Ten Things to Smile About; December 2013

Ten Things to Smile About: December 2013

Well, true to form I am way, way late on this post.  Again.  But December is so full of goodness for us it is impossible to move away from doing the good stuff to writing about the good stuff.  Any day of the week I'd rather be late to my blog than to miss enjoying life.  We are so blessed to have such a good and plentiful life.  Last month was so good it was hard to pick just ten things that were worthy of a smile.  Happy New Year!

Much to my dismay, I do enjoy how much the kids love the return of Arthur the Elf.   Their happiness does make me smile.

My sweet Athlete being recognized with high honors in his first trimester of middle school.

The beautiful Christmas cards we receive from friends and family.  I love, love, love Christmas cards and save them all.

An overnight in Santa Barbara for a business event.  It was a grueling drive home (5 1/2 hours!!) but it was so fun to see my close friends who I used to see every day in the office

Taking Bob to see Frozen on ladies night.  The cutest movie!


The start of basketball season for both of my boys.  It is a serious time commitment for Mr. Montoya and a lot of work for The Athlete but even I am surprised how much I love to watch basketball.  It's my favorite sport of the year!

Even after five years of fighting for a seat, hearing the same songs and seeing the same production at school I love the annual Christmas pageant.  Now that my first born is too old to be in it the hassle of it is a little less and I can cherish the opportunity just a little more.  I know I will be heartbroken when I don't "have" to go anymore. 

The safe arrival of Nana.  It is always the OFFICIAL start of Christmas when she's here

Touring model homes with my Mom and Bob.  It was fun to get inspiration from brand new, perfectly decorated spaces and someone sweet and sassy was ready to move in.

Seeing the Rose Parade floats up close as they were being built.  AMAZING!

 

Those polka dots were cranberries and blueberries.  All applied by hand!!

Hard Lock Down and Tough Love

Thanks to Facebook, Instagram and even the occasional IPC (in person chat) with a girlfriend I realize that I am not the complete lunatic that I sometimes think I am as a Mother.  I mean, sometimes I behave like a lunatic but it's not a chronic condition.  There's only so much you can do to protect yourself against the necessary lunacy required against a strong willed, sharp tongued nine year old girl.  Seriously, this girl could have pushed Mother Teresa to the edge.

So yesterday there was an email that circulated to school families about an Emergency Lock Down that happened on campus.  The message was brief but the closing message was that the suspect was removed without incident.  I was relieved and crushed all in the same sentence.  Relieved that no one in our school family was harmed and crushed that this is the place in time that we live.  Even in our tiny, parochial school, ocean view bubble on the Western edge of the continent. The kids filled us in after basketball that hard lock down meant that they turned off the lights, couldn't speak and all action stopped in anticipation of someone who shouldn't be in their hallways being there.  Even to type the words brings big, fat tears to my eyes.  I love that my kids are protected and hate that I am raising them in a world that even knows the words "Hard Lock Down".  The ultra crazy Mama Bear in me wants to run far and fast to somewhere . . . underground maybe . . . that things like this don't happen and eat ice cream and play board games with my sweet people all day for the rest of our lives.  Lunatic.  I know.  

And, on the flipside of my lunacy a mere 18 hours later was me turning around in the middle of the street and driving my daughter home to ask her Dad for a ride to school after she lied to me about her school uniform.  The uniform wasn't such a big deal, but I have a zero tolerance policy on dishonesty and I simply couldn't tolerate the disrespect.  In hindsight, she will grow up and tell her therapist what a crazy bat I was always flying off the handle and doing super dramatic things like dropping her on the front porch and telling her to figure it out, but she can truly get to me like no one else can.   

All of that has been eating at me while I am home sick today and the bottom line is that even though I'm a wee bit crazy there is nothing in the world I want more than to send wonderful humans into the world from our home.  I want to protect them from lock downs, drunk drivers, sun damage and mostly themselves and send them to their futures overly prepared and flourishing in the cruelness of the world.  Several hours of downtime haven't given me the answers to exactly how to do that so I'll just hold onto my lunatic card for now.  Sorry, Bob!

Ten Things to Smile About: November 2013

Ten Things to Smile About: November 2013

30 Days of Thankful
It is my favorite time of the year when I intentionally choose to find the good in every single day and choose to see the beauty of laundry, bickering children and food.  It is truly good for my heart to remember how blessed we are.


A surprise note from my sweet girl on my phone

A weekday trip to Disneyland.  We enjoy ourselves the most when we are reminded that these days with our children are fleeting.

A gorgeous family wedding.  

Seeing the sweet tags added to our Thankful Tree.
Bob is thankful for ice cream and her hamster.  The Athlete is thankful for basketball and his friends.

A girls night with Bob and her girlfriends at a live performance of Ivy & Bean.

Celebrating the 13th anniversary of my marriage to Mr. Montoya. 
LUCKY 13.  It's going to be a good year!

Date night with my sweet middle school guy

A peaceful, meaningful Thanksgiving Day with just me and my three complete with a homemade apple pie and an afternoon walk at the beach

A wacky night out with sweet friends that ended with these clowns wearing adhesive moustaches all the way home.

