Love – Page 2 – Birds of a Feather

A Little of This & That

April 11, 2018Baby Bears & Little Bears, Family, Happiness, Humor, Love, Parenting, Special People, Things I love, UncategorizedLeave a Comment

This last week has been a whirlwind of Liamisms, birthday wishes, and high notes. Here’s a quick recap of the highlights!

Liamisms

No week is every complete without some humorous Liamisms to lighten the mood. The two that stand out most include some potty humor and a misunderstanding about the rules of driving.

“Mom, sometimes when Atticus poops his diaper looks like it has peanut butter spread in it. I just want to eat it.”

“Liam, that’s absolutely disgusting. Why would you want to eat that.”

“Well dung beetles eat poop, so why can’t I?”

“Maybe because you’re not a dung beetle for starters.”

“Mom, I’m all ready to drive the Escalade now. I have my own license plate.”

“Sweet Liam, driving doesn’t work that way. A license plate is different than a driver’s license. That’s what you need to drive a car.”

“Mom, I’m pretty sure all I need is a license plate. So you can just give me the keys.”

“Liam, why don’t we revisit this conversation in 10 years when you’re really ready to drive.”

Birthday Wishes

As I walked down the stairs with Atticus in my arms and Liam at my heels ready to head out the door for work, I noticed a gift lying on the dining room table. I asked Liam about it and very nonchalantly he said, “Mom, it’s nothing. It’s just your birthday present.”

“Oh how nice! Well today’s my birthday.”

“Oh yeah, right. I forgot.”

He then preceded to carry the gift bag to the counter and disappeared. I thought he was going to turn off the light when he suddenly reappeared grunting as he made his way back carrying a wooden plant stand with a succulent. He retreated again, walking back shortly with yet another plant stand and succulent. As I opened my gifts, I loved watching him look over the countertop at me as I opened my gifts. He truly set the tone for a wonderful start to my birthday.

My 35th year is off to a great start. I’m looking forward to everything this year sends my way.

High Notes

Liam and I discovered microwaveable Mug Treats on our weekly H-E-B run. Until recently, I thought no one loved dessert in our house more than Liam. After letting Atticus lick the spoon, I think Liam might have some competition for the title of Dessert King in our house. Nothing makes me happier than sweet baby smiles even when those smiles are caked with chocolate!

An Easter Tradition

April 2, 2018Baby Bears & Little Bears, Family, Happiness, Holiday spirit, Love, Parenting, Special People, Things I love, UncategorizedLeave a Comment

Easter Sunday marks a time of celebration and joy. After a somber 40 days of penance and sacrifice, we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus and new beginnings. My childhood memories of Easter are bright and vivid. After Mass and an Easter lunch at either Gammie’s or my Aunt Jerri’s, the afternoon culminated with an Easter egg hunt of epic proportions.

From January until Easter, my mother, grandmother, and aunt salvaged all of the egg shells from cooking. Being from a vibrant Mexican family, breakfast tacos were a staple in our homes, especially on the weekends, so you can only imagine how many dozens of eggs my family collected in the months leading up to Easter.

In our house, my mother led the effort of dyeing, stuffing, and gluing tissue paper on each egg. This was quite an ordeal in and of itself because there were so many eggs to decorate. My brother and I enjoyed the task though because we recognized the significance of this part of the bigger picture- our ritual Easter egg hunt.

For those of you who didn’t grow up in South Texas or aren’t Mexican, let me shed a little light on the confetti egg- more fondly known among Spanish speakers as cascarones.

In Mexico, the cascarones tradition began to evolve. Instead of scented powder [originally used in China], Mexicans put confetti into the eggs. They then developed the tradition of cracking the egg over a friend’s head to release the confetti, which inspired the name cascarones or “shell hits.” (http://kkyr.com/cascarones-are-a-hispanic-american-culture-easter-celebration-video/)

For children, nothing is more exciting at Easter than running around the yard chasing your siblings, cousins, and friends with confetti stuffed eggs. It’s a colorful mess of vibrant colors and more importantly vibrant fun! Sharing this tradition with my children has truly been a way to enjoy cascarones full circle.

The one difference is that now you can buy cascarones at most retail stores at a very reasonable price. To save on time, this is typically the route I go. As the boys get older and can more readily participate in the assembly, I will likely move towards including them in the process.

