one of my favorite views

this is my favorite view in the morning...

the view of their cute little legs...

when I take them running with me

they almost look like little frog legs when I have the shade down because all I can see is their cute legs

they are relaxing as I run my hiney off pushing them...

no need to point out how I torture myself

but it sure makes me smile when I look down and see their cute little legs

and everyday...I get asked by them...

"Mommy are you sweating?"

because I sweat a lot...

I'm not kidding...it's really quite embarrassing how much I sweat

And after I run...

this is what they do with me

stretch...

Madison didn't look too happy because I asked her to reenact her stretch to catch it on camera because she is so cute doing this  

they take their shoes off to stretch because I do too
as a matter of fact...
when we get done
they say
"It's hot...lets take our shoes off to stretch!"

gotta love these sweet girls and how they love go run with me just because they enjoy being with me
most mornings they ask before I say anything

kinda makes you feel good

xo

ready...

to rock

and roll

right through this weekend...on once nice ride...

one of my all-time favorite songs is...

"I love Rock-n-Roll"

I bet if you had your volume up...
that song probably jarred you right out of your seat huh?
Thought I would keep it fun:)

Madison really was happy and excited to be on the motorcycle...I'm just not sure why it isn't showing in the pictures...next time everyone I'm getting on that thing...

just don't tell anyone I said that...

 I had the girls on it waaayy toooo looonng!
Madison was pushing buttons and Hayley was having a ball...
it was great...
these sweet pictures were taken at their Spring Fling
we had so much fun at it!

 

So next time I'm doing it anyway...even if I'm the only adult:)

Cheers to a great weekend!

simple gifts...

we were in serious need of simple gifts...but fun...and cute gifts

May is one big month!!

And being we wanted to do some teacher gifts...times 7 makes it...ouch!

don't get me wrong...

we loooove to do gifts...

but we also have caregiver gifts to do with church Friday...{another 5 or so}

and I'm in charge of getting together the group gift for a friend in our mom's group.

let's just hope the wrong items don't end up with the wrong people...

seriously...it wouldn't surprise those that know me if it did happen.

So of course...

Madison wanted to choose something from Trader Joe's...

she knows it is a store that is "far away" from us

{30 minutes away far}

what's better than some sparkling lemonade to bring in summer?
{thanks Tara for the idea per your post here}

with some pampering things included from me...

and supplies for packaging we had around the house...

galvanized tins...I knew they would come in handy

and made the hubby happy that it was not an extra:)

My girls were working on their cards today to go with the gifts...

it was one glue mess to be honest...

and pen stains on shirts from Hayley

but they had fun

and that's all that counts

No matter what you give or how you give it...

to us it's just plain fun and makes you feel good to put a smile on someone's face...

especially when it's your kiddos putting that smile on their face:)

Hoping for some sparkle in your day!

right around the corner...

Wednesday is the last day of school for the girls

part of me says

"uh oh!"

but mostly I'm getting excited

I have to be more creative with my girls with getting work things done

but after the first week of them home

I'll get a schedule down

and it is always great!

Bobby has a little surprise for the girls on their last day of school

I am so excited he made it happen

and can't wait to see their cute little faces with the excitement

Today was water day for Madison at school

so they had to wear their swim suit under their clothes

she was so excited because everytime we pass the pool on my run in the neighborhood...

she asks me

"Is it summer yet?"
"The pool is still empty!"

"Not quite sweetie..."

but she was just thrilled today to put on that swim suit the first time this season

granted Daddy is already having heart attacks that she is in a two-piece

if you recall

Madison did not have a two-piece until her Auntie Monica purchased one for her

last summer

it was so very fun to play a joke on Daddy with it

because he freaks out about the two-piece issue already

so he said he was not spending money on a two-piece

 Monica gave him a good laugh

at the big family "C" weekend at the lake that is every summer

Aunt Monica gifted Madison with one cute two-piece

and once you give a little girl {or any child for that matter} a gift...

there is no taking it back

I knew it was happening and was so excited about it

because we all couldn't wait for Bobby to get a bit in a hussie
because he is being silly about such a little thing

this morning...

I e-mailed Bobby a quick picture of Madison in her swim suit this morning

{he obviously didn't know it was water day at school}

I got the "ummm....Martha"

"that's cute and all but why is she in it...?"

It made him laugh in the end because he knows it is not something to seriously get bent out of shape about...

