hrs for truck!
Hurry back to p/u Lele.
Go home for a few, make calls & check email.
Drive Hugo & Harley to Petsmart Grooming.
Drive to Devine Memories to p/u DT kit.
Drive to Costco & buy water/fruit for Graciella's soccer game Sat.
Drive home. Lele fell asleep.
Carlos helps me unpack truck, Lele stays home & naps.
Drive to Petsmart to p/u puppies.
Call school on way & let them know I'll be a few mins late to p/u my girls & daycare girls.
P/u puppies. Drive back home. Drop them off.
Hurry back to school & p/u all the girls.
Drive to car wash & speak to manager about bucket of dirty water LEFT in my truck!!
Drive back home.

Now that I was back home, I didn't want to leave AT ALL the rest of the day. After dealing w/this mgr guy at the car wash, later finding out that the a/c to the back of the truck is blowing HOT air & being spoken to like an adolescent by the school principal...

Yeah, well... I've had it w/these people!! I didn't leave again for today. Luckily, Carlos p/u my pix from Costco. THX U!

I forgot to mention that I listened to Antonia read 11 books to me for 1.5 hrs. That girl can read for 5 days straight! She loves to read like her mommy! She did that while I uploaded my pix!

~Tomorrow is a new day... but the fun will start at 7am to p/u some peaches!

9am - Antonia's soccer game
12ish - drop off puppies at sitters
2pm - Graciella's soccer game somewhere on the other side of Scottsdale/Phx
345ish - p/u puppies
6pm ish - Tint guy may come over & fix tint on truck.

Gnite all. xo

Rain, Rain...go away

What a gloomy day! 57 degrees out & raining...Fun! Girls had water day at school. Cancelled. I can't believe it cooled off that much! Feels good though! Been super busy as usual. Sign ups for Graciella w/Legacy was lastnite. She gets it all; the shorts, socks, both jerseys, sweats & embroidered bag w/number & name. Practice starts soon & soccer camp too. PreK starts at the same time.

Last wkend, Joy had the girls over while I was at my serger class. That worked! Carlos got to sleep straight through. We went to mass in the afternoon w/gramma & Carrie. Monday - Carlos took the girls to dance. I so didn't want to deal w/G's dance teacher. Turns out the owner gal finished her dance like that! She's a happy camper now & if she's happy, mommy's happy!! Daddy took the girls to buy Graciella a new bike. She's getting tall & out grew her last one, that quick!


Electra Rat Rod


New bike!

I'm still having pains just like I did before my surgery. Went to the dr, all is good & he told me to call this general surgeon. Called them & they told me they don't need to see me. This back & forth stuff, I hate it! I'm in pain people! Graciella went to her eye dr appt same day. Scary actually bcuz he said she has a light spot on her retina. ?? Enough w/that. I don't want to get all worried again until she sees the specialist (& that's soon!)

This am was the girls' ceremonies at school. Awards for attendence, straight A's, best 1st & 4th grd classes for PE, & Reading. Antonia had brought cupcakes in for her summer bday today too. I thought that was nice of Mrs. Mangieri to celebrate those little one's bdays too. Then it was off to Lele's dance class. (after cruising the scrap store a few doors down!) This weather really zaps your energy. This is perfect weather for curling up on the couch & watching a movie! Not for me though! Had to make a CVS run w/gramma & the girls.

Carlos had finished making two rosaries for an order. Check them out! He also got orders for his 'man' bracelet. A woman is purchasing one for herself, too, that he will make smaller in diameter (not as chunky). His is in bronze but I think he's making some in silver. If you see anything you like (or don't see!) Please leave a comment! Carlos will get back to you, just leave your email add. Thx! (Click on pix to see bigger)

Rosary for child

Carlos' man bracelet


Just got a call from Marci & she's locked out of her car. Called Bill & he's goin to go w/me to help her in this rain! What a good guy... Got back & it wasn't nothing a wire hanger couldn't fix! Thx Bill!

TGIF??

What's that?! Half the time I don't know what day of the wk it is! I always HAVE to check the calendar from day to day bcuz we have something happening ON each day! I keep telling Carlos "Did you check the calendar?" "Did you write it on the calendar?" If it doesn't get written down on the calendar, it ain't happening! Sad, huh?! It's true though.

