WE ARE HERE

I hope you had a great Memorial Day! We had such a nice weekend, I know I'm a couple days late, but it seemed to have snuck up on us. Life is going at a faster pace right now, by the time we took time to make plans for the holiday weekend we were already in it! However we still had some nice family time and enjoyed the beautiful weekend. Speaking of sneaking up on me, this little darling of mine is just growing more and more everyday. Lucia is now a mobile little thing! We worked on crawling this weekend, with a little encouragement...

and with the instilled confidence and her personal group of cheerleaders she got moving....

In a blink of an eye we are here at this milestone. My fresh little tiny newborn is now a crawling, babbling, laughing girl. The days of a completely dependant baby are quickly fading and my little Lucia is emerging, her personality developing along with these new mobility skills. It makes me want to cry and cheer at the same time, but either way I'm trying to take in all these little moments...

Today's Reflection:

Lord, I am so grateful for these experiences. Thank you for the milestones reached. There are sometimes challenging days in parenting, but you have never left us alone in them and for every challenging day there is easily a dozen beautiful days around the corner and already experienced. Thank you, to you who created this little crawler of mine, who formed her masterfully with those little eyes I love, thank you!

"I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth."

-Psalm 34:1

SIMPLICITY OF A CHILD

It's amazing how free spirited kids can be! We are at that age where Henry dances when he hears music, sings to the top of his lungs in the middle of the store, cheers me on while I'm going 'potty' in a public restroom and karate chops any bad guys that come his way. I am convinced though, that the best place to experience the freedom of being a child is when they are at an outdoor festival.

This weekend, we went to the International Festival in our park and Henry and his cousins had a ball, they wrestled, danced, ran around and displayed their karate moves. They did it without reservation and I'm not even sure they noticed the hundreds of people sitting around them...

 

 I hope you have a great weekend friends! The kind of weekend that let's you kick up your legs like no one is watching! 

Today's Reflection:

If I could just keep that child like mindset, worry-free, the simplicity of life, the joy in everything. How much more then could I focus on the simplicity and beauty of God's love?

^"The people brought children to Jesus, hoping he might touch them. The disciples shooed them off. But Jesus was irate and let them know it: "Don't push these children away. Don't ever get between them and me. These children are at the very center of life in the kingdom. Mark this: Unless you accept God's kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you'll never get in." Then, gathering the children up in his arms, he laid his hands of blessing on them."
-Mark 10:13-16 (The Message)

SEGUNDA STYLE

I'll have to admit, these are becoming some of my favorite post. Not only because I enjoy the thrill of finding something I love at the segunda (thrift store) but because 'segunda' is easily becoming my answer for whenever anyone ask me, "where did you get that?" It's spring and I adore dresses, so today's find is a comfy little dress...

Let's face it, this dress does it's job, I'm not walking a catwalk, I'm walking in the park with my loves. I'm not running to a meeting, catching a train, I'm running after my little guy and catching him to get me some hugs...and I love me some Henry hugs!

Today's Reflection:

No matter what I do, how I look, what I wear, the goal remains the same. My heart strives after the same thing, my focus is on the woman I am becoming. I am not perfect, I will never be, but I will search God's word and try to become the woman he has created me to be. My worth is not measured by a bank account or price tag on my clothing.

"Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies. The heart of her husband safely trust her; so he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not evil all the days of her life"

-Proverbs 31:10-12

Welcome Friends linking up with 'The Anderson Crew' &...

WE MADE A DAY OF IT

I hope you haven't felt neglected. I thought about you often, and now dear friends I am back, grateful that you are too! The schedule has been filling up here at our house, which means summer must be nearly here! We had Steve's brother and family stay with us this weekend which was lots of fun. We had to drop them off at the San Francisco airport and instead of just a drop and go we decided to make a day of it...kid free!

With the thrill of the spur of the moment date in the city we decided to do something we've been wanting to do but couldn't easily do with the kids...we decided to visit Alcatraz! Unfortunately Alcatraz is not a spur of the moment trip and you must book in advance, so we did the next best thing...we just followed our feet...

First stop, Fisherman's Wharf for some much loved Clam Chowder in a fresh sour dough bread bowl...

mmmmmm carbs!

after that, a short walk to Pier 39 for some coffee and mini donuts (I'm hooked since my sis introduced me!)...

Then a hop onto the cable car in which Steve would not let me hang from the side (don't worry I got to on the ride back)...

Some light shopping in Union Square (I left my heart in American Apparel!)

and finally a stroll through China Town...

and home in time for dinner...thus making it a wonderful day date! BAM!

Today's Reflection:

What a blessing it was to just make a day of it. Sometimes Steve and I don't get the chance to make time for each other, who knew dropping family members off at the airport could result in such a great date. Sometimes you have to take whatever opportunity you get and make the best of it. Lord, thank you for every opportunity you give us.

"You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country."

-Deuteronomy 28:3

WE BOUGHT A BLUE RUG

So, we bought a blue rug. We needed a soft place on the ground for the kids to play and I'm not one to shy away from color..so we bought a bright blue rug. I thought it would be fun and make the room pop. Henry is apparently a fan of bright blue rugs (who knew?), he rolled around on that thing all morning, introducing all his toys to the new bright blue rug...

 

Lucia however, was not so much of a fan... 

Perhaps because it looked like we skinned a beloved Cookie Monster. I'm sure she was just worried about him getting cold, once I explained to her it was just a new rug she warmed up to it too...

However I could not get the thought of our beloved Cookie Monster out of my head sooo...

 

we took back a blue rug.

Today's Reflection:

Sometimes we just make mistakes. Could you imagine if we let those 'blue rugs' in our life stay? If everyday we were reminded of the poor choice we made and soon it was all we saw? The bright blue rug in the room. How many times have I dwelled on the mistakes that I've made, beat myself up over them and not let them go. Thankfully God, allows me to let go of these mistakes, he removes the 'bright blue rugs' out of my life.

"I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you.” 

Isaiah 44:22