Perfect Chaos

crazy little thing called LIFE

2012-01-17T22:33:00.000-06:00

I had every intention of hitting you guys with a super sized, jacked up on steroids, mother of catch-all, Ten on Tuesday post of enormous proportions. Christmas programs, Disney, every day fun, you name it! But then, this crazy little thing called LIFE got in the way.

My father fell late last night. This landed him in the hospital with a gash in his head and a fractured hip. If you happen to follow this blog then you may know about my father's health issues. They are many and they are serious. So this little accident,... Yeah, not so good!

I spent most of last night and all of today in the hospital with him and my mom. All of his doctors are consulting to make sure he is good to go for surgery. We're keeping our fingers crossed that it happens tomorrow. He is in a lot of pain! And he is feeling pretty down!

So, if you happen to remember, could you please say a little prayer for him? For his surgery, for his healing, for his recovery, for his spirit,...

I promise I will update you soon. But for now, I feel like I am where I need to be.

Thanks!

We are family...

2012-01-07T00:46:00.001-06:00

♩ ♬ I've got all my brothers and me! ♪ ♫

Well, really there's only two brothers. But hey, when we get together it feels (and sounds) like there's like twelve of us! Not to mention what happens when we gather with our respective families. We're many and we're loud and we're intense and oh, SO FUN!

My older brother and his family decided to surprise us with a visit from Florida. And surprise us they did! And even though we had the pleasure of getting together with them while we were in FL for our Disney trip (photos to come,... I promise!), it was wonderful getting to see them all again. We got to spend New Year's weekend together and it was absolutely glorious.

Here are a few shots of our few, but awesome, days together.

The boys (old and young) held a poker tournament:

The girls,... yeah, not so much!

We took the kids out for a cousins photo session.

It was SO much fun getting all these goofballs together.

I love being around them.

Their energy is contagious...

and exhausting.

But their love for each other... well, it's beautiful!

Would you believe that I didn't take a single picture during our New Year's Eve family celebration?

Not a single one!

It was THAT much fun just talking and eating and drinking and playing and counting down and being together and just living in the moment.

Thank you, guys, for taking the time, making the drive and coming to see us.

We love you!

And we're next!

There are fewer places I'd rather be than with my entire family.

I am so BLESSED!

My first Project 52 - {2012}

2012-01-04T08:49:00.004-06:00

I first read about Project 52 last year in the Handbags & Handguns blog. I was quite intrigued, but for some reason opted not to participate. I mean, the truth is I have a hard enough time sticking to a few "resolutions", so the thought of putting 52 goals down on paper made me a bit leery, to say the least. But then I started really looking into what people were including in their Project 52 lists, and I knew this year I had to do it!

Project 52 is about setting goals, not resolutions. It's about doing things to better myself and my family. It's about helping others. It's about remembering some of the little, and not so little, things I'd love to accomplish. It's about making 2012 the Best. Year. Yet!

So, here are 52 things (in no particular order) I hope to accomplish in the 52 weeks of 2012:
1. Pray more often
2. Cook healthier meals and eat more meals at home
3. Read the daily devotionals; my own and the kids'
4. Read 50 books (up from last year's goal of 45)
5. Create a photo gallery wall
6. Teach the kids Spanish
7. Go to a Redbirds game
8. Try a new recipe every week
9. Blog at least 3 times/week
10. Grow Liz Butler Photography
11. Start a prayer/gratitude journal
12. Lose 40 pounds by my 40th birthday (June)
13. Throw a winter spa party for Isabella and her little girlfriends
14. Drink more water and less Coke
15. Join a Hope Small Group
16. Have a garage sale
17. Go to at least 2 shows at The Orpheum
18. Call my friends more often
19. Get Sam off overnight pull-ups
20. Complete at least 4 Pinterest projects
21. Host a summer gathering at our house
22. Move more
23. Significantly improve my photography skills
24. Remodel our kitchen ~ paint, cabinets, backsplash
25. Have a weekly family fun night
26. Celebrate our 10th Anniversary (February)
27. Read the Bible in a year
28. Go on a beach family vacation
29. Do more crafts with the kids
30. Teach Isabella to ride her bike without training wheels
31. Go to one concert
32. Get a massage
33. Go the zoo at least 4 times this year
34. Declutter our house
35. Sign up for a 5K
36. Go on Hope's Belize Mission trip this summer
37. Create 1-2 scrapbook layouts each month
38. Paint our master bedroom
39. Volunteer at a shelter/soup kitchen with the kids
40. Take a monthly family photo (four people twelve times - like the amazing Tara W.)
41. Go camping with the kids
42. Improve my Photoshop skills
43. Organize my office/craft area
44. Clean out our garage
45. Teach Isabella how to tie her shoelaces
46. Celebrate mine and Scott's 40th BDays
47. Block out some "me time" on my calendar on a regular basis
48. Gut and remodel our master bathroom
49. Go to at least one show at The Playhouse
50. Landscape the front yard
51. Have a picnic at the Botanic Gardens
52. Take down upstairs bath wallpaper and paint

And I think that about does it!
LOL

I'll be posting progress updates on the blog throughout the year.
If you think this might be something you'd like to do as well, please let me know.
I will gladly support any and all of you in this fun journey!

I am really excited about this new year.
The possibilities make me absolutely giddy.
I am starting to say no to some things, so that I can focus on others.
And the truth is I have a few very specific things I definitely want to focus on.

Here's to a brand new year and a fresh new start!

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T09:00:00.001-06:00

source

Wishing you a 2012 filled with lots of

health, love, prosperity and happiness!

There are a few of my favorite things...

2011-12-28T19:49:00.001-06:00

Is it just me, or did Christmas 2011 come and go entirely too quickly? I don't know if it was that our new business endeavor kept me quite busy right up until Christmas, or that we took what turned out to be an awesome family vacation at the beginning of the month, but I honestly feel like I missed so much of what I love about the Christmas season. And as 2012 rears it's head around the corner, I would be remiss not to mention a few of my favorite Christmas memories.

Christmas Eve Service at Hope Church:

Austin Carroll singing Let There Be Light ~ Amazing!

My family singing Silent Night by candlelight ~ Beautiful!

Every year I wonder how in the world Hope's going to be able to top last year's Christmas Eve service, and somehow every year they mange to do so. I love God. I love Jesus. And I love Hope Presbyterian Church. If you do not happen to have a home church, I urge to give them a visit. You won't regret it!

Christmas Eve Dinner with the Family:

After Christmas Eve Service, we always host dinner at our house. We always have yummy Puerto Rican food. And good wine. We talk and eat and laugh, a lot! And I love every second of it!

Christmas Eve PJs:

This is one of my favorite traditions. Every Christmas Eve the kids open a box which contains matching PJs and a book or a movie about the true meaning of Christmas.

This year I got them "The Little Drummer Boy" Veggie Tales movie, which we all watched right before bed time.

The Christmas Tree and Presents:

I love looking at our Christmas tree. Love it! But to me it looks especially happy on Christmas morning when it's loaded with colorful presents.

Their Joyful Faces:

I can't lie, these faces make my heart burst with joy!

Seeing Them Open the Perfect Gift:

After days of agonizing for days over what to get him, it finally hit me like a ton of bricks. I got him a metalsmithing class offered by the same art school Isabella attends. A class he's been talking about wanting to take for the last couple of years. A class I knew he would not sign up for on his own. It was a HUGE surprise!

As I was walking through LifeWay, I came across this canvas. If this doesn't describe my Mother's role as a Grandmother to a tee, I don't know what does. She is an amazing example of love, patience, guidance and grace. I aspire to be just like her when I have grandchildren of my own.

Watching Them Play:

Both kids got a musical instrument this Christmas. Sam got a drum set (Heaven help us!), and Isabella got a guitar. Together they make what we'll refer to as "joyful sounds".

And then this one decided to join the band, and things got, um, interesting?

The #1 gift this year, per the kids, were the Nintendo DS we got them. We decided to give them to the kids right before our Disney trip (which I promise to blog about before 2012, no pressure!), so that they could play with them during our road trip. Santa brought more games, so they were quite the hot item on Christmas morning.

And there you have it,... our Christmas in a nut shell!

No, we didn't have time to make our annual gingerbread house. And no, we didn't fill our Advent calendar with fun activities. And no, we didn't go to Alpine Village. But we had a wonderful Christmas, staying focused on the true reason for the season.

I hope your Christmas was merry and bright and joyful and fun and magical and everything else Christmas is supposed to be!

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T09:00:00.002-06:00

"And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace and goodwill towards men." Luke 2: 8-14

From our house to yours,

Merry Christmas!

She Glows!

2011-11-20T10:00:00.005-06:00

Throughout my life I've seen a lot of pregnant women.
And I've known a lot of pregnant women.
And I myself have been pregnant a number of times.
But I have never, ever, met a happier pregnant woman than Anita.
She literally glows!

Anita and I go back quite a few years.
Before she became a Mama, she worked with my husband and that's how we met.
And am I ever so glad we did.
She ROCKS!

So imagine how thrilled I was when she asked me for a maternity session.
Hmmm, let me think about that... YEAH!

I had the best time with her and her beautiful family!

Her little boy is such a cutie!

And the best part is, in a few short weeks I get to photograph her beautiful newborn baby girl!
I can't wait to meet Baby L!

Thanks Anita, for being so totally awesome!

Ten on Thursday

2011-11-17T21:13:00.000-06:00

Being that it's been oh, I don't know, almost a month since my last blog post, I thought I'd update you on all the fun happenings at Casa de Butler with a Ten on Thursday-type post. So, here we go...

1. I have been very busy lately with client meetings and photo sessions and editing and all the other fun that comes along with being a photographer and owning my own business. (I'm still getting used to that!) I'm so blessed! I'll be sharing some images from some of my recent sessions here on the blog soon. Stay tuned!

2. I know this is SO last month, but I have to share some of our Halloween photos from this year. It was SUPER, to say the least. This year we had "Gooperman" (aka Superman) complete with muscles and super saggy pants and boots.

This super hero was oozing some serious attitude!

But out of all of his super powers, I'm pretty sure his super cuteness is the one that'll get the crimes solved.

And then we've got his sidekick, the adorable bedazzled Super Girl!

This super diva can fight fashion crimes like no other.

And she too can solve any mystery with her super cuteness.

The kids had a great time trick or treating this year. I love that we go out early, we come back early, hand out some candy and call it a night by 8:00pm. And by 8:45ish Scott and I are sitting on the couch watching TV and eating some yummy candy, compliments of the kiddos ;)

3. A couple weekends ago Scott and I got a chance to get away for a few days. My mom and dad kept the kids (I'm pretty sure I have the best parents in the whole world!) and Scott and I went off to Las Vegas. It was a much needed break, which did wonders for both of us. I've got one word for you: Serendipity. YUM! I'll share some stories and post some pictures of our little getaway soon.

4. After much consideration, I declared yesterday a pajama day. Yes, I had a number of places I should have gone to and a number of things I should have done, but I opted to play hookie and stay home with my baby boy in our PJs ALL. DAY. LONG! We watched TV, played hide and seek, played tic-tac-toe, played chess and spent most of the day just hanging out. Together. It was glorious!

5. The countdown is currently at T minus 15 days until we pack up the family and spend a week in the most magical place on Earth. EEK!!!

6. It's hard to believe that Thanksgiving is a week from today. I am so looking forward to it, especially since it'll be the first time in forever that we won't be hosting it at our place. It's all about being grateful for the little things, people!

7. I'm planning on starting the Christmas decorating extravaganza this weekend. This is most definitely my favorite time of year!

8. Yesterday, on the way home, Sam was singing a song he'll be performing at his preschool's Christmas program. I asked him what the song was about, to which he replied: "It's a song about how much God woves us and how He sent us His gun. You know God has a gun, wight?" Yeah,... Gun = Son. I SO LOVE THIS BOY!!!

9. I had a great meeting with some clients this morning. Afterward, I ran some errands, made some phone calls and had lunch at my parent's place. (Have I told you I have the BEST parents?) Since I had such a productive morning, I came home looking forward to spending some time on the couch, reading, until it was time to go pick up the kids. I had so not anticipated walking in and finding the huge stinky mess I found in Rocky's crate. So, instead of the relaxing 90 minutes I had envisioned, I spent the time hosing down the crate, cleaning the floor and "washing" Rocky. Ugh!

