These Shoes Were Made For....

What household duties do you have to accomplish daily? For me its usually, empty dishwasher, do a load of laundry, sweep and vacuum. (I am not talking about the daily meals, caring for children, etc, etc. I could go on). I pretty much daily have to do these activities and lately I have been doing them in heals. Oh yes, heals. I have been trying to break in shoes for my sisters wedding and these activities remind me to put on the shoes. I am not sure why really. In any case, I decided vacuuming in heals is the best way to get my shoes broken in, and it is kind of fun. I rarely wear heals. I have not bought any shoe that was not a flip flop in years, and my shoe shelf is extremely outdated. It is quite sad. My shoes look how I feel sometimes! Old worn out and tired. Previously new and shiny, but then run down with daily activities. Maybe that is why I wear my new shoes while doing house chores...I know how often I do those and how tiring it is, therefore my new pretty shoes will get comfy and tired while doing all the work whilst on my feet? Am I making any sense?

I couldn't tell you much about shoe fashion right now. I typically pick the most comfy practical pair to get me through each day without giving me pains. I know of some really good baby shoes though! I know much more in kids fashion these days! Because of my sisters wedding I have made more purchases for myself in the last 2 months, then in the last 3 years put together! Lots to do this week, and lots of rest needed! Off to bed I go! 

Here is Ileana (Lili) enjoying one of my new pairs!

Isaiah 40:31  But those who wait on the LORD will find new strength. They will fly high on wings like eagles. They will RUN and not grow weary. They will WALK and not faint.

I am needing some renewed strength mentally, physically, spiritually, and emotionally right now. God, my hope is in You!

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Singing to a Different Tune

The weather has been spectacular lately! With a high of 60+ degrees the next few days, we will be out enjoying the sun! When in the car last week we (meaning the girls and I) were on our way home from a day at Mormors and listening to music. Bella is at an age where she can ask for music she enjoys. Usually she asks for princess songs. Since my princess music collection is non existent, we usually just plug in my phone and listen to the children's Disney channel on Padora. With the windows rolled down I found myself fist pumping and singing to Imagination Movers, Hot Dog (Mickey Mouse), and Choo Choo Soul.  Wow. There was a time in my life I would pull up to an intersection bumping to something cool, sun glasses on, and more than likely a cigarette dangling out the window! Yes, I am a former smoker. SO very weird to think about now.

I know I have blogged many times about having out of body experiences, the moments of "how did I get here"? Well, it happens a lot. I often look back on my life and think, reflect, ponder. In fact, just tonight I was looking at old pictures with Pablo and he is still shocked at what I used to look in high school and college! My former body that was pre-babies, cigarette addicted, and eating disordered sure looked nice in pictures. I was sure unhappy though. I often have past feelings creep up on me. Since dieting and working out, my former ways sure seem much easier. Talking with my husband last night he said "you can't change the past, but you can the future." He even quoted Tony Horton, "Do your best, and forget the rest!" this triggered laughing....if you know P90X then you will get this! Thanks P90X. All you can do is move forward and not look back. But we were also talking about how amazing it was to look back when we were 19 and how far away 29 seemed. Now its the opposite ...19 seems so long ago!

So from my rambling I mean this, choose a new song, make a change, move on. We cant change the mistakes we made yesterday, but we change today. As Mickey Mouse sings...

"Hot dog, hot dog, hot diggety dog
It's a brand new day
Whatcha waiting for?
Get up, stretch out, stomp on the floor!" 
"Hot dog, hot dog, hot diggety dog!"

Grow!