I think it is hard for him to have little girls because he doesn't like to think about all that comes with them getting older

I very calmy told him

"a 4 year-old in a two-piece...that's nothin' honey to what is ahead of us!"

he knows that

He always ends up laughing about it

and I surely laugh at him getting his feathers a little russled.

the picture of Madison was so darn cute!

she was so excited

Summer here we come
{or so I say now}

I'm hoping it will be a bit easier to take the girls to the pool this year

with Hayley a bit older

I really and seriously want to freeze time with them and always keep them this age

actually...with a bit of honesty

I'll wait to freeze Hayley until she is out of the "No" stage...

or out of the

"I'm not going to bed with a dirty look towards us" stage...

I'm looking forward to some water fun

picnic lunches at the pool

Daddy's BBQ with his two little helpers

and a yard full of flowers {hopefully} and fun!

thank you all for the love you give to me:)

Oh and we made one of our favorites over the weekend...

super yummy recipe I thought I would share:)

It's one of Bobby's favorites

Morrocan Chili and 10,000 Grains of Sand

recipe by Rachel Ray

{I always wonder if pictures that show meat actually gross people out...you just never know}

Ingredients

{yes there are a lot...but once you make it once...you have all the staple spices for next time}

2 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil

2 pounds of lean ground beef  {I buy the 96/4}

{the recipe actually says to use lamb...but we choose not to eat lamb...and yes to answer some questions...one of the few times I eat ground beef}

Salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoon chili powder

1/2 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon ground

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1 bay leaf

1 large onion chopped {I prefer white...it's just what I buy}

1 green bell pepper chopped {and seeded}

2 cloves garlic finely chopped

1 lemon zested and juiced

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 14 ounze can of tomato sauce {we used a 15 ounze can...hubby likes is saucier:)

2 tablespoons butter

1 1/2 cups chicken stock {I use water}

handful of golden raisins...yes golden!!

4 apricots chopped

1 1/2 cups couscous

3 to 4 Tablespoons pine nuts {we often omit this because we forget}

a handful of fresh parsley leaves

a handful of fresh mint leaves

3 tablespoons of chopped chives

8 pita breads, cut into wedges for scooping

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Heat the skillet with the EVOO, add meat and brown. Season the meat with salt and pepper to taste, chili powder, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and paprika. Add the bay leaf, onion, and bell pepper, and garlic to the pan. Cook until onions are soft ~ around 8 minutes. Add lemon juice and zest, worcestershire sauce, and tomato sauce. Stir and reduce heat to simmer.

Bring butter and water or the chicken stock to a boil. Add the dried raisins, apricots, and couscous. Stir and then turn off heat and set lid in place. Let stand for five minutes and add the herbs and nuts if you prefer.

Toast pita wedges in hot oven or under broiler. Pile chili in bowls and top with "sand" and serve with pita wedges...Bobby actually likes the sand underneath the chili so he can mix it!

A Little Side:

And as a side for veggies we sauteed some cucumbers in olive oil....
add some salt and pepper
Cover for 5 minutes...take off the lid and flip and cook for another 5 minutes...
Top with freshly grated parmesan cheese...the recipe we got from our parents on the veggie said 2 to 4 tablespoons but we add a bit extra:)

it seriously feels like a Thursday to me...
but obviously not...I think I just need this rain to go away!

when Daddy is away...

sometimes the girls give me the sweetest moments when Daddy is away...

I love that...

I haven't gotten a chance to talk to Bobby since Wednesday...

that's the hardest part when he travels

he is hard to reach and I don't get to talk to him

or he calls when I have a meeting or something

and the girls have a hard time with that because they need to talk with him more

sometimes it gets a bit frustrating

to have some upset girls missing their Daddy

but I am starting {after 4 years of travel except the past 5 months he's been home}

finally taking it in stride

it's hard to be upset with someone who you miss too you know

I know and realize it could be worse like for military wives/husbands

who don't get to talk to their spouse...

but my husband is not in the military

so it's tough sometimes not to have a chance to talk with him

or ask him some things that need some answers...

ahem....not that it ever happens you know...

just saying maybe that could

{chuckle, chuckle}

conversations are far and few between when he is gone

do you ever get mad at yourself that you can't stay mad?

that's a ridiculous question, right?

I wasn't "really" mad at him but I wanted to be

but I couldn't be

this morning when we briefly talked

I told him I would just talk to him when he got home...

ugh...

but I'm excited to eat a late dinner with him or cook together maybe....

this was a mini trip compared to what is to start...

