Move over Starbucks

In my efforts to cut down on spending money, I've discovered a great thing to do with our morning coffee. I've noticed that once in a while I would stop and get a coffee from Starbucks or McDonald's, mostly on my way to pick up the kids from school, lets say around 3:00 when is the time of day that I get the sleepies. Anyways, long story short, I was about to walk out of the house today and I got a glimpse of the morning coffee still sitting there in the coffee maker. Like every day of our lives, the morning coffee would have gone to waste, being thrown out at the end of the day. Not today! I poured it into the mixer with lots of ice, and some half and half I happened to have in the fridge. I did add a little bit of sugar to sweeten it up, but then the magic occurred, I came up with the yummiest cold coffee drink ever! and it was completely free. From now on I will use up the cold coffee, for one I don't spend any extra money on it, and the next best thing is it doesn't go to waste like it always does. I'm so excited about my little discovery, I can't wait to have another one tomorrow.

A week without washer/dryer

The week without is over! thank goodness for that. But we did go a whole week without a dryer, so pretty much there were no clean clothes for a whole week. So imagine my joy when we come home Sunday with my new washer and dryer. Needless to say I have started the week doing lots and lots of laundry. You would probably think it was a pain in the butt, but not this time, I am so happy doing clothes. I think of our grandparents when they had to deal with washing clothes by hand, and even further back to our ancestors who had to go down to the river to wash clothes. I'm so full of joy with every wash load I fold and put in our drawers. Sometimes it's a blessing when something breaks, you have time to realize how easy your life is with all the modern appliances and gadgets. Thank you sweetie for my new washer/dryer........

Teeth

My friends, what you are about to read is a tiny rant on teeth cleaning. The pain I went through this morning, and this after asking to have my mouth bathed in topical anesthetic. I feel as if the older I get the worse things are getting for me, okay not everything, somethings I have to admit are getting better. But my teeth! oh goodness, it seems there are new nooks and crannies for food to get stuck in, now I have to carry a floss thing in my purse and some sort of little bristle thing to get food out of my teeth. When in my youth did I ever go through any of this? the answer is Never. So whats there to do? just take it like a big girl and sit there as my poor little mouth gets violated, get up and force a smile at the innocent hygienist who is only doing her job, it's not her fault my teeth are so messed up. Well, the best to her and God bless her for picking such a pain inflicting job. I just wish I could do without teeth cleanings :(
I shall dream on......... back for a cleaning in four months.

A few things I know for certain.......

1. We all deserve to live a happy life, that wasting time on being sad or mad isn't worth it at all.

2. If I chose to love you with all my heart, you will love me back in the same manner. (and that will make me a very happy woman).

3. Giving my children Love and respect will in return give me happy children and hopefully later in life they will turn out A-okay.

4. Sparing the rod does not necessarily spoil the kid, it actually saves me grief and gives me more energy to talk to the kid, and come to an agreement.

5. That some of the best things in life are absolutely free. Sitting around a bonfire with family..........priceless.

I'm sure I can come up with a few more, but I have to go to bed for now. Because that is another thing I know for certain, I can't stay up late like I used to.........if I do, it will be no fun for mama in the morning :(
Goodnight.

Summer Vacation

Chatting with dad at the Santa Inez Mission

Moni with our box of goodies in Solvang, CA

Daddy and Andrew........crossing the street
you are never to old to hold daddy's hand.

Walking toward the bakery....we can't walk fast enough!

Our family in Solvang, CA
windmills are very popular here.

Carne Asada dinner at our campsite.

Sharing the love! that's what family does.

Moni about to go ride. Gilie always such a ham.

Special time with my Gilie, keeping warm.

at our campsite, mommy - moni- gilie.

We just got back from a nice 3 day get away up north. We started off at Oceano Dunes campground and stayed there for two days. We had a great time camping, and doing some riding on the sand dunes. I personally enjoyed some time to just do nothing....well actually a little something... start on a new book ( Eat, Love, Pray) by Elizabeth Gilbert. It has a grip on me, I can't find enough time in my busy day to put in some reading time. Moni has started reading it too, so we chat about it and enjoy it together. Back to our vacation, we spent the last day driving home and stopping at different cities to take a quick look. We went into Pismo Beach first off, since it's actually the neighboring city with Oceano, and by neighboring I mean you are there in less than 5 minutes. We had a really good lunch there and drove around the city a little. Next up was Solvang, and that was just about the cutest little danish town I will ever see. It was really cute, and full of yummy bakeries. We picked up some treats and were on our way. Still within Solvang, we stopped to take a look at the old Santa Inez mission. That was a nice part of California history to take the kids to. Very well preserved. Beautiful landscape all around, the scenery is fantastic. Then we drove down to Santa Barbara. I have to say that so far in my few travels, this has been the cleanest city I've ever been in. The streets were lined with beautiful homes and landscaping equal in beauty. I was really in love with the homes and the greenery. If ever I had to move somewhere it would definitely be there, but that's just a thought, I know in my heart I will never leave San Diego. No matter how beautiful other cities are, my San Diego has the perfect weather and basically everything I need to be happy can be found here. I can just conclude by saying that our vacation was a great one, and that the time spent together with our children is something money just can't buy. Family is everything.....

Summer is Awesome!!

A few pictures of whats been going on this summer. Enjoying my children at home, and our little ray of sunshine (Max). We haven't done as much this summer because naturally it's a little harder with our little Max, but nonetheless, it's still a beautiful summer. Next week we go camping, trying out Oceano sand dunes. It seems like it's going to be a great getaway for us all. I've always wanted to camp right on the beach, and now my dream will come true. So excited! time with my family without any worries, okay, without any housework.....I guess that's what I was really trying to say.

Marriage isn't easy

Yes, I'm sure you've heard one too many a time, Marriage isn't easy. Well, they are right, it's not easy at all. Sometimes you think you've been married an eternity and the hard times are long gone. You feel like you've been through it all, but then life throws you a curve and your back at square one. Thank God for all the love in my heart that I can get past these hard times and go back to my happiness and my deep love for my husband. I think most of the disagreements stem from a difference in personalities, but I don't know that I would want to be with someone exactly like me, and then again there is only one ME. We are all made to shine in our own bright light and to share some of that light with others. We are all different and we are all alike, our common need is the need to be loved. The difference in us can be a beautiful thing; when you complement me and give me strength along the way, when you show me another side to what seemed so difficult to me, when you bring peace to my hectic day, when you hold me in your arms and make the rest of the world seem so far away. You are my true love, and that is what makes marriage not that hard at all.