Good bye Summer, Hello School Year

What a wonderful SuMmEr we had. 

Just wonderful. 

once the sun FINALLY came out

we hung out in the pool. 

a lot

we hung out with friends.

there's nothing like good ol' friends. 

aren't they just the best!!!

We had summer wish list. 

Things we wanted to do. 

And by golly we almost got them all checked off. 

these two crack me up.
we took lots of evening walks.
looking for skunks.
they are all over our neighborhood.
we didn't see any on our walks
but we did have one stuck in our back yard this summer.
behind the pool fence, trapped.
it was awful.

this kid cracks me up.

we shared ice cream, to see which one was our favorite.

We looked for lizards.

We snuggled.

We laughed.

We rode our bikes to the donut store.

We played. 

We went to the desert.

We watched movies outside.

and so much more. 

and today was it.

our last day of summer.

school starts tomorrow.

am i sad? 

a little.
 i love having my kids home.

my soon to be 1st grader said tonight.

"mommy, i'm kinda happy nervous"

"it's going to be different from last year, isn't it"

"it won't be just you and me until we get sissy"

"you won't pick me up first"
"no" i said. "but i'll still volunteer and you and sissy will get out together"

and then she said

"do you think you can drop us off together in the morning, and we can walk to our classes together"
"we could just hug & kiss and go our ways, cuz we are so close to each other so she won't have
to walk me down to my class"
i said

"A.B.S.O.L.U.T.E.L.Y."

it won't be the same. 

it will be different.

and that is the part that makes me just a little sad.

i dig my kids. 

and i love to see the next step.

the next adventure.

but i also love the last one. 

the last adventure. 

i love where they've been
and look forward to were they will go.

i'm just happy to be their mom.

so happy. 

here's to another great school year.
off to bed early.
excited, nervous.
i love all this emotion...
i love being a MoM.

i've always told my hubby to be guest blogger on my blog.
he has a blog, but doesn't update it often.
so tonight, as i wrote mine he wrote his.
here it is

Bucket List

A bucket list is defined as a “wish list of things to do before one ‘kicks the bucket’”.  Never have given much though to one myself.  Sure there are things I want to do: catch a game with my dad and brother at Fenway Park in Boston and Wrigley Field in Chicago, walk along a Tahitian Beach at sunset with Kristy, drink Guinness in Ireland, and visit Palermo, Italy where my grandparents were raised.

I guess getting older will do this to you . . . force you to think of your own mortality and take stock on what you have or have not done.  Well, this summer I was able to help people work on their list.  At the onset of the summer Kristy and the girls sat down and worked on a to-do summer list.  I guess you could call it a bucket list for elementary age girls.  It is a long list, not necessarily dramatic or extremely risk taking.  There is no swim with the dolphins, or fly in a plane, or go water skiing.

No this list was pretty simple.  Maybe it reflects what they view as important or maybe it reflects what values Kristy and I have instilled in them that are important.  Anyhow their summer list included “laugh”.  That’s it . . . just . . . laugh.  Didn’t matter when or why or how.  They just wanted to laugh.  The other night I made Sophia laugh so loud just by hiding outside her bedroom window making odd sounds.  When she laughs it is from her soul.  It is something to see.

Another thing on their list. . . . color.  Yep color.  Markers, crayons, colored pencils, paint.  They just wanted to take a blank canvas and make it their own.  Isabella is such a grand colorer.  She takes the time to outline the picture, then lightly shade in her subject.  When she is done she show off her artwork like she is DaVinci.  A lot of coloring went on this summer.

We waited until the last moment to cross this one off: ride our bikes to the donut store to get donuts.  Not tremendously far but there is a hill to maneuver up and back.  We woke up, threw on our sweatshirts and took a morning ride.  And there we sat munching on chocolate donuts and drinking ice cold milk.  

This fall I turn 40.  I guess that maybe I will sit down one of these years and put a list to pen.  But in the meantime I’ll help the girls work on their lists.  The events may not be death defying; but the memories are priceless.

Friday Favorites

Two of My Most Favorite Pieces to Create

for SoSoBella Designs

this one that was originally created for 

the wonderful families who are blessed 

to adopt.

It is created two ways,

Bonded Together By Love

& 

Bonded Together By Christ

and this one was created for a customer was very grateful 

for her Moms/Volunteer team at

a huge elementary school event.

later it was created with names. 

love it. 

and a few of my favorite things around our home.

love this art work by one of my most favorite local artist

it's hard for me to photograph. it's full of sparklee glitter. 

it's delightful. 

it hangs in the girls room.

paper tissue pom poms
and hand made sparklee birdies.
with twinklee lights

 this picture.

it hangs at the end of my hallway.

 i see it everyday. 

it warms my heart.

it reminds me of what my job is and how happy i am to do it!

it was taken by an amazing local photographer,

  melinda kim

i am forever grateful for the images she captured. 

