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.

Friday Confessional

I Confess . . .

I want it to be summer. Hot, sunny, spend all day at the beach summer.

I am grateful that we haven't had an earthquake or a tsunami. I feel blessed.

And I admit I am shallow.

I really, really, really want it to be summer.

I Confess . . .

I am tracking my carb and sugar intake.

Admitting how much sugar I eat is shocking.

Cutting back on how much sugar I eat sucks.

I would eat a hot fudge sundae for every meal if I could.

I Confess . . .

Motherhood is stressing me out lately.

It feels like everything I have done since I threw away my last diaper has been a failure.

I fret that I am not doing it right. Ever.

It invades my every thought, my every waking moment and every project.

I wish there was a book and a right answer, but I know there's not.

I Confess . . .

A few people have made the mistake lately of whining about how busy they are.

I'm afraid I don't respond well to cry babies.

I've got absolutely no sympathy for anyone complaining about busy.

You can complain to me any week that you work at least 40 hours, drive 60 miles each day in traffic, have one or more difficult conversations with an educator, counselor, coach or troop leader, attend two sporting events, address no less than 20 cotillion invitations in your most beautiful handwriting, get all your laundry done, and pack two picky brat lunchboxes at least three times.

Suck it up.

I Confess . . .

I need a vacation.

If you've got a secret to spill you can link with Mamarazzi, too. 

Friday Confessional

I Confess
It's been another helluva week.  I keep waiting for things to get better and I am sort of realizing that I might need to make that happen for myself.  And then I think great. Something else that I have to do.

I Confess
Something happened at our house last night that makes me think we are candidates for the Jerry Springer Show.  I do not think that's cool.

The Princess was crying, whining, whimpering (or something) in her bed for a long time.  I was pissed because I was tired and didn't want to get up.  But it was a long time and I thought  "must be the real deal".

I put on my Mom pants and went in and gently rubbed her on the back and asked what was the matter.  Her head spun around and she hissed at me -
"I'm not telling you"
and then she kicked me.  And I said
"eff off.  This is ridiculous."

What makes a mother say that to her child?!??! I am horrified. I think I need medication.


I Confess
I have no idea how we will survive adolescence with that girl and me in the house together. 

I Confess
I considered calling in sick today so I could get a mani/pedi.  I need one that bad.  And I am dying to go to the hospital and hold my brand new niece for a long time.  Those seemed like perfectly reasonable excuses not to show up for work. I'm sure it's better that I changed my mind.

This weekend will be filled with my family and some good stuff.  We need it in the worst way.  And I WILL go hold my sweet niece.  Happy Friday!!!

Friday Confessional ~ Date Night and Dirty Girls

I Confess

Having kids that are good readers makes me really proud.  I am secretly thrilled when I find The Athlete staying up late to finish a chapter or two.

Having kids that tell me I shouldn't drink from a cup that says "Make your own damn dinner" does not make me proud.  I wish they couldn't read that.

Or my emails over my shoulder.

Or my text messages from my girlfriends.

I Confess

E and I are due for a date night.

Life is stressful right now and we just feel like worker bees, and housekeepers and check writers.

We need to drink some cocktails and stay up late talking about something besides our kids and the scheduling conflicts we have next week.

I Confess

There are some people in my life right now that I am not sure are worth it.

I am intensely loyal and hold tightly to people that have touched my heart.  But I am working a LOT harder lately on them being in my life than they are.  I'm not sure how much longer that can last. 

Even the idea of it makes me sad.

I Confess

My daughter and I are oil and water sometimes.  Or we could just be the same person in different packages.  I dunno.

She's developed a significant disdane for showering lately.  I don't quite get it since getting beautiful is her FAVORITE.THING.EVER. but I guess she doesn't make the connection that you gotta be clean, too.

Just in case I was wondering how she really felt about taking a shower this week, she wrote a letter.

And "I mene never in my hole live" have I been so damn afraid of a kindergartener.

HAPPY FRIDAY, Friends.  Go see Mamarazzi and Glamazon or more Friday confessionals.  They'll make your day.

Friday Confessional

I Confess


One of the reasons I don’t cook at home more is because I am too tired to clean up after my family.

Last night I swept food off the counter and directly onto the floor for clean up.

I knew the dog would find it before I get a chance to sweep again.

I Confess

That I desperately want to finish The Athlete's Indian project for him.

Not because he’s not doing it the way that I want him to. No.

It’s because I think he’s learned the value of hard work in the THREE WEEKS that we’ve been working on it. Yep, that’s why.

I Confess

My blog layout and header got totally screwed up when I was trying to give it a little New Year's spruce  I can’t figure out how to restore it to it’s former glory.

I almost don’t care.

That’s a lie. It’s driving me nuts and I just don’t know when I’ll have a chance to do it unless I am willing to forego bedtime soon.

I’m not willing to forego bedtime anytime soon.

I Confess

Sometimes I make inappropriate generalizations based on gender, race or sex.

I know that’s inappropriate.

However, if one more slick little asian man walks into our office building ahead of me and lets the door slam in my face I will embarrass him by kicking his ass.

I know that’s inappropriate.

And I don’t care.

So THEY (Glamazon and Mamarazzi) say confession is good for the soul. So confess and link up. Don't forget to add the SUPER cute button.