SMASHIN....Bella Lu Style(:

And here she is the love of my life!!! My crack of sunlight in this sometimes dreary world ( my other 2 cracks are my baby boys, Jordan & Maxwell).
Bella is totally into SMASHIN!!! Yesterday we had to cruise over to Target to get her, her very own SMASH journal.
 I already had the pink one and so she picked the red one.
She does her own thang and I so love that about her!
She also insisted she needed her very own black and white polk-a-dot tape(: "because I will be using a lot of it, Mama." were her exact words.
So with some cool stickers, tape and a rocking red SMASH journal, we couldn't wait to get home and let the SMASH times begin.  I will have some precious creations from her SMASH journal soon.
But for now here is my SMASH creation, made with love for my baby girl ~ Isabella Laila aka Bella Lu):

 Isn't it the best  just hangin out at the (very messy) table, being crafty and creative together? We think so!!

Someone is coloring (and singing)  a lovely Saturated Canary Digi at our very lovely & messy dining room table!

And here she is, along with some very cool extensions we found at Target in the party section!!
Bella loves this Digi cause she says "she has curly hair like me."

Notice she is super big, because Bella wanted her on the cover of her SMASH book(:
Thank you, Krista!!! Your Digi Girls are the BEST!!!

SMASHIN AROUND..Whitney Style(:

I finally got my SMASH book goodies!!!
I love Smashin sooo much. I have to admit at first, I did stear at the blank pages with a blank mind but then I just let go and went with whatever was on my mind.

So my very  first SMASH was for Whitney Houston because I loved her, and she has been on my mind a lot since she left us.  When I was a little girl, she was a big part of my life, the first concert my mom, cousin and I went to was Whitney's and I remember how excited I was when my  mom bought me her "Greatest Love of All" cassette tape.  Her songs were right there throughout some tough times in my life as I got older  and so I dedicated my very first SMASH book pages to my girl, Whitney Houston:

I added one of her most recent songs "I Look To You" because the words in that song really capture all she was, all she had endured and how truly she loves the Lord.
Here R.Kelly pays tribute to Whitney, I really felt him singing it to her,  the way he sings it, just really touched my heart. He wrote this song for her, 12 years ago, she then put it on her comeback album in 2009 and though her album didn't captivate the world as her past ones did, now more then ever this song rings true and really makes me smile and cry at the same time. RIP Beautiful Whitney. Finally she is at peace.....


"I Look To You"
  
  As I lay me down,

Heaven hear me now.
I'm lost without a cause
After giving it my all.

Winter storms have come
And darkened my sun.
After all that I've been through
Who on earth can I turn to?

I look to you.
I look to you.
After all my strength is gone,
In you I can be strong
I look to you.
I look to you.
And when melodies are gone,
In you I hear a song.
I look to you.

About to lose my breathe,
There's no more fighting left,
Sinking to rise no more,
Searching for that open door.

And every road that I've taken
Lead to my regret.
And I don't know if I'm going to make it.
Nothing to do but lift my head

I look to you.
I look to you.
After all my strength is gone,
In you I can be strong
I look to you.
I look to you.
And when melodies are gone,
In you I hear a song.
I look to you.

My levees are broken
My walls have come
Tumbling down on me

The rain is falling.
Defeat is calling.
I need you to set me free.

Take me far away from the battle.
I need you.
Shine on me.

I look to you.
I look to you.
After all my strength is gone,
In you I can be strong
I look to you.
I look to you.
And when melodies are gone,
In you I hear a song.
I look to you.

You're Gonna Miss This...

a cup of coffee and a cold slice of pizza.

It's Saturday morning and what a lovely morning it is. I slept in, all snuggled with my Mya girl at the end of the bed in her normal "plain donut" sleep position.
Bella is still asleep.
Max is on his favorite video game.
Jordan is at a sleep over at his friend, Ashtons.
And Big Daddy, has taken a ride to NH with my Dad.
 Now I am simply sipping on a fresh cup of coffee, made from a fresh pot of Dunkins coffee and yes, a slice of last night's leftover pizza. I love cold pizza the day after, so yummy! So that's breakfast, is that ok?
Last post was all about being "Determined" and gosh is it in my heart but I couldn't resist the pizza.
So it will be, 2 walks today to burn that yummy pizza away.
I think I will recap the week.
The weather was Spectacular!!!  ( i never use that word but i shall today, said in an english accent (: )
It felt like June around here, 70's and 80's,
slightly refreshing breeze, strong sun, just perfect.
A little recap of this lovely week:
We visited my sweet Papa, who is 88 years old, he is at Rehab since he fell a month ago and broke his shoulder. Sadly, Papa had already broken both hips so he depends on a walker and now with his arm unavailable, he can no longer walk. He is working hard everyday at physical therapy to get his strength back and come home.  He is the sweetest, kindest soul. It is heartbreaking to watch the dementia take over him. Sometimes what he says is just precious hysterical and other times he is grumpy and it's so not him. But we love him through it all and realize love is the best medicine we can give him.

