Welcome Spring!

Right, I know, Spring is almost over. But we did in fact welcome my favorite season with a fun-filled Spring party during spring break. Sofia and I made the invitations and invited some of her sweet little friends over to celebrate. The girls had a barbecue, played dress up, had an Easter Egg hunt, went to the park and finished with cupcakes and goody bags for all. It was a blast for everyone! Here are some of the highlights...

Syd LOVES Everything Dirt

Miss Sydnei is a HUGE fan of mud, dirt, and puddles. Really, if you think about it, what else do you need to have fun outside when you're a kid? She will spend hours making "pies" and putting dirt in special places all over the back yard. We love watching her do this and of course, she loves eating it while she plays and getting it all over because she knows there is a nice long shower that awaits her when she's all done playing!

Yes I Can!

We all have our weaknesses, bad habits and personal struggles in life, which can haunt us at every turn. I know I do and many times feel utterly defeated because of them. I want to improve those and progress and not feel like I can't overcome them. I don't want my struggles to paralyze me to the point I can't move forward and progress. We all want that, don't we?

I'm learning to take small steps and convince my mind that it's through those small steps that I CAN improve, grow, and progress. This Mom certainly has personal struggles in life that are VERY different than mine. We all have different struggles, this couldn't be more true. The inspiration I received from this Mom of her determination to overcome her disabilities and achieve her goal to be a Mother caring for her young baby boy was just what I needed to watch. I was reminded that, yes, I can overcome my own struggles and achieve the goals I dream of achieving.

A Little Dialogue w/My Nearly-Six-Year-Old

Sofia: Whoa! Mom! You've been working really hard to clean the kitchen.

Mami: Why thank you, Sofia. Thank you for noticing...I think it's turned out real nice (subtle Napoleon Dynamite reference)

Sofia: Well you know, Mom, you're going to HAVE to work this hard to clean your room today!

Mami: Yes, Sofia, you're right. Thank you for the reminder. I'm going to get right on that after I finish in here.

Sofia: Great idea!

There is nothing like having a "little" Mami in the house to encourage you. Sofia has become quite the motherly type--definitely the result of being a big sister of a little toddler who adores her--and she does it so well. :) I love my Sof.

Sofia on Easter Morning--sporting her new t-shirt and striking a "look-to-the-side" pose. She is always doing random poses and is so sassy!

My One and Only

Forgive the blurry and fuzziness.

This is the last pic we took together and it was with a phone camera and bad lighting! January 2010.

Ryan (David to some) and I have been married for 8 1/2 years. This month we'll celebrate the 9th anniversary of our first date (and yes, we have always celebrated our first date). I can't believe that we've been together nearly a decade. Our marriage has been my greatest accomplishment in life. I'm not saying that having my children, serving a mission, or graduating from college aren't great accomplishments. I simply mean that our nearly nine years of marriage has required more love, sacrifice, and work than any other single thing I've attempted and succeeded.

Our story is special to me and reminds me a lot of the Gospel Principles of unconditional love, sacrifice, forgiveness, and faith. The love that we have has developed and deepened over time. It's been a process that has resulted from really amazing experiences and really difficult times plus all that is in between. Each experience, each moment has deepened our love for each other and the mutual dedication we have to each other and our marriage. If it weren't for the sacrifices and forgiveness we've each given or asked for, we wouldn't still be married. There's something to be said about sacrificing for the benefit and happiness of another.

He loves me.

I still get those butterflies when I pick him up after not seeing him all day. I still feel like the luckiest girl in the world because he is my husband and best friend. I find a lot of comfort and confidence knowing that he stands by me and always will. He gets me and that's one of my favorite parts of our love because I know that whatever he says to me in the best of times and worst of times he does so with all of the love and understanding in the world. I'm proud and fortunate that he is the father to my children. Our girls are the apple of his eye and the way he interacts with them and shows them how much he loves them is priceless. I always wanted a man like Ryan to be the father of my children. I held out until I found him and am so grateful I did. I love you, Ryan.

A Birthday Party for Dr. King

Sofia has been engulfed in the story of Dr. King's life. She studied about it at school and learned about his life, his work, his legacy and the injustice of racism he worked tirelessly to eliminate. She shared the story of Rosa Parks with us more times than I can remember. There is something about the five-year old mind and how in touch they are with injustice. Dr. King's story is forever ingrained in her mind--I don't think she'll ever forget what she has learned from him.

I shared the story with her that my Mom used to share about riding the Street Car in New Orleans in the 60's when the conductor would insist on any "colored" person getting up so that she could sit down. She always spoke about the injustice she thought it was that they would have to get up so that she could sit down just because she was white. My Mom always said she would refuse and sometimes they would be so insistent it would make her cry and apologize for the way the conductor and others treated the "colored." It was really special to share this with Sofia--to give her a real personal example that her grandmother lived and experienced many times. I'm grateful for my Mom's example to stand up for the racism and injustice that existed so prevalently back then and even still exists today. I'm also grateful for Dr. King's example and so is Sofia.

She prayed several times the week of his birthday thanking Heavenly Father for Dr. King and his life. It was precious. For the Martin Luther King Day holiday she had from school she suggested we make him a birthday cake! We had a lot of fun making it: a yellow cake, chocolate frosting, and yellow sprinkles...all Sofia's choice. She made a sun with the sprinkles on the cake. And loved getting to blow out the candles for him!

Sofia putting the candles on the yummy cake!

She was so excited!

Sydnei was oober excited too! After all at the age of 19 months, she does know what cake is...

Sydnei looks so serious here, waiting for the party to get started. I love her big blue eyes!

Papi lighting the candles...it got a tad hot for his hands!

Blowing out the candles!

Here are a couple of my favorite quotes by Dr. King:

"An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity."

"Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase."

Santa Came Early This (last) Year

Miss Sofia shows off the new bunk beds!

He even came early for my birthday. A couple of days before my b-day these gorgeous bunk beds showed up in the girls' room. We had them custom made by an awesome couple that have their own business called Bunk Beds West in Milwaukie, Oregon. Their work is amazing and these bunk beds are even more beautiful in person. They're built solid and were so reasonably priced. We had shopped around the stores forever looking for this and couldn't find a decently priced and well built set of bunk beds anywhere. We found Bunk Beds West on a google search and after doing some homework and seeing their work first hand we were sold. For $1,100 we purchased a twin over full bunk bed with a trundle twin bed drawer underneath plus it came with three brand new mattresses. You can't beat these bad boys.

Top Bunk where Sofia Sleeps

The bedding was my favorite part and a total splurge. We purchased the bedding from Pottery Barn Kids and they coordinate but are different in their base color: pink and lavender. They look so darling and the whole set up it so pretty. We'll be using these killer beds for the next 20 years of raising our kiddos. I love that 4 kids can sleep with this one unit! Score!

Bottom bunk where Sydnei Sleeps and room for one more!

The twin trundle bed right underneath the bottom bunk.
It's not attached so it can be moved to a different part of the bedroom.

Sofia and Sydnei are in love with their beds and Sydnei was an EASY switch to the big girl full-sized bed at 17 months old!