We have much to celebrate and so much to be grateful for thanks to the incredible sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Let us count our blessings, hug our loved ones a little tighter, and indulge in some incredibly delicious food around a table with our closest loved ones. Wishing you and yours a very blessed Easter.

Quiet Moments for Introspection

March 30, 2018Counseling & Wellness, Goal setting, Happiness, Love, Mama Bears, Opportunities, Prayer, Success, Uncategorized1 Comment

Sometimes in our incredibly busy lives we must find ways to carve out time for introspection. Without these quiet moments to reflect and assess, how can we expect to achieve personal growth. While many will argue about how life changing technology has been for us as a society, it has also made it more difficult for us to feel comfortable with solitude.

Being more mindful, acknowledging our weaknesses, and giving ourselves permission to learn from our missteps, starts with a willingness to love ourselves. Most of us, as women, are incredibly hard on ourselves. We scrutinize, nit pick, and harp on ourselves, when we really should appreciate, own, and celebrate our strengths. Love yourself for who you are.

love yourself

When you look in the mirror, be proud of the woman staring back at you. Smile, pat yourself on the back, and remind yourself that, “you’ve got this!” Too often we undervalue our talents, strengths, and abilities. Embrace them wholeheartedly! I’ll borrow powerful words from a powerful woman who has inspired many with her beautiful prose. As per Maya Angelou, “Nothing can dim the light that shines from within.”

Fixating on our flaws, dwelling on the negative, and wallowing in self-pity rarely propels us forward. Our happiness comes from our own desire to persevere through the difficult times, high five ourselves when we overcome adversity, and offer gratitude for the beautiful moments that touch our lives. We are the author’s of our own story. Appreciate the importance of the pencil as you write, it allows you the opportunity to revise, edit, erase, and rewrite the negative parts of your story; infusing your rewrite with radiance, light, and positivity.

make it

We only have one chance at this life we live. Dream big, love fiercely, sprinkle in spontaneity, and celebrate your accomplishments. Don’t be afraid to let your hair down, ruffle some feathers every now and then, and give yourself permission to go off script from time to time. While structure and regimentation often play a critical role in overall success, we have to appreciate and even laugh at the flawed parts of ourselves that make us who we are. Find time to let go sometimes and take life as it comes!

dance in the rain

When we allow ourselves quiet moments in our busy lives to pause even for the briefest moments, we open our hearts and minds to personal insight, reflection, and honesty. There are countless ways to find solace in our solitude whether through prayer, mindfulness, meditation, deep breathing, or quiet contemplation. Slow down and hit the pause button from time to time. You just might surprise yourself with what you discover!

every day

Be your best self and know that every day is a new opportunity for self-improvement, self-love, and self-acceptance.

My Dynamic Duo

March 25, 2018baby bear, Baby Bears & Little Bears, Family, Golden Bear, Happiness, Love, Mama Bears, Parenting, Special People, UncategorizedLeave a Comment

From playgrounds to playtime and everything in between, the brotherly bond between my Golden Bear and Baby Bear continues to grow and melts my heart at every turn. I know it won’t always be this simple. When Atticus is more verbal or when Liam decides his little brother is too much of a baby to spend time with. The natural ebb and flow of sibling rivalry and banter will slowly trickle in and this Mama Bear will be praying for more patience and guidance to get them all happily through it.

Until then, I will continue to float on the beauty of these little moments- little exchanges between little people who love each other dearly. It comes in so many different forms- a sincere and heartfelt hug initiated by Liam as he wraps his brother in his arms in an embrace. The giggles and coos that reverberate around Atticus like a halo as he finds humor in all of the big boy things his older brother does. My cup runneth over as I stand idly by witnessing such heartfelt moments between a big brother and his baby brother.

Lost in each others company, they play together lovingly- stacking colorful blocks one on top of the other or pushing matchbox cars around an imaginary track on the carpet. Each in awe and wonder of the other. Liam fascinated by all of the things his brother can now do- walking, playing, laughing, and discovering. Atticus intrigued by all of the things he can only dream of doing one day- zip lining across the playground, rock climbing high above his head, or racing across the sidewalk faster than lightning.

