Today

I have been really struggling to be productive while being on vacation.  Nearly 4 weeks has gone by and I really feel I don't have much to "show" for it.  Yes, we've put a dent in our "summer list", but I don't feel like I've done too much here at home.

Today, I'm still up trying to accomplish a bathroom cleaning.  Not only the essentials, scrubbing tub, toilet, sink and counter.  But a cleaning of under the sink and counter top, specifically of junk.  You know, stuff that's just been collected.

For example, the dozen or so 1/2 used bottles of conditioner, shampoo and lotion you get from the hotels.  I don't know why I bring those home.  Dumped.  Stale lotions and deodorants.  I'm really picky about deodorants, I must have at least 5 used just once.  In the bag for Lita.  Dental floss.  Probably 10.  I do floss, but I guess not enough.

So you get the picture.  I'm dumping, collecting for Lita and cleaning it up.  Feels good.

Next up.  Collecting and organizing my jewelry.  Then, the closet. Dun dun dun.

I live the vida loca.

Drive In Movie. Check

Checking off another "to-do" on our Summer List, I took the kids to the Valley Drive-In.

We watched Sorcerer's Apprentice and Toy Story 3.

I took Rhea and Mateo and met the other Canas family.


(I feel asleep, so did Sofia, JH and Lilia.)

We had popcorn, candy and drinks (from home).

We had a blast.

Dry

Isn't she pretty.
I got her for my birthday.
She reminds me of my Tia Licha and Grandma Tita.
Washing dishes by hand and air drying.
Brings back good memories.
I like it.

Full House

I have been entertaining a niece and 2 nephews.  Ratio 1:7.  I can handle 7 kids.  For the most part they listen.  Really, they do.  We laugh.  We're silly.  We play cards.  I like having them here.

Last night we went to the pool.
 (you know how many loads of towels I've done this week, LOTS)
We ate pizza.
Lots of ice cream.
Played cards.
Summer fun.

Then they left (without Sofia and Lilia).  R&A are taking them to Kent Cornucopia Days.  I'm heading to Bellingham with my mom and the girls.

*********************

Here's our first Wednesday Craft Day project.  Painting $1 birdhouses.  Sofia's isn't shown.  She is a perfectionist.  What took the three of them 15 minutes will take her hours.  So she hasn't completed it.  I think I'll give them a coat of polyurethane and put them in the garden.  

And do you see how pretty clean my screen is?  I washed all the downstairs windows (12) and screens.  I can see!

Have a great day!!

45 things

I turned 44 on June 18.  An uneventful day.  Lilia had a doctor appointment and I met my padres for lunch at our favorite birthday place....Puerta Vallarta.

Another year older.  Getting close to another hump.

This past year, at times I've felt that I have no purpose.  Well, I know I'm a mom, that's a given.  I provide for my children.  Home, food, love.  But days, months, years, go by and the 24 hour routine does not change.

And I forget about me.  What I want.  What's important to me.  I have no resentment to my choices or my family.  But I'm working to be more purposeful in what I do.

So I'm trying a new approach.  The summer list.  And my list of 45 things I want to do before my 45th birthday.  I did get the idea from Meg.  Who also inspires me.

So here it is.  My list.  Don't laugh.  It's long.  I created in while in a staff meeting (shhh!)  Changed it up a bit.  But it's in ink now.  I'm happy with it.

And at nearly a month gone by, I need to get busy.  Because I don't think washing windows, window tracks and screens (today's project) was on my list :)

Night.

I'm back

It's been a while.

20 days to be exact.  Where did 20 days go?

It's been a busy summer thus far in the CK house.  I've been off for 8 days now, hard to believe.  They were filled mostly with Sun Lakes.  Then the 4th.  And really only 3 on "vacation" here at home.

I'm trying to be "purposeful" with my time off.  It's so easy for me to get in a bad routine of staying up late, sleeping in, piddling my day away.

I'm making lists and checking things off.

One thing, is to blog daily.  Share my "day".  So I'm working on that here.

Today I was up by 8am.  Not bad.  Putzed (not on my list) until Lilia woke up.  Then breakfast.   We left to swimming around 10am.  Back on the road at 11:15 and stopped at the NEW library for an hour.

Home, lunch and watched the tail end of a World Cup game (Go Spain!).

Then some laundry, yard work, go thru bills, paperwork.

Kids fill the garage -- my 4 plus 6 neighbor kids.  Popsicles shared.  Drinks.  Rice crispy treats.  Kid drama.

Baked cupcakes.  Dinner.  Clean-up.  Reading (20 minutes ... on a summer reading program through KCLS).  Water plants.

Wednesday Craft Project (samples to come)
Soccer practice.
Write out my "45 list" (future share).
Wow, it's 9:30.
Clean kitchen.
Fold laundry.
Kids teeth brushed and in bed.

Here I sit.
I've blogged today.
Check.

Another thing on my list.  Exercise and diet.  I was at 50% today.  Walked and sit-ups while kids were in swimming lessons.   It worked.

And a pic of Ms. Lilia about an hour ago.  She so wanted me to lie down with her tonight.  She fell asleep on my bed while I washed my face.  With her pillow-pet as her blanket.

Long day in the heat.  They all fell just as quick.

(see the cut on her chin.  she fell out of bed the other night and split her lip.  poor baby.)

Happy Birthday LiliLu

...it's really Lilia Marie.  Tia Favia calls her LiliLu, so do we.  And Lili Pad.  Can you believe it, she's 5!!  Five.  Cinco.  How'd that happen?  My baby is growing up.

She is so smart.  She counted down the days for the last week.  Told everyone yesterday, even the cashier at the pizza parlor, that it was her "birthday eve".  I think she gets that from her Soso, who talks, talks and talks.

I made her a special shirt for her special day.  It didn't turn out like I had hoped.  It looks okay from a distance, but close-up, it needs to be redone.  I used some cheap fabric flats (??).  Makes a difference.  I don't know if I'll redo it or not.  But she did look faboo!!

I left her this morning with Lita.  I felt bad.  But she knew once the kids came home from school (@ 11am) that she could open her presents.  She was patient.  But what ended up happening is that Lita had all the neighbor kids in the house and they blew out candles, ate cake AND opened presents.  I missed it!!!!

But she had fun, and she had Isaiah over, the love of her life and that's what matters.  The kids did save a couple presents for her to open at night.  Her pillow pet, chalk and Chutes and Ladders.  AND a Barbie bike!

She is happy.  I *think* I'll still do another birthday with her friends from school, but I need to get through Sun Lake planning first.

Sofia left to the birthday party of her best friend and here the rest of us sit.

Done with school.  It's 9:24 and no one is in bed.  There will be no one to PULL out of bed in the morning.  No lunches to make.

Schools out for SUMMER!!!!