So this is being 45...

So I just turned 45, and I am happy to be here. Some people may have a hard time with their age, but I can honestly say I can own it. I don't feel the need to shy away from my age because lets face it-
It is what it is! Instead I am grateful to have these years under my belt, and its always a good chance to reflect and be honest with this reality.  I really don't know what this number means in the scope of the big picture, but thankfully, my age has always truly just been a number.

However, 45 came with a few extra things...

New emotions mixed in with some old,

New anxieties and some laid to rest,

Confidence built for somethings, but some walls built up for others

Feelings of strength and yet feeling my most vulnerable

More independence and yet feeling the most connected to home

Skills gained and brain power renewed

Full of love and pride for all that's been accomplished

Celebrations and living through the eyes of another

Full of gratitude for all our blessings

Reflections on the last year, and wondering about the next 5 towards 50

Physically, 45 even came with...

Some body changes. I'd like to say some good, but nope- let's just say they're changes

Much more blurriness and the constant need for 4 eyes

Some extra warmth when I should be cooled off, and vice versa

The need to stretch on a daily basis or out comes the heating pad

The ability to shed a few extra tears more so than usual at ANY moment...Yes, lovely

Its an interesting age. I just got here, but I'll be figuring it out.

Only the next year will tell how it will be.

But for now and for me... This is being 45.

What is giving you life right now??

I went to a special taping of an upcoming Oprah Super Soul Saturday event in September and so grateful for the chance to go. This event came a week after Chris left for Spain and a few days after I lost my part time job of 8 years! It wasn't that easiest week for me, so this event couldn't have come at a better time. I spent that day with special people at my side attentively listening to the amazing guest speakers Oprah had put together for us- Brene Brown, Elizabeth Gilbert, Michael Beckwith and some other new favorites for sure. They each had a different and inspiring theme to talk about but which all resonated with me one way or another. Some of those themes included:

• Living your life with Intention- Oprah
• Marble Jar Friendships, vulnerability and what BRAVING really means- Brene Brown
• The Science of Happiness- Its a choice people
• How following your curiosity will lead you to your passion- Elizabeth Gilbert
• How failure is just information to change your course- Oprah's wise words

And there were so many other motivational themes of self awareness to swallow up and process...and so many necessary for me to hear at this time in my life.

I was ready and took notes in this special little book I had received from the Oprah website a few years back. I had never used it waiting for the right moment and this was it. So each speaker had its page as I transcribed every possible word I could that I wanted to remember. 

I have been trying to process and take all this information since that day and find a way to implement it in to my present life. I have also since that day, been 'TVOing' Oprah's show "Super Soul Sundays" in which she talks to other motivational people. And I was so inspired to take notes at the live event that I am now also taking notes as I watch these shows to continue to take in any information I can use to help me live a wholehearted life.

One of her Super Soul Sunday guests was Rev. Barbara Brown Taylor. An American Episcopal priest, professor, author and theologian. She spoke on many things regarding spirituality and what it means to her but she also spoke on embracing your darkness. Your darkness could be anything to you, as big or as little of a situation or state of being you might be in. This concept peaked my interest especially because she mentioned how much we are socialized to avoid darkness in our life. She felt that when we embrace those "dark moments in our life we need to take 3 breaths and learn to sit in this darkness" because these are the moments in which we can learn the most about ourselves. The dark doesn't necessarily have to be bad.  Talk about a change in perspective...Wow!

Anyways, so I started to think- I could have always considered this time in my life a possible moment of darkness- my first born is out of the house, an empty nest beginning, and I was also now looking for a new job- Uggh!  However, as she said that I realized that these are the moments in which I have already began to embrace to learn and grow from.

She asked the viewers at one point a question that inspired me to write this post:
"What is giving you life right now?? and What is saving you at this moment?"

I have to say that as I heard her ask the question, I felt like it was directed right at me and I immediately began to write my answers:

The things that are giving me life right now are:

• Finding a way to send Chris away to school and to Spain is giving me life. I know that we're not supposed to necessarily live through our kids, but hey, I can't deny that yes I am and it fills my heart. I may not be there with him to him experience any of it, but just knowing that we are giving him that chance to experience people, places and things that we never had a chance to do gives me immense life. It really is giving me purpose to live and work really hard and in turn to enjoy and appreciate my own life.

• Finding (or re-finding) my career path. Its funny how things work. I was lucky enough to have been able to work from home for the past 8 years, but it was time to move on and the universe knew it. So it closed my doors in one area and its proving to be opening up a few more for me in areas I hadn't even thought of pursuing until now.  In the last few month I've found a few new opportunities to get back into the accounting field which is what I actually graduated in. I've found a few freelance positions as a bookkeeper and I've jumped in head first and I'm loving it.  

