Christmas preparations...

We were preparing for Christmas yesterday...
I worked steady wrapping Christmas gifts while the kids watched a movie during 'quiet time'
When they got up I asked Troy to put one of Sophia's presents under the tree.

A little later we put the Christmas lights up and Tony brought a wrapped present to me and said, "I found this present for Sophia under the tree in the front yard."

Thanks Troy!

Special Visitor...

Ironman showed up at our house this morning...

He played with Troy's toys...

He didn't like that I took so many pictures...

so he left...
He'll be back tomorrow :)

Happy Sunday!

Time Marches On...

How can November be almost over?
I am not ready for Christmas! New Years! 2011... oh my!
This year has flown by...
Tomorrow I will have to go shopping for Thanksgiving. I am hoping to do some crafting projects.. I have so much on my plate as I am trying to make a number of Christmas gifts this year. No pictures yet, some of my family read my blogs and they can't know what's in store...
Thursday morning we will get up and watch the Macy's parade, we will head over to Tony's parents house to eat, play and watch some football. Then we will visit my family at my Grandparent's house.
It will be a busy day but a blessed day I am sure.

The kids and I have spent the beginning part of this week learning about Thanksgiving. We are having a good time learning together. We went on a nature trail today and brought a book we checked out from the library about the leaves in autumn. It was fun to explore. My dad came with us, I love hearing him teach the kids about nature. I like to see them listen and learn from family. Tonight we all laid in Sophia's bed and read a book about Thanksgiving.

Here are a few pictures of my little ones...




Wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving.

Made with Love

Turkey day is coming soon and there are quite a few things I should be getting done besides this...





But they were so fun to make! And I have to give my friend Ashley, the credit for my inspiration, although she will tell you she picked up the ideas from etsy. :)

I was a little discouraged because I didn't think I was going to have time or the extra $ to do much crafting for Thanksgiving. I have to get into a new way of thinking and instead of going out and purchasing all new stuff for each craft project I recycled some of the kids old and stained t-shirts, covering the stains with a piece of brown fabric for the turkey's body.

With Troy's shirt I used old t-shirts that don't fit him anymore and they have stains so I can't hand them down to anyone else so Troy's shirt is totally made of his old clothes that would have been used as cleaning rags. :)

Sophia's shirt is an old shirt and two pieces of scrap fabric that I had just enough to make this cute polkadotted turkey. I love the way it turned out.


I still def need some work with my sewing skills but it will come with practice. :)

can't sleep...

Busy day and I can't fall asleep.
I'm not even tired... 12:24am...
maybe it was the Starbucks I drank on the way home from tball and cheerleading practice at 7:45 tonight. Oh yes, that did it I'm sure...
Darn Starbucks... but oh so heavenly.
OK, I am a caffeine addict. I'm like that lady on the cartoon... with the caffeine patch.


I have really cut back my old coffee habits. Working night shift, usually getting 3 hours of sleep in a 24 hour period I would say I drank well over 14 cups of coffee during those 24 hour stretches. I don't drink just any coffee either... we drink Colombian espresso that we make brew in a coffee pot. Numerous time I have had friends drink it and have heart palpitations and totally unable to sleep. It really was all that got me through the sleepless nights and endless days when I was working nights, taking care of the kids during the day while Tony was in Ft. Lauderdale.
I am so glad those days are behind me...
I have a much healthier relationship with coffee now.. but yes, still an addict. I know eventually I will have to give it up but I just don't have time right now.

My poor children know not to ask too much of me before my first cup of coffee. Sophia even asks, "Mommy after you drink coffee will you..."
Poor kids! I just need that first sip to get me going. Like a true addict, a few days ago I stood at the kitchen sink and took my first sip, caught myself actually say... "YEAAASSSS..." It was almost erotic.. until I realized what I was doing and felt a little ashamed that I love coffee that much. It makes me feel like I can accomplish just about anything...

I try not to drink coffee at night. Today though, I knew when I got home at 8pm, I would still have to feed,bath, and put the kids to bed. Walk the dogs... pick up toys.. write two essays that were due at midnight.. among an assortment of other things and after spending the last 3 hours on a field with screaming 4-12 year old cheerleaders and 3-6 year old boys running backwards around a baseball field I was going to need some STRONG coffee... so I ordered...
A Grande Iced Carmel Machiatto, with two shots of espresso, eight pumps of vanilla, extra carmel and whipped cream, please.
Thank you!

Well- my plan to blog myself to sleep is working, my eyes are getting heavy and with any luck I'll get a few hours of sleep before waking up bright and early to take Sophia to a learning playdate with some homeschool friends and to greet me... another cup of coffee... yes, I have my espresso on an alarm ready to brew exactly 10 mintues before my alarm rings to wake me up.
If I didn't do this Tony and I would lay in bed and fight over who would get up and set the coffee pot... he always looses the battle, because I just pretend I've fallen asleep again,and he usually ends up running late for work... he is as big of a coffee junkie as I am. We are co dependant in our addiction.
He even researched if we were ever lost in the woods we could use pine needles to make a drink that would have similar effects as coffee, and don't find this weird at all... in fact, I feel very comforted in knowing this information.
OH- and just because I love owls and coffee... isn't this cute!

i blinked...

Halloween has come and gone... what a fun time! The kids had a blast at their Halloween party. Lots of good friends and family came to celebrate. In all of the excitement we forgot to pull out the camera.

T Ball and Cheer season has begun for the Martinez Crew! How busy can we be on Thursday nights, with Sophia cheering from 5:15-6:45 and Troy in T Ball from 6-7. I have had to enlist a team of people to help. And just my luck Troy's games and Sophia's games end up on the same days at the same times... all season long! I can be found running from the baseball fields to the football fields in attempt to watch my little athletes. Here are some pictures that my sister snapped for me this weekend... their first games.

Sophia's Pictures...




Troy's pictures...




Love watching them thrive! Kind of makes me sad that they are growing up... I am loving the ride but catch myself kind of sad that there are few reminders of baby in our house. :) Troy likes GI Joes, trucks and action figures. Sophia likes Barbie, Littlest Pet Shop... no more sound soothers, swings, and bouncers. They like Madagascar and Shrek, I don't know when "Winnie the Pooh" became "baby-ish" but somewhere between transitioning from bottles to sippycups and diapers to underwear I lost my babies. In the same instant I am LOVING the little children that they have become!

And yes... us southern folks... they have even started target practicing with Daddy on the weekends.





It really does feel like I have blinked and they have turned into little children...

I better not blink again!