As a mother, I absolutely love seeing the two of them leaning on one another and growing as brothers. There is something truly beautiful to see as an outside observer. My two sweet boys may you always look out for one another, want the best for each other, and demonstrate love and support every step of the way. When you find yourself frustrated or angered by your sibling, may you search deeper and let your bond and love outshine the conflict. I will always be here to lend an ear, help you make amends, and guide you back into one another’s good graces. My little dynamic duo, together you will always be stronger, happier, and more alive when you are in it together.

The Magic of a Good Book

March 23, 2018Baby Bears & Little Bears, Happiness, Love, Things I love, UncategorizedLeave a Comment

From a very young age, I can remember how much I looked forward to bedtime stories with my mom. From fairytales to fictional fantasies and everything in between, my love for reading quickly developed. By the time I could read independently, I could often be found lost in a good book curled up somewhere in my bedroom.

Growing up, my mother modeled a love for reading. Her favorite place to read was in a comfortable swivel chair next to our large front window in the living room. The perfect nook haloed by natural light eventually turned into one of my favorite places for page turning fun too. Weekends, afternoons after school, and summers often involved bike rides to the neighborhood library where I eagerly checked out every Nancy Drew, Goosebumps, Babysitters Club, or Boxcar Children’s book I could get my hands on. Then I sped back to my house as fast as my little legs would carry me so that I could open my new book and let the reading adventure unfold.

In the course of my life, I can think of only a handful of times I was too busy for reading. My tenure in graduate school required a lot of reading, but I can honestly say it was rarely the kind of reading I would typify as pleasure reading. With the exception of graduate school, reading for pleasure has been one of my favorite leisure pursuits.

For the longest time, I loved reading paperback books. There truly is something so satisfying in the tactile parts of reading: running your hands across the smooth cover, opening the book and letting it rest between your hands or on its spine in your lap, and turning the pages over and over as you lose yourself in the riveting plot line. Additionally, I loved being able to share in the highs and lows of the storylines with my closest friends when I passed one of my favorites along to them.

Today though, more out of convenience than anything else, my page turning now requires finger swiping across my phone screen. The Kindle app on my iPhone and a subscription to Prime reading, guarantees that no matter where I am, a book is never more than a few finger taps away. If I find myself with idle time, I simply take my phone out and enjoy one of my favorite pastimes as I wait in line at the grocery store or in an airport waiting for my flight to board. It also makes reading at night with the lights off incredibly easy, which often leads to me staying up way past my bedtime. While I often miss the tangible aspects of reading an actual book or having the opportunity to share a book with a friend, I appreciate the ease and accessibility of reading on an electronic device.

The joy of reading is one of the most beautiful gifts my mother passed along to me. A love of reading is something I have passed along to classrooms full of students and now love that my own two children are following suit too. As this school year has progressed, it has been incredibly amazing to watch Liam grow academically. Decoding and applying his knowledge of sight words as he takes in words and signs all around him. I love seeing Atticus delight in turning the pages of his hard books or listening as Liam and I read aloud to him. I hope that they will both find happiness through the adventures they discover in the books they read. Perhaps renowned artist J.K. Rowling puts it best with, “I do believe something very magical can happen when you read a good book.”

Here’s to reading for pleasure in your favorite nook with a delightful cup of coffee and getting lost in the magic that unfolds with the turn of every page!

An Honest Look at Marriage

March 11, 2018Happiness, life partners, Love, Mama Bears, Marriage & Husbands, Papa Bear, Special People, UncategorizedLeave a Comment

Today marks our two year wedding anniversary. While there are a wealth of amazing memories that I could easily reflect on, today’s post will highlight the more real moments of marriage. For those of you in a long term relationship or marriage with your significant other, you know as well as I do that co-habitating and/or co-parenting with your partner is anything but a cake walk.

From the “I do’s” to the to-do’s, marriage is an ever-changing journey that challenges, tests, and illuminates our greatest strengths and weaknesses. After the mystique and beauty of the honeymoon, real life settles in and the less than ideal characteristics of our partners and ourselves, for that matter, start to show their true colors. Balancing a career, children, personal interests, and caring for a marriage, requires deliberate effort, calculated patience, and unconditional love.