•  Working again is actually giving me a chance to get fully reacquainted with my accounting education and skills that have laid somewhat untapped for the last few years and at the same time expand my knowledge as technology has become an integral part of the accounting process these days. Its giving me life because with each passing day I am regaining confidence in my capabilities and skills and its helping me to "Dare Greatly" by pursuing some new ventures that I would have never considered if I didn't try and put myself out there like this.   I'm very excited!

• The chance to feel comfortable in truly trusting God. It has not been easy to let go and let God when it comes to giving my boys wings and independence. But having no choice but to hand that faith over has been a big lesson for me the last few months. I am learning to be more comfortable in my faith and more importantly feeling very grateful for that trust in God that has been the cornerstone to how I've been able to deal with all these changes. 

 In regards to "what is saving my life at the moment?"

• Working outside of the home- Again, I have a new purpose and something to keep me busy, mentally active and even grateful for the tiredness its producing, and something to look forward to doing. I realize now that I was getting a little too comfortable working from home and wasting more time than being productive.
• Slowing down- Its kind of an oxymoron, but now that I am actually a bit busier because of work, I have actually had to slow down in others to plan out our days, our lunches, dinners, grocery shopping, etc. It in turn has somehow given me more energy and time to do a few other things because I have to make every minute of free time count- aka.a lot of multi-tasking and it still feels crazy sometimes, but I'm getting things done. Its amazing to see how your home life figures itself out just when you think it will be out of control.
• My friendships - All my friendships lately, especially the ones who are going through similar changes, have truly been there for me right now to hear me out, to understand my tears, to encourage and support me when I need that the most. They've made for some quality coffee times together!!
• My family- I can't begin to express just how much Jerry and my boys are my rock right now. When I miss Chris the most, feel sad or the most tired they're the ones who are there to lift me and feed my soul and keep me going.

Anyway, its been a few months and I haven't really had a chance to write, but I felt like I had to get this down for me to remember. The last few months have been emotionally and spiritually impactful all in their own good way and its a point in time in our lives I will never forget. I feel like these last few months have come with their own sense of smell, touch and feelings and have produced their own group of memories to recall in the future. I truly appreciated the way Rev. Barbara Brown helped me change my perspective that night. I feel like I've been able to make a moment of possible darkness" into a moment of much "light" and that has felt like its own kind of accomplishment for me.

Have yourselves a wonderful weekend.

The reality of letting go...

Its been about week and a half since we dropped off Christian at LAX.  I don't know how, but we found the strength to see him off, to physically let him go, and not actually lose it.  It was hard and there were tears but they were full of pride and so much love. It is his turn to start his life's journey at school and in this case in Spain, and we can't hold him back. We definitely forfeited the privilege of traveling with him and going through the craziness of shopping to get him settled into a dorm at FSU this time around. But instead we made the choice to help pack him up into 2 bags to go experience college in an extraordinary manner in the hopes that the fruits of our labor will be in this adventure to celebrate and enjoy along with him.

I was sweetly texted and messaged by friends and family throughout the day letting us know that they were with us in spirit knowing how hard it would be let Chris go, and we so appreciated feeling supported by all the good vibes and blessings being sent Chris's way. They all let us know it was going to be ok. And it was.

I have to say that I was surprised that as hard as it was at the airport, Jerry and I came home and talked about how much peace we felt and how happy we actually were about it all. Like in the company of all other parents and friends dropping off their kids this year, we felt like we did our job. For the last 18 years, this is what we have worked for, right? We did it! We have been getting ready for this day through every possible experience in life and in school that we could have given him. All of that to prepare him for this day. To prepare US for this day.



So as we reflected, it was kind of hard to be sad about it really. If anything, all we could truly feel is extremely grateful that we were able to give him this opportunity somehow. But how to stop from missing him was now the question.  I was holding up pretty well until the dust settled over the last weekend and the tears showed up as the novelty of "we sent our kid off to college, hooray!" became "Holy Crap! We sent our kid off to college!!!...in Spain!"

What the HECK did we do??!!

I'm getting pretty good at asking and answering my own life questions lately I think. Its helpful when I have to take a step back from panic to talk myself out of it with some common sense reality and logic. Its works most of the time, but if not then Jerry's there to help me through it.
So to answer that lovely question? For one, we did what we would have wanted to do back in our own college days but never got the chance to do. Second, we knew that given all the options this was the best fit for Christian and what he wanted for his future...so we took this opportunity, and now he'll be living it, and we're nothing but excited for him!

As a family, the reality of letting go has been as normal as could be expected I'm sure...