10. After a couple of months without really reading, I've made it a point to make the time to read again. And this makes me so happy!

A visit to the pumpkin patch

2011-10-20T07:30:00.003-05:00

Like I mentioned in my previous post, we took our annual pumpkin patch road trip down to Cedar Hill Farms a couple of weekends ago.

I think this is our third visit to Cedar Hill Farms, and we absolutely love it!

There is SO much for the kids to do.

As soon as we got there, in true Isabella fashion, she took her time and

was rather methodical in picking the perfect little pumpkin.

Sam on the other hand, decided his time was better spent climbing as high as he could.

From there, we moved on to face painting.

I gave you a little taste of what that looked like.

BTW, if anyone is in the market for a face painter you may want to consider using Ms. Pickles. We hired her for Sam's first birthday party and for Isabella's Carnival birthday. She is super nice, talented, affordable, and a HUGE hit with the kids. We would definitely use her again! So call or e-mail me if you'd like her contact info.

I just had to share this one with you guys since it totally cracks me up!

The pony rides are one of the highlights of the visit for the kids.

They actually rode them three times!

Isabella is an old pro when it comes to the pony rides.

But this was the first year Sam rode them all by himself.

And apparently I neglected to take a photo of it.

Oops!

He is such a big boy!

Taking a hay ride out to the pumpkin patch ~~wreaked some serious havoc on my sinuses~~ was super fun! The kids love all the open spaces they have to run wild in, and Scott and I love watching them ~~exhaust~~ enjoy themselves.

Again, Isabella took her time examining all the pumpkins at the patch

and making sure she was picking the "perfect" one.

Sam literally picked up the first one he came across and called it a day.

And he was oh SO proud!

In addition to all of this we fed the farm animals, watched the pigs race, the kids played in the maze and a couple of the playgrounds, we ate some yummy fudge, and we stocked up on pumpkins and gourds.

I think I speak for both Scott and I when I say that our annual visit to Cedar Hill Farms has definitely turned into one of our favorite Fall traditions!

You can read about some of our previous visits here and here.

Ten on Tuesday

2011-10-18T21:00:00.001-05:00

1. OK, I don't have a lot of time, so I have to make this short and sweet.

2. I have fallen off the reading wagon something awful. It appears I've been working on the book I'm currently reading for a month. And I'm not even half way through it... that is so sad. Pathetic, really!

3. I miss reading!

4. The entire family is counting down the days until our Disney trip. As of today, it is exactly 46 days!!! Eeekkk!!!

5. I wish the city schools had the same amount of fall break as the county schools. Seriously, who is the idiot that decides all of this?

6. Back in August, during "Meet the Teacher" night, I signed up to volunteer for just about everything in Isabella's class. Well, everything except for being a room mom. You all know how I feel about that!

7. Guess who was assigned to being the room parent for Isabella's class! How the heck does that happen?! I wasn't even asked!! Yeah,... let's just say I'm not exactly giddy with excitement over this one!

8. My blogging to-do list is bursting at the seams with tons of fun stuff I'm dying to share with you.

9. One of the blog posts I've been trying to put together for some time now is the one about our visit to the pumpkin patch. So. Much. Fun! Stay tuned for that one, it's coming soon.

10. Is anybody out there watching the show Parenthood? Oh my goodness... it is seriously the Best. Show. EVER! And it's starting right about now, so I gotsta go! Until next time.

Oh and yes, since I don't like words-only posts, here's a sneak peek from our pumpkin patch visit:

Sam, the pirate, with Isabella, the neon tiger.

Wordless Wednesday - My Girl...

2011-10-12T08:20:00.000-05:00

...takes my breath away!

A hairy situation

2011-10-11T08:30:00.003-05:00

Last Thursday, as I'm brushing his hair before school, Sam informs me that he wants to wear his hair ALL crazy.

Ummm,... OK!

A little gel and a whole lot of hair spray later, we ended up with the return of the faux-hawk!

Well, not one to leave well enough alone, the next day he decides he wants even crazier hair.

OK!

A whole lot of gel and a whole lot of hair spray later, we ended up with Mr. Spikes!

Step aside, Zoolander,... this boy can work these crazy do's like it's no one's business, lemme tell ya!

And if this is the only way this boy will willingly step in front of the camera for me, then I will gladly go and buy industrial size bottles of both gel and hairspray ;-)

I Love Hearty Laughter ~ Memphis Family Photographer

2011-10-10T08:30:00.001-05:00

Remember I mentioned a couple of days ago that I recently had a really fun session with my brother and his family? Well, fun doesn't even begin to describe it. I realized it would be a fun one from the time they called to book it. You see, my brother's sense of humor is pretty much out of this world, so I knew I was in for quite a treat. But what I didn't expect was the amount of hearty belly laughs heard throughout our time together. Lucky for me, I was able to actually capture some of those for them:

My nephew totally cracks me up in these pictures!

I promise it wasn't all fun and games.

I was also able to capture them in all of their awesome glory!

Thank you guys for the laughs and for the opportunity to capture your beautiful family, just as you are!

For more images from this session, check out Liz Butler Photography on Facebook.

I can explain....

2011-10-07T08:25:00.002-05:00

I could sit here and wallow in self pity over the fact that I have severely neglected my poor little blog.

Or, I could sit here and sheepishly give you 1001 ~~excuses~~ reasons as to why I've been MIA for over a month.

Or, I could sit here and grovel for forgiveness for the lack of posting and humbly thank you for still sticking with me, even when it appears I've vanished for ever.

But since I've already done all of that before, today I won't!

Instead, I will gladly tell you why I've severely neglected my poor little blog and why I've been MIA for over a month, and I will humbly thank you for sticking with me, even when it appears I've vanished for ever!

You see, after years of dreaming about starting my own business and thinking about the pros and cons of being "self-employed" and debating whether or not I am ~~capable~~ ~~good enough~~ meant to embark in this new adventure, Scott and I finally decided it is time (well, with a little push from a friend).

We have taken a HUGE leap of faith, and decided to take the bull by the horns and just do it!

Ladies and gentlemen, it is with great delight we introduce to you:

I am now an on location, natural light photographer, serving Memphis, TN and surrounding areas.

EEEKKKK!

Can you believe it?

I can hardly stand it!

I've had the honor of mentoring under one of the best photographers in Memphis, Marci Lambert. If the name sounds familiar, it's because she has photographed our family on many occasions and I never tire of singing her praises. She is not only an amazing photographer, but a wonderful human being as well! And I am eternally indebted to her for believing in me and for all of the guidance and assistance she's given me over the last year. I can honestly say this new venture would not be possible without her! Thanks, Marci! You so totally ROCK!!!

So,... I'll leave you with this here image of my beautiful sister in law, Maria, joyfully celebrating the conception of Liz Butler Photography.

Isn't she adorable?!

Stay tuned for a few more photos from the fun session I had with my brother and his beautiful family last weekend,... and for information on some of the great specials I am running!

"Quasi" Wordless Wednesday - New Friend

2011-09-07T08:45:00.001-05:00

Sam made a new friend a few days ago.

They bonded, hard and fast!

Until Sam dropped him... four times!

Oops!

At which time I suggested to Sam maybe it was time for our new friend to go to the hospital
to get checked out... and you know, to live.

And to mingle with his peeps.

Ten on Tuesday ~ I'm back!

2011-09-06T18:20:00.001-05:00

1. I know, I know... many of you are probably thinking that this has turned into a "Ten on Tuesday" blog. Trust me, I get it! But rest assured that now that the school year is officially in full swing with both kids back in school, and we are back to our "old" routine, I have more time and quite a few blog posts that I'm dying to share with you in the next couple of days. With lots and lots of pictures.

2. Isabella lost her second tooth last week. There was some serious celebrating in this home,... that tooth has been loose for months. And of course, the tooth fairy made a pit stop and left her a little something.

3. Last week my Mom went into the hospital for what was supposed to be a routine 30 minute exploratory procedure. Well, that quickly turned into an overnight stay when they found 80% blockage on the front artery of her heart and immediately inserted a stent. Thank you all for your prayers and kind words. Fortunately, she has recovered beautifully and is right back to her amazing self.

4. Sam is really enjoying school so far. I was concerned since he kept flipping back and forth between dying to go back to school and dying because of having to go back to school. Luckily, he really likes his new teachers and he loves playing with a lot of his old friends. All is well in Sam's World!

5. Isabella had three different sleep overs this past weekend. THREE! On Friday night she spent the night at a friend's place, on Saturday night we had a friend spend the night here, and on Sunday night my parents took both kids (and their cousins) to spend the night at their place. Needless to say, yesterday Isabella was WAY overstimulated, overextended, and oh SO grumpy. Guess who won't be doing that again! Ever!

6. I'd like to do a shout out to my dear friend Celimar... today is her birthday! She lives in Italy (jealous much? I know I am!), and I've only been asking her for, like, EVER to start a blog so I can live vicariously through her. Anyway, Happy Birthday, Beautiful! I hope you hanno un grande giorno!!! ;-)

7. I'm thinking of resurrecting the ol' OPAM (One Project a Month). We have a few home projects in the horizon and this would be the perfect way to share them with you.

8. I'll be making Kraft's Cheesy Chicken & Salsa Skillet recipe for dinner some time this week. You can find the recipe here. Seems fast, easy, healthy and yummy. I'll let you know how it turns out.

9. Have you seen the movie Tangled? If you haven't, you must. It is adorable! If you have, you know the song they sing when they're in the tavern, I've Got A Dream? (BTW, you can watch it here.) Well, I have a dream,... and this week I'm finally getting off my bootay and taking some critical steps towards making that dream a reality. EEK!!! I am so excited! Can't wait to share all the fun details with you once things start falling into place.

10. And since every post needs at least one photo, here it is:

I can't help but think of "Oh, the places you'll go!" when I look at my sweet boy in this one.

Ten on Tuesday

2011-08-16T11:50:00.007-05:00

(1) I feel like I've seriously neglected the ol' blog lately. I'm also WAY behind on reading and commenting on blogs. But I'm sure that as things start to settle around here, and our back to school routine is re-established, my time (and desire) for blogging will return. At least I hope it does. I miss my bloggie peeps!

(2) We didn't really do as many things on our Summer Fun List as we would have liked this year. Don't get me wrong, we certainly made a pretty dent. But in all honesty, when I think back to our summer, this is all that I seem to remember:

It seems like we spent most of the summer either taking swim lessons at the Y or swimming at my Mom's.

(3) Still on the list, and soon to come, a HUGE garage sale along with the kids' lemonade stand. My friend Tracey printed out a nice big banner for them to use on their lemonade stand. It is adorable and they can hardly stand it!

(4) I've got some really fun home improvement projects I am absolutely thrilled about, and lots of indoor painting that will soon take place. Stay tuned!

(5) Isabella survived her first week and is really enjoying being a first grader so far. We get to meet with her teacher tonight, and we're definitely looking forward to it.

(6) Sam has two more weeks before he starts his 3YO Pre-School. I'm ready! Him... not so much anymore! He's working overtime on his case for staying at Tata's all day, every day. How quickly things change! Poor baby...

(7) Scott has been lusting after a Dyson vacuum for years. No joke. However, I couldn't justify buying one while we had a perfectly good Hoover in the house. I mean, have you seen the price tag on those rug suckers? YIKES! Anyway, Scott decided to vacuum the house this weekend. Yeah, I'm not one to discourage anyone from such behavior! Amazingly, an item of clothing got misteryously sucked in and pretty much burnt the heck out of our perfectly good Hoover vaccum.

(8) Guess who is the proud owner of a brand new Dyson!

Yeah!

Coincidence?

I think not!

(9) The Help

Loved the book!

LOVED the movie!

Did you read the book? Have you seen the movie?
The casting, the sets, the wardrobe, the acting... It is AMAZING!
Seriously, go see it!
That's all I'm gonna say about that!

