Stream of Consciousness

Today, we squashed a frog. 

Apparently I'm just a glutton for punishment, because instead of spending my day blogging, like I talked about doing, we spent the day in our front yard. 

Pulling weeds.  And mowing.  And raking.  And aerating.  And gardening. 

My front yard is a teensy bit terribly attached to my pride and ego.  I take absolutely no personal responsibility for this character flaw.  I blame it entirely on my Dad.  He is that neighbor with the gorgeous green grass that everyone hates because their grass can never measure up. 

Love ya Dad!  ;-) 

Anyway, now my back is tired and my palms are blistered and my shoulders are just a touch tanner and redder and I'm a happy girl because our front yard now has more grass than dirt and weeds.  Yay!  And even better...  now we're at a good friends' house!  We just had a really yummy chicken tortilla soup - Melissa seriously needs to share the recipe on her blog.  The boys are playing golf on the Wii, Danny is ecstatic in their Jumparoo, Melissa is making cookies and I'm blogging.  Does life get any better?? 

Didn't think so. 

I have some super duper exciting news that has to do with blogging, but I can't spill the beans yet.  Although I REALLY want to.  But I won't.  Some details need to be figured out first.  Then I'll spill. 

An update on my Mary Kay goal...  Well there are two days left and I have 15 faces to go.  Ha!  But actually I am very optimistic about finishing!  I have two parties and an individual appointment scheduled and many women to call, so please be praying for me.  Mostly I just want to have fun and bless women in the process.  I know there are women out there who need my encouragement, my Jesus, my skin care or my business opportunity.  I'm praying God leads them to me. 
 
On a totally unrelated note... you may have noticed a change in the blog roll on my sidebar.  In an effort to shorten the length of the list on my main page, and also in order to make sure that the blogs I'm recommending to my readers on my main page are blogs of professional quality, I decided to create a page where I could list every single last blog that I read. These are ALL the pages I check. Most are IRL* friends and family and some are blogland friends and many are both. Some of these people post three times a day and some post once in a blue moon but I love them all dearly and wouldn't want to miss a single solitary post. So... Meet my friends!  (Or click on the "My Complete Blog Roll" button on my sidebar.)

*IRL - In Real Life

Melissa just came and put the bowl of the remaining M&Ms not in the cookies right by my seat.  Oh.  Heaven. 

Aaaaaaaand, my husband just described the one of Danny's poopy diapers as the shape of a Pringle chip.  Went into detail about how Dannny had squished it around in his diaper to get it just the right shape.  Really!? 

And I just wrote that on my blog!  Really?!?!

Oh!  I just remembered another fun piece of news I've been DYING to tell ya'll about!  But it deserves its own post.  So I guess that means it's time to sign off! 

Ciao for now,

Another Vlog by Danny

Here's another video from earlier this month and a little more of what Danny's been up to...

Park

Papa got the afternoon off today, so guess what we're doing?

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Stream of Consciousness

Hooray for this stream of consciousness style post that (maybe) MckMama created, but certainly has perfected, and which I have adopted. 

Cuz I don't have to plan, edit or really even think! 

Just write. 

My brain is a big ol' ball of tied up knots right now, because there are SO many things I've wanted to post this month, but which have been put on the back burner as I pursue my goal of earning a free Mary Kay car and becoming a director.  How are we doin' with that?  Well, it's too early to tell how this month will end up.  I'm staying positive and thanking the Lord that making-my-goal-or-not, this month I've been allowed the privilege of earning from home and flexing my schedule around my son. 

I gotta admit - I could REALLY use a good long sleep-in and a full day of blogging!  I'm thinkin' Saturday.  ;) 

Today we got an email from my brother-in-law, Gustavo, in Costa Rica.  His wife, Angie, had an uncomfortable night last night.  She's 36 weeks pregnant and experienced some pain in her hips.  Sounds like cramps to me, but he was all excited about his little girl, Fiorela, making moves as though she's gettin' ready to make her debut.  He is quite possibly THE CUTEST young dad I've EVER known.  Well, ya' know, except for my husband, Alejandro.  Who is now, you know, a veteran or something.  Ahem. 

My mother-in- law -love  is ECSTATIC. 

Around here, I have quite the up-and-coming toddler on my hands.  He's gettin' closer and closer to crawling and turns over with ease.  He hasn't figured out yet that he can roll aross the floor from one end of the room to the other, but that's just as well for me because I can already tell that my free time is about to get slashed in half when I have to keep him out of everything. 