We all miss him! How can we not? Again, we are handling it as well as possible, but seeing the love his younger brothers have for Chris expressed through their heartfelt prayers to keep him safe, and sleeping in his bed to feel close to him can make some days harder than others :') 

Every conversation, skype session and text is cherished and looked forward to. However, although the technology is there to keep us connected, we're finding it necessary to hold back (at least a little) to find a way to give him his space and help relieve him of feeling homesick as much as possible. 

We are celebrating every discovery and experience with him. His stories, his pictures and blog posts produce some of our biggest smiles and happy hearts.    
 
As a mom, I'm find myself worried about something new every other day. Is he sleeping ok or enough? Does he need anything? Is he eating ok, enough or at all? He says he is, but is he really?? Is he just saying that or is he going without something he could have here at home? Ugghh...all the things that can kill a mom's spirit in 2 seconds flat, but I guess all other "top ramen/mac-n-cheese" eating kids have made it through college ok. So yes mom, Its part of the process. He will figure this out too.

At home, we are also figuring out our new normal. Like sleeping with our cell phones nearby, converting time to Spain time every time we look at the clock. To remembering that I am making one less lunch, not necessarily needing to go in his room for laundry, or even remembering to ask for a table for 4 instead of 5 when we go out! Its habit what can I say...we'll always be 5 right? ;)

As parents its 1 down and 2 to go. Danny and Mikey are growing up too. They're needing their own guidance and encouragement to grow and gain their own sense of individuality during this time apart. Chris's going away for college will be a great inspiration to them, but they will find what works best for them when the time comes. For now it will be about continuing to cherish them, who they are and our time with them as life continues to fly by.

Ultimately, this will always be Christian's home, our boys' home, but we've been told by many parents before us that they will become 'visitors' in our home. Kind of sad? Yes! But isn't it a problem we want to have? Its what we want for your kids right? For them to become independent and self sufficient and yet still be there for them to give them a reason to want to come home and visit.

The reality of letting go?...It is what it is for now and will be what it will be in the future. We have officially sent our first born off to school..Hooray! With God's help, Chris will be back in December for the holidays and then leave again, come home in the summer and leave again. Also part of our new normal for the next 4 years to come. It doesn't mean we're supposed to like it or get used to it but its what's supposed to happen. The truth is, we are embracing this reality with every inch of our heart and soul with joy, love and lots of faith.

From my little corner to yours...have a blessed week.

Saying goodbye to Parenthood...

I had another post scheduled for today, but I had to replace it with this one for now as the realization hit me. You see tonight, in a few hours, I along with many other fans of this beloved TV Show, we will be watching the final episode of Parenthood. My weekly visit with the Braverman Family will be no more.

https://www.facebook.com/Parenthood

And I am beyond sad!! Honestly, my eyes well up as I think about it.

Overdramatic? Maybe, but I know some of you out there will understand.

For the last 6 years Parenthood has become one of those tv shows that I have added to my list of the few and rare emotional attachments to something (outside of my family of course) that I hold close to my heart. For those of you who know me well some others include (as silly as they may be)- Davy Jones/The Monkees, Harry Potter, Oprah, etc. Tonight actually feels very close to what it felt like the night my sisters/brothers in laws got together to watch the last episode of  FRIENDS after 10 years. Ugghh! But this one just might be harder... Yes, really!

This isn't the first time I've written a post about this show on my blog either. I wrote this post back in 2011 when I got to meet the cast of Parenthood just 2 seasons in, and this show has been a DVR preset on our tv for years since then. If you read that post you'll see just how and why this show has been so important to me, and years later I still feel the same way if not stronger about it.

nbc.com

The Bravermans became family and friends to me. Kristina Braverman (Monica Potter- love her too!) will always be one of my favorites and a model of grace, compassion and courage for me...a hero for a modern mom. Sooo cliche, I admit, but as a fan its hard not to become completely invested in their growing story lines over the years and have them impact fans like me in some way. They covered so many truly relevant family issues like autism, mixed families, breast cancer, infidelity/separation, coming out, depression, PTSD, growing old, and even finding ones path in life. Of course, not all the story lines fit  me exactly, but the emotions and feelings portrayed by all the characters were all relateable somehow.  They felt real. They made you feel deeply whatever the issue was. And these themes were always carried out with the same exact care, love, and realism that made me fall in love with this show to begin with.

There's no point in complaining or demanding that the show not go off the air. Its leaving and that's Hollywood for you. But they've had a great run and I am so happy that they were given the opportunity to wrap up the story lines as well as they have to give the fans a proper goodbye.

So Thank you Parenthood for sharing 6 years of your wonderful, beautiful characters and stories with me, with us, your adoring fans. For letting us be part of your family. For all the anxiety, tears, and laughter I know I've personally shed and chuckled out loud. But more importantly for all the LOVE you've shown us and how to give it and receive it in our own lives.