(10) Sam was being his silly self yesterday. So, I decided to pick up my camera and snap some pictures. This is my favorite one:

Technically, it's all wrong. But he's not making silly faces. He's laughing. Like, really laughing. And he's such an adorable and lovable and awesome child. And all that comes through in this picture. And that is exactly why I love it so much!

Have a great day!

Ten on Tuesday

2011-08-09T23:55:00.007-05:00

1. I spent last weekend in Nashville. With some girlfriends. For a CKC scrapbooking convention. We stayed at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel. Took some layout classes. Did lots of shopping. Ate at the Cheesecake Factory. I'm not gonna lie, it was HEAVEN!!!

2. In fact, I enjoyed the convention so much that it apparently reignited my desire to scrapbook for us again. Here lately all I ever work on are my classes, but suddenly I've got an itch to get to scrapping. And well, that just hasn't happened in forever!

3. It's official... we are now the parents of a first grader. Eeek!!!

4. Even though none of her former classmates are in her first grade class (not a single one! how does that happen?), Isabella has had a wonderful couple of days so far. She says her teacher, Mrs. Franklin, is very nice and she's already made lots of friends. She's very happy, which of course translates into me being very happy!

5. My neighbor and I are now carpooling. She takes them in the morning. I pick them up in the afternoon. I love it!

6. OK, so I am now hooked on Words with Friends. HOOKED! Have you played it? You must. If you decide to check it out, be sure to play with me. Just search for user name "liztbutler". All I'm gonna say is that with my addictive personality, it's a really good thing I don't enjoy gambling.

7. As I mentioned earlier, my neighbor took the girls to school this morning, so Sam and I got to hang out today. All day. Today was the first time in a LONG time that I didn't have anywhere to be. (Notice I didn't say I didn't have anything to do. I just chose not to do anything.) So I made sure it was a very mellow day. We sat on the couch and watched episode after episode of Justice League. I read some of my book. We had lunch. We took a nap. We went to pick up the girls. Apparently my body was begging for some downtime, because it felt really good to just chill.

8. What I neglected to realize, until about 5:30pm, was that I had an eye appointment scheduled for today at 11:00am. Oops, it appears I did have somewhere I needed to be after all! Guess I'll be calling tomorrow to reschedule.

9. I'm not certain of what Sam's MDO start date is, but he is definitely ready! He can't wait to meet his new teachers and reunite with his little friends.

10. My brother is healing and feeling better and standing strong in his faith. Often times it's hard to see the good in life's speed bumps, but they are definitely there. And I am ever so grateful for him and his faith journey thus far!

Wordless Wednesday - Beautiful!

2011-08-03T08:30:00.000-05:00

Now we're talking... "SAM" language, that is!

2011-08-02T08:47:00.001-05:00

Once upon a time I was a very worried mom of an adorable toddler boy

who would smile ALL day long, but would not speak.

I remember just waiting and waiting for the words to come...

Wondering if they ever would.

Well, they did!

Our little boy is a talking machine these days.

He talks NONSTOP!

All day!

Every day!

I am no linguist, but I do have a passion for words. And I love how much his vocabulary has evolved within this last year or so.

The problem is that often times people don't necessarily understand what he is saying. And to be totally honest, I've had times when I've had to ask Isabella, who happens to be extremely fluent in "SAM" language, what it is he is saying. And I love how she looks at him, asks him to repeat what he is trying to say, and then turns around and without missing a beat, translates his words for all of us to understand. But I do have some favorites that I do understand. And I just happen to find them SO incredibly adorable (or funny), that they are worthy of documenting.

So here's what I'll do: I will give you his word, our word and I will use it in a sentence for the purpose of demonstration.

Ready? OK, here we go:

* GAY!, which really means YAY! As in:
Sam: "Mom, can I play outside?"
Me: "That's fine!"
Sam: "GAY!!!"
or, used while in the check-out lane:
Sam: "Mom, can you buy me some bubble gum?"
Me: "Sure, Honey!"
Sam: "GAY!!!"

*GOOSE, which really means JUICE. As in:
Sam: "I looooovvvvveeeee GOOSE!"
Which he really really REALLY does, and has been limited to one cup a day by his pediatrician, which drives Sam crazy and has turned him into the world's best negotiator.

*GUESS, which really means YES. As in:
Me: "Sam, would you like some juice?"
Sam: "GUEEEESSSSS!"
The first time he responded with "GUESS!", I looked at him, blinked twice and said "Yes?,... No?"
Which prompted him to look at me, blink twice and say "I said GUESS!"
It was all very confusing there for a minute.

* GAU, which really means WATER, and DOISTY, which really means THIRSTY. As in:
Sam: "Mom, I need some GOOSE, I'm DOISTY!"
Me: "No juice, Sam. You've head enough. But you can have some water."
Sam: "Fine, I'll have some GAU."

*ISABELLA's name has gone through an array of changes throughout the last couple years:
It all started with BA. As in: "Stop it, BA!"
Then it morphed to BEA. As in: "Stop it, BEA!"
Then came my all time favorite, BEATCH. As in: "Stop it, BEATCH!"
I won't lie, Scott and I just about died laughing every time we heard him say this. Yes, we're worse than a couple of 12 year old kids! And don't even get me started on the looks I got any time we were in public and he let out one of his very loud "Stop it, BEATCH!" I can't help but giggle as I type this... 12, I know!
Which leads us to the most recent one, ISABEWA. As in: "Stop it, ISABEWA!"
Can you say adorable?

*KEEKEE, which really means CHRISTIE, our neighbor's name. As in:
Sam: "Hi KEEKEE! Look at me wide my bike!"

And finally, one of my favorites...
* TCBOY, which really means TCBY. As in:
Sam: "Mom, can we have TCBOY for dessoit? Pleeeaaassseee?"

So there you have it... your very own personal "SAM" language cheat sheet.

Which I guarantee, will come in quite handy next time you sit down to have a conversation with him.

Random

2011-07-31T21:39:00.003-05:00

First of all, I'd like to thank every single one of you who have called, e-mailed, texted or Facebooked me about my brother. He is scratched up and sore in more places than he cares to mention, and his nose is broken in a number of places, but thankfully he is at home and he is recovering. (If you're my Facebook friend, you can see his picture in my profile.) His memory has started coming back in bits and pieces. One thing he is sure of is that it was indeed a hit and run... some irresponsible and inconsiderate soul hit him with his/her car while he was riding his bicycle, and just left him there. Seriously, what is is this world coming to?

**********

I have been working hard trying to get as much of my inventory in the system for the consignment sale this coming weekend. Unfortunately, I still have quite a ways to go, and the deadline is tomorrow at 11:59pm. Yeah, no pressure!

**********

I managed to get all of Isabella's back to school shopping done yesterday in about an hour and a half. It is nice that Isabella (a) wears a uniform to school every day. I honestly LOVE that! and (b) is about as low maintenance as it gets when it comes to shopping. She picked the backpack and lunch box that she really wanted and from there on she was fine with everything else I showed her. Major WIN!

**********

As you can imagine, having art as your birthday party theme undoubtedly translates to a bunch of arts and crafts-type presents. One of such presents came from our dear friends and neighbors, Christie and Madison. It's Magic Fabric. Have you heard of it? I can honestly tell you I had no idea what it was all about out until we opened it up and started playing with it. Isabella, Tata and I had the best time putting all the pieces together to create these fun little animals. So much fun!

**********

In case you noticed Isabella in her PJ's in the above photo, the kids declared last Friday Pajama Day.

It was on our Summer Fun List.

It was glorious!

**********

My dear friend Rachel is expecting her third child.

She has two adorable boys.

Their new blessing is a GIRL!

I am SO excited for them!
If you know happen to know Rach, be sure stop by to ~~warn~~ congratulate her!

**********

My husband and I need a date.

DESPERATELY!

Ten on Tuesday...on Thursday

2011-07-28T14:20:00.001-05:00

(1) Isabella got a surprise mani/pedi at Sweet and Sassy for her birthday. This girl is just like her Mama in the pampering department... she just can't get enough. Needless to say, she was in HEAVEN!

(2) The summer art program Isabella attended at the beginning of the summer is having their art showcase reception this coming Sunday. Unfortunately, we'll be helping a friend celebrate turning 6, and we won't be able to make it. So we decided to go and check it out last Sunday instead. It was amazing walking into the lobby and SO fun looking at all the colorful artwork.

(3) The class Isabella took was called Sculpture Safari and she made the following two projects:

An elephant:

A cheetah in its habitat:

We are so proud of our little sculptor!

(4) I came across this recipe on Pinterest recently. Are any of you as hooked on Pinterest as I am? Oh. My. Goodness! Talk about an overload of fabulous ideas. It is awesome!!! Anyway, I made it for dinner last week. It was delicious!

(5) Our boy is desperately fighting naps these days. Claims that he's not tired and doesn't need one. The result, more often than not, is that he totally crashes at about 5:00pm. Anywhere and everywhere! And it is nearly impossible to wake him up without him throwing the MOTHER of all tantrums. Yeah, this is NOT working for me. So we're going to have to reconsider the whole skipping the nap thing... like, PRONTO!

(6) Isabella had her cousin and our neighbor over for a sleepover on Tuesday night. Sam was almost as excited as Isabella was to have the girls over. The evening consisted of pizza for dinner, donuts, dance battles on the Kinect, lots of running and giggling, makeovers, a movie and popcorn. It was lights out at 11:00 pm. Scott and I were exhausted!

(7) I don't know if it's just us, but my kids will watch a movie and pick that same movie to watch over and over and over for days... It gets to where I can recite them in their entirety. Yeah, I'm not kidding. Anyway, the movie the girls picked for the sleepover was Ramona and Beezus. And in true Butler children fashion, we've been watching it over and over and over ever since. But can I just say, I absolutely loved it. It is sweet and imaginative and funny and perfect for our 6 year old and her Mama to sit and enjoy together.

(8) I can't believe that school starts in a little over a week. I am SO not ready. Like, at all! I foresee some serious back to school shopping in the very near future,... quite possibly tomorrow?!

(9) And speaking of being behind, I'm participating in a consignment sale in a couple of weekends, and I still have not gone through the dozens of bins of kids' clothes, or entered them into the system or prepped them. Yeah,...

(10) I get to spend my evening with the very talented Marci Lambert at a photography seminar, and I am SO looking forward to it!

An Arsty Fartsy Affair

2011-07-26T08:30:00.000-05:00

So, as many of you know, I live for planning my kids' birthday parties.

I spend months thinking/planning/shopping/preparing...

OBSESSING, really!

And I love every single second of it.

This year, for her 6th birthday, Isabella asked for an art-themed party.

In our family ART=FUN!

So I wasted no time and quickly got to work researching ideas and projects.

I finally settled on a party at home (crazy, right?) with five different art stations:

Marble Art, Art Studio, Scratch Art, Bubble Art and Freestyle Art.

The invitations were sent, RSVPs received and the fun began!

Upon arrival, everyone walked in through our huge frame (you can kind of see it behind the kids).

It was kind of like walking into a painting.

Immediately to the right was the laundry line with all of the kids' personalized aprons.

I got the aprons at the dollar store.

Pink and purple for the girls, orange and green for the boys.

My Mom and I paid Jo Ann's a visit to buy a variety of fabric.

I cut out the circles and the letters, and she got to work sewing them on.

I love how they turned out.

They were a HUGE hit with the kids (and the parents).

Here is the birthday girl with most of her guests:

I just love how they all look with their little aprons!

Right after this photo was taken, we counted down and off they ran to get their art on!

Marble Art:

I bought two big containers of oatmeal and covered them with paper.

Filled the divided tray with 7 different paint colors.

Dropped the marbles in the paint.

Placed a sheet of white construction paper inside the containers.

The kids used the spoons to scoop the marbles inside the container.

Secure the lid.

And shake it to your little heart's desire.

Open container, remove paper and you have marble art!

Needless to say, marble art was a VERY popular station.

The Art Studio:

I purchased three tabletop easels, lots of 8x10 canvases, a bunch of brushes, paint trays, and paint in every color available.

The kids enjoyed the freedom of painting whatever they wanted.

We had some amazing masterpieces come out of this station

;)

Scratch Art

All the supplies for this station came from Dick Blick Art Materials.

