love and marriage

"They say you only fall in love once, but that can't be true ... Every time I look at you, I fall in love all over again."  Melt my heart.  This is what my husband said to me on our wedding anniversary this week. I love him. I have a wonderful man, who loves me with all his heart, makes me laugh, is my best friend and I'm so very thankful for him. Even more grateful I am of the caring father he is to our children.  Oh yes, and he cooks & cleans! Very lucky I am indeed.

We had a very nice day together and enjoyed a great evening out to dinner at the barrio cafe like adults (thanks Nannie)! We enjoyed freshly made table-side guacamole,  torta and tacos and topped off dinner with uber delicious caramel churros, mmm.  

We are truly blessed to have one another and to be celebrating 9 years of friendship and marriage. When I think of all the wonderful memories we've made and those we've yet to make, I realize how much I'm looking forward to spending the rest of forever with him. Bert, I love you always xoxo.

drawing lesson: grasshopper

This week we are drawing a grasshopper with markers!

Here are the boys hard at work on their drawings:

Here are there completed grasshopper drawings: 

Ethan Age 6

Hudson Age 3

drawing lesson: apple basket

Each week I have been practicing the new drawing lesson for the after classes I am teaching with the boys. Last week's lesson was a basket of apples created with colored pencils.  Just in time for fall.

Here are the boys completed apple basket drawings:

Ethan Age 6

Hudson Age 4

a day at the park

The weather this weekend has been beautiful!  We took the kids to one of their favorite parks, Tumbleweed in Chandler.  We played with balls, explored the playground and swung on tires.

It was so exciting to be outdoors again, I'm looking forward to lots of fun exploring nature this fall.

kindergarten graduate

Wow, our little boy has has graduated kindergarten.  Look at how grown up he is in this picture. Ethan, we love you and are so very proud of the creative, emotional and social learning you have done this year! Here are some snips from the "story book" he made in school. It was very cool that they stamped the date in the right corner of each one.

 My Story Book by Ethan

 This is a sunny day.  There is no school today! Ethan jumped off the treehouse onto the trampoline.

My Christmas break. Game time with my Dad.

It's Mother's Day.  I give a card to my Mom.

It is true what they say - it's definitely not the kindergarten of 25 years ago when I was in school.  All I remember doing is learning the alphabet and playing dress up (the enchanting chest of old clothes is one of the few memories I have from then). My son entered into kindergarten knowing his alphabet, colors, numbers up to 100 and finished having learned to write,  simple math skills and can read!  I couldn't believe it when they started as soon as half way into the school year reading.   There have been so many things to be excited, proud, teary over and of course we had our share of challenges.  We are all looking forward to a nice summer break and a bit more of a carefree existence. We plan on celebrating a job well done this weekend. Not sure how and in what way yet but, whatever we do, it'll be great to show him how proud we are.

family + art = mother's day happiness

I feel blessed and so very happy. I am so grateful for the loving attention and gratitude my guys gave me all weekend and today in celebration of Mother's Day. I love my family.

Thank you for gifting me ...

• some time with friends
• sleep until 8 a.m.
  
• breakfast and coffee
• handmade mugs and cards
  
• some time painting
  
• picnic lunch and visit to SMoCA with my husband and children
• vegetarian meal of eggplant, potato pancakes and black bean confetti salad. mmm good.
• hugs, kisses, and a (somewhat) break from bickering children.

Happy Mother's Day to all mom's out there (including my Mother, I love and miss you!). May this weekend bring you a time to relax, rejuvenate, and reflect. Much Love <3

international bird migratory day

Last weekend Bert & I took the kids to 4th Annual International Migratory Bird Day at Rio Salado Habitat Restoration Area, 3131 South Central Ave. They had bird walks, educational presentations, kid crafts, and games.

Hudson enjoyed painting some bird wings and Ethan really liked the migratory game. He choose a bird and roll a die. It told us what # station to go on the bird's journey. That station then told of what obstacles the bird was facing and where to go next. He played twice and perished both times. Once due to being caught in a blizzard and once he was eaten by a cat. The objective was to show just how tough a bird migration is and how many do not survive.

But our favorites part of the day was being able to see birds up close and personal. The owls were way cool and my personal favorite. The eagle was pretty awesome to see and was Ethan's favorite!

Unfortunately my camera got dirt on the lens and wouldn't work otherwise I would have had a ton of fun photos.