I won't say goodbye forever, because I know I'll see you again soon...on hulu. (thank goodness for hulu, lol)

But for now- Parenthood, you will be incredibly missed.

XOXO
 

Around Here...the end of 2014

I cannot believe the year is over! Well I can, but where has time gone? Where have I been the last few months? I feel a bit out of touch right now with this blog and I feel bad I haven't been keeping up lately, but around here things have been very busy and a bit stressful (for a few reasons, but mostly good ones). So to close out the year I'll leave you with a small update on what's been going around here...


Mikey

• Started Middle School and has transitioned fine with a few expected bumps... a new found homework load and responsibility for himself has become a true reality. 

• He has reconnected and rekindled friendships with buddies at his school he hasn't had class with in a few years and all is right in the world again.

• Has turned 12 years old, grew 3inches in the last year, is getting facial hair, and his voice has dropped an octave. Just recently we did not recognize him over the phone! (I have early bloomers and officially no more baby boys)

• He has also auditioned for this year's CHIME winter drama production of Wicked and      landed the lead role of Fiyero, and we can't wait to see him in it in February.

Danny-

• Has thankfully transitioned nicely into high school. He is working hard, getting some great grades and really loving it!

• Joined a social skills intervention program for special needs teens called the PEERS group at CSUN and what a great program that has been for Danny. He has made new friends, has gained a new found confidence and practicing some his new social skills every chance he gets. 

•  He joined the Anime club at school as a direct result and encouragement of this PEERS group. It so nice to see him getting involved at school already and feel some connection with his peers.

• Jerry has started to get him behind the wheel and learning how to drive...a little bit

Christian

I've been grateful that its been an easy transition for our two youngest because honestly this school year has been focused a lot on Chris getting through his Senior year and everything that entails...

• Started his Senior year and in so many ways the beginning of the end of 4 great years of high school at Cleveland Magnet. It seems like yesterday he was just a freshman.

• Learned how to play the snare in order to join and help keep alive the school marching band and was named drum captain. This has been extremely fulfilling for him and will be something he never regret doing. If anything he wished he would have have done it all 4 years.

• Couldn't have made us prouder earlier in the semester than by getting nominated by his school's college counselor for the very prestigious POSSE Scholarship program.  This was a 3 month process of 3 different interview levels and at the end of it all he had been selected as one of the final POSSE Finalists.  Even though he unfortunately did not get this particular scholarship it was truly an achievement in itself!

• Because plan B's are there for a reason- Chris applied to over 11 schools in all and so far has received 7 acceptances letters...Woohoo! We're all feeling blessed to know that he'll have options to fully look at and consider before making a decision as to where he will start college next year. There's a lot to consider including academic programs, location, costs and the results of financial aid, but what's for certain is that there is an ultimate plan that God is unraveling in front of him.

• Other than this he has been enjoying his senior year by attending the school's senior activities with his girlfriend and his best friends, and looking forward to the more exciting ones coming up this next semester, like Prom!

I was determined to get to my Project Life and my One Little Word projects going and guess what...the year's over and neither has really been touched! Ugghh... I've been really disapointed, but in the big scheme of things some things just had to take a back seat.  I am hoping to catch up with them and continue in 2015.

All in all, 2014 has really been a great year and feeling blessed for many things,
but I am looking forward to 2015.

2015 is going to be:
a year of many decisions- some easy, some not, some very exciting!
a year of more performances
a year of exciting moments, proud moments, bitter-sweet moments
a year of cherishing the times we have together and memories made
a year of growth for all of us in faith, maturity, bonding, strength and more importantly Love.
a year of letting go and really letting God!

I'm ready (I think) and I will be keeping you posted as the year progresses of all this new year brings.

In the mean time we'll be celebrating New Year's tonight with family and some good friends, and then finish enjoying our Christmas break together before all goes back to normal.

Thank you all for your continued support and for stopping by to read and follow along.
Your visits mean more to me than you'll ever know.

And to end this 2014 from my little corner.... Have a safe and wonderful New Year!!! 

With Love,

#Novenas2014

These pictures represent last night which ended our successful 2014 Novena season. Although we're missing a few regulars in these pics- our spirit and joy still represents all who made them happen.

This year was special because I noticed something in particular which has meant more to me than ever.  This year our kids and even non-Colombian husbands were the ones asking for them, participating and urging them to happen. Wow, I loved this!

It was special because I noticed that they knew it was that time of year when they got to see this group of friends again. They looked forward to going to someone else's house each night for 9 nights. They even knew who's house was who's this time.

Our kids knew that we would pray and sing in Spanish (whether they understood it or not), that we would share food, laughter and some good old fashion games and prizes.

More importantly they now know that this is part of what makes THEIR Christmas time special. Its not just about the gifts and the craziness, but about getting together with people we love and truly getting to know that Christmas is all about. I believe that they too will fondly remember these Novenas as part of their childhood just like we have....A priceless gift for all us indeed.
 