Thirty Days of Thankful: Part Three

The month is over and my heart continues to be full of thanks for all of the little, and not so little, things that fill our world.  November is always a special blessing to me.

11.21.13 - Day 21

Today I am thankful for my girls.  These women know all of my deepest secrets and love me anyway. They've been there for the highest of highs and the lowest of lows and are each such treasures to me.  I am deeply thankful for them and blessed to call them my dearest friends.

11.22.13 - Day 22

I am thankful for the gift of time.  The kind of time you need to take a deep breath and the time to enjoy cheap wine and pizza with friends simply because you have no other commitments.  This is a gift that should never be taken for granted.  You'll never know how special it is until you don't have it.  I'm so thankful!

11.23.13 - Day 23

Today I am wholeheartedly and deeply thankful for this wonderful little creature.  She is equal parts sassy and sweet, but most importantly she is healthy and thriving in the world.  This girl never makes parenting easy, but she always makes it worth it.  Bob for President!!!!

11.24.13 - Day 24

I am thankful for forgiveness.  I have tons of experience with saying "I'm sorry" and tomorrow will be no exception.  I am cranky and entirely unreasonable today, but I am thankful that they'll still love me when the sun rises again.  Everyone has THOSE days and today is mine.

11.25.13 - Day 25

I am thankful for a day with no lunchboxes, no homework and no pouting about bedtime.  'Tis the season for family!!

11.26.13 - Day 26

My heart is abundantly grateful for my amazing son.  He is a great student, a talented athlete and an exceptional human being.  I didn't think I was ready to be a Mom when he came along, but God knew better.  Every day of my life has been richer since this precious child entered the world.

11.27.13 - Day 27

I am thankful that today is my Friday and it's almost over.

11.28.13 - Day 28

Today I am thankful for the whole dang thing.  The beautiful Thanksgiving mass this morning, my sweet little helpers in the kitchen, a bountiful meal and a family walk to the beach for playtime.  We are deeply and beautifully blessed.  Happy Thanksgiving friends!

11.29.13 - Day 29

I am thankful that there's not one thing on our list that required me to go shopping in the middle of the night, trample anyone or curse my way through a parking lot.

11.30.13 - Day 30

I am thankful for this month that draws to mind our need to give Thanks in all that we do.  Our little Thankful Tree was overflowing when we took off the tags to make way for another tree today.  We have so, so much to be grateful for all year long and my family's hearts are well prepared for the beauty of Advent tomorrow.  I have been abundantly blessed and am deeply thankful all year long.

Thirty Days of Thankful: Part 2

The month is almost over and year after year this renews itself as my favorite, and saddest, month.  Intentionally counting blessings is it's own gift, but the occasion of Thanksgiving always makes me miss home and my family.  Perhaps a gift in itself and a needed reminder of the good things that launched me to where I am now.  I am perhaps more thankful for that than anything.


30 Days of Thankful 2013

Days 11 through 20

11.11.13 - Day 11

I am filled with awe and gratitude for our military and their families.  Happy Veteran's Day to so many heroes including my dear Dad.  You are loved and appreciated today and every day.

11.12.13 - Day 12

Tonight I am thankful for cotillion and how much my kids enjoy it.  It is such a blessing for them to have fun with their friends in a drama free space where manners are COOL!

11.13.13 - Day 13

If you heard the news this morning then maybe you heard the woman from the Philippines saying "we don't need money or cell phones or television.  We need food."  I am thankful for every banana in my kitchen that is slightly overripe, every chicken breast that I forgot to thaw {again} to bake for dinner and every other staple I thoughtlessly skip when looking for a meal.  Today I am most thankful for food.

11.14.14 - Day 14

I am thankful for the view from our front porch this afternoon.  God's art is my very favorite.

11.15.13 - Day 15

Tonight I am beyond thankful that we have no commitments until noon tomorrow. Awesome!

11.16.13 - Day 16

I am thankful for a cozy place to call home.

11.17.13 - Day 17

Today I am thankful to be from a good family.  Not a famous family, not a rich family, but a GOOD family.  A family that taught me the value of hard work, honesty and worship and gifted me with the freedom to love deeply and to give without hesitation.

11.18.13 - Day 18

I am thankful for my amazing husband.  13 years ago today I became Mrs. Montoya and it's been a crazy ride, but I wouldn't change a minute of it for anything in the world.  Happy Anniversary Mr. Montoya!  You are everything MY husband should be and then some.  I can't wait to see what's in store for us next.  Forever and ever.

11.19.13 - Day 19

Today I am thankful for my sweet husband filling up my car with gas so I didn't have to and for a Starbucks skinny peppermint latte.  Little things make a big difference on busy mornings.