We decided to start weaning him from breastfeeding this week.  There were several factors that came into play in our decision to start now, but the long and short of it is that we just decided it was a good time for all of us.  So far he's dropped one meal for the last 3 days and has taken in soy milk instead.  Mom and baby are doing just fine.  But I have a feeling that when it comes time to let go of that breakfast meal, mommy's gonna shed some major tears.  Oh I'm getting all choked up just thinking about it. 

Ok on to the next topic. 

Thanks for putting up with all my phone pictures this month.  I actually have been taking pictures with the regular camera.  I just haven't been posting them.  So since Danny is almost 11 months old, it's high time I posted his 10-month old pictures, dontcha think?  Well, here they are... 

HAGA CLICK AQUI PARA VER FOTOS DE DANILO A LOS 10 MESES.

I posted them back in chronological order since this blog is my online scrapbook.  There are more pictures this month to come.  :) 

Probably on Saturday. 

No news is good news in our famlies - a dysfunction that my husband and I are just as aweful at and which we've come to just accept throw up our hands in surrender.  Anyway, we haven't heard much about Freddy lately (my father-in- law -love who has colon cancer).  Last I heard he was home, recovering, and receiving oral doses of chemotherpy.  Any further surgery has been post-poned because his body is too weak to handle it.  Having a husband with cancer and a daughter-in- law -love who is 36 weeks pregnant in one household is quite a lot to handle, so please keep Fanny in your prayers, but she seems to be very up in spirits and relying on the Lord to be her strength and grace.  She has been an amazing example of Godly love to me.  I am ever thankful that she is that example to my husband and I. 

Oh, the mother-in- law -love phrase?  I got that from a Mary Kay mentor of mine.  Isn't it great!?  Love it!  Feel free to copy and steal.  ;-)

Well, that's it for now...  I guess I'll be back on Saturday, unless I manage to snap a phone picture between now and then!

Fig Newtons!!!

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The Scowl

May 21, 2010

Recently, Danny has a new look.  I'm sure we won't think it's cute for very long.  But right now we can't stop from cracking up every time he does it!

The other day we were in Costco, enjoying samples.

Danny really really liked the soy milk sample.  

He just couldn't get enough of it!  

And then when it ran out...  Well, here's

what happened!

Oh Danny!  This little tantrum is cute now, but we're going to have 

to learn to stifle our laughter and tell you "no" pretty soon!

Milestones

Danny is doing all kinds of new things these days!

His biggest thing is his gross motor skills development and his progress toward mobilization. Earlier this month he figured out the last little trick of getting his lower arm out of the way in order to get all the way from his back to his tummy... Finally!

He's pretty comfortable on his hands and knees although he doesn't stay there very long. He can push up onto his hands when something is keeping his knees from sliding back and he often tries to push/army crawl forward with his legs, although he hasn't figured out how to place his toes down to get traction.

He can also get down to his knees or tummy from a sitting position by either turning to one side or by pulling himself forward. He figured this one out in order to reach my purse!

He can lift up my shirt to play with my belly button, although mostly he forgets it's there until he gets a glimpse of it after nursing. And when he's decided he's done nursing, rather than let go and let me sit him up, he has figured out how to get his bottom arm out from under mine and he pulls my shirt to get to sitting (with my help).

His fine motor skills? They're coming right along too! He has the greatest scowl that he gives us. He wrinkles up his little forehead, narrows his eyes, and purses his lips together. When he gives it to us in question of what we're doing, it makes us smile, but when he uses this look of defiance at the dinner table, it is a struggle not to crack up!

He's pinching between two or three fingers with ease and do you know what he did this morning for the first time?

He picked his nose.

And he tasted it.

The look on his face at the taste was priceless! At least he didn't like it very much. Ha!



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Good 'n' Tired

Well my refusal to "sit down" yesterday is paying off and although I'm pretty tuckered out at the moment, I'm pretty content.

Yesterday on a mission to the grocery store to pick up half a dozen obscure ingredients that Alejandro couldn't find at Walmart, I found myself asking women where the water chesnuts were and if they knew what plum sauce was and whether havarti cheese is with the dairy or the deli... So I got in the mood for chatting and started asking if I could borrow their face for a facial after they pointed me to the end of aisle 13. And to my delight, they said "yes!" And they even brought friends!!

So tonight I completed 6 more faces (leaving a mere 19 to be finished by the 31st, I booked 5 parties to be held in the next three weeks, and tomorrow I have two more facials scheduled.