Have you ever shopped them?

They have everything you've ever thought of (and everything you haven't) related to art.

Heaven!

Bubble Art

It kills me that I didn't take a picture of the Bubble Art station before the party started.

It was SO colorful!

And SO fun!

So fun in fact, that some of the kids got a bit carried away when blowing...

Exhibit A:

HA! Just look at that face!

She's so proud of herself and her HUMONGOUS bubbles!

Love it!

Freestyle Art:

I bought a good size poster board and nailed to the fence.

Then I picked up a bunch of cleaning tools at the dollar store that would add different textures.

And let them go CRAZY!

Unfortunately, once it was all said and done, the entire thing was covered in brown.

But Isabella has decided that she will use that as a background for a painting of her own.

We will then frame it (with the blue frame you've seen floating around this post) and place it in her bedroom.

That way she'll have something that all her little friends contributed toward.

Cute, isn't it?

Throughout the party, kids were constantly going up to

the makeshift laundry line to hang up their art work.

Here are just a few fun random photos...

Then it was time to go inside and sing Happy Birthday.

Cake maker extraordinaire, Karen, made the cake, as usual.

And as usual, it was adorable AND delicious!

When everyone was leaving, each child got an 8x10 frame to put their favorite art piece in.
Apparently I forgot to take pictures of those as well...

At the end of the day, her apron looked like this:

and when I asked her if she had enjoyed her party,

with a HUGE grin on her face, she replied:

"Mommy,thank you for giving us the BEST parties ever!"

And that, my friends, is exactly why I spend months thinking/planning/shopping/preparing...

OBSESSING, really!

She now needs TWO hands!

2011-07-22T07:45:00.001-05:00

Today is our sweet girl's birthday!

Today she turns 6 years old.

And today she is SO excited, because she now needs both of her hands to tell us how old she is!

There is so much I can say about my sweet baby girl.

I so love that she is developing into a person who is...

compassionate

fun

thoughtful

forgiving

happy
kind

adorable

thankful

funny

smart

independent

loving

courageous, yet cautious

sensitive

lively

honest
silly

talkative

joyful

affectionate

faithful

delicate, yet strong

conscientious

loyal

methodical

snugly

responsible

friendly

genuine

respectful

competitive, yet graceful

unselfish

creative

confident

beautiful

she loves God and Jesus

she loves her family

she loves her friends

she loves life

wholeheartedly and unconditionally

And that is EXACTLY how we love her!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BABY GIRL!!!

Thank you for 6 wonderful years!
May God continue to bless you each and every day of your amazing life!

Mom and Me Summer Crafting Class

2011-07-14T12:46:00.004-05:00

- Note to self -

Sign the kids up for this fun class!

Join me this coming Tuesday as I walk you and your young ones through creating their very own dry erase board. Each attendee will have a chance to personalize their board with their names and gender-specific embellishments.

Your kids can use these boards to keep track of their play dates, assignments and extracurricular activities. Or you could use it to sneak in a cute reminder of their chores every now and then ;)

This class is suitable for girls or boys.

GIRLS:

BOYS:

Attendees must be 6 years old or older, and must have an adult accompany them for assistance.

In addition to your basic supplies, please bring a glue stick, pop dots and glue dots.

To sign up, please call us at 901-377-3705 or stop by today. But you may want to do it soon, since this class has limited spots available.

Date: Tuesday, July 19

Time: 6:30 - 8:00 PM

Cost: $18

I look forward to seeing you there!

Tennessee Safari Park

2011-07-12T17:49:00.004-05:00

OK, so here we are, almost the middle of July and I'm working on my first post of the month. Pathetic, I know! But seriously, try as I may, I can't even begin to explain the lack of time and/or motivation I have for sitting and writing these days.

And even worse, after being a reading machine for months, even that has come to a screeching halt. I swear it took me almost a month to get through the book I just finished. And it's not because it was a particularly bad book, because it wasn't. It's all due to my severe lack of time/motivation.

All I know is that whoever came up with the phrase "Lazy Summer Days" was totally and absolutely clueless. Cause our summer has been everything but lazy! And truth be told, I need to remedy that PRONTO, or I will most certainly lose my mind!

Between art camp, swim lessons, VBS, and more swim lessons, my days are like a whirlwind of activity.

Anyway, I'd like to take a second to slow down enough to share with you some pictures of one of our latest outings. A couple weekends ago we decided to visit the Tennessee Safari Park in Alamo, TN. We had invited my parents to come along with us, but when my brother and his family got wind of our plans, they decided this was an adventure they could not miss. So off we all went.

The first part of the visit consists of a drive-thru safari park, where you buy buckets of food and feed the animals while you drive through their "safari". I'm not gonna lie, it was pretty fun! The kids had a blast holding their buckets out the windows for the animals to come up to the car to eat.

This is my nephew, obeying the do not get out of the car rule...well, kinda!

These animals were definitely not shy.

They eagerly walked up to every single car on the path.

OK, so funny story.

This ostrich ran up the car and after he ate out of Scott's bowl,

he made his way to Sam, who was hanging his bowl out the back window.

Sam decided it would be so much more fun to actually hand feed this bird. The ostrich pecked once, and then again, and then decided Sam's fingers looked so delicious, he stuck Sam's entire hand inside it's beak. Well, needless to say our boy was screaming his head off. And once we realized he was OK, and was more shaken up than anything else, we laughed our heads off. And he looked at us and yelled: "THAT BIRD ALMOST ATE ME!" In hindsight, I think he felt a bit indignant at our laughing. But trust me, had you been there, you would have laughed too!

Anyhoo, we continued on our trek of feeding animals.

Well, all of us, except for Sam.

He continued on, but refused to feed!

;)

Luckily, after a very traumatic 5 minutes,

our boy was fully recovered from his "near-death experience".

Ha Ha Ha!

Oh, the drama!

Once you finish the drive-thru aspect, then you go on to their petting zoo.
We had to buy more food (we had saved some from the drive-thru part without realizing we couldn't feed it to the petting zoo animals), some carrots and some milk.

Here I am feeding the giraffe some carrots.

This was definitely my favorite part!

The kids were loving the goats, sheep and deer.

We took a little break to get some rest, shade/air (boy, it was HOT!), snacks, and photos.

Hello, Mr. Monkey!

Are these two not the cutest?

Work it, girl, with yo' gorgeous self!

And then we decided since we still had food left over from our first go-round,

we would drive around the safari again and then head back home.

We had some new visitors:

Some very persistent visitors:

Yeah, this bull followed us for the longest time.

Regardless of the speed we were going.

He would not stop eating the food.

He stuck his entire head in our car.

And even after we put the window up, he continued to follow us.

Even licking the window.

We were dying laughing!

And some return visitors:

Remember him?

Sam certainly did!

And this is what he looked like at that specific moment:

Did you notice his hands strategically hidden between his legs?

HaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHa!

See? It's still funny!

It turned out to be a very fun day!

But let me give you a couple tips, in case you decide to visit:

(1) They only accept cash.

Good thing someone told me this beforehand, since we NEVER carry cash,

and they do not have an ATM on the premises.

and

(2) You might want to pack snacks/drinks for your visit.

They actually do sell stuff there, but it is EXPENSIVE!

Wordless Wednesday - Texture

2011-06-29T08:00:00.031-05:00

Ten on Tuesday ~ Playing Catch up

2011-06-28T08:00:00.004-05:00

Hello???

Is there anybody out there?!?!

I so would not blame you if you gave up on me and the ol' blog.

I have been a terrible blogger lately.

But finding the time (and motivation) these days seems to be a HUGE challenge.

Sooo, I'm using the Ten on Tuesday to play a little game of catching up.

So, here we go....

1. We had a lovely Father's Day. Scott got his Father's Day/Birthday present early this year (a Motorola Xoom tablet, which pretty much elevated me to best wife ever status, thankyouverymuch!), but we still gave him some pretty snazzy new work clothes. Being that we had his gift exchange early in the morning before going to church, I didn't take many pictures. But from the few that I did take, this one is by far my favorite:

2. The reason Daddy got some snazzy new work clothes, is because he will soon be starting a different job. We are SO very excited about this. Trust me when I say this is most definitely answered prayer!

3. Also, speaking about Father's Day, look who signed his name on daddy's card:

Arghhhhh! This is painfully adorable!

4. Did I mention that Isabella lost her first tooth a couple of weeks ago while we were on vacation?

She did! She was lying down on the floor coloring, when suddenly a tooth that has been loose for oh I don't know, 6 months or so, fell and landed on her coloring book. Lucky for us the tooth fairy found us in the Arkansas mountains. And needless to say, she was one HAPPY girl!

5. Last week, the kids and I spent some time in Barnes & Noble looking for a birthday present for my nephew. While perusing the Bargains section, I came across these books:
Shhh... please don't tell my nook that I broke down and bought actual books, OK?
It's just that at $4.98 each, I couldn't pass them up.

6. Speaking of reading, I've been on a roll lately. Out of the 35 books I set up to read at the beginning of the year, I've already read 26. Woo Hoo! I will definitely have to up that number next year. And if any of you have a good book recommendation, please feel free to send it my way. I'm always looking for good reading material.

7. The kids recently discovered, and are totally obsessed with, a bunch of caterpillars hanging out and devouring some bushes in our front yard.

Needless to say, we check in on them every single day. These are some very hungry caterpillars!

8. I already started all the planning and preparations for Isabella's upcoming birthday party. The theme for this birthday is ART! Shocker, I know! I have so many fun projects and decorations planned, I can hardly stand it! So stay tuned...

9. The kids started VBS at my brother's church tonight. I won't lie, was a bit concerned about the 6-8:30pm time frame. But today I dropped them off, had dinner at Subway, walked next door for a pedicure (my toe nails are PURPLE and I ♥ them!), and then drove by the McDonald's drive thru for a $.75 low fat vanilla cone. And I did all of this before picking them up. It was a good night!

10. The kids started their swim lessons yesterday.

One of them loved it, the other didn't.

Wanna venture a guess as to who it was???

Let me give you a hint:

Yep, this is pretty much what he looked like during the duration of the lesson.

And like this.

And later in the day, when his Tata asked him about his swim lessons, his immediate response was:

It was a NIGHTMARE!

HaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHa!

That boy of ours cracks me up!

Isabella, on the other hand, loved every minute of it!

It literally seems like she shed all her "water" fears overnight.

In fact, her teachers mentioned she might be ready to move up to the next level.

We are so proud of our cute little fishy!

Our Summer 2011 List

2011-06-16T09:35:00.004-05:00

I just realized that even though our Summer Fun List is up on the fridge,

and we've been busy checking things off,

I never did post it here.

So, without further ado:

After looking at our previous years' lists

(which you can see here 2009 and here 2010),

I've come to the conclusion that with the exception of a few new things,

we really enjoy doing the same stuff every summer.

But hey, as long as we're having fun, I'm not complaining.

Fairfield Bay, Arkansas

2011-06-14T08:00:00.001-05:00

OK, so I've sat down to work on this post like three times now, and something always seems to come up. So I'm just going to bite the bullet here and get as much as I can done, and we'll see what we end up with. Hopefully it won't turn out to be a crazy mess. Keep your fingers crossed...

Last week, the family and I headed to the Arkansas mountains for a much needed vacation. In all honesty, I had no idea what to expect. I mean, come on,... we were going to the mountains of Arkansas. Between you and me, I may have had a scene or two from the movie Deliverance playing in my sub-conscience on our way there.

These two were SO excited to go on vacation:

It took us a bit longer than we had anticipated to get there.

(Darn MapQuest!)

But alas, we made it.

I was so relieved to walk into our condo and see that is was WAY more updated than the photos we had seen revealed. And the kids immediately found their room and did the first thing you always do when you arrive at your vacation destination...

Jump on the beds, of course!

Although we managed to do a whole lot during the week we were there, we also managed to rest quite a bit and sleep in and take glorious naps. We only had one scheduled event during our stay, so other than that, we pretty much let the chips fall where they may. Which was such a nice departure from the jam packed vacations we've taken in the past.

