Halloween Over....Giving Thanks Now.

October was filled with many festivities. Leila turned 4 years old. My baby, my Princess is getting big. I tell her, "mami, i want you to stay little...She replies: No mami, i went to get big!" Funny thing: she asks me time to time, "Mami, can i please get big today? " So CUte!!! If she only knew how sad it is for Leo and me to see her , Noah & Ava get so big.

The kids had their school carnival which i took over this year to plan and organize. That was fun , exciting and overwhelming. But i had such wonderful support and help from many other moms, pto members and a HUGE THANK YOU goes to my wonderful , amazing husband!!! Unfortuantley the days before the carnival , i got really sick. I had not been sick in about 2 years.....and i believe the stress of work , carnival, and just day to day stuff, i lost this battle. Anyways, Leo helped out tremendously with meeting moms at the storage to move all the carnival stuff from storage to the school. And also for being so great through it all. The late nights i was up making posters, sending emails, and sending more emails...and more emails...and more posters. Thank you papi!!!

Then we had Halloween.....Our carnival was the same day, so i was pretty tired, but took a small nap before going trick or treating. We first hung out with family; took the kids to trick or treat with their little cousins....Poor Noah! Always the only boy in this mix....But he's a trooper and so great with all the girls! Everyone's Big Brother!!! After trick or treating here, Leila spent the night with her cousins, Addie & KK, and we went with the other to a friends place, whose son is Noah's friend, and on his baseball team. Had a good time sitting around their culdesac bonfire...talking, eating and drinking.

Today i am feeling much better! Thank goodness!

I will start my month of giving thanks:

Thank you to Leo for being such a wondeful husband and father....We are so blessed!! thank you to all those that helped out in the school carnival. So appreciated!! Thank you Noah too, that was a great help on friday for setting up to.

I love this weather! makes me sooo happy!!!

October

Finally today we are having our first feel of fall. So excited! I am sure it wont last very long, but at least it will come back.

Right now we are in full swing of school, first 6 weeks are over! We met with teachers yesterday to go over the kids report cards. They did awesome! Noah had 3 As and 3 Bs, and Ava had 4 As and 2 Bs (short by a point each to make all As). Teachers gave wonderful reports on both kids. Ava's participation in class was compared to Reese Witherspoon's character in the movie "Election"; i just about busted out laughing. I can totally see Ava with hand raised in the air SO EAGER to answer the question....I KNOW I KNOW!!! The teacher even told us that she had to tell Ava , to "simmer down" her excitement, if not she will not call on her. I dont know about you, but i find that very, very amusing! Noah , once again is well mannered, very concentrated kid in the class. He is so very helpful, and always enthused to learn. Can you tell the difference between the two? Who is the laid back one and who is the one that is always "ON" ?? They are day and night....i love their unique personalities.

Leila is well fine....She knows her birthday is coming up , and she is asking for everything BArbie/PRincess for her birthday. She wants the whole pink aisle in Target for her birthday is what it boils down to.

We are doing great....working and im organizing the school carnival, so that has been a big platter to handle, but it has been fun.....

My sister comes into town next week, and we are SOOOOO EXCITED! cant wait to see her and hang out! the kids are super excited!

i think that is all for now..Happy Trick or Treating!

Mid Way thru September

Well i cant believe we are already in mid September. Which means that the holidays are not that far away. Which just means another year is going/gone by. Leo just celebrated 37 years old; he looks amazing. He has really been taking care of himself with eating and working out. And he is doing a great job; and it shows :) Loving it!

Rundown on the kids:

Leila: Well she is 3 and very soon will be turning 4 in October. My baby is turning 4! So sad...it really makes me sad, to see her grow up so fast. She is taking swim and dance once a week. She loves dance; and she mimics her big Cousin Emma, who is a ballerina. When they get together Emma teaches her new things, and Leila is enthusiastic to learn.

Ava: She is in 3rd grade now, and well she loves school but she really hates having to get up so early. So now it just got worse for her: now she has to be at school every Tuesday at 715 because she made 3rd grade Student Council Representative for her class. We are so excited for her! She is going to love doing this, and it fits her personality perfect.

Noah: He is in 4th now, and 4th is tough. I am sure he will do well, with our help and his tutors help. They get alot of homework, and its stuff we didnt do until middle school....its pretty overwhelming, i think for a 9 year old. On the side, he is on a select baseball team. Practicing 3 times a week, and now pitching on Mondays...so now 4 times. He had a double header this past weekend, but it canceled due to rain. This weekend he has his first tournament...we are so excited to see him play on his new team.

in other news: we are just working along on one house, and just closed another one. We should be starting that one here in the next week or so. And working on a couple of other deals, and praying that they come through.

Its amazing how quick life just goes by. We have to cherish every moment, and recognize how blessed we are for all we have. Easier said than done, but we need to take a moment and truly think it and believe it.