Thank you once again to all of those who hosted a Novena, 

and to those who came and joined us it was great having you there. 

We truly had a blast!

From my little corner to yours..."Ven, Ven, Ven" and  Feliz Navidad! ;)

XOXO

Our East Coast trip...Washington DC- day 1

So I have tried to attack this blog post 3 different ways over a week's worth of time, and to tell you once again that I have been overwhelmed as to how to consolidate this trip into simple fragments without over-blogging this and without over bearing you all with the over 2000 pictures we took (yes, 2000+ pics!) is an understatement!

So I've decided I just have to take the plunge and start somewhere with this one. I'm going to hopefully do more of the talking today, and then making the next few posts more about the pictures. No guarantees though, as there's just lots to tell and I hope that you'll enjoy it and follow along with me.

So here we go...

This was an Anniversary/graduation/8th-grade-makeup/family trip- an all in one kind of vacation because we don't get to travel all that much, and we really did reach for the stars in wanting to cover so much in such little time. But in spending some time looking back at the whole trip now in general- from the hotels we picked, the locations, how we traveled, etc., I think we did pretty well in many ways. Were there things we would have liked to have done different or would have changed? Yes, for sure. Also, let's face it, we all had to do this trip on a budget including my in-laws who we loved having with us on this wonderful journey. We had been saving for this trip, but Jerry and I still had to do a A LOT of research and creative planning to make sure we could do the most possible, still have a great time and not come home with empty pockets. I think we came pretty close to doing that. We were happy with how everything came together, and I'll be sharing some what I consider "trip tips" along the way for someones future travel reference.

Our first stop...Washington DC

Our very favorite hotel was in Washington DC. We stayed at a Residence Inn by Marriott in the cutest little town of Dupont Circle which is apparently known for its night life and for being the LGBT district and we loved it! It was quiet and quaint, we had a Starbucks on the corner (which Chris loved), a 2 story comic book store up the street (for the boys), a vintage bookstore and plenty of posh little restaurants.

It wasn't a fancy hotel, but it incredibly comfortable and stylish. On a trip like this where we were going to spend so much time outside of the hotel, we didn't need much more fan$y, if you know what I mean.  The rooms had a full kitchen and extremely comfy beds. The best part of the hotels we picked, including this one, is that they offered a wonderful hot breakfast every morning and different each day.  So this was a great benefit as we were able to save on at least one meal per day. We all decided that we would definitely go back there again!

The other great thing about this hotel was that it was only a 5 minute walk to the local Metro station which was also beautiful and we took the Metro EVERYWHERE!! The boys were most excited about trying this out for the first time.

The hotel was also located on P street, which we found out on our first day, was one of the streets you could take straight down to Georgetown University. It was one of the most beautiful 20 minute walks we have every taken. Worth every minute and more just to be able to experience and take in the beauty of the brick sidewalks, the houses, and the feeling of all the history in these streets. We had all fallen in love with Georgetown!!

As you come to end of P street was the East entrance to Georgetown University...and Wow! There was no getting around the feeling of its history and beauty. 

Oh how I wished to be a student again!  We actually got to watch a part of one of their football games which Jerry and the guys were happy about.

Free Tours by Foot...

So later that 1st night we took the first of 4 tours provided by a company called Free Tours by Foot. They are a hidden gem on the web which I was ecstatic to find, and happy to plug them here. They are walking tours company which provide name-your-own-price walking tours. So basically the tours are free, but you pay/tip  the tour guide what you think the tour was worth. What a concept! I had never heard of such a thing, but it was an amazing option for us being that we had a group of 7, and your typical double-decker tour buses ranged anywhere from $50-75/person. So DC by Foot tours was reasonably less expensive and the tours were actually nicer because they were made personable with no more than 10-20 people at a time on each tour.

They were great and I totally recommend it to anyone traveling. They have all kinds of tours from monument tours to local food tasting tours- all to fit different time schedules. If you check out their site you'll see that they have satellite company tours in other US cities like New York, New Orleans and even internationally like in Paris and London. Woohoo! This company was super professional and they gave us an amazing experience and I have to say they became the highlight of our trip. 

what you think a tour was worth or what you could afford only after the tour is finished - See more at: http://www.freetoursbyfoot.com/washington-dc-tours/#sthash.0pVn5HUb.dpuf

what you think a tour was worth or what you could afford only after the tour is finished - See more at: http://www.freetoursbyfoot.com/washington-dc-tours/#sthash.0pVn5HUb.dpuf

We decided our time was best used by taking the following tours with them:

• The Twilight Tour
• The Lincoln's Assassination Tour
• The Arlington National Cemetery Tour

And we loved them so much, that you'll see that in New York we'll end up taking the

• The Central Park Walking Tour 

So being that you can register ahead of time on line, I was able to carve out a pretty good tour
schedule for us amongst the 4 days we'd be there. Jerry made a week long calendar to show us exactly what we had planned and when, and then where we could throw in some time for something else or unexpected which ended up happening on a few occasions. This was totally helpful in making this trip manageable instead of trying to do things on the fly.