Anyway, here are some snapshots from our week in Fairfield Bay, Arkansas:

We hiked the Indian Rock Cave Trail,

which lead us to some amazing Indian caves the kids LOVED exploring.

It's hard to really show the size of this one specific cave.

As you can see Scott looks tiny!

It was absolutely fantastic!

Scott said this was his favorite vacation adventure!

We played mini golf:

And what I remember most is laughing.

Hard!

Oh yeah, and sweating.

A lot.

It was a scorcher of a day.

And this was our one scheduled event of the week.

And it was totally worth waking up early for.

We rented a pontoon boat for 4 hours and enjoyed every single second of it.

Isabella shocked us a number of times during the week.

Especially with her love for tubing and swimming in the lake.

I would have NEVER expected that from her.

But we're so glad she was open to experiencing new things.

Sam, on the other hand, was leery of it all.

He enjoyed the boat ride, the music, the dancing, the napping, the eating and the drinking.

But he definitely preferred to stay out of the water.

He did, however, say that this was his favorite vacation adventure.

Like I mentioned earlier, Isabella was full of surprises this week.

One of the local country clubs hosted a kids' karaoke night.

Straight out of left field, Isabella decided she was going to sing.

She stood by her brother and her Daddy, in front of everyone,

and sang Jesus Loves Me!

It was ADORABLE!

And then she walked up to a teenager and asked if she would like to sing with her.

Huh?

Who is this adventurous girl?

Together they sang You Belong With Me by Taylor Swift.

SO cute!

One day we decided to make the hour trip to go see the

Blanchard Springs Caverns in Mountain View, Arkansas.

It was stunning!

It reminded me so much of our caves back home in Puerto Rico.

This was definitely my favorite vacation adventure.

And then we swung by the Blanchard Springs

and enjoyed dipping our feet into the nice 58°F water.

The views were unbelievably beautiful.

There's something so peaceful about being surrounded by nature.

Well, except maybe when you come face to face with this:

Yes dear friends, that is a snake.

EEEKKK!

We also enjoyed a puppet show, grilling out and making smores.

And let's not forget the swimming pool.

We spent a whole lot of time playing at the pool.

So, there you have it, our vacation in a nutshell.

☺

By the end of the week, we'd had no Deliverance-related issues.

We loved every minute of it.

And we can't wait to go back!

Oh, and as for what Isabella's favorite vacation adventure was...

When asked, she smiles really big and says:

EVERYTHING!

Hold all my calls...

2011-06-04T09:19:00.000-05:00

because for the next few days, my family and I will be enjoying some much needed R&R time, away from the hustle and bustle of the big city,... or our mid-size city,... or the suburbs of the city,... or,...well, you know what I mean!

Anyway, we're going to the lake and the mountains,

where we'll be doing a whole lot of relaxing

and swimming

and boating

and reading

and hiking

and sleeping

and playing

and exploring
and vegging

and celebrating
and grilling

and eating

and pretty much doing (or not doing) anything else that tickles our fancy.

source

And the best part is, we'll be doing all of this without the pressures of a schedule.

I won't lie to you, in my book, this is pure

BLISS!!!

So, see you soon with lots of pictures and lots of LAZY stories!

Working at the car wash

2011-05-31T22:48:00.000-05:00

Well, this is it, guys!

The end of A Photo a Day in the Month of May is officially upon us.

Wow, that was like crazy FAST! Wasn't it?

For all of you who played along on your blogs and on FB,

thank you SO much for letting us peek into your daily lives...

the good, the bad and the funny!

Yeah, you guys totally ROCK!

And to close out the month,

I leave you with photos of my kiddos' favorite bath toys these days...

The Hot Wheels Bubble Car Wash.

And in the event my catchy post title doesn't have you singing the song yet,

here's just a little taste of that groovy song's fab lyrics:

Hey, get your car washed today
be in our band, you don't have to pay
come on and give us a play

get it washed right away

At the car wash
talking about the car wash yeah
come on y'all and sing it for me
car wash woh
car wash yeah

Yeah,... you're welcome

;)

Five Guys

2011-05-30T21:11:00.003-05:00

I've been hearing about Five Guys, the burger place, for what seems like forever. People rave about their burgers and fries. And if you know me, then you now how much I LOVE me a good burger.

Anyway, since Memphis just had one open recently, we decided to go, check it out and see what all the hype is about.

I really really really wanted to LOVE it. I honestly did. But I can't say that was the case. Don't get me wrong, the burgers and fries were good. They just weren't as good as I was expecting, again due to all the hype. And the noise level in the place,... WOW! It was bad enough to make me want to run for the hills!

So the bottom line is, the food was good, not great.
It was unbelievably LOUD and crazy crowded.
But we'll definitely give it another try
Like, maybe once the newness has worn off a bit.

Friends

2011-05-29T22:38:00.000-05:00

Hot Dog, I missed a day! And I was doing so good. Argh!!!

I wish I had a really great excuse for you,

but the truth is I just didn't pick my camera up once all day yesterday.

Oh, well...

Anyway, today was a VERY busy day.

It was all about spending time with friends.

Celebrating a new friend's birthday

And dinner and drinks with old friends who will soon be relocating

This is a photo from our beach vacation last year, since apparently my brain is mush and I forgot to take my camera with me tonight.

Seriously!

We love the Tolls dearly and will miss them like crazy!

But since I still have another month with them,

I refuse to talk about any of it right now.

Nope!

Not gonna do it!

Zoo Brew

2011-05-27T23:40:00.002-05:00

a date with my favorite guy

150+ different beers to sample
a lot of uninterrupted conversations
even more laughter

a live band playing awesome music

perfect weather

It was FUN!

Today we celebrated him

2011-05-26T20:28:00.000-05:00

It's hard to believe that this little cutie,

who happened to be the ring bearer in our wedding

graduated from middle school today.

This makes me feel SO proud...

and SO ancient!

Christian Javier was my first nephew.

We have a very strong bond.

I adore him.

Scott adores him.

Our kids adore him.

And that's just us!

Don't even get me started on the rest of our family...

I think it's safe to say he is loved.

By many.

In true Torres family fashion, he had the usual groupies there to cheer him on

and he seemed REALLY happy

But then again, maybe it was because of the King Size Crunch bar he got with his diploma.

Congratulations, Christian Javier!

We love you SO much!

Wordless Wednesday - My Boys

2011-05-25T20:59:00.000-05:00

Yeah, I'm pretty smitten with these two!

Ten on Tuesday

2011-05-24T22:29:00.003-05:00

Top Ten Signs that Summer Break is ONE Day Away!

1. At the beginning of the school year, I was really good about waking up early and getting everything ready for the day. Here lately, I've been getting up around 7ish and running around like a chicken with my head cut off. Not good!

2. Once upon a time, when I used to wake up early, I would prepare eggs and sausage/bacon, pancakes, muffins and all sorts of yummy breakfast foods. These days, the choices are limited to oatmeal, cereal or waffles.

3. We celebrated Isabella's Kindergarten "graduation"/end of year party last Thursday. She was so excited that Mom, Dad, Tata and Sam were able to come and celebrate. We had pizza and drinks and cupcakes and fabulous goody bags. Their teacher, the beloved Ms. Long, gave every student a cute little certificate. They were all beaming with pride. SO cute!

4. All the kids in Isabella's class talked about character and the characteristics that make an outstanding character. Then they voted on who ( a boy and a girl) in their class exhibited these characteristics, and would be considered a role model for Outstanding Character. There was a tie within the boys. But, Isabella was voted the girl who was a role model for Outstanding Character. Yeah, we are SO very proud of our girl!

5. Even though Isabella is so ready for a break, she gets really sad when she thinks about not seeing Ms. Long and her friends for such a long time.

6. Sam had his end of year program today. Mommy, Daddy, Tata and Isabella were there to cheer him on. It was adorable. His class sang four songs. For days, whenever I asked what he was going to sing, his response was "I don't know!" I just knew it would be quite the interesting experience. But he did great. Very funny,... and entertaining.

7. Scott and I gave the kids their end of school year gifts today. Sam got a remote control F150 (now he has a truck just like his daddy), and Isabella got the Penguins of Madagascar Leapster game that she's ALWAYS wanted. They both got an art caddy filled with art supplies. They were thrilled!

8. We've been busy brainstorming about all of the events we want to include in our Summer Fun List this year. Stay tuned!

9. We are counting down the days of our family vacation. LITERALLY!

10. These two aren't even trying to contain their excitement!

Splish Splash

2011-05-23T22:29:00.000-05:00

We had a lovely day on Saturday. The sun was out, the temps were comfortable, and there was a nice breeze. So, we thought it would be the perfect opportunity to break out our brand new Slip n' Slide.

Isabella, the ever-so-cautious one, took her time getting used to it.

But she quickly got the hang of it!

Sam, the ever-so-carefree one, was rolling all over the place from the get go!

Literally!

There is no fear in this boy of mine.

But he sure does make us laugh!

While the kids had a great time tearing up the yard and creating the biggest mud puddle EVER, Scott and I had a great time sitting on the patio, sipping some beverages, and just taking it all in.

Oh, how we love fun lazy days like this!

I Heart Faces "Yellow" Entry

2011-05-23T20:01:00.002-05:00

Wow, it's been a while since I last submitted an I Heart Faces entry.

The challenge for this week is "Yellow". I immediately thought of some of the photos I took of Isabella WAY back in 2008, when she was almost 3 and Sam was just a newborn. Scott was out of town on business, so the three of us spent the entire day at the Botanic Gardens.

Gosh, she's a vision in yellow!

And she looks so little.

Go to I Heart Faces to check out all the other happy yellow entries.

And here I thought they liked us

2011-05-22T22:44:00.004-05:00

I would like to thank our dear neighbors and friends

(or at least I thought they were our friends)
Jason, Christie & Jan for:

(a) putting him on the motorcycle

and (b) telling him how he really needs to ask Santa for one of these for Christmas.

Yeah, about that...
Thanks!

You guys are AWESOME.

Like really really super duper AWESOME!

Sigh!

It's been a BUZZING day

2011-05-21T19:55:00.000-05:00

LITERALLY!

Before:

During:

After:

Our sweet boy got his first ever buzz cut.

At home!

He looks like SUCH a big boy now.

Like he's 5 or something.

He does look adorable.

And he totally loves it.

But truth be told, it breaks my heart a little bit.

Cheap entertainment

2011-05-20T21:58:00.002-05:00

So much to say

So little time

So little energy and motivation

So, I leave you with a few pictures of the kiddos playing with some silly string this afternoon.

No one was spared...

Not me

Or the dog

Run Rocky! Run!

But a good time was had by all.
And all for the bargain price of $2.00!

You gotta love cheap entertainment!

Right this second

2011-05-19T11:13:00.001-05:00

I needed a haircut.
Bad!
So, after dropping Sam off at school, I raced to my hair girl and asked her to perform a miracle.

By the look on her face, she was praying for some divine intervention/assistance.

I think she got it!

Right this second, this is what I look like.

The hair dye is also pulling for some divine intervention/assistance.

It's gonna need all the help it can get to cover all my gray.

I get it from my Mother.

Thanks, Mom!

Drowning

2011-05-18T22:27:00.000-05:00

I feel like I'm drowning in a constant state of planning:

class parties

my mom's etsy shop

summer activities

summer classes ~ art & swimming

family vacation

birthday parties

and in a sea of colorful buckets!

Prepping

2011-05-17T22:24:00.001-05:00

Have I told you guys that my mom makes jewelry? She does. And she is good! Her stuff is so beautiful. Anyway, after ~~months~~ a year (or, quite possibly two) of talking (and talking and talking) about opening an etsy shop, we're finally doing it.

I spent a HUGE part of my day today working with my mom to get all of her jewelry ready for her shop. That meant a whole lot of photos, a whole lot of measuring, a whole lot of descriptions,... a whole lot of work. And unfortunately, we're not done. I'll be back tomorrow for a whole lot more of the same.

But truth be told, I'm SO happy for her and I can't wait for her to have her shop up and running so that I can share all her pretties with you guys!

Anyway, here's a quick peak of some of the goods:

Beads and wire and flowers, oh my!

Stay tuned for the announcement of the shop's grand opening!

