So Goofy!!!

These are definitely three of a kind!
How we got them to do the same thing at the
same time is a wonder! Love these darlings!!!!

Happy Birthay Lauren!

Lauren is finally FIVE!!!
She has waited for months for her birthday to come.
She asked for a flower, butterfly, sunshine cake...I did my best. The night before her birthday, I was laying with her in bed talking about the day and her birthday the next day. Somehow we started talking about her cake. That was when she informed me that she no longer wanted a butterfly, flower, sunshine cake, but a mermaid cake. What?! I told her I would do the best I could, but I was planning on what we had talked about. Her response was that she had just changed her mind. Needless to say, she had a butterfly, sunshine, flower cake to the best of my ability. :)

Top Five Favorite Things of
Lauren Elizabeth Rodriguez...

1. She has endless energy!
2. She makes the most cute witch I have ever seen!
3. She is developing a talent, whether she likes it or not. :) As long as she can perform, she loves it. Practicing is a hard thing for both of us.
4. She is a great big sister. She is so thoughtful and kind! I am amazed at her concern and love for her big brother and little sister.

5. She is going to make a great school teacher or violin teacher or doctor or mom of big kids. All of these change daily of what she wants to be when she grows up. For some reason she doesn't want to be a mom of little babies, just of big kids. Funny girl! But she loves to line up her animals and dolls and give them some kind of a lesson.

I love my favorite five year old girl!!!

Soccer Sam

He loves soccer! And he is doing really quite well. His team usually loses if he misses a game. And sadly, he missed a game this past spring. Cesar and Sam play almost every night in the back yard. He tells his dad to "play me hard, not easy." It makes his dad proud to see him enjoying soccer. And, it doesn't hurt that is his quick. Here is a clip.

Daddy's Girl

She is such a daddy's girl.
But, as hard as we may all try, she calls him mama.
She is getting so big so fast!!!!

Really? Just trying to help?

As you may or may not know, our house is not large by any means. It is just under 2000 sq feet. I am often grateful for this, because I can hear what is happening with the kids if I can't see them...usually. Well, the other week, I was getting the girls ready for church and had sent Samuel downstairs to get showered and dressed. I wasn't hearing the shower, so I was about to go down to see what was the hold up, when Samuel came running up the stairs yelling frantically that a penny had gone down the drain. Why is a penny going down the drain when he should be showering, and where did he get the penny? I thought he was out of money. As I follow him downstairs, telling him not to worry, it will be fine, just to get in the shower, he proceeds to tell me that "I don't want you to worry mom, I tried to call the plumber. I just want to help you out, mom." What? He called the plumber? On a Sunday? Where have I been? Am I really that far away? I follow him into his room, and sure enough, there is a phone book on the floor. It is even opened up to the yellow pages under plumber. Yup! He found himself a plumber. Worried that maybe he called 911 (AGAIN!), so I pushed redial. Sure enough, he had the right number for the 24 hour on call plumber. He tells me, that nobody answered, so he left a message about the penny, but "I'm just trying to help you out with the penny, mom." Calmly, I tell him not to worry about the penny but to get in the shower. I also remind him that he doesn't need to be calling a plumber or anyone else when he has a problem, he can just talk to me about it first. But, really? "I'm just trying to help you out, mom."

Bob...what can I say?

So, we have had good ol' Bob for about a year now. Why did I ever insist on getting a puppy? It has been a fairly good year for Bob. Some good things about Bob are: he potty's outside, loves to play ball, tolerates the kids, especially Isabella, comes most of the time to 'come', and most of all he is always so excited to see any of us come home. I love how his body shakes with joy. He is a better trained dog than Bruno. We had to learn the hard way, sorry Bruno! He is great with Isabella! She is always feeding him, both her food and his. The best is when I find her at his food bowl...a little for him, a little for me. YUCK! At least the main ingredient is meat, right? :) She calls him and teases him and thinks his kennel is for her. He really is a good dog!

Bob is so patient with Isabella. Isabella is once again in Bob's kennel. I was trying so hard to get a good picture, but I had either one or the other. You are a good dog Bob!

Sleeping Angels

There is something so peaceful about sleeping children. Is it that the house is finally put back together after a long day of play? Is it that the house is quiet of the screaming, running, crying, teasing kids? Or is it that the house is still crazy and I don't have the energy to pick things up, but I don't care? Even as little babies, the kids bedtime has been 7pm. Why is this one of my most favorite parts of the day? I feel bad to say that, but I love the quietness and peacefulness of the evening when the dishes are done, toys are put away, children are clean and fed and sound asleep. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy the laughter, the funny jokes, the overall fun and happiness that my children bring to me every day during the day. But, as I do my final tuck-in's before I head off to bed, I am often brought to tears as I think of how sweet and precious they are. I am reminded of how imperfect a mother I am and how I am trying to be more loving, more patient, more compassionate, more patient, more understanding, more fun, and more patient. I fall so short day after day. Thankfully, as I tuck in the little darlings, I am reminded how perfect and loving and forgiving they are. Often I tell them, with tears in my eyes, that I am so sorry and that I will try harder tomorrow to be a better mother to them. Tomorrow I will, tomorrow I will... I love them more than I ever imagined possible. I am trying, I am trying, I am trying. Why is it so hard?