I always call these..."breaking me in" trips

because I get used to him doing bathtime and bedtime

so I can sit on my hiney and relax,

do some work,

or enjoy a glass of wine...

or fall asleep myself like all last week

but what I have gotten better at is realizing he is missing us just as much as we miss him

granted we don't get to do all the fun outings like he does in the evening when he's away

I think I have the better end of the deal with my time with the girls

this post has no intentions of making my hubby look bad that I don't get to talk with him

he's a great one

{most of the time}..

chuckle...

it simply explains our lives and how it is

because I think you all know by now how much I love this guy

but this is me just being real about it

so when Daddy is away

I get these special moments that I get so excited about

and want to share with Bobby but also feel at the same time "kinda bad about it"

this week I enjoyed...

my girls snuggling with me in my bed for about a half hour before their bedtime...

my oldest held my hand as she fell asleep and that melted my heart because she isn't always a touchy feely kind of girl

I didn't want to move her but I had some projects in store for the evenings because I don't sleep all that great when he is gone...so anything to keep me busy into the hours is nice...

this week I saw...

my girls giving one another "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" performances...

this cute ladder was their stage...

one stands on almost the top step while the other sits on their bean bag in front

the one on the ladder performs "Twinkle Twinkler Little Star" to the other one

and "you have to clap" at the end

otherwise they point it out to one another within literally 2 seconds...

that you didn't clap you know

and then they argue and torment one another because they hold the applause for the other on purpose...just to irritate one another...

then they laugh about it

I laugh and smile because it's so cute

and they switch places and start all over again...

this cute ladder...

definitely helps them pass time

and makes me smile and laugh at how cute their voices sound

this week...

I refinished two small coffee tables we received from my Grandpa

traveling does have benefits because projects actually get done

that I have been putting off

I'm pretty happy with how they turned out...

here is a before...

basic stain on top and cream bottom

sorry for the icky picture taken in our garage

I painted the bottom white

and sanded the top and restained it to make it look almost farmhousy in a way

I'm pretty happy with how it turned out

I added some colorful flowers since it has been a week of rain

and voila!

however...there is only one table shown in the picture

there will be a twin sister to her to the left of her

I ran out of sand paper for both the electric sander and hand sander

and I'm too tired to go back out again today...

so I will make the finishing touches on the other table this weekend

this week

I've also been looking forward to...

Yoga at the Wineries on Saturday

I've started a yoga class on Thursday evenings with some friends

trying to mix up running and spend time with some girlfriends

tomorrow is an extra event

a spot to overlook the beautiful scenery

restorative yoga

lunch afterwards

along with wine tasting

right up my alley isn't it?

I forgot how much I missed yoga...

I used to do it during my first pregnancy since I wasn't allowed to run

I'm hoping for a lovely weekend and for some sunshine!

hope you all enjoy your weekend too

i'm just a girl in heels...

who does the best she can

who eats and organizes her m & m's by colors...
and saves her favorite color for last
{I'm not the only one who does this, right?}

I'm also a girl that is a mom

twelve is a number that has some meaning to us...
and if you know Bobby and I we are odd numbered people
seriously...you will never see us pick an even number
the number thirteen is our personal favorite

these twelve flowers have a special meaning to both of us
ten of those flowers helped us with the other two

three years ago I laid down a burden
completely laid it down and gave it to Him

we were overcome with doubt and fear
we carried a daily weight that we weren't meant to carry
we couldn't punish ourselves with something that was never ours to begin with

when I found my freedom from it
was when Bobby went through his most difficult time with it
it was a glorious time for me but the most difficult time I saw my husband go through
he couldn't lay it down
he needed more time

and he got just that
it was just my turn to love on him this time through
My strength to love on Bobby had to have came from Him
because I cannot explain how the peace suddenly came over me
a peace where I accepted

a peace where I knew and felt it was okay no matter what happened
after the call we received I literally looked at Madison
had a moment of tears but even that day I felt happiness and immediate peace

I was given the strength
but I had a big job in order to begin the prayers of healing for my husband

When the time was right for him we took the time to lay down the ten together

neither one of us could carry the burden anymore

we will always have them in our heart

but two blessings is what we

 love today

 cherish today

 and what is beautiful in our lives right now

I'm just a girl in heels...