Laundry, grocery shopping, yard work, general housekeeping, cooking, and all of the other components of managing a house can create tension if one partner feels like they are carrying more weight than the other. Our little people have big needs that require constant supervision and attention. Bills, unexpected expenses, and so many other details can cloud our perspective and keep us from taking in the beautiful moments that happen in the midst of all of this.

Marriage is difficult. It takes work that requires frequent introspection, a willingness to compromise, and a desire to honor your commitments to your partnership without exception. Through it all, we have to find ways to look beyond the hard times and reflect on the foundations that built our love story. Carry their love in your heart always. Cherish their help and honor them with gratitude and appreciation. Never stop believing in the person you promised your life too.

Today and every day is an opportunity to grow in love with your husband or wife. Let bygones be bygones and let true love shine through. Life is too short to let resentment take hold of our marriage. Each new day offers us a chance to reconnect, restore, and rebuild any foundational issues our marriage may be enduring. An open mind and an open heart are an integral part of a strong partnership. Live each day in love and let the little things go. In the end, they really aren’t worth our time.

Here’s to loving our other half with our whole hearts. Here’s to putting our best foot forward to be the best wife, mother, partner, and friend we can be. Here’s to saying, “yes,” even when we’d rather say, “no!” Here’s to loving deeply and forgiving often. Here’s to the beautifully chaotic love story that is marriage.

wedding day

Marriage is about becoming a team. You’re going to spend the rest of your life learning about each other, and every now and then, things blow up. But the beauty of marriage is that if you picked the right person and you both love each other, you’ll always figure out a way to get through it. – Nicholas Sparks

The Beauty in Imperfections

March 7, 2018Baby Bears & Little Bears, Counseling & Wellness, Family, Love, Mama Bears, Parenting, Special People, UncategorizedLeave a Comment

Parenting is an intricate tapestry tied together with delicate stitches of many varying colors. As parents, we are called to guide our children to be their best selves. This task is one we do not take lightly. It requires infinite amounts of patience, immeasurable amounts of love, and unwavering support every step of the way.

Even with all of these tools in our back pocket, sometimes our children will misstep. These moments will test our wills and make us question our parenting abilities. For mothers in particular, this can prove to be a deeply personal struggle. The internal monologue in our heads can ring loud and often make us feel like we’re somehow letting our children down by not serving as a better model along the way.

But just like us, our children are human. Like us, they make mistakes of varying degrees each and every day. For our children, the takeaway at the end of the misstep is the most important part of the journey. An integral part of their personal growth comes from recognizing and accepting the error they made. With acceptance, they can put their best foot forward to make a more positive choice when they find themselves in a similar situation. Children, however, are not always quick learners. Their innate curiosity may guide them to push boundaries and test limits to see if the outcome or consequence will change.

Through it all, our role as parents should never waiver. We are there to love, support, model, and guide our children every step of the way. When they fail, we pick them up, dust them off, sprinkle in words of wisdom, and send them back out into the world to do it all over again.

Remember, Mama Bears, parenthood is a calling that comes with immense power and infinitesimal amounts of responsibility. There is no manual to consult for the answers to our lingering questions about raising amazing children. We can only ever take it one-day-at-a-time. Love fiercely, support deeply, and accept our own faults as parents. We are not perfect parents so we cannot expect to have perfect children. And if we look closely enough we will recognize how much beauty truly lies in life’s imperfections!

Off the Radar

March 2, 2018Baby Bears & Little Bears, Family, Happiness, life partners, Love, Milestones, Opportunities, Running, Special People, Success, Uncategorized, WorkLeave a Comment

Since my last post, life has been a whirlwind of beautiful moments and amazing milestones. To catch everyone up to speed, I’d like to showcase some of the highlights that have had me flying high for the last two weeks.

9 MONTHS LATER

After nine long months of waiting, the State Board of Texas finally granted me licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor Intern. I can now start seeing clients under the supervision of Tiffany Priska, LPC-S. I am eager to expand my experience in private practice and look forward to learning the business side of private practice at Serenity Counseling of Cypress. As I continue my work as a school counselor at St. John XXIII College Preparatory, I will slowly start to build a list of clients until I’ve earned the 3,000 hours required by the state to drop the “I” and be fully licensed as a Licensed Professional Counselor. I know I have my work cut out for me, but I look forward to the opportunity to grow professionally.