Nobody likes a bragger...

2011-05-16T21:59:00.000-05:00

but I just can't help myself!

My new Nook Color is definitely the cat's meow!

This spot

2011-05-15T20:30:00.002-05:00

right here...

is one of our favorite spots in our house.

It's a highly coveted spot.

A very busy spot.

And it always looks a little something like this.
Day or night.

Which is exactly what I had in mind when creating it!

Milk & Shake

2011-05-14T23:45:00.002-05:00

Today, we enjoyed lunch at one of our favorite spots:

Milk & Shake

What?

Wait...

Is that not what you call it?

Cause that's what our family calls it

Thanks to Sam!

Tonight...

2011-05-13T23:06:00.000-05:00

Scott and I went to the movies

and had lots of this

and watched this

and laughed...

like really really HARD!

Meltdown Central

2011-05-12T17:00:00.000-05:00

Three is SO much FUN!

No really!

A total blast.

Not at all filled with drama.

And don't you let anyone tell you differently...

It is literally meltdown central around these parts.

From "NO" to tears... as easy as 1 * 2 * 3

*1*

*2*

*3*

See?

Told ya!

;)

And yes, being that Blogger decided to take a 24+hour vacation yesterday, I'm kinda cheating and posting this under Thursday.

I'm officially pinned!

2011-05-11T13:25:00.000-05:00

Have you heard of Pinterest yet?

It is an ultra cool, virtual inspiration board/file cabinet of ideas you find on the web and want to make sure you file away to remember later. READ: Another awesome time sucking vacuum!

OK, so if you're anything like me, you (a) find something you really like while browsing online and add it to your mile-long list of bookmarks, that you ALWAYS forget to go back to, because you know, your brain is mush, or you (b) think to yourself this is SO cool, and I love it SO much, I just know I won't forget where it is, only to look for it 5 minutes later and NOT find it because your brain is mush and you can never remember anything. At. All!

Well, that's where Pinterest comes in handy.

While you're looking through your daily blogs or surfing the web for ideas, once you find something that, let's say, inspires you, you pin it to your virtual board to look at later. You can create as many boards as you like, with any and all categories that interest you, so that you can easily categorize your pins for easy retrieval later.

And instead of having to remember to look through ALL your bookmarks and/or giving yourself an aneurysm from thinking so hard as to where it was you think you remember seeing the perfect "fill in the blank", you just go to Pinterest and look at your board. Easy Peasy! (Yeah, I'm still looking for that darn scrapbook layout I saw about a week ago... the one I loved SO much I just knew I would remember where to find it!)

There's one catch, though...at this point in its BETA stage, Pinterest is open by invitation only. You can request an invite here, but apparently they are so bombarded with requests, it can take up to a few weeks before you're up and running. But don't fret, my lovelies,... since I'm officially in (thanks, Alissa!), all you have to do is send me an e-mail with your e-mail address and I can send you an invite. Then we can follow each other!

Trust me, it is FILLED with all sorts of beautiful inspiration.
But be warned, you could spend HOURS just looking through all those pretty pins.
I mean, not that I know from personal experience, or anything.
You know, I'm just sayin',... that's what I heard.
On the street.

Anyway, gotta go and pin life away!!!

Welcome to our garden

2011-05-10T21:45:00.000-05:00

Our garden is literally a little corner in our yard.

Surrounded by a cute little picket fence.

Where you will be greated by this:

And see so many yummy things growing...like:

Sugar Snap Peas

Tomatoes

Green Peppers

And also growing, but not photographed:

Carrots

Lettuce

Hot Peppers

Onions

Cilantro

Canteloupe

Strawberries

Pears

Peaches

Grapes

We so love going out to the backyard and picking fresh fruit and veggies.

Can I get an AMEN?!

2011-05-09T14:24:00.003-05:00

Usually Mondays are my work at Eclectica days.

I take Isabella to school, take Sam to my mom's and then I go to Eclectica

to cram as much work as I can into a few hours.

However, due to a medical emergency, my mom was not able to keep Sam today.

So Sam and I took Isabella to school and then went to what I like think is

a little piece of paradise on Earth:

What is it about this place?

Why is it that I can walk around aimlessly for hours in here?

Why can't I ever walk in for just a few things without spending a lot more money

than originally intended?

Why have I never felt this way about any of the other similar stores?

K-Mart ~ Bleh!

Walmart ~ Eww!

And finally, why is it that in a sea of check-out lanes,

there are only usually no more than two lanes open?

There are 24 check out lanes total.

And the only one open was #1.

I mean, seriously?!?

Who's in charge of scheduling cashiers?

And why is it that no one seems to think it's an issue?

True story: One Christmas season a few years back, a friend of ours was at Walmart (where they have even MORE registers) standing in "the longest line of his life". Apparently, it was December 23rd, the lines were of Disney World proportions, and there were only about 5 registers open. Anyway, he asked to speak to the manager. Upon the manager's arrival, he asked why they had SO many check out lanes? The manager responded they were there to accommodate shoppers during busy times of the year. My friend put his arm around the manager's shoulders, turned him to face the mass chaos of people waiting to check out and said, "Now, I'm no Harvard Grad, but would you think THIS might qualify as a busy time of the year? I mean, it is CHRISTMAS and all!"
HA! Every single time I remember this story, the thought of my friend's arm around the manager makes me chuckle.

Happy Mother's Day, Chickies!

2011-05-08T21:49:00.001-05:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful day today.

Especially all you super Mommas out there!

Our day was a very laid back kinda day.
Which is just what the doctor ordered.

Presents and cards for Mommy

Church

Lunch at Bonefish Grill

Two-hour nap

Drinks Happy Hour at Sonic

A nice long ride

Dinner at my parents' place

I'm looking forward to this coming week.

It should be a lot less hectic than last week.

Less hectic = Really good!

I don't know if I've shared this with you in the past,

but I happen to collect chickens and roosters.

But they're not your ordinary every day chickens and roosters.

Oh no!

They have be everything but ordinary.

They have to be FUNKY chickens and roosters.

And my mom just happens to know this little fact about me.

And she gifted me this perfectly funky chicken and rooster set for Mother's Day today:

Are these not Ah-Mazing?!
I cannot even begin to tell you how much I so totally L♥VE them!

I might just have to share my funky chicken/rooster collection with you guys one of these days.

Please send help!

2011-05-07T08:45:00.003-05:00

Some say a messy desk is a sign of a messy mind...

Yeah, I think I'm in trouble!

I normally would be embarrassed to show such a mess, but hey, this is my reality right now.

I spent all week ~~working on~~ being consumed by two HUGE projects:

(1) organizing and executing Teacher Appreciation Week for both Isabella and Sam's class,

and

(2) designing and kitting a National Scrapbook Day Special Release mini book for Eclectica.

In addition to being a chauffeur, secretary, nurse, cook, maid, teacher...

All of this while Scott was out of town.

Believe me when I say this:
(1) Being room mom is for the birds,
(2) I will never do another mini book again.... EVER,
(3) It's good to have Scott home (who is busy refereeing a big ol' fight/melt down as I type),
(4) I am giddy it is ALL over, and
(5) I'm off to a 12-hour crop, where the rules are no children, no whining,
no crying, cut your own food and wipe your own behind.

It's gonna be a good day!

Love/Hate Relationship

2011-05-06T22:00:00.000-05:00

The kids and I love them!

Scott hates them!

The end.

Who knew?

2011-05-05T07:40:00.004-05:00

I'm not really into birds.

I've never been big on bird watching.

I can't for the life of me identify most birds.

Apparently, it's just not my thing.

Which I guess is why Scott was shocked when I bought this

lovely bird feeder at Lowe's some time ago.

It is quite big.
It hangs right outside our kitchen window.

It is always filled with bird food.

It is quite the popular spot for our neighborhood birds.

And the kids and I could sit and watch it for hours.

Who knew watching birds would make us all so happy?!

Oh, and BTW, happy Cinco de Mayo!

When the boys are away...

2011-05-04T07:52:00.000-05:00

the girls will play!

Scott was out of town on business.

Sam was spending the night at my parents' place.

Isabella said she didn't remember the last time it was just the two of us at home.

With NO boys!

So we decided to have a GIRL'S NIGHT IN!

On our agenda:

(1) Going to Walgreens to pick up some new nail polish in FUN colors, her choice

(2) Coming home and listening and dancing to REALLY loud music

(3) Doing each other's nails

First, I did hers:

Then she did mine:

Don't they look SO purty!

(4) Then it was time to take the party into the bathroom
and groom my sweet little sheepdog with a quick bang trim:

Ahh, SO much better!

(5) Then it was time for bed.

And we had a little bit of pouting.

Until I told her she'd be sleeping in my bed.

(6) Then all was right in the world.

How I love spending time with my sweet little girl!

I look forward to our next GNI,
we'll just have to figure out where to send the boys!

It's good to be them

2011-05-03T07:47:00.000-05:00

Historical Moment

2011-05-02T09:15:00.000-05:00

WOW!
Talk about a busy weekend in history!

Although this is probably the strangest photo I've ever shared on the blog,
this was our reality yesterday.

This is what took over our home last night.
We were glued to the TV... for hours!

Now let's finish this, bring our troops home, and get a grip on our economy!

And may God bless America!

Mud Puddles

2011-05-01T15:50:00.000-05:00

Leave it to me to post my very first photo so late in the day.

This wasn't exactly how I had planned it, but then life got in the way, and what can you do?

Anyway, moving on....

As adults, we can't help but be deeply saddened by the loss and devastation all the tornadoes, storms, and rain have left behind. And scared by the thought of what's yet to come.

My heart goes out to all the people who have been affected by this recent tragedy. I can't help but think about how it would affect my family if we were the ones being evacuated from our home. If we were the ones leaving behind everything we own, without a clue as to what we'd find upon our return. If we were the ones who have lost loved ones. My heart is literally breaking for these families... families in TN, MS and AL. And I pray for peace, healing and resilience, emotional and physical, for every single one of them during this difficult time.

But I am blessed to belong to a church that is not afraid to step up and stand out during times like these. Hope Pres is currently sheltering 170+ people in their gym, and anticipating more will need this assistance in the coming days. So they are busy teaming up with other local churches to establish more shelters in order to house all the displaced people from Memphis and the surrounding areas. And as for me, I am currently trying to figure out how best I can offer myself and be of assistance.

**********

In the midst of all this, I also can't help but love the innocence of children.

Because regardless of what is happening all around them,

kids are able to view everything as an opportunity for discovery and fun.

And Sam was a great example of this in the last few days.

He made sure to take advantage of every possible moment he could be outside.
In our backyard.

Playing in ALL the mud puddles.

And yes, there were many!

He's had to be hosed down quite a few times before coming back in the house.

And he's loved every single second of it.
And I've loved seeing my boy experience unbelievable joy in the simplest of things.
Like playing in mud puddles.

Our washer and dryer, on the other hand, had their work cut out of them.

But luckily, they've risen to the occasion.

Get your cameras ready!

2011-04-30T10:37:00.010-05:00

Can you believe it's already the last day in April? This year is just flying by! It's CRAZY!

Anyway, the time has arrived... and tomorrow is the official kick-off for 2011's "A Photo A Day In The Month Of May". YAY!

This is such a fun way of documenting bits and pieces of our every day lives. I've embarked on this fun little endeavor for the last couple of years (you can see 2010 posts here and 2009 posts here) and I have loved every second of it.

A few of you have mentioned that you'd like to join/rejoin in the fun this year. For those of you who have asked, no, you don't have to have a blog. If you have a Facebook account, just create a "A Photo A Day In The Month Of May" album and post all your photos there. I am SO excited and I can't wait to see your pictures!

I've created this fun little button this year:

Feel free to add it to your sidebar if you are playing along.
The code is on my sidebar →

Have fun clicking away...

See you tomorrow!

This Very Moment

2011-04-28T12:11:00.000-05:00

Our neighbors across the street had to have three huge pine trees cut down recently. While the guys were over there Monday morning, working on cutting down those trees, I asked about the possibility of cutting down some very tall (and prickly) holly trees we had by our front door. Anyway, one thing led to another and both of us ended with a huge pile of yard waste in front of our homes ready to be picked up.