Yesterday, I felt so horrible that after I dropped the girls off at school, I came home & layed on the couch till I had to leave. Lele went to dance & she had to leave class early bcuz she had a dentist appt. She had a cleaning, check up & xrays. Afterwards, it was back home & back on the couch. The baby fell asleep on the way home, so she went right in her bed. Me? I went on the couch, again, for about an hr. Until... the dogs were barking & I heard this loud truck p/u the bulk load that Carlos had scheduled. I panicked bcuz I thought I was late to p/u the girls for school. I looked at the clock & it was 2:20. I thought Carlos was sleeping & hurried up to leave, only to finally wake up & remember that he was working during the day! I couldn't believe that I could of left Lele at the house sleeping! I grabbed my baby & left. I p/u all the girls & came home to the couch. I felt horrible. It was my stomach since I woke up at 5:30am. I ate a choc. pudding (instead of the usual - choc/van/choc) bcuz I was hungry like NOW. After that, I went down hill quick! Ruined my day. I even went to bed early. 10ish, I think. Eating the pudding that early was NOT the problem. I can bet it was the choc. one, I choose. (the other kind was gone!) My temp even got high as 102.7! Fun stuff, I tell ya! Carrie came by for a quick visit. It was good to see her for a few. Carlos got Port of Subs for dinner. Yum! I ate 1/2 of everything & retired to the couch again.

**TODAY was a new day. Normal wake up time 5:30am. This am, woke at 5:25. 5 more mins! Never heard the alarm. I woke up at 7:09! I got the girls up & all was ready to go on time, still! Except, the girls left lunches on the counter. Marvelous! Got back home, got Lele & I ready to take Hugo to the vet. Gave the puppy Benadryl (for reaction to shots), dropped off lunches at school, watched as 5 women wooed over Hugo & he WAS lovin' it! And off to the vet. Hugo weighed in at 16.3 lbs. He gained 3 lbs in 3 wks. He's the biggest baby like Harley. He HAS to sit in my lap in the car. I know, not safe. But what are you going to do? Lock him in the trunk? Or in our case, put him behind the 3rd row of seats & watch him claw himself to the front? Fun... Not. Got home, did some stuff & watched Lost w/Carlos. He went to get girls & I was off to get my nails filled! By myself. Uno. One. Alone. THIS is rare. When this does happen, first thing everyone asks, "where are your girls?" Even at Costco. Sad? Funnier I think! Let's see, then I was off to sit in the drive-thru line at the bank. I spoke to Rose for a min then had to go. Spoke to Jeannie, she was at my house, p/u her girls. I told her "now I know what it's like to talk to me when I'm home w/all the girls! It sounds like a party!" We agreed we'd go to the Luau together. I so-- wanted to skip this one! But I'm glad we went. The girls had fun going on the water slides, dancing, meeting up w/friends & eating! We ate first, they would of skipped that part though. Afterwards, they had a video set up that lasted 24 mins w/all pix of all the kids of Shumway. It was set to music & our girls were in it throughout! I went to order one through Shelly & I was No. 1 ! (Yes, I am lady! Ha!) Daddy came at the beginning of the video & surprised us all. He got an early break. The girls were excited to see him. We left together but he went back to work & we went home to baths. The girls were in bed by 9 & me, still up! Carlos came home early again & was gone at the store & came home w/a new Wii game & 2 steering wheels.

I like this one! It doesn't make me sick! The tracks are cool too. The girls are gonna LOVE this in the am when they see it! Too bad, they can't stay & play! Momma's gotta go to a class & they're off to Joy's! Thx daddy! xo