STEPPING OUT FOR A GREAT CAUSE

Training alongside the high school boys I’ve been coaching for track has clearly paid off. I was grateful for an incredibly strong showing at the Steps for Students 5K, an annual race and fundraiser for Catholic schools in the Houston area. Race day conditions were humid and drizzly, but these conditions didn’t slow me down. I finished the race in 18:40, placing 5th overall and crossing the finish line as the first overall female. The silver lining to an already great morning was discovering a stack of 50 Chick-Fil-A gift cards in my swag bag for being the overall female. It looks like I’ll be enjoying a sandwich or 8 count nuggets on them for the next year!

100 DAYS OF AWESOME

Last Friday, Liam celebrated the 100th day of school with a number themed party in his classroom. All kindergarteners made their own shirts beforehand to showcase their creativity. Using his index finger and an assortment of acrylic paints, he created a colorful rainbow and his name with 100 personalized finger prints. He beamed with pride about getting to wear his shirt to school. The day included games, activities, and arts and crafts that all centered around the number 100.

Tomorrow he has his first field trip to the Oil Ranch. Tucking him in tonight, he told me how he wished it was already morning so that he could go on his trip. Clearly our little kindergartener is an eager beaver. This year it has been such a joy watching him grow academically and socially. I look forward to hearing all about his field trip adventure tomorrow after school.

VIVA LAS VEGAS

Last weekend, my parents drove up to watch the boys, so Sean and I could enjoy a long weekend in Las Vegas. Between the amazing food, shows, and people watching, there was never a dull moment.

The highlights of the trip include a relaxing stay at the Bellagio, an impromptu dinner at Hell’s Kitchen (a cancellation opened the door unexpectedly for us to get a table as walk ins), and amazing entertainment (Cirque de Soleil’s O, Aces of Comedy featuring Ray Romano & David Spade, and The Million Dollar Piano Man: Elton John).

A getaway with your spouse is always a wonderful way to reconnect. Vegas proved to be the perfect opportunity for just that!

ON THE MOVE

Today our Baby Bear celebrated his 16 months of life with a new milestone- walking. This sweet boy has been trying to embrace this feat for a few weeks now, but I can say with confidence and certainty that he is officially on the move now. This Mama Bear couldn’t be more proud seeing him walk across the floor towards me beaming with pride. He’ll be running alongside me before I know it!

I appreciate your patience and understanding about my temporary hiatus from blogging. I’m eager to share some new recipes and blog about other new adventures very soon. Until next time…

The Appreciation Room

February 20, 2018Faith, Family, Happiness, life partners, Love, Papa Bear, Uncategorized2 Comments

Lent offers many opportunities for introspection and self-reflection. Through the practice of fasting, prayer, or abstinence, one can certainly learn a lot about self-control, sacrifice, and personal growth. Every year, I find myself reflecting on an area of my life that needs the most growth. This year I decided to improve my role as a wife, partner, and friend to my husband. In the hustle and bustle of life as a working mother, I often have little time to cultivate and improve in my role as a spouse. To help me in this spiritual journey, I’ve implored the help of a book that integrates scripture and a daily reading that focuses in on a specific character trait to contemplate and practice.

I found today’s reading to be particularly insightful. It discussed how each of us has an Appreciation Room and a Depreciation Room for our spouse. The Appreciation Room holds all of the positive memories and qualities that make our spouse stand out. Contrarily, the Depreciation Room possesses all of the negative qualities that tarnish our view of our spouse. Naturally we benefit most from our time in the Appreciation Room- a place we feel loved, content, and happy. Allowing ourselves time in the Depreciation Room, on the other hand, can be hazardous to our marriage. If we allow ourselves to dwell, revisit, or marinate in this negative place, it becomes very difficult to see our spouse in a positive light.

Sometimes it’s a bad moment, a bad day, or a bad week with our spouse that draws us towards the Depreciation Room. We’ve all been here at one time or another. It’s easy to allow our anger to fester and grow into resentment if we let it. After all, negativity only creates more negativity. Today’s reading opened a floodgate of thoughts and emotions for me and really forced me to come to terms with my own thoughts and actions. Do I allow myself enough time in the Appreciation Room to recognize and appreciate the amazing man who picked me to be his partner in life? Have I taken him for granted more times than I’d like to admit?