With all the storms/tornadoes we've had around here for the last month or so, and all the fallen trees you see as a result of such storms/tornadoes, I thought for sure the city was pretty backed up. So imagine my surprise when I heard the trucks pull up this morning.

Well, apparently Sam heard them too. And not one to miss any truck action, he immediately ran to the front door. As soon as he saw what was going on, he called me and told me I HAD to come see this.

The scraper truck was there doing what it does.

The workers were busy doing what they do.

And Sam was mesmerized.

Asking one question after another.

And we talked and talked and talked.

Until apparently, satisfied with my answers, he decided it was best just to watch.

In silence.

And so we did!

He watched intently all the action outside our front door.

And I watched him intently.

Taking him ALL in.

My baby boy.

Growing up way too fast.

Right before my eyes.

And right then and there I decided I never want to forget this very moment.

I love this picture!

Not because it's the best photo I've ever taken of my sweet boy.

But because of the emotions I feel with this sight and memory.

He does in fact, take my breath away.

Wordless Wednesday - LOL

2011-04-27T08:50:00.000-05:00

These two make me laugh.

HARD!

Every single day.

And for that I am ever so grateful!

Ten on Tuesday

2011-04-26T09:00:00.003-05:00

1. We managed to take the kids to see African Cats and Rio last weekend. We all loved them both. I think we've all agreed to wait for Hop to come out on DVD. And I'm trying to figure out what night this week I will make my escape to go see Water for Elephants. Anyone interested in coming along?

2. I took SO many pictures when my brother was here last week, that I'm going to have to share them on a couple of posts. So, stay tuned...

3. I am still very much in love with Craigslist. Although, sometimes it irks me when people treat it like it's eBay, I'm still loving the deals I'm getting and coming back to check in on a daily basis.

4. Speaking of Craigslist, I just posted my first "for sale" ad on Sunday evening,... our old washer and dryer. I had four different people contact me. They were sold by 1:30pm on Monday. For full asking price. Saweet!!! Now we get to use that money towards a little kitchen renovation we have in the works.

5. Our local schools added three additional days to their calendar to make up for the snow/ice days we got hit with this winter. This does not make me happy. Not one little bit! I am SO ready for summer break, it's not even funny!

6. I am in desperate need of a family vacation... just sayin'.

7. With Isabella wanting to enroll in some of the summer art classes and some of the the summer pottery classes, in addition to taking swim lessons, think I better start thinking about how to organize our days. This might get tricky!

8. I have a new love affair with Red Box. I just wish they had a bigger movie selection. It's been a little bit challenging for us since Blockbuster closed.

9. I am SO excited to be starting my "Photo a Day in the Month of May" project this coming Sunday. I have embarked in this little endeavor for the last couple of years and LOVE all the everyday memories that I've been able to capture. Some of you have even played along on your personal blogs or Facebook. I sure do hope you join me again this year. It was SO much fun looking through your everyday life captures. So, if you decide to play along, please do let me know, so I don't miss a thing.

10. We went strawberry picking while my brother was in town (this also falls under #2). It was so much fun. But as we were getting ready to leave, I couldn't help but wonder if the check-out attendant would suspect that Sam might have eaten a strawberry (or twenty) while he was busy picking. I'm still not 100% sure. But seriously, be honest and tell me, what do you think?

Nah,... I doubt it!

;)

Our FUN Easter

2011-04-25T09:20:00.000-05:00

We kicked off our Easter celebration on Saturday afternoon,

when we went to Hope's first service with my parents.

I loved everything about the service ~ the music, the message, even the rock we got take home.

We followed church with dinner with my parents and then called it a night.

After all, we had to get some sleep so the Easter Bunny would make his appearance.

Easter Sunday started out with lots of oohs and aahs,

when the kids came downstairs and found their Easter baskets.

Unfortunately, they knew there was more fun to be had and so we quickly

got dressed and headed outside to see what the Easter Bunny might have left behind.

And so the hunt began....

And pretty soon their baskets were overflowing with lots of bright colorful eggs...

filled with all kinds of treasures and delicious treats.

And then it was time to head out to one of our favorite family traditions,

a picnic lunch at the Botanic Gardens.

We got to twirl around:

We made a new friend:

We enjoyed our picnic lunch under a shady tree:

We ran around, A LOT!

And of course, we fed the fish:

And being that this was the first weekend for feeding,

they were extra hungry:

And then the kids decided to roll down a grassy hill.

A number of times.

And almost immediately, they were super itchy.

And SO crabby.

And that, my friends, was our cue... it was now time to head back home.

As we drove home Scott and I talked about how much fun we had,

and how blessed we are to have such amazing and healthy kids,

and how we hope to be able to continue these little traditions of ours for years to come!

Hope your Easter was everything you hoped it would be!

I'm wondering...

2011-04-20T22:54:00.000-05:00

How can we possibly arrange our weekend schedule (and budget)

so as to fit this:

and this:

and of course, this:

Any suggestions?

Happy Birthday, Hector!

2011-04-18T07:00:00.000-05:00

My older brother turns 40 years old today.

And he's in town to celebrate.

And in true Torres fashion,
the celebration started on Saturday...

With an amazing impromptu harmonica/rap duet:

trust me, you don't hear this everyday

And a visit to an awesome new playground in town:

It's hard to tell who liked it more,

the kids or Hector.

OK, so maybe it was Hector!

And of course, gifts:

the girls presented him with an original,
one-of-a-kind masterpiece

And we ate and drank.
Like way too much.

And we played cards.
And argued.
But mostly laughed.
Really HARD!

And we had cake:

And sang Happy Birthday!

But mostly, we enjoyed being together.
And letting him know that he is loved.
A lot!

Happy birthday, big brother!
Thanks for letting us share such a special day with you.
We love you SO much!

Wordless Wednesday - Our Colorful Life

2011-04-13T07:47:00.001-05:00

Life is about using the whole box of crayons.

~RuPaul

Our weekend in pictures

2011-04-11T20:42:00.004-05:00

First order of business,...

I hate to be Mr. Obvious here,

but did you notice the blog just a got a make-over?

Isn't it SO purty?

The very talented Kristina from Two Happy Mamas

is responsible for this much needed face lift.

And I LOVE it!

She's got a lot more designs to choose from,

or you could be MUCH more brave than me and go custom.

Either way, be sure to go and check out their site.

OK, so moving on...

We had another beautiful weekend around these here parts.

Which lead to a whole lot of outdoor activities.

We did a lot of this:

and we couldn't get over the amount of grasshoppers we saw (and caught)

Isabella's makeover is courtesy of our neighbor, Madison

Doesn't she look stunning?

;)

and we made a couple more trips to Lowe's

and he picked up another scoop of mulch

and since it got to be so hot, out came the water hose

and water = a whole lot of FUN!

And now we're back to Monday.

A stormy one.

AGAIN!

But hey, after the weekends we've had lately,

I can't much complain!

Wordless Wednesday - Little Fingers

2011-04-06T08:37:00.001-05:00

I ♥ these little fingers.

With dirty, overgrown fingernails and all...

Ten on Tuesday

2011-04-05T10:00:00.003-05:00

1. Yesterday we had terrible weather. Like really, really scary weather! Rain, lightning, thunder, super strong winds, tornado sightings, sirens blaring ~ the whole shebang! I was working at Eclectica when the worst of it happened. I looked over at my friend Ellen and noticed she was stressing out. I kindly told her it would be OK and advised her to take some deep breaths. Then I made the mistake of saying what was on mind, "I wonder if Isabella is freaking out...". Ellen apparently also said what was on her mind, "She probably is." Yeah, that was the beginning of the end! I started thinking of my little girl, away from me, sitting in the hallway at school, scared out of her mind. Hello! Can you say panic attack?! I called Scott and started crying just thinking about it. Scott managed to talk me off the ledge and calm me down by telling me that the kids were probably in a safer spot than I was and quite possibly completely oblivious to what was going on outside. I bet Ellen was thinking "Who needs the deep breaths now, huh?"

2. When I finally picked Isabella up from school, I immediately asked her about her day. She gave me a run down of her day. Never once mentioning anything out of the ordinary. After waiting a while, I specifically asked if they had to huddle in the hallway because of the weather. She responded with a less than enthusiastic "Oh, yeah". She forgot. Alrighty then!

3. You know when people type LOL and LMBO? I often wonder, really? Are they really laughing out loud or laughing their butts off about this or that? Well, last night while catching up on my blog reading, I literally lol,... to the point of tears. One of my favorite bloggers, Meg Duerksen from Whatever, posted pictures of her attempt at grooming her dog. Oh my goodness, I'm still laughing at the pictures of poor Waffle. Go check it out here. That is some funny stuff! Best laugh I've had in a while.

4. I love me some canvas prints and the Canvas People are offering a free 8x10 canvas (not including shipping and handling) or $50 towards any upsized canvas. I hate that I missed out on this promotion last year, but trust me, I quickly jumped on it this time around. I ordered an 8x10 print, and the s&h came to about $15. I can't wait to get it! I think these would make great Mother's Day presents. Go check it out and order yours here!

5. Isabella says she is madly in love with a little boy in her class named Luke. She talks about how much she loves him and how much he loves her and how they're going to get married soon. I explained that it's OK to really like Luke and that they can be the best of friends, but Kindergarteners are much too young to even think about getting married. She thought about for a minute and then said: "Well, since the two of us are really smart, after we finish Kindergarten we can skip to the fifth grade, and then we can get married." Apparently 10 years old is the magic number. Yeah... good times!

6. I don't know about you, but I don't remember really noticing boys until I was like 12 or 13 or 14. What's up with that?

7. Scott and I did ~~some~~ exhaustive research and made some reservations. Disney in 2011! And we are all thrilled!

8. For some unknown reason, Sam was super excited to see his pediatrician for his three year check up. During the visit, Dr. Higgi told Sam he (1) HAS to sleep in his room, not in mom and dad's, (2) HAS to use the potty, no more Pull-Ups, and (3) could only drink one cup of juice a day. Needless to say Sam left the office feeling quite deflated.

9. Sam has slept in his room ALL NIGHT for the last 9 days. He has been sporting some pretty cool big boy underwear for the last 6 days, using Pull-Ups only at nap and night time. And his juice consumption has been drastically reduced to 1 (and OK, sometimes 2) cups per day.

10. Dr. Higgi is our hero! And Sam has been handsomely rewarded for all of his hard work!

Delusions of Grandeur

2011-03-30T08:30:00.002-05:00

As I was going through Isabella's school folder the other day, I came accross this:

Now let me start by saying that Isabella is very good at doing basic addition and subtraction, but this,... well, this is a whole different ballpark. This is no 2+2, people! I can't even begin to tell you how amazed I was that she was doing this type of math. And to get an "Excellent!" from her teacher. I mean, WOW!

So I approached her while she was watching Sponge Bob (let the record reflect that this was my first mistake), and beaming with pride, I ask:

Me: "Isabella, did you do this?"
Without looking at me, she responds with a less than enthusiastic: "Yes."

Me: "Baby, this is amazing! You are adding and subtracting double digits here. And you got them ALL right!"
Again, with her eyes glued to the TV and barely acknowledging me, she says: "Uh huh."

Me: "Holy Cow, girl! This is a big deal. How did you do it?"
And maybe it's because I'm not letting her concentrate on her beloved TV show, or maybe it's because she's tired of me going on and on and on about it, or maybe it's because she thinks I should stop celebrating and looking and sounding like the village idiot, but she finally looks at me and says:"I did it with one of those things, you know... the thing with the numbers?!"

Me, now really looking and sounding like the village idiot: "You mean a calculator?"
Isabella: "Yeah, a calculator. Those things are the greatest. You don't even have to think or anything."

And just like that, without a single care in the world, she popped my visions of having my very own little Doogie Howser, MD.

Ten on Tuesday

2011-03-29T09:00:00.003-05:00

1. Last Friday we went to see Madagascar Live at the Orpheum. We all really like the Madagascar films and we really enjoyed it live. Luckily, everyone who went to see Shrek, The Musical got a special discount code for this show. Our tickets were only $15 per person for really good seats. Not bad! Unfortunately, as soon as you walk into the theater, you're smacked in the face by the ridiculously expensive souvenirs,... which cost us almost as much as our four pack of tickets. Ugh!

