Days Gone By

Do you ever find yourself lost in digital picture land? That's where I find myself today and I just can't believe how quickly time passes until I look at these photos.

I see photos like this where my nephews are single and my daughters are so very young:

I see my little girls as just that, little girls and can't believe Melynda finishes Driver's Ed this week. I see Sky and her sweet little smile and can't believe she's old enough to have braces on her teeth. I see my niece Ging and can't believe she's going to be in middle school!

I mean, really! Look how little they all are!!!

I see my baby Paco and can't believe he's riding his bike without training wheels and starting kindergarten this fall:

I see my big boys and can't believe they're 19 and accountable to the law now.

Sniff sniff. I'm so glad I have photos to look at and remember all these days gone by.

My Favorite Things - Matching Travel Shirts!

Perhaps you remember when we went to Mexico last year... there were 11 of us. To help keep track of everyone, I tie-dyed green shirts in as many sizes as they make white shirts! Here we all are last year. The shirts were wonderful and they saved our bacon both coming and going in the airports. We vowed never to travel again without them!

As you can see, we look like a group traveling together. That, my friends, is the point!! Especially with little ones in tow... here we are in the airport:

I used teal shirts this year and then took the color out in the same process of tie-dying.... not exactly what I set out for but it turned out. I started out with white shirts but they got totally dyed teal - no tie dye. So, in sheer panic mode, I reversed the process using the tie-dye method and LOVED the results.

Here Mom and I are at Disney World. I made special shirts for the boys this day. Still the tie-dye but I added a special iron on transfer and used material marker to make the backs unique. They loved them!!! The shirts served their purpose at DW, too.

We took last years shirts along and wore them when we went to Gatorland. I'll tell you about our time later, but this park was by far my favorite and I'm so glad we went! Here is my Dad and the little boys in our "Mexico shirts" as we refer to them.

And all of us, in our"Mexico Shirts" at Gatorland.

Traveling and going to tourist places can be crazy! To help ease some of the stress, we travel in unique tie-dye shirts, made by yours truly. People love them and are always complimenting and commenting on them. It's fun and like I said, we've decided it's worth the effort to have them. I enjoy doing this for my family and it's super affordable since you do the work. I use the RIT dyes or in this case, dye and then color remover. I'd advise to just buy colored shirts and then remove the color if that's what you're going for instead of the way I did it this year. :)

Anyway, this is for sure, one of my favorite things!

School's Out For Summer!

Normally, on the last day of school, I am as excited as the kids! This year is different, I'm sad to say....

They have their own plans. With their own friends. Without me. They get out of school in one hour but I won't see them til tomorrow!!! What gives?

And, if I weren't so overwhelmed with my mile long list to leave to Sunday, I might just break down and cry. But I don't have time for that today.

Why? Well, I need to pack myself and two little boys for a 9 day trip. I need to finish laundry. I need to...
~ finish the schedule of events for the home front so I can leave with peace that the poor souls not going to Orlando know when to water, mow and feed our dear dog. Oh, and know when Melynda has Driver's Ed - that's a milestone!
~ Make Birthday T- Shirt for Paco for Disney World and one for Javi so he's not left out.
~ Pack
~ Get carry on's ready for two little boys
~ Pack
~ Get carry on ready for Moma
~ Pack
~ Win the lotto. Wait, I don't play it - can one of you win it for me and just give me some $$$?
~ Pack.

That's it. I have already:
~ Tie-Dyed our trip shirts for travel days.
~ Have our Orlando folder ready
~ Bought Arabian Night tickets from undergroundtourist!
~ Got the garden ready to leave - thanks Roy!
~ Made granola and trail mix for snacking.
~ Made cupcakes for Paco's last day of school
~ Had a board meeting
~ Done loads of laundry
~ hung tinsel in fruit trees to deter birdies eating the fruit
~ made lots of lists.

If I don't post before leaving - ta ta! I'm off the the Sunshine State!

2 Weeks From Now!

2 Weeks from today will be Paco's 5th birthday in Orlando, Florida! (Ican't believde it will be 5 years since this little man escaped my womb.)