In life there’s no time like the present, to reflect on the little things our spouses bring to the table every day to make us feel special and loved. In a two parent home, it works better when you have a partner who works with you and helps you find balance and demonstrates appreciation for your efforts. It is so very easy to get caught up in the petty things that can cause us to lose focus on who and what is most important in life.

We would all profoundly benefit from revisiting the Appreciation Room of our spouse with more frequency. Pausing in the doorway to reflect on their kind heart, genuine smile, and the amazing gift of having their hand to hold in this crazy, infinitely beautiful journey called life. Treasuring this goodness will pay you back in dividends over the long haul. We all know there will be days when marriage feels like a challenge, but putting our trust in the good will lead us away from the negative thoughts attached to these more trying times.

Ladies, we’re human. We misstep. We make mistakes. We don’t always let our best selves shine through. But every day offers us the unique opportunity to start each day with a grateful heart. Living it fully, loving the ones most precious in our lives with our whole hearts, and extending gratitude to our husbands for their support, friendship, and love. Make time to visit your Appreciation Room and let is help you guide your heart to a more positive place with your spouse. #thelovedare

Fat Tuesday

February 14, 2018Baby Bears & Little Bears, Dinner ideas, Family, Happiness, Holiday spirit, Love, Special People, UncategorizedLeave a Comment

Today commemorates Fat Tuesday, a day of indulgence before the somberness of Lent sets in tomorrow with Ash Wednesday. In our den, we’ve been celebrating Fat Tuesday for the last few years. Typically Liam and I enjoy a feast of sorts that includes take out, a lavish dessert, and a sprinkling of other junk food items throughout the day like glazed donuts, waffle fries, and something carbonated and sugary to wash it all down.

This year we kicked things off a few days early with a King’s Cake.Atticus, Liam, and I savored it’s subtle sweetness and gooey cinnamon. However Liam and I were disappointed that our cake didn’t include a plastic baby Jesus tucked away between the layers of pastry and icing.

Yesterday on the eve of Fat Tuesday as we sat around the dinner table, Liam looked at me with his bright blue eyes and a mischievous grin and said, “So Mom, since tomorrow is Fat Tuesday that means I can have cake for dinner and then pick a dessert too!” His wittiness practically brought me to tears I was laughing so hard as I imagined how a dinner that started with cake might end.

Last night I suggested Domino’s delivery to start off our Fat Tuesday because Liam lives for two things in life: pepperoni pizza and dessert. I figured this would be a must on our Fat Tuesday menu. So his response actually caught me by surprise. “Mom, we have pizza all the time. It’s not special enough for Fat Tuesday.” This kid was setting the bar high, and I worried I’d disappoint him if I didn’t deliver at least on the dessert side of things.

Fast forward almost twenty-four hours later, as track practice started to wind down I realized I needed to lock down our Fat Tuesday treat. My lightbulb, “aha” moment hit as I was exiting 290 en route to pick up the boys from daycare. A frozen yogurt cake from Orange Leaf! I walked into the store on a mission as I perused the delicate cakes adorned with fluffy whipped cream. My shining star was a birthday confetti round cake with rainbow sprinkles. Mama Bear for the win!

As we walked out of daycare towards the car, I told Liam I found the perfect treat for our Fat Tuesday dinner. I watched his eyes get as big as saucers and his lips turn up in a perfectly gigantic grin as I described the frozen yogurt cake that lay carefully tucked on the floorboard on the passenger side of the car.

After a long day at work topped off with track practice, I settled on leftovers, which I hoped wouldn’t be too disappointing for Liam. Thankfully we both enjoyed the coconut curry soup I’d prepared earlier in the week. As Liam and Atticus finished their meal, I paraded the cake across the kitchen and gently set it down in front of them. Their reaction was priceless- two boys all to eager to indulge in the frozen wonder that lay before them.

Dinner ended on a high note with lots of smiles, whipped cream mustaches, and a lot of baby requests for, “more, more, more!” The littlest things in life really can be incredibly powerful ways of connecting with the people you love most in life. Liam clearly touched by the simple gesture even made me a handmade Valentine before bed. My cup runneth over!