A Week of CrAzY-NeSs...Part 2

Where do I begin? This family needs more days in the week! Dance & Confirmation on Monday nite. Of course, we choose the 2nd! Tuesday - besides running errands during the day & a field trip I went on w/Antonia's class in the am, p/u girls & daycare kids after school, off to church for the last day of catechism & sign ups for RE next yr! Fill out all the forms at the tables that are in the sun! Fun! Stand in line to only come face to face w/a woman who NEVER smiles! Not even a hello!! She just signs everyone up & you're outta there! Daycare girls needed to be p/u at church bcuz they had a playdate. Then waited for girls to get out of class & had some 'free' snx! Lele was happy! Then it was off to Antonia's soccer practice then to Snedigar to Graciella's rec. training! That was only Tuesday!! Weds. - Graciella stays after for chorus. No daycare girls that day. Did I mention that I also mopped all the floors (except my bathroom!) Thurs - Leleanna had dance in the am, daycare girls after school, Graciella had soccer practice. The daycare girls left, Carlos is getting ready for work & Graciella's getting ready to leave all at the same time! So Carlos takes her to her practice & I show up w/the other 2 & no one was there or showed!! Practice was cancelled by an email sent out (he never got our email add) & a super nice guy Don, was practicing w/her coach's older team so he asked her to stay & practice w/the 7th grdrs. She was happy w/that. It was a coed team & she kept up! We went to DM to drop off layouts for the design team after that. Fri - was a good one! Leleanna decided to fall asleep as soon as we got to the store. She has this OBSESSION w/lip gloss & chapsticks! A big one! It faded away for a bit, but now it's in full demand these days! She MUST have the purse & the chapstick in order to leave the house! She's ONLY 3!! & she has to carry about 4 different ones at all times! So naturally the store we went into had a bunch to choose from & I wanted some new ones so... can you guess what happened next? A sleepy 3 yr old & an obsession w/the lip stuff & mommy has her parked in front of this HUGE display at Bath & Body Works trying to pick one for me! Yeah... the store was slowly talking about us & leaving! What are ya gonna do! Finish my selection of course! She'll stop sometime this yr! hee-hee! She did fall asleep before we got home too! Had daycare girls after school, as well as 630 in the am before school! The bugman came to that afternoon! Oh! I forgot to add gramma in the mix. We p/u gramma to go to the sr center every other day & take her home. So... that pm, me & my girls went to DM & helped Joann close the store down! This is a bad habit! My girls went nuts w/her little Sage & tore it up playing! They had fun & were fast friends. I wish that would happen w/adults!

That brings me to a new subject or someone! Her name is Joy & she's great! Funny & from Jersey & super nice lady too! St. Andrews, Shumway, our girls in the same class, some dislikes the same! ha! But after maybe 2 wks now??... & a funny, almost an altercation of a phone call w/Antonia & me, phone calls back & forth ... we FINALLY met! She invited us all over for a BBQ/pool party at her casa. Met her husband, real nice guy & her friends & their girls. There was all little girls running around. We first got there & our girls went in the pool. Antonia choose NOT to wear her swimmies at first. Well, 3 secs passed that she just got in the pool & I didn't sit down yet & I jumped in w/flip flops, clothes, sunglasses & my insulin pump on!! Saved my baby! She was totally fine. Not even shaken up. Laughing & agreed THEN to put her swimmies on. Nice one huh!? Nice way to meet everyone, walking in w/3 girls & Antonia tries to drown herself after 2 mins of being there! All was good though. We met this mom Andie & her little girl, Brooke. We got to talking & again! Someone knows Carly! They LOVE Carly. After Brooke told me all about Carly, I remembered her telling me about a girl at her work that looks EXACTLY like Dakota Fanning. This was her! She was right! So Brooke told me, Carly just calls me 'Dakota', even her mannerisms were like those of the star! The food was YUMMY & everyone seemed real nice. Joy totally took care of the girls too! She was great w/them. I woke up Carlos & he came over later in the day. We left there at 9pm! I forgot to mention that Carlos didn't sleep but 1 hr that am bcuz he walked in the door at 630am from work! He got up & coached Antonia's team & we had Graciella's game start 1/2 way into Antonia's game! In addition to the 2 games in the am, Graciella & Lele had recital pix at the same time of the games...Carrie came even feeling sick! Thx Becky! That makes a difference to the girls! They'll remember that too! Afterwards, we went to Old McDonalds for Lele and In & Out for us.

Each day never ends. There's tons I'm leaving out. Like stopping here or there for bagels or a drive thru to p/u dinner! Let's see... Nicantonis, McD's & Pei Wei were this wks dinner... a quick trip to the grocery store.. it's ALWAYS something!! Never a dull moment.

I need to finish sorting this HUGE mountain of clothes I took out of the girl's closet, then I shall post these soccer pix! xo

Graciella - Purple Pros

Antonia & daddy - Purple Lightening