that loves to celebrate today
that isn't perfect but still learning
that has a difficult time leaving all burdens to Him like I should

but I'm this girl in heels who loves

her family

flowers

running

anything beachy

I even go so far as to stare at rooms in my house and I really think I see the ocean right outside the window...{that is until I walk outside and realize my reality is much better...even without the beach, right?}

today is a day where I smile and celebrate

where I hear those cute giggles when they watch movies together

and two seconds later they are fighting and crying

one is whining

one is telling me no and first thing in the morning says "I pooped my pants"

{yes this is the youngest one who is in the process of potty training}

and then they both decide they need some snuggles and love from me

or for me to wipe a tear

or make them laugh by dancing for them in a comical way

today is a day that is special

but I know it's also difficult for some for so many reasons

I hope for peace, love, and warmth to be shared to those who need it the most

for me...I'm giving this handsome man a big ole' smooch-a-roo and a couple of hugs

and my girls a good laugh and some love

by the way...I haven't shared with you yet...
I'm also a girl that really enjoyed Iron Man 2
it is a must see!

yes...I'm a girl who loves a love story just as much as action superhero movies...
and a girl who loves this song because it describes exactly our journey of how we got to celebrate Mother's Day.

Happy Mother's Day

and just a side note...when I asked Bobby if I could take a few pictures of him...this was his initial reaction...gotta love this man...it's so fun to catch him off guard and he is a great sport with pictures!...just wanted to keep it real for you:)

not quite...

but almost...

just waiting for a few last things to be done....

the pace we are going at right now it seems it make take forever

so I thought I would give you a little peak into one of my favorite things we have done for our dreamy bedroom redo...yikes...I just realized it was January I first initially posted "in my dream bedroom"

well...we are almost to the home stretch

just a note: check out Lola B's for some super fun give-a-ways!

a sense of confidence...

last week I was able to join Madison's class at their

"Day at the Park"

for school...

a whole day at the park with her classmates, teachers, games, fun, BBQ, nature walks, and other activities...

{normally this little girl doesn't back down from picking worms up but these were huge!}

I just set everything aside that day and thought I would join them...

Madison doesn't share too many details about school...she keeps most of it to herself...

she has great days at school {because she will say that} but when she's home...she's home!

She has fun and plays with Hayley as soon as she gets home but I have that bit of hurt that I want to hear some details other than boys you know...I started over a year now our "favorite parts about our day" at dinnertime...its helping but I wanted to see her in action

but I just didn't imagine how much Madison would show me that day

one of my favorite days with her that day 
because I got to see her being the girl I know...
she is a quiet type A...but when she's comfortable and knows others she is quite the social bug, and I felt so blessed that I could put work and anything else aside that day and just go and have fun with her

I found out that she had those monkey bars down one-handed...I just couldn't get a picture since she just wanted me to lift her up to them and "hold" her legs which I really didn't because she could do it...

I loved seeing her out there
on the nature walk they took...
she was most of the time right up front and was one of the first to venture off of the path to go look at plants, flowers, trees, etc.

I was so proud of how adventurous she was

I didn't stay by her the whole time because I didn't want her to think I was right there but most of the time I just watched her or helped the teachers {or talked with them}

I loved seeing her enjoy her surroundings so much

we had some special bonding time just us

It gave me a "Mama just relax" moment because I worry about her sometimes
she is already so hard on herself...

definitely a perfectionist by nature and definitely struggles if she can't do something perfectly when she attempts it...
we are trying to help her with that...to just encourage her to go for it...

she's still a youngin'....this I know...

but I still worry about her

I don't want her growing up in the perfectionist world

and I don't want her to follow my path where I expected it of myself all too often

in all honesty I don't expect it of anyone else so why do I of myself?

she doesn't expect it of others either...

but she does herself

What I learned from her that day was just a feeling that came over me

I just smiled so big and felt so peaceful in knowing that I was being taught not to worry so much about her

she may still struggle with this

and right now she is with an activity...
she doesn't feel comfortable because she doesn't know the others at all

but you know I felt like she was showing me not to worry about her that day

she's going to be just fine

I was very thankful for that...

this girl teaches me so much as a mother and a person it's ridiculous...

I'm proud of this girl

because it was so nice to see her out of that shell

and so worth our special time together

and I felt I could relax about my worries {for now, right?}

a little at peace like Miss Hayley sleeping...

Being a mother never stops my mom tells me

at any age...

and I know I'll probably worry about this same thing again

but right now she showed me it's okay and she's learning her sense of confidence

thank you for that my butterfly

side note: the sprinkler now can be done on "command"...we just say "sprinkler"

but the best part is that they started doing it themselves when an upbeat song comes on...