The Twilight Bus Tour
So this is the only DC by Foot Tour that had a minor cost attached to it. We paid $16 a person that basically paid for the gas cost of a small shuttle bus (a tip was still given at then end), and it took you on a fully loaded 3.5 hour tour of all the major DC monuments lit up at night. I highly recommend it!
It was THE BEST way to spend our first full night in this beautiful city.

 Dan King, was our tour guide for the night. We weren't surprised to find out that he was a former History professor who had found his passion in telling everyone else all about the history behind the making, meanings, and behinds the scenes stories about these beautiful monuments. We so enjoyed him. He was super animated, VERY entertaining and funny as well so we were engaged the whole time. The boys made sure to sit upfront just to hear him out. But what impressed us the most was his vast knowledge. There is just no way to repeat all the stories he had for us, but it made all the difference in how we looked at each one as we visited them.


Well we ended the night at the White House and that was just special. To see it in person for the first time is so different than what you expect it to be anyway, but to see it all lit up at night- just really cool! A proud moment for all of us.

So that was our first day in as much detail as possible, and I will do my best to keep the stories and pictures short and as telling as possible.

I hope this recap doesn't come too too late, but here it is. There's more to come...

Thanks for stopping by.

From my corner to yours...Happy Friday!

Finding time to read again...

So while I wrap my head around downloading, sorting, deleting, and editing our trip pictures, I wanted to share something simple but fun that also happened for me on this trip...I got to read!!!

I haven't had a good book/book series to read in a really long time since Hunger Games I think? (Ha!- you probably thought I'd say Shades of Grey, right? Nope! Didn't read it actually) Anyway, its been a really long time, and actually finding the time to read anything is very rare for me, and quite an indulgence when I have soo many other things to do during the day.

So yes, I gave myself the gift of reading as soon as I we were able to take off from LAX. Actually I worked on prepping my travel book first (possible post) and then I started reading. And once we arrived, as busy as we were going from place to place, city to city, we actually had a few good chunks of time that I turned into reading time, and I soo fully enjoyed it.

The best part about this was that I realized how much I miss reading, and how good it feels to find yourself in another world for a little bit, so now I have a new list of books that I'm excited about and wanted to share with you.

The Rosie Project- Graeme Simsion
So I borrowed this wonderful book from my sister-n-law as a suggested read because it would relate to me in that it dealt with what could be seen as a sweet, humorous side of Aspergers Syndrome. She had me intrigued when she described the main character as a Sheldon type persona (from the Big Bang Theory) whom I love, and yes, the main character of this story ends up being an Australian version of him but an equally socially-inept genetics professor instead. One way to describe this book is, "on the spectrum" accurate with descriptions of his meticulous thinking, planning and in general how he looks at and lives his life. But its his relationship with Rosie and his personal  journey that totally engages you and keeps you wanting more. I absolutely loved it, and I was able to finish it early into our return flight to LA. Thanks again, Betty!

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time- by Mark Haddon
Christian was reading this book on the trip, and he was so excited about it that we actually switched books during the flight to read each other's first chapter, and I got hooked on this one too.  I ended up reading the first 10 chapters (they're short). So as soon as I was finished with The Rosie Project I kept going with this one. Coincidentally, this fictional read is also about, but written in the first person view of a 15 year old boy who also has Aspergers. The look into the mind of a child like Christopher Boone is incredibly insightful. It is hard to not to want to follow this boy, his story (his mom is dead and he lives with his dad), and the revelations that occur as he searches for who killed his neighbors dog, Wellington. Looking forward to seeing what happens.

Its actually a book written for adults, but great for teenagers too. So my hope is to get my Daniel to read this book as well, and be able to have a conversation with him to see if he could relate to the 15 year old in any way or to see if he sees things the same way Christopher does. I hope to know soon.

Me Before You- by JoJo Moyes
This is the second book Betty recommended to me as a must read. She described it as its one of those books that makes you emotional, fuzzy and warm inside because its such a beautiful story. So I found it at Costco this past weekend and I grabbed it right away and I can't wait to read it.

The Fault In Our Stars- by John Green
Well this one doesn't need much explaining as most of you know there is a movie out now based on this book. From what I have heard, its another beautiful story that requires a kleenex box as an accessory for reading.  Christian is actually reading this book as well, and we both hope to get to it first before we get to see the movie. However, at the rate of how many books we've got going on, we might have to catch the movie on DVD in the near future. Either way, I can't wait.

