A Room with a View

This is the view from my back yard....

Just playin....I WISH!

But it is the Valley in which I have the pleasure of living on the outskirts of.
And it was beautiful today at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library

This is where his final resting place is, and he couldn't have picked a better place!

It's amazing to know that not only did Ronald Reagan take part in tearing down the Berlin Wall, but that they brought a piece of it here, to his library. And what a difference to see how each side looks....the west side is all colorful...painted....it has character....a freedom...

And the other side a blank slate.....AMAZING!
And I remember all this!

And of course what in So. Cal wouldn't be complete without a little wildlife...
Although it's still too cold for the rattlers to be out on the prowl.

Thanks for stopping by and visiting Gippers Grove with me!

Now head on over to Unknown Mami's to see what's going on in her neck of the woods!

My Little Miracles

Keep on Keepin' on

FINALLY!!!! This kid is finally *gasp* WALKING!!!! A week shy of being 18 months....yes you read that correct....18 months!!!!!

Okay well his perferred method of travel is still on Mommy's hip or crawling. He does walk on his knees but now he will at least walk all by himself, once you pry your finger out of his tight little grip!!!

Thomas is so excited about it that he wants Christopher to run around the house will him and will more often than not grab his hand and try to run with him. Oh these two are going to be T-R-O-U-B-L-E!!!

Now all we need is Thomas to finish with this whole potty training bit and we should be all set!!!

My Little Miracles

Because I'm cute

10. It makes me feel not so "mental"

9. I feel better about myself

8. I feel that I am doing something to be healthier, for my boys

7. Because it reminds me that I CAN do it

6. It means I can get a new wardrobe

5. Because I might feel comfortable in front of a camera again instead of behind it

4. Because eventually I want to give my boys a run for their money on the soccer field

3. Because that one skirt in the closet is just waiting for me

2. Because even though I might not ever wear a biniki again, I want to at least get out of board shorts and a shirt in the summer

1. And last but not least....because I just love it when my oldest grabs my cheeks with both his little hands looks at me up and down and all around and says "Mommy, you look cute"

And these are the top ten reasons why I am better off without those 13 pounds that I have shed! I can't wait to drop more!

Want to see what I am crafting these days....I posted it the other day here, interested? Contact me!

Brought to you by Mama Kat

My Little Miracles

What a difference....

What a difference a year makes....

Christopher had NO hair....

Now he has a mop.....
Thomas on the other hand had a ton of hair....

Oh wait....he needs a hair cut...and he still has a ton of hair!!

But he sure has lost that "baby face"!

Head on over to Angies and see what she calls "Mine"

My Little Miracles

My obsession

The latest and greatest of My obsession...creating cuddly blankets for everyone's little Miracles.

So this is the latest and greatest that I just completed! The colors were so odd at first and came together so beautifully! And little Miss Lola Rose is enjoying her new blankie as I type!

Want to see all my Miracle Blankets, I have so much fun making them. My bestie's whole family is outfitted with one of these in one way or another!

I have a new one on the horizon for little Colton Kai....I can't wait to see how his turns out!

My Little Miracles

Just walk away

Sunday's not only bring a yummy dinner at Grandma's but they bring my almost 18 month old baby....walking....

Sort of....he won't walk alone...he still wants to hold on to something....now as soon as he will walk I think my hip will miss his 27lb body attached to it....nahh probably not!

And with all the rain and then some nice warm weather, the flowers are starting to *perk* and spring is right around the corner....aren't these the cutest?

And one lone Daffodil made an appearance....and now we will get some more rain to get the rest of them going!

Check out Unknown Mami's part of the world this Sunday!

My Little Miracles

The closest thing to snow....

I was born and raised here in So. Cal. On the beach, I didn't see snow until I was 13, and I didn't see falling snow until I was 26 and moved to Missouri. Then I spent 6 years in Michigan, and I loved the snow...until about the 3rd month. But now that I have moved back to So Cal.....

THIS

Is the closest thing to snow that I see....

The falling of cherry blossom petals when the wind blows.....

without the cold!

Show your best shot over at Lolli's

My Little Miracles

When the Street Lights come on

I can remember my whole childhood, beginning at about 2 1/2. I never ever want to lose sight of any of those memories. They are all I have left...of my childhood.

I can't pinpoint just ONE particular past time that I loved. I loved everything about my childhood. I remember playing down the street. We rode bikes, and roller skated, we played ball and even remember playing "Make me laugh" with a kid named JP...anyone else remember that show?

We couldn't wait to finish dinner so we could go running off down the street in the summertime and didn't have to be home until the street lights came on...that was pretty late for us as 8 year olds. But every kid in the neighborhood knew everyone, and every parent knew each other and we were all within approximately 2 years of each other. So we always has so much fun.

Another thing I remember, and this is a little glimpse into my "not so girly" life. We lived in a canyon, and all around our houses were these wonderful hills, full of weeds....big tall weeds. Great for hiding in, and running through...But only if you ran on the trails we created. We used to clear one area, pulling all these weeds, we'd dig out a little hole, and stack and stack and stack some more of these weeds up until we had a fort! We would collect dirt clods, NO ROCKS, just the big chunks of dirt. Those we would stack up and stack up....you know in case we needed them for "war". We'd have only so much time to create a fort, and then we would say "Next plane that passes over is the start of war" At which point we would begin to beam each other with dirt clods....hiding and bouncing up and down on the trails, looking for each other. And one time, the neighbor boy said why don't you go over there and be a nurse...you know in case we get hurt...I am pretty sure I threw a dirt clod right in his face, told him I was tired of being a "nurse" I wanted to fight!! And fight I did! Came home just as filthy as my brother!