2. The kids and I are ~~somewhat~~ totally addicted to this game and play it on my phone CONSTANTLY! And the funny thing is that I am so not into games.

Have you played it yet?

OMG! It is hilarious!

3. I got to spend ALL DAY (10:00am-10:00pm) Saturday with all kinds of fun crafty women at Eclectica's Pizza Crop. I scrapbooked. Not for a class, but for myself. I seldom get to do that anymore.

It was nice!

4. The other night I was browsing our local Craigslist and found a posting for a "Vintage Retro Loveseat". I was intrigued, so...

I clicked.

I called.

I saw.

I bought.

Scott and I are going to pick it up on Wednesday. I am so excited. It is adorable! Can't wait to share it with you guys.

5. Once upon a time I used to watch American Idol. But Simon Cowell and his unnecessary badgering and Paula Abdul and her crazy talk about souls and auras were just too much for me. So I stopped watching. And haven't for many seasons. I didn't even watch when Ellen was judging. But I am loving it this year. I really like the new judges. I think Steven Tyler pretty much ROCKS! And I really like some of the contestants this season, especially:

6. I am currently in LOVE with, and cannot get enough of, Jack Johnson, Jason Mraz, and Ray LaMontagne's music. I could listen to it all day long.

7. I am right on track with my reading challenge goal of 35 books in 2011. This makes me happy. I so love reading a good book! I'm also enjoying being a part of Goodreads. Please be sure to look me up if you happen to be a part this awesome book-loving network. Oh, and also, if you have any book recommendations, please feel free to share. I'm always looking for a good read.

8. Ricky Martin was just in Puerto Rico for a weekend full of concerts. I swear, EVERY. SINGLE. ONE of my female Puerto Rican friends (at least all the ones who I'm friends with on FB) went to at least one of his concerts. Their concert photos are ALL over my Facebook news feed. OK, so maybe I am just a tad bit jealous... and bitter.

Hello, gorgeous!

And yes, before you go there, I am well aware.

But he's still smokin'!

9. Parenthood is finally back this week. Have I told you lately how much I love this show? It is one of my all time favorite TV shows.

10. I adore this photo of my sweet girl.

I especially love that it's proof that we play hard, to the point of passing out from sheer exhaustion.

Making me happy right now...

2011-03-25T08:30:00.003-05:00

driving down Cherry Road to witness this breathtaking scene

cute $10 shoes for the kids from Target

adding beautiful greenery to our patio

this girl and her amazing imagination and creativity

this boy and his hilarious and CRAZY ways

knowing that my he will be here in a few weeks

to celebrate his 40th birthday with us

going to see this with the family tonight

Wordless Wednesday - Mom & Me Pottery

2011-03-23T08:30:00.002-05:00

Her beautiful Spring Break camp masterpiece...

Fiesta Time Chip & Dip Bowl

The result of the nightmare of a project we did at our last GNO:

Glass Fusion Tray

Ten on Tuesday

2011-03-22T13:56:00.005-05:00

1. I should probably start by letting you know that I've been in a HUGE funk lately, just feeling a seriously bad case of the blahs. But I'm sure I'll snap out of it soon. At least I hope I will. So anyway, I'm going to try to keep this as light and happy as possible... no need to go all Debbie Downer on you guys.

2. Last week was Spring Break for both the local city and county schools. Which lucky for us, meant both Isabella and Sam were off at the same time. This is not always the case around here. So, in true Butler fashion, we managed to cram lots of fun stuff into our week together.

3. We kicked off our Spring Break week by celebrating Sam's birthday...

Whoa! Apparently I blinked and our BIG boy turned three. Just like that! OK, so I am clearly mourning the fact that we no longer have a tiny itty bitty baby in the house. Anyway, birthdays means presents. And as you probably figured out from his birthday post, his mommy and daddy got him a battery-operated four wheeler. And yes, the boy is in heaven... and so is his sister, who's apparently now become the spokesperson for "sharing"!

4. OK, so I just tried to upload a couple more photos to go with this post, and apparently I have used up all the free space they provide you when you start a blog. Huh? Has anyone else ever had this happen to them? What did you do? Do you purchase additional space? HELP!
(BTW, pictures to come once I figure out this blog issue.)

5. It was a bit cool at the beginning of the week, so we decided to go bowling with our neighbors, Christie and Madison. Yes, there were bumper pads and ramps involved, but Isabella got herself a strike. And she was SO excited! I so wish I could share that photo with you. It is too cute!

6. Isabella got to go to Paint a Piece's Spring Break Camp, also with our neighbor. It was on Thursday from 10-1 and they got to tie-dye a t-shirt and paint a chip and dip bowl. She loved it and can't wait to go back again. Her and Madison are already scheming about all the workshops they plan to sign up for this coming summer.

7. On Friday, my mom and I took my niece, my nephew and my two kids to the park. They ran and played for hours. After that, we went to Chick-fil-A for lunch, more playtime and ice cream cones. They thought it was the BEST. DAY. EVER!!!

8. Last year we bought three Cherry Willow trees at Lowe's. Two of them are doing great and gave us beautiful blooms this year. The other one is dead. Luckily, not only had I kept their tags and the receipt, but we still had 7 days left on their 1 year warranty. So, we dug that bad boy up, took it to Lowe's and got our money back. YAY!

9. And then immediately turned around and spent that money (and then some) on new shrubs and plants for our backyard. It never ends....

10. Did I mention we had our new windows installed? We did! And we are in love! They are open ALL. THE. TIME! We just can't believe what we've been missing.

It's official

2011-03-21T08:30:00.001-05:00

Spring has begun!

It's my favorite season.

And the weather here has been AMAZING!

So we spent quite a few hours at Lowe's this weekend.

Mostly in the garden area.

And when we weren't at Lowe's, we were working in the backyard.

Working HARD!

Clearing, digging, planting.

And it all looks so pretty!

Happy Spring, everyone!

Just because

2011-03-18T09:15:00.000-05:00

She is fun

and funny

and sassy

and smart

and beautiful

and pretty much takes my breath away!

Wordless Wednesday - Sam's Birthday Fun

2011-03-16T09:00:00.001-05:00

I think it's safe to say Sam was one happy boy!

Three!

2011-03-14T08:00:00.003-05:00

Dear sweet boy,

The memory of our first meeting is so very vivid,

it's almost impossible to believe it was three years ago.

Three years.

Together...

playing

learning

laughing

crying

dancing
growing

snuggling

discovering

singing

loving

living

WONDERFULLY BLESSED!

Where has the time gone?

Happy Birthday, sweet, sweet love!

We look forward to many more fun years together!

Ten on Tuesday

2011-03-01T08:15:00.002-06:00

1. Sam's birthday invitations have been created, addressed and mailed (as of today). Cat in the Hat, baby! Cause he knows a lot about that!

2. Last Saturday, I had the privilege of attending a 12 hour crop at Eclectica. From 10:00am to 10:00pm = Pure Bliss! I left for a few hours to attend Isabella's art show, but was there for the other 9 hours. I worked on my upcoming class, finished Sam's birthday invitations and created a few layouts. But mostly I talked. And got caught up with some friends. And laughed. A lot!

3. Our washer died a couple Sundays ago. Mid-load. Good times! Suddenly, all roads led to Lowe's...on our date night. Not exactly what we had in mind. One washer, one dryer and one dishwasher later, we left the store and headed for the movies. And yes, I realize we did not go in looking for a dishwasher. However, having to run it twice to clean our dishes is not exactly what I call energy efficient, so we decided to just bite the bullet and get a much needed new one as well.

4. Sam is doing a better job of sleeping in his room for most of the night and not coming into our room until about 5:00am. He is however, NOT doing a good job of listening. EVER! As my friend Katie from South Carolina would say, Sam is definitely "showing his butt" these days. And as his Puerto Rican mama, I would say he's certainly kicking mine!

5. Yesterday morning it was so hot and muggy, I sent Isabella to school in a short sleeve shirt and shorts. Thank goodness I told her to wear her jacket at the last minute, because of the rain. The temperature dropped so much and so quickly during the day, I felt terrible for her when it was time to pick her up. Mom of the year, baby! That's me!!!

6. I would love love LOVE to upgrade my camera to a Nikon D90 or a D7000. I'll have to make sure to get on Santa's nice list this year.

7. I've been reading The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, and thoroughly enjoying every page of it. So much so, I'm taking my time with it and only reading when I know I'll have a quiet uninterrupted moment, which needless to say is not as often as I'd like. This book is sad and funny and heartbreaking and beautiful and so very different. I highly recommend it.

8. If you ask Sam how to spell his name, he will meticulously tell you it is spelled S * A * M. If you ask him what that spells, he will instantly tell you it spells Bubba. Oy vey!

9. I have a few projects I'm really excited to get to around the house and can't wait to share them with you soon. And they're BIG projects too! So stay tuned...

10. They believe they can fly:

I believe they can do anything they set their minds to :)

Have a wonderful Tuesday, everyone!

Our blooming artist

2011-02-27T21:39:00.000-06:00

As many of you know, Isabella has been taking Saturday art classes at the Memphis College of Art. To say she absolutely LOVES it and can't get enough of it would be a gross understatement.

This past Saturday was her last class until the summer sessions begin, so they decided to honor the students and their work by hosting an art show for the parents.

The kids' artwork was displayed up on the walls and we got to walk around and admire it. Like a real art gallery! I can't even begin to tell you how excited I was.

The following are our girl's pieces:

And finally, here she is with her masterpiece:

Is that not the sweetest photo?

Look at that face... she is SO very proud of her work.

I love it!

She was also very happy to have her fan club there to admire her, her art, and make her day quite the memorable one!

Next up for our little artist, deciding which class/es to take this coming Summer.

And with so many to choose from, this will definitely not be an easy decision.

You spin me right round, Baby

2011-02-25T22:39:00.002-06:00

Seriously, was this not one of the best dance songs of the 80's?

How I remember dancing to it at every single house party I ever went to,...

And trust me, there were many!

Good times, let me tell ya!

Although my title reference has everything to do with a fabulous 1980's song,

which til this day I still love,

this post has nothing to do with Dead or Alive and their total awesomeness.

This post however, has everything to do with a certain toy Santa brought

Isabella a couple years ago which is still a family favorite.

Don't you just love it when that happens?!

I'm talking about this here little gem:

As you can see, our Spin Art machine has been well loved,

for a couple years in fact.

Santa got it from the Discovery Store and even though they no longer

carry this exact model, they do offer something similar.

And you can't beat it for the$25 price tag.

Or, you could Google Spin Art and check out the available assortment.

Yes, we ran out of the paper and the paint included in the kit,

but that hasn't slowed us down at all.

We just cut our own paper and added more tempera paint to the containers...

DUH!

And it continues to work like a charm!

Sam just recently discovered the fun involved with our crafty little machine.

And I think it's safe to say he can't get enough of it!

And for all of you clean OCD readers, it makes NO mess!

It's a thing of beauty, this fun little toy!

So anyway after quite a while of playing and creating,

we decided to display our art in the kitchen.

Mine is the one on the left. (Apparently I like red!)

Isabella's in in the center.

Sam's is on the right. (He REALLY likes blue!)

Aren't they purty?

So anyway, if you have young children, this would be a perfect gift for them.

Think birthday, graduation, Easter basket, rainy days, or just because!

They will love it and so will you!

And no, I am in no way compensated for this here post,

but I do enjoy sharing a great find with my dear friends!

Have a great weekend!

I Heart Faces "Phone Photo" Entry

2011-02-22T20:23:00.001-06:00

The premise is super simple this week,...

post a photo you've taken with your phone.

My entry is one of my favorite photos from our stay at the

stunning Venetian hotel in Las Vegas.

I love this photo!

I used the Retro Camera app on my Samsung Captivate Android phone.

Go to I Heart Faces to check out all the other fun "phone photo" entries.

Wordless Wednesday - Monkeys Rule

2011-02-16T08:15:00.003-06:00