I haven't had a set of books I've wanted to read in a long time, but I'm excited to have one now. I don't know how successful I will be at finishing them all, but I will love having them all stacked up and close by as I plan on making time to read at home as I did on our trip.

I hope I've peaked your curiosity on some of these, and I would love to know if you've read them and what you think of them too.

Thanks for stopping by.

From my corner to yours...Have a great day!

 

The Turtles are Back...

 and they are totally AWESOME!!!

 

The city needs heroes. Darkness has settled over New York City as Shredder and his evil Foot
Clan have an iron grip on everything from the police to the politicians. The future is grim until
four unlikely outcast brothers rise from the sewers and discover their destiny as Teenage
Mutant Ninja Turtles. The Turtles must work with fearless reporter April and her wise-cracking
cameraman Vern Fenwick to save the city and unravel Shredder's diabolical plan. Teenage
Mutant Ninja Turtles starring Megan Fox and Will Arnett, directed by Jonathan Liebesman.

                                          

Its been all about the Turtles in our house lately. We got  TMNT masks and it was impossible to resist taking this picture with the boys which representing each one of their favorite turtles as I joined in on the fun. Chris picked Leo because he's also the leader of the group.  Danny's favorite is Raph because he says he's the muscle, and Mikey likes, well guess who?- Michaelangelo (or Mikey) of course because he's just as silly and pizza loving as his namesake. 

So this past Saturday, we took the boys to a screening of the new live action #TMNTMovie at the Live Regency Theatre in Downtown, LA (Thanks to Allied Hispanic) and no one could have been more excited than Danny. He's been waiting to see this movie for months and it was on his birthday wish list to do, so it was nice to be able to surprise him and the boys with the screening before it comes out this Friday.

Although we have been fans of the many other TV and movie versions of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, we're happy to say that this version did not disappoint! I really liked that the movie explains the TMNT's history in a way I hadn't seen yet, and it helps you better understand how and where they came from and their connection to April O'Neil (Megan Fox).  There was action from beginning to end and although some of the action scenes could be considered over the top, they were awesome none the less. What else would you expect from these Ninjitsu, bad-ass, crime fighting heroes? The movie was also hysterical in many ways and I will let you experience those moments on your own. All I know is that I caught myself  laughing out loud along with the other adults just as much as the kids did. Its a kids movie that can totally be enjoyed by adults as well.

These turtles are bigger (literally), badder and funnier than ever. Mikey and Danny were not convinced that they had to be portrayed so big since they're used to seeing them in a more thinner animated version but after seeing the movie they got it.  Raphael, Leonardo, Donatello and Michelangelo continue to have the personalities we've come to know and love, but Donatello was a bit of a surprise for us as it was the first time we had seen him as
the nerdy-broken-glasses-wearing-techie turtle, which I guess is the new cool, so they made it work. But my favorite was truly Mikey; he was just adorable with his not-so-subtle flirtations, his corny jokes and his comedic timing was genius. And the forever tense relationship between Raph and Leo never fails to bring heartwarming moments as well.

 

I have mentioned before that we don't usually see movies in 3D for a few reasons, one being the added cost of the ticket.  Well, the 3D imagery in this movie was so AMAZING and well done, that I'm here to say that it would be totally worth paying those few extra bucks to get this kind of viewing experience. So go for it!

On a personal note- Watch out for Galen Walker in the credits as one of the producers of this film (also producer of the 1997 TMNT animated movie).  He is a friend of the family, and we couldn't be prouder to share this shout out for this job well done. We wish him and this movie much success always!

 #TMNTMovie IN THEATERS This Friday, AUGUST 8TH!!

http://www.teenagemutantninjaturtlesmovie.com/

 From my little corner to yours... 

Cowabunga Dude!!

20 years ago today...

 

We were so excited about the unknown
We had soo many plans, so many dreams, some different, some the same
We had one goal- To be happy together
We were ready to make life happen...

We became one- with God in the middle (remember Ira telling us that?) and He's still there!
We giggled as we said our vows
We got married with our friends and family all around us
We took a lot gosh darn pictures, and didn't get to dance! Lol...

Twenty years ago, I would never have imagine how fast these years would go by.

Twenty years later...


I look back and realize just how young we were...Omg!
I look back at everything that we've been able to accomplish together
I look back at the amazing boys and family we've created and love with all our hearts
I look back to see how easy it hasn't always been, and yet how we've stuck together to get through so much
I look back at how lucky we've been and continue to be
 
And today... 

Here we are...still together, still strong, maybe at our strongest yet
We've figured out that we'll continue to figure out how deal with ups and downs, life's challenges and changes,
and that that's ok
We are still striving to reach our goals, our dreams, and to be happy

We have a lot more to make happen in this lifetime...Together!

