Women's Retreat

This past weekend I went away on our Women's Retreat with my church. We stayed at the Carlsbad Beach Resort and it was such a great quaint hotel right on the beach. The speaker was amazing and touched my heart so much. It was a great uplifting weekend away with the girls and it is so refreshing to leave all your worries behind you for a few days and focus on what God is doing in your life. The theme for the weekend was "A diamond in the rough" and uncovering the value of your life. God has a purpose and a plan for everyone, some days I am still waiting to find out what my plan and purpose is but I know that there is a plan and I will keep waiting patiently. We had some free time on Saturday and a few of us went to the outlets shopping, then my friend Beth and I got a relaxing pedicure and then headed to dinner with a few other girls. Each night we stayed up chatting with a group of wonderful girls and we laughed until the wee hours of the night! Even though I missed my hubby and kids so much it was a nice refreshing weekend that I really needed. But I did love the part of sleeping in past 6 AM!!! Thank you Saul for watching the kids all weekend you are a great hubby and I love you!

Happy Birthday Saul

Today was my hubby's birthday! He is not a very big birthday person (and I totally am), so we keep it pretty mellow on his birthday (one day I will throw him a huge party when he least expects it). I made him one of his favorites, pork chops for dinner and his mom Sandie came over with a huge strawberry shortcake! It was yummy! All day Taelor was so excited that it was daddy's birthday and that we would have happy cake and boy did she like the cake, especially the strawberries. Ethan could barely stay awake for the birthday cake and he called it an early night and went to sleep right after singing to daddy. I wish you yet another wonderful year babe! I love you!

Happy Halloween

Halloween was so much fun! Taelor was a butterfly princess and Ethan was a cute little giraffe. Taelor wore her costume all day. We went trick or treating by our house this year. Our friends Dave and Theresa and their little boy Mason, their parents, our neighbors Stuart and Keri, Saul's mom and my sis Renae went trick or treating with us. Taelor loved it, she went up to every house, we had such a good time with the kids. Ethan just went along and was as good as ever. We look forward to next year when Ethan can join in on the trick or treating! Hope everyone had a wonderful and safe Halloween!

Tea time with Taelor

A few weeks ago when I was picking up the kids at Chela's house, Taelor and Lexi were sitting at the table drinking tea and she was having so much fun. I am a tea drinker, I have a cup every morning and she always says "mommy tea", and asks for a sip. Well on the weekends we have been drinking our tea together. I give her her own tea cup and she sips her tea with mommy. It is so cute, it must be the English in her. I love my tea time with Taelor!

Blankies

As most of you know Taelor is attached to her blankie. A few months ago, I finally was able to switch out her old blankie with the same exact one. I had been trying for months but she would refuse the nice clean new one. So one day I left the house with only the new one and now she is attached to the new one. I have washed her old one and put it in a box and will keep it forever, it is dingy and pretty yucky looking but it was her first blankie that she toted around everywhere. So when Ethan was born I bought him the same blankie in blue and chocolate brown, but I was smart and bought two. I use them both and he loves his blankie also. If anyone is looking for a good blankie I would recommend Patricia Ann Designs. They also have lots of other cute stuff, stroller blankets, moses baskets, car seat covers, bibs, burp clothes and more. They have a boutique right off of Lake Forest and they always have sales. I just thought I would share one of my kids favorite things with you.

A visit with the Tolbert Family

Today we visited my best friend Tally, her wonderful hubby Jim and their 2 adorable boys Gavin and Caleb. We haven't seen them in a while and they invited us over to hang out. The kids played with all the many toys they have. Taelor was in heaven with different toys to play with and Ethan loved playing with whatever he could get his hands on. We went to dinner at Olamendis (the best Mexican food restaurant). It was so great seeing them today. Sometimes life gets so busy and it will go months without us seeing each other and I miss them when I don't get to see them. Their boys are getting so big and I just love them to pieces. I love this family so much and I had such a wonderful time hanging out with them today and so did the kids!

Goodnite Ethan

This is the adorable little face I see everynight when putting Ethan to bed just before we close the door. He flips on to his tummy, pops his head up, we blow him a kiss and he gives us this big smile. This happens everynight, it is so cute and ends my night just right! I love you Ethan!

Chela, what a special friend she is to me

So today was a bit of a rough day for me. It started out with Taelor not wanting me to leave this morning, even though I know the minute I walked out the door she was just fine. Work was really busy and by the end of my day I was glad to be heading home to my kiddos and my hubby. As I was leaving Chela's house I must have had a look on my face that said I wasn't in the best of moods. Well I wasn't, I had a day of STRESS. Chela must have known this and right when I got home she called and wanted to say she was thinking about me and praying for me, it was then that tears started coming out, I couldn't help it, it was one of those emotional moments for me. I have been having a hard time with the fact that I am working full time and I don't get to spend much time with Taelor and Ethan, but today was an emotional one for me. It was so nice to hear Chela's words that she said to me and that God does have a plan for us and that I just have to be patient. A few hours later there was a knock on the door and there standing on our doorstep in her jammies was Chela with a slice of cheesecake for me and a brownie for Saul. It really made my night! She had some encouraging words for Saul and I and she just wanted to let us know she is here for us. Chela is such an amazing woman and I love her so much. She is a true friend to me and I appreciate all she does for us and for our kids. Thanks Chela, you made a special ending to an emotional day! I love you!

Ethan's Dedication

Today at church we had Ethan dedicated. He was so good while Pastor Ryan spoke. We feel so blessed to have such an amazing wonderful, son and we lifted his life up to God today. Some words that Pastor Ryan said that stuck out were to remember that God has Ethan's life already planned out, He has a plan for him and no matter were Ethan ends up in life, it is not up to us it is up to God. We know He has great plans for Ethan and we look forward to all the amazing plans He has in store for him. It was a very special day for us and we thank our family who came today, it meant a lot to us. We love you all very much!

My two cuties..I love them!

Just thought I would share these photos. They both truly love each other so much. It is so much fun seeing them together. They make me smile everyday! I love them both so much!