Forty-eight hours and a world of a difference away from when I lay listening to the sound of the ocean in my CD player writing to you about my determination not to give up, now I am writing to you to tell you that I have been taught from the pulpit and now taught by experience that OBEDIENCE PRECEDES BLESSING.

I am so blessed!

Those women are seriously so much fun!! Ha!

My brain is fried, and I may very well read this tomorrow and wonder what in the world I was thinking, and my eyes won't stay open, but I am blessed.

I just wanted to tell you that before I lay this tuckered out head down on the pillow and close my sleepy eyes. I hope you are blessed too!

In Him,
Renee




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Crashing Waves

When I was in college, I used to lay down at night with the window cracked open no matter how cold it was just so I could listen to the sound of the crashing waves against the cliffs of Point Loma in San Diego, California. It was an incredibly soothing sound. I think because listening to ocean waves is like listening to God breathe. I never ever get tired of it. (The ocean or God's breath.)

So tonight I am listening to a CD of ocean waves.

When I'd walk down the hill from my classes to my dorm room, I'd look out over the expanse of the massive Pacific and see God. I saw His power. His steady unchanging character. His immoveable unstoppable utterly enormous love.

And I'd just revel in it.

Tonight I am doing just that.

I'm in the race of my life towards the dream placed in my heart by God Himself and opposition has hit me - as it always does when it comes to pursuing the dreams God places in our hearts. I'm racing towards the finish line to complete this month's requirements for the Director program in Mary Kay and I'm being asked to have faith and to pursue. I'm not being allowed to see how it will all come together at the moment and it's taking longer than I'd like.

Anybody else gotten to this part of the race before? Anybody else get to this part and sit down?

I have.

And I refuse to do it again.

I have 25 facials to go this month. Would you pray for something that seems so silly? Would you pray against cancellations and for favor among the woman I work with? Would you pray that no matter what that they would feel the Love of Jesus and that they would be blessed by my presence? Would you pray that I would meet a need for them?

Thank you friends.

What are your dreams? Your battles? May I pray for you?

Jesus holds your dreams, your hopes, your passions, your purpose, your talent, your destiny, your future and your desires in the palm of His hand.

"I will fight for you," says the Lord. "You need only to be still." (Exodus 14:14)

In His Love,
Renee



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Swings 'n' Things

(Written June 13, 2010)

Once I finally realized it was warm enough, I put Danny in stroller barefooted and we took a trip to the park!  Check out the cute pictures I got!

Here's his first experience with grass...

I can't wait 'till he's big enough for the sandbox!  For now, wood chips will have to do. 

This summer is gonna be fun!

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 Una Salida al Parque

(Escrito el 13 de junio del 2010)

Al darme cuenta (hace unas semanas) que finalmente el tiempo era bastante caliente como para salir al parque descalzo, puse a Danilo en el cochecito y fuimos caminando en ruta al parque!  ¡Vean las fotos lindas que pude sacar!

Just workin'...

...on crawling!

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Breakfast Chat

As Danny and I sit with our breakfast I thought I'd start typing between spoonfulls. This is always when I'm composing in my mind and if I don't just write it down I'll lose it. Danny just finished his melon and has moved onto cheerios and I'm sipping on a banana flax shake while we look out the window and watch snow fall from the sky on this May 13th.

Yes, snow. Isn't it funny how snow makes us happy in December and sad in May? Maybe I just need to flip my wall calendar to December, heat up some peppermint hot chocolate and put on Christmas music. Ok, I'm lying. I don't have a wall calendar. But you get the idea - it's a mental switch.

God hit it home to me last night and this morning how much of a CHOICE my attitude is. I think it's a fallacy BIG FAT LIE that we are told that we have no choice over our emotions and that we feel what we feel. We may feel what we feel but we also have the God given ability to root ourselves in truth, ground ourselves in love (Ephesians 3:17-19) and turn that frown upside down. Mary Kay Ash used to say (for those in business for themselves) that if you can control your emotions, you can control your paycheck.

Anyway, back to how God hit it home to me this morning. Today the stars aligned and all is well and so I am happy. Today I am enjoying a good mood and energy because I actually did several simple things that we all know help us but that we don't often put into place. Last night I organized my desk, prioritized my work and set a few things out for today so that I wouldn't be thinking all night long about what I needed to get done today. Then I actually - shocker of all shockers - WENT TO BED EARLY!

I know. Crazy.