Back in the day, sweet Papa and sweet darling Sammi right by his side and baby Bella with her watering can.

When I sit with him I really stop and think, wow if we are privileged enough to live to be 88 years old, what will life be like?  Who will be around to take care of us? You pray your children will be there, you pray they will have the time in their lives but we don't know.  And Papa doesn't want to be unable to walk or do for himself, old age can be so humiliating for the person who is old and that is what breaks your heart. You see this sweet soul, who once was so full of life, so independent, so ready to cruise to the grocery store and take walks around the neighborhood with his dear brother ( who has now passed on) and you wish you could give that back. I wish I could give those days back to  my Papa.  He was so happy and he was so content. He loved to sit out in the backyard or driveway in the sun, with our sweet Sammi lab ( who has also left us) and read the paper and appreciate just getting up when he felt like it or going in the house to use the bathroom without any thought.  Now he feels bad, he feels he is a burden and he feels so tired. He even said to my Mom ( his only daughter, only child, his pride and joy) that he is tired, he said "I'd miss the kids but I think there is a better place out there for me now."  And by kids he means, his grandkids and great grandkids, that would be: My brother, Eric..me and my husband Donald and our babies, Jordan, Max and Bella.
And we would miss you more then you know, Papa.
I hold onto everyday I can see him and hear his voice, even if he is telling us "I need the keys to the car, I am ready to get out of this place."
Yesterday, I brought him some vanilla ice cream and we sat outside the rehab facility, with my brother. We chatted, he enjoyed his ice cream in the sunshine.
Then the physical therapist whisked him away to the gym to do some hard core exercise for an hour. When he returned, we were waiting for him in his room and he had a little coke and then was ready for his afternoon nap.
It's so fascinating how we begin as little souls in this life, who need so much help, nurturing and love and really as old souls, we need that same help, nurturing and love.   Some things never really change......
And in between our visits to the rehab and picking up our 3 little monkeys from school.
We took Mya to the beach and park, she met some new doggy friends and showed off her skilled leaps through the air and how good she is at jumping to catch her ball! Ball So Hard...Jayz & Kanye's song.

Look at Mya, catching that ball! "Ball So Hard."

And we can't forget that Little Miss Bella Lu, lost her first Front Baby tooth on March 19th biting into a ice-cream chipwich on the back porch after school. She came running in the house with her friend, Cassidy and yelled "it fell out!!!" Of course Little Miss Tooth Fairy made a visit that night and sent her the sweetest, teeny tiny letter. I will post that soon.

Here's my girl, all proud rockin her lens-less glasses.
You Go Girl!!!!
We thank you God, for your many blessings and another blessed week (:
Amen.

Determined.

2 walks today.
1 this morning with my baby girl, Mya   ( boxer rhodesian ridgeback warrior dawg!)
1 tonight with my husband ( big Daddy!) and Mya  
Hardcore walking, up steep hills, sweat dripping down the back by the time we made it home.
Mya headed straight to her water bowl and then outside in the backyard to do her poopski's and peeps ( because ~no lie~, she has never pooped or peeped on any walks, ever!!~ who's better then her?!, what a pure joy to walk her cause she just strolls down the street, or up the hill or sniffs a tree but never does she stop to do her thing, its like she is only comfortable in her own backyard. We sure don't
mind that, baby girl!
We thank you, honey!
This weather has been CRAZZZZY WARM! Like summertime weather, like June weather. So what's June going to be like 120???!!! OMG!
Anyways, we are lovin it and taken full advantage of getting outside.
The kids are on the sidewalks with their bikes and scooters, playing with the neighborhood kids, doing sidewalk chalk.
I am trying to lose weight, as usual.
When I walked yesterday, the sweat really bothered me in the rolls/creases that have now spread to my back. I don't like at all! It was a huge wake up call~ that and I am sick of these double D's, they have got to go!
And I only have myself to blame for eating too much and not moving enough.
So now it's on, Oh it is soooooo ON!
I am determined.
Just for me.
This time, it's my goal.
Not for anyone else.
I am determined to feel better and get back to enjoying clothes.
To building my fitness stamina back up. I use to be a tae bo queen, when my first born, Jordan was a baby! I would be doing those tapes in my living room 6 days a week. My legs were toned. I felt good.
Now with 3 children, I've let myself go and I want to get myself back.
This whole winter I swear my wardrobe has consisted of black shirts and black "PINK" sweatpants, almost daily. It's become a morbid wardrobe and I am darn sick of it!
Change is on it's way...
step by step..
every single day...
even if it's just baby steps...as long as I keep putting one chubby foot in front of the other and I am moving..
sweating..
pumping it up the hills...
ipod on...
yeah.
this is to be like brushing teeth..
you just automatically do it as part of your daily routine!
I am going to order these babies:
And though I haven't gotten to running and am pretty sure I will not ever be a runner, but never say never..today I am a walker.