Thank you for these last 20 years.
We've done so much growing, learning and changing together...its been a wild ride! ;)
 
Thank you for being my partner, my best friend, my rock and my love.

May God continue to bless us in the many years to come!

Happy 20th Anniversary Babe!

I LOVE YOU!!!

Monday Motivations...

Courtesy of: SnapKnot

My camera is definitely my passport to wander and explore and I share it with you.

 

From my little corner to yours...Have a great week everybody!

Running 4 Danny & Friends...(year 2)

So as some of you know, this past Sunday was not just Father's day for us but also the day we ran the Culver City 5/10K for Autism. Its the second year that Christian and I have ran it and it looks like it might be a tradition in the making for our family.

Last year we had a small team under the name- Running 4 Danny and Friends, in honor of our Daniel and the many friends we have that are special needs children. I once again wore my team shirt that I had made for last year and ran for all kids listed on my back and many more.
 
Unfortunately our team got smaller this year as it was just Christian and I, but that's ok because my dear husband Jerry decided to join us and make this run his official first 5K! I was soo excited for him to be part of our team and to be able to say that we did this together for our baby.


He's been going on his own journey, and I have to say that he trained a lot harder than I did this year and I am sooo proud of him for accomplishing this goal for himself.
He's come such a long way.



As for myself,  this year has been extremely busy for me and I can't say I took the training as seriously as I did last year. I was a little bit more lax than I should have been, but I put myself through as many practices as I could.  Training consisted more of finding a jogging pace I could handle with some fast walking to make sure that I could finish in a decent time. My goal this year was not so much beating my time as it was just to complete it. Honestly I was more excited about the fact that my hubby was running with me and my son and that meant more to me than anything.


So because Chris truly hadn't trained much at all either (being the very busy and "tired" teenager that he is) he decided he was going to keep to my pace during the race. A very slow pace at that. However, we had all agreed that we knew that at some point we were all going to go at different paces which is exactly what happened. Jerry started the strongest out of the 3 of us and led the way, but Chris about 1/3 way into the race decided his body was kicking in with a second wind and took off. I trailed both of them most of the way, catching up to Jerry when I could, but he still came in before me.

This year I was much more into taking things in, enjoying my music and watching the other runners especially the 10k runners who started about 1/2 an hour later than we did and yet they seemed to be already catching up to me as I was barely trying to finish.

A highlight for me this year was actually catching a glimpse of a fellow blogger I follow. Jen Levine from Finding My Inner Bombshell.  She has no idea who I am, but I "knew" of her and knew she'd be at that race. So when I saw her, in a fleeting second, I made the decision to make a fool of myself and call out her name..."Jen!" I said. She turned around looking VERY schocked, and I went up to her, shook her hand and said as I jogged and huffed at the same time, said "You don't know me, but I follow your blog. Just wanted to say Hi!" She said "Ok, hi" and I took off again, smiling from ear to ear and giggling to myself. I regret not getting a picture with her, but I took the look of shock on her face to mean that maybe I had gone to far already, Lol. Anyway, that was a lot of fun, and I'm glad I took the chance to do that- we only live once for moments like that!  And I found out that It apparently made her day because she mentioned the "unknown woman who said hello" in her blog post.  Love it! I have since written to her and let her know that my name is Sandy, and that I wasn't just some crazy person...if you beg to differ, please keep that to yourself. Ha!


The biggest highlight for me though was actually watching Jerry cross the finish line ahead of me. I was soooo proud of him!  I was a mix of emotions as I came in close behind, knowing just how much it means to cross that finish line for the first time. Jerry is a modest guy and he was very tired and sweaty of course, so he made no fuss about any of it, but I know it had to have meant a lot. He did say though "I did it for our Danny Boy!" That said it all!

Our official times were as follows:
Chris had come in before the two of us at 37.01
Jerry came in just 90 seconds over his goal time at 41.14.
I think that's pretty amazing for his first 5K!

My official time was 41.34. I was over last year's time by 3 minutes or so, but considering the training I did and/or didn't do, I felt pretty good about it anyway.  It really was about doing this together this year.



Once again, it was an amazing way to start of Father's day especially for Jerry this time around. He's an amazing Dad and he works so hard for us and deserved a great day! We went back to my mom's house to make him his favorite home made breakfast. He took a swim in her pool to relax and then we went to see his wonderful Dad (my father as well in so many ways) for a nice BBQ and trip to the movies with his family.

It was a wonderful day, and we're hoping to be able to do this again next year together again.
Will some of you join our team next year??? I really hope so...

I hope you all had a wonderful Father's day as well.

From my corner to yours...Thanks for stopping by!