(actually, i loved all the pictures so much, i would have used them as wallpaper if i could have)

 our

playroom/mess room/collect all room. 

it's usually a crazy mess. 

i don't mean for it to be. 

but it is.

i love it, and even more when its clean.

and this
on top of our piano.
love the dream bucket.
the vintage suit cases i got at a flea market, they are children sized, super cute!
and the picture of my grandpa at the LA Coliseum when he was young.

that was kind of fun.
sharing some of my favorite things in my home with you.
but it was a lot harder to take pictures of my home then i thought.

happy friday to you.

Day 2 of our End Of Summer Trip - Photo Album

Our second day was a day to explore. 

We drove. 

Enjoyed the rolling mountains. 

Loved the sea.

This picture is funny. Both kids are looking at those darn little critters who felt way
to comfortable with humans.

they were cute until they got closer and closer.

i ate it on a rock.
of course i did.
thrashed my knee.
dented my camera lens.
it sucked.
but i survived.

saw heart shaped rocks that the kids pointed out.

and the seals.

it's always fun to see them in the water. 

up close. 

and starfish.
although i am corrected every time i call them a starfish.
its clear that sophia learned in kindergarten that
starfish are not fish
they are sea stars.

we had a great trip.
the area was just beautiful.
our hotel was great.

we got a great deal.
i think we'll go back for sure!!!

and maybe then i can plan a little better photo opp.
but for now i am super duper happy with what i got.

its the last week of summer. 

the weather is pretty.

not sure about ending it.

a 1st grader and a 3rd grader. 

really? 

really?

i'll enjoy it. 

embrace it.

and because summer is ending and school is starting

sosobella is having a 

end of summer sale. 

back to school sale. 

$18.00 + Free Shipping

$18.00 + Free Shipping

$18.00 + Free Shipping 

$18.00 + Free Shipping

if it's your last week enjoy.
if you've already started.
hope it's been a good one.

To the date.

Isabella woke up tonight crying.

Missing our cat we put down last year, Rocket.

She said she had a dream about him and it made her miss him.

Her heart hurts. 

It's plain to see. 

I laid with her and held her. and kissed her forehead. 

Then Daddy went in and loved her.

He had a special bond with Rocket too.

I was reading one of my favorite blogs, 

when he walked out and said,

pull up your blog please. 

ok. 

go to last year. 

k.

now scroll down. 

and this is what we read. 

A YEAR 

TO THE DATE. 

THE LAST NIGHT ROCKET 

spent with the girls. 

SATURDAY, AUGUST 22, 2009

Rocket, our Cool Cat

Isabella's prayer last night

and convo with me

about our cat.

He will be going to Heaven tomorrow because of cancer.

Isabella: Dear Father, thank you for Rocket, we will miss him.

Thank you for my blessings.

Mom, I almost cried when I said that.

I am going to cry right now.

I am going to miss him so much.

        And that little sweet girl cried and cried.

         I felt her sadness over her entire body.

He's my best friend, he's my buddy.

He waits for me outside my room every morning.

I love him so much.

I just want to give him my heart.

As she was crying, she asked me,

Mom, will I see him in heaven?

Yes.

How will he know when I am there?

He just will.

Do you think if I snap or whistle he will come to me?

I am going to miss him so much.

She woke up this morning and wanted to have a cupcake party

balloons and all to celebrate his life.

So thats what we did.

Right before bed

she looked at me with a sparkle in her eye and said

Can I write a note to him

tie it to the balloon

that way when

he gets to heaven he'll get my note.

Absolutely, I think that sounds great!

Rocket, one of the coolest cats on earth.

He is warm, loving and kind.

And has a special connection with Isabella.

We will miss him.

He laid with both kids last night.

First with Isabella

then over to Sophia.

It was like he knew.

It was great.

(sorry for his eyes in the last photo, it was just the flash)

amazing. 

today. 

tonight.

her little heart. 

god how i love that kid!

Day 1 of our End Of Summer Trip - Photo Album

We had such a great time.

Our dogs were secure.

We didn't have to worry about them.

It was just the four of us.

We had no schedule.

We were hoping to site see.

Explore.

Drive.

Enjoy our surroundings.

Eat good food.

And we did just that!

these guys were cute.

they came from all sides. 

literally.

we assumed she was a she, isn't that funny. 

i don't know why. but we did.

and we assumed she may be pregnant.

what ever it was, he or she, pregnant or not 

we were pretty sure it  

was going to start talking to us.

maybe even sing and do a little jig.

we wondered who was in this fancy yacht.

hmmmm.........

we had dinner at a great place. 

the food was good and it was kid friendly.

perfect. 

after we strolled the streets.

and stumbled across some great photo spots.

so, i did.

i played.

and played.

with my camera.

it was fun.

and the family was just as fine.

they played along with me.

ok. 

here it goes.

we had a great first day.

we were just as excited to go back to our hotel room.

it was super!!!!

stay tuned for Day 2

& 

the picking of our Dance Wrap Winner!

p.s. i threw in a picture in of me. i haven't been in as many photo's as i would like.
that was one of my Someday Soon post
but i'm learning. learning to pass the camera and include myself in our memories.
let alone post them of myself.
but I DID IT.
and i'm learning.
that counts, right?