I thank the Lord everyday for all that he has given our family, and our family members.

Thank you FaceBook!

Okay, so yes i am one of those that likes to network on FaceBook.....Go ahead and make fun of me; cant be worse than Leo. He is always making fun of me or the whole facebook community aspect of it. i have to say: its kind of cool seeing what other people are doing day to day. Its also a great place to ask for a prayer from others when you have something tough going on or if you want a prayer for something great.

But the best thing about it, is i was able to get back in touch with some really, really great friends from middle school thru high school. I am talking about true friends from back then that we knew eachother for , what 10 years or more! And yes after high school we lost touch; but that is normal. People go off to college; people get married , have kids, start a career: Starting a real life, and getting used to it; all the ups and downs; getting to know new people. But was so great, if it werent for FB, i probably would have never seen them again or even talk to them again. This has brought some friendships back together. We all have kids about the same ages, which is weird and so cool at the same time. And its weird that we are all adults now, and have husbands and kids. We can now share things on a different level.

Laugh all you want! I dont care....I have some special people back in my life.

First Day of School.

Here are our first day of school pictures for this year. I cant believe that Noah is already in 4th grade. I know , i know, i will be saying that every year til he goes off to college. Its just its amazing to see him grow into this young man. Yes i have 2 other kids, but he was the first born , he is the one i really notice how big and older he is getting and the other 2 also. They were both very excited to go back to school to see their friends and meet new teachers...They are just so adorable.....Love Them!!!

And my little princess! I am going to miss her personal fashion shows that she would give me daily. I will be working in the office and she will go change every 10 mins. Come down with a whole new outfit put together! Its so quiet around here with out her. She was so ready for school! I am trying to hold on to every last minute and little girl that she still is!

SUMMER HIGHTLIGHTS!!

I havent blogged in FOREVER!! Wow...so here is a wrap up of our summer.

1) We took a trip to Destin, Florida with kids, my parents, and my sister flew down from NY. We had never been to Destin and we fell in love! It is beautiful water, sand, scenery! And its economical for big families. The kids had a great time playing in the sand, water, boogie-boarding all day. We got plenty of sun and fun ! We even met up with some friends down there, that happened to be 20mins from us. The men went to play golf, while we hung out at the beach wiht the kids and then at the pool. That was alot of fun too. We have already decided that Destin is our new family destination for the summer. Hopefully next year we will go with our brother in law and family...That will be a blast of a vacation.

2) Leo and I went to vegas! Yes we took our own little trip to Sin City.....We actaully went with another couple , Morgan and Kim. That was a very exciting, exhausting trip. As Vegas alwasys is. I missed out on golf this time, but the guys went. They met up with a friend of Morgans, and apparantly went to one of the best golf courses in the States. They had a really good time; while us girls stayed by the pool all day. That was very relaxing! But honestly , I have come to like Vegas alot more the past couple times, but i think i can do with out if for a long while....I rather take a trip to a tropical place with Leo and be on the beach, relaxing that way. Maybe next year!!

3) The week after vegas we had our nieces and nephew over. My brother in law and his wife, took their little trip to Vegas. Anyways, seeing all those kids together was just so wonderful! It was non stop fun here the whole weekend. Leo took the boys out one night to an Astros game, the girls opened up their own clothing store in Ava's room, very CONTEMPO like.....Then the finale of the weekend was all the kids (boys included) gave us a fashion show! That was hilarious! They are so much fun and love to hang out with one another!

We have had a great summer, it went by pretty fast. And now maybe i can get back on track on keeping up with our life....

School is here!!!!

Oh my goodness! I am so blessed to have such a beautiful family. God has given me the pleasure to live for a man that was just made for me. Leo is such an amazing man that just fills my day with happiness, love, and teaches me each day to be a better woman. He has provided us with so many beautiful memories, and continues to be a better man everyday for us. He has given me 3 beautiful children, each radiating a trait that comes from him. Amazing to watch them grow and to watch Leo be so tender with the girls, and teaching Noah to be a respectable young man. Each moment that i look at Leo, i fall deeper in love with him (if thats even possible at this point). Thank you Lord for making this man for me; and for giving him to us.

This is our first professional family picture and I am in love! Cathy Noble the photographer, was wonderful and patient with the kids; especially Leila. Leila at first didnt want to smile at ALL! but she eventually warmed up and did her thing. I cant wait to post the rest of the kids! I cried seeing them so grown up; especially Noah. And of course wiht my excitement that i had in gettign pictures done, i completely forgot to get some of all 3 kids together! I know its crazy! But thats okay, i have already set it up to meet with her again to do those. I cant wait!!!

Here is her website: Check her out, she's great!


http://cathynoblephotography.wordpress.com/