11.20.13 - Day 20

I am thankful today, and every day, for my Nanny.  She was the world's strongest, kindest, most faith-filled, loving woman EVER.  She would have literally given you every item of clothing from her closet, every ounce of food in her kitchen and loaded it all into her car for you if you said you needed it.  And then she still would have called you when you got home to see if you needed anything.  Disappointing my Nanny is the only thing that ever truly broke my heart and when I pray I honestly believe that she is sitting next the Lord listening.  She was so good and so incredibly perfect and Heaven is a much more appropriate place for her, but I still miss her beautiful face every single day.  Lucky me to have her in my world for more than 30 years.

REAL Thankful

As much as I want every day to be bountiful with goodness and for a grateful heart to overwhelm real life there is the very distinct reality that life isn't always full of goodness.  People are cynical and jealous and sometimes drain on our ability to constantly act in love.  That is reality.  

Last night I struggled with something to be thankful for in my day.  My thoughts were elsewhere and I just wasn't seeing goodness in the wonderful day that I'd had with my family.  This morning I woke up with the intention of striving to be grateful ALL DAY in everything that I do and the reflection I am sharing below came to my attention almost immediately.

Wherever you are in your ability to be thankful, perhaps you also need some words of wisdom.

Developing a Mellow Heart

The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him and I am helped.  Therefore my heart exults, and with my song I shall thank Him. ~ Psalm 28:7

2013: Thirty Days of Thankful

It's November and it is a gift to be able to peacefully prepare for the celebration of Thanksgiving and the approaching Advent season.  The Thankful Tree is again in a place of honor and we are filling it's tiny branches every day with gratitude from our hearts.  To carry on the tradition my daily Facebook posts of Thanks will be documented here for the month.

30 Days of Thankful 2013
Days 1 through 10

11.1.13 - Day One
Today I am thankful for the way technology allows me stay connected to friends who are far away. Photos on Facebook and Instagram, online chats about life and loss and blog posts about everything in between are all gifts to me.

11.2.13 - Day Two
Today I am thankful for my bonus Mom. She is the kindest, most generous soul I've ever met and she has loved me and my family as her own from Day 1. I honestly have no idea how my Dad ever got so dang lucky, but we are all thanking our lucky stars for the gift that she is. 

11.3.13 - Day Three
Today I am thankful for breakfast dishes, drinking coffee at baseball and folding laundry. The most simple days in our life is a gift that I cherish deeply.

11.4.14 - Day Four
Today I am thankful to be a Mom. I was never the girl that just wanted to be a Mom, but God gave me the two most amazing gifts that are everything I never knew I wanted. These people are the whole world to me.

11.5.13 - Day Five

Today I am thankful for courage. Aside from losing my family, there is nothing that really scares me. Well except birds. But besides that, I'm super thankful to have the courage to go after what I want and to stand up for what matters to me.

11.6.13 - Day Six

Today I am thankful for our sweet sitter. She picks up the kids from school, drives to practices and helps with homework. It's a small price to pay for the peace of mind we get from her help and the kids LOVE her!!

11.7.13 - Day Seven

Today I am thankful for Thursday morning carpool and back seat chats with my darling goddaughter. I'm so blessed by this sweet child.

11.8.13 - Day Eight

My heart is filled with thanks for days like today and the gift of spending time with our kids while they're still kids.

This came following a Friday out of school and  the four of us at Disneyland together for the afternoon.

11.9.13 - Day Nine
Yesterday I was thankful for this beautiful couple and the gift of new beginnings. I am a sucker for great parties and weddings are the best!!! We love you so much Mr & Mrs Schlegel! Aloha

11.10.13 - Day Ten
I am thankful for sunshine, blue skies and God's constant reminder that there is always something beautiful on the horizon.

Ten Things: October

Fall is officially here and there is a crispness to everything that I adore.  Mulling spices are simmering on the stove and the pumpkins on the table make me smile every time I see them.  October was a great month and even when it seems we can't be more blessed; we are.

Ten Things to Smile About: October 2013

My Bob being named MVP following an especially rough soccer game.  She was delighted to replenish her calories in the candy store.

A gorgeous Friday night wedding at the beach.  I am beyond happy for my sweet friend and her handsome new husband.  Congratulations Troutmans!

Driving to work every day on Pacific Coast Highway instead of the freeway.  Following the deep blue sea from Dana Point to Newport Beach is truly a magical way to start the day.

Thursday morning carpool and preschool story time with my goddaughter.

The very first cotillion of the season.  Now we have two little charmers doing the cha cha!

Finding a great after school sitter/driver on Care.com.  She is a MAJOR help to our family and the kids love her.  Win!  Win!

Every single thing about this video.  The Seminole football helmet, the skateboard, the crash pad against the door.  They crack me up!!

The rainbow loom factory that the kids have started in our family room.  Please let us know if you'd like a bracelet.  Bob is quite the salesman!!!

The new NBC show on Monday nights, The Blacklist.  Holy heart stopper!

Halloween, of course.  Wayne Campbell, a la Wayne's World (ca. 1992) and Alice of Alice in Wonderland. They loved it which I why I loved it.  The end.

The last Tuesday of the month is when Emmy posts her Ten Things.  I can't bear to make time go any faster than it already is.  Sorry to be tardy to the party, Emmy!