I am determined.

DAUGHTRY~And today we shall rock out to DAUGHTRY!!

This song says so much.
It really represents all the good we can do
if we give a little bit more, and not just material things, give a hug, give time, pay for  a stranger's coffee behind you at the dunkin donuts drive thru...GIVE.
smile a little bit more, everyone has problems, some more severe then others and yet many times the ones who smile the most are the ones with the most severe problems, so make the effort and try to smile more, everyone benefits from it(: SMILE.
And lets all
judge a lot less, we are so much more alike then we are different, when are peeps going to get that...politics, religion, addictions, sexual preference, hopes, dreams, occupations, lifestyle, at the end of the day, we all just want to feel validated, we all fear the unknown either a little bit or a lot and we all need LOVE.
open our minds ALOT more
and
really realize we
are all one
and
we
are here today
and
we don't know
what tomorrow
will
bring
so
while
we
are
here
on
this
earth
all together,
lets...
be kind
to
each other.
lets....
do our part
NOW.

Anne Lamott

I love how this author writes.  Here is a little about Ms. Anne Lamott:
Anne Lamott is the uncommon writer that traverses the worlds of spirituality and religion with ease without alienating those uncomfortable with either, and she does so with humor, intelligence and grace. A political activist, progressive and author of several novels and works of non-fiction, Lamott's writings cover such subjects as alcoholism, single motherhood, and Christianity.

Lamott has explained: "I try to write the books I would love to come upon, that are honest, concerned with real lives, human hearts, spiritual transformation, families, secrets, wonder, craziness — and that can make me laugh. When I am reading a book like this, I feel rich and profoundly relieved to be in the presence of someone who will share the truth with me, and throw the lights on a little, and I try to write these kinds of books. Books, for me, are medicine."

 In Some Assembly Required, Anne Lamott enters a new and unexpected chapter of her own life: grandmotherhood.

Stunned to learn that her son, Sam, is about to become a father at nineteen, Lamott begins a journal about the first year of her grandson Jax's life.
In careful and often hilarious detail, Lamott and Sam-about whom she first wrote so movingly in Operating Instructions-struggle to balance their changing roles with the demands of college and work, as they both forge new relationships with Jax's mother, who has her own ideas about how to raise a child. Lamott writes about the complex feelings that Jax fosters in her, recalling her own experiences with Sam when she was a single mother. Over the course of the year, the rhythms of life, death, family, and friends unfold in surprising and joyful ways.
By turns poignant and funny, honest and touching, Some Assembly Required is the true story of how the birth of a baby changes a family-as this book will change everyone who reads it.

I am so excited to read her newest book!!!
She's the real deal.

Movies I watched this week....

Midnight in Paris

This little light of mine!!!

Isabella Laila blessed my world on November 14th, 2005 at 1.21 pm....

Struttin down Nahant Beach in the summer of 2007!!!

Tailgating at Canobie Amusement Park with the brothers!!! ~ 2007~

"My my my telephone"

Squeaky clean out of the shower and ready to start her first day of Kindergarten!

Ready to rock out at her friend, Summer's Pop Star Bday Party!!!

She's gona let it shine! I am excited to say that today Bella got called for her first commercial/modeling shoot for Playdough at Hasbro in Rhode Island!! She is going to be super excited when I tell her the great news when she arrives home from school today.  Her big 8 yr. old brother, Max, has done some modeling for BJ's and Disney Magazine Family Fun. And Bella just asked me a month ago "will I ever get called?"  So thank you God for giving Bella the opportunity to have some fun and work it for the camera!  This will be right up her alley and just FUN! We are not looking for a long term career or stressful times, that's not our cup of tea, we just want Bella to get to have great experiences and adventures and just have fun.

SO PROUD OF YOU BABYGIRL!!!

More behind the scenes pics to follow soon(:

WOOoOOOOOoooooooWHOOOOooooooOOOOOOOOO!!!!

PEBBLES from BOSTON'S JAMN 94.5!!!!

Pebbles came to read to my mom's kindergarten class today!! We love her so much!! She is so great with the kids and brought cool "ROCKIN READER" certificates for each child along with super cool treat bigs, filled with THE LORAX t-shirts, a Lorax poster and fuzzy Lorax pen and journal and a book! It was like Christmas in March over at Mrs. Webb's class today(:

I also worked on some super cute Thing 1 and Thing 2 decorations and we hung them up to celebrate Dr. Seuss's Birthday. Found this fabulous idea on the fabulous Pinterest. I ended up using blue edible grass, (that I found at my Target) and glue gunned all the hair on each child's head. The kids went nuts and were super excited to see these little figures of themselves.

We thank you soooo super much, Pebbles for coming to hang out in Mrs. Webb's class today!!