God tells us to be slow to anger, it is all over the Bible. I never really understood this until lately. Usually if my children do something super naughty I can feel steam shoot from my ears instantly! For example, the other night Bella was in the bath and was pouring water in cup fulls onto the towel, rug, and bathroom floor. My first reaction was the instant rise in temperature and anger. In my head I was thinking, "she knows better!". So after an angry reaction and a gasp with a "NO!", I asked her why she did that!? She then looked at me with innocent brown eyes and in her small voice said, "I want to grow flowers!".  I suddenly melted, and explained to her why flowers could not grow there.  You see, we have been growing some seeds in little pots and she is in charge of watering them. Aunt Nichole gave us little egg pots, with soil and flower seeds. Isabella was way to excited to wait to grow them outside, so we went ahead and started them. I hope they don't grow too big before we need to put them in a bigger pot outside!

So in her naughty-ness she was actually trying to make something beautiful grow on the bathroom floor! In her naive actions she does not realize that the conditions are not quite right. No soil, seeds, pots, or sun. I could not help but think of all the things in my life I try to grow that are not in ideal conditions. For instance, relationships. There are some friendships that I occasionally want to water. Some people that I want a relationship with but the conditions are not right. My friend Hayley, who was in my wedding (5 years ago this summer) went to school in Seattle for 4 years. While she was off at college, I was having babies and starting my life with Pablo. With occasional phone calls and visits, this "watering" was not doing much for our friendship. I was often upset that this friendship was not stronger. Its not that we didn't love each other, or want a friendship, we were just in different places. Different physical locations, and also different places in our lives. She now lives back in Denver, and we have been able to reconnect and relate to each other on so many different levels! She is A maz zazing!

Sadly, there are many friendships I could try harder at growing. Yet, I have come to realize that this just may not be the time for those friendships to grow. So I will wait, maybe one day the soil will be just right. I will not force a friendship, but I will continue to love from a distance. Knowing that they will always have a special place in my heart. Who knows what the future holds! LOVE to you all.

Here are our little pots in the kitchen window!

If you ask Bella what kind of flowers she's growing, she would tell you "Daisies, pink ones, and lellow ones!"

Kings vs Wally World

We are always in need of milk and bananas.  Most weeks I find myself in the grocery store at least 3 times, if not more! My children's love for fresh fruit and milk make grocery runs an every other day occurance! Just buy a lot you say, stock up, right?. Well, bananas brown and milk goes bad. Plus the more I buy, the more we seem to consume!

I try to not shop with my girls, but most of the time I have to bring them with. Leaving small children home alone is frowned upon. (JK!) I wish I didnt have to grocery shop at all. I DREAD going to the store for a massive shopping trip. Something I have learned to loathe just recently. I used to enjoy strolling the aisles, looking for a deal or checking off my list of my "pre planned" meals for the week. Now its more like the gorcery cart game show. A mad dash to grab a deal, keep kids happy, and not forget what I wrote on my grocery list....the one I left at home. Inevetebly something is always forgotten and then carried over to next weeks list!

Although I really do not like the whole shopping expeirence, I choose Kings Soopers over Wal-Mart almost everytime. In order to keep myself somewhat happy. I have had many discussions with moms about which store is cheaper. Oh yes, I do sit around and have "gorcery talk"! Oh, my life is thrilling! If you care about this topic as much as I do, then you may enjoy the following list:

15 Reasons I Shop at King Soopers (Not Wal-Mart)

15. They have sales, and markdowns, and weekly mailers
14. I can find a parking spot close to the entry
13. The employees are friendly and actually SMILE
12. They have a 1 cent horsey ride, they even provide the penny!
11. I get 10 cents off my gas with my Soopers card
10. Kings sends me a personalized coupon packet for items I buy often
9. They have fruit samples in the produce section
8. They have the "car cart", I can buckle down all 3 kids!
7. The deli lady has teenage twin girls, she gives me advice every Thurs, and gives the girls cheese :)
6. They have adorable gourmet cakes and treats in the bakery that we like to look at!
5. Free pink kids cookies! (Its all about the samples!)
4.10 for $10 baby
3. Some meat is marked down to a "managers special", saving me $$
2. The checkers bag, AND put in the cart for me!
1. There is a STARBUCKS in store. This reason alone keeps me coming back!

Happy shopping!