One other story that I love to tell, and once again tells you just how "girly" I was. Remember after is rains, all the snails come out? Yeah well, we collected all those snails in a nice big bucket...then asked mom for salt...oh yes we did! Dumped it in there and it became one huge bucket of bubbling snails. We then put our hands in there and stirred it up...it then became one big bucket of bubbling "snot". Yes that is what it looked like, and we began to throw it at each other. And the best part...I slapped some on the back of my brother's neck...yes my older brother, and he cried! The first and only time I ever made my brother cry!!

So yeah, no too much girly girl there huh? Good thing My Little Miracles are all boy huh?

Another exciting episode in my life brought to you by Mama Kat

My Little Miracles

Big Brother Blues

I am beginning to think that Thomas is suffering from the Big Brother Blues.


Christopher, my 25 lb hip weight, at 17 1/2 months is coming into some new milestones. He is starting to walk behind his little push car, and some of that time is even flat footed rather than on his toes. He is getting more teeth, he is saying a few more words.

And as always we are just as excited with each new milestone with Christopher as we were with Thomas, and now that Thomas is older, he notices our elation more. And he's been acting out a little bit....because we all know that any attention is attention even if it's negative.

And lately when we comment about Christopher walking, Thomas will walk in front of us and say "I walking too, see? Watch me Mommy!" And I reply to him that of course he is walking, he's a big boy and I am so proud of him! Even though we praise him for all his excellence in school that he does....his creations, and his learning of numbers and counting and his colors. Now he is learning the difference between OVER and UNDER!

I never had any of the older sibling blues because I was the baby! But now I am seeing maybe what my brother saw when I was little. It's amazing how our children open our eyes to so many things.

I guess we continue to praise Christopher for his accomplishments and remember to recognize Thomas for all of his accomplishments and big brotherness!

My Little Miracles

Tongue NOT in cheek

Take tongue and place it firmly.....

outside the mouth....

When concentrating really hard.

Meet Thomas' Tongue, it's been quite famous since birth, it's been wagging since then.

Now apparently this is a family trait....Not my side of course. =)

The hubs said when he was a little boy, he did the same thing, I haven't seen him do it recently...but I don't see him at work...when he's concentrating!

So while Thomas was opening his Valentine's Day card from his girl up north, he was concentrating on making perfect use of his stickers that she sent him!

Now head on over to Angies and see what else is going on...

My Little Miracles

100 Calories....

This one is just for you Brooke!

So since we all seem to appreciate a good topic of FOOD. Because who isn't always trying to improve their health by changing how and what they eat, or attempting to lose weight, and let's face it, who isn't always looking for the next yummy thing right?

So these are what I know so many turn to.....
100 calorie packs.....

Who doesn't love just a little snack.... a little "something" to get them through the morning, the afternoon or just the day....

And now you can...with 100 calorie packs. And like the ad says "Diet Like a Diva" You can get precisely 6 mini cookies! But it's like a lay's potato chip, you can't eat just one. So you think, well I'll have just one more little pack, I mean it's only 100 calories right?

What's a 100 calories? I mean you can lose 100 calories just by breathing right? Or how about chewing gum? OOORRRR You could walk to the nearest store to do what....BUY MORE 100 CALORIE PACKS!!!! Great Idea! Because after you have now eaten 5 of those small little 100 calorie packs, you now need to go to the gym for an hour and work that eliptical!

So at this point...forget the 100 calorie pack....bring me the whole bag of chips!

My Little Miracles

And the winner is.....

And the winner of this adorable little gem is.....

CYNDY...over at Putting the Fun in DysFUNctional, Winner Winner, chicken dinner....well not really, but now you can serve some really great stuff in an adorable chip and dip set!!!

Thanks to everyone who participated to help make my first giveaway a success. Keep checking back for the next one!

My Little Miracles

Dino Fun

Since Mommy bought daddy tickets to go see the drag races (he's never been) The boys and Grandma and I decided to take a little trip to see some Dino's! Thomas couldn't stop talking about them all the way down there....

Then when we got inside he said he was scared! They are a little umm large to say the least!

But Thomas and Christopher didn't seem to mind the dino's on their Valentine Day shirts that Grandma painted for them....yes it's actual paint and she did it free hand. Pretty spectacular huh?

Thomas wanted to go under every little barrier, especially to see the Elephants!

Some old Transportation that Thomas found interesting....

And he found the "choo choo" even tho it's a cable car...boy is he going to go nuts when we go to San Francisco!

And when they find something they can climb on....

Trust me....THEY DO!

Good thing the Polar Bear didn't mind!

And Thomas was enjoying his new sunglasses he got for Valentine's day from Mommy and Daddy, because as he will tell you "The Sun Never Sets on the Cool Dude"

Now head on over to Unknown Mami's and see what's going on in her city.

My Little Miracles