We're doing a two-part trip. The first part, Monday - Friday, we'll be staying at the Hilton Walt Disney World Resort. Here, we will attend a conference while my Mom and the boys have fun. I am going to play hookie on Wednesday for Paco's birthday and Mom and I will take him and Javier to Disney World! He already has his Birthday Pass from Mickey to get in free and he's so excited!!!

Did you know I died my hair? See below? That's me basking in the sun - alone. ha ha ha. If my boys were anywhere near her she would not look so peaceful either!!!

I've been hard at work trying to find us deals and free things to do while there. My list is long and I'm so excited!!!

I joined http://www.mousesavers.com/ for latest deals, http://www.orlandoinfo.com/ gave us a free Magicard; which has tons of discounts. http://www.allears.net/ gives detailed menu prices so we'll be sure to scan those before departing.

I can't wait to see the Lego Imagination Center with Paco. He is in love with blocks, as is Javier. I've read a lot and listened and it seems that there is "Disney" everywhere and Downtown Disney is free and their restaraunt and stores are less expensive than in the parks. So, we're doing the park thing one day and then we're playing it by ear.

We are going to do at least one dinner show and it's either going to be Arabian Nights or Medieval Times. I think the Pirate Show may scare Javi.

More later on the 2nd half of our trip when we go "off-site!"

Reality

I haven't been on the computer much this past week and just checked some blogs since I'm home from church with Paco.

Roy and I are doing something new.... for every negative thing we say, we have to say two positives.

Last night's conversation went something like this:

Me - "Am I getting more gray hair?"

Him - "YES."

Me - "Serious? Lots more or just a few?.... and don't be mean."

Him - "I'm not being mean. I'm being direct. You asked me a direct question and I gave you a direct answer. Do you want me to lie to you?"

Me - silence

Him - "Do you want me to lie???"

Me - silence..... "Well, not lie but not be so blunt when we're talking about my looks here. Do you think it's stress related?

Him - "I think you stress yourself out, yes."

Me - "I stress myself out?!?!?! So, it's not the girls and their homework troubles? It's not that I have 6 kids? It's not that I have a husband who acts like a kid? It's not that....." I rambled on -and on - and on.

Him - "You owe me 20 positives."

Me - "WHAT?!"

Him - "20. You said 10 things about your life in a negative way and you need to tell me 20 positive."

Me - silence

Me - silence

Me - I came up with 10 quick like. Basically the things that stressed me out bring me great joy. Then I came up with 5 more. Then I was stuck. It was late. I was tired. He let me ramble on for a while and we agreed I did a good job.

Moral of the story? I'm going to be so much more careful what I say!!!

And then this morning......

I read this. And I cried. I cried for my friend. For her children. And I cried with thanksgiving for my life today. Because that's all we have, right? Today.

So, I'm going to go snuggle with my sick boy who is watching Toy Story in my bed.

I Am Not Alone

I know that what comes to me today is a tiny part of God's big plan for my life. I am not alone.

--A Woman's Spirit

Thought to Ponder....
Wisdom is knowing what to do, virtue is doing it.

Happy Mother's Day

In My Daughter's Eyes

In my daughter's eyes I am a hero

I am strong and wise and I know no fear

But the truth is plain to seeShe was sent to rescue me

I see who I wanna beIn my daughter's eyes

In my daughter's eyes everyone is equal

Darkness turns to light and theworld is at peace

This miracle God gave to me gives me strength when I am weak

I find reason to believe In my daughter's eyes

And when she wraps her handaround my finger

Oh it puts a smile in my heart

Everything becomes a little clearer

I realize what life is all about

It's hangin' on when your heart has had enough

It's giving more when you feel like giving up

I've seen the light It's in my daugter's eyes

In my daughter's eyes I can see the future

A reflection of who I am and what will be

Though she'll grow and someday leaveMaybe raise a family

When I'm gone I hope you see how happyshe made me

For I'll be thereIn my daughter's eyes

and, for fun, my new favorite: THE MOM SONG.

and my wish for my children.