And this morning I woke up easily after my full night of sleep and enjoyed a half hour in the Word under the cozy covers. (Thank you Jesus that Danny actually slept through the night too, after a two-week run of screams in the middle of the night due to teething. That top left tooth is gonna break through any moment.)

I realized this morning that my good mood is the result of two things. First, it's a result of my pre-decision decision. That's right. Our church youth group teaches our kids to make pre-decision decisions about certain things like drugs, sex, pornography and many other light and heavy issues. That is, they are taught to make a decision about what they will do LONG before they are faced with a choice of action. In essence, I did this last night as I prepared myself for bed. I put certain things into place with the determination that today is NOT going to go like yesterday did. I made the decision to have a great day long before the day hit.

Second, my good mood is the result of my in-the-moment decisions. When the alarm clock sounded, I grabbed my Bible rather than groaning and rolling over, even though that's what I felt like doing more. When the reading for today was about clean and unclean skin conditions - which just really grosses me out - I decided to be glad God cares about our skin cells as well as our hearts. When I saw the folded diapers in the hall, I decided to be joyful that my husband brought them up from downstairs rather than disappointed that I'd still have to put them away. When I saw the May snow I decided to pretend it was December! Ha! And when Danny gave me his first scowl of the morning, I smiled back and told him he could practice that scowl all he wanted but that today we are going to have a great day.

And then he broke into a huge toothy grin.

That's my boy!

Alejandro's mom emailed us yesterday with an update on Freddy (my father-in-law who has colon cancer) and a note about her determination to be positive. Freddy is still home - his release to home stuck this time. He is recovering and will start chemotherapy soon (I think this week). They are not doing a second colon surgery to remove more polyps because his weak body would not survive it. Fanny is concerned that this will cause metastesis of the polyps but has put her trust and faith in the Lord. She seems to be encouraged, and if nothing else, she too, has determined to be positive and strong through adversity.  I am so thankful for her Godly example as she walks through this trial. 

Well, that's it for now.  Have a wonderful day! 

Love,

Just A Little Bit O' Heaven...

...in the tub.

Movin' On Up

Danny tried pulling himself up today! Unfortunately he used the activity cube in the pictures, which didn't work out so well. So I picked him up and stood him against the cube while he held on.

Not only was he totally delighted by that, but he broke into a HUGE smile when the camera flash went off!

Yep, that toothy grin in the picture is totally on purpose and in response to the knowledge he's gettin' his picture taken!

What. A. Ham.

Who in the world does he get THAT from??

Sorry for the blurry quality of the photos! I was trying to keep him from falling every time he looked at the camera and lost his balance.

Crawling yet? Nah... In fact he JUST barely mastered turning 7/8ths of the way from his back to his tummy. Why he won't go all the way is pure unadulterated stubbornness. I have no idea who he gets THAT from either.

Ahem.

Well, that about maxes out his attention span here on the floor so I better send this and move onto the next thing!

The View

It's a gorgeous day today... But my FAVORITE view? Well, you know.

My Mother's Day Dessert

Toasted waffles with butter and rasberry chocolate frozen yogurt topped with chocolate syrup. And on the side? Half of a blueberry muffin and half of a double chocolate muffin.

Yummmmmm...

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Picnic in the Park

I'm liking this Mother's Day thing!

Un lindo primer día de la madre... un picnic en el parque.



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Spring Beauty

What a pretty start to a great day with my two boys!

¡Que buen principio al día con mi hombre grande y mi hombrecito pequeño!



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Mother's Day

My second Mother's Day ('cause the first one I had was when I was about 7.5 months pregnant, right before I got REALLY uncomfortable) was a blast!  And it was relaxing.  Which is the best! 

The three of us went to the park. 

I got my hair brushed.  I didn't have to change any diapers.  I laid on my back and looked up at this...

...and ate lunch. 

And enjoyed Danny's lunch noises without having to deal with Danny's lunch mess.  And kept looking at this...

...and then...

...I rolled over and snoozed. 

It was a fantabulous day. 

(I needed a word better than fabulous.)

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Día de la Madre

¡El día de la madre fue increible!  Fue relajante.  Era fenomenal!

Fuimos los tres al parque. 

Alejandro me cepilló el cabello.  No tuve que cambiar los pañales de Danilo.  Pude acostarme y mirar esto...

Almorzamos. 

Yo pude disfrutar de los ruidos de Danilo comiendo el almuerzo sin tener que limpiar el desorden de Danilo comiendo el almuerzo.  Pude seguir mirando esto...

...y entonces...

...di la vuelta y pude tomar una